Have you ever wondered what the old Weight Watchers Plan was like in the 1960s?
I picked up a copy of this old Weight Watchers Cookbook (affiliate link) from 1966 and have really enjoyed taking an inside peek at what the old Weight Watchers plan was like back when it began in the early 1960s.
Learn more about Weight Watchers program changes for 2020?
I originally lost weight and became a lifetime member with Weight Watchers back in the early 1990s, when it was an exchanges program. I think it was called Quick Success. I lost about 30 pounds in 8 months and felt incredible.
Why I think The Old Weight Watchers Food Exchanges Program (Quick Success) Was Best
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 1
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 2
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 3
I learned so much about healthy eating and portions with Weight Watchers Quick Success. You couldn't game the system by gorging on a ton of fruit or filling up on lots of junk the way you can with the new Weight Watchers Points Plan. It was much more restrictive and disciplined.
Which got me thinking about why the original 1960s plan might be a better option than points for some folks. The kind of people who do better abstaining from certain things than trying to practice moderation. (You can read more about abstainers and moderators here.)
In addition to lots of recipes, the book includes an introduction by Weight Watchers founder, Jean Nidetch, along with the plan's "Rules" and "Sample Menus." It has all the information you need to follow the original 1960s Weight Watchers Plan.
If you have not been successful with Weight Watchers Points Plus or newer programs, this may be the solution for you! Here's a link to a great food tracker if you want to give it a try. I've tried to provide a synopsis of everything you would need to get started.
In the book's introduction, Nidetch describes her years of struggle to lose weight. Anybody who has ever been overweight and worked to lose it, will relate to her story. As someone who was overweight by the time I was in 4th grade and "matronly" looking by the time I was in my late 20s, I certainly did.
The original Weight Watchers Program was based on a diet developed by the New York City Department of Health's Bureau of Nutrition that Nidetch followed after registering with one of its obesity clinics. When friends wanted the details of how she had lost weight, she began to meet with them at her house, where she shared what she knew and they talked over their common problems related to overeating.
When the little group got too big to meet at her house, she rented a basement, and then a large meeting hall in 1963, and the rest, as they say, is history 🙂
The Underlying Concepts of the Old 1960s Weight Watchers Plan
1. Overeating is a habit.
And like any habit, it can be conquered, if you have the will and drive to get started.
2. Proceed with your weight loss one meal at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time.
Taking one step at a time, strengthening yourself slowly, you can not fail.
3. Learn to delay gratification.
The next time you begin to bite into a candy bar, order a fattening dessert from a restaurant menu, walk into the bakery for a Danish pastry, stop and ask yourself: "Would I rather have this or a slim young figure?"
4. No crash dieting.
Because you must learn new habits of eating, it is useless for you to go on a "crash" or "fad" diet or to take diet pills or appetite depressants of any kind. "Why learn to use a crutch when you can learn how to walk properly?"
5. Control your environment.
Don't surround yourself with temptation by buying cookies and candies. Even a four-year-old can understand, if told, that mommy needs help because she wants to become his "beautiful mommy." (Learn how to create a healthy environment for weight loss.)
6. Learn to laugh.
We are constantly playing games with ourselves and in serious denial about why we are heavy and/or not losing weight. The book is peppered with illustrations depicting some of the favorite rationalizations heard through the years, which are timeless.
7. No alcohol. No skipping meals. No counting calories.
8. No excuses.
You can stick to the program and successfully lose weight no matter what your home, social, business, or school life may be.
9. Stick to the plan and the plan will work.
10. Maintenance is important.
Once you lose the weight, follow the maintenance plan so you learn to keep the weight off.
11. To be successful on the program, will require your desperation, your sincerity and your cooperation and your patience!!
Rule and Menus of the Old 1960s Weight Watchers Plan
1. Eat only the foods listed in your menu plan, in the quantities specified and at the meals specified. Weigh your portions until you can judge them accurately.
2. Eggs. Limit them to 4-7 per week. They may be taken only at breakfast or lunch; not at dinner.
3. Cheese. Only hard cheese or pot, cottage or farmer cheese is allowed and only at breakfast or lunch.
4. Fish. You must eat a minimum of 5 group A fish meals each week for lunches or dinners.
Group A fish:
abalone, bass, bluefish, bonito, butterfish, carp (fresh), calms, crab, croaker, cod, finnan haddie, flounder, fluke, haddock, hake, halibut, lobster, mullet, mussels, oysters, pike, porgy, salmon (canned), scallops, shad roe, shrimp, sole, sturgeon (fresh), swordfish, trout (brook), trout (lake), tuna fish (fresh or canned), weakfish, whiting
5. Meat and poultry. Provided you use the specified number of fish meals, some of your lunches and dinners may be selected from Group A meats and poultry or Group B fish. Select a maximum of 5 weekly meat meals (luncheons or dinners only from Group A and a maximum of 3 weekly meat meals (luncheons or dinners) Group B.
Group A meat and poultry:
white meat of chicken (skin removed), white meat of turkey (skin removed), pheasant, organ meats (liver, lungs, brains, kidneys, heart, sweetbreads)
Group B meat and poultry:
beef, frankfurters, lamb, dark meat of turkey
Group B fish:
mackerel, pompano, salmon (fresh), shad, white fish
6. Limited vegetables. Must eat one a day, at dinner only, 1 portion only. Vary your selection from day to day. One serving is 4 ounces, or ½ cup or 1 medium sized.
Limited vegetables:
artichokes, bamboo shoots, beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, eggplant, green beans, okra, onions, parsnips, peas, pumpkin, scallions, squash (yellow), tomato, tomato juice, turnips
7. Unlimited vegetables may be taken at any time. These include most of your non-starchy vegetables.
Unlimited vegetables:
asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, endive, escarole, bell pepper, kohlrabi, lettuce, mung bean sprouts, mushrooms, mustard greens, parsley, pickles, pimentos, radishes, rhubarb, sauerkraut, spinach, squash (green), string beans (french style), watercress
8. Condiments and seasonings such as bouillon, herbs, and spices, salt, pepper, and paprika, vinegar and wine vinegar, tea, coffee, horseradish, soy sauce, lemons, limes, etc, are unlimited.
9. Fruit. Three to five servings a day, depending on age and gender. One daily fruit must be either orange or grapefruit.
Permitted fruits:
1 apple
½ cantaloupe
½ grapefruit
2-inch wedge of honeydew
1 orange
¼ medium-sized pineapple
1 cup of strawberries
½ cup raspberries or blueberries
1 peach or nectarine
2 apricots
1 plum
Forbidden fruits:
Bananas
Cherries
Watermelon
Grapes
Dried Fruits
10. Milk. Powdered skim milk, buttermilk, or evaporated skim milk must be included in your daily program, according to the amount specified for your age/gender.
11. Bread. Eat enriched or whole grain packaged bread according to the amount allowed for your age/gender. No rolls, bagels, biscuits, muffins, crackers, cereals or special breads.
12. Do not eat or drink the following except for legal recipes given in this book:
- alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, whiskey
- avocado
- bacon or back fat
- bagels
- biscuits
- cake
- candy
- cereals
- coconut
- cookies
- crackers
- cream cheese
- doughnuts
- fried foods
- gefilte fish
- gravy
- honey
- ice cream
- ices
- jam
- jello
- jelly
- ketchup
- mayonnaise
- muffins
- nuts
- oil
- olives
- pancakes
- peanut butter
- pies
- popcorn
- potato chips
- pretzels
- puddings
- rolls
- salad dressings (except for those given in this book)
- smoked meat or fish
- soda, ginger ale, cola drinks
- sugar and syrups
- waffles
- yogurt
Old Weight Watchers Menu Plan for Women (Circa 1960s)
Breakfast: 1 egg or 1 ounce hard cheese or 2 ounces fish or ¼ cup cottage or pot cheese; 1 slice enriched bread
Lunch: 4 ounces fish (canned or fresh) or lean meat or poultry or ⅔ cup (6 ounces) cottage cheese or pot cheese or 4 ounces farmer cheese or 2 ounces hard cheese or 2 eggs; All the unlimited vegetables you want; 1 slice enriched bread
Dinner: 6 ounces cooked lean meat or fish or poultry; 1 portion limited vegetables; All of the unlimited vegetables you want
Must Be Taken At Some Time During the Day: A total of 3 fruits (one of them orange or grapefruit); 2 cups skim milk or buttermilk or 1 cup skimmed evaporated milk
May Be Taken At Any Time of the Day: Any unlimited foods, beverages, etc.
1960s Weight Watchers Plan Menu Suggestions
Sample Breakfasts:
- Half Cantaloupe, Eggs, Sunny-Side Up on Toast
- Pineapple Quarter, Two Ounces Tuna Fish on Toast
- Cottage Cheese (2 ounces), Fresh Grapefruit Sections, Lettuce Bed, Toast
- Fresh Fruit Cup (½ cup), Scrambled Egg WW, Toast
- Broiled Half Grapefruit, Salmon (2 ounces), Toast
- Fresh Juice of One Orange, Melted Cheese (1 ounce) on Toast
- Half Grapefruit, WW French Toast
Sample Lunches:
- Bean-Sprout Soup, Shrimp (4 ounces), Toast
- Tuna Fish, Mixed Lettuce w/ Radishes, Celery and String Beans, WW Dressing, Toast
- Tomato Juice, Broiled Salmon (4 ounces), WW Cucumber Sauce, Lettuce, Toast
- Fresh Fruit Salad, Cottage Cheese (3 ounces), Toast
- Broiled Hamburger, One Slice Toast, Relish
- Melted Open Cheese Sandwich on 1 Slice Toast, Fruit
- Two Eggs on Toast, Fruit
Sample Dinners:
- WW Swordfish Diablo, Chinese Vegetables, Mushrooms, WW Lemon Gelatin
- Tomato Bouillon, WW Butterfly Shrimp Scampi, Larde Tossed Salad, Eggplant
- Curried Cream of Kale Soup, Broiled Trout, Carrots, Broiled Mushrooms, Stewed Fruit (½ cup)
- WW Braised Beef Roll-Ups, Cucumber Salad, WW Basil Salad Dressing, WW Strawberry Ice
- WW Beef Ragout, Mushrooms as desired, Ginger Melon Mold
- WW Frankfurter Casserole Creole, Cole Slaw
- Escarole Soup, Chicken Cacciatora, Herbed Zucchini, Maple Bavarian Cream
Helpful Hints While Dieting
Many of these concepts have definitely stood the test of time:
1. Do Not Count Calories. 200 calories of cake is never a substitute for a 200-calorie lunch. You can't bargain with the diet.
2. Weight Your Food Carefully. You'll be amazed at how much more will be on your plate when you weigh food rather than guess at it's weight.
3. Carry Your "Before" Picture and a mental image of your ideal figure with you at all times.
4. Weigh Yourself Once A Week Only. Weight can fluctuate daily for various reasons. It is the weekly average weight loss that is important. Be sure to weigh yourself at the same time each week, on the same scale, under the same conditions.
5. Take Advantage of the "Free" Foods allowed in this diet. Never allow yourself to be hungry.
6. Be Aware That You Are Learning New Eating Habits even away from home. It is possible to follow this diet plan in any restaurant anywhere in the world, if you really want to.
7. Do Not Allow sympathetic thin friends or envious fat ones to give you "permission to deviate from your diet plan."
8. Follow The Diet Honestly. The key to successful weight loss and its maintenance is learning discipline and control.
9. Think Before You Eat. When tempted to gobble, just stop and count to ten and look at your "before" picture, remember your reasons for wanting to reduce.
10. Be Patient!
Do you have any favorite memories and or recipes from the old Weight Watchers program to share? Did you have success with the old 1960s Weight Watchers program? I'd love to hear from you!
Source: Weight Watchers Cookbook (1967)
Watch Martha Tell Her Own Weight Watchers Story
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Success Story: Part 1
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Success Story: Part 2
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Success Story: Part 3
Related Articles
- Why I Think the Weight Watchers Food Exchanges Program is Better than Points Plus
- The Weight Watchers 360 Program
- Weight Watchers Celebrates 50 Years
- Weight Watchers Cottage Cheese Danish Recipe
- Vintage Weight Watchers Coffee Fluff Recipe
- Why I Worship the Weight Watchers Founder Jean Nidetch (The New York Times)
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
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srw
My grandmother went to WW off and on through the '70s and paid for me to join when I was in high school. I remember the liver and fish requirements; I didn't care for either. One particular week when I followed the plan to the letter--liver, fish, and all--I actually had a gain. I was inconsolable. I was on WW again when I graduated from college in 1983. I chose a seafood restaurant for my graduation celebration, but then sat there miserable and crying because I didn't feel like fish was a celebratory food. To this day, I still consider fish "punishment food."
I've just started (for the umpteenth time) on the program. I enjoy the choices and latitude for how to "spend" my points. I was thinking about how the program has changed over the years and wondered if I could find the old rules, which is how I ended up here leaving a comment on an old thread. Thanks for the memories!
Martha McKinnon
Hi Sherrilyn, so glad you found the post and shared your memories!! The old plan certainly was rigid in its requirements! So sorry to hear that for you fish is punishment food! I love it, probably because I was never forced to eat it 🙂
Scarlett
My mother was a WW member when I was young and I remember her making something she called blueberry pancakes(it was more like blueberry mush instead of flat pancakes) that I LOVED! I remember canned blueberries, bread, vanilla and whatever else mixed in a blender but I can't remember all of it. Does anyone know of or have the recipe I'm talking about??
Martha McKinnon
Hi Scarlett, I'll keep my eyes out for it!!
EB
I found you! Best plan ever, mid 70's. So easy to follow, regimented, clear-cut, and spelled out. A group of us from school where we taught joined and lost together, comparing lunches each day. What fun!
Are you familiar with a raspberry and oatmeal crumble or a very funky celery bake (boiled celery, egg white, and of course, bullion cube)? Best recipes to come out of the program in those years, I think. Have you seen them?
I remember the pineapple pancakes and dry milk. Never even tried liver, all my fish was canned tuna, which I love to this day.
Thanks for the memories.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks for sharing your memories EB!
Joyce CrawfordI just
I cannot believe that I ran upon these posts.I was throwing out some old papers,and found the old Weight Watcher program that I lost 75 lbs on. It was the Quick Start program.It has been the only program that I had lost weight on,and it stayed off a long period of time. I am so glad I found these books,it is Quick Start 1 and Quick Start 2 booklet, I also still have the original weekly food diary that we had to keep. I intend to go back and start this program. Thank you for the posts.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Joyce! How cool to have found your old Quick Start Booklets!! Thanks for sharing.
Margaret
I joined weight watchers many years ago and lost 2st, the programme was Slim and trim 96, unfortunately i didn't keep the information, and have now regained some of the weight, I would appreciate any help if someone has the programme or remembers the plan.
lynne thomas
Thank you!
I did this diet in high school and lost 10 lbs. I remember eating 5 fruits a day and 4 slices of bread.
I tried points a few years ago (I want to lose 15 lbs) and it didn't work for me. Points is a diet for people who eat frozen and prepared food. It took me forever to enter my recipe for cabbage soup to figure out the points (I could easily add up the calories). I felt hungry and I gained weight!
The problem is that I can't eat bread (gluten free) or fish (reaction to mercury, and other toxins in the oceans) - only wild salmon (in season). Also eating 10 oz of animal flesh a day is extreme. (I realize in the 60s and 70s people ate far larger portions of animal flesh in a meal - i.e. steaks the size of a plate and prime rib so this would have been considered cutting down)
I also notice that the vegetable information is a bit dated - we eat many squashes these days (and the ubiquitous kale). I will have to investigate calories and appropriate substitutions.
Lise Noury
When I think of my first Weight Watcher's diet.... I wouldn't have been allowed in a meeting I think, I was 4. I was pretty much born 'chubby'. My mom was under a lot of pressure socially and also from her pediatrician to get this under control before my teens hit. It never really happened, Weight Watchers was officially in business the year I was born 1963 (little discouraging) and I bare the french name Noury, although not the verb it still is pronounce like nourit the verb "to eat"...nice, thanks fate. 49 years later and many many many diets later, I still am struggling with my weight and now diabetes. I am trying to calm down and review the old diet as I feel there's too much thinking about health, food, treats replacing etc etc... curiously I don't suffer from binge eating or hunger I have a normal to low appetite I just have a frustratingly slow metabolism that I have to rev up with exercise and I am not a born organised person so my schedule is an issue. Working full time having a 16 year old (the last of 4 children) who is involved in Cadets, after school programs etc etc my running around is not the cardio kind and I have to learn to organize better, let my son take the bus (which he is perfectly willing to do so why I run to pick him up is anyone's guess) I have announced to my boss and HR at work that I will need an extra 15 mins for lunch to use the on site gym and clean up... total support there. So, with that and a simplified WW plan I am going to take this one day at a time, stop punishing myself and only strive for health. Wish me luck and send me positive vibes!!
Lise
Martha McKinnon
Hi Lise, Thanks for sharing. Please know that we are here for you cheering you on. One of the most important keys for lasting success is to move yourself up in your priority list. Warmly, Martha
Bob Hanan
I remember my aunt on WW and she used to make a snack out of roasted mushrooms instead of eating nuts I guess. Not sure if this was a WW thing or not. However it was a low calorie snack that I would like to incorporate in my present diet. Does anyone remember this roasted mushroom snack that you ate like peanuts? And if so do you remember the receipt ?
Pam
Help me please. I do not have the time or energy to join ww, go to meetings, but I needneed to lose weight. What would be the name of the ww boobook(s) that show what points different foods have, so I can look on amazon or book store to purchase them. Not looking for the newest smartpoints am looking for the like 2010 one I believe. Please help.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Pam, The PointsPlus version of WW Books listing food with their associated PointsPlus were called "Shop" and "Eat Out." Both are available on Amazon. Hope this helps. - Martha
David W.
Dear Martha:
In 1975, I began going to Weight Watchers with my dad. Dad weighed about 265 at the time and I weighed about 195. I remember that my mother carefully weighed out our allowed portions and we learned to eat healthy meals that helped us lose the weight. I went down to 145, which I kept off until well after I joined the Air Force in 1980. Dad went from 265 to 185 and he kept his off for a few years before re-gaining it back. Now in my case, as I approached my maximum weight limit for the Air Force, I simply began asking the ladies in the dining hall to properly weigh my portions for me and, since a few of them were also WW members, they were more than happy to do so. In so doing, I kept my weight in a healthy range between 150-160.
Fast forward 33 years from the time of my discharge from Active duty. My weight has fluctuated several times during this time period and I am currently heavier than I have ever been at 325 lbs. So I availed myself of a copy of Ms. Nidetch's book and a scale, and after Easter tomorrow, I will be going back on the original plan. At this phase of my life, if I see 190 again, I'll consider it a victory.
Thanks for posting this information and for the encouraging words you give. I hope many men and women can benefit from your posts.
Juju
Trying to find an old we recipe for taco soup. Probably 70s or 80s. Thanks!
Juju
I hate auto correct. ww recipe!
Leslie
I started with WW in 1970. I almost got to goal but life was messy and I fell off the wagon. I've started up several times since but my problem was it seemed that I was always handling and thinking about food. Didn't work too well for me like the original program did. I recently started another plan and hated the food but I stuck with it for 4 weeks and decided if I could do that, I could return to the original WW plan and at least enjoy eating real food and get that last 20 lbs. off.
I'm looking for a recipe. I kept all my old recipes but lost one in a move - Marinara sauce using tomato juice you cooked down and green peppers and other things I really can't remember. You served it over french style green beans instead of spaghetti and it was really yummy. Anyone have the recipe?
Russ B
Does anyone have a copy of the checklist that was used in the older plan. It provided check boxes for each allowance per meal per day. It was the best program. I think I used it around 1986
Russ Bellemare
Does anyone have the old checklist sheets that were used in the older program. I think it was around 1986.
sandra
I lost all my weight thru old weight diet I stayed at goal weight till my divorce. but many times I still use the recipes now. I love cottage cheese on toast with cinnamon I think it is called Danish in book. I am diebetic now so I look at book for low carb recipes alot
Anna Keeler
I remember that very well , I ate that a lot when I was on the Weight Watchers plan in the 1970's , It was very good ... thanks for the memories
Wilma Shaw
The old plan
DeAnna
I have a copy of this plan from my mother. It is in bad shape and is missing a few pages. I used it in the late 80's to lose weight for my upcoming wedding. I started the year before and in the first 3 months or so I lost over 50 lbs. I want to know if anyone knows where I can find the receipt page. I remember there was a receipt for ketchup. I'm trying to motivate myself to start it again.
Tracy Raz
I love that I found this site! I started WW in Nov., 1975 when I was 17 years old and a senior in high school. By the time I graduated I had lost 72.5 pounds and I kept that off for a good 20 years. I still have that cookbook and agree that the discipline of the diet was key for me. As a teen I got to have 2 cups of skim milk per day, so I'd take a half cup of milk and mix it with a flavored soda for an egg cream type snack. There were only a few WW products back then. They came out with a butter spread during that year and also an ice cream dessert (that tasted nothing like ice cream). The box was marked with lines and you'd cut off a chunk of the ice cream for portion control. My mom made my lunch for me to take to school and EVERY DAY I had one piece of bread, a piece of fruit and a container with 2/3 cup of cottage cheese in it and a can of Tab or Fresca. I still can't stomach cottage cheese all these years later!
Gloria
Does anyone have a copy of the old 70’s books they are not going to use. I would love to purchase them.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Gloria, I would try Amazon or EBay!
Katie Jaques
I was a Weight Watcher as far back as the mid-1970s. One WW recipe that I remember fondly was WW mayonnaise, a concoction that made (I thought) a good substitute for mayo or Miracle Whip as a sandwich spread or for tuna or chicken salad. The ingredients were buttermilk, plain gelatin, vinegar, sweetener, dried minced onion. It had to sit in the fridge overnight to set. I was a college student in 1974-75 and used it to make my brown bag tuna salad sandwiches. Don't need to lose weight now but I sure would like to find that recipe.