What in the world does that mean?

Weight Watchers has come up with a new approach to weight loss. All foods are assigned a certain number of points based on the amount of fat, fiber and carbohydrates. More fiber equals less points and more fat equals more points. 

Based on a person's original weight, he or she is allowed a certain number of points per day. But there's something else. If I didn't eat the string cheese and later decided I didn't want Aca Taco and had a Caesar salad with fat free dressing instead, I would have points left over. And I don't lose them either. I get to use them the next day if I want. Point accumulation is a beautiful thing.

But Chico has its own success story.

Kari Provost is a grad student in the credential program at Chico State University and has lost 58 pounds since June of 1999. 

So that's what? An average of about 6 pounds per month? And Provost reached her goal a few months ago, which bumps the average up to around 8 to 10 pounds a month. 

Amazing! But why do it in person instead of from the ease of the computer in her home?

"It's too impersonal," she said. "I think I would have a much lower and slower weight loss if I did it online."

But why?

"Because you don't have the support," she said. "When I go to my meetings I can see the differences in people. There was this one guy who lost over 100 pounds. Seeing the difference really helps."

The people in charge at each meeting have gone through the struggles members are going through, so they know what it's like. They can relate to both the triumphs and the low times in the weight loss process.

But for some, getting online is more like work than play.

"I'm always doing other things online so going to the online meetings would be extra work," Provost said. "My meetings don't feel like that. They're very helpful, and we don't always talk about losing weight. Nobody really cares what you look like there."