According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2013), in 2009-2010, 69.2% of Americans over the age of twenty were considered to be overweight or obese. That is a staggering number, but there are an abundance of diet plans on the market today to help lower that percentage. Some of the most popular diet plans are Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, and My Fitness Pal. The problem lies in deciding which plan is the right one, and the only way to make that decision is by weighing each of the plans many pros and cons against the others. Weight Watchers is one of the most well know plans on the market today. The Weight Watchers program was founded in the 1960s when Jean Nidetch started having weight loss meetings in her home. Through the years, the company has grown from small home based meetings to a scientist designed program with over one million members (WeightWatchers.com, n.d.). The program uses a points system. Every food item has a point value based on its protein, fat, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. Every dieter gets a set number of daily points based on their age, weight, and activity level. They also receive 49 weekly bonus points to use anytime, and extra points are added when the dieter performs a form of exercise or physical activity. Each dieter is required to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, to take a daily multivitamin, to have 2-3 servings of a dairy product, to have 2 tablespoons of healthy oil like olive oil, and to write down every item that they eat in a food tracker Dieters have two options when choosing to do the Weight Watchers program; they can attend group meetings or do the program online. The meetings consist of a weigh-in, a discussion about everyone’s p... ... middle of paper ... ... Weight Watchers. From personal experience, I would not recommend Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig to anyone. The costs are outrageous, the food ranges from mediocre to downright nasty, and it is far too easy to regain the weight lost after transitioning back to regular food. These are just my opinions, and with each and every dieter being different, they will have to draw their own conclusions on which diet they think is truly right for them. Works Cited About Nutrisystem - Comprehensive Diet & Weight Loss Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nutrisystem.com/jsps_hmr/about/index.jsp Jenny Craig Program - Company Background. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.jennycraig.com /site/corporate/company-backgrounder WeightWatchers.com: History of Helping People Lose Weight. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.weightwatchers.com/about/his/history.aspx
Daily actions of checking and critiquing can be performed in many ways. Body monitoring offers an array of resources. Constantly weighing one’s self is a way of achieving quantitative precision. Being able to pinpoint an exact gain or loss is a necessity in this cycle. To be able to have an ideal weight and to accurately compare yourself leaves no room for misinterpretation. Counting Calories helps maintain discipline to be sure not to exceed the limit. If one eats certain “restricted” food, it is seen to be sinful or as breaking the rules. This restriction of food intake is in a highly disciplined way. This is part of a larger process of dieting and exercising which is used in an obsessive manner to obtain the “perfect” body. These diet rituals can go as far as to fast for days at a time. Another “tool” of monitoring is food watching, monitoring the intake of “good” and “bad” foods. Nutritionally healthy foods are considered good. Anything else, from sweets to foods with fat, are considered bad foods.
While growing up we learn that the best way to stay healthy and look great is through proper dieting and regular exercise. As we get older and feel the pressure of obtaining perfect looks, the sensationalism of fad dieting can seem like a dream come true. With the desire of a tiny waist plaguing America, it can be difficult to decide between healthy dieting an exercise, or extreme fad diets promising fast results. When choosing which method will work best for you can be stressful, it is important to think about what is really best for your body. Each form of dieting has different long term results, can affect your overall health, and can have an effect on the rest of your appearance.
The following is an analysis of Joe Smith's food intake for one day by using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) website using a food tracker program. The analysis addresses the serving sizes consumed, which food groups were represented, and adjustments in consumption that should be made since Mr. Smith would like to loose weight. Visual representations are attached for reference in the appendix.
The Weight Watcher’s diet uses a point system with each food item having a point’s value, as long as you don’t go over your personalized point’s value total for that day, you can still enjoy all the things you love to eat, in moderation. Each member meets with a team leader who helps you get a plan personalized just for you to ensure you meet your nutritional needs, encouraging a good daily multivitamin to make sure you are still getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs in absence of the cut back of daily calories consumed. Team leaders ...
This meeting lasted about 1 hour and I felt very welcomed in this warm, compassionate setting. Attending this meeting, I knew that I wasn’t going to be judged or looked down upon because of my situation or issues. Everyone who attended this meeting has a story to tell, and that is why they chose to come. I chose to attend this meeting because of my past struggles, so I felt that I could relate to the material that was presented. The group size was small with mainly women between the ages of 19-45, who were either extremely overweight, average weight, underweight, still maintaining control over their eating behaviors, or unable to control their compulsive eating patterns.
If you don’t feel comfortable in meetings they have a program online that allows you to sign up for the program. Weight Watchers is a online plan that lets you achieve your goals faster and easier. Weight Watchers has many different meals you can choose form. There are a total of 200,000 foods and 4,000 recipes for this program. Weight Watchers app makes it easier to eat out where ever and still stay on track easier. This app also has videos, tips, blogs, and articles, you can find to help get inspiration from. On Weight Watchers they also have an easy active community and a Facebook fan base, there you can find success stories from other people and. Also you can find a lot of support.
Problem: Weight Watchers is struggling with customer retention and people hold misperceptions about the company’s offerings compared to that of other major competitors. Weight Watchers is directed toward women, however they offer products and services to fit the needs of men. Also, it is challenging for the company to create a forward-focused diet plan for mainstream users, trying not to steer away from the initial mission, which is fostering success through group support. External Environment: Weight Watchers market segmentation strategy primarily targets women who are in the 25-55 age range. North America and other developed countries are facing staggering amounts of obesity, which makes weight management an attractive industry for Weight Watchers.
Nutrition and physical activity are important aspects as they improve health and reduce chronic diseases. In June of this year my family physician placed me on a doctor assisted weight loss program that enabled me to eat my favorite foods but in appropriate proportions and in heathier ways. The best part about Supertracker is that it gives me wonderful tools to support me in understanding and meeting my goals. Once I created a profile through Supertracker I was provided a personal plan to follow including the amount of grains, vegetables, fruits, and protein I needed to be successful. For three consecutive days, I entered my food and activity intake into Supertracker and was able to analyze the excesses and deficiencies
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States: more than 20% of adults are clinically obese as defined by a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher, and an additional 30% are ov...
It is obvious that Weight Watchers is a healthy fad diet. It does not force carbohydrates and fats, but simply focuses on maintaining calories, unlike the Atkins diet and South Beach diet. Also, Weight Watchers does not promote ketosis, which can also be unhealthy. When choosing a diet, dieters should choose a diet that suits the appropriate calorie level and that is also nutritionally balanced (Choosing par. 2). Weight Watchers fits that category. However, the Atkins and South Beach diet are both healthy in their own way, depending on the intake level. Therefore, the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, and Weight Watchers are just a few of the many popular and healthy fad diets in the United States.
There are numerous fad diets that surround around restricted carbohydrates, low-fat to no-fat, or diets with gimmicks, including the Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, Calories Don’t Count, the South Beach Diet, the Rice Diet, and the Eat Right for Your Type.
Watson, Alice, et al. "An Internet-Based Virtual Coach To Promote Physical Activity Adherence In Overweight Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial." Journal Of Medical Internet Research 14.1 (2012): e1. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
Fads diets deliver immediate results in weight management, which helps in preventing weight-related health issues. This helps in reducing the risks of hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases.
One way the population of America can overcome the issue of obesity is by simply eating healthier. Further explained, people can start making healthier decisions on what they decide to eat. An example would be choosing to eat an apple over a bowl of ice cream. This is often easier said than done. Sugars and sodium counts are very high inside the foods that can only satisfy a sweet tooth. The ingestion of carbohydrates, saturated fat, and trans fat are very easy to overlook. The food pyramid is a great visual of what people should be eating daily in order to maintain a healthful way of life. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein should become the main focus at every meal. Another way to eat healthier is to follow the suggested serving size by eating smaller portions. By law it is required for food-producing companies to place a label on their products with a listing of the serving size and ...
A sad fact in American society is that thousands of people search for the elusive dream of being thin. On any given day, one finds neighbors, friends, and relatives on some kind of diet. Dieters assume various disguises, but the noteworthy ones are the "bandwagoneer," the "promiser" and the "lethal loser."