The one where I am pinning my colours to the mast

*Before I start I just want to clarity I am not a WeightWatchers employee and I have not been paid to write this post.  The opinions contained are mine alone.*

*Also for those of you of a sensitive disposition, I use the F word a number of times in this post*

Attacking WeightWatchers

I would like to preface this post with the comment that I hate it when anyone or anything is attacked by either uninformed people, pseudo science or those who believe they are right no matter what.  I form opinions based on experience, evidence and the experiences of others.  I also do not attack anyone if their opinions differ from my own, every one is entitled to think what they want, however I will try to persuade a person using evidence or moral arguments if I think they are completely wrong, but that happens few and far between.

Being the New Year there are lots of articles and advertisements about getting you fit, healthy and losing weight. 

WeightWatchers are no different and are going all out to promote the new ProPoints plan here in the UK.  There are ads in print and articles in the news papers.  There is the new ‘Mega Ad’ airing on the TV starring WeightWatchers members from across the UK.  I understand that WeightWatchers is a business and that they want to earn money.

However I honestly feel that WeightWatchers have put together a plan that is designed to help its members be healthy, lose weight and keep it off.

There is a perception in society at large that Fat people are somehow lacking in mental capacity, after all you must be stupid if you got fat in the first place right?!  It appears to me that it is OK to mock fat people, because we have a weight problem we must all be stupid and have ‘bubbly’ personalities so we don’t mind being made fun of.  Many of the articles I have read concerning weight and weight loss seem to me (and I could be very wrong here) to be written by people who have no idea how complex weight gain and the emotions (and economics) that are related to it.  I do not think I have read an article written by someone who has experienced a ‘significant’ weight problem.  Therefore this is why I get frustrated when I am portrayed as being stupid for being a WeightWatchers member, for falling for all of the marketing hype and allowing a multi national company to convince me I can lose weight on their plan, only for me to put it back on, rejoin, and make them more money.  I am not stupid and I would like to stop being portrayed as such.

I have said this before and I’ll say it again following ProPoints is not about a diet it is about a healthy eating plan.  To me it is very obvious that many of the people who are writing about WeightWatchers have never been to a meeting, tried the plan or even looked beyond the press releases. 

You can only appreciate how WeightWatchers works by experiencing it yourself, Planning, Tracking, Eating filling and Healthy Foods, attending meetings, and socialising with the members.  It is far more than a little blue folder, it’s an experience.

If I thought that WeightWatchers was an unethical company, I would not be a member.  If I didn’t believe that I can lose weight on the plan and then keep it off, I wouldn’t be a member.  I am not a sheep and I can form my own opinions, I am not that easily swayed by the hype.

I am fed up of seeing comments (or getting comments from others) criticising weight loss organisations and diets in general and I wanted to express what I think the positives of the healthy eating plan I have chosen, which in this case is WeightWatchers, actually are. 

1.    The ProPoints plan does not ‘ban’ any food – Many argue that High protein low Carb or how you should only eat food that are specific to your blood type are the way to go.  Personally I cannot understand why anyone would want to cut out whole food groups.  Yeah you may lose weight faster, but is that healthy in the long term? Does it promote a healthy relationship with food by demonising particular foods or groups of foods? The plan promotes the idea of ‘everything in moderation’.  Personally I think this is a far more realistic way to promote healthy eating.  It also promotes individual responsibility, there are no prescribed menus or meals, and again in the long term it means you can fit it in with you and your families needs, likes, dislikes and dietary preferences.

2.    WeightWatchers actively promotes healthy eating – Surely a plan that promotes you to eat a portion of fruit over a chocolate bar is a good thing!  There are many critics that argue that fruit is high in sugar and telling people you can eat loads of it is as bad as telling them to eat sweets. 

At no point do Weight Watchers say you can eat as much fruit as you like.  Fruit is not Free i.e. you can eat as much of it as you like, it is 0PP.  In our classes we have talked time and time again that you should like every thing you eat it should be in moderation.

Filling and Healthy foods are promoted (wholemeal rice and pasta, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, as well as healthy oils).  These are highlighted, the benefits of these are constantly talked about, recipes are based around them, we are encouraged to eat them.  These foods if eaten with ‘moderation’ are good for us.

And yes Weight Watchers do produce food products, and yes I would imagine that they have weird chemicals in them (I am not a scientist and do not claim to be).  But surely don’t all processed food contain weird chemicals?  You do not need to eat these things to be successful on WeightWatchers. 

3.    You get support from others:  As I have said above WeightWatchers is an experience.  The biggest experience for me is meeting (and becoming friends with) people who have and had similar experiences and feelings in relation to food.  Yes you can do it on your own at home, but for me this support and motivation is a massive reason why I am a member and why the plan has worked for me.

Whatever weight loss plan you follow, good luck to you. 

Everyone is different and different things work for different people.  But this is mine, I love it, it works for me, I am proud to be a WeightWatchers member. 

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

Rant Over… And breath…