Author Topic: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT  (Read 8665 times)

Waterlilly

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
    • View Profile
Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« on: May 05, 2012, 08:52:49 AM »
So I was listening to the news the other day, and I heard that Weight Watchers shares have gone down: http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/05/03/weight-watchers-international-caci-international-among-stocks-gapping-down/

Really? And then I found an article that talked about how Medifast is "losing" to WW and not in a good way: http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052748704330804577138721268591622.html

I work with someone who is morbidly obese. He tried Medifast, is a type 2, and just might lose a limb very soon (he's already got major neuropathy and deteriorating bones...it's awful). He tried Medifast and failed on it. He found out there are chemicals in the "food" that can be deadly. His wife is also overweight. I would LOVE to tell him about FTS, but I don't want to until I've lost more weight and can say "see what I did!" (and I will, for the record).

So here's my rant... I 've heard that one of the reasons why WW HAS to have meetings is because maintaining a high carb lifestyle with little calories is incredibly difficult and you need to "support" each other in this effort. Now I have to disclose here that I've been on WW 7 times in my life, with several incarnations of points: I won them, lost them, spent them, ate them, saved them, earned them, and twisted them around. Supposedly, I'm trying to eat here but it sounds so sick and twisted that way.

Now for the other part of my rant. If you look at the article above, they're about MONEY. How much did they make, save, spend? How's the stock doing? It's a financial analysis of something that's SUPPOSED to make my life better. If it's so important for my health, why is it being bought and sold on NASDAQ? And what is their secret sauce? Getting people to come back and stay on it, of course. If it worked, everyone would lose weight and be done with it, and well, that kind of success doesn't make them any money at all. In fact, eating has become a complicated algorithm (who knew?) and you can't do it successfully unless you have the key to this secret math. Last time I did this, you needed to know fat, protein, carbs, and fiber just to figure out the total "points".

I am SO HAPPY I left that insanity behind. Who knows what they will do next to get their stock back up. I'd much rather spend two hours at a local butcher who sell farm raised, local, grass fed meats and at the Farmer's Market looking for good veggies, rather than starting at a book trying to figure out the "points" of the horrible "Snackwells".

OK, rant over. Thanks for listening.

P.S. Since I started FTS, butter and I are friends again and I missed it. Bought a BIG block at the store the other day  :)

BigTex

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
  • If you are a quitter you can't be a loser!!
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2012, 10:49:45 AM »
 :o :o Very good point there Waterlilly, I agree with you! It seems that in the long run its designed for you to fail and have to "come back". I love this plan here, I was talking to a friend and she made the comment about us having to give up certain things, I told them they were crazy only thing i was giving up was "sugar" and "a lot of weight"  she had a look on her face as if I'd just slapped her, she asked what I meant so I explained that instead of just doing without it we substitute it ;D "ASK UMPA" ;D long story short by the end of the conversation she was impressed, and wanted more information on the FTS lifestyle so I gave her the web address and she is going to look it up to find out more.
Will ---

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)




owensmath

  • Guest
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2012, 12:44:50 PM »
Waterlilly, I understand what you said about wanting your co-worker to see your changes, but why wait to save his life? Others of us on here can share our stories with him if you need us to. My hA1C started at more than 11.0 and is sitting right now at 6.4 without medication. He needs to know about this NOW! As a diabetic, every day that his blood sugars are high causes more damage to every part of his body. I have become very passionate about this after seeing the changes in my body by keeping them down. I don't mean to offend anyone, but if I can share something that can improve or extend another's life, then I want to do it. 
I feel like God sent this information to me through Doug and it is not just for me! If he is open to talking on the phone, I will gladly give you my number to share with him.

Waterlilly

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
    • View Profile
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2012, 04:13:21 PM »
BigTex: Do you find people freaking out when you tell them you eat this way? Does anyone get hostile? I'm hesitant to say much about my new way of eating because I'm afraid someone will get hostile with me. Why, I have no idea. People are funny like that.

Owensmath: You're right. I might mention it to him. I don't want to offend him or anything so I will have to be careful. That's great about your AC levels!

A "health break" I just heard on an AM radio station out of Chicago talked about ways to "beat the bulge". At first I thought, "watch, they will say "eat less, exercise more" but it turns out they didn't! Apparently a "study" was done and women who reduce carbs to 40 grams or less twice a week are more successful on a "diet". If only they knew to do this ALL week, they would be even MORE successful!

owensmath

  • Guest
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2012, 05:32:37 PM »
Waterlilly, more and more research is proving what Doug has been saying all along. Low carb is healthy. It does NOT raise cholesterol, in fact, it lowers it. I often google the topic to see what studies are showing and there are more and more of them being discussed.

BigTex

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
  • If you are a quitter you can't be a loser!!
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2012, 11:28:27 PM »
BigTex: Do you find people freaking out when you tell them you eat this way? Does anyone get hostile? I'm hesitant to say much about my new way of eating because I'm afraid someone will get hostile with me. Why, I have no idea. People are funny like that.

..........................................................................

Oh yes very often so I explain further and they either are more understanding or more frustrated ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;) ;) with my job and training I like to mess with people when the try to act all better than me like I'm the one that's a weirdo for wanting to better my health and my life. anyways, I love how I feel, though I have had several people comment on how much weight I've lost and while I know how much I've lost (I started at 357# and now I'm about 305#)  and dropped in clothes size I don't see much difference in my size, I can when I look at my pictures but just in general I cant  :-[ oh well just gives me more incentive to push harder to lose more.
Will ---

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)




Doug Varrieur

  • Author
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5337
  • Commited to helping the world :)
    • View Profile
    • Best Weight Loss Book Ever Written! FAT to Skinny Fast and Easy
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2012, 08:03:25 AM »
Good morning Waterlilly, Owensmath is 100% correct there is no time to waste with your friend, heck we may even be able to save the limb they want to amputate. I watch a show on the tube once in a while called "What would you do" I'm sure you've seen it....well here's your defining moment, understand?  I'm going to make it easy for you, everyone likes to watch videos.

Start him with this one- http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?topic=56.0

Then go here- http://www.fattoskinny.com/CBN2.htm

Then show him some food to eat- http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?board=9.0

While you're doing this remember that God will never put more on your shoulders than you can handle.  8)
Keep The Faith, Stay The Course, Spread The Word on Facebook and Twitter  8)

umpa

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11731
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2012, 08:36:11 AM »
Waterlily don't wait ,he will thank you. ;) I think people think of low carb as meat and cheese.Show them a FTS cookbook! :)The new one has raviolos i learned to make in San Francisco last year!! :D

Doug Varrieur

  • Author
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5337
  • Commited to helping the world :)
    • View Profile
    • Best Weight Loss Book Ever Written! FAT to Skinny Fast and Easy
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2012, 09:01:19 AM »
Waterlilly, this isn't a rant....it's a fact! Thanks for sharing  ;)
Keep The Faith, Stay The Course, Spread The Word on Facebook and Twitter  8)

Waterlilly

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
    • View Profile
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2012, 12:26:50 PM »
OK. I will mention it to him. I just have to be careful because...... he's my BOSS!!!  :o

Andrea

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1177
    • View Profile
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2012, 08:45:02 AM »
The choice of a low carb diet shouldn't be any more controversial than being a vegetarian.

BigTex

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
  • If you are a quitter you can't be a loser!!
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2012, 10:22:11 AM »
The choice of a low carb diet shouldn't be any more controversial than being a vegetarian.

That is so true Andrea ;D ;D
Will ---

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)




Waterlilly

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
    • View Profile
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2012, 05:57:24 PM »
The choice of a low carb diet shouldn't be any more controversial than being a vegetarian.

You know Andrea, you would think that's true. But I"ll bet if you told 5 people you were doing low carb, at least two of them would tell you (because strangers care so much) that you're going to "give yourself a heart attack" or that "fat is SO BAD for you!". the other two people will WANT to tell you but won't, and the last person could either not care less or be a low carber themselves. Either way, I'm careful about who I tell...at least not until I lose more weight. Then I will probably get a "you've just lost water" reaction or something.  Whatever.  ::)

shawn116

  • Guest
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2012, 12:03:51 AM »
Quote
Then I will probably get a "you've just lost water" reaction or something.  Whatever. 

  Yep that is probably true Waterlilly.   That happens all the time to me...until I tell them about not having to take any medications any more for diabetes, high brood pressure, cholesterol, heart burn...etc....  Trust me I have "gained" more than I have lost  LOL  in good health of course  ;)   Some folks will just find every excuse to keep their addictions and stay in their own comfort zone....sigh  :-\   I'm with Owensmath though, I would be happy to share my story with him. 

BigTex

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
  • If you are a quitter you can't be a loser!!
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Weight Watchers and Medifast - A RANT
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2012, 12:12:38 AM »
Quote
Then I will probably get a "you've just lost water" reaction or something.  Whatever. 

  Yep that is probably true Waterlilly.   That happens all the time to me...until I tell them about not having to take any medications any more for diabetes, high brood pressure, cholesterol, heart burn...etc....  Trust me I have "gained" more than I have lost  LOL  in good health of course  ;)   Some folks will just find every excuse to keep their addictions and stay in their own comfort zone....sigh  :-\   I'm with Owensmath though, I would be happy to share my story with him. 

AMEN!!! TooSweet You hit the nail on the head!!! ;D ;D ;D
Will ---

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)