Health & Fitness
WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Helps Mom And Son Lose 235 Pounds‡
"My whole family is more active, healthier and happier now!"
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.
Natalie Garrick and her son Caleb Garrick are WW members at the WW Studio Bethel. Learn more about their weight-loss journeys and get inspired!
Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
How did you get started with WW?
Natalie: I joined WW on March 1, 2018. I wanted to lose the weight for me, but I also wanted to be an example for my family and encourage them to become healthier as well. I've lost 100 pounds with WW.
Caleb: My mom started doing WW shortly before I transferred schools and became a commuter student. Around this time, I'd gained quite a bit of weight due to poor eating habits. I saw how much success my mom had during her first few months with WW, so in May 2018, I signed up for WW myself. I've lost 135 pounds with WW and never felt better.
What do you like most about WW?
Natalie: I've tried losing with many plans through the years, and I was actually successful with WW back in 1978. When I did WW again 40 years later, I found that the program still worked for me — only better. I love that WW is livable and can change with where I am in my life and weight-loss journey.
Caleb: The WW app is a really easy solution for holding yourself accountable for what you're eating. I saw results almost immediately, and that only encouraged me to lose more weight.
How has the WW community helped you in your weight-loss and wellness journey?
Natalie: All the Coaches and fellow members at my WW Studio are so supportive and encouraging. One of my Coaches hosts a Facebook group that's a great resource to engage with in between weekly Workshops.
Caleb: I've used the WW app exclusively during my weight-loss journey, but doing WW with my mom and having my family's support has been hugely helpful.
Do you have any favorite WW Workshops or Coaches?
Natalie: Leslie Giuliani is absolutely the best. She's been more excited about my weight loss than I have been! She always has a positive outlook, while being realistic and down to earth. She is invested in everyone and takes the time to get to know each person. I just love her!
I also look forward to seeing the other members and hearing how they're doing at each weekly WW Workshop. It's always a boost to my own journey.
What are the best nutrition and/or fitness tips you've picked up from WW?
Natalie: No food is off-limits — you just have to account for it and enjoy in moderation. Also, all movement counts for something, no matter what your fitness level.
Caleb: Greek yogurt can be a great substitute for cream, mayonnaise and other high-fat foods. It has fewer SmartPoints™ and still has great flavor. (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 something your friends or loved ones are most surprised about WW when they hear you are on it?
Natalie: That I was able to lose that much weight and that I'm still on the program. Most people don't expect a large measure of success for anyone on a "diet." What they don’t understand is that I will always be on WW because it's not a diet — it's my new, healthy way of life.
Caleb: The initial amount of SmartPoints I was allotted was actually too many for me to eat in a day. I saw quick results (around 12 pounds per month). But because I had so many different options of what to eat, I never felt deprived.
What is your favorite ZeroPoint food? Favorite food/treat?
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 such as chicken breast, fat-free Greek yogurt, all vegetables and more.
Natalie: Chicken breast is my favorite ZeroPoint food! My favorite treat is a Healthy Choice Fudge Bar. I always have just enough SmartPoints at the end of the day to enjoy one.
Caleb: I make breakfast using eggs just about every morning and really enjoy making breakfast sandwiches on toasted 1-point bread. For a heartier dinner that will last me a night or two, I love Macdaddy's in Monroe.
What is your advice to others who want to lose weight but don’t know how to get started?
Natalie: Give WW a try. What have you got to lose? Nothing, but the weight! Be honest with yourself and really do the plan. Track every day. It can work, especially with the different customized options.
Caleb: Keep healthy food options at home and limit the amount of "bad" choices easily available to you. Cook at home when you can so you know exactly what's going into your food, and try to get creative with different ZeroPoint and low-SmartPoint foods.
Beyond the weight loss, how has WW affected your lifestyle and your approach to wellness?
Natalie: My whole family is more active, healthier and happier now! My son has lost 135 pounds, and my husband has lost 50 pounds using the WW App. We are eating much differently now and love to try new WW recipes, all readily available on the WW app. My husband and I went on our first weeklong 400-mile bike tour on the Erie Canal. That’s something we never would do before, and we are looking forward to our next big thing. What else can we do now that we couldn’t do or wouldn’t do before because of our physical limitations?
Caleb: Portion control actually plays a role in my life now, and introducing activity has improved my mood and increased my energy levels immensely.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Natalie: Losing a significant amount of weight allowed me to start running again last January after many years of being overweight, and I successfully completed my first half-marathon in April!
My son, who also lost a considerable amount of weight, started running for the first time this past summer and has run a few 5Ks now. We often run together and really enjoy the experience. Next year, we plan on running a few more races, including a half-marathon relay.
Caleb: WW works for me. I feel great and love being more active. I am excited to run more races this year!
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 Hartford-Area Studio!
‡ People following the WW plan can expect to lose 1-2 lbs/wk.
