ReZoom

This is the fifth in ReZoom's series about diets, some currently popular and others long-standing. We will look at what works, what doesn't work and at the end, wrap it up with a fun look at some really wrongheaded fad diets.

One of the attractive things about the Weight Watchers diet is that you do get to eat your cake and have it too — weight loss that is. For those who can't live without the occasional crème brulee, this might be their diet. And if you find gathering weekly for kudos, hugs and tip-sharing helpful, this could really be the diet for you. Because of the latter, though, many men have steered clear, hence Weight Watchers' campaign to bring them in.

"Weight Watchers has one major thing to recommend it and one major thing against it. Its strong point — often missing from so many programs — is the group support and accountability," notes health and fitness guru Jonny Bowden. "By handling this often neglected "third spoke" of the diet/exercise/emotions wheel, it's worth its weight in gold."

A Pre-Atkins Mentality

Weight Watchers began in the ‘60s before our collective understanding of how "high-glycemic" foods such as breads, white rice and baked goods, wreak havoc on our insulin levels. Consequently, the program added a second tier a few years ago called "core," but core, basically, is the South Beach Diet reconstituted. Their elder program, though, the points program, is their gold standard. It allows for a number of food points (actually, calories) each day.

However, with calorie calculation as its primary requisite, health experts who favor eliminating all refined carbohydrates to even out insulin levels for good health, may not be able to hitch their wagons to Weigh Watchers. Bowden's "con" in his pro and cons of the diet speaks to this.

"Calories do count — but they're not the whole story," he says. "By making them most of the whole story, Weight Watchers perpetuates the myth that all calories are the same and that the body treats them the same no matter where they come from. This is simply untrue from a hormonal point of view not to mention a psychological point of view.

The program

All foods are assigned points dependant upon a ratio between calories, fat and fiber found with a Weight Watchers calculator. Generally, the higher the fat, the more points in that food, but the number can be offset with fiber. The amount of points each dieter should have daily is based on their body weight. You also get 35 "spare" points each week, which can be used for that meal at your favorite Italian restaurant.

There is a learning curve to Weight Watchers if you want to plan meals without using the calculator (like a slide rule) or eat out without it, which, for some carries the "nerd cachet" of a pocket protector. It takes time for some people to crystallize an understanding of what foods in what proportions have which amounts of points, but there does come a time when most people can eyeball a fistful of chicken, pasta or a medallion-sized piece of cheese without having to pull out the slide rule.

Group Therapy

Members of Weight Watchers are expected to show up at weekly meetings and weigh in. It's diet accountability on a grand scale. Some say the meetings make the difference between a diet they can stay on and one they cannot. If you derive a shot of enthusiasm from a group "yeah'!" then you might want to consider this plan. Dieters are also assisted by a bounty of recipes provided on the plan's website.

It also should be noted that along the way some very tenacious folks have managed to calculate pretty much every food from every brand in the grocery store and most of those that wind up on your table at almost all restaurant franchises. So, much of the work has already been done.

During a Weight Watchers meeting, topics can range from how to handle stress eating to tricks for getting motivated to exercise. Generally, people coming out with a heightened sense of community and well-being they wouldn't have had otherwise.

Previously: Already featured in ReZoom's diet series:

• The South Beach Diet
• The Zone Diet
• The Mediterranean Diet
• The Atkins Diet

Coming up in ReZoom's final installment: The Cabbage Diet, The Grapefrut Diet, The Hot Dog Diet and other whacky notions that have hit our trembling collective consciousness on getting thin.

Look for more from Jonny Bowden when he becomes a regular contributor for ReZoom next month. Bowden is the author of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," "Jonnny Bowden's Shape Up!" and "Jonny Bowden's Shape Up Workbook