*At 6 months, participants in a clinical trial of the WeightWatchers® weight-loss program lost an average of 9.7 lbs (5% of body weight). And, people who track their food more often lose more weight. When actual WW members track their food at least two times a week for 6 months they lose on average 16.6 lbs. (7.9% body weight). Members lost weight on a prior program and is continuing on WeightWatchers.
The best weight loss tips involve sustainable habits that bring you closer to your goals both on and off the scale. And while there’s no single secret to success on WW—sorry!—practicing strategies that have helped others hit their strides can make the program even more livable for you.
So: Whether you have one or 150 pounds to lose, these actionable weight loss tips are worth a shot. Take it from these five members:
Felicia lost 140 lbs*
Her three tips:
1) Find new favorite recipes.
"Just because you want to lose weight doesn’t mean you have to eliminate certain foods,” Felicia says. “One of my best weight loss tips: Find healthy recipes that you love. I make a two-ingredient dough pizza that puts any takeout pizza to shame!”
2) Tweak old favorites you can’t live without.
“One of my favorite foods is enchiladas: I use lean ground beef, light tortillas, low-fat cheese, and enchilada sauce,” Felicia says.
3)Keep dessert on the menu.
Rather than sacrificing sweets, Felicia treats herself to treats made from ingredients with reasonable WeightWatchers™ values. “I love making a lemon-strawberry cheesecake parfait using strawberry cheesecake-flavored yogurt, whipped topping, and a light lemon cake to build a parfait,” she says. “My life is very tasty.”
Laura lost 112 lbs*
Her three tips:
Swap out one sugary drink per day.
One trick that’s helped Laura enjoy H2O, instead: “Drink it how you like it: Maybe flavor it with lemon or cucumber,” she suggests.
Tap into technology for support.
Laura relies on Plant Nanny, a smartphone app that pairs plant-style avatars with reminders to drink water. Now she drinks roughly half her body weight in ounces of water each day. “It makes a difference!” she says.
Put your daily goals on paper.
“I like to make a goal and keep track of how I do,” says Laura, who keeps a daily checklist in her planner and tracks her progress throughout the day.
Janée lost 103 lbs*
Her five tips:
1) Start the day with a power pose.
“I look at myself in the mirror, do a power pose, and say to myself, ‘Today is going to be a great day,’” says Janee of how she begins her mornings.
2) Pack snacks.
“I make sure to have snacks on me in case I’m on-the-go and I get a little hungry,” she says of the tactic. While whole fruits and fresh veggies can help keep your energy levels up, these low-WeightWatchers snack recipes can hit the spot no matter what kind of food you feel like.
3) Eat before you go grocery shopping.
“Otherwise, I make not-so-great decisions,” says Janee of the habit that fends off impulse buys during well-intentioned food hauls.
4) Get active outside the gym.
“I always think about how I can fit in activity, whether that’s tap dancing down the aisles at the store or doing lunges down the hallway in my office,” she says.
5) Surround yourself with supportive people.
Janee has a special name for friends who understand her wellness journey—peaks and pitfalls included: “Positive Pattys.” The same goes for naysayers: “There’s no room in my life for Negative Nancys,” she says.
Nate lost 103 lbs*
His two tips:
1) Limit meal size—not menu items.
“People ask me all the time what I’ve given up—I haven’t given up anything because I still eat what I enjoy—I just eat a little less,” says Nate, who has found pleasure in his meals while working toward his weight loss goals. “I like my pizza, I like my wine, I like my pasta—I just don’t have it every day.”
2) Use ZeroPoint foods to find balance.
When he knows he’s having chocolate cake for dessert, Nate prepares by eating a healthier meal comprised of wholesome foods like grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli. “This program is about balance,” he says.
Nicole lost 102 lbs*
Her three tips:
1) Replace snack time with dinner.
“When I get home from work, I know that I need to have dinner right away because that prevents me from snacking," Nicole says.
2) Munch mindfully while you meal prep.
"When I’m preparing my meal, I’ll have baby carrots or sliced peppers handy if I want to munch," she says.
3) End dinner with a calming ritual.
“A cup of yummy hot tea is a great way to unwind after a long, busy day,” Nicole says of the habit she practices after dining—one way to get your mind off dessert.
Explore more WW member transformations here.