This post contains affiliate links. This means should you purchase a WW membership, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Read full disclosure here. OPINIONS ARE 100% MINE.
My Journey
I have always carried a bit of excess weight, from the time I was an adolescent well into my adult years. And for many years I struggled with my confidence and body image.
I had tried unsuccessfully to lose weight at various points in my life. I’d maybe lose 10 lbs here or there but I would usually end up putting it back on.
Over the past several years (I am 53 right now) I have become much more comfortable in my skin and don’t focus so much on my size or appearance as much as my comfort level.
I have noticed though when I gain a few pounds I tend to feel uncomfortable, and bloated and just not my best. And ultimately doesn’t help my mental health either.
The Program
So a few years ago, I decided to make a change. Upon a recommendation from a family member, I signed up for the new (WW) Weight Watchers plan. I found that the program allows you a set amount of daily points that you use up as you eat each day.
You decide what you want to eat and then log the info on your WW app. It’ll show you how many points you have used up thus far, and how many remain for the rest of the day. But that was just the beginning.
My Results
As I said, I originally started this back a few years ago. I lost a total of 20 lbs in about 3 months and was feeling good. The weight loss made my body feel more comfortable but also the types of foods I was eating made my Mind and Body feel better overall.
I started to limit my sugar intake (I am a sweets lover) and I was eating more fruits and veggies and choosing more whole-grain options.
I found myself being more aware of what I was eating and actually enjoying my meals more. I wasn’t just mindlessly consuming food, I was being mindful and that helped me tremendously.
The accountability the program offered was a very helpful tool for me.
Then This Happened…
After several months, I had reached my goal so I went off of the Weight Watchers program. I got a bit complacent and ya know, life happened and I slid back into my old habits. But I am at the point, once again where I need to make some positive changes in my life and I am excited to restart the journey with Weight Watchers.
I really loved the program before and am excited about this latest incarnation. They have a NEW Updated App that is much more user-friendly with several wonderful features.
- Bar Code Scanner
- Recipes
- Mediations
How Does It Work?
When you sign up for Weight Watchers, it takes you through a series of questions and determines which program will work best with your goals, eating habits, activity levels, and support needs.
They will then recommend a membership type: either Core or Premium based on your needs. But you are free to choose whichever you prefer.
Membership Plans
As I mentioned you will have 2 options for membership. The basic difference is the support you will receive. If you want more of a self-guided plan, Core is probably right for you. This is the membership that I have.
Once you decide on a membership, Weight Watchers uses science to provide you with a nutritional plan that includes a daily allotted amount of points (with weekly bonus points) that you can use however you want.
They even have incentives for you to earn more weekly points by being active. That is a great motivator for me.
Getting Started
After you sign up, you then use the app and/or the website to keep track of the foods you eat and your activities, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. WW has integrated so many other things into its program.
You also have access to
- Meditations
- Coaching & 24/7 Chat
- Sleep Management
- Recipes
- Social Platform to interact with other members if desired. (Premium plan only)
- and More
Zero Point Foods
Another thing I really like about the plan is that you are allotted a plethora of Zero Point foods. This means you can consume an unlimited amount of these foods without using up any points at all!
I try to get creative and use as many of the Zero Point foods to really fill up my meal. Allowing me to eat more, but keep my point level down.
It kind of becomes a game for me. And it’s not just fruits and veggies that you can choose from!
Extra Features
*With the newest Weight Watchers Program, you can also sync up your activity device. I had a Fitbit and I found that it was really helpful to have that synced up with my WW app. It could keep track of my steps and/or activities and I would be rewarded for it.
*The bonus points I earned via activities are then added to my allotted weekly bonus food points. For me, it is a great incentive. I often use the weekly bonus points for special meals, such as dining out or Sunday dinners.
*The other really cool thing is the optional social platform, that is available. It is set up kind of like Instagram or Facebook. This is available with the Premium Membership.
This platform allows you to connect with other WW members who share their stories and offer support, tips, and encouragement. For many, that can truly be helpful.
*Because I like to eat out a lot, I really appreciate the fact that I can track foods from my favorite restaurants. I find the restaurant and select the food I want and it’ll tell me how many points it will be. It really helps me to make the best decision for myself for that moment. How awesome is that !
Restart
As I said earlier, a couple of years ago I went off of WW after I had reached my goal and felt I now knew what to do and how to make better choices. And I did for a while. But then my old habits started creeping back in.
So I decided to rejoin Weight Watchers again. For me, accountability and support are very helpful in my health and wellness journey.
I enjoy using the program and I feel Weight Watchers is a good program for weight loss and for gaining (and/or) maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
Each year I select a WORD OF THE YEAR and this year is RESTORATION. After the past couple of years, I feel like it is a good one for me. My hope is for a healthy and restored body, mind & soul as we go into this year.
If you have tried the WW program or are thinking about it, I’d love to hear about your experience.
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Great review of the new (2020) program changes!
I did WW many years ago and found it really good then but this sounds even better. I’m on a health and wellness journey with my husband so I will look into giving this a try! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing your journey here! It’s helpful to get this information first-hand before committing to a program like this one!
This is really good information. I wonder if they can tweak your program based off of specialty diets because of allergies. I eat mostly Low FODMAP, but like the accountability of WW. I did WW about 16 years ago and it was great.
They do ask you questions such as if you are diabetic, for example. But as far as the foods, You are the one who chooses what you eat. If it is something you are allergic to you simply avoid it. They tell you how many points work best for you to lose weight, and you decide what foods make up those points.
What a wonderful review. I had done weight watchers many years ago, if I remember correctly I did have success. I had the lap band 13 years ago and had a lot of success. However, when I became disabled I became more sedentary and now at 50 have gained my weight back. I am so happy to hear that you are doing great. Blessings.
This is such a helpful, in depth review of the new weight watchers. I know the cost for the program seems high, but I always wondered about how much support and return you really would get for that cost. This answers my questions and I am considering the program. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for checking it out. Yeah, I do find it to be worth the money. I have the cheapest plan and it is more than enough for me. It keeps me accountable and I make a game out of it. Let me know if you decide to join!
Interesting! I’m so happy to see a program that includes sleep management. Will surely recommend to my friends!
I’ve thought about trying the New Weight Watcher’s program, so this review with your personal experience is really helpful. Love the fact that the new program is much more personalised and integrated with technologies.
Insightful review
I provide tech support for my wife on the WW app. I think the app has a horrible user interface – it is so hard to navigate. We set it up to synch with her Fitbit – sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. So in addition to the app she is logging her steps on paper and trying to supplement the Fitbit synch errors with her paper log. It took her 20 minutes to figure out how to delete or edit a steps entry she made to correct the Fitbit errors
Oh, I am sorry to hear that your wife’s experience with the app wasn’t a good one.
It has been something that I find super helpful, but am aware not everyone will feel the same.
So sorry that your wife didn’t find the app useful. I do enjoy it and it has helped me.
I have just started Weight Watchers again. I lost weight on it 10 years ago, and have gained it all back so I’m starting over. It was so easy to use back then. I am so confused by this new plan. I am using it on my computer. It said I was logged in, but when I went to a different page in the site, all of a sudden I was logged out and it was inviting me to join! After I already answered the survey questions! Can someone help me figure this out?
I was on weight watchers thirty years ago when it was set up as a bread, protein, vegetable, fruit and dairy. Having just finished nursing school it was easy to relate it to how a diabetic would have looked at food. The points throw me off, especially when I’m trying to figure out a value for dining out. I’ll figure it out, it’s just going to take some time.