I'm thinking of joinng weight watchers. I have about 80lbs to lose. What is the difference between going online or in person besides the obvious that you have to weight in person? Do they give you some sort of calculator to count your points when you go in person? Are there hidden fees? Like after paying to join I would probably have to pay for a calculator?

Sociallyanxious

Online is much less expensive for one thing. If you go check it out at pretend like you're going to sign up (do everything but enter your payment information) and then go a page back like you're going to leave and there should be a popup offering you an even cheaper rate. In my area, it's $30 to sign up and $10 a week until week 9 when it goes to $8. Online I got 3 months for $60 and then it will be $16.95 a month after that.

Anyway, in person you get a Pointsfinder sliderule and introductory printed materials. After that, everything is extra but you don't sign a contract so you could go sign up, get your sliderule and an instructional lesson on the program and then do it on your own or keep going if you want of course. I like the meetings, but can't justify the cost right now.

Online, you get instruction and a really cool food and exercise tracker. You can search for foods and it will tell you how many Points it is. You can print out a blank journal or plan all your food for the day and print that out. You can enter recipe ingredients for your favorite recipe and it will calculate the Points per serving for you. You can also order printed materials on the site.

Edited to add that there is a great list of foods here on 3FC that gives you all the nutrition info plus Points. Interesting stuff there (seal blubber anyone?)

If you go to the official W/W site you can find out what it cost for your are. There is a registration fee and weekly fees (weekly the first week included in your registration fee) and sometimes the registration fees are on special (1/2 or free). There are cheaper prepay packages at most places.

With meetings you get 12 weeks worth of materials and lectures every week for weekly fee...no hidden costs. You can purchase additional items if you choose.

Online is cheaper but all the stuff you'd get at meetings is available online.

For me, going to the meetings makes me more "accountable." Plus, there is the support of everyone in the meetings. It's nice to have these support groups online but sometimes actually seeing people in the same boat can be really encouraging. We all talk about how we did and what has worked or hasn't worked. You might even find someone to work out with or just call when you're having a bad day and need to talk with someone who's been there. I don't know if I personally would do as well by myself on online. Good luck with your choice!

I think it's a personal choice...you have to decide if you need the personal face-to-face interaction to keep your accountable or can you do it with 'cyber-support'. I personally need the face to face support...however I depend on the online support as well. My recommendation is to go to the meetings and see if you like it...I know my meetings here will let you sit in on a meeting without paying and then if you like it will give you the week 1 stuff and weight in after.

Finances is usually what makes me make the ultimate choice but I've found there's multiple advantages to online and meetings. WW Online is cheaper than going to weekly meetings (and you don't have to pay bus fare or use gas). I did online before because I didn't like the group leader in the area I was living. I could log in, track, and read articles/recipes any old time of the day and they'd still be there if I had to get up and go do something else.

I'm doing meetings currently because even though the nearest meeting is 20+ miles away from me, I need the "getting out of the house/out of town for a bit" escape. Also I'd gotten some tips where to buy stuff since I'm not familiar with the area I live as well as meal ideas. I'm an extrovert so it gives me a chance to talk to people a bit before and after the meeting.

Thanks Ladies

I just recently joined Weight Watchers, I thought about joining online. I decided to go with the onsite meetings. Having face to face contact with someone else who is doing and going through the same thing I am, I believe will help me stay motivated. I have a long way to go to reach my ultimate goal, so I will need all the encouragement I can get.