What if WeightWatchers goes away?

I’ve been on WeightWatchers (formerly WW and Weight Watchers) this go around for four years. Since then, I’ve dropped 82 pounds (37.2 kilograms) and kept it off. This isn’t the first time I’ve been on this program, and it isn’t my first attempt at getting to a healthy weight. I’ve been on Jenny Craig, the LoseIt app, and the most ineffective method, “trying to do it on my own.” This is the first time I’ve been successful in dropping this much weight and keeping it off. My success in keeping it off comes from sticking with the program after I’ve reached my goal. And I’m sticking with it because the consequences for my health are too serious not to.

So I was deeply concerned when I read the CNN article about the direction WeightWatchers is going. As members, we’ve felt the upheavals. Our meeting moved from a nearby storefront to a hotel a few minutes further away. (Some members have to drive an additional 10–20 minutes to get to a meeting.) Snacks and accessories (such as an excellent microwave popcorn air popper) that help us with the program are being discontinued. And what if WeightWatchers turns into something I can no longer use or closes up entirely? (Jenny Craig filed for bankruptcy early this year.)

I have a few thoughts about the direction of WeightWatchers and the weight loss industry in general.