Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a pioneering and leading weight-loss support organization. The company originated in the early nineteen sixties in the Queens home of Jean Nidetch. The now well known system of weekly weight loss meetings grew out of Jean's gatherings at her home of a group of her friends to discuss weight loss. These were simply social get-togethers with a focus on discussing weight loss issues. In this way, what has grown into a global multi-million dollar corporation actually began as a group of friends getting together in a family home. In fact, it is now conservatively estimated that up to one million people now attend weekly Weight Watchers meetings in dozens of countries around the world. And in addition to all that, beyond the weekly meetings, there are now millions of people across the world using Weight Watchers branded products that are designed to enhance their weight management goals.

The basic underlying philosophy of the Weight Watchers organization is that losing weight is a component element of healthy living in general. Participants are encouraged to establish and maintain healthy eating patterns based on nutritional principles, rather than being told specifically what to eat or not eat. In other words, people are assisted to think for themselves and develop their own understanding and knowledge of healthy eating principles. In addition, regular physical activity is recommended as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The well known tradition of weekly Weight Watchers meetings has been enthusiastically taken up in dozens of countries across the globe. The stated aim of these meetings is to offer emotional support, motivation, encouragement and practical information to participants. The Weight Watchers organization wears as a badge of honor the fact that many of these participants in weekly group meetings go on to become group leaders. As a result of this type of recruitment, group leaders are not merely operating on the basis of theoretical training. Rather they are conveying to group participants the knowledge and understanding that they have gained through personal experience of dealing with the many challenges associated with weight loss.

The corporate slogan of the Weight Watchers organization is "Stop Dieting. Start Living." This seems to convey their corporate philosophy of encouraging weight loss success through healthy living rather than strict and monotonous dieting regimes. During the 1980s and 1990s, Weight Watchers was owned by the H. J. Heinz company, and subsequently went on to become a publicly listed company. The world headquarters of the company are located in New York, New York, and it is reported to have over forty thousand employees.

The practical approaches offered are known as the Core Plan and the Flex Plan. The Core Plan involves no counting of points. Rather it allows the participant to eat freely from a range of food choices selected to leave the person feeling fuller for a longer period of time. The foods recommended in this Core Plan include lean meats, potatoes, brown rice, avocados, salsa and more. The foods in this plan are selected on the basis that they contain fewer calories per unit of weight, but are at the same time of a satisfying nature. Participants are encouraged to creatively combine these foods in different ways, and to gain increased awareness of when they feel hungry and when they feel satisfied. The Core allows for exceptions on occasion, for example when eating out.

The Flex Plan, on the other hand, allows the participant an unlimited range of food choices while providing an individualized points allowance. This points target is worked out for the individual based on gender, height, weight and other factors. The system is based on recommended intakes of calories, fat and fiber that are consistent with weight loss. Additional allowances are made for occasional outings where food choices may differ from everyday situations.

Weight Watchers have recently added services specifically geared toward to needs of men. These male-oriented offerings include exercise advice that is tailored to male requirements, and support and feedback from other men who are in a similar situation.

As mentioned above, in addition to all of these weight loss support services, Weight Watchers produce and market a vast array of products for sale in multiple countries around the world. This includes a range of food products such as bread, cakes, cookies, muffins, cheese, ice cream and smoothies. In addition to these food and drink items, there are books, magazines and even scales on offer. However, the central theme that ties all of these diverse items together is their emphasis on the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. For example, the Weight Watchers Magazine includes "success stories" that are intended to encourage readers with their own weight loss, recipes for healthy cooking and eating, and advice on fitness and exercise.

Of course, Weight Watchers is a company that aims to succeed and make a profit. However, in a highly competitive market this organization has thrived and remained highly popular among millions of participants and customers in multiple countries for over forty years. This success would suggest that the company is providing consistent value to its customers.

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