Why You Can’t Choose Your Favorite Weight Watchers Program

I respectfully disagree with you on the reasoning for Weight Watchers constantly changing their diet emphasis. I fully believe it's to gain more members. I read in comments to a previous post about Freestyle that the "science" that they talked about in their response to you consisted of a study of 180 people. Their "study" methods are suspicious. Now I read that their new CEO used to be the CEO of The Shopping Network. How does she know anything about nutrition? I feel the new emphasis will be on gathering paying members and not about diet and exercise. If Weight Watchers really wanted what's best for everyone, they would support their former programs along with their new one. The poor founder is probably spinning in her grave.

Cyndy

I have been a WW member off and on for (I hate to admit this!)50 years...OMG I'm so old!!

At any rate, if you think about it WW is a business with stockholders. They have to make a profit. So if you look at their business model it's similar to our Social Security system; there are more people who are Lifetime Members than are full paying members (SS is having the same situation; more people are retired and collecting full benefits than ever before - the working population contributing to the SS system is smaller than ever before).

So when the paying base is smaller than the 'free LTM's' someone has to come up with a better idea to bring those new people in - even if they only sign up for a short time and pay the full prices (Etools, meetings, etc.) that is a huge influx of $$$. I'm getting the feeling that more members being 'happy' and feeling good may not equal reaching the all coveted goal of Lifetime member - and hence - not reaching the 'free' status. It's a fine thing for the members - but not so good for the bottom line of a for-profit business to have so many people who are not paying.

Here's an example - yesterday at my WW meeting - with fewer and fewer attendees every week (we keep asking 'where is everyone?')...our 'coach' asked how many here are Lifetime - 80% of the group raised their hands - so all of us LTM's are sitting there without having paid a cent to WW for the privilege. Anyone who's taken Econ 101 knows that a business cannot sustain itself for long if everyone who attends isn't paying - or at least buying something. I didn't buy anything nor did any of the group of acquaintances I was with...so it's something to think about...

I for one will continue to attend WW - take from it what I will - try to focus on the basics that I've learned over the years - and hopefully stay in the LTM category - occasionally I do have to pay...uh oh...time to get back to those WW basics; tracking, weighing, water, exercise..

Sue G.

Disclaimer, I haven't done watcheres for years and years so I don't claim to be an expert. That said, WW is, at the core, a business like any other and has evolved over the years to try to keep in step with what they think will continue to attract new members. I'm guessing they also know that members may choose to stay on their old plan. If you want to lose or maintain weight I'm a firm believer in doing what works for you, understanding it may not work for everyone. I think the newest plan is the healthiest so far with the emphasis on whole and healthy foods but that's just what I believe. It's hard to change our way of eating no matter what it is. Ultimately a personal decision.

pat

“A 6 month clinical trial”?

This is a red flag for me. Weight loss and healthy habits require a lifetime of practice. I wonder what their data would look like after a year... two years... five years. Would you take a medication that had only been studied for 6 months? Snack Girl, can you post a copy of this supposed research? Average 7.9% loss over 6 months doesn’t seem to reconcile with the *ounces* real people are reporting losing every week. Hopefully their study is ongoing. I would love to see the long term data here. Then again, I guess WW has data from every customer (think about it... not only your weight but literally every thing you put into their app)... that would be the compelling data to see.

As others have said, WW is a business and stands to profit the most from people losing small amounts of weight over the long term.

Sarah

I too have been a member for nearly as long as you, Sue, and still wonder where that cute little 26 year old is when I look in the mirror!

I agree with your analysis of the new business model but had decided at the Smart Points stage that WW was no longer for me.

I have a lot of old WW program cookbooks and information from the past and have decided to go back to one of the older programs - the quick start/quick success which used food exchanges as the basis. It worked for me - I sort of went astray when the more "sophisticated" plans were introduced and have decided that "old school" is the way for me to go now.

Jane

I really love when you post about WW or Weight Watchers. I love the discussions that always come after it. I started with Momentum. It did work for me, but was I eating healthily? Not really. I would choose a 100 calorie snack for two points over an apple or a banana for the same points. That's not healthy. I don't think WW changes the program to make us buy new things. Most members probably don't buy a lot unless they are brand new. I think they need to keep up with the times and right now, clean eating and whole foods are what seems to be popular and healthier. Even though I'm over goal weight, if WW gave us an option to go back to Smart Points, I don't think I'd go back. I love eating eggs, beans, and tofu for 0 points. I think all programs will work if you work it, but they may not work for everybody. People need to pick what they can do for the long term. Whatever works for them. :)

Kelly Lynn

There is an app caked iTrackBites that follows the Ww point tracking method, and you can pick from Classic, Plus or Smart.

I used it a few years ago and the app works almost the same. The app is free, and you can pay one time for some premium add ons, but it's still less than a monthly membership. No meetings or materials but... I think it's worth it.

I stopped using it out of laziness, then rejoined weight watchers about the time they brought in smart points. I hated it, as well as freestyle. It looks great on paper but found myself deprived if things I was able to enjoy in the PP+ systen that helped once lose over 50lbs.

but I think I need to get my butt back in gear and will use this app again.

Ariana

My very favorite was Smartpoints. I lost 20 pounds, but then gained half back while doing Freestyle. I needed to do something different exercise wise I decided, so then then started lifting weights at the gym. My weight never did go all the way back down, but the trainer told me muscle weighs more than fat so that was to be expected. My clothes are lose, and I feel great NOW on Freestyle. It was just the weight I was watching on the scale that was clouding my perception. I guess that all I’m trying to say is everyone’s wellness journey is different, and where I appreciate WW efforts, they should not forcibly take away what works, they should let members choose.

Lisa

PointsPlus was my favorite, I had lost 100+ pounds over 4 years ago. However, I was eating junk food for dinner, having a daily craving for sugar and salty junk foods (chips, chocolate bars, donuts) but still losing weight because I tracked. The truth is, in the long run, I had not developed healthy habits for a lifetime.

I was so reluctant when SmartPoints came along. I didn't want to give up those foods. So after following it for a few months, I fell off again on the holidays and became addicted to sugar foods again. I ended up gaining 54 pounds over the past 4 years, only recently realizing that I had never addressed the REAL problem for me, that was dealing with my feelings while NOT depending on sugar or salty foods.

WW Freestyle is helping me work on this. The focus is on the whole foods, I am depending on these fruits, proteins, and vegetables moving forward. Yes there are times when I track a portioned bag of chips. There are moments for a tracked portion of candy. But these foods are no longer my everyday. WW Freestyle helps me steer away from these junk foods (points are so much higher, low and 0sp foods are more "affordable"). In the long run, these are the lifelong habits I have to learn in order to keep the weight off, not diet approaches.

I know part of the changes are not fair for longtime members. They did have more for the meetings only population, such as 6 week rewards, raffles, journals, even a sticker board for us to put our names on every week. I miss these incentives. They should have rewards for everyone. I hope they add to and not take away member satisfaction.

Brittany

I totally agree with Ariana. I lost 50lbs on PP but gained 5 back since SP and freestyle but am still a paying member. The only reason i am still on WW is because of the accountability and hope to regain my motiviation back.

I tried the itrackbites app but its not really as user friendly and it does not pull your activity data from apple watch. now they added a payment possibility to link your fitbit tracker.

Most probably i will stay with WW in hope that they will change their program again.

Dorit

I too agree with Brittany and some others here, not all. This go around I’ve been a consistent member for 13 years, reached Lifetime almost 5 years ago and am trying to not gain the weight back! If it wasn’t for the meetings I’m sure my 126 lb weight loss would be toast by now. I lost most of it on PPlus but I too didn’t always eat the best. S Points and Freestyle have changed that now I only eat a little bit of those carbs foods. I do miss the fun we seemed to have had years ago with incentives that seemed to have disappeared. It motivated me. But as I get older it gets seemingly more difficult, as I am less able to do the activity I used to do. Now it’s all about what I put in my mouth! Yes, I winch every time they change the plan again but I know it’s the science changing, not the stockholders. Yes I realize it’s a business too. I have one of my own. But I will remain here, as this is where my help came from 13 years ago to get healthier and without this “lighthouse” I’m sure the ground I’ve gained would slowly disappear!

Linda W

I think Freestyle works great for new members. Many of us who are lifetime? Not so much. Glad I saved all my old materials. I like having 30 SP. Too many fruits and veggies during the week cause me to gain. I find it disheartening that one weight watchers is touting a new program, they swear by it,have us enjoying it, and then they decide to change it, as if the old program they instilled in us wasn’t so great after all. Give us a darn choice. SP got me to Lifetime. I gained on Freestyle and had GI issues. Back on SP and not having to pay.

FluffySquirrel

Like others that have commented, I have been a "weight watcher" for many years. Got to my goal in 2004 but then only came once a month for weigh ins and gained about 20lbs back from the 35lb I had lost. Proud to say I reached my goal again in 2015 and now I go consistently to the weekly meetings. I have found it is the only way to keep me accountable plus I enjoy meeting up with friends who I have met along the way. I really did not like the change to SP and bucked the system but then I grew to love it. I had reached my goal when "free style" was introduced and did really try to embrace it but to no avail. I felt very restricted and found I ran out of points more quickly. I went back to the SP and have found that other members have also. If you want to consistently eat "clean" then may be this is the program for you. But for me you can't tell a "foodoholic" that they can eat as much as they want cause it is free or tell me to eat until I am satisfied. It's just not going to happen.

Terri

I don't need WW now... I got an upper denture about 4 months ago, and I have since lost about 35 lbs. All my food tastes like plastic, or else it sticks to the upper plate and makes me gag....I have no apetite left... it works like magic!! Not that I advocate pulling out perfectly good teeth to lose weight... a friend told me this about her denture, too... has anyone else found this to be true?? Just curious!!

Jan

I just have to say. I am absolutely LOVING Freestyle! I've lost about 6 or 7 lbs. in a month and a half. I have not been hungry! I can eat what I want including a treat here and there. Thank you Snack Girl I love your articles and information.

Fran Marcus

It’s all about money, period.

Rebecca

Consider a diabetic diet or even Paleo. Both are low in carbs which put on weight and absolutely no simple sugars. There are plenty of recipes online.

IFortuna

I wish I could believe that WW changes constantly to reflect the latest science, but honestly, science doesn't change all that quickly.

I do think that WW changes constantly to reflect the latest trends, so they can sell the program to new young members.

It's painful to say, but WW knows that baby boomers like me are on our way out.

It's our kids -- our replacements -- that they're trying to reach, so they can breed the same kind of brand loyalty that, in the past, they bred in us.

Ouch!

Ms. G.

It is just a way to make everyone buy new books and calculators. They are a business trying to make money and the bottom line is the final decision maker. I am over it. I do PointsPlus on my own very successfully. I DO NOT have to pay WW for the privilege of sitting in a hard seat for 30 -40 minutes listening to a coach who does not have to pay anymore. Thanks but no thanks.

lola

I’m not saying WW doesn’t have good motives with developing these new plans but make no mistake they are a “for profit” business. If WW was not in it “mainly” for the profit they would introduce their new programs while supporting the old ones as well.

Colleen

Ms. G. You are certainly correct. I think the best way to tackle this problem is to try to reach your own children early regarding eating habits. We also should set an example and cook foods that are healthy for everyone in the family. In other words avoid cooking for adults vs. cooking something different for children. Childhood obesity is a real problem so I think it starts at home.

IFortuna

I lost 80 lbs on points plus. I was about 20 lbs from goal. Then life happened, and smart points. I hated smart points because I never learned to eat properly. I could still eat sugary stuff, pop, chocolate etc. Points plus didn't look at the real problem for me. Now I've gained 25 lbs back and finally started the new program, Freestyle. Is it hard? Yes, but I think it works. I think it helps me break that habit of junk food. I think WW does continue to research and find the best program for it's members. Science doesn't change that quickly but they are learning every day so I don't think that matters. It would be great if they could do a multi-year trial with each WW program they come out with, but it is not possible. This is a way of eating, not a medication so I feel 6 months is just fine. Do they do it for money? Yes, they are a business, but I think they also are trying to find what works because if it doesn't, the money won't matter, they will no longer be in business.

Amanda

I agree, it's about $. We lifetime members are not their target audience anymore. It's about using your smart phone to track, pay $ to join and they will change again, for sure! This is the third change in 2 years, so far. They are coming faster all the time. I'll continue with the meetings for the help I can get and wait to see if the next change is more comfortable. It will always be Weight Watcher to me no matter how much they change the lingo.

T. Malone

I lost 60 pounds on points plus and 30 on SP. I have about 30-35 to goal. Freestyle de-railed me. I switched the app to maintenance and back to SP and joined Return to Thirty Facebook page. Once they switched to WW and wellness coaches etc I had enough. I downloaded iTrackBites and went back to points plus. Cancelled WW. As s previous lifetime member and with the help of iTrackBites, I hope to make goal by next summer. I feel WW has strayed to far from Weight Watchers for me.

Theresa Garcia

It's all about money. Oprah sold her stock in WW after helping Mindy screw it all up with Freefall. Now she has own food that's not even WW friendly. What a joke!Except the joke is on all the people that keep forking their money over to WW.

Linda R

WW has always been on the forefront of change and there IS a science behind the current Freestyle plan. The science is how a a foods' fat, sugar, and carb content translates into how many points (not calories, because we all know calories aren't equal) that a particular food has. The Freestyle plan has made sense out of all the information out there; WW has done the work for us! In 1979, at age 12, I was put on WW by my parents and have stayed far away from WW since. However, in 2017 I gave WW another try, after seeing the success of my co-workers. I was shocked at the high points value of some foods, that I was eating daily (certain yogurts, protein bars, 100% wheat bread) and the low points value of others (string cheese, turkey pepperoni, oyster crackers). Tracking and attending meetings helped me lose close to 40 lbs over the past year, at a time when I thought there was nothing that would work. At 51 I've got joy back and have so many more good days than bad ones now. I'm learning how to keep the excess weight off, make smarter choices while still keeping all my favorite foods in my life, and be motivated to get more activity. WW is shifting away from an emphasis on weight, and more on "Wellness". People who don't have weight to lose but want to learn to eat better can now join if that is their goal. WW has started "Wellness Wins", again to get the emphasis off weight. You earn "wins" for doing what we should be doing anyway: tracking meals, activity, and attending meetings. These Wins saved up can then be turned into FREE products, like exercise classes, WW products, water bottles, etc! When I started, and paid my $45 every month, I also thought WW was all about money; however, going through the program and meetings has changed how I think. If WW was all about money, they wouldn't allow Lifetime members to have free access to the app and meetings, just for getting and staying at Lifetime. WW wouldn't do "Wellness Wins" to encourage us to form new healthy habits for life, if they were all about the money. WW is changing lives and helping with tools that have science behind them. The plan is SANE and it works, not just for me, but for everyone in my meetings; every age, race, nationality, female, male, everyone. WW and WW Coaches support us every step of the way.

Anita

The best idea is not to get too attached to those who approach and take what works for you

showbox

It seems to me that WW brags about having over 1 million members. So do the math: multiply by $20 a month if all of those were just online members. In one year, that's a whopping $240 million dollars. Nevermind that other membership options, such as meetings, cost more....plus the profit on all of their products. So they set up the cheesiest website for online possible. They certainly could do a better job there! I have written to them and told them this. If an app - iTrackbites - can offer EVERY program WW has offered in the past for an annual fee of twelve bucks, why can't WW? They could, but they want to pay those huge salaries at the top. Do the research. People who are at goal are only taking up a chair at a meeting....this costs them nothing. And access to the online part is not a huge cost to this corporation. It doesn't matter if there are a lot of people at a meeting at goal, there are millions of people doing this online where WW has no more outlay of capital than to hire people to maintain the website. They should be able to cheaply maintain at least two or even three past WW programs.

Jam

I have lost weight previously on WW and will always be grateful for what was really helpful to me. I got a handle on what a portion size is and was able to move away from using food as a crutch to deal with difficult emotions. However, the meetings are to "weird" to me. I guess I was okay with the emphasis on weight loss because, after all, that's why I was there. Over the years, they did emphasize health. I felt steered toward healthier food choices and incorporating movement into my life. Now, I am able to eat intuitively and so far it is working. WW is too expensive for me - the cost kept my away from continuing on to become a LTM. To each his or her own!

Dolores

I agree with other comments that science does not advance this quickly. However, I think they are missing an important aspect of this issue. WW has historically promoted a lot of junk food and spent years (even recently) ignoring current science in favor of sugar-free, low-fat items. Note that they are still penalizing members for full-fat dairy. I think Smart Points was the first step in them trying to eliminate the junk they were not only rewarding but promoting (WW yogurts for example). Freestyle just seems to be an extension of that, as they have evolved that same line of thinking. I say this as someone who had some very limited experience with Points Plus, then was appalled when I joined for real and had to face Smart Points. I have never been into the fake junk food, but I couldn't believe I couldn't easily enjoy something like Skinny Cow desserts without forfeiting a bunch of points because of the sugar content. I thought it would be impossible to follow that. I learned as many others have stated here that I shouldn't be relying on having treats like that regularly.

LP

I did much better on previous plans and I find all their tweaking and changing annoying. One plan can not work for everyone. We are all different and so are our bodies, age and metabolism. It would be nice if they supported some old programs. I am done with them for now. Also of they cared so much about our health and science they would not push their foods and snacks which are loaded with artificial ingredients, sugar, salt, etc. Just my "two cents".

- Frustrated WW ex member

amy sheinberg

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Marilyn Larochelle

Hi , 11th February 2019 , i joined 2weeks ago , 1st week i lost 5lb but really missed wholemeal pasta rice n bread ( unless pointed) then stubbled on Simply filling ....😊 heaven, ! stuff i can eat and enjoy without pointing . BUT then find it was stopped in November 18 WHY !! it makes sense , So question ,,,,, if it worked then why would it not work now ? i stuck to ww and measured , weighed and pointed to the point n stayed the same .. I am going to try Simply filling n see what happens .. 🙄me thinks its just clever marketing ploys for WW 🙄

Jackie

Because they are all young women who are more interested in getting the internet business than taking care of the people who will always support them. Those young people will be older and appreciate the meetings one day. I liked Simply filling I lost 22# now with this other program I have continually gained again.

Julee

I've been on and off Weight Watchers (now WW) since the late 80's Quick Start program. Up to the advent of Freestyle, I lost weight on every one of their programs. Freestyle is the ONLY program where my weight has actually increased. Our Meeting Leader/Coach/Facilitator, or whatever goofy name WW gives them these days claims this is WW's most successful program for weight loss in the company's history. Since Weight Watchers doesn't exist now, it's easy to claim that Freestyle is WW's most successful program since it's the only program after the idiotic name change. I've also noticed that the new members who join lose weight for the first month or two then start gaining it back. I've seen some actually start crying at their weekly weigh-ins because the program simply stops working for them. I also confronted a WW online chat coach about how fruit magically gains points the second it hits a blender. They directed me to two articles from medical journals. One stated that when people don't chew their food long enough, they tend to eat more. In theory, this is because the signal that they are no longer hungry takes a certain amount of time to reach the brain and that by not chewing, you overeat before the signal gets there. The second was an article about "high energy" drinks like full sugar sodas and Red Bull type energy drinks. Basically it said you don't get full or satisfied from them and that it's a lot of calories with no other nutrients. One of the studies said that it was not conclusive and SPECIFICALLY STATED that no conclusions should be drawn from the study because there is a need for more research.

Not one thing in either article supported the fruit grows points in the blender B.S. WW is pushing. WW has failed to face the reality that the majority of members are there because we have a very unhealthy relationship to food and that we need structure. This Freestyle nonsense that you can eat whatever you want makes it sound too good to be true, because it is.

George VanWinkle

I am surprised that if the new system is based on science and research, wouldn't these "scientist" know that when you ingest sugar, simple or complex, it is still the first form of energy used by the body? If so many carbs are eaten, especially in fruit (free points), how can the body ever burn its own fat for fuel? Very, very slowly if at all. I would guess some people gain weight. Exercise will not do it. Spikes in insulin in the bloodstream will make it difficult for the body to burn fat and the dieter will have cravings. I have been in the health and nutrition industry most of my adult life, and in those 40 years, I have learned that the most successful weight loss programs are the ones that nearly two pounds are lost per week and employs moderate exercise to support overall health. Most overweight people I have worked with had daily limited fruits and starchy vegetables and could eat as much as they wanted of all other vegetables. Nothing was restricted, just limited daily. WW had a program like this years ago and it worked great for everyone I knew that followed it. I think everything had a point value. Every time some new program is introduced, it is supposed to be the best. So was the one before it and the one before that. There has been new data in the l

ast few years on diet and how the body uses food, but nothing has changed so drastically that every two years a new program needs to be developed and the old program retired. Overeater's must love freestyle. I wonder how many people start freestyle only to give up, wondering why it didn't work for them.

Connie

I fall in the "Freestyle was a disaster" camp. The CEO has blamed the Keto trend for declining membership, but I propose that Freestyle CAUSED the move to Keto for so many who were gaining on FS. At least that was the case for at least 5 people that I know of.

I'm hearing that the 11/2019 program will again offer a Smartpoint Beyond The Scale option, but honestly, I felt so burned by the FS fiasco, that it's hard to get on board.

FS seems like a decent maintenance plan, but I didn't lose weight, (often gained a little weight), despite following the program to the letter. Oprah hasn't lost much since the FS switch and is trying to spin it by saying she happy for a stable weight...the only thing she CAN say to support a weight loss program that doesn't work.

WW needs to STOP worrying about branding and just develop a product that actually works....then teens, millennials, boomers....whoever, will be happy to pay up!

Susan V

I'm lost bc they keep changing the program every time I finally am advancing. I don't want to be pushed into a new program every time they want to. I wish Oprah had not joined the program. She makes everything trendy. Im not sure but that is what I think.

Kathryn

I haven't tried the new WW. I started about 4 months before they quite groups due to covid. I wasn't seeing any results and was frustrated they didn't teach you about nutrition. As you stated, not all calories are equal. I would consider going back if they actually taught about foods and nutrition just how many points. The woman weighing me in would make me feel so awful about myself each week I finally complained. She has no business making people feel awful about themselves...we already do if we are there!

Jaime