Buy Walking VideosWeight Watchers Momentum Plan
Weight Watchers is starting a new eating plan called the Momentum Plan. If you have been planning on going to Weight Watchers as soon as the holiday is over, you should join now because they are teaching their current members about the plan THIS WEEK!
If you are a Weight Watchers eTools member, you can learn about it now. If not, you can sign up for it online for only $17 a month with a $30 startup fee.
The Momentum Plan
Before the Momentum Plan, Weight Watcher members had two plans to choose from: Flex and Core. Now, everyone will be on the same plan: Momentum. They have taken the best of both plans to create Momentum. Their whole philosophy is, “Don’t eat less, eat smarter.” The new plan still incorporates a lot of the favorites:
- The Weight Watchers Points System
- The weekly Points Allowance
- The Good Health Guidelines
- The Filling Foods List
Filling Foods
The new aspect of this plan is the Filling Foods List. The concept is that if you choose foods that are higher in fiber and water content, they will keep you fuller for longer than if you eat other foods. There are studies that have found that people will eat the same volume of food every day. The actual SPACE that the food takes in your stomach might have more to do with how full you feel than the calories, fat, or protein.
On this point, I have an issue with Weight Watchers. Personally, I have found that I can eat a small amount of food and stay full for a long time as long as it has enough protein. The size of the food can affect my “emotional” hunger. If I’m eating to make myself feel better, then the feeling of being “full” can make me feel better, but for actual satiety, I need protein, not fiber and water. Now, they have lean meats on their filling foods list, but they are promoting the water and fiber content far more than the protein.
The Filling Food List has basically just replaced the Core Foods List. In fact, even though they say they only have ONE plan now, they DO have the Simply Filling Technique, in which you can eat from the Filling Foods List to a feeling of satisfaction, just like the old Core Plan. It is considered another way to keep track instead of a different plan. In essence, they want all of us to eat from the Filling Foods List, whether we track our food or not.
Food Tracking
They are really promoting tracking your food intake. This makes sense, since SO MANY studies have shown that people who keep a food journal end up eating healthier and losing more weight than those who keep it all in their head. The Points System is so easy that it’s possible to keep it in your head, but writing it down really makes it more real. Weight Watchers eTools has made is SO easy for me to keep track because I’m at a computer all day.
30 Minutes of Exercise Every Day
One of the Good Health Guidelines is 30 minutes of exercise every day. This was part of their Move More program before, but now they are saying that it’s important to get it in every day. When I first started Weight Watchers, they always recommended exercise, but they also said that you could lose weight without it on their plan. I’m pretty stoked that they are making exercise a higher priority now.
Managing Hunger
Their new program has a great training section on Managing Hunger and recognizing whether you’re really hungry or if you are tempted to eat for other reasons. This is a nice program and worth going to the Weight Watcher classes just for this. Learning how to listen to your body is really important.
Helpful Habits
The Helpful Habits section is another new aspect of the Momentum Plan. They have tracked down the eight things that successful Weight Watcher members do:
- Ask for help
- Learn from experience
- Manage your environment
- Manage your feelings
- Manage your thoughts
- Monitor yourself
- Prepare yourself
- Take care of yourself
There is a training segment for each of these that will help you learn these habits for yourself. These aren’t a simple replacement for the Tools For Living. They are habits that you can teach yourself to keep on track.
SetPoints Values
SetPoints Values are a way of tracking foods from the Filling Foods List. If you watch your hunger signals and take a portion that seems “reasonable,” you can just count the food as its SetPoints Value instead of trying to figure out its actual Points value. Using this, they really want you to assess your hunger levels. This incorporates some of the concepts of the Core Plan into the Momentum Plan.
Not So Different
All in all, the new Momentum Plan is not that different from the previous plans. They appear to be mixing the Flex Plan and the Core Plan into one process, urging you to eat healthier foods and keeping track of them in a way that works best for you.
The best part of the Momentum Plan is that it’s new and different and there is a whole new set of materials to get every week right when we need them the most: the holiday season. If you have been thinking that you’ll join Weight Watchers after January first, get the jump on your New Years Resolution and do it NOW. You have enough time to lose five pounds before the first of the year, instead of gaining the typical fifteen.
There are so many reasons to eat healthy this season and only one reason to eat unhealthy. Start living right now and don’t put it off until January.
Update 12-09-08: I have created a new version of my food journal form that works with the new Momentum Plan. You can download it here:
Momentum Weekly Tracking Form 5 1/2″ X 8 1/2″ - Requires Microsoft Excel
Momentum Weekly Tracking Form 8 1/2″ X 11″ - Requires Microsoft Excel
If you aren’t a wiz at Microsoft Excel, you can order a food journal here:
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December 5th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Seems you have it down pretty good
Momentum is goign to be a great plan that helps members reach and maintain their goals in 2009! I agree don’t wait until January get into a meeting this coming up week!
Water has been changed to ALL LIQUIDS-keeping in mind that sugar and alcohol should still be limited and water is still the best choice.
Exercise is not EVERY DAY but MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK, this may help those that are going OMG! Not everyday!!!
December 5th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
As a long-time follower of WW and a Lifetime member, I’m glad to see these changes. Though I’ve long preferred Core, I lost the majority of my weight (60 lbs) with Flex and in the times I’ve switched back to Flex while I’ve maintained that, I’ve always kept the precepts of Core first in my mind. I think Momentum is pretty much how I’ve always done Flex (emphasis on Core foods, GHG, hunger signals, etc.) but I know that’s not true for lots of members.
I think that while this explanation of Filling (Core) foods emphasizes the water and fiber content, in general, the explanation of low energy density foods as they’ve explained it for the last 2 years has been quite helpful in helping people understand the overall nutritional value in foods, i.e ‘not all Points are created equally’.
Oh, by the way, the Helpful Habits have been around for the last year in the Week 3 book, tied to the Tools for Living. I’ve found them to be very helpful!
Here’s hoping Momentum helps everyone!
December 9th, 2008 at 9:21 am
is there an online copy of the momentum program that can be printed out to read and follow? I am an online member and cannot find this. I would prefer to read a paper copy sometimes.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:45 am
watched my sister starve to death on ww. ww promoted her to take diet aids to stave off hunger and her leader encouraged her to allow herself to fast in order to reach goal. my sister developed an eating disorder thanks to ww. i would not recommend ww to no one in the world. it is not a healthy way to eat.
i also want to mention the guilt factor that comes with the meetings. my sister was guilted by her leader and shamed into starving herself just to meet that goal. I plan to expose ww for what it is, a program that promotes pro ana type ideals but not openly just passively.
December 30th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Patty - I have been to many many WW meetings at many locations in my life, and I am shocked to hear of your sister’s experience. I’ve never met a leader like that, and while I don’t doubt her story, I don’t think it’s fair to accuse all WW leaders of promoting anorexia and bulimia. There is always a bad apple in every group. Good luck to your sister.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Typical of someone with an eating disorder to blame others. Your sister needed a scapegoat and won’t admit that she has issues. She fooled you into thinking that WW created her bad eating habits. Better keep an eye on her. WW is not her problem!!!
December 31st, 2008 at 11:03 am
Patty, I agree with the others- I have been to many locations of WW in the Eastern part of the US, and no leader has ever encouraged diet aids, and they have all said that you must eat to lose weight. I eat more food, and more often when on the program than when I’m off it and going through life without paying attention to my food. I have never experienced guilt at all- your sister really may have told you all of this to put the blame on someone else. You should sit in on a meeting or two to see for yourself; I think you will be surprised.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I have been on WW over the years for many reasons. I have NEVER been told personally or as a part of the group to take diet aids. In fact, it is the opposite. It is all about eating and healthy choices. I ate more healthy foods than I have ever eaten while following the WW plan. Sorry your sister told you this but I do think she is not being truthful with you.
December 31st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I agree with what most of the group is saying. I, too, have attended WW meetings and have never experienced what Patty’s sister has. I can’t imagine that this is something the “corporate headquarters” would want their leaders doing. Perhaps, Patty, you should consider contacting someone at the regional or national level to discuss your concerns - if you haven’t already done so.
January 1st, 2009 at 7:17 am
Hi:
I am a WW follower I(CORE PROGRAM) who has moved to Israel a few years ago. I am very far away from meetings and would love to join online however I would have to use Israeli currency. Not happening yet as I can see.
I would love to obtain information regarding the new Momentum program along with your wonderful excel downloads. I did try to download, I get the message that the files are corrupt and my PC is unable to repair them. Is there any other way to obtain this info, again I don’[t mind to pay for it, it would have to be in Shekels though.
Thanks
Jean Jacobson
Western Galilee Israel
January 1st, 2009 at 9:34 am
Patty - I am sorry to hear of your sister’s eating disorder, however, I am inclined to agree with some of the other posters. I am not saying your sister is lying - perhaps she did feel the pressure she states, but if she did, please believe that is not the WW goal / technique. I have done WW a couple of different times, and while I did feel pressure - it was pressure that I put on MYSELF. That’s right - ME, MYSELF, and I. I wasn’t doing what I needed to do during the week, & come weigh-in day, I was guilt tripping myself. That is entirely on ME.
No matter what happened, your sister’s eating disorder is a very serious issue, and I wish her and your family the best of luck. However, please don’t be so hasty to judge the program…as was stated in another bunch - there are some bad apples, but that doesn’t make everyone bad.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I have been a lifetimer for 3 years now (after losing 60 pounds)and never in any of the hundreds of meetings(I go bi weekly) was any unhealthy behaviors encouraged or allowed. In fact when I joined there was a girl who had joined the same day as me. By looking at her you can see there was some issues with either anorexia or bullimia. The leader took her aside and stated she would need a doctors note to continue. In fact, when you weigh in if there is an issue with the weight being too low, pregnancy, or teenager a doctors note is required or they do not let you join or continue.In fact in the beginning for me I lost 9 pounds in 2 weeks and I was told to slow down or I would get sick. There have been weeks I have gained,lost, or stayed the same and never have I been made to feel that I needed to starve myself,take dangerous drugs,or force myself to throw up.I don’t want to sound cynical but I call BS.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:36 pm
WW actually told my husband to slow down his weight loss that it was unhealthy and made him add back points. Every WW instructor I had was very, very anti-diet aids of any sort. I really don’t see them ever pressuring someone into an eating disorder.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Patty, You should try to expose ww for what it really is……..a fabulous way to HEALTHY weight loss! If you were to do your research and attend a few meetings you will find this out. I truly hope that there was not a deliquint leader. I wish your sister all the best……tc
January 5th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Pam,
I’m sorry to hear about your sister’s disorder, but WW is a very healthy program to lose weight on. They encourage you to eat not fast or starve yourself. We get so many points allowance per day plus 35 extra per week to use as we wish, when we wish to splurge. I have never heard of any leader promoting diet aids. Perhaps that was the leader’s own personal opinion and not the opinion of WW. I encourage you to read the materials and attend a couple of meetings, talk to a leader yourself and then form an opionion. Good luck to your sister, but I think she is deceiving you or perhaps the leader was a bad apple as some before me stated.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Great assessment of the Momentum Plan. At first when WW was advertising ‘a new way to do WW’ I was really expecting something completely new. Momentum is far from that and that’s a good thing. Why fix what’s not broken.
For me the best part of the new plan are the introduction of setPoints. I eat out often and it will be nice not to have to guess how big that cup of fruit was or how many oz. was my piece of chicken.
Again, thanks for the great writeup.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Patty, I must agree with all the others. I am a trained WW leader and I can assure you that we are NEVER to encourage the use of diet aids or fasting as a method to lose weight. In fact, if a leader truly did tell her those things, your sister should contact WW via their website, and the leader in question would be investigated and most certainly fired. As some of you have mentioned, WW actually will counsel people who are losing too rapidly, and in many cases have not allowed them to return to WW without a doctor’s note. It’s all about making healthy choices and a good balance of healthy food and exercise. I wish your sister the very best… and hope she has been able to overcome her illness.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Patty, as a former anorexic, I assure you your assessment of WW is extremely off-base. I suffered from EDs for over 10 years, and have been hospitalized and put in treatment centers several times (but have been “cured” for 5 years or so). I joined WW after my 2nd baby was born to lose the baby weight in a healthy way, instead of resorting to old bad habits. The fact is, it is impossible to starve yourself if you’re following WW…you have to eat a certain number of points a day. This is PERFECT for someone who has the urge to restrict as I do; there were many times I ate even when I was full or didn’t want to because I still had points to fill for the day. It’s not a diet, it’s just a way to learn to eat healthily. I’m so sorry for your sister’s experience–please know that if she was restricting than she was NOT following the program, and neither was her leader.
January 5th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
The only problem I have with WW is that it’s WAY too expensive. $15 a week? Somebody’s getting real rich off of fat people.
January 5th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
The new Momentum plan sounds suspiciously like The Volumetrics Plan by Barbara Rolls. Her plan emphasizes “low calorie density foods”, and eating foods high in water and fiber! The new plan sounds like it is just blending the Points system with Volumetrics.
Not a bad idea, but for those of you who are looking for a written book version - look to Barbara Roll’s Volumetrics.
I agree with Laura though - that these plans have an unfornate tendency to leave out the need for protein. Protein lowers the glycemic index of a meal - meaning that carbohydrates are released into your bloodstream more gradually, your blood sugar is more stable, and you feel full longer.
I agree with
January 5th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I agree, April! For that kind of money, you could see a nutritionist - or a doctor! The leaders at meetings are usually great people, but they are not nutritional or medical professionals - just employees of the massive WW corportation.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I only pay $12 and there are monthly plans that make it more like $9.50/10.00 per week. A doctor will charge a co-pay of around $20 a week, and insurance will usually only cover a few sessions with a nutritionist, so the rest would be out of pocket. You would get no ‘group support’, either.
And on the other note - I have been a serial WW for many years in many states, (since the 4oz lunch 6oz dinner portion of protein and one slice of bread a day)and on and off for the last 6 years and NEVER has a leader encouraged diet aids or fasting. I wish your sister all the help she needs, and for you to go see for yourself the program.
January 6th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I am a lifetimer who originally lost 15 lbs on WW. I am a few lbs over my limit and too cheap to go back!! (Although I advocate WW)!! I currently track and point find foods using applications I downloaded (one for free!) on my iPhone. Its great because I always have it with me. Anyone who has an iPhone should download these programs!! I am tracking and have lost about 3.5 lbs over a 5 week period. Im close to goal (6 lbs) so the weight comes off slowly.