Weight Watchers Review

Comment

Fad Diets Insight was refused permission to report on a Weight Watchers meeting so I took off my journalist's hat, and popped along to experience it for myself.

Research for Fad Diets Insight has taught me one thing. I am overweight. The diet websites and magazines tell me so. I am 27 years old, 5”3, and weigh just over 10 stone, putting me in the overweight Body Mass Index category of 25-30.

Maybe it was time to join Weight Watchers after all. At a community hall in Brighton, a crowd of what I’d consider mainly normal weight people are queuing to pay their £4.95 weekly fee. I pay up too and take a seat.

In the two hour session newcomers are told that every item of food from ice cream to carrots has a points value based on its nutritional content. You may eat as you like as long as you stay within your allotment of points. Everyone is weighed to establish their recommended points intake and there are motivational talks that deal with issues such as bingeing. The atmosphere is supportive and the leaders are friendly.

Leader, Sally, then talks about the latest Weight Watchers snacks and offers out samples. Why surround people who are evidently trying not to eat so much with tempting sugary snacks? Sally explains that they are to help us not reach for that chocolate bar. You eat these nutritionally balanced foods instead.

I gaze at the delicious looking chocolate brownies in my hand. I can’t help thinking I’ll probably eat them before I arrive home. I wonder if the members know Weight Watchers' own brand food is manufactured by Heinz the food giant.

Weight Watchers has been running in the UK for over 35 years and they certainly don’t promote speedy weight loss, recommending no more than 2lbs a week. But I can't help feeling an air of dependence creeping over me by the end of the session. I feel that now they've got me through the door, they are determined to keep me coming back for more. I certainly wouldn't say no to more brownies.