The Weight Watchers company was originally founded in the 1960s by Jean Nidetch and has always sought to offer diet products and services to help consumers lose weight and maintain a healthy figure. The company's beginnings were humble; it started as a discussion group on how to lose weight and has since expanded into 30 different countries. The company has also enjoyed many famous spokespersons such as Jenny McCarthy, Sarah The Duchess of York and Lynn Redgrave.

Weight Watchers offers a Flex program and a Core program. The Core program operates similarly to the famous Atkins and South Beach diet, and lets dieters choose certain "core" foods which they can eat to satisfaction. These foots include fruits, vegetables, fat-free dairy, whole grain and lean meat. Non-core foods are alloted to a point system, which the eater cannot exceed in a week. The Flex plan are assigned a number of points on all foods that they are allowed to eat each day (based on their weight) and they can earn more points by doing sufficient exercise.

Weight Watchers Online is the online version of the traditional program and still has the point system (with calculator) but adds more features like online chat and support groups and newsletters. How does the Weight Watchers Online program rate with consumers? No doubt, the system has worked for many and some dieters may find the point-system effective in controlling appetite. However, just as many dieters find the point system "gimmicky" and more confusing than simply learning about low-Glycemic carbohydrates and other weight loss specifics. However, this conventional program of diet and exercise is still considered safer and more effective than using diet pills. Weight Watchers is also more expensive than eDiets, another popular online weight loss program with high sign up and monthly fees. What truly separates Weight Watchers Online from the competition is not necessarily the quality but the world famous name.

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