WEIGHT watchers has been helping people achieve their weight loss goals for more than 40 years.

From very humble beginnings it has grown into a huge organisation - capturing the imaginations of millions worldwide.

There are meetings all over Bolton and the Weight Watchers way of losing excess pounds continues to be hugely successful.

It is 10 years now since Weight Watchers launched its ground-breaking points system.

Since points values were introduced members have shed a staggering 122,500,000 stone - and still counting.

Points values became part of the Weight Watchers programme back in the mid 1990s as a direct result of listening to its members.

Gone was the complex weighing and measuring of all foods and instead a new modern system made dieting simple, fun and educational.

It is based on the theory that the more saturated fat a food contains the unhealthier it is likely to be.

The number of points values allocated to each food type depends on how many calories and how much saturated fat it contains.

Weight Watchers does not preach fad dieting. There are no banned foods and the beauty of it, enthusiasts profess, is that eating can still be enjoyed - it is simply a case of watching what you eat.

The scheme has helped people nationwide to shed unwanted pounds and not just the general public. Celebrities have embraced the Weight Watchers method of dieting and fans include Colleen McLoughlin, Patsy Kensit, Claire Sweeney and Sheree Murphy.

Bolton has its own Weight Watchers enthusiasts and none more so than Barbara Taylor.

Barbara, aged 54, achieved her own goal 21 years ago after joining Weight Watchers to lose weight and has been a full-time leader for 11 years, encouraging local people to achieve their weight loss goals.

She runs two classes, at Bolton Rugby Club in Halliwell and Dunscar Conservative Club in Dunscar, and her most well-attended class ever saw 124 people asking for advice and help.

One of her members, Rosemary Moss, lost 50 pounds in weight - the equivalent of 50 loaves of Warburton's Weight Watchers bread - in just four months.

Children as young as 10 are allowed to join Weight Watchers - but only with their GP and a parent's say-so.

Barbara is slightly uncomfortable about very young children joining Weight Watchers but acknowledges we should tackle the problem of obesity in our society.

"It does worry me that our children could become the next generation of Weight Watchers.

"Hopefully, though, if our members use the knowledge they gain at our meetings to prepare meals for their families, not just for themselves, they can prevent their children having weight problems in the future," said Barbara.

The points system can help dieters achieve great results without ever feeling they are depriving themselves of the food they love.

Every food has a point value and each individual is given a tailor-made goal for each day.

An average number of points to stick to would be around 20. Nothing is ruled out of the system - fish and chips from the chip shop will use up a massive 16 points - crisps from one to 11 points (depending on the brand) but fruit and vegetables carry very few, if any, points.

Weight Watchers food, including Bolton's very own Warburtons bread, helps dieters by giving the points value on the pack.

"It's such a sensible way to diet. It's about eating healthily. Planning your food is key, particularly if you are a grazer, like I am, and enjoy eating between meals," said Barbara.

Barbara, who lives in Smithills, has helped to encourage members in their teens right up to a woman in her late eighties. She gets enthusiastic men joining her classes and husband and wife teams.

"Sometimes the women come to meetings and lose weight and then think it's time their husbands joined them. I have a woman member whose husband is a chef and they both come along," she said.

The men who join Barbara's classes tend to do particularly well. "I always say it's because they have women behind them, helping them," she said.

Barbara's success as a Weight Watchers leader has been recognised by the organisation on two occasions. She is currently a diamond leader, twice over, which is one of the highest accolades available to club organisers.

The success of the Weight Watchers points system was celebrated at Barbara's Dunscar meeting with a glass of champagne - that was just two points each.

  • Weight Watchers was started in the early 1960s by American, Jean Nidetch, who discovered the best way to control her weight was to be able to eat normal food and talk to friends and other people who could understand and support her
  • Weight Watchers International has helped millions of people, worldwide, to lose weight
  • Members are supported and encouraged every step of the way
  • There is continued free support at meetings long after members reach their goal weight - they can still pop in to be weighed, get advice and enjoy a chat with friends
  • The launch of the points system saw a 40 per cent rise in new members
  • Weight Watchers meetings are run by leaders who have lost weight and kept it off
  • For more information on the Halliwell and Dunscar clubs ring Barbara Taylor on Bolton 492461.