Weight Watchers www.weightwatchers.co.uk Review

Overall Rating

Keeping within your points so you don't have the shame of putting weight on at your 'weigh in'

Blatant selling of all their products from food to books and back again. Price of weekly meetings. Some leaders.

I have just joined Weight Watchers with my friend and my daughter. This was my second week, although I have been a member a few years ago. First impressions weren't the best. I checked on the website for the time of my first meeting. The website informed me that the regular meeting was taking place at an alternative venue due to the holidays. However, when we got there it was empty. Driving along to the usual meeting place we found the meeting in progress. So their website hadn't been updated.
We had printed the voucher from their website for free registration. This was accepted without any problem. We were weighed and advised to aim for 10% weight loss. We were given the 'Points book' and several other pamphlets to aid our healthy eating plan. The price per meeting was £4.95. However we were told that the price would be going up to £5.50 the following week. We then sat down to what can only be described as an advertising campaign. They push all their own products as alternatives to 'normal food' . The food, on average, is more expensive than maybe some other 'healthy eating' ranges. We were also told about their website and what a helpful tool it is. Although you have to pay for the privilege of joining. I came away with the feeling it was all designed with extracting money of the members. It was so obvious that the 'Leaders' are target driven and practically beg you to buy something.
Maybe, this is just a bad meeting and not a true example of this organisation. Our decision was made the second week when we all paid £16.50 for someone to weigh the three of us and then we all left. [as did everybody else]. Only two people were sitting waiting for the 'pep talk'
Weight Watchers will work for some people, but I found it more geared to parting you with the wrong kind of Ibs. [£]. I have the book so will be attempting the points system myself. Watch this space!

Members' Comments onMac99's Review

• Britannia on 16th Sep 2007

  I am sorry to hear you had such a bad time at your meeting. I was hoping you could pass comment on the actual diet? Many thanks.

• Mac99 on 17th Sep 2007

  The diet itself is structured around a point system. Every portion of food is given a number of points, and depending on your age, weight and several other factors you can work out how many points you are allocated in any given day. You can add to these points by doing extra exercise. You are given a day to day points calendar so you can keep track of what points you use and you can save points throughout the week to use for special events. You cannot carry these extra points for more than a week. There is an array of free points food, such as many vegetable/salad foods as well as diet drinks. You are given a points book that will become your bible if sticking to this diet rigidly. There are also some menu ideas and handy hints to increase your points allocation. There is also a points card that you can use to work out the points of any portion of food/snack you care to mention.
  I am very aware that Weight Watchers have helped very many people to lose weight, and if it works for you then fair enough. I was just very put off with the sell, sell, sell attitude of the meeting in general. I was more commenting on WeightWatchers as a Company rather than their actual diet structure.
  Hope this info helps.