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weight watchers starting to incorporate low carb?

craigieboy001

Member
Messages
24
Location
Edinburgh
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
i've never been a fan of the likes of slimming world or weight watchers, i done scottish slimmers years ago and lost a good amount of weight and have been able to maintain it more than loose it since sadly but.

i read a story online about weight watchers how their "free foods" include chicken, fish eggs etc and the interview is quite interesting, my thoughts are it looks as though they are wakening up a little to the low carb element.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/weight-watchers-new-program-zero-point-foods-list-dont-count-2017-12

it would appear that the incorporation of these foods comes from this article/report as well?

http://uk.businessinsider.com/how-t...ce-soda-or-sweet-tea-with-sugar-free-drinks-2

i've stalled on doing low carb myself so might well have a bash at weight watchers and attend their classes, after all it is about accountability each week
 
Personally I'd spend the money on nicer low carb food. Weight watchers is a repeat customer business. They want you to lose it... go away then put it back on so you come back to lose it again. Far better to make a lifestyle change that means you eat well all the time. Short term weight loss programmes like WW are a con and work for very few. Try a ketogenic style way of eating.. might work even better...
 
It is good to see them acknowledge that eating dietary cholesterol does not necessarily translate into high cholesterol, and eating fat does not make you fat, and starchy veggies aren't as good as leafy ones. However, making fruit a free food still needs a lot of re-thinking.
 

Yep - total con. Doesn't work at all.

Hang on a minute. I joined 12 months ago yesterday. Met lovely supportive people online. Lost 8 stones - the plan has changed in the last 3 months, but even before the latest changes it fitted in very well with low carb eating. Have kept weight steady at goal since mid November.

"Make a lifestyle change that means you eat well all the time" - for me that's Weight Watchers
 
Great it worked for you.. however their business model is as I described. They are there to make money.
 
I have been to Weight Watchers twice. The "weigh in" was hilarious. There was always a big queue in front of me, and all the people were removing everything they could to remain decent and as light as possible - even earrings would you believe! Belts were the most common. That said, I stayed with them and went religiously every week until I reached goal. The suggestion in those days was to add the odd choccy biscuit during the maintenance period. This was in the early 80's. I found it quite motivating, partly because I went with a friend and we competed. I lost 3 stones. It took 5 years to regain it all. Probably too many choccy biscuits. I returned in the 90's and lost the 3 stone again. I still have my life membership card somewhere. It did work (for weight loss) but once back on maintenance it came back gradually. For me, the problem was loss of motivation once goal was reached, and the thought of those choccy biscuits with the devil on my shoulders saying "one won't hurt".

It is different on a low carb diet because it is enjoyable and sustainable, for me. All my excess weight disappeared and has stayed gone since November 2014, along with all thoughts of choccy biscuits. My motivation now revolves round blood sugar control.
 
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bulkbiker said:
Great it worked for you.. however their business model is as I described. They are there to make money.
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Lots (most?) weight loss plans are making someone, somewhere money. The low carb programme on this website, Diet Doctor, Dr Fung's Intensive Dietary Management programme, Slimming World, DietBet...... If you want support you can pay for help. If that works for you, then great. If you can do it all alone - also great.

But why snipe at something just because it's not your thing?
 
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I really can't do meetings - I do WW online. Lots of friends do Slimming World and the thought of a group meeting is Eeeeek!

Keeping on track year in year out is the key isn't it - I think in the long term the thought of keeping blood sugar low will be my big motivator too
 
Polgara said:
But why snipe at something just because it's not your thing?
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Because it is for the most part a calorie restricted diet which in my view is simply not sustainable long term.
You will lose weight then stop restricting and put the weight back on. That's how their repeat customer business model works.
I'm fine with people making money out of assistance and indeed think the £30 for a lifetime of the low carb program is great (certainly a lot less than weight-watchers). I also believe from my own experience that the low carb program will be far more effective long term. I'm not sniping at weight -watchers specifically... more at their "diet" which is exactly that a short term fix for weight loss rather than a long term way of eating to lower weight where necessary and then provide a means for maintenance.
It is one of my gripes with the ND that there is not a real advised way of maintenance apart from "reduce calories" which is a flawed paradigm (in my opinion).
 
bulkbiker said:
Because it is for the most part a calorie restricted diet which in my view is simply not sustainable long term.
You will lose weight then stop restricting and put the weight back on. That's how their repeat customer business model works.
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Thanks for that vote of confidence! I could say that maybe you will stop restricting your carbs and will fall off the low carb wagon. But why would I?
 
Polgara said:
Thanks for that vote of confidence! I could say that maybe you will stop restricting your carbs and will fall off the low carb wagon. But why would I?
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I wasn't referring to you personally just a generic "you" as I'm sure you know.
Indeed if I do stop low carbing I may well put weight back on and reactivate my Type 2 but why would I do that? Its a lot easier not to eat carbage than it is to constantly restrict what you eat (or that is certainly my experience of 30 years of low cal dieting with weight losses then regains... slowly gaining more and more over the years).
 
So we agree that if you don't give up your keto type diet - and if I keep up my low carb, cooked from scratch, veggie rich and very satisfying Weight Watchers diet - then neither of us are eating garbage and we will both be fine for the long term? Glad we've cleared that up
 
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