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Am I the only guy responding to this subject? I know that at least 75 percent of members of Weight Watchers are women, but if you ever watched guys in a buffet restaurant, you know there are many of us who sorely need some kind of a diet plan. I was one of them. When I retired more than 15 years ago, I tipped ... strained ... the scales at 196. That's a bit skimpy for a 6 foot 6 inch NFL lineman, but not for a 5 foot 9 inch desk squatter by day and coach potato by night.

I must confess ... quite proudly ... that I did my weight loss all by myself, without joining any of the programs. It has taken more than five years of heavy exercise and light eating, and now I'm within ten pounds of my target weight of 155. However, I've had several close relatives who've tried the commercial plans, and the general consensus is that Weight Watchers is the best.

The most negative aspect of Weight Watchers is that it takes away an individual's initiative, and makes the dieter slavishly comply with a whole set of rules and points. When did we stop being responsible for our own lives and actions? The second bad practice is that it steals its group meeting routine from the venerable Alcoholic Anonymous. There are regular weekly sessions, weigh-ins, confessionals and all the more cementing of the dependency.

Given that the negatives are mostly opinion from this old prejudiced male. I'm from the pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-b ootstraps genre. The group aspect in curing a relatively benign habit is just something I don't like, because I believe it shifts the blame from the individual and spreads it artificially among the other offenders, and creates a false sense of shared misery.

All that works for alcoholics, but I think it is too structured for overeaters. They're just not that medically and emotionally addicted. However, virtually all the testimonies I've heard about Weight Watchers, primarily from mature women family and friends of mine, is that it works for them. Who am I to question the great success of a blubber reduction business that has been around for half a century?

Therefore, if you ask just about anyone but me, the most positive aspect of Weight Watchers is its structure. Each participant gets precise written instructions on what to eat and the point ... based on calories ... system that controls the amount they consume. There are weekly scheduled meetings, and each participant reports on success ... weight loss ... failures, and other concerns. A Weight Watchers group leader conducts the meetings, offers advice, instructions and encouragement.

A very positive aspect, which gets my vote, is that sensible eating is combined with a suggested regular exercise regimen. Additionally, the leaders are all thoroughly conversant about the medical benefits of the combined diet and exercise. All in all, if any person can't lose weight sensibly on his/her own initiative, by all means, try Weight Watchers.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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