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Weight Watchers find groups help members meet goals By
Jennifer Pinnock
Jane Smith, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, filled the tub with water to take a warm bath. As she stepped in the ankle-high water and sat down she realized that she could not push any water around her thighs because her body filled the entire tub. Smith decided that it was time to go back to Weight Watchers and lose the extra weight that she had put on. Smith was involved in the program previously and had lost about 70 pounds. With this loss she had reached her goal weight and quit Weight Watchers for a time. She went back to her old eating habits and slowly gained the weight back. "My schedule changed and I left very early in the morning and did not get home until late at night so I would go all day without food," said Smith. "When I got home I was so hungry, I would start eating at about 7:30 p.m. and eat all night, which is not healthy. Smith originally joined Weight Watchers in 1982, because she knew that she could not lose weight on her own and she didn't like to count calories. Smith went back to Weight Watchers in early Feb. and lost 4 pounds her first week and another 4 her second week. She will continue to attend meetings because now at age 49 she realizes how important it is to attain a healthy weight that she can live with everyday. According to USA Today, Weight Watchers was started after an ordinary housewife, Jean Nidetch, was confronted in a supermarket in 1961 by an acquaintance. "You look marvelous," the woman said. "When are you due?" Nidetch was not pregnant, but embarrassed. She immediately joined an obesity clinic where, she was given a strict, well-balanced diet to follow. Nitdetch followed the plan, to a point, but also cheated. She wanted to confess her cheating and share her struggles with people who were in the same situation as her, so one afternoon she invited six of her overweight friends to her house to talk about the best ways to lose weight. This group grew very supportive of each other and also grew in number. Within two months, Nidetch had 40 people gathering to discuss weight loss. Everyone chipped in and bought a medical scale to record progress. Nidetch created a reward system for those who had lost weight. After one year of meeting regularly with this group, Nidetch lost 72 pounds. Then, on May 15, 1963, she officially opened a business called Weight Watchers in a rented loft above a movie theater. She expected to have no more than 50 members but 400 people showed up. Today, this group, according to the Weight Watchers web site has grown to over 25 million members who use the products and services of Weight Watchers to lose unwanted pounds. Meetings are held around the world in many towns and communities, including Cache Valley. At community meetings, members are introduced to the Weight Watchers plan called Winning Points. All food is given a point value. Some foods have higher point values than others. For instance, vegetables have lower points than fatty foods. All the food for this plan is available at any grocery store; it is real food, according to Sandy Turner, leader of the Weight Watchers classes in Cache Valley. Turner said people can eat anything they want, as long as they don't exceed their point value for the day. Point values are determined by current weight, height and age. Members choose their own goal weight/or the weight they are trying to reach within a certain weight range that Weight Watchers has set. The weight range is based on the same criteria as the point values. "Although people get to choose their own food, we do not encourage them to eat chocolate bars," said Turner. "We encourage them to eat healthy, mainly abiding by the Food Guide Pyramid," she said. The Food Guide Pyramid was designed to promote healthy eating by the Depar main emphasis on eating from the five major food groups and using fats and sweets sparingly. However, Turner said that members can save their points and have occasional treats. Many times members save their points throughout the week if they are going out to eat on the weekend and especially during the holidays. Turner, a member of Weight Watchers for 15 years and leader for 14 years, is living proof that the plan works. She lost 104 pounds in 10 months and has kept it off for 15 years. She now guides and supports others who are trying to lose weight. Those who join Weight Watchers are told up front that this plan does not ensure rapid weight loss. "It is a long process of teaching people a healthy approach to eating for the rest of their lives," said Turner. "And that is why it works." Cynthia Carman, a nurse and also a member of Weight Watchers, said she researched many "fad" diets and weight loss programs. But chose Weight Watchers because it is a healthy way to lose weight. Carman said that the plan sounds simple and easy to follow, but it is not. "It is a real struggle, and it takes a lot of planning and effort, but it is healthy weight loss," Carman said. "I have a hard time every day." Carman said that as goal weight becomes closer, points get less and less and that is when it is really hard. Many unhealthy "fad" diets are available today, but Turner does not believe they work because either you have to stop eating altogether or you have to purchase special food. "No one can live like that," said Turner. "It is too hard to change your lifestyle and conform to the guidelines." "Weight Watchers does not make you change your lifestyle, but gives guidelines to fit your own lifestyle," said Turner. "You can eat the same meals your family eats, but portion control is the key." Cache Valley holds Weight Watchers meeting three times a week at the Bridgerland Technology Center in Logan and has about 250 members, according to Turner. Weight Watchers charges a $30 membership fee for all joining members. From weeks two through eight a $10 fee must be paid at weekly meetings and from nine weeks on the fee drops to $8 per week. Also, if a person becomes a lifetime member, he or she is asked to weigh-in once a month or more often. A lifetime member is a person who has reached his or her goal weight and kept it off for six weeks. The lifetime fee can be free if members stay within two pounds of their goal weight. If not, the fee is $8 per week. Meetings for first-time members include an overview of the Weight Watchers plan and how it works. Literature is given on how the point system works and the point values for food. For other members a class is taught about behavior modification, exercise and/or healthy eating. Also, at every meeting members must weigh-in. Members have to weigh so that the leader can chart their progress of weight loss. Turner said that she could write a book on all the comments she hears at the weigh-in. Responses include: "I have done so bad. I have eaten out five times this week." "I really messed up this week because of the holiday." However, Turner said that sometimes people can't wait to get on the scales because they have had such a good week. "By charting weight, the group is not trying to embarrass people, but help them," said Turner. Smith, who said she is a very private person, said that the weigh-in at the meeting is private and professional. "My weight is not discussed in front of others," said Smith. "It is between me and the leader and done in a discrete manner." Smith said the leader is complimentary when weight loss occurs and makes a "fuss" about you. But, it is also fine if a member gains and he or she is not put down for that. Members are encouraged to catalog, in a journal, what they eat each day. If a member does gain or is not losing weight, the leader can look at the member's food journal and analyze eating patterns and give suggestions to improve diet. Turner said most people are extremely satisfied with the Weight Watchers program and feel that it helps people to lose weight and keep the weight off. "However, the bottom line is that a person has to join for themselves, not for a class reunion or other big event," said Turner. "If a person joins for themselves they are more likely to follow the program, lose weight and keep the weight off." Weight Watchers has people joining constantly. Turner said one myth people hear is that people join only in January because of New Year's resolutions, but that is not true. Each week there are new members that come for help to lose weight. Although many of the members are female a few are male. The newest trend seems to be mother/daughter teams, according to Turner. "I love the teams because they can motivate each other and keep each other positive," said Turner. Turner said that the most important thing she has learned through Weight Watchers is that a person cannot be negative. "Everything we do takes effort and we have to be willing to put forth that effort to be successful," said Turner.
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