Losing weight can be a harrowing experience most especially if you start feeling that you are alone in your quest to lose the excess pounds. However, this is not so when you are with a group going through the same process and are ready to support you until you achieve your weight loss goals. And this is what the Weight Watchers are famous for.

When it comes to popular weight loss programs, Weight Watchers is usually on of the firsts to come to mind. Weight Watchers is not just about losing weight individually but it is doing so with the help of a support group. It has been around for many years now but gained popularity and had undergone a dramatic change in the late 1990's.

The program teaches participants about specific food groups that should be included in their diet. The program used to be called the 1-2-3 Success but now it is called Winning Points. Participants come together in meetings where they learn about these foods. Each food has a particular point value. Food labels and ingredients can be checked against a list of food values and computations can be made using a Points Finder.

There is also a kit, available for all participants, which consists of an organizer, a Points Finder and books that list the point values of food including those that are commonly served in restaurants. Participants are tasked to keep a record of the number of points they eat each week. This makes it possible for them to track their food consumption each day of the week and plan the next meals accordingly. Therefore, the program does not dictate what specific foods you may or may not eat. You can actually eat anything that you want under the Weight Watchers program and come up with your own food plan based on your points. By using your points, you may even save eating foods like ice cream and burgers for special occasions by not eating them today and using your reserve points on the day of the special occasion.

Weight Watchers program is also composed of meeting with your group mates. The first meeting usually is a time when new participants get to meet the other members and they get and orientation about the program. The Weight Watchers program is quite encouraging for many because it does not restrict eating foods, one can actually eat anything they want. It just stresses the significance of having healthy portions of vegetables and fruits in the diet. It also encourages the intake of low-fat dairy products. The Weight Watchers diet plan also promotes drinking lots of water.

Weight Watchers program also encourages participants to exercise. Exercising actually earns points that they promise will benefit the member even if he does not stay in the program. Since it does not restrict food types, it emphasizes more on portion control. You can eat your favorite foods but take only healthy portions or amounts. By following the Weight Watchers weight loss plan, results are guaranteed to start showing as early as the first week with a most probable weight loss of one or two pounds. Every five pounds that are lost also merits rewards and if you keep track of the entire program, at 10 percent loss and until the goal weight is reached.