A Look at Weight Watchers 360
Weight Watchers launched an innovation to the program in early December, and as I was leading my meeting yesterday morning, it occurred to me that I haven’t yet shared anything about it! So here we go with a look into Weight Watchers 360.
To start off, the PointsPlus 2012 part of the program hasn’t changed at all. You still are given a certain number of PointsPlus per day, extras to use as you wish each week, even more for activity (and through the ActiveLink) and each food has a PointsPlus value. To add to the tried and true method of tracking, Weight Watchers has introduced two new pillars to the program.
The main reason behind this innovation (in my completely unendorsed words), is that science shows that willpower is basically crap. Sure, willpower will carry you through a certain number of tough food decisions each day, but the fact is that we are forced to make so many choices about food all day, every day, that no one will be able to make the right ones all the time.
So here comes the two new additions to Weight Watchers 360 – Routines and Spaces.
Routines
Did you brush your teeth this morning? Get into the shower before work? Put on clothes before leaving the house?
I am guessing (hoping) that the answer to all these things is yes, and that you probably didn’t have to put too much thought into it because it’s become a habit over time. Weight Watchers decided to study the habits and routines of the most successful members who have lost weight and kept it off, and came up with a list of 16 routines that we should all be doing every day.
Some of the routines are basics – like eat breakfast everyday – but some of them are things that have been great for me to work on, like making sure to have a snack with me before I leave the house and making sure to include fruits or veggies with every meal and snack. The idea behind it is that we know that people are more successful when they work on changes in groups and have that built in support, so each month, we introduce and work on a new routine and reflect each week on what worked and what didn’t.
The first thing we worked on was making sure to have a snack every single time you leave the house. This was something I was not at all in the habit of, and something that I truly changed during that month by putting some thought into it. I’m not going to lie – I definitely still have to remember and make an effort to bring a snack with me – it’s not a routine yet, but I have made a lot of progress on it. Over time, I am guessing that this will become second nature to me and won’t be something I have to even think about, at least I’m hoping. Having something healthy at arms reach that I enjoy but isn’t tempting enough to consume my thoughts has been a game changer a few times over the past two months.
Spaces
The last piece of the puzzle with Weight Watchers 360 is taking control of your spaces – or of all the places that you eat and/or are around food. One meeting a month will be dedicated to taking control of a particular space, as it applies to the routine of the month, so it all feeds into itself.
For example, the routine of the month for January is Produce Power: Make sure to include a fruit or veggie with every meal and snack. Last week’s meeting was about reorganizing your fridge and making changes that can set you up to be more successful when you open that door to your fridge after a long day.
Some of the ideas we discussed in the meeting were:
- Prep and wash all fruits and veggies when you get them home from the store, and place them front and center in your fridge in clear glass or plastic containers.
- Put more tempting foods out of sight, in the freezer, and/or in opaque containers so they are harder to see.
- Put leftovers in single serving containers so you can grab and go.
- Get single serving treats to keep in the fridge rather than large multi-serving containers.
A lot of those are pretty self explanatory, but I honestly never thought to put treats/higher calorie things in containers that you can’t see through – I LOVE that idea because I really am so affected by what I see and it influences the decisions I make quite a bit.
Overall, I am really impressed with the Weight Watchers 360 program. I love that each month is guided by a routine, and it’s really been helping me to refocus and recommit to being healthy. Even for some of the routines that I have down pretty well – like eating fruits and veggies all the time – it’s forced me to look at it in a different way and realize I actually need to incorporate more veggies into my diet, and maybe a little less fruit. It’s so refreshing to look at a routine at face value, and then reflect how I apply (or don’t apply) it to my own life. I also love the emphasis on spaces, because I feel like making little changes – like sitting myself AWAY from the food at a party – make such a difference in how much I eat and how good I feel after the party is over.
Any questions about WW360? For those of you who are members of WW – what do you think of the program? Like it, love it, indifferent?
43 Comments on A Look at Weight Watchers 360
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[...] for free. Really! Points Plus – Weight Watchers And here's a good description of the 360 program: A Look at Weight Watchers 360 I'm not much on meetings like WW, so SparkPeople suited me better. I log my food, my exercise, [...]
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Kristin
January 23, 2013 at 9:01 am (118 days ago)I really like the new program. I reached my goal at WW in November and the Routines have really helped me in Maintenance. My favorite one so far is “Put down your fork and sip water between bites”. I eat too fast and this has really helped me to slow down.
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 12:27 pm (118 days ago)Congrats on getting to your goal! And that’s a really good routine, and one I DEFINITELY need to work on. It’ll be fun to hear other people’s ideas about different ways to slow down when that becomes the routine of the month, too!
Sara
January 23, 2013 at 9:02 am (118 days ago)I do WW 360 too and LOVE it! At first I didn’t notice a difference in the program but once I gave the routines a try and participated more outside of the meeting I started noticing BIG changes! Carrying a snack has affected me a lot – and in a good way. No longer do I stress when I go out shopping wondering if I’ll get hungry while I’m out and if so, what would my options be? I eliminate like 5 food thoughts just from having a snack! This week I also reorganized and cleaned my fridge and pantry and realized with all of the expired items out of the way I no longer stare in the fridge for 10min searching for treats I may have forgotten about. I realized I had made it a game and I actually enjoyed staring in the fridge to find a treat of some sort. Taking that away took importance I was giving my food away, too. The first day I realized this I felt really uncomfortable and slightly emotional (I know, weird) but now I LOVE how I feel and LOVE that I’m finally becoming that person I’ve always wanted to be – the one who doesn’t make food the most important thing in her life. I never knew such small changes in routine and space would make such a HUGE difference! I’ve stayed on track better these past 2 months (and ENJOYED IT!) than I have in my whole life.
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 12:28 pm (118 days ago)It is kind of crazy how much power food has over us, isn’t it? I get weird and emotional about changes too, which is so dumb, but I can’t help it! So glad WW360 is working well for you. I’m a HUGE fan of the changes.
Lisa
April 29, 2013 at 5:31 pm (22 days ago)Sara,
Thanks for the insight on WW360, it sounds great and I really need a change. I also feel like everything I do involves food and its taking over my life. Do you have anymore advice and also did you do the online program, I’m thinking of trying it?
Thanks,
Lisa
Amy
January 23, 2013 at 10:11 am (118 days ago)I love the new additions! I am 4 lbs away from goal and feel confident in the healthy routines I have and the new ones I’m focusing on now!
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 12:29 pm (118 days ago)Wow Amy – you are SO close! Congrats!!!
Melinda
January 23, 2013 at 10:59 am (118 days ago)I really like this enhancement to the program. I have learned the hard way that willpower is crap and routines ARE the key. I had some great routines going into the holidays–and then they all fell apart. I love WW new focus on them because they really are the key to long-term success. Now I just need to get back into those routines!
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 1:37 pm (118 days ago)Hi Melinda! So glad you are liking the additions to the program. I agree that the focus on routines really is the key piece that makes it that much better. Even when we have some of the routines down pat already, it’s never a bad thing to take a step back and look at ways you can improve upon them or come up with new ideas.
Gina
January 23, 2013 at 12:26 pm (118 days ago)Sounds like some great additions; I did the 2012 program successfully and am now pregnant again and hopefully will be revisiting it this summer. Glad to know in advance that the whole program hasn’t changed (I thought it worked great last year) and just has some enhancements:-)
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 1:40 pm (118 days ago)Gina – Congrats on being pregnant again! As an aside on the topic of pregnancy, I think it’ll be interesting to see how Jessica Simpson does with being pregnant this time as compared to with her first. Just to see if she makes healthier decisions/if she truly learned anything from doing WW the first time around – I’m interested to see how it goes. That said, I’m also SUPER glad I won’t be in the spotlight like that when the time for me comes.
LC
January 23, 2013 at 12:28 pm (118 days ago)Hm… thanks for sharing this. I haven’t looked too much into the new program on my own, and haven’t really been feeling the new changes. I feel the meetings haven’t been as good (focusing the on the one routine the whole month) as the past 2 months are things I have already been doing. Maybe I need to read over all the new stuff and pick a few routines that will help me. Thanks!
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 12:30 pm (118 days ago)Hey LC! If you go onto e-tools, you can browse through the routines and pick ones that you do need to work on. There are a ton of tips just on the website for each of the routines in all different spaces, so that might be a good starting point. I do agree that it can be hard if the routines are things you already do, but I love the additional ideas I get from the meeting room. Even if you yourself aren’t finding too much help from others in the room, I bet the ideas you have and share with the group are a huge help to others, which should make you feel really good.
glenneth
January 23, 2013 at 12:33 pm (118 days ago)Curious if you are doing WW online as well as attending meetings. And if one just does WW online, would they still get the routine and spaces info?
Beth
January 23, 2013 at 1:30 pm (118 days ago)Hi Glenneth! I am a Leader for Weight Watchers so I attend/lead one meeting per week, but I also use all the online tools, so I guess technically I do them both.
Arlene @ Adventures in Weight Loss
January 23, 2013 at 3:28 pm (118 days ago)The new WW 360 program is actually what enticed me to give WW another go. (I joined several years ago, got about 12 pounds from goal, stalled and fell off the wagon.) I rejoined on Jan. 1 and am down 11 pounds so far.
Glenneth, I’m doing the online program this time, and the WW app puts routines/spaces info right at your fingertips.
Glenneth
January 27, 2013 at 8:11 am (114 days ago)Thanks Arlene! I am considering signing up for the online.
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning
January 24, 2013 at 10:18 am (117 days ago)I joined WW again about 6 weeks ago. I’ve done it a few times in the past, and as I’ve told you before, it never worked for me. But- I either did it online or just went to the center to weigh in and didn’t stay for meetings. This time, I took a different approach. I go my meeting every Tuesday morning and stay the whole time. I engage in the discussions and ask for help when needed. I figured out how to balance my activity/extra points since I exercise for a living and always have a crazy amount.
It’s been slow and steady, but I’m about 7 lbs down, and have about 18 left to reach my goal. And I am loving it- the new program is SO helpful for me- because I really had to tackle the reason behind why I gained weight and mindlessly eat, etc. I’m actually excited about it (still) and look forward to my meetings. I’m not going to go so far as to say that I look forward to stepping on the scale, because that’s always causes a little bit of anxiety for me (from YEARS of being afraid of it growing up!).
Thanks for such a great review!
Melanie
January 24, 2013 at 11:03 am (117 days ago)I am finally embracing the new 360 program and using the tools that the meeting and e-tools provides. I am a repeat WW offender….:-)..and at this point 12 lbs away from goal. I have found a new commitment this time around…although far from perfect. I LOVE MY meeting and my leader and look forward to the support and fellowship every week even if I’m disappointed in the scale. But, I realize it’s not the scale’s fault…but maybe some poor decisions I made during the week. Beth, thank you for this post and I hope you share more of your WW experiences as a leader with us on your blog.
Katie @ Runs for Cookies
January 26, 2013 at 7:15 pm (114 days ago)Thank you for posting this!! I am a member of the meetings, and I honestly had no idea what the new program was about–despite the fact that I go to meetings every week! My leader didn’t explain what the new program entails–she just started by telling us to bring a snack with us everywhere. I love that you explained HOW this came about and WHY it’s a good idea. I am going to start looking at the routines I can form!
KoyoAndi
January 26, 2013 at 9:50 pm (114 days ago)This was great info, Beth! I am doing WW online and kind of wish now I was going to meetings instead. I did see the tools for Spaces and Routines but didn’t really bother much with them, thinking that just focussing on recording my food and activity was enough for me. After reading your post, I think I will give these more attention!
The tips about food in the fridge and always taking a snack with you when you go out, are great! I am glad to see that, on my own, gradually, the contents of my fridge have changed and reflect mostly what you mentioned above. I even went out and bought snack size baggies for other things like sunflower seeds, etc. I portion out any snacks like that right away, so I can just grab a baggie and know exactly how many points I am getting!
Another tip, my husband has ALWAYS done for the sake of saving money and I now strive to do for my health is, always bring a bottle of water with you when you leave the house. There have been so many times in the past where I get thirsty but am not anywhere I could easily walk into a store and buy some water; he just reaches into his backpack and has water any time he wants! Without having to dole out money, either.
Debbie
January 30, 2013 at 7:28 pm (110 days ago)Hi. I am 50 and have been on protein shakes for meal replacements for a few years. It was successful until I became sensitive to the ingredients. I’m ready for real food. I want to know if this is a great nutritional way to loose weight or just maintain as my matbalism slows as I age? I exercise regularly but when it comes to food I really need help. I tend to either skip meals or crave carbs . So just to maintain and feel great is this for me?
Karen
February 2, 2013 at 8:38 am (108 days ago)I’m a newbie to the points program period. I did the original WW WAY back in the 70′s. A friend and I are going to our first meeting this coming Thursday and I am very excited to start this program. I’ve been a yoyo for my whole life and I’m finally ready to settle down and change my way of thought. Just happened to stumble on this site and hope you don’t mind if I bookmark you and come back for advice and encouragement.
Marsha Jones
February 4, 2013 at 10:28 pm (105 days ago)I’m a really new newbie!! I’v never done anything with ww except buy an occational dessert in the freezer section. I am terribly overweight and my Dr. has wanted me to have gastric by-pass for several yrs. now. I would probably go that route but I don’t like the way it makes parts of your body look after one has lost quite a few lbs. I guess I was really wanting to know is, Can a person lose like 100lbs and/or more if needed with ww? I know this is probably an unrealistic goal in my life and gastric by-pass may be the only option I have. I really need to know if this is possible. I have also had to have neck surgery and major back surgery. My Dr. tells me I’m going to have to have both done again in the future.
Darlene Scott
February 7, 2013 at 8:41 pm (102 days ago)Hey Marsha! Let me tell you my story. 6 years ago I joined WW and had over 150 lbs to lose. I wasn’t certain that WW could help me lose that much or if I had what it took to lose that much weight or if it was even possible for anyone to lose that much weight without some medical intervention. But I had to at least TRY! You know what? I did it!! I lost 167 lbs! That’s one hundred sixty-seven pounds, more than half of my total body weight. Once I started the program, I never looked back. It took just 2 years to lose the weight. I ate my daily points target, exercised, enjoyed treats now and again, and tracked, tracked, TRACKED! I never starved myself to increase my weight-loss because I knew from previous experience that just comes back and bites you big time. What made me stick with it? The freedom to move like I never could before, my boundless energy, loving what I saw in the mirror every day and best of all moving down from a size 28 to a size 6. Surgery as an option for weight-loss is a serious one to make and for some people, it is the only way. I never considered it for many reasons; the risks that major surgery brings, the tiny meals would be a downer (I love food!) and most important, it wouldn’t change the psychological reasons why I did overeat. I encourage you to try WW and give it your all. Don’t listen to the people who say the odds are stacked against you. Statistics don’t matter, this is about you and the weight you want to lose and doing it! Best of luck to you!!
Beth
February 7, 2013 at 9:22 pm (102 days ago)Hi Darlene – Thank you so much for sharing your incredibly inspiring story! If you are interested, I’d LOVE to do a feature your story on my blog in an “In Her Words” post. Email me if you’d be interested at bethsjourneyblog at gmail dot com. The transformation you’ve gone through, both physically and mentally, sounds amazing. Congratulations to you!
LC
February 11, 2013 at 12:17 am (99 days ago)Does the 360 program work for the stubborn menopausal weight gain? That extra 15 pounds that just won’t go away no matter what.
Janet
April 21, 2013 at 8:46 am (30 days ago)This has truly convinced me to join, thanks for sharing. I have contemplated trying the new program and now plan on attending the meeting this week. I have 150 pounds to lose. Mad at myself for being so heavy and very frustrated. Tried weight watchers once before and had a terrible leader who started md out with wrong point total. Was planning on going to a meeting Monday for information on gastric bypass but not a fan of the surgery approach. Thank you for sharing your story. Nice to hear big girls find success also not just the ones trying to lose 20 pounds
Nancy
February 11, 2013 at 10:26 pm (98 days ago)How do you make yourself eat the foods that are good for you? The only vegetable I eat with dinners is corn. I eat by taste and at 55 how do you change that thinking?
Sue
February 25, 2013 at 11:11 pm (84 days ago)Ok. Where do I begin. I m 61 and have tried ww a few time. Have gone up and down the weight loss and gain tower. Nd I m at the gain again . Even being in a coma for a month did not give me weight loss. So 4 yrs ago I died and was brought back to life.
Everything I eat makes my stomach hurt. No one knows why.
So after watching one of my faves. Jennifer Hudson last night on the acadamy awards. I said to myself. I know you have a chef. And personal trainer. But why can’t I do this. I hate feeling like a “bellows on matchsticks”. Skinny legs and a huge midsection. And it won’t come off. But I know I won’t go to meetings. How can I be helped doing the online version. My son is going to be a dad anyday and I don’t want to be fat granny. Help
Marietta
March 4, 2013 at 1:11 pm (78 days ago)I have joined WW severall times and the last 2 times I did lose a pound but never could get pass that, I would lose then gain it back. I am a bit reluctant to join again, I do not want to waste the money again. Can you give me some pointers on making this work for me. I need to lose 20 pounds.
Note: I joined 20 years ago and I lose 30 lbs, of course I was younger and didn’t have a husband to feed and it was just easier for me then, now I can’t seem to grasp it.
Beth
March 4, 2013 at 2:25 pm (78 days ago)Hi Marietta – Sorry you have been struggling so much with WW lately! I do think the new program is great and worth it, but it’s up to you to decide. I know the meetings make a huge difference for people, so one idea could be to try out different meetings until you find a group and a leader that you like. Also, planning is a huge piece for me, so taking some time on the weekends to plan for the week can set you up for success. Finally, and maybe the hardest part, is accepting that you can’t eat as much as your husband! I used to have the hardest time with that when I lived with my ex boyfriend because I wanted to (and easily could) eat as much as he could, but that wasn’t working for my weight loss. That’s just to say you can eat the same things as him, just have to watch portions more than he does unfortunately. Men have it easier when it comes to weight loss!
Jamie
March 4, 2013 at 4:46 pm (78 days ago)I’m almost 52 and in menopause. I’ve always been a slim person (5’5″, 136- 142 lbs) but since going through menopause I’m up to 166+ at last dr appt…can’t bear to get on the scale at home. My clothes don’t fit and I can’t stand to look in the mirror. I’ve done WW a few times before and it did work for me howevet I don’t eat much and don’t really snack so I do feel the weight gain is from the menopause and lack of exercise (sit a computer 10-12 hrs a day for work). I’m a single mom with 2 kids in college so I can’t really afford the meetings. I know i need to get moving but Do you think the WW online tools would help with this nasty menopausal weight? I can’t go into summer looking like this it’s too depressing
Beth
March 4, 2013 at 4:53 pm (78 days ago)Hi Jamie! I’m sorry you’ve been struggling so much! I do think the e-tools are a great option, especially since they are cheaper than the meetings or the online program. The etools are the thing i use the most because you can use the app on your smart phone, or when you’re sitting at a computer 10-12 hours a day! One thing you can also do is set calendar reminders to remind you to get up for a few minutes every hour or two so you’re moving around! Hope this helps!
Jaumila
March 14, 2013 at 5:47 pm (68 days ago)Hi beth I really want to lose weight but im not sure what program to choose I really prefer the online version because I have a baby and its hard for me to attend the meetings and my car is down right now. I need help and fast I also have a gym membership to work out so I just want to know if the online version is good and do it works.
Marie Shiah
April 3, 2013 at 3:03 pm (48 days ago)I have been successful on WW. I made my goal years ago and have kept it off with the exception of 5 lbs. I would very much like to purchase the books that have the new point values. Is there anyway I can do that without formally joining? Thanks
Sue
April 7, 2013 at 7:51 pm (43 days ago)I’m a little skeptical. Several years ago, I did great with the original points system. When WW changed to Points Plus, I couldn’t lose an ounce. I do see WW is offering a 2 week money back guarantee, so I’m going to try again. I prefer online to meetings, any pointers? Wish me luck! Thanks! Sue
Jessica
April 17, 2013 at 4:03 pm (34 days ago)Hi. I am twenty-seven years old and started weight watchers on March 26th 2013. The reason I joined was to lose weight, and so far I’ve lost 8.8 lbs! My birthday is next week *the 24th* and I want to lose 10 lbs total before my birthday. I find that I struggle with planning and staying away from foods that I crave. Yesterday I wanted a McDonalds burger and fries. I was allowed 17 points at 5 p.m. (I had a lot of zero or 1 point snacks throughout the day) and so I ate 20 points for dinner and had my McDonalds. I subtracted the 20 points from my daily amount and took 3 points from my “overdraft” points. I didn’t feel guilty for eating McDonalds, I know there are better options, but it also taught me a lesson that I can have what I want, but I sacrifice a lot of points for just ONE meal! Before WW, I would’ve had the meal, then probably snacked on items that weren’t good for me and then had a REGULAR soda too. I switched to diet soda and I’m slowly weening myself off diet soda. I hope my story helps people who are thinking of joining WW or who are on WW and need to hear about other people’s experiences. I want to lose 60 lbs, and I know this won’t happen over night, but so far in a month I have almost lost 10 lbs and that is better than gaining 10 lbs in a month!
Joyce
April 27, 2013 at 7:59 am (24 days ago)I also have been a past member of Weight Watchers..The first time I joined there was a great group and leader..I reached my goal and kept it off for quite awhile but eventually it all came back plus…So I joined again, the group was very large and there was one member that talked the whole time and talked with leader after words also..The seconds meeting I wanted to talk to the leader. , I waited 20 min and this lady was still talking to her so I left…No one should have to,pay for a class and have one person hog the entire meeting..The leader should not have allowed that either..Need less to say I need to lose some weight but do not want to,pay to listen to one person take over the whole class…Thinking about online..
beverly
May 14, 2013 at 11:12 am (7 days ago)Hi Beth! Congrats on your accomplishments! I just had a quick question. I just signed up for WW online yesterday so today is my 2nd day. I’m just wondering how I can canculate my points if I go out to eat, if the restaurant is not listed on the website? Thanks for your help, any tips would be appreciated!
beverly
May 14, 2013 at 5:50 pm (7 days ago)Hi Beth!
Congrats on your achievements! I just joined WW online yesterday so today is my second day. I’m doing ok so far, but I have a question maybe you could guide me with from your experiences. How do I calculate my points if I’m eating out at a restaurant that is not on the list of restaurants on the website? Any tips you can give I’d appreciate! Thanks!
beverly
May 14, 2013 at 5:51 pm (7 days ago)sorry for sending the comment twice, it didn’t show up the first time..