Weight Watchers was named the 2017 Best Weight-Loss Diet by U.S. News & World Report. The 7th annual list includes nine sets of Best Diets rankings; Weight Watchers was first, or tied for first place, in almost half the categories and was a runner-up in the rest. [1]
And while Weight Watchers did not make the cut as the “Best Overall Diet”—the DASH diet took that prize—it’s arguably the world’s most popular diet. Anyone who has ever been on a diet to lose weight, and been successful even though it’s often not sustained, has been on Weight Watchers.you follow the plan correctly. Some users lose a pound a week, some three. It depends on the level of effort and your body. Regardless, if you follow the plan, you’ll lose weight. That’s what Weight Watchers promises. Does it deliver?
The Weight Watchers Plan
The current program is pretty simple: “Every food gets a value. Smart Points are based on calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein. Just follow your budget [of points] and start seeing results.” [3]
There’s no forbidden foods. That said, the junk will quickly suck up points, so it’s better to eat good foods and manage points wisely. That’s the ‘diet’ part.
Next? Get moving. “Every move counts. Earn FitPoints for walking, cleaning, gardening—you name it. Sync your fitness device with your account and start earning!” [3]
Perhaps the most important part of Weight Watchers is the “I got this” mindset: “Get your head in the game with science-based techniques that go beyond food and fitness.” [3]
The Bottom Line: Is Weight Watchers Worth a Try?
Yes. As long as you keep an eye on the billing (and report them to the Better Business Bureau if you run into problems), the program itself works. If you haven’t done Weight Watchers, try it. If you follow the diet religiously—and it is very doable—you absolutely will lose weight, usually in the neighborhood of a pound or two a week. The tricky part is keeping the weight off once you’ve met your goal. But hopefully, the habits learned while on Weight Watchers will stick. With Weight Watchers, you can’t lose. I mean, you can—you can lose.
