I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a fan of diets. I believe the entire concept promotes the idea of transient change – which isn’t really change at all. Most studies prove this out, where the majority of people that lose large amounts of weight end up gaining it back within a year. But from what I’ve read, weight watchers seems to be the most successful. I’ve always wondered about the weight watchers formula, and a few days ago I encountered their patent.
The Weight Watchers Formula
This is the weight watchers point formula disclosed in their patent, where:
p = points (you count these)
c = calories
f = fat grams
r = fiber
So, under this formula, foods gain points for having calories and fat grams, and can lose up to one point for having fiber. This means participants are encouraged to eat foods that are low calories, fat, and fiber. Seems reasonable, right?
I don’t agree. I’ve heard people say that in order to lose weight, they will have to be hungry. Surprisingly enough, if you follow the weight watchers system, they’re right. You will inevitably be hungry. Why? Because it’s a proven fact that both fat and fiber contribute to the feeling of “fullness,” and this system drives you away from these types of foods.
If you’ve followed my story, by now you know my opinion about fiber, as well as how changing my eating habits improved my quality of life. But whereas most people are simply ambivalent about fiber, we’re all far more emotional about consuming fat. I know people who try to eliminate fat from their diets completely, which is actually ridiculous. Consuming a reasonable amount of heart healthy fats is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle. This is why the American Heart Association suggests eating foods like salmon, nuts, and olive oils. All these foods are actually high in heart healthy fats, yet would be discouraged by the weight watcher formula due to the high percentage of fat.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think the weight watchers program is bad. I’m sure its helped a great many people. But I do believe adhering to it over a long period of time would be very difficult. Like most “diets” it hinges on a gimmick – in this case points, in conjunction with a support structure (weigh ins). And its a gimmick that drives you to eat foods that are ultimately unfulfilling. While many of us can handle gimmicks for a short period of time, we’re not going to sit around adding up points day in and day out for 20 years, left feeling like we’re depriving ourselves of eating the things we enjoy.
