Overweight patients sent to program lose twice as much as those who don't go
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comWeight Watchers works, scientific study finds
Seeded on Wed Sep 7, 2011 7:22 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
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My mother used Weight Watchers back in the 70's to dump long term baby weight. It worked then by teaching and driving home the idea and life lesson to watch and control what you eat. Since the whole family lived this diet (if Mom cooked, you got what she ate), it was a lesson we all learned. The subconscious lesson is still with me 40 years later. And I taught it to my kids.
Good article!!I do believe that your research is important to identify clinically effective interventions to treat obesity.Obesity is recorded as the major problem nowadays in the states, furthermore obesity can bring or engage us to many kind of illness that has been reported by the health researchers and as a health coach I highly recommend this blog and the research itself.
but they miss the boat with diabetics. how could i eat all the fruit i want daily? i am on insulin. i wish they would present a program for diabetics
NutriSystem has a program for diabetics.
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Obviously, you can't eat all the fruit you want. Frankly, it would be hard for anyone to lose weight eating pounds of fruit every day.
Weight Watchers didn't miss the boat. You can choose other foods if you have an allergy, a medical condition or even a strong dislike for a food. You are smart enough to choose your own food. WW doesn't think they need to spell out ..."don't eat peanut butter if you are allergic to peanuts" or "diabetics should curb their intake of sugar and processed carbs".
Jackie-2620660, there is no better diet than the diabetic diet. If we all (including me) followed it well we wouldn't need Weight Watchers. I'm also diabetic.
Hmm...Are we sure that there's no bias here, considering they funded this study?
Of course, if you read the article, they addressed that subject.
It doesn't mean ANYTHING until 2 years after the diet stops. They will almost all gain the weight back and then some. That's how our bodies work. And forget about this working for people who are already morbidly obese.
Weight Watchers is not meant to be a diet. It is to teach you portion control. Forget about this working for people who are morbidly obese? Maybe they should learn portion control, which is probably why they are so big.
A gentleman in my Weight Watchers group has lost over 200 lbs and kept it off three years. My mom (age 78 next month) has lost 102 and kept it off nearly two years. I'm sorry to say that I'm one of those people who let myself get get morbidly obese, but with the WW emphasis on portion control, healthy foods, exercise and having lots of other people giving encouragement and support I've lost 53 lbs so far and am still going strong. Given that I like the way I'm feeling now much better than the way I felt four months ago, I don't ever see myself letting my weight take over my life like that again.
I don't understand how you can say this isn't a program for the morbidly obese. There are a lot of people who have lost over 100 pounds on WW. There are more than four people in the meeting I go to who have lost more than 50 pounds so far. And it's not a huge meeting.
I agree that it is hard to keep the weight off. But I think that is true of any weight loss program. I know people who have regained weight after gastric bypass. There doesn't seem to be a "magic bullet" cure for obesity. That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep trying!
I tried Jenny Craig - too expensive: buy their foods & supplements and also my own regular groceries. Lost 10 pounds, then gained 20.
Tried Nutrisystem - liked the diet for about 4 months then could not eat another one of their pre-packaged foods. Lost 20 pounds, gained 30.
Now I am on Weight Watchers. I like that I can eat all MY OWN favorite foods in moderation. So, I am trying to learn portion control and stop snacking on junk foods. So far, I am happy with WW. I can have a slice of pizza. I can have a taco. I just can't have 4 tacos or 4 slices of pizza. But, I know I can live this way, as long as I don't have to give everything up for life. And the meetings are educational and you make friends who can give tips and understand your struggle.
So far, 2 months, 15 pounds, and I'm not broke or bored at all with the menu.
I would encourage you to invest some time and money into taking an Anatomy and Physiology class at your local community college. It is only through education that we learn exactly why it is that we need to feed our bodies the proper foods they need to function correctly. You will then more fully understand WHY you're changing your eating habits. Today's "rewards" will become tomorrow's "toxic punishments"!
If I remember right, Nutrisystem uses the Glycemic Index. I have a few books about that plan (it was recommended for a medical condition I have) and once you figure out what is low-GI you can pretty much go from there. There's no need to buy prepackaged meals.
Weight Watchers truly IS the best program, IMO. It's really behavior modification. Nowadays they do have WW in the grocery stores but they don't base the majority of their income on it - the others do. You HAVE to buy others' foods at ridiculous prices, then good luck after you stop. WW bases itself on how you can live for the rest of your life.
Nutrisystem all the way!!!!
Independent Research funded by weight watchers. Well, that's all i need to hear right there.
So what next, are the doing to do a massive research project to confirm that drinking water hydrates you?
It's true it works, I've been on WW Online for a few months and have lost 18lbs. The key is patience and perseverance. They don't tell you what to eat, you have to figure that out on your own which teaches you how to eat rather than eating their food. I have not felt deprived and I love it! I plan on eating this way forever. WW DOES WORK! No gimmicks, no prepackaged foods, just good science and good food.
This is so sad for yo-yo dieters who are being seduced to continue to weight cycle. This is a ONE YEAR study, funded by WW. This is the FIRST PART OF THE WEIGHT CYCLING PROCESS that results from diets. Yes, in the first year people lost weight. However, multiple studies show that if we were to follow these same dieters for 2-5 years, most will have gained more back than they lost.(*) We need to end this endless weight cycling and make peace with our bodies. We need to shift from a weight centered approach to a healthy lifestyle with body diversity acceptance. See this article in National Geographic for information on the new peace movement, a new health paradigm (**) called Health At Every Size™:
(*)Mann, T., Tomiyama, A.J., Westling, E., Lew, A.M.., Ann-Marie; Samuels, B., Chatman, J., Jason. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. American Psychologist. Vol 62(3), Apr 2007, 220-233.
(**)Bacon, L., Aphramor L. (2011). Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift. Nutrition Journal 2011, 10:9 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-9
The problem (or one of the problems) with ALL of these weight-loss programs (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, et al) is how much they cost! I've thought many time of joining, but economically cannot afford even the $12 a week WW wants.
The problem (or one of the problems) with ALL of these weight-loss programs (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, et al) is how much they cost! I've thought many time of joining, but economically cannot afford even the $12 a week WW wants.
Maybe try buying $12 less food each week? It's only $1.72 per day, collect aluminum cans!
What I don't understand then is if people cannot afford say the $12 that you mentioned then how are they overweight or obese. People are obviously spending money on food/snacks/bevies.
I am a male, 63 yrs old and tried Weight Watchers as a lark. I have lost 33 lbs in 6 months. It can work for anyone if you put your mind to it. I have not deprived myself of the foods I love.
I wonder since obesity is passing tobbacco if they will ban food from resturants as well..................
I started WW in 2007 and dropped 35 lbs off a 150 lb frame.
I now just eat smaller portions, in moderation. I haven't been to a meeting in over a year and have still kept 30 lbs off.
It really does just change how you approach food--both by portion and type. I know I won't put the weight back on.
I had a WW group at my workplace, it finally dropped due to lack of participants. I lost 14 lbs while I was going, I've gained back 20 a year later. I reallly disliked the little energizer bunny of a leader that lost her baby weight in the 80s doing WW and has stayed tiny since.
It was that embaressment factor of having to get on a scale on front of other people every week. I'm not sure that that is an appropriate healthcare policy.
I also had a problem with WW's official line "there is no slowing of metabolism after menopause. Women just tend to eat more then" BS to anyone who has had their weight move to their waist and won't budge after 50.
I'm sorry you had such a lousy experience with WW. I think that leader would have annoyed the hell out of me too! I've been fortunate in that mine is a wonderful, warm 55+ lady who lost a ton of weight herself and has really seen something of life. I think a person has to try a few different groups sometimes in order to find a leader who meshes with your own personality.
I don't mind getting on the scale so much because no one ever says the numbers aloud and no one but myself and the person weighing me can see them. I'm shocked that your work meeting did it where everyone could see! I'm never heard of that happening anywhere else and am pretty sure it's against WW policy to humiliate people that way--chalk up another one for your crappy leader.
It certainly does get harder to lose weight, I won't argue with that, but I'm 50 and have lost 53 lbs in four months. My mom is in her late 70's and has lost a pretty amazing 102. I think my big challenge will be after I've hit my goal, not falling back into all those bad habits I acquired over the years and holding onto the good ones instead.
You need a different leader. The first meeting I tried, the leader passed out pictures of herself 15 pounds overweight and made disparaging remarks about "what a cow" she had been. You should have seen the eye rolls in the meeting members!
The one I have now lost 103 pounds on program two years ago and kept the weight off. She knows what she's talking about.
And I have been a lifetime member for decades. I have never heard anyone say your metabolism doesn't slow after menopause. I think you had a crazy leader.
It's not magic. It's portion control and planning. And it works.
It really does work, if you work it.
I wish my health insurance paid for a membership to Weight Watchers and my gym.
...but that would be way too logical!
The program works if you work the program
It's not $12 it's more than that! For a 20 min meeting! Let's be honest. You spend the first 10-15 minutes w/everyone clapping & cheering about how much weight one's lost then the "leader" spends the rest of the time talking @ warp speed to get the lesson plan in.
The new ww program? Hate it! You now have to buy products that weren't required before. The little calculator etc.
WW used to be about the average person. Now they have a "star" advertising their product. Of course she's going to lose weight! She gets it for free and she's the one who most can afford it! How about picking someone from a meeting & giving them your services for free! Lifetime doesn't count. Pick someone who can BARELY afford your program. And as far as the people saying "well you spend that much on junk food.." Maybe so but this $$ is also buying enough for other members of the family don't you think? $10 for a box of snack bars? COME ON! I can get Special K for $2.50!
I do not think that 14.5 lbs in a year is that big of a deal. It is great people are attempting to get healthy but a healthy weight lost is about 2 lbs a week and the only way to healthily do that is to have the right amount of nutrients, calories and exercise. If you drop most of your calories, you will lose weight but you won't feel great. Most people could do it on their own if they were not lazy or made excuses and maybe had a friend to help them with motivation. Also, many people are considered 'obese' because of their height and weight not usually because of the amount of fat on their body.
As a busy mom and teacher, I decided to give WW online a try; in three weeks, I'm down eight pounds! Sure, I could "journal," but recording my daily food intake online, as well as receiving helpful/educational support is well worth the $17 a month. Sure, there are many programs that will take a nice chunk of weight off, but WW is a realistic lifestyle overhall. Truthfully, I'm not eating that much differently than before, but I'm more conscience of portion control.