A Word of Caution

Weight Watchers does a great deal of market research. From focus groups to segmentation studies and consumer surveys,Weight Watchers spends considerable time and money keeping a finger on the pulse of people who want and need to lose weight. Generally, companies doing such research keep close tabs on the results in order to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Over the past ten to twelve years,Weight Watchers has amassed a lot of market research that has looked specifically at how the genders differ in the way they think about, talk about, and approach weight loss. In fact,Weight Watchers probably has more information on this topic than any other organization in the world. For the first time, the company has opened its vault of unpublished proprietary information and is including it in this book. As a result, what you’ll find is a culmination of clinical and consumer research from which insights and
understanding can be gleaned.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that any research— clinical or consumer—summarizes the findings involving a group of people. The reality is that any group of people is made up of individuals who differ. For example, while the research may have found that women are less likely than men to believe that the most effective way to lose weight is to exercise, that doesn’t mean that there are not some women who believe this they’re just not as common. Based on this limitation, which is part of any research process, it is easy to develop stereotypes and make generalizations that don’t hold true when it comes to individuals. The gender differences explored in this book are based on research findings. Odds are that not all of the findings will
apply to any given man or woman.

It is important to use the findings as a starting point for understanding what separates you from a potential weight-loss partner of the opposite sex.With that understanding, you can overcome communication barriers and together, as a couple, find a common ground that will lead to lasting weight loss.