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| Does Weight Watchers FreeStyle work? Can you eat all the chicken breast you want and still lose the weight? |
No matter which diet plan you choose to go on, the ultimate question is always the same:
Does the new Weight Watchers FreeStyle Program really work as well as they claim it does?
Weight Watchers International introduced their new Weight Watchers Freestyle Program last month (2018), but I wanted to wait and write this review after I could see how members and potential members were going to respond to the changes.
This year, Weight Watchers decided to add additional foods to their zero-points list, and despite the favorable research results of the prior study, funded by the company, the initial reaction from the membership and public was confusion, rather than joy.
In fact, many have stated in public that they hate Weight Watchers Freestyle.
This reaction was before the program actually launched here in the States, but the initial confusion and emotional reaction to the changes was understandable. At least, for me.
This year, Weight Watchers decided to add additional foods to their zero-points list, and despite the favorable research results of the prior study, funded by the company, the initial reaction from the membership and public was confusion, rather than joy.
In fact, many have stated in public that they hate Weight Watchers Freestyle.
This reaction was before the program actually launched here in the States, but the initial confusion and emotional reaction to the changes was understandable. At least, for me.
For those of us who come from a low-carb ketogenic background or even the Old Weight Watchers Exchange Plans, we know that the move toward a higher protein diet is, indeed, going in the right direction.
Calories and fat are not the whole story of why people are overweight or obese, and it seems that Weight Watchers is slowly starting to figure that out -- again.
Mostly, because the results of the 6-month trial conducted by the University of North Carolina turned out better than any of their previous Points plans.
The average weight loss during those 6 months was almost 8 percent of starting body weight, and the 152 people who participated in the study said they just felt better doing Freestyle than they did on prior Weight Watchers programs.
Overall, hunger went down, food cravings went down, it was easier to do, and much more flexible than their Beyond the Scale SmartPoints was.
After observing what people doing the SmartPoints program were eating last year, and how they were eating it, I can certainly see why that would be true.
In real life, people have to duck the food at work and make their food plan fit more comfortably into their family and social life. Counting points doesn't always fit into that ideal, so in this post we're going to tackle the hard question:
Does Weight Watchers FreeStyle work?
Why . . . or why not?
What Did Weight Watchers Do to Arrive at FreeStyle?
Since lean protein foods were added to the zero-points list, SmartPoints dropped 7 per day.
Weekly points stayed the same. This was to make up for the foods that didn't have to be counted anymore. To make this work, you simply eat about 7 points worth of the new foods added to the zero-points list.
Someone short and older, like me, would drop from 30 points per day to 23 because I would now be eating more zero-point foods than I was on Beyond the Scale. The minimum daily points is now 23.
You are advised not to eat less than 19 points because the idea isn't to move to an all zero-points diet. A well-balanced diet requires you to eat lean red meats and healthy fats, as well as chicken breast, fish, yogurt, and beans.
Another new perk was that you can take up to 4 points per day (hence the 19 point minimum) and roll them over into your weekly points, if you don't need them, but many members have complained that the perk doesn't mean very much to them because they are getting way less to eat now.
Someone short and older, like me, would drop from 30 points per day to 23 because I would now be eating more zero-point foods than I was on Beyond the Scale. The minimum daily points is now 23.
You are advised not to eat less than 19 points because the idea isn't to move to an all zero-points diet. A well-balanced diet requires you to eat lean red meats and healthy fats, as well as chicken breast, fish, yogurt, and beans.
Another new perk was that you can take up to 4 points per day (hence the 19 point minimum) and roll them over into your weekly points, if you don't need them, but many members have complained that the perk doesn't mean very much to them because they are getting way less to eat now.
This isn't true, since there is no limit on:
- chicken or turkey breast (includes deli meats)
- fish and shellfish, including water-packed tuna or salmon
- ground chicken or turkey
- whole eggs
- plain, unsweetened non-fat yogurt, including Greek-Style
- beans like pinto, white, lentils, fat-free refried beans
- corn and peas
- ketchup, steak sauce, reduced-calorie ice pops
The people who were really struggling to stay below their 30+ points a day on the Beyond the Scale SmartPoints program used to have a legitimate gripe.
But today, there's no reason to go hungry -- ever -- even if you didn't make good choices throughout the day or something unexpected came up and wiped out your points.
Hit your maximum for the day too early and you now can eat zero-point foods for the rest of the day. You don't have to go hungry.
The complete list of 200+ zero-points foods can be found at the Weight Watchers website for free.
What's Really Going on Here? How Does Weight Watchers FreeStyle Work?
The new program encourages you to eat freely from the zero-points list, which means they are moving toward a higher protein, lower carb diet again.
Higher protein meals are more satisfying.
Those who aren't used to eating a lot of protein foods and zero-point produce might have difficulties with this new method of eating, since you get fewer points per day, but the choices allowed on the new FreeStyle program are generous enough to fit any eating style -- including vegetarians and vegans.
Resent research done by Kevin Hall and colleagues, outside of Weight Watchers funding (so no conflict of interest here) has observed good results when dieters increase their protein intake.
They automatically eat less and tend to lose more weight than those who don't eat an adequate amount of protein foods.
But a lot of Weight Watchers members are reluctant to go back to eating that way because they believe that eating too much protein is harmful. They keep quoting the outdated figure of 0.8 grams of protein per killigram of total body weight, which comes to about 60 grams of protein a day.
This amount of protein barely covers rebuilding of worn out protein structures. It keeps you alive, but doesn't grant optimal health and can result in muscle wasting. When you don't eat adequate amounts of protein, the body strips your muscles for the amino acids it needs.
And yes, I said go back to.
When I was growing up, a high-carb low-fat diet was totally unheard of. The average diet contained ample protein foods, was less than 200 carbs, and about 35 to 45 percent fat. A typical meal was:
In the photo above, a typical meal in the 80s was 4-ounces of ground turkey Salisbury Steak, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, gravy made with cornstarch, and 1/2 cup green beans with a pat of butter.
On Freestyle, the Salisbury Steak, green beans, and bouillon used for the gravy base are zero points. Those potatoes are 4 points, 1-1/2 teaspoons of butter is 2-1/2 points, and 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/4 cup gravy is 1/2 point.
Total SmartPoints for the meal: 7 points
Ninety-percent lean ground beef would add an extra 4 points to the meal, since ground turkey is on the zero-point list, so when eating ground beef, I'd simply eliminate the 4-point potatoes and replace it with some nice summer berries sweetened with your favorite sugar alternative.
And since you aren't eating any gravy on the potatoes, just the meat, you even have room for 2 tablespoons of Cool Whip whipped topping (1 point) - the kind that comes in a can.
I admit that a huge list of zero-carb foods coupled with 23+ daily points and additional weeklies does come with a huge potential for abuse, especially since these 200+ foods don't have to be weighed, measured, or tracked anymore.
I've seen this time and time again within the low-carb community. Since they count grams of carbohydrates instead of points, they tend to overeat dietary fats, which have zero carbs. However, the tendency to overeat comes from a misunderstanding of how a low-carb diet works.
Upping your protein intake cuts down on hunger and cravings, regardless of how many carbs are in your diet. This is where I often struggled with the exchanges. I wasn't eating enough protein to slash hunger.
But now, with the new Weight Watchers plan, hunger would no longer be an issue because you're able to eat as much protein as your body needs for optimal health.
Plus, if you're serious about wanting to lose weight, and not just "playing" going on a diet, you won't eat when you're not hungry anyway. Portion control is a vital element of any weight-loss diet. The Weight Watchers FreeStyle program is just returning the responsibility for your eating habits back to you.
Obviously, you don't need to eat a 4 to 6-egg omelet every morning. That's twice as much food as you need to get going in the morning. And you certainly don't need to eat a full one-pound chicken breast at a single sitting either.
Those who aren't used to eating a lot of protein foods and zero-point produce might have difficulties with this new method of eating, since you get fewer points per day, but the choices allowed on the new FreeStyle program are generous enough to fit any eating style -- including vegetarians and vegans.
Resent research done by Kevin Hall and colleagues, outside of Weight Watchers funding (so no conflict of interest here) has observed good results when dieters increase their protein intake.
They automatically eat less and tend to lose more weight than those who don't eat an adequate amount of protein foods.
But a lot of Weight Watchers members are reluctant to go back to eating that way because they believe that eating too much protein is harmful. They keep quoting the outdated figure of 0.8 grams of protein per killigram of total body weight, which comes to about 60 grams of protein a day.
This amount of protein barely covers rebuilding of worn out protein structures. It keeps you alive, but doesn't grant optimal health and can result in muscle wasting. When you don't eat adequate amounts of protein, the body strips your muscles for the amino acids it needs.
And yes, I said go back to.
When I was growing up, a high-carb low-fat diet was totally unheard of. The average diet contained ample protein foods, was less than 200 carbs, and about 35 to 45 percent fat. A typical meal was:
- a protein food (4 to 6 ounces)
- salad or vegetable
- one or two servings of starchy carbs (1 cup max)
- and sometimes, fruit for dessert
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| Weight Watchers Freestyle Program works by sending you back to how we used to eat in the 80s. |
In the photo above, a typical meal in the 80s was 4-ounces of ground turkey Salisbury Steak, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, gravy made with cornstarch, and 1/2 cup green beans with a pat of butter.
On Freestyle, the Salisbury Steak, green beans, and bouillon used for the gravy base are zero points. Those potatoes are 4 points, 1-1/2 teaspoons of butter is 2-1/2 points, and 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/4 cup gravy is 1/2 point.
Total SmartPoints for the meal: 7 points
Ninety-percent lean ground beef would add an extra 4 points to the meal, since ground turkey is on the zero-point list, so when eating ground beef, I'd simply eliminate the 4-point potatoes and replace it with some nice summer berries sweetened with your favorite sugar alternative.
And since you aren't eating any gravy on the potatoes, just the meat, you even have room for 2 tablespoons of Cool Whip whipped topping (1 point) - the kind that comes in a can.
But Does Weight Watchers Really Work?
I admit that a huge list of zero-carb foods coupled with 23+ daily points and additional weeklies does come with a huge potential for abuse, especially since these 200+ foods don't have to be weighed, measured, or tracked anymore.
I've seen this time and time again within the low-carb community. Since they count grams of carbohydrates instead of points, they tend to overeat dietary fats, which have zero carbs. However, the tendency to overeat comes from a misunderstanding of how a low-carb diet works.
Upping your protein intake cuts down on hunger and cravings, regardless of how many carbs are in your diet. This is where I often struggled with the exchanges. I wasn't eating enough protein to slash hunger.
But now, with the new Weight Watchers plan, hunger would no longer be an issue because you're able to eat as much protein as your body needs for optimal health.
Plus, if you're serious about wanting to lose weight, and not just "playing" going on a diet, you won't eat when you're not hungry anyway. Portion control is a vital element of any weight-loss diet. The Weight Watchers FreeStyle program is just returning the responsibility for your eating habits back to you.
Obviously, you don't need to eat a 4 to 6-egg omelet every morning. That's twice as much food as you need to get going in the morning. And you certainly don't need to eat a full one-pound chicken breast at a single sitting either.
Hubby and I normally split a 12-ounce chicken breast between us and that gives us plenty to eat.
Likewise, three bowls of chili or four ears of corn are overkill.
The list of zero-point foods is meant to give you a healthy foundation from which to begin building your own personal weight-loss diet, using SmartPoints as an upper boundary for sugar, fat, and carbs.
Likewise, three bowls of chili or four ears of corn are overkill.
The list of zero-point foods is meant to give you a healthy foundation from which to begin building your own personal weight-loss diet, using SmartPoints as an upper boundary for sugar, fat, and carbs.
SmartPoints foods also helps you keep your diet well-balanced and nutrient-dense.
The feedback at Reddit and on the Weight Watchers blogs that I've read recently, says:
And it works better than the prior SmartPoints plan did.
At least, for those who are willing to adjust to the higher protein intake and better balance of foods that the new FreeStyle program offers you.
Some people are unhappy, though. I'm not going to lie and say that they aren't.
Those who don't eat chicken, eggs, beans, and yogurt are upset, and understandably so. Lean ground beef and pork loin are just as nutritious and fit for weight loss as chicken breast is. I learned this for myself when I was doing a protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF).
Lean meat is lean meat, but Weight Watchers does have a bias against saturated fats still. Even so, for the first time since the company switched from exchanges to points, I can honestly say:
I'm totally behind the Weight Watchers Program now.
No doubts this time around.
Cost is still quite stiff, and more than I would want to pay myself, but the program itself is very sound.
Weight Watchers Freestyle Review: How Does it Hold Up to Criticism?
The feedback at Reddit and on the Weight Watchers blogs that I've read recently, says:
YES THE PLAN WORKS!
And it works better than the prior SmartPoints plan did.
At least, for those who are willing to adjust to the higher protein intake and better balance of foods that the new FreeStyle program offers you.
Some people are unhappy, though. I'm not going to lie and say that they aren't.
Those who don't eat chicken, eggs, beans, and yogurt are upset, and understandably so. Lean ground beef and pork loin are just as nutritious and fit for weight loss as chicken breast is. I learned this for myself when I was doing a protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF).
Lean meat is lean meat, but Weight Watchers does have a bias against saturated fats still. Even so, for the first time since the company switched from exchanges to points, I can honestly say:
I'm totally behind the Weight Watchers Program now.
No doubts this time around.
Cost is still quite stiff, and more than I would want to pay myself, but the program itself is very sound.
There is a FB group out there, recently formed, with a membership over 7000+ members who all agree--me included--that this was a deceptive practice on WW's part to set more people up for either failure or to take much longer to reach Lifetime status. Under the current WW business model, the program is free once you hit Lifetime status. No money to be made on people in Lifetime status. Beyond The Scale Smart Points program, was the most realistic and sustainable lifestyle way of eating, and it was very successful. Maybe 'too successful' for WW Corp's taste. Follow the money, folks.
ReplyDeleteI lost over 100 pounds a few years back, 3 pounds a week, eating mostly chicken breast and vegetables, so I supposed the success of the program would greatly depend on one's food choices.
DeleteVery good point Annonymous!
DeleteI actually agree with the comment by Anonymous that references the business aspect of the companies decision. I felt that was the primary reason that this plan actually was rolled out. I honestly hate to think this, since I had such high expectations for WW. I lost 30 lbs on SmartPoints and was well on the way to losing 20 more when Freestyle came out. I changed plans and have struggled to really find a way to lose weight eating more protein like they say. Animal protein is NOT good for us in higher quantities, and plenty of studies support that. Neither is dairy (fat free Greek yogurt, anyone?) I can't tolerate dairy, so I guess I am out of luck. I don't like chicken.. great. And eggs, well, even my doctor recommends no more than a couple a week. There are many people who are on the same boat as me. I joined the FB group for those of us that need to stick to the prior plan and are supporting each other through it, since WW is not offering any support for us that wished to continue doing SP. It feels like we were completely left behind, and that is not a good feeling at all.
ReplyDeleteI really do understand how you feel. When Weight Watchers moved from exchanges to points, it was purely business, I'm sure, because points never worked as well as exchanges did for me.
DeleteI can also understand your frustration if you don't eat chicken, very few eggs, and can't tolerate dairy. I'm glad there is a Facebook group to support you guys who want to stay with the old plan.
I believe in getting "adequate" protein. If you were already eating the amount of protein your body needs, there's no reason to eat more.
Veronica I am in your boat too! I have toxic food syndrome and I am not to have dairy, eggs yolks, wheat, yeast, most beans, corn(which is a grain I didn't realize). It swells my joints and messes up my stomach, BIG TIME! So basically freestyle just took 7 points a day away from me. I did give it an honest 6week try but my joints swelled to where I had trouble walking and I felt bloated and sick all the time. Sooo not worth it, plus, I have been gaining and losing the same 4-5 pounds for months now! I "just" switched back to SP and I use the itrackbites app to make it easier! Good luck to you and I'm with you.
ReplyDelete