What was the Original Weight Watchers Food Program?

Hello brenda515.

Weight Watchers was founded by Jean Nidetch.
Desperate over a weight problem, she went to a
free diet clinic sponsored by the New York City
Board of Health for the critically obese. She was
given a diet and "meal plan for ladies" written
by a heart specialist.

Two months later and pounds lighter, Jean decided 
she needed someone to talk to. She wanted to
share a food plan that worked for her, with her
friends. With people that could give her
feedback.

She invited six friends for morning tea and
talked truthfully about the rigours of dieting.
It worked. Word spread about the meetings and the
turnout grew rapidly.

The original diet and meal plan given to her
was the basis for the original Weight Watchers
plan. That combined with the discussion is what
got Weight Watchers moving, a new trend in
weight management.

[ http://www.femail.com.au/weightwatchers.htm ]

[
http://www3.weightwatchers.com/international/aus/
about/corporate_history.html ]

They added an exercise plan in 1978
[
http://www.dottisweightlosszone.com/WWinfo/histor
yofww.html ]

From this page:
[
http://www.otal.umd.edu/~vg/pwf98/pw27/final.html
]
"Judith Tenney, a Weight Watchers member since
1965, remembers that the original program
required members to eat a minimum of 12 ounces of
protein each day, but limited complex
carbohydrates and discouraged exercise fearing
that exercise would create stronger appetites."


Anticipating that you might want the actual 
details of the original plan, I emailled
the media relations department of W.W. If you
do indeed want this info, please just request a 
clarification before accepting the answer.



-search technique-
original plan Jean Nidetch
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-885
9-1&q=original+plan+Jean+Nidetch+&btnG=Google+Sea
rch

"Weight watchers" history
[ ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22Weight+watchers%22+history
]



-AI

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Request for Answer Clarification by brenda515-ga on 08 Aug 2002 09:16 PDT

I am looking for the details of the actual first Weight Watchers Food
Program/Plan. I mean what was eaten at each meal, how much, and what
foods were allowed and not allowed. Thanks.

---

Clarification of Answer by alienintelligence-ga on 12 Aug 2002 16:19 PDT

Hi brenda515...

This is an excerpt of the e-mail
I received today, in reply to my
inquiry about the original plan:

"We appreciate your interest in Weight Watchers.  We do not provide
information on previous Weight Watchers programs. Weight Watchers does
not keep old program materials on file.  The materials that are
available support the most current and updated program."

Sorry, I cannot make them do it.

I might be able to find information from
the City of New York Department of Health 
considering it's a government facility. 

-AI

I am interested ONLY in the actual details of the original Weight
Watchers food plan. I want to know what was eaten for each meal, how
much, and the allowed foods. Thank you.