Weight Watchers
What it is: One of the oldest and most well-known diet plans, Weight Watchers focuses followers on achieving peak physical, mental and emotional health. The diet plan helps people make healthier eating decisions, while not dictating what dieters can and cannot eat. Group meeting and online communities assist dieters by motivating them and providing support.
How it works: The Weight Watchers plan is designed for dieters to learn to control their eating, without restricting them to a point where they might binge. Exercise is also an important component of the plan, with points assigned to each physical activity.
What you do: The traditional Weight Watchers approach uses the points system (flex plan), but there is now an alternative plan (core plan) that does not require counting and tallying.
The Flex Plan: The original Weight Watchers method based on the mantra “Eat the foods you love and lose weight” has no food restrictions. Weight Watchers assigns each food a certain number of points, and dieters are permitted to eat within a range of points each day that is determined by their initial height and weight.
The Core Plan: This new Weight Watchers approach has dieters select foods from a core healthy foods list and does not require any counting or points.
Benefits: The program also for a healthy nutritional intake, and provides a flexible plan for finicky dieters. The support group has also been proven to be very effective in helping people achieve their weight loss goals.
The Down Side: While the diet plan is balanced and proven effective, experts say that the approach may not be for everyone.
