It would be impossible to talk about weight loss in the second half of 20th-century America without talking about WeightWatchers, the support group-turned-empire. Recently, they’ve been in the news for changes in their program, which I wanted to reflect on this week.
The way people think about health, wellness, eating, and exercise has changed drastically since the 1960s, and for good reason. Have you seen those vibrating belt “work out” machines? And people used to get stopped by police when out for a jog. Basically, I’d say it’s generally good for companies, people, and culture to adapt to new science and technology. It’s good when we accept new information and opportunities.
Earlier this year, WeightWatchers began pivoting away from exclusively low-calorie meals and the promise of accountability. They started to embrace what I’ve been advocating since the start of The A-List Clinic: some people on their weight loss journey need clinical intervention.
Over the last 10 years, WeightWatchers clearly fell behind the times as more places, apps, and programs have offered healthy habit practices and telehealth options. It also took some people too long to recognize chronic conditions are not a simple matter of will power. In fact, conversations about weight loss (between diet, exercise, medication, surgical options, etc.) are often still a battle for nuanced, multi-faceted, and specific solutions for individuals. It’s good for mega-corporations (and people!) to recognize this.
Ideally, health plans should not exist in a vacuum and there would be no single brand-loyalty when it comes to personal health. Rather than expecting one business or magic pill to create a new body, people should consider their efforts in harmony. Medication and life style changes will be more effective than merely one and not the other.
While recognizing different end goals (i.e. the difference between “healthy” and “thin”), we can also recognize individualized paths to those goals. This is why one program with one motto, tactic, or strategy falls short of helping everyone.
If you’re curious about medical or prescription options that may be available to you, schedule a consultation today and let’s get you started on your weight loss journey.
