I've always considered joining weight watchers just for the support with the meetings. I've looked at the WW different points plans, and it just seems too confusing to me. It's hard enough to count calories, without having to convert them into points.

Is it considered a no-no to go to meetings if you don't intend on using their plan? Do you talk about points a lot at meetings? Or is there something else besides WW I can do for face-to-face support?

Any comments/suggestions appreciated.

I got to WW just for the meetings. I count calories, but even then I do half a$$ job of it and just guestimate. Counting points is not for me, but I do love my WW leader and love the face to face social support. Plus, there are lots of things in general about health and nutrition that I learn at the meetings that aren't specificially tied to WW.

Its not considered a no-no, but I generally don't admit to the people there that I don't follow their specific program. Most likely, it will never come up. I go there, weigh in, and stay for the meeting/support.

There are other non-WW face to face support groups for weight loss if you are unsure about WW. TOPS is one of them and I'm sure there are more.

There's a person in our WW group who refuses to count calories or points or follow the plan. It has taken her 20 months, but she's finally lost the initial 10% goal of 16 lbs.

No one cares if you follow the program to the letter. You go, you weigh in, you get the support, and enjoy the meeting. But you kind of have to weigh in because that is the way to see if you are on your path. The path you choose, though, is a personal thing.

Just, as a hint, to be respectful of those in the meeting and who are on the plan, please please PLEASE don't vocally state that you disagree with what the leader is saying cause you don't follow the plan! The chickee in our group does that, and it is quite distracting.

But you are most welcome to the weigh-ins and meetings!!!

Kira

I know that at our meeting while points are discussed most of the meeting is devoted to products people find and receipes, with the rest of the meeting congratulating scale and non-scale victories.

Wow. Our leader NEVER discusses products and recipes. In our area, there is a weekly meeting with a theme. Today's theme was "LIVE it, not DIE-it". Meaning this is a life style, not a diet with a finite beginning and end. BIG discussion about how we need to change rewards and determine our motivation and how to modify our behaviours. And how to manage weekends, parties, birthdays, and so on, cause this is part of our lives.

In our area, they have a weekly meeting for WW leaders and the "weekly topic" is discussed and reviewed for the leaders. The leaders then make up their flip charts with the relevant points.

We spend maybe 3 minutes on awards, mostly of the Bravo and 5 lb kinds. Sometimes there are 10 percent and 20 percent and 25 lb awards.

You may need to find a meeting that suits you, so check a bunch out!

Kira

As those above said, you don't have to count points but i wouldn't bring up that you aren't following their program in the meetings. Although if you do join I recommend that you at least give the points a try. If the point thing doesn't work for you they also have the "simply filling" foods (formerly known as "core") option, which is still ww but you don't count points. You can sit in on your first meeting before you join. Stay after and discuss your questions and concerns with the leader.

When I re-joined a few weeks ago I thought I might be going more for the support and accountability too. I had been considering going to OA for the support but felt that it just was not a good fit with my philosophies. Boy am I glad I went back to WW with an open mind.

I have been using the points and it's been working for me. Honestly I will admit there's a learning curve when you're starting out. But I don't find it more confusing to count points than to count calories at all, so if that's what you're really afraid of you might want to give it a try. Once you've been on it for a while you'll probably find that you don't need to calculate points very often at all, and it is in fact easier to count points than calories. For example, if you eat a salad with a particular dressing, you might automatically know it's 1 point, whereas you might worry about figuring out that the lettuce has 5 cals, the carrots have 10 cals, etc. 0 points is a lot easier to figure out!

Anyway, you should not have to worry too much about the meetings being about points. For one thing, not everyone who follows WW is counting points because of the Filling Foods. If you find a leader who does dwell on points, then you can look for another meeting. Even though it seems like the leaders should all get together and discuss their strategies and weekly themes, it is only natural that some leaders will stray from that. The first time I was in WW my leader seemed particularly swayed by what the members wanted to discuss and didn't do a good job of keeping control of the meetings. And frequently the members wanted to discuss points. I have been to meetings with two other leaders and did not find this to be the case at all, so you can always shop around to see what leader will be the best fit for you and whatever plan you choose to follow.

I know this is a WW group, and it wouldn't ordinarily be appropriate to suggest another support group, but if you aren't going to follow the program, I would suggest a "generic" weight loss group such as TOPS which allows you to follow any sensible diet program, or a group that advocates a program you are willing to follow.

I say this because how much support are you really getting, if you have to hide or can't discuss your choices?

If all you need is the weigh-in and comraderie, TOPS groups cost about 1/10 of Weight Watcher's, and you would be free to discuss your food plan. Since TOPS goups are composed of people following many different programs (including the Weight Watchers program - many TOPS members switched because of the cost, but continue to follow the WW program), the tips, hints, suggestions and other discussions would be more likely to be applicable, and you wouldn't have to hide your own weight loss plan.

I'm in no way bashing WW, it just seems that to get the most from any meeting, it would make more sense to be able to openly discuss your own methods, and to get support from people who are doing the same or a similar program as yourself.

Yeah, I go to WW just for the meetings, although the info I get is useful too, and for the time being I am following the points. The thought of 'I have to get on a scale and another person will see my weight' is enough to make me eat well. I'm very secretive about my weight battles and so none of my friends or family know what I'm doing, so also the support and pride I get when I do well is something I love.

I live in two places so I go to two different meetings. One is unfortunately just a weigh-in which sucks a bit. On Wednesday I'll be going to my other meeting which is a proper meeting with discussions etc and I feel much more like I'm getting my moneys worth.

I did the points until about 15 or 16 weeks. Then I switched to just counting calories. Now I still go for the meetings, weigh ins, and weekly challenges (e.g. veggie/fruit challenges) but don't count points. It works for me.

Thanks guys! I think I'm going to check out kaplods suggestion first, just because of the money issue.. it is kind of tight right now, but I always have WW meetings as an option.

I actually signed up for a WW monthly pass, drove to the location, and then as I was sitting in the parking lot, chickened out and went home. Dumb, huh? I don't know what I'm afraid of. I feel I could really use the support and accountability, but for some reason, I have it in my head that I'll be the biggest one there.

No, not dumb. Both times I joined WW it was a spur of the moment decision. I was bored at work and needing to lose weight so I checked out the WW website and soon enough I was looking at when the meetings were and then I joined! If I had thought about it at all I might have chickened out too.

And really, who cares if you're the biggest one there? People really are so supportive. There is a full range of sizes at my meeting, and honestly, you just don't know people's story. There's this tiny little girl at my meetings and it turns out, she's lost 95 pounds with WW. So now she's the smallest one there but I bet at one point, she was the biggest.

Anyway, good luck with TOPS! I also looked into that program but there weren't any meetings I could attend. Let us know how you're doing!

I know, I know it doesn't matter if I'm the biggest one there. It's just that habit that I have when I walk into a room... I feel better if at least one person is bigger. I know I shouldn't be thinking that, especially in a place where we're all there for the same reason--to lose weight.

I'm just going to suck it up and go. I'll definitely let you all know how it goes.

I smiled when I read this because when I joined WW a year ago, I used to slink in the door as if I was doing something inappropriate or unacceptable, and hoped no one would see me...

Anyway, I still go every (most) weeks, just to get weighed and for the meeting. The leader on Fridays is really good, informative and entertaining. They're not all like that, though. At first I counted points, then I did Core, and now I'm doing South Beach . But there's still plenty of good information at the meetings, and the weigh in keeps me accountable.

The points system is not confusing at all! You get a slider tool that allows you to convert any food into points in a matter of seconds. Combine that with tracking and the meetings every week and it truly is a fantastic program that you can live with for a lifetime. Follow the plan as it is laid out for a couple of weeks and I guarantee you won't be sorry!