Can it be done without meetings?
 

I was a member of WW when I was in high school for about six months, so I am familiar with how the process works. I was just curious what the majority of people thought. If you've got the information, tools, and scale at home, can the same amount of success be done at home. Or, is it imperative to go to these meetings. The reason I ask is because meetings can get pricey and with one lay off already in my household, that could cut into my budget. However, I know it can work. What do you think? Yay, for doing it at home or Yay, for going to meetings?:dunno:

If you really can't afford it, you could substitute this place for your meetings. Just make sure you take the time each week to do what you do at meetings: weigh in, share/celebrate your success, seek advice/tips from others, plan for what's ahead.
I go to meetings. I really love my leader. But I'm moving in a few months and if I don't find someone I like as much, then I think I'll save the money and go it alone.

I do Weight Watchers online ($16 a month). I don't go to meetings. Actually, I find the idea of meetings to be a huge turnoff (but that's just me!).

I love WW Online and I highly recommend it. Otherwise, yes, you could just use your tools and do it at home without even paying the online service. I'm actually thinking of canceling my online membership since I've already learned how to do this and keep it going.

I've never been to a meeting for WW. I stole all of my mother's old stuff, learned from her and pulled from this site the rest. I've been successful and don't regret not signing up for meeting.

What I do suggest is having some support in real life. Maybe a friend would be willing to do it with you and you could have a mock meeting once a week.

I've been a WW member at least 4 times in my life. Did the weigh-ins, looked at the leader's "before" and "after" photo, heard the same tips, etc. I panicked at each weigh in, and gave up the minute I tired of keeping tabs of every single point I ate. This time around, being newly unemployed, I bought a journal called "I Will Lose the Weight This Time! Diet Journal" by Alex Lluch. $15.00. I keep track in it, use my apt gym and eat healthy. I have this website to mingle with fellow "losers." No pressure, no $16.00 every week. I still religiously weigh in each Friday morning without seeing my weight first. And in 3 months I've so far lost 23 lbs! I feel like I get just as much doing it this way than with WW. Good luck!

I've never been to a meeting. I couldn't fathom paying that much to have someone weigh me every week and give me a little pep talk. I signed up for weight watchers online about 5 months ago and have lost 40 pounds all by myself. The online tracker is wonderful for me because I'm on my computer all the time and it's full of lists of food and their points values and the recipe builder is fantastic. I think it depends of your personality but it's totally doable online or at home.

You might try going to a TOPS meeting. A lot of people there are following the WW diet. The advantage of it is the group support, and the cost is minimal.
BTW, thanks for posting the question, because I'm torn which way to go. I do know I want to follow the WW diet, and I'll be interested to see others' opinions. I guess it's ultimately up to you and what works for you.

I forgot about TOPS. The last time I tried to find a meeting, I couldn't, but I recently heard a lady I work with mention that so I'm going to ask her if she knows of any meetings.:flow1:

As a Lifetime Member returning to goal, I think it can be done without meetings. I never got much out of the meetings themselves but got to connect with some great people. That can be done online pretty easily. Just make sure you are as accountable to the scale at home as you would be at meetings and keep posting for support!

I'm finding I'm not getting much out of the meetings either. It could be just the area I'm in. But they hand out the books but really don't go over much. They are pretty wham bam thank you mam kind of thing.

I've done WW one time before, on my own. This time, I'm going to meetings. I feel the meetings are helping quite a bit and here's why: it's solid, quantifiable proof that I'm making a commitment to myself. I get in the car and go somewhere - not to pick up my kids, or run an errand for my husband. I go somewhere to work on myself. I am a fairly cynical person; I tend to be a loner. I don't get vocal at meetings or feel I have much in common with folks there, but I obviously share a very fundamental characteristic with these people. So I go and I listen to my leader (it feels so funny to type that, like I'm an alien or under mind control - but really, the leader I lucked into getting is simply amazing to listen to). While driving to the meeting I reflect on how I've done during the week, how I've felt, what I did right and how I could have improved. I leave the meeting feeling I've taken 40 minutes to move forward in my life - not just with weight loss, but in taking time to make things better. I hate to sound sappy. Honestly, I don't even watch Oprah. I hope I'm getting my point across here. Yes, of course you can do it alone, as all the others in this thread mentioned. I just wanted to offer a counterpoint. If you can budget for it, I highly recommend going to meetings. For me, this time, it's what I need psychologically. It's keeping me on track, going forward, thinking about where I am and where I want to be. I think "Momentum" is an apt title for the program. That's exactly what meetings make me feel.

traceriffic - If my meeting was like your I'd probably stick it out. But I live in a back woods country town (but I'm from alot different area), and I'm finding the people are not very informative nor the leader. I may look into other meetings somewhere else.

Ive never gone to a meeting or online, like you I was given the ww information on the banking points system years ago. Each time I have lost weight I have done it without going to meetings. I use information from this site and many others, I stick to my daily point range, and exercise. I keep a journal all of my food, points, workouts, & weight. I have my own official weigh in every saturday morning before my workout.

@ horrorchick..how is it going? i do it at home and save myself $13 a week and come on here for tips and ideas..if your not sure,go to a couple and see if its for you.this month is free registration

I joined WW while it had free registration. I went for 3 weeks after that and I personally didnt feel I needed to pay to get weighed in. I get my support here on the boards. I also get lots of great recipes and new food ideas from the boards. I am a very quiet person so I didnt engage in the meeting. It is very, very important to journal and weigh/measure my food. I know I cant be trusted. :)

I also weigh myself once a week and write it down. This weight is my 'official weigh in'. but I unofficially weigh in every day..(bit obsessed. :) )

Bottom line - You need to do what works for you but know that in end you only cheat yourself.

Hi everyone! I joined WW online Dec. 26th and LOVE it!!!!!!!!! I'm not a meeting gal either! I pay $16 a month and have support, blogs, reciepes, WW store, friends, hints and tips - 24 hours a day - 7 days a week! I get on and point my points in after every meal! No paper work. Everything you need is right there.
Well, just wanted to share. ;)

I do ww online too.Check the site, see if they are still offering a free week or two. Even if you cant afford the $16.00 a month you will still get a chance to review the program,and see if it is right for you. I hope this is some help and good luck everybody.

I Have been going to the meetings as well. but i think I may save my dollars and do it at home now.

I had joined back in the 90's with a Program that I loved and then my Leader left for some unknown reason who was awesome. I was losing weight,feeling great and almost hit goal. I did it w/meetings and later tried to keep going w/ a new Leader and new Program and never attained the same level of success at any time.
This time I will be on Program at home and fly solo. I posted about Freedom Plan and geez I do know that it will be a real mind blower going back on that again knowing that heck yeah, that Program was mine to say yes that works.
So you see to me these Boards are very important because they become your friends, your meetings and your Leader all rolled up into one and you have to then be a n active participant in the end and feed yourself and buy yourself sensible foods to help you lose the weight.

Hello everyone, I joined back in the late 90's and it worked for me my leader was great too and she had to leave. I tried with the other leaders but never lost like I did the first go around. I have tried many other times like everyday of my life and I go up and come down a lb or 2. I am up again and i thought I would see if this help me any. I just have to stay focus on my own life and try to get it back again. I feel so much better when I am down 10 to 15lbs. thats my short goal my long goal is to lose at least 35 or 40 lbs. I don't need to be as small as the models do. HAHA Thanks for letting me read in. and yes I agree. Believe in yourself, always

I just switched over to Online from monthly today. I had not been going to the meetings since last year, but I have been tracking EVERY DAY (even when it gets ugly!).

I figure why pay $40 a month and just track, when I could be paying $17?

I joined this forum in hopes of getting the support I need to lose the weight I gained during the last 6 months. I've tried getting back on track at the beginning of the year but failed. I hope with everyones help here, I can make it happen. My current weight is 162 and my goal is to get to 147lbs. Yesterday I began making changes on the way I've been eating and started my exercise program at home. I hope to stick to this and reach my goal weight by July in time for my Cruise. Today is my 2nd day doing my Weight Watchers and having to stay within my daily point range is driving me crazy. I just had a Lean Cusine and a side of broccoli and I'm still not satisfied. OMG, I just wish I could have some chocolate or something... I am getting a headache from not having enough food :-(

I do the WW online plan. I don't drive well at night and that is the only time I would have to go to meetings. I lost 36 lbs. that way over 5 months and am now in maintenance. I love the points tracker and recipe builder. I'm not crazy about their dinner recipes, because the rest of the family won't eat them and I found it too hard to eat something different night after night. So I also have a great meal planning service that I use for most of my meals and I don't have to hardly ever calculate points now for dinners. It is budget and kid friendly, so my family eats the same meals I do every night. That helps a lot. So I think you can do it at home with the right tools.

I've only been to two meetings in my life. I'm really good at sticking at it by myself. My roommate and I are on the plan together and we have our own little meetings (totally free of charge!). I lost over 40 lbs the first time I did it (all by myself) and this time, I'm up to 12 lbs lost, for a total of 42 (I gained back 10 when I went off plan for a year).

I agree, I am tired of spending money on weight loss :dizzy:, so like you all I will do this at home. Now I have a place to be accountable.

I've done WW at home once before I was pregnant and I've gotten back to it for the last 8 months. I've lost a total of 70 lbs since July with no meetings. If you have the support elsewhere, I think it's totally doable at home!

I am new to this site but not new to WW. I'm actually at goal! YEAH! And I did it ALL with WW Online. I couldn't afford the meetings either. It is not as expensive as meetings. I had a meal plan service that gave me great ideas for family friendly meals for a whole year and she calculated Points (shrinkingonabudget) and I used her meal plans exclusively for dinners. She gave me a MAJOR discount because I couldn't afford her meal plan service either.

But I still had to figure Points for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. So you kind of do need at least the online subscription. I think they are waiving the registration fee if you sign up for 3 months.

Pm
 

mattraces5..I tried to return the PM about the sites I recommended, but I don't have enough posts. The sites are (you will have to use your imagination)

skinnytaste
sparkpeople
shrinkingonabudget

All 3 are free, motivating and make it easier to do this totally free and totally online.

absolutely!
 

I do my weight watchers on my own! The only thing about it is there isn't someone there at the weigh in to congratulate you every week. But like someone else already stated, you can come on here to do that. In fact, that's why Im here too. I need to make friends who understand me and what Im doing. Plus we can swap recipes and tell each other what's working and not working.

Lets keep in touch, and be there for each other!\ :carrot:

I am 26lbs down, and a lot more to go.

Jen

Dithering
 

I have been thinking about returning to WW for about a week now. I liked my leader, but I stopped going because I was really struggling to lose and felt I was throwing my $$ away. I've been going to TOPS but the meeting is at an inconvenient time and I'm not motivated by holding hands and singing little songs.

I really enjoyed using the online program to track my points and exercise. Ironically, though, right now it's less expensive, in terms of start-up costs, to sign up for the entire program because if you choose WW Online you have to pay for 3 months at one time. I'd also have to buy a scale to weigh in as we don't have one in the house. Cost IS a factor for me right now as I just lost 75% of my hours at work and haven't replaced that income yet ...

Donna D., Hemet, CA

I've done WW before on my own and had great results. This time around i'm starting it again on my own. As long as you have a goal and stick to it, I believe it can be done. I have printed off a lot of information (points, recipies and helpful tips) to get me going. I bought the new WW Points Calculator off Ebay and i'm ready to get started. I plan to set a weekly weigh in to the schedule so that its more of a routine.

what tools do I need to start
 

I would like to try it on my own. How do I find out about the point system etc if I don't go to a meeting or join online. Also do I need to buy a food scale.

thanks

I'm doing WW online, mainly because I will have to drive far to go to meetings, besides I don't like meetings, so I don't think it will help me at all.
I'm only on my 2nd week. At first, I did not like it, I thought it was time consuming doing all those trackings, etc. But I got used to the interface real fast, and I like the fact that I have access anytime, anywhere, through my iPhone and iPod touch.
Maybe we should all post here and get the accountability factor that we need to be successful.

I am also doing WW on my own now after having gone to many meetings over the years. So far have lost 11 lbs in my first 3 weeks. I did not want to pay the weekly fee and don't like the extra pressure of having to step on their scale. I weigh myself every day and have an official weight every Friday. My daughter on the other hand prefers to go to meeting as it gives her extra motivation.

I will say this, I love the 3 Month Journals they sell at the locations and I started using an old one I have but am about to run out. Does anyone know if you can buy one at the meetings without having to join? I tried buying just a small notebook but I have found that for me there is no substitute for it.

Can't your daughter buy one for you? or try ebay.

So I was just looking at the WW site again and see there is a
WW At Home and
WW Online.

When reading the post I was assuming that when someone said they were doing it at home I thought they meant doing it online.

Now I have to re read the post.
PS it looks like the online price has gone up. It's $17.95

I really need a boasting buddy.......
 

I have done this before and am for sure a remedial WW member. I am a lifetimer that has done this for a lifetime....don't think that was supposed to be the goal right!!! LOL I lost all of my weight two years ago and recently went on meds for ADHD. While it was great for the ADHD....I have packed on 30 pounds since I got on it. I have called the doctor and am weaning off the meds now....would much rather be hyper than unhealthy.
I could really use someone that needs some support and strokes as well. I promise to be a diligent buddy!!
Terri

I live in the Houston area and they actually have WW stores now. My sister buys her journal there.

I was going to buy the journals online at Amazon and then I started looking through the reviews. A WW's Leader posted that you shouldn't buy them from places like Amazon or Ebay because they jack up the price. She stated that you can walk into ANY WW's center and buy whatever the heck you wanted WITHOUT joining.

The reason I know you can buy is because I walked right in a WW's center and purchased two journals and one of the points trackers for myself.

And think about, why would WW's really care if you buy them without joining. The way I see it, they are still making money.
-----------------------------------------
I'm doing the WW's online program now. And I just love it! I think I'm doing a whole lot better on it than I did going to the meetings. (GO FIGURE)

It's less of a hassle having to drive to meeting and it's definitely cheaper! I like the online features of points tracking and weight tracking. And the recipes and adding a recipe that you can add to your tracker. I like all of it! lol

I started on May 14th and as of this past Friday, I'm down 13.6 lbs. I don't believe I was that successful when I went to weigh-in. And oh, I also workout 6 days a week so I'm sure that has something to do with the losses.