David Kirchoff, president of Weight Watchers, the world's largest diet company, recently said on their website: "Calorie counting has become unhelpful.
When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being 'the same' because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices."
Kirchoff and Weight Watchers have eliminated the company's popular "Points" system, which encouraged dieters to lose weight by eating any foods as long as they kept the portions small. The new system tries to encourage dieters to consume more natural, less processed food.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/09/weight-watchers-finally-recognizes-calorie-counting-doesnt-work.aspx
I look at this as a natural requirement of meeting the needs of the marketplace. The points system was useful for many for losing weight, but not for sustained weight loss. Hopefully, WW's new system, by focusing more on food quality, will be a step towards a more sustainable weight loss model. If we put obesity and its concurrent risks for chronic disease, reduced human productivity (not to mention joy) and the catastrophic costs of the current US health care system (you owe all the taxes you will pay in your lifetime plus an additional $300,000 or so for the promises that the US government made to US seniors through Medicare), any large scale business that can help people succeed in regaining control of their health must be applauded. Heretofore, I would have considered WW as much hindrance as help, but it seems they are coming around.
When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being 'the same' because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices."
Kirchoff and Weight Watchers have eliminated the company's popular "Points" system, which encouraged dieters to lose weight by eating any foods as long as they kept the portions small. The new system tries to encourage dieters to consume more natural, less processed food.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/09/weight-watchers-finally-recognizes-calorie-counting-doesnt-work.aspx
I look at this as a natural requirement of meeting the needs of the marketplace. The points system was useful for many for losing weight, but not for sustained weight loss. Hopefully, WW's new system, by focusing more on food quality, will be a step towards a more sustainable weight loss model. If we put obesity and its concurrent risks for chronic disease, reduced human productivity (not to mention joy) and the catastrophic costs of the current US health care system (you owe all the taxes you will pay in your lifetime plus an additional $300,000 or so for the promises that the US government made to US seniors through Medicare), any large scale business that can help people succeed in regaining control of their health must be applauded. Heretofore, I would have considered WW as much hindrance as help, but it seems they are coming around.
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