Health & Fitness
How WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Helped A Local Lose 70 Pounds‡
"I like how I feel, and I don't have any more joint pain. I can participate in activities I would have stayed away from!"
Losing weight — and keeping it off — is a lot easier when you have expert guidance from the leader in weight loss and its supportive community. WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) just rolled out its most customized program ever, and it's poised to continue to help millions of members around the world accomplish their weight-loss and wellness goals in 2020. With myWW™, each new member takes a personal assessment which matches them with a customized program that can make losing weight easier.
While many members follow and succeed on the WW program using the WW app, those who would like a little extra expert guidance and consistent support swear by the weekly WW Workshops to keep them accountable and help them stay on track. WW Coaches host weekly 30-minute Workshops at over 800 Studios nationwide.
Erica S. Walters is a WW member at the WW Studio Escondido. Learn more about her weight-loss journey and get inspired!
Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
How did you get started with WW?
Erica: Two years ago, I joined WW with the goal of losing 30 pounds so I could get off my high blood pressure medication. My friend encouraged me to join because the program had worked for her. It worked for me, too, and completely changed my life. I hit my stride with WW and kept losing weight for a total of 70 pounds down. In these past two years, I have run nine half-marathons and climbed Mount Whitney. WW is a great tool that helped to save my life, and I am grateful for my friend who talked me into joining.
What excites you the most about the new customized myWW program?
Erica: With myWW, members take a personal assessment, and then WW's smart algorithm matches them with their very own proven weight-loss plan. I'm on the Purple plan, and I love the flexibility it gives me. With this plan, I have so many ZeroPoint foods to choose from. (ZeroPoint foods form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern, and are foods you don’t have to track! Depending on your customized plan, they can include foods like chicken breast, fat-free Greek yogurt, all vegetables and more). Most of my everyday foods are on that list, and so I have a smaller list of foods to track. It works really well for me.
How has the WW community helped you in your weight-loss and wellness journey?
Erica: The WW Coaches and members at my Studio have cheered me on and celebrated my wins in a way that I never expected. My accomplishments were theirs, and my frustrations were theirs, too. I was able to reach my new goal weight alongside my friend who talked me into joining. Having her on this journey with me was an added layer of accountability and really kept me committed to my personal goal.
If you had to describe your local Studio in five words, what would they be?
Erica: Inviting, welcoming, creative, joyful and humorous.
Do you have any favorite Workshops or Coaches?
Erica: I really enjoy working with Toni on Saturday mornings. She has great tips, and she keeps our Workshops upbeat. I love seeing the smiles of my fellow group members and hearing their stories and successes. It is really a safe place.
What are the best nutrition and/or fitness tips you’ve picked up from WW?
Erica: I park far away from storefronts and climb stairs where I can instead of taking the elevator. These small changes accumulate, so I'm active even without formally exercising.
What is something your friends or loved ones are most surprised about WW when they hear you are on it?
Erica: That WW is not just a diet plan. I am learning how to live at my goal weight and maintain my new size. Also, that there is not a set menu. I have freedom when it comes to food choices.
What is your favorite ZeroPoint food? Favorite food/treat?
Erica: I love shrimp and scallops! My favorite treat is two shots of espresso mixed with my chocolate protein shake for only 2 SmartPoints™. (WW's proprietary SmartPoints system simplifies complex nutritional information into a simple number to easily guide your eating decisions to support weight loss.)
What is your advice to others who want to lose weight but don’t know how to get started?
Erica: Come to a WW Workshop, and listen to the group. Try the plan for a week. Don't overthink your food diary when you start tracking. Trust the process — it works!
How would you describe yourself before and after WW?
Erica: Before WW, I was not happy, on a litany of prescription medications, I didn't like how I felt, and I could not do the things I wanted to. Now, I take pictures! I look for activities to participate in with friends, rather than just eating. I like how I feel, and I don't have any more joint pain. I can participate in activities I would have stayed away from. And clothes shopping is fun again!
Beyond the weight loss, how has WW affected your lifestyle and your approach to wellness?
Erica: I am active, and I don't sweat the small stuff as much. Tomorrow is a new day. I get to start over again if I have a day that does not go according to my plan. The SmartPoints start over, and so do I.
How WW Can Help You Find Success
WW is a weight-loss program that takes a people-focused, science-backed approach to promoting weight loss and healthy living. Its new program, myWW, is fully customized to make losing weight easier for you.
When you join myWW, you'll start with a personal assessment that asks a range of questions about your unique food preferences, activity level, lifestyle and approach to weight loss. Based on your responses, WW will scientifically match you with a customized, proven weight-loss plan that can make losing weight easier.
Get Started Losing Weight With WW Today!
Why Visit a WW Studio?
Every person in the WW Studio is on your side! The friendly guides and expert Coaches will quickly become your greatest motivators and sources of support to make 2020 the year you reach your weight-loss goals!
Workshops held at WW Studio locations cover topics that are relevant to weight loss, health and wellness. You can participate as much or as little as you want. There are WW Workshops during the morning, afternoon and evening, seven days a week. This gives you flexibility to attend the Workshop time/day/location that works for during any particular week and ensure your accountability network is always accessible.
Based on years of research, the WW Workshop curriculum is always evolving to bring the best science-backed techniques to help you lose weight and build healthy habits for life.
Find Your Nearest San Diego-Area Studio!
‡ People following the WW plan can expect to lose 1-2 lbs/wk.
