Comments on: “Stop dieting, start living…” says…WeightWatchers? http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145 Media trespasses against us Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:29:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mandy http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-12275 Mandy Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:16:53 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-12275 I'm going to be one of those coming out of the woodwork people here, defending WW. My biggest bugbear is that in our quest for body confidence, we start to ignore health issues. True, one can be healthy at every size, but a lot of people AREN'T healthy and don't know how to be. WW teaches you about portions and to listen to your body. It doesn't advocate speedy weight loss and insane calorie restrictions. It is not about cutting out a food group or starving yourself. Perhaps I AM "sizeist" but I think we need to look at health FIRST because body confidence is vital but health is tops. For me, WW was not a diet - I resist diets, I hate diets. WW was and is a lifestyle adaption. I am healthy now and as a result, I love my body, whatever it looks like. I’m going to be one of those coming out of the woodwork people here, defending WW.

My biggest bugbear is that in our quest for body confidence, we start to ignore health issues. True, one can be healthy at every size, but a lot of people AREN’T healthy and don’t know how to be. WW teaches you about portions and to listen to your body. It doesn’t advocate speedy weight loss and insane calorie restrictions. It is not about cutting out a food group or starving yourself.

Perhaps I AM “sizeist” but I think we need to look at health FIRST because body confidence is vital but health is tops. For me, WW was not a diet - I resist diets, I hate diets. WW was and is a lifestyle adaption. I am healthy now and as a result, I love my body, whatever it looks like.

]]> By: Shelly http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-11601 Shelly Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:27:39 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-11601 Peggy - I gotta say I still disagree. (And for the record, I didn't "crawl out of the woodwork". I won't say what my status is around here, but I can say I'm not a one-time only visitor - there's no woodwork to crawl out of.) Jennifer, yes, I get what you're saying about "diet" BUT what I'm saying is you're using the term as "a diet". "A diet" is saying something very different than "diet" - the definition being simply what you consume. tacking on a simple letter prior to that it was transforms the meaning. I'm not saying WW doesn't use food restriction, but so would your doctor. My own doctor (when he wanted me to lose weight) instructed me to cut my calories by 1000 per week, max. (Actually, I had *two* physicians tell me this) - they said the quickest way to do that was by taking out 500 calories from my diet, and through exercise. This is *exactly* what WW promotes. The thing about WW is, they have support in place, as well as easier tracking methods by using the points system. That's what they're making their funds off of - but their advice is no different than what an actual physician would give to you. When you hit "maintenance", your diet will change - drastically. You aren't cutting the calories anymore. For the record, if you've ever been a part of the WW system, you'll also notice that they frown upon losing the weight too quickly (more than 2 pounds a week and you get a slap on the wrist). I think if you've never been a part of the system, then you can't really understand why placing the term "a diet" on it is so uncomfortable for people who have done it. It's not just WW members who gain the weight back in 5 years, it's ANYONE who goes on a diet. (There was something else on this site where they were explaining 95% pf people who lose a lot of weight gain it all back and then some within 5 years.) My own mother went on any kind of diet you can think of (anyone remember the "cabbage soup" diet?) and she's still the same. She never did WW though. For me, it was a positive experience - I slimmed down - and believe me when I said "screw *their* ideal, my goal weight was never in the "perfect BMI range, and I didn't care - and I was happy with myself. I could run around with my kids and not feel like dying after two seconds. The thing is WW does it in a healthy manner. They teach you how to keep it going. They give you support and encouragement. There's no "lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks!" promises, and they advocate *against* pills, powders and shortcuts. The point is healthy weight loss, period. I think if any weight loss program should be scrutinized, WW would be the lesser of all evils. Peggy - I gotta say I still disagree. (And for the record, I didn’t “crawl out of the woodwork”. I won’t say what my status is around here, but I can say I’m not a one-time only visitor - there’s no woodwork to crawl out of.)

Jennifer, yes, I get what you’re saying about “diet” BUT what I’m saying is you’re using the term as “a diet”. “A diet” is saying something very different than “diet” - the definition being simply what you consume. tacking on a simple letter prior to that it was transforms the meaning.

I’m not saying WW doesn’t use food restriction, but so would your doctor. My own doctor (when he wanted me to lose weight) instructed me to cut my calories by 1000 per week, max. (Actually, I had *two* physicians tell me this) - they said the quickest way to do that was by taking out 500 calories from my diet, and through exercise.

This is *exactly* what WW promotes. The thing about WW is, they have support in place, as well as easier tracking methods by using the points system. That’s what they’re making their funds off of - but their advice is no different than what an actual physician would give to you.

When you hit “maintenance”, your diet will change - drastically. You aren’t cutting the calories anymore.

For the record, if you’ve ever been a part of the WW system, you’ll also notice that they frown upon losing the weight too quickly (more than 2 pounds a week and you get a slap on the wrist).

I think if you’ve never been a part of the system, then you can’t really understand why placing the term “a diet” on it is so uncomfortable for people who have done it. It’s not just WW members who gain the weight back in 5 years, it’s ANYONE who goes on a diet. (There was something else on this site where they were explaining 95% pf people who lose a lot of weight gain it all back and then some within 5 years.) My own mother went on any kind of diet you can think of (anyone remember the “cabbage soup” diet?) and she’s still the same. She never did WW though. For me, it was a positive experience - I slimmed down - and believe me when I said “screw *their* ideal, my goal weight was never in the “perfect BMI range, and I didn’t care - and I was happy with myself. I could run around with my kids and not feel like dying after two seconds.

The thing is WW does it in a healthy manner. They teach you how to keep it going. They give you support and encouragement. There’s no “lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks!” promises, and they advocate *against* pills, powders and shortcuts. The point is healthy weight loss, period. I think if any weight loss program should be scrutinized, WW would be the lesser of all evils.

]]> By: peggynature http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-11278 peggynature Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:53:12 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-11278 It's interesting how, if you criticize WeightWatchers in even the slightest way, or call it out for being what it is -- a diet -- people will come out of the woodwork to defend it, and to emphatically proclaim that it is NOT a diet. It's interesting how successfully WW has co-opted the messages of Health at Every Size and used them to their financial advantage, and to build good-will with their target market, when really they are pushing the same old thing: food restriction for the purpose of controlling your body size/shape. It really doesn't matter if they give the excuse of "health" or the fact that it is supposed to be "a lifestyle change" -- every diet I know of has made these same claims, and it hasn't changed the fact that, if you read the scientific literature, the vast majority of people who lose weight gain it back within about five years. Anyhow, I applaud you for sticking up for HAES and also for this blog, which I didn't know about until just now! I have been a fan of the About-Face website (especially Gallery of Offenders) for many years, and I'm glad you're updating regularly. I'm a nutrition student, and I'm very interested in preventing eating disorders, and promoting size acceptance and health at every size. If you haven't already, you might be interested in checking out the growing Fatosphere community of bloggers interested in these topics: http://www.google.com/reader/shared/user/15256671858025326595/label/fat Some of them deal specifically with eating disorders, with how bodies are portrayed in the media, and in the medical literature. Please do check it out, and if you're interested in having your blog appear on the same feed, you can email the creator/administrator of the feed to have yourself added. The growing interest in size acceptance and HAES has received some mainstream media attention recently. Anyway, glad I found you! It’s interesting how, if you criticize WeightWatchers in even the slightest way, or call it out for being what it is — a diet — people will come out of the woodwork to defend it, and to emphatically proclaim that it is NOT a diet. It’s interesting how successfully WW has co-opted the messages of Health at Every Size and used them to their financial advantage, and to build good-will with their target market, when really they are pushing the same old thing: food restriction for the purpose of controlling your body size/shape. It really doesn’t matter if they give the excuse of “health” or the fact that it is supposed to be “a lifestyle change” — every diet I know of has made these same claims, and it hasn’t changed the fact that, if you read the scientific literature, the vast majority of people who lose weight gain it back within about five years.

Anyhow, I applaud you for sticking up for HAES and also for this blog, which I didn’t know about until just now! I have been a fan of the About-Face website (especially Gallery of Offenders) for many years, and I’m glad you’re updating regularly.

I’m a nutrition student, and I’m very interested in preventing eating disorders, and promoting size acceptance and health at every size. If you haven’t already, you might be interested in checking out the growing Fatosphere community of bloggers interested in these topics:

http://www.google.com/reader/shared/user/15256671858025326595/label/fat

Some of them deal specifically with eating disorders, with how bodies are portrayed in the media, and in the medical literature. Please do check it out, and if you’re interested in having your blog appear on the same feed, you can email the creator/administrator of the feed to have yourself added. The growing interest in size acceptance and HAES has received some mainstream media attention recently.

Anyway, glad I found you!

]]> By: NamelessNemisis http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10502 NamelessNemisis Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:49:23 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10502 Weight Watchers is in fact a diet. Plus, the company wouldn't be raking in BILLIONS of dollars if the plan actually worked - they would LOSE money if it did. I'm sorry, but I think Weight Watchers is total B.S. ! Weight Watchers is in fact a diet. Plus, the company wouldn’t be raking in BILLIONS of dollars if the plan actually worked - they would LOSE money if it did.

I’m sorry, but I think Weight Watchers is total B.S. !

]]> By: Olive http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10425 Olive Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:10:20 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10425 WW is very much a diet. it worked for me, for a while untill it became and obsession. i was down to a perfect weight for my hight and told i needed to loose more to get to "goal". maybe im weak but it turned into a full blown case of bulimia. i still never met "goal" and now that i've stopped dieting all together and gained back some weight people tell me "boy, you where looking like a crack head for a while." WW is very much a diet. it worked for me, for a while untill it became and obsession. i was down to a perfect weight for my hight and told i needed to loose more to get to “goal”. maybe im weak but it turned into a full blown case of bulimia. i still never met “goal” and now that i’ve stopped dieting all together and gained back some weight people tell me “boy, you where looking like a crack head for a while.”

]]> By: Jennifer http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10360 Jennifer Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:58:42 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10360 Jackie, let's keep it civil. I'm referring to the "sizeists like you" comment. -Jennifer Jackie, let’s keep it civil. I’m referring to the “sizeists like you” comment. -Jennifer

]]> By: Jackie http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10356 Jackie Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:23:57 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10356 Jana fat people feel bad about themselves, because they keep having to hear negative things about themselves from sizeists like you. It's not because they're fat, it's because how people treat the fat. You are right about it not being natural to find a sickness attractive. Currently it seems Anorexia is seen as beauty. Jana fat people feel bad about themselves, because they keep having to hear negative things about themselves from sizeists like you. It’s not because they’re fat, it’s because how people treat the fat.

You are right about it not being natural to find a sickness attractive. Currently it seems Anorexia is seen as beauty.

]]> By: Jennifer http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10352 Jennifer Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:14:39 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10352 Well, actually, healthy people do come in all shapes and sizes. Assuming that someone who is large is not healthy is one of the major myths we hold as a culture. I encourage you to check out <a href="http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1681635" rel="nofollow">"Health at Every Size: Toward a New Paradigm of Weight and Health"</a> for more info from a medical, scientific perspective. Obesity can be the result of unhealthy eating patterns, but not always. This assumption that fat=unhealthy fuels sizeism, the discrimination against a person due to his/her size. -Jennifer Well, actually, healthy people do come in all shapes and sizes. Assuming that someone who is large is not healthy is one of the major myths we hold as a culture. I encourage you to check out “Health at Every Size: Toward a New Paradigm of Weight and Health” for more info from a medical, scientific perspective. Obesity can be the result of unhealthy eating patterns, but not always. This assumption that fat=unhealthy fuels sizeism, the discrimination against a person due to his/her size. -Jennifer

]]> By: Jana http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10342 Jana Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:12:31 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10342 I think we don't disagree too much. I'm just opposing the view that healthy people come in all shapes and sizes - this is simply not true. Obese people are very, very sick and urgently need to lose weight. If they feel bad about themselves, it's because they know they are too fat. Attractiveness: of course you can weigh some pounds more than the so-called ideal and still be self-confident about your beauty. But not if you are obese as in BMI>30. It's just not natural that we find a sickness attractive. I think we don’t disagree too much. I’m just opposing the view that healthy people come in all shapes and sizes - this is simply not true. Obese people are very, very sick and urgently need to lose weight. If they feel bad about themselves, it’s because they know they are too fat.
Attractiveness: of course you can weigh some pounds more than the so-called ideal and still be self-confident about your beauty. But not if you are obese as in BMI>30.
It’s just not natural that we find a sickness attractive.

]]> By: Jennifer http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10330 Jennifer Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:41:31 +0000 http://about-face.org/blog/archives/145#comment-10330 Jana -- we definitely should all be healthier and understand whatever food issues we have, and the effects that our culture has on us. We should also stop putting ourselves through painful starvation diets that help us flagellate ourselves for breaking the diet. Does this mean I'm anti-dieting? Who knows -- it's all semantics. About-Face is pro-health and anti-harmful--and-mixed-cultural-messages. --Jennifer (About-Face Exec Director) Jana — we definitely should all be healthier and understand whatever food issues we have, and the effects that our culture has on us. We should also stop putting ourselves through painful starvation diets that help us flagellate ourselves for breaking the diet. Does this mean I’m anti-dieting? Who knows — it’s all semantics. About-Face is pro-health and anti-harmful–and-mixed-cultural-messages. –Jennifer (About-Face Exec Director)

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