 Hi friends, welcome back to my channel and welcome if you're new here. My name is Jen. I'm a certified weight loss and nutrition coach and I'm on the WW or the Weight Watchers blue plan. Today we are here to talk about WW. Does it work for weight loss? I'm going to be sharing a diet review from healthline.com. I will make sure to link the original source of today's video down in the description box. We're going to talk all about whether or not you should be following the WW program. Does it work? Is it sustainable? Is it as good as it's cracked up to be? So if you're excited for today's video, give it a big, huge thumbs up. And if you're new or you haven't yet subscribed, I'd love to have you here. Hit the subscribe button and click the bell next to it so you never miss a single video. Down in the description box, you will find nutrition coaching. I do offer personalized to you macros and calories. Highly recommend as well as one-on-one coaching if you want to chat with me directly. Links, discounts to all my favorite things and my Facebook group are also down in that description box. So let's jump into whether or not WW works. Again, the information for today's video came from healthline.com. We are going to talk about what is WW? How does it work? What are the pros and cons? And then we'll discuss the bottom line. Of course, I'm going to be sharing with you my personal opinion as well as what healthline.com found when they did a diet review on the WW program. So first let's jump into what is WW? Weight Watchers or WW is actually one of the most popular weight loss programs in the world. Millions and millions of people have joined our or are active members of WW in hopes of losing lots of weight. In 27 alone, WW enrolled over 600,000 new members. Even high profile celebrities like Oprah Winfrey have found weight loss success on the WW program. So you may be curious as to what makes this program so incredibly popular. First is the app. The app is very comprehensive. It includes a lot of great benefits for tracking your food, finding recipes and overall wellness on your weight loss journey. The app has community support in the form of Connect which is essentially Facebook for Weight Watchers. It also has the tracking portion of course that you can track all of your food and these zero point foods are already calculated as zero point foods and built into the app making it really easy to track pointed and zero point foods. There are lots of options to sync the WW app with your fitness trackers, whether that be your Apple Watch or your Fitbit and there are ways to craft your own recipes, use coupons, order products online and even find options at suitable restaurants all built into the WW app. So how much does Weight Watchers or WW cost on average? Now as you may or may not know, WW does a lot of specials and in fact down in the description box I have a link where you will get a free month if you go through that link and join the WW program. So they're always offering specials and discounts but on average the cost to be a WW member is about $3.22 per week. One month digital plan. So this is online only not attending in person workshops. These will renew automatically and they're free to cancel anytime but be mindful if you do sign up for a three to six month digital membership and you cancel early, you will potentially be charged a 39.95 cancellation fee and this fee increases the sooner you cancel or the longer you signed up for a prepaid plan. Maybe you signed up for a five or six month plan. This fee to cancel could be substantially more. So Weight Watchers offers digital plans as well as in person workshops or they can be paired together, a digital plan and an in person workshop. The app is rated a 4.8 out of five in the Apple app and a 4.5 out of five in the Google Play Store. So the app is actually very well put together and rated very highly. So what's WW scorecard from healthline.com? Healthline's overall consensus of WW is that the diet is a good choice if you're looking for slow and steady weight loss over a sustained period of time in something that you can incorporate into a lifestyle. It also has a very strong support network which of course can help you stay on track. So determined by the healthline medical team who uses criteria to rate several diet plans out there, their overall rating for WW, they 3.73 out of five. So let's break this down a little bit on how healthline came up with that number of 3.73. For weight loss, WW is rated a 4.5 out of five. For healthy eating, it's rated a 4.7 out of five. For sustainability, it's rated a 2.7 out of five. For whole body health, it's a 2.5 out of five. For nutrition quality, it's rated at a 4 out of five. And lastly for evidence-based backing, it is rated a 4 out of five. All of that combined and the average of that comes to that 3.73 overall rating from healthline for WW. So how exactly does WW work and how did they come up with those rankings? It was founded in 1963 by Jean Nightedge and it was founded out of her Queens, New York home. From its humble beginnings of just weight loss support for friends and families, it has now grown to be one of the most popular diets in the world. Initially, WW used an exchange system rather than a point system. Foods were counted according to servings. Similar to a diabetes exchange system, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In the 90s is when WW introduced their points tracking system. It's where they assigned values of foods based on things like fat, fiber and calories. Then WW decided to overhaul their entire point system several times over the years following and came up with the smart point system in 2015. The smart point system is what they have been sticking with since 2015. Now they have made some modifications to how smart points system works in some of the smart point values over the course of the last six or seven years but it originated in 2015 and has continued to remain smart points. So what is the smart point system? Points assigns different values to foods based on factors such as calories, saturated fats, sugars and protein. Beginning WW, you are giving a set number of smart points. That is based on several factors. Your height, your weight, your gender and your weight loss goals. So not everybody gets the same smart points. That's a big misconception. I know people reach out to me a lot and say, well, you get 32 points and I only get 23. Well, all smart points are not created equal. They are based on the things that we discuss. High, age, weight, gender and your weight loss goals. Although no food is technically off limits by WW, people who follow the program are committed to staying within their points. They saved a set number of daily points each day and in order to follow the program you stay within those daily points. Healthier foods are automatically lower in points and there are quite a few zero point foods as well that are also considered healthier foods. The non healthier foods or processed foods generally are much higher in points than the healthier alternatives. For example, a 230 calorie glazed donut is 10 points on WW. Well, 230 calories of yogurt topped with blueberries is only two points on WW. Their caloric value is exactly the same. In 2017, WW moved to what they called the freestyle program, offering more flexibility in using your points. They also included over 200 zero point foods with that program. These are the foods that you can eat to satisfaction. They have zero points, so you can eat them freely throughout the day and not have to track them and not have to deduct them from your daily points for the day. The philosophy behind this was to allow freedom. You don't have to track all of the food that you're eating throughout the day. It opened up a lot of flexibility to consume foods at zero point values. Some of these zero point foods are things like eggs, chicken, fish, beans, tofu, and plain non-fat Greek yogurt. Before the freestyle programs, only non-starchy vegetables and fruits were zero point, so they've added all of these other foods that are now considered to be zero points. Also, now foods that are higher in protein will have a reduced point value and those foods higher in sugar will have an increased point value. So the whole philosophy is to encourage you to make healthier food choices and use the points that you're given every day in the most effective way by incorporating a lot of zero point foods and building your meals around those. Here are some of the benefits of being a member of WW. Like we talked about, they have a digital-only program, they have a digital and in-studio program, and they also have a digital in-studio and coaching program. A basic online program includes 24-7 coaching as well as access to the WW app online. So you can track your food, look up recipes, plan your meals. You can also access Connect with a digital-only membership. Now, a digital-only and in-studio membership allows you the same perks of the digital only, but you're also allowed to attend in-person workshops, weigh in with a WW guide, and ask questions to the WW coach that leads the in-person workshops. And the third and final membership option is digital, in-person workshops, and coaching. You are given an assigned coach where you can ask questions to directly. So the other programs you have access to 24-7 coaches, but with the online coaching, you actually have a coach designated for you to service you and answer your questions. Along with tracking your food and eating healthy, WW also encourages exercise by giving you what is called fit points. The more you exercise, the more calories you burn, you can earn back points in the form of fit points. Now, you don't have to use these, you don't have to eat these. I will tell you from personal experience, I've never eaten my fit points that I've earned back in exercise. The app also provides fitness videos and the in-person workshops will give you tips and tricks on how to implement exercise as well. Along with diet and exercise in-studio, you can also purchase pre-packaged foods like meals and snacks and kitchen tools and WW tools as well such as books, magazines and food guides. So can WW with all of its tools help you lose weight? The science behind WW and its weight loss is helping you choose healthier foods, controlling your food portions, and the importance of adding in protein and being okay with slow yet consistent weight loss. Unlike many fad diets, WW explains that you should lose on average 0.5 to two pounds per week. So they're not guaranteeing or suggesting a massive amount of weight loss in a short period of time like fad diets generally do. The program highlights lifestyle and helps counsel its members to making good food choices and having a good mindset when it comes to weight loss. In fact, WW is considered one of the few weight loss program with proven results with randomized trials. So random people put on the WW program, this is one program that actually led to results in these clinical trials. And it's considered to be the gold standard of medical research. So WW has a specific food guide as well that goes along with helping you reach your weight loss goals. Although it is a point system and it really emphasizes whole real unprocessed foods including vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. Again, no food is off limits. While healthier choices are encouraged, members can really choose to eat whatever they want to eat. However, WW does make healthy options tempting by making them zero points or low points. In fact, the WW website specifically says, in quotes, stick to foods that are higher in protein and lower in sugar and saturated fat. They urge you to avoid foods that are high in sugar and high in fat. However, they are absolutely definitively clear that no food is off limits. If you choose to use your points for these foods, just remember that you're not going to be getting in all the nutrients and vitamins. And chances are you're not going to be taking in a lot of calories throughout the day because these processed foods are relatively high in points but not necessarily high in calories. So you can find yourself in a really extreme calorie deficit. I actually have an entire playlist on points versus calories that shows exactly how your food choices relate to whether or not you're eating enough calories. And that's one area of the WW program that as a weight loss and nutrition coach, I really am focused on and that is consuming enough calories. Choosing the right foods, eating a lot of zero point foods and basing your meals around those to make sure that you're utilizing your points the most effective way that you can and eating enough calories. It is so important not to under eat to lose weight because it's not sustainable. Your metabolism will adapt and chances are you're going to come to a screeching halt in your weight loss and making it even harder to recover from that if you eat in too severe of a calorie deficit. So please make sure that you're eating enough on the WW program. So now let's chat about pros and cons from Healthline on the program. Starting with some of the WW pros. WW prides itself on being an adaptable and flexible weight loss program. The smart point system encourages people to make healthier food choices by making those healthy items zero or low points. And unlike diets that forbids certain foods, WW says eat whatever you want, just stay within your daily points. This means you can go out to dinner with friends. You can enjoy a cocktail on the weekend or splurge on your favorite sweet treat without feeling guilt and without sabotaging your more restricted diet. WW also stresses portion control and the importance of physical activity which are vital to overall health. Another benefit and a huge benefit of the program is it provides a huge, huge support system for its members. Whether you're attending the in-person workshops or you're utilizing Connect on the app or maybe you're taking advantage of the 24-7 coaching, the support system is in place and it is strong in WW. And lastly, there are magazines and newsletters associated with the program that help keep you motivated, give you tips and tricks and are an added benefit of being on WW. Now with all of those pros, what are some potential drawbacks of the program? You have to be okay with tracking your foods because there are points associated with all foods, whether they're zero, low points or high points, you have to track those foods to make sure that you're staying within your set daily points target. This can be tedious and time consuming and can really be a turn off for a lot of people. Another potential downfall is WW is not an inexpensive weight loss program. It can be pretty expensive and may not fit into everybody's budget. Though the monthly costs vary depending on the subscription, it is still a substantial investment monthly. Furthermore, the WW program may not be suitable for those that struggle with self-control. If you have a hard time with portion control, you can very easily overeat zero point foods by eating larger portions. Just because these foods have zero points doesn't mean that they are free of calories and you can find yourself no longer in a calorie deficit over consuming zero point foods. Another downfall is members can choose to consume higher processed foods that are higher in points and lower in calories, therefore not eating enough calories on a day to day basis. If you have a hard time sticking to healthier food choices or maybe the zero point foods don't call to you, you're going to be using up your points rather quickly and again, not meeting your calorie target for healthy, sustainable weight loss. So what's the bottom line? Is WW a good program or is it a program you shouldn't be following? It's flexible, it's point based, making it a little bit less tedious than tracking calories and it stresses the importance of an overall healthy lifestyle. Studies have found that WW is effective in weight loss and is also effective in helping its members keep off the weight that they've lost. If you're looking for an evidence-based program that even allows you to indulge in your favorite foods every once in a while, WW may be an excellent fit for you. My only side note on this again is to watch your calories. Yes, WW is a great program, it's flexible, it doesn't restrict or eliminate food groups. You should never follow a program that eliminates or restricts any food or food group and WW doesn't do that. But if you do lean towards more processed foods and away from some of those zero point foods, make sure you are tracking your calories and making sure that you're eating in a sustainable caloric deficit along with eating your points on a daily basis. My other suggestion would be to make sure that you are consuming your weekly points every single week. It is important to consume your weekly points again to reach your calorie goals. If you stay just with your allotted daily points, chances are you're under eating severely, even when incorporating zero point foods. So make sure you're taking those weekly points and enjoying your favorite foods once a week or dividing those up over the course of the week, just eat your weeklies every week. So again, if you're interested in WW, I do have a link down in the description box that will give you and me a free month. I hope that this helps you really evaluate on whether or not you should join WW, stay on WW or if it's time to navigate into a different lifestyle or diet approach. So if you enjoyed this video, give it a big thumbs up. And if you're new or you haven't yet subscribed, we'd love to have you here. Hit the subscribe button and click the bell next to it so you never miss a single video. Check out the description box down below for again that free month on WW, nutrition coaching, links and discounts to my favorite things, my points versus calories playlist and my Facebook group, we'd love to have you join us over there as well. Thank you again so much for watching and I'll see you in my next video. Bye.