DWLZ Stance on the "Wendie Plan"

Since there have been a number of questions directed towards me about the Wendie plan, I felt that it is important to let all visitors to Dotti's Weight Loss Zone know what my view is of the plan. The "Wendie Plan" in a nutshell, is a variation on the Weight Watcher's plan, where an individual will stay within his points for 6 days of every week, and then go 10 points over the high end of the points range for one day in the week. The over point day is compensated for by going low on other days, and the final, weekly total is 10 points below the maximum point level for the range.

The Weight Watchers system does allow for "banking points" -- that is to store up extra points by eating less points on one or more other days -- in order to be able to safely eat over your maximum number on one day, by keeping the total points, over the days covered, within the allowable range. The point of doing that is to allow WW members the option of going out to a restaurant, or to go to some other event where eating in range might be difficult. In a way, it is sort of like a fire extinguisher, to keep a small fire from getting out of hand. By banking points, you can have a splurge and still stay OP.

The reason that the "Wendie Plan" was initially allowed to remain on the DWLZ message board was because: 1) it is barely inside the rules of the Weight Watcher's system; and 2) those who were having trouble getting results with their own application of the WW system sometimes would like to try something a bit different. I fully understand that sort of frustration; because I experienced it myself the last time I attempted Weight Watchers. I lost 50 pounds and then hit a plateau, struggled for months and ultimately put all my weight back on. I have gone on diets too many times to count, and experienced plateaus and failure. For someone who feels like they are going under, or losing their hope, trying something different just might shake it loose for his journey.

Having said that, I must go on to say that DWLZ does not endorse the Wendie Plan for the following reasons:

1. It is possible to shake up your points without intentionally going out of range ON A REGULAR PLANNED BASIS. If your range is 26 to 31, you can eat 26 one day and 31 the next. You can eat a different number of points six days in a row within your range, without duplicating the exact point count of any other day in the series. You can shake up the type of food you are eating as well. Your eating schedule, or the time of day when you eat the most points, all can be juggled around without going out of range.

2. I feel that it is a dangerous practice to train yourself to go 10 points out of range EVERY WEEK, on purpose. Instead of training your body that your normal eating range is what it should always expect, you would be training it to anticipate that one over-point-day. It is an unnecessary temptation to put before yourself. If you go over one day, it will be easier to go over the next. It is path that momentarily, each week, heads you in the wrong direction. Of course you may recover each and every week, and return to your point range, but then again you may not. If you always try to stay within your point range, you will be more likely to remain there.

3. When you have an over-point-day, it is far more likely that you will indulge in eating foods that other wise would be considered “red-light” foods that you would avoid for a time, and ultimately lose the taste for. By cultivating such tastes, I feel that your journey may be made more difficult, and the odds will be increased that you will fail in the long term.

4. My greatest fear is that new people to Weight Watchers will find themselves experimenting with a plan on the outer edges of Weight Watchers before they have mastered the all important basics of the WW system, and given it a chance. Many people have made the WW system work with great success. It is a sound plan, and I endorse it wholeheartedly. For the benefit of the new people, I would like to say that there are a number of regular posters on this message board who have lost close to 100 pounds or more (some much more) by using the WW system. It is how I lost my own weight. It is a proven system. The Wendie Plan has not yet shown that kind of success. It has been useful to some as a fine-tuning tool, to remove a small number of stubborn pounds.

5. Judging from my own personal experience, the problem that I had when I was not losing weight, was not that I was completely on program, and doing all the right things and still not losing weight. Looking back at it, I can see that when I ran into a brick wall, there was a reason for it. Some WW members who are not losing, may have a slower metabolism and need to eat in the lower portion of their points range, or they need to start walking more. Others may not be writing their point intake down correctly. (Or not at all.) Others still may be eating something that is much higher in points than what they think it is, and their journal looks great but it is wrong. If your metabolism is in the normal range, and you eat within your points range, you should lose weight. If you do not, one of the assumptions is wrong. Either your metabolism is not within the normal range, which is a job for your doctor to give advice on, or you are not eating within your point range, which will not be altered by trying a different plan. (Unless, of course for some reason you start counting things more correctly under the new plan.)

I have always been uncomfortable about the Wendie plan, for the reasons listed above, but there are several people who swear by it. As a compromise, I initially allowed it to remain on the Scenic Route Topic, for those who were having trouble making the WW system perform up to their expectations. I wanted everyone to be successful! If the Wendie Plan works for you, that is just great with me. However, I want everyone to know who comes to Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone, that they are playing with much higher odds in their favor, if they give the WW system as written a good effort first. I know it works, and so do many others on this board!

Ultimately, the decision had to be made that we would go beyond not endorsing this plan, but made the decision that it would not be a topic of discussion for this board. As a result, any posts making mention of the "Wendie Plan" will be immediately removed as soon as it is seen by either myself or one of the other administrators or moderators. If you want more information as to why I made this decision, you can view my full explanation here:

Removal of the "Wendie Plan" from DWLZ

Dotti

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