I don't think it can be argued that theWeight Watchers Point system certainly has its merits and a strong track record for inducing weight loss. I guess the question that remains is how healthy is the premise of their weight loss program and will it be sustainable?

The basic idea behind weight watchers is that based on your physical attributes such as height and weight, you are allowed to eat a certain number of points per day. You can eat anything you want, but each food is given a point value.

Now I agree that this is overall a very simple way to monitor your food intake without having to read the ingredients label or weigh your food. However, I have read from some of the Weight Watchers clients that it does become a bit tedious to keep a food journal and to track your points during the day.

Perhaps Weight Watchers should encourage meal planning so you can plan in advance, I'm sure a day or so would be enough to list out what you are going to eat for that day. It's really the on-the-fly eating habits that kill us. And guess what we usually do when our meals our unplanned?

If you want to insure you use up all your watchers points in one sitting, this is the way to go. But again, the main reason most diets fail is that we are so careful to the avoid the fatty yet delicious foods we crave until we eventually cave and go on all night junk fest.

So by Weight Watchers not allowing any food off limits to you, this in essence prevents that voracious craving to build up until you crumble like the cheese in that burger above.

But I do have a bit of a problem as well, even though it's certainly an effective way to promote portion control. What's to say you don't blow all your points on some questionably healthful meals and snacks each and every day? Yes, the key is your own responsibility but you could still lose weight and eat crap (for lack of a more appealing term).

I am certainly not saying that Weight Watchers does not offer guidance on your food choices but what I am saying is that regardless of any diet, you need to have a little bit of discipline and common sense. To play the other side of the weight watchers point system card, you could eat cups full of 0 point vegetable and beans. I mean enough to choke a horse and you could still stuff down a couple slices of pizza under these guidelines.

Is that going to help you lose weight? I doubt it, haven't really tested it myself but I do know of some chubby vegetarians...

Well, I think it is safe to say that Super Hero Dietman does not exist to wave his cape and cure us of our fat enriched sedentary life styles. I mean really, I'm socking back some chicken nuggets and fries while penning this piece. :))

I think the best way to go about selecting a diet and fitness plan that works for you is to fit one in that you can actually abide by and work with and eventually move on to better plans and perhaps...yikes, turn it into a life style and not a "diet".

From Weight Watchers to Atkins to South Beach to FatLoss4Idiots, there is sure to be the right plan that you can follow...permanently. Don't get discouraged, just because you dropped out of WW meetings does not mean you can't progress to a different diet or plan to further move you along to your goals.

Don't be afraid to try different options but remember the discipline and common sense. Best wishes.

When you are in a place where you want to lose weight, you'll find that it does not take away from the urge to eat out! More and more people are coming to the Weight Watchers point system and realizing that although it is always fun to learn new recipes and to figure out how to arrange your points in the most pleasing way to you, sometimes, you just want to go out to a restaurant and have your food served to you. Once, being a diet meant that eating out was very problematic unless you like garden salads. Today, there are lots of restaurants that are looking to help you lose. What restaurants are playing well with the Weight Watchers point system, and which ones should you should choose.

Applebee's
Applebee's joined with the Weight Watchers company in 2004 in order to create a menu that is intended to help their guests choose a healthy meal. When you scan a menu at Applebee's, you'll be able to look in the item descriptions for things like the plus fat and fiber grams as well as the number of calories. The nice thing about the menu from Applebee's is that you are going to be able to make healthy choices from the entrees, the desserts and the appetizers. This is a great place for going out if you want to make sure that you can enjoy a full meal experience. You'll find that for the items on the menu that are recommended by Weight Watchers, you will be able to see a point value indicator.

Golden Corral
Though you may not think that a chain steakhouse is the place to go to keep to your diet, you'll find that the Golden Corral is better than some. It has put forward plans to move to a more healthy dining platform, and like the Weight Watchers point system, it intends to do so though making you more aware of what you are eating. Close to half of the buffet items will receive information on the grams, calories and carbohydrates that are involved in the food, and more desserts that contain no sugar are going to be added as well. If you want to do a little bit of research before you go, the items in question will also have their point value available on the Weight Watchers website.

Ryan's Grill Buffet & Bakery
When you are looking for a place that can give you low-carb and sugar free items, you'll find that Ryan's Grill Buffet & Bakery is a great place to be. You'll find that the items that are approved by the Weight Watchers point system are clearly marked as low-carb with their number of carbohydrate grams clearly labeled and there is a large variety of grilled or baked chicken, fish and red meat available. You will also find that there are a number of terrific low-fat yogurts available as well. It is listed as one of Weight Watchers-friendly restaurants, and is cited in the Dining Out Companion, a Weight Watchers book.

Do you want to lose weight? If so, there is a good chance that you have taken a look at the Weight Watchers point system. There are a lot of success stories out there, but it is also important to remember that there is no system that works well for everyone. When you want to think about how well a weight loss program is going to serve you, you should also consider the places where it might target your weaknesses rather than your strengths. Take some time and make sure that you know some of the reasons why it might not work.

• Discomfort Around Social Situations

Not everyone enjoys the weekly weigh in sessions and for some people, they are harder than others. This is something that a lot of people have a difficult time with, and for them, it might never become a comforting experience. It can be very hard to stand up in front of strangers and have your weight discussed and it is very valid to remember that there are some groups that are less supportive than others. If you are someone who has issues with social situations, this might be a deal breaker for you.

• Forgetting About the Points

This is not a system that works if your forget about it. The points system is designed be used with everything that you eat, and if you only use it for some of your food or just most of your food, it will not work as effectively as you need it to. Take some time and make sure that you are diligent about using the point system whenever you eat.

• Suffering a Setback

The problem that a lot of people have with the Weight Watchers point system is that they feel that one failure means that they are destined to fail forever. They think that because they have one week where they gain that they are never going to lose the weight. This is not true, and the important thing is going to be getting right back on with counting points and being good even if you have gained over the course of a week.

• Lack of Time

We all get busy and we all feel tired, and the truth is that Weight Watchers is an investment, not just in money, but in time and effort. It takes time to count up the points and it takes energy to get out to the weigh in. If you are busy and if it feels like your life is already crammed to the gills with things that you need to do and things that you want to do and things that you should do, you may not be able to devote the time that it takes to make Weight Watchers really work for you.

• Concentrating on the Wrong Things

Some people find that they get too focused on the points and that it hurts the quality of your life. They find that they are thinking more about the points than how good their food tastes or almost anything else, and at that point, it is a good idea to take a step back.

I love all kinds of technical toys from computers to iPods to GPS. However, I can tell you that I don't use weight loss calculators or weight scales. And I'll just give you my own personal reason...another drum roll please!

Honestly, I just care how my body looks to me when I stand in front of the mirror. I don't particularly care about how many pounds I weigh, it's not as if I'm wearing a t-shirt that screams that I'm 145.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong in using a weight loss calculator to determine your target goal and how to get there, I just believe (again my own personal opinion) that to obsess on calorie deficit numbers to lose a certain amount of weight is just going to set you up for failure. Do you ever notice that when you succeed at something, it's something you enjoy and almost comes natural to you?

So do you really think that by constant calculations of caloric intake that this would be fun? I call that discouraging. Now, with all that said, these calculators can be helpful and if that is what it takes to get you on your own path to losing those unwanted bulges, then I am all for it. Just remember to keep your eyes on the mirror and not on the numbers.