A day on Weight Watchers' Core Plan might look like this:
Breakfast:
Vegetables scrambled with egg whites, or cup of bran flakes with skim milk
Cup of berries
Fat-free yogurt
Tea
Lunch:
Cup of vegetable soup
Black-bean burger or turkey on whole-grain bread with lettuce and tomato
Slice of melon
Water
Dinner:
Big green salad
Four slices of pork tenderloin
Steamed zucchini and summer squash
Half a cup of brown rice
Cup of fruit smoothie
Snacks:
Most vegetables and fruits
Lean protein such as a slice of chicken or turkey
Cup or two of air-popped or light popcorn
Monday, May 25, 2009
Is Weight Watchers for You?
This chart can help you see how the Weight Watchers plans fit your goals and lifestyle concerns.
| Duration | Indefinite | ||||||||||
| Restaurants | Yes | ||||||||||
| Alcohol | Yes, if you use Flex Points | ||||||||||
| Caffeine | Yes | ||||||||||
| Special Foods | No | ||||||||||
| Family Friendly | Yes | ||||||||||
| Vegetarian | Yes; non-meat proteins are limited to healthier options such as legumes, tofu and veggie burgers on the Core Plan |
Upside of the Weight Watchers Plans
- Plan focuses on new eating habits and eliminates food that contribute to overeating.
- No counting or measuring in the Core Plan.
- Plan does not forbid foods, but can teach how to budget temptations in to a healthy eating plan.
- weekly meetings can provide support and improve adherence to the plan .
Downside of the Weight Watchers Plans
- It may be hard to govern the use of Flex Points, which can sabotage weight loss.
- The sensible approach may mean more gradual weight loss than some people expect .
Weight Watchers basics
After years of the tried-and-true Winning Points Plan, Weight Watchers adapted their plans to include two approaches to weight loss: the Flex Plan and the Core Plan.
Weight Watchers is one of the longest-lived weight loss plans. After years of the tried-and-true points approach, Weight Watchers has adapted their plans with two paths to weight loss. The Flex Plan is a revamped version of the old points system, designed to be flexible enough to fit any busy lifestyle. If counting points isn't your style, the Core Plan is based on a list of healthy, satisfying foods that you can enjoy without worrying about their point value.
The Core Plan doesn't require counting. Instead, calories are controlled by limiting food choices based on their energy density and the risk of overeating. For example, you can eat dry cereal (and then only four specific brands) only with milk or yogurt, because too many people snack on dry cereal and overeat. For the same reason, nuts and seeds aren't included even though they have proven health benefits.
In contrast, the Flex Plan includes any food you can dream of, each with a specific number of points assigned. You can choose to splurge and blow a large number of points on a decadent dessert to satisfy a craving or eat a larger volume of lower-calorie, and therefore lower-point, foods. Points are assigned based on your weight. As you lose weight, your point number drops to allow continued weight loss.
Both plans include activity guidelines and encourage participation in either weekly group meetings or online support for optimum success. Both also include a “weekly allowance” for non-plan foods.
Weight Watchers is one of the longest-lived weight loss plans. After years of the tried-and-true points approach, Weight Watchers has adapted their plans with two paths to weight loss. The Flex Plan is a revamped version of the old points system, designed to be flexible enough to fit any busy lifestyle. If counting points isn't your style, the Core Plan is based on a list of healthy, satisfying foods that you can enjoy without worrying about their point value.
The Core Plan doesn't require counting. Instead, calories are controlled by limiting food choices based on their energy density and the risk of overeating. For example, you can eat dry cereal (and then only four specific brands) only with milk or yogurt, because too many people snack on dry cereal and overeat. For the same reason, nuts and seeds aren't included even though they have proven health benefits.
In contrast, the Flex Plan includes any food you can dream of, each with a specific number of points assigned. You can choose to splurge and blow a large number of points on a decadent dessert to satisfy a craving or eat a larger volume of lower-calorie, and therefore lower-point, foods. Points are assigned based on your weight. As you lose weight, your point number drops to allow continued weight loss.
Both plans include activity guidelines and encourage participation in either weekly group meetings or online support for optimum success. Both also include a “weekly allowance” for non-plan foods.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Nutrition And Watching Sports On TV, Weight Watchers
How can you Root for your favorite team and enjoy your favorite party recipes?
To help Solidify your big win and avoid packing on the extra pounds, Weight Watchers recommends a flexible game plan for the big game.
Bob Goldberg, Weight Watchers meeting leader:
"Some little things can make a big difference, like substituting pretzels for chips, making dips with low-fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and getting up to move or even take a quick walk during half time. Favorite recipes can easily be made over to be better for you and just as delicious, like Weight Watchers' own recipes for jalapeno poppers or layered Mexican bean dip."
Weight Watchers International, Inc. Is the world's leading provider of Weight loss services, operating in 30 countries through a network of Company-owned and franchise operations. Weight Watchers holds over 46,000 Weekly meetings where members receive group support and education about Healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity.
Weightwatchers provides innovative, subscription weight management Products over the internet and is the leading internet-based weight Management provider in the world. In addition, Weight Watchers offers a wide Range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight Loss and weight control.
To help Solidify your big win and avoid packing on the extra pounds, Weight Watchers recommends a flexible game plan for the big game.
Bob Goldberg, Weight Watchers meeting leader:
"Some little things can make a big difference, like substituting pretzels for chips, making dips with low-fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and getting up to move or even take a quick walk during half time. Favorite recipes can easily be made over to be better for you and just as delicious, like Weight Watchers' own recipes for jalapeno poppers or layered Mexican bean dip."
Weight Watchers International, Inc. Is the world's leading provider of Weight loss services, operating in 30 countries through a network of Company-owned and franchise operations. Weight Watchers holds over 46,000 Weekly meetings where members receive group support and education about Healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity.
Weightwatchers provides innovative, subscription weight management Products over the internet and is the leading internet-based weight Management provider in the world. In addition, Weight Watchers offers a wide Range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight Loss and weight control.
Weighing Up The Benefits Of Weight Watchers Vs. Fitness Centers
In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health. A University of Missouri researcher examined the real-life experiences of participants to determine which program helps people lose pounds, reduce body fat and gain health benefits. The answer is that both have pros and cons and that a combination of the two produces the best results.
Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds. However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.
"Participants' body fat percentage did not improve at all because they lost a much higher percentage than expected of lean tissue," said Ball, MU Extension state fitness specialist. "It is advantageous to keep lean tissue because it is correlated with higher metabolism. Losing lean tissue often slows metabolism. What your body is made of is more important than what you weigh."
The majority of other Weight Watcher studies had not considered body fat percentage change and only focused on body weight.
"This is one aspect of our study that makes it unique," Ball said. "We used a sophisticated measure of body composition - the Bod Pod - to look at what type of weight was lost: lean or fat."
In addition, Ball said the study was novel because Computer Tomography (CT scans) were used to investigate changes in abdominal fat, which is more predictive of cardiovascular disease. Although the fitness center group lost very little weight, they probably improved their health because they lost a significant amount of intraabdominal fat (fat around vital organs). These results imply that exercise may have positive influence on the metabolic syndrome despite the number on the scale, Ball concluded.
Ball also found that group support is very important. Most of the Weight Watchers participants stuck with the program during the duration of the study, while many of the fitness center participants quit.
"These results imply that overweight, sedentary women joining a fitness center with the intent of weight loss or body fat change will likely fail without support and without altering their diets," Ball said. "Nearly 50 percent of people who start an exercise program will quit within six months."
"This study attempted to discover what takes place in the real world when overweight women attempt to lose weight." Ball said. "I think the outcome of the study speaks volumes about the necessity for a multi-pronged approach in order to lose weight, body fat and gain health benefits. I hope that this will be the first in a series of studies investigating commercial weight-loss programs."
Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds. However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.
"Participants' body fat percentage did not improve at all because they lost a much higher percentage than expected of lean tissue," said Ball, MU Extension state fitness specialist. "It is advantageous to keep lean tissue because it is correlated with higher metabolism. Losing lean tissue often slows metabolism. What your body is made of is more important than what you weigh."
The majority of other Weight Watcher studies had not considered body fat percentage change and only focused on body weight.
"This is one aspect of our study that makes it unique," Ball said. "We used a sophisticated measure of body composition - the Bod Pod - to look at what type of weight was lost: lean or fat."
In addition, Ball said the study was novel because Computer Tomography (CT scans) were used to investigate changes in abdominal fat, which is more predictive of cardiovascular disease. Although the fitness center group lost very little weight, they probably improved their health because they lost a significant amount of intraabdominal fat (fat around vital organs). These results imply that exercise may have positive influence on the metabolic syndrome despite the number on the scale, Ball concluded.
Ball also found that group support is very important. Most of the Weight Watchers participants stuck with the program during the duration of the study, while many of the fitness center participants quit.
"These results imply that overweight, sedentary women joining a fitness center with the intent of weight loss or body fat change will likely fail without support and without altering their diets," Ball said. "Nearly 50 percent of people who start an exercise program will quit within six months."
"This study attempted to discover what takes place in the real world when overweight women attempt to lose weight." Ball said. "I think the outcome of the study speaks volumes about the necessity for a multi-pronged approach in order to lose weight, body fat and gain health benefits. I hope that this will be the first in a series of studies investigating commercial weight-loss programs."
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