WeightWatchers files bankruptcy

[Ali Gator]

WeightWatchers, the decades-old program touted for years by Chicago talk-show icon and entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to eliminate $1.15 billion in debt and focus on its transition into a telehealth services provider that helps users get prescriptions for drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity.

In an announcement Tuesday, parent WW International Inc. said it has the support of nearly three-quarters of its debt holders. It expects to emerge from bankruptcy within 45 days, if not sooner.

The well-known diet program says it will remain "fully operational" during the reorganization process, with no impact to members or plans.

"For more than 62 years, WeightWatchers has empowered millions of members to make informed, healthy choices, staying resilient as trends have come and gone,” Tara Comonte, WeightWatchers CEO said in the announcement. Comonte went on to say the filing would give the program the opportunity to "innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape."

"As the conversation around weight shifts toward long-term health, our commitment to delivering the most trusted, science-backed, and holistic solutions—grounded in community support and lasting results—has never been stronger, or more important."

"The decisive actions we’re taking today, with the overwhelming support of our lenders and noteholders, will give us the flexibility to accelerate innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape. As the conversation around weight shifts toward long-term health, our commitment to delivering the most trusted, science-backed, and holistic solutions—grounded in community support and lasting results—has never been stronger, or more important."

Popular diet program WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy. How will it impact members?

WWW.NBCCHICAGO.COM

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The well-known and popular diet company, which assigns point values to foods, was founded more than 60 years ago.

 

[+ ApexNomad]

What a loss. 👀

[Ali Gator]

I have a confession to make - 19 years ago, when I was in my early 40s, I joined WW on the rec of my PCP. He wanted me to lose 30 pounds,  and highly recommended them as they were the only program endorsed by the American Heart Association (and I think that still holds true). So, Memorial Day weekend I joined up with a friend of mine (she needed to lose about 20 pounds, and dropped out of WW within weeks). I stuck with it - admittedly, the first few weeks were tough, but I stayed with it. And I took up Yoga and walking every night. At some point, it became 'easy' - knowing what to choose to eat, and writing it down in the 'point journal' each week. I went to weekly meetings, but never stood up to get the 'awards' for losing weight (Keychains, pins, etc.) - I didn't believe in that. But I liked the encouragement I got every week at the meeting space (which closed during the pandemic). The 'coaches' were very nice, and helpful.

I slowly - but steadily - saw the weight come off, both at my weigh-in and in the mirror. By Columbus Day, I dropped 45 pounds - I was my high school weight.  At the time, I had my store, and many customers noticed by mid-summer that I had lost weight. I remember one of the coaches at WW pulled me aside (she knew I owned a store and dealt with the public every day) and suggested when people commented on my weight loss, I should let them know upfront that it's 'intentional' and I was on WW. Otherwise, they may start a rumor that I was 'ill'. I'll never forget that.

By Columbus Day, I lost 46 pounds and I was satisfied - so was the coach at WW and so was my PCP. He couldn't believe the transformation when he saw me for my 6 month followup.  Slowly, though, within a couple of years, I did gain most of it back - then gradually all of it back and a little more. Then I added the 'COVID 19' and have yet to shed the 19 over five years. 

I've attempted to rejoin WW over the past 10 years and just couldn't get into it - it became confusing with 'zero points' plan. I truly feel the phone app and Oprah ruined it and I just couldn't adapt (I heard the same from others who had success 20 years ago).  This past weekend, I found a shoe box with all my WW journals / points from 2006. I set it aside, and felt relieved - I am going to attempt to go back on it 'the old way' and copy everything I did back then. 

[Rudynate]

2 hours ago, Ali Gator said:

I have a confession to make - 19 years ago, when I was in my early 40s, I joined WW on the rec of my PCP. He wanted me to lose 30 pounds,  and highly recommended them as they were the only program endorsed by the American Heart Association (and I think that still holds true). So, Memorial Day weekend I joined up with a friend of mine (she needed to lose about 20 pounds, and dropped out of WW within weeks). I stuck with it - admittedly, the first few weeks were tough, but I stayed with it. And I took up Yoga and walking every night. At some point, it became 'easy' - knowing what to choose to eat, and writing it down in the 'point journal' each week. I went to weekly meetings, but never stood up to get the 'awards' for losing weight (Keychains, pins, etc.) - I didn't believe in that. But I liked the encouragement I got every week at the meeting space (which closed during the pandemic). The 'coaches' were very nice, and helpful.

I slowly - but steadily - saw the weight come off, both at my weigh-in and in the mirror. By Columbus Day, I dropped 45 pounds - I was my high school weight.  At the time, I had my store, and many customers noticed by mid-summer that I had lost weight. I remember one of the coaches at WW pulled me aside (she knew I owned a store and dealt with the public every day) and suggested when people commented on my weight loss, I should let them know upfront that it's 'intentional' and I was on WW. Otherwise, they may start a rumor that I was 'ill'. I'll never forget that.

By Columbus Day, I lost 46 pounds and I was satisfied - so was the coach at WW and so was my PCP. He couldn't believe the transformation when he saw me for my 6 month followup.  Slowly, though, within a couple of years, I did gain most of it back - then gradually all of it back and a little more. Then I added the 'COVID 19' and have yet to shed the 19 over five years. 

I've attempted to rejoin WW over the past 10 years and just couldn't get into it - it became confusing with 'zero points' plan. I truly feel the phone app and Oprah ruined it and I just couldn't adapt (I heard the same from others who had success 20 years ago).  This past weekend, I found a shoe box with all my WW journals / points from 2006. I set it aside, and felt relieved - I am going to attempt to go back on it 'the old way' and copy everything I did back then. 

Sometime in the 80's I had about 30# to take off, so I joined WW. Initially, I felt a little silly because it was mostly women, but I got used to it and started looking forward to the weekly meetings.  I did buy a WW cookbook to give myself plenty of variety, but I didn't use any of the prepared foods.  I found the whole thing very easy. Truthfully, it wasn't a lot of  food and I often felt hungry, but I lost the weight rapidly - sometimes several pounds in a week.  When I reached my goal weight, I continued meetings for the prescribed amount of time.  It couldn't have worked better.  I had a serious health crisis in 2003 and gained some weight from being inactive.  I went back to WW and peeled the gain off in a matter of weeks.     I have nothing but good things to say about  WW. It doesn't work as well as it did for me with a lot of people.  My sister and her partner are huge and have tried WW over and over and are still huge.   I visited them a few years ago -my sister served fruit salad topped with whipped cream for dessert and I thought, "Well, no wonder it isn't working for you."

[Ali Gator]

Thanks for sharing your story, too. Some things I want to comment on:

1. At my meetings, I'd say it was about 80% women ("lifetimers") and 20% men. I have to admit - the men seemed to shed the most weight the quickest. 

2. Like you, I found it overall easy. When I tried to rejoin a few years ago, when Oprah took over, I didn't find it easy or consumer-friendly at all. Her 'zero points' plan (just about everything had zero points all of a sudden) her weight 'color plan', and the reliance on technology (scanning barcodes with your phone, 'zoom meetings' replacing in-person meetings, etc. just didn't cut it for me. It didn't hold my interest. I needed to 'write everything down' in front of me, and have one-on-one interactions (they never reopened the meeting spaces near me). The old saying - 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' - applies here (for me).

3. The story of your sister brings back memories. As you know, and for those who may not, nothing is forbidden with WW. Nothing. You can eat whatever you want BUT you have to count everything you put in your mouth. If you're allowed '30' points a day, and a croissant is 24 points, you can have that croissant in the morning for breakfast - just make sure you mark it off your daily points. And when you realize you only have 6 points left for the next 24 hours, you will be choosing more wisely.

That said, it used to make me laugh out loud at the meetings when the over-weight women ('lifetime members, because after a decade they still couldn't reach their goal weight) would come into the Wednesday morning meeting and eat a Dunkin' Donut bagel sandwich with a Dunkin' frappe and complain 'they can't lose a pound'.  No shit ? But that said, WW was there to make money - and they were making a ton of money off these women. Renewing their memberships every month, selling them every WW product they stocked in the store space, etc. These women were paying the bills to keep the space running (including the salaries of the 'coaches'), and WW were truly happy to see these women show up with their DD breakfast each week. They weren't going anywhere.  The members who they were losing money on were members like me - who took it seriously, and determined to make it work. We went in, lost our weight, and that was it. Sure it was their goal to help us lose weight, but it didn't pay the bills. 

[Rudynate]

1 hour ago, Ali Gator said:

Thanks for sharing your story, too. Some things I want to comment on:

1. At my meetings, I'd say it was about 80% women ("lifetimers") and 20% men. I have to admit - the men seemed to shed the most weight the quickest. 

2. Like you, I found it overall easy. When I tried to rejoin a few years ago, when Oprah took over, I didn't find it easy or consumer-friendly at all. Her 'zero points' plan (just about everything had zero points all of a sudden) her weight 'color plan', and the reliance on technology (scanning barcodes with your phone, 'zoom meetings' replacing in-person meetings, etc. just didn't cut it for me. It didn't hold my interest. I needed to 'write everything down' in front of me, and have one-on-one interactions (they never reopened the meeting spaces near me). The old saying - 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' - applies here (for me).

3. The story of your sister brings back memories. As you know, and for those who may not, nothing is forbidden with WW. Nothing. You can eat whatever you want BUT you have to count everything you put in your mouth. If you're allowed '30' points a day, and a croissant is 24 points, you can have that croissant in the morning for breakfast - just make sure you mark it off your daily points. And when you realize you only have 6 points left for the next 24 hours, you will be choosing more wisely.

That said, it used to make me laugh out loud at the meetings when the over-weight women ('lifetime members, because after a decade they still couldn't reach their goal weight) would come into the Wednesday morning meeting and eat a Dunkin' Donut bagel sandwich with a Dunkin' frappe and complain 'they can't lose a pound'.  No shit ? But that said, WW was there to make money - and they were making a ton of money off these women. Renewing their memberships every month, selling them every WW product they stocked in the store space, etc. These women were paying the bills to keep the space running (including the salaries of the 'coaches'), and WW were truly happy to see these women show up with their DD breakfast each week. They weren't going anywhere.  The members who they were losing money on were members like me - who took it seriously, and determined to make it work. We went in, lost our weight, and that was it. Sure it was their goal to help us lose weight, but it didn't pay the bills. 

Yep - that points system, after you got used to it, allowed you to go anywhere and eat anything and still lose weight - it was a forerunner of macros.  After a couple weeks my points were burned into my brain and I realized that there was no end to the ways you could distribute your points through the day. 

[Ali Gator]

12 hours ago, Rudynate said:

Yep - that points system, after you got used to it, allowed you to go anywhere and eat anything and still lose weight - it was a forerunner of macros.  After a couple weeks my points were burned into my brain and I realized that there was no end to the ways you could distribute your points through the day. 

Same with me !!!!!  I used to tell others how easy it was to follow WW. I really need to get my ass in gear and get back into the swing of things and copy what I ate each day 20 years ago. If it worked then, it could work today.

[soloyo215]

On 5/8/2025 at 8:12 AM, Ali Gator said:

I truly feel the phone app and Oprah ruined it and I just couldn't adapt (I heard the same from others who had success 20 years ago).  This past weekend, I found a shoe box with all my WW journals / points from 2006. I set it aside, and felt relieved - I am going to attempt to go back on it 'the old way' and copy everything I did back then. 

I agree with this. Also, anything that requires effort an long term planning has become quite unpopular. People prefer pills, injections and anything that gives them instant gratification and no responsibility. The way society in general thinks and is conditioned to make decisions have changed too. Things like learning to make better decisions, measure foods and not succumb to social pressures are also less important to people.

[marylander1940]

Why making the effort of counting calories, exercising and eating healthy when you can just take an injection/pill?

Sad but "logical" thinking for many Americans!

[Ali Gator]

Something tells me all those diet / healthy / calorie conscious frozen foods (like 'Lean Cusine') will be next filing for bankruptcy. I predict a huge decrease in sales now that everyone just needs 'the injection'.  

[+ purplekow]

How many patients did I hear say:  "I would do anything to lose weight."  It became clear that they would do anything, except diet and exercise.  Fen Phen, remember that? Gastric bypass.  Gastric sleeve.  Tapeworm therapy.  Every conceivable medication out there and now Ozempic and other medications which require ongoing injections and ultimately end in a plateau in the weight loss for many, without ever achieving goal weight.

As a fat man, I have dieted with great success but life and circumstance have led back to regaining the weight.  I am trying to lose again, the old fashioned way, diet and exercise.  But after initial success with daily walks and a more controlled diet, an injury has slowed by progress.  It should be noted, that my diet problems revolve around eating at the wrong time (before bed) and not eating properly during the day (skipping meals, not having breakfast for example).  My basal metabolic rate has been slowed as a result of these bad habits which have been hard for me to change.  Now that I am retired and live a more structured life, I am hoping once my stress fracture heals, I will be walking and exercising and eating properly again and that the long road back to a healthier weight will be easier to find.  

I do not see Ozempic or any other currently available medication in my future.  But as weight loss medications are a gold mine for drug companies I expect that more and "better" medications will be around the corner.