Weight Watchers is a Great Choice for Diabetics

by Kristyne McDaniel

Weight Watchers has been around for a very long time. They're considered by many to be the gold standard in diet programs. However, they don't have a program specifically targeted for diabetics. Instead, individuals with diabetes must do that adaptation on their own.

The official line from Weight Watchers on their site is that the program is designed to meet nutritional needs for healthy people. They don't prescribe food plans to meet the needs of medical conditions because they are not a medical organization.

The suggested approach is that you sign up for Weight Watchers, then take the plan to your physician or dietician for review and to make any adjustments that are necessary to make the program work for you. It is a great plan, but I do wish that the programs were tailored better for diabetics. Still, the system is a great one and since diabetics are supposed to follow the diabetic meal plan and know how to judge what items belong on their plan and which items do not, it does make a certain amount of sense for Weight Watchers to take the approach that they do.

I would greatly prefer more assistance, but lets face it. We all have to read labels to find that hidden sugar anyway. The special needs of diabetics have always made it difficult to lose weight, and this is no exception. While we all know that some diabetics have an extreme challenge balancing insulin and other medications to treat their diabetes, we also know that there are some basic guidelines developed over the years by professionals in creating diabetic meal plans.

The two big options available through Weight Watchers can each be used with a reasonable amount of success. Learn the plan, read the labels, and ensure that the course you follow fits both with your diabetic meal plan and with the Weight Watchers program. Diabetic exchanges do exist on the Weight Watchers labels, as well as the sugar content of individual items. Focus on fresh vegetables and fruit, and stay away from any items that have too many carbs and the plan is completely workable.

The Weight Watchers organization pays a whole team of researchers and dieticians to create the plan in the first place and keep it up to date. One approach that I heartily recommend (if you can afford it!) is that you go through a great support program like the one created by Chef's Diet. They do the work for you and deliver your food. I think that's perfect. As an alternative, sign up for the online program.