Weight Watchers has been around for quite some time. In fact, it’s the longest-lived diet plan available. After years of working with people who are struggling with their weight, Weight Watchers has worked and adapted their plans to form two paths to weight loss.

The Flex Plan is a version of their old point system. It is designed to assist those who lead busy lives and need to be flexible. If counting points isn’t something you’re into, then the Core Plan might be the one for you. This plan is based foods that are both satisfying and healthy. They allow you to enjoy these foods without worrying about how many points they are worth.

The Flex Plan is a diet plan that includes any food you want, but specific points are assigned to each type of food. You can choose to splurge and blow points on a certain type of food if you want, but you’re going to need to eat lower point foods later. Points are assigned to foods based on your weight. As you lose weight, your point number will drop to allow you to continue losing weight.

The Core Plan is a diet plan that does not use point counting. Instead, calories are controlled by limiting the choices of foods available. This helps to limit overeating, but keeps your food energy dense. This plan is more limiting to the Flex Plan, but it is cut and dry on what foods are and are not included in the diet plan. For instance, you can eat one of four brands of cereal with milk or yogurt. You’re not allowed to eat it dry because you’re at a greater chance to overeat when you snack on dry cereal. This is the same reason that nuts and seeds are not included in this diet plan, even though they have proven health benefits.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to the Weight Watchers diet plans. One of the benefits of the Core Plan is that it focuses on new eating habits. It also eliminates those foods that contribute to overeating and you don’t have to count or measure foods with this plan. However, the Flex Plan is beneficial because it does not eliminate any foods from your diet. What the Flex diet plan does is to teach you how to budget your temptations. Weekly meetings with Weight Watchers provide the moral support and motivation that many people need to stick with diet plans.

The disadvantage of Weight Watchers is that it can be difficult to manage Flex Points and failing to do so can easily sabotage your weight loss. These plans may also be too sudden for some people as well.

Weight Watchers is now available online as well as through local community groups. The program has come a long way with their diet plans in an effort to suit both types of lifestyles that many people lead.