I have been a Weight Watchers member for several years, and I have successfully lost more than 20 pounds using the program. As a long-time member, one thing that I have come to expect from Weight Watchers is the fact that every January, they launch a “new” aspect of their program to entice new members to join the program. This year was certainly no exception, as Weight Watchers launched a new “Simple Start” program.
Weight Watchers has been promoting its Simple Start plan with a barrage of magazine ads, television commercials, and print advertising. But what is the Simple Start plan and how does it work? Basically, with Simple Start, Weight Watchers gives members two weeks worth of sample menus that become the foundation of the new member’s diet.
Whereas before plan participants were forced to immediately start tracking portion sizes and PointsPlus values, now Weight Watchers is offering new members the chance to work from a pre-planned menu with Simple Start. The Simple Start plan is extremely flexible, with lots of low-fat options sure to please everyone, including vegetarians and vegans. Weight Watchers promises that if you follow the Simple Start plan for two weeks, you will lose weight, even without tracking PointsPlus values.
After two weeks, Weight Watchers can decide whether to continue with Simple Start, or switch to the food tracking program. Simple Start is based on the Weight Watchers Simply Filling technique, and for some members, the emphasis on Power Foods is just what is needed to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. What is so great about the Weight Watchers Simply Filling technique is the fact that you don’t need to measure portion sizes–as long as you are eating from the approved list of foods, you can have as much as you want until you are comfortably full. Members who find that they need help with portion control will likely do better with the tracking technique, where you can have a wider variety of foods, but will need to measure all of the food that you eat.
Whether you are a seasoned Weight Watchers member like me, or are brand new to the program, it is definitely worth giving Simple Start a try. For me, Simple Start helped me shed some of the pounds I picked up during the holidays, and helped me get back on track with the Weight Watchers program. The Simple Start menus, along with all the information you need to follow the new Simple Start plan, can be found in your Weight Watchers member materials or online at http://www.weightwatchers.com .
