The Weight Watchers PointsPlus program replaced the Momentum program in late 2024, making this the biggest change in their innovative weight loss program in 13 years. The PointsPlus program combines the latest nutritional science with the proven Weight Watchers approach to develop an effective method for making healthy, satisfying choices. All this gives you an edge that can help you reach your weight loss goals.
With Weight Watchers, every food has a PointsPlus value, which takes into account a food’s protein, carbs, fat, and fiber. The goal with the PointsPlus program is to encourage you to eat more nutrient-dense foods, like veggies, fruits and lean proteins. PointsPlus also features Power Foods, select foods that have exceptional nutritional value and satiating power. Power Foods include such healthy noshes as a banana or low-fat Greek yogurt with berries. There are plenty of Power Food ideas and recipes on the Weight Watchers website.
As a Weight Watchers member, you’ll get a daily personalized PointsPlus values goal, so you know how much to eat to lose weight safely while feeling satisfied. On the PointsPlus program you can eat anything you like as long as you stick to your daily PointsPlus values goal. And true to the Weight Watchers unrestricted food plan, there’s plenty of room for treats and extras as long as you stay within your PointsPlus values range.
If you’re a Weight Watchers Online or Weight Watchers eTools subscriber, you can use the PointsPlus values calculator tool to find the PointsPlus values of restaurant foods, and you can also consult the Eating Out Guide. Weight Watchers Meetings members can also use the A-Z food list found in the Pocket Guide, or purchase the Complete Food Companion, and the Dining Out Companion to help them plan for their night out.
As a quick history lesson, here is how the previous POINTS system worked:
At the end of 2024, Weight Watchers expired the POINTS program, and replaced with the PointsPlus program, a significant overhaul based on Weight Watchers expertise and nutritional science findings.
The POINTS System helped you understand the role food plays in your weight loss, much like the new PointsPlus program does. Every food has a POINTS value (now called PointsPlus values), and each individual had a daily POINTS target that varies (as the current PointsPlus program does). You and your counselor, or via Weight Watchers Online determined the healthy target POINTS range (this is still done with PointsPlus) based on gender, height, weight, activity level and other factors including whether or not you are a nursing mother.
There is no set eating plan, you have the flexibility to choose any foods you like, so long as you don’t meet and do not exceed your daily POINTS (this is still true). You can use the handy tracker given to you at meetings or available in your online account (or via eTools) to keep track of your POINTS (and now PointsPlus) consumption each day. If you want more POINTS, simply introduce more activity into your lifestyle (these are called activity points).
The POINTS were based on a proprietary calculation of the fiber, fat and calories in a food. The higher in fiber, lower in calories and lower in fat a food is, the lower POINTS value it receives. Just like in golf, you want to maintain a lower score.
See how it all works for yourself by joining Weight Watchers today.
DietsInReview.com is a paid affiliate of Weight Watchers. This article is in no way sponsored.
since weight watchers is a scam those numbers are just another way to confused the hell out of those who are victims of this scam.
what ever happened to just eating right? keeping the calories in check and exercise?
WHAT???
Actually, Weight Watchers is so NOT a scam. Math isn’t my favourite thing to do so the points system really helped me in figuring out which foods were better for me than others and how exercise cn earn you extra food. You are awarded extra points for exercise (up to a certain number), and instead of counting hundreds of calories and fat grams and such, you just keep a food diary and add up your points to a max of 31 ( in my case). Maxes out your points? that’s it for the day. THe program really taught me to make wiser food choices so that I still had points to ‘spend’ throughout the day. In the past three years I lost 40lbs on it. I’ve since had a baby and my weight has crawled up a bit so I just went on the internet to get a refresher on on the system to kick start me again, rather than renewing my weight watcher fees. I’m a cheap skate. Once you understand the weight watcher sysytem, it’s pretty easy to stay on it yourself. though the interactive website and recipes you gain access to with your membership fee, does make it more fun.
HI What about if your under 150? I am 148 Going to 138 ? How do you figure points for UNDER 150 ? Thanks
If you weigh 150 pounds or less your Weight Watchers Point range will be between 18 and 23 per day.
how many meal do u have to eat a day
I am not a WW member yet, but considering it…mostly for the fun part of the website and all you can access there. I find the points easy to follow, and so far it’s been good. my response is for Miata…
You don’t have a set number of meals to eat per day, you eat throughout the day adding up your points until you max out for the day…but remember, it’s a range, anywhere in that range is good. I wouldn’t neccessarily max out every day…
Good luck, and thanks for posting the ranges for those of us “cheeapskates” who haven’t yet joined WW!!
Michele
I have done other diets, some more sucessfully than others,WW has been great i have lost 11ibs in 6 weeks and love the freedom to eat what i like. Counting points is easy. I would suggest it to anyone.
I don’t have the extra funds for dues or time for Weight Watchers meetings right now, but have seen good results from friends. So, I made a simple spreadsheet with the formula coded in and use that to calculate my daily points values. It’s easy with nutrition values printed on just about everything or easily accessible online.
I stick to the lowest # in the range for my max daily value. It actually seems like quite a bit of food, especially if you make healthy choices, though I splurge on a Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich most days for 3 pts.
Others find they really value the support system of meetings, it’s just not for me though.
Weight Watchers work. The one above who said, “Why don’t you just watch your calories and exercise,” cannot possibly be one of us.
But there is some bad news. Weight loss numbers have not changed in fifty years according to a friend and psychiatrist. 100% of people on diet pills fail. 92% on all other diets fail (over the long haul). Of those that succeeed, 60% of those keep the weight off by exercise. The deep secret in the multi billion dollar diet industry is that those numbers have not changed.
I have chosen health over weightloss. I am still big but not quite as big. But blood test, lipids, sugar levels, and a pulserate of 65 – are all great. I walk (I have a $20.00 step-counter – with a goal of 6-9000 steps each day.
I don’t eat empty calories, except for chocolate, and I drink 5 glasses of water each day. I enjoy life. And to people who don’t allow me to feel like a success because I am a little overweight. Well you know, “F… ’em and the horse they rode in on.” I am healthy. That is what is important to me.
Find your own way – but it must be for life – the only way to long term success. A diet successful diet is only beginning.
So if you wiegh under 150 you get 18-27 points? but it says that if you weigh 199 you get 27 is that correct??
Mr. Anonymous,
The scale is a guideline. If you weigh under a certain amount you should probably talk to one of the counselors to determine the healthy amount of calories needed. If you weigh less than 150 it says 18-23, not 27.
The great thing about WW, perhaps it was just psychological for me but, I used to always aim for the lower number in the point range for my weight, and if i went over or splurged a bit, I didn’t feel completely guilty because i was still in my points range. However, when I was just counting calories I would feel horrible if i went over my limit. For some reason I just found it harder. Probably doesn’t make any sense but WW worked for me. And like someone said earlier…you can keep on using the system after you leave. I recommend it.
A nursing mom also gets 10 extra points. And you get a set amount each day but then you get 35 points for the week that you can spend any way you would like during that week. I am 158 and I get 22 points or 32 since I am still nursing on top of the 32 I get 35 each week and exercise points daily – usually about 4 or 5. Each time your weight goes down 10 lbs you lose one point. I has 33 when I was 160.
Ive been on WW for 2 weeks,and ive lost 7 lbs.
I like it cause you can eat whatever you want,and as picky as i am, ive have not been on a diet where i could eat what i could,so this is easy for me,and i can use my flexpoints if im going out in the weekend.
And theres alot of products out there thats low on fat and calories,you just have to look for them.
I do spoil myself one a weeek or two, with candy or a trip to mcdonalds,but a stay true to my points,thats why this works.
WW is great and if you truley cant afford to go to meeting you can find alot of the info right here on the web. I printed up a book for myself. I’m a single mom working 2 jobs, yes i have alot of help from family and friends but cant afford the program. I wish I could do the spread sheet that was mentioned above on my Excel program it would help me keep on track. My boss even lets me look up info on line at work. I think its so we all can get healthy. WW is a new way to live.
I have been on WW for a month. I started at 147 and I cant get under 140. I have been 140-143 for 1-2 weeks. I am nursing a 13 month old but only 2-3 times a day so I opted for the 20 points instead of 30. I feel like that is plenty of food for me. I am also walking everyday for 45- 60 minutes a day yet the scale doesn’t move. Help with any advice.
im on the WW points plan but theres one thing that bugs me.. i have a couple of weight watcher frozen meals in my freezer and accordin to the box it says the points value on a beef hotpot was 3 and a half, yet when i checked that weight watcher meal on my points calculator it came up as 6. i double checked and triple checked to make sure id entered the calories, fat and fibre correctly (per meal), which i had, yet still it says 6. so how come they had it worked out at 3 1/2?? just a lil gripe i had…
in the equation is that fiber calories or fiber grames. Is fat, fat calories or fat grams.
This is intended for Vanilla Ssuce, being a newcomer to the WW program. I extend the LOUDEST applause to you for standing up for what you believe in and I do thank you for your input. This really inspires me to push on to my weight loss goal. I’ve given up the skinny dream, weighing right at 280 lbs and only being 23. I’m dreaming more of a healthy life!!! But anyway, I just wanted to also let everyone know that I’ve just joined and the grass is SOOOO MUCH GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, especially for us COWS!!! LOL!!! I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!!!
Me again,
I decided to stop nursing so I could do the 20 points instead of the 30 without feeling guilty of starvingmy child. Althouugh he eats regular food and doesn’t nurse for nourishment. I had 2 bad days in a row after I stopped nursing, I guess I was sad to stop and I emotionally ate. How far does that set me back and what do I do to cleanse my system?
this is definitely not a scam i have been on the program for 5 weeks and have lost 20 lbs. i have lost weight every week by counting points i love it my wife says i am anal about it but it works it is also working for her, i’ve tried everything nothing is as consistent as weight watchers TRY IT PLEASE
Hey everyone – WW is most DEFINITELY not a scam. I started WW about a year and a half ago at 366 lbs at the age of 26…..I’m proud to say that as of this past Wednesday I weighed in at 272 for a total of 94 lbs. Nothing else has EVER worked for me. Just wanted to share my thoughts and hope this is an encouragement for everyone. If I can do it – anyone can do it!
I lost 30 pounds using weight watchers and have kept it off for 3 years to date. I am not attempting the “final 15”. I like WW because it’s easy to come back to and I don’t feel like i’m dieting. I’m just paying closer attention to my portions and the types of foods I choose to eat. I never went to a meeting. I did it all online and it was a snap. It was fun to earn gold stars too, which is silly. I highly recommend the program and wish everyone luck.
When calculating points, do you only get to use 4 grams of fiber per meal (12/day) or for every component of a meal, or every time you eat?
Hi everyone… I am going to start WW this weekend.. My Aunt has lost close to 100lbs in 6 months on it!! I had a baby 11 weeks ago and due to medical issues I ended up gaining around 120lbs!!! So needless to say I have a ton of weight to lose… I’ve lost 50 pounds of it all ready but still feel sick when I see myself in the mirror… I started looking up websites on WW and found a site that actually calculates your points up for you.. Which is nice for people who don’t know how to set up a table themselves on excel…
Good luck to all of you!!
I just found out that I am pregnant and was just at the point in my life where I was ready to start losing weight. Does WW have any points for prenatal?
About the Weight Watchers formula you have listed….I want to clarify. When you divid fat and fiber, are you dividing the amount of fat and fiber GRAMS or Calories? Like, my milk says 1 cup is 80 calories, but 20 are fat calories. Would I do 20/12 or would I do the Fat Grams / 12?
Thanks
Ductaped08… you use the total calories and the total grams of fat for the above equation. The 20 fat calories should not figure into the equation. An 8oz. glass of skim milk has 91 calories, .6g fat and 0g fiber, this equals 2 WW Points. Hope this helps!
CMPS… you calculate up to 4 grams of fiber per food item to figure the points.
The formula has been updated to reflect that you calculate fat grams and fiber grams.
I am 158 and am on my 4th week of ww. Monday will be week 5 but I have not shed a pound! I am walking uphill 60 minutes 3-4 days a week too! Some of you are about my size and saw results the firstwo weeks or month…why not me 🙁
Hey guys…seems like there is a support system going on here itself! great..
I am a uni student…so most of my time is spent sitting for hours and studying. I would like to do this program….but can’t make it to meetins or anything as such…is there like a website where I can find most of the foods listed and how much each point is??saves the trouble of sitting and calculating it…
Thanks!!
This is great, all this advice ! What about gaining points back for exercise? What are the guidelines? Also, does everyone get the 34 or 35 flex points? Thanks!
Is it logical for me to have expected to loose a little weight my first month on WW? I am even carrying weights on my hour long weights now to try to step it up but havn;t lost any weight. Can anyone that may have been my size when starting the program let me know when they first started to see the results? I am starting to loose hope….
For Sara, if you are okay giving me your email address I can send you a pdf of some everyday foods and the values. I am doing the online version so the info is accessible for me there. Thanks.
I’m 5′ 4 and 158 pounds
In response to Sarah, yes there is a website that you can find the points values for basic food, and the amount the serving is. It’s http://quiddity.cc/rachel/diet/wwfoods.htm
and also try going to this one, it has a lot of resturants and their points values:
http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html
And wannaloseit! yes everyone gets the flex points but to get them you have to be following the newer way, which is not to just eat inbetween the values but the number right in the middle… I think is what you always eat exactly. Such as if you were in the range of 24-29, you would eat 27 all the time and then you can use the 35 points a week. If not you can eat in the range and save 10 extra points a week. (If I am wrong please someone correct me I dont want someone to do it wrong.)
Hope this helps! I have been on it for 3 weeks and lost 12 pounds!! So it is good.
WW really works. All you really have to do is pay attention to what you are eating. Not too terribly hard when you think about it. I started WW two years ago when I got on the scale and realized my weight was only 5 pounds less than when I delivered my son three years before. I was horrified. I found the WW info I needed online and got to it. That was 60 pounds ago! YEAH! I did the flex points system and am very happy with the results. I lost the weight in a little over one year and have been able to keep it off since then. (Probably could have lose it faster but I never exercise, ever.) Sometimes I backslide and gain a few pounds but the I get right back to it and the weight comes right back off. I’m getting ready to start again (just a bit too many fries and ice cream here lately), and I recommend that anyone thinking about trying the points system do it. You wont regret it!
A friend who was following WW gave me her reading materials so me and my husband can get started on WW but I have a question. Using the Daily Points Target sheet, I calculate my husband’s target point total is 33. What does that mean in regards to weight loss? How many points below 33 should he attempt daily to lose approximately 2 lbs per week? Or at what rate will he lose weight by sticking to 33 points daily?
If he is following the flex points he needs to eat exactly 33 points a day and he will lose weight. He also has he 35 extra points to use during the week. If he eats less than that he will lose still, but after a while he wont because it will make his metabilism slow down, and his body will store all the food because it will think he is starving himself. And it also seems to be a lot easier for men to lose weight faster also. If you are wanting to follow the odlder ww where you have points range it states those values at the top of this page. And you can save 10 points with that to use a week. In my last post I listed two website that can be helpful with knowing points values for food and going out to eat. Plus a lot of resturants now have on their web page the nutritional information. If you dont have the points calculator you can go to the link in my name . Hope this helps 🙂
To Niko – Do not lose hope! Have you considered that you’re gaining muscle? With all your exercise, you’re probably building muscle, which weighs more than fat. Don’t get hung up on “numbers on the scale” – but think about about how you feel and how your clothes fit. And hang in there! And talk to your counselor about it too – she/he may have some suggestions.
I LOVE Weight Watchers!! I have used it on and off for years. At my heaviest I was 193 pounds – six months later I wore a size 4 dress to my wedding. I just had my second child in April and have been taking my time getting back into my pre-pregnancy weight. Not too concerned – I have two awesome kiddos and dont plan on any more…have my whole life to lose weight. However, at 146 pounds – I’d like to get back down to my 130 pound figure.
Does anyone who is on Weight Watchers now or in the past remember how many points a nursing mom can have? I’m thinking I’ll need about 5-10 more points (give or take) to make up for the approx. 500 calories per day extra I need to nurse my baby. Thanks in advance.
– A
Can a 13 year old do WW? He is 146, but should be about 120. For a teenage boy would it still be 18-23 points?
Kelli – Yes, a 13 year old can do it, but has to come to meetings with a parent.
Thanks Amy 🙂
I do feel better but havn’t notieced too much in the way my clothes fit but I wont give up 🙂 I can not access a counselor because I chose to do the online ww. I wish they offered counseling! Thanks again for you kind words. I really really needed to hear it 🙂
Hello everyone..my and my bf are both starting to go on weight watchers starting today we just got the books off ebay and cant wait to get started i was wondering the point system above ..no i weight between 200-224 and it says 26-29 points does that mean actually 26 points and i can over 3 points or how does that work ?
A. Goodwin If you are nursing you usually add 10 points onto what is recomended for your weight. That way you get the extra nutrition your baby needs. And you just follow exactly like you would if you didnt add them, nothing else changes. So if you are following the flex points and your target is 24 then you eat 34, and still get the 35 flex points, and you dont have to use all the 35 points either, they are just there in case you want to, so if you dont use them its ok, and you will still lose weight just fine, maybe a little faster if you dont use them all. If you are follwing the older way of using a range, just add 10 and you can save 10 points through the week to use also. Hope this helps 🙂
Lienny Carrillo, if you are between 200-224 you should eat between 24-29 points a day. If you eat on the lower side you can save up to 10 points extra a week to use sometime. if you do the flex system you would eat exactly 26 points, and you get 35 points extra during the week to use. I have been switching back and forth between the old way and the flex way and I have been doing it for 5 weeks and lost 19 pounds, along with a pretty good amount of exercise. So just keep with it and you can do it. 🙂 And the key is to count EVERYTHING, even if you are just taking a taste of something, it might be a point. and if you dont count those points, you are just hurting your self, so if you notice yourself not losing weight, pay attention to that also. And the day you weigh yourself or go to a meeting, if you have been exercising a lot or eating a lot of salt, it will make you weight more than you really do, water weight.
Hello Weight Watchers fans! The free Weight Watchers Points Calculator is now live here at DietsInReview.com.
Enjoy!
https://www.dietsinreview.com/Weight_Watchers_Points_Calculator/
Brandi,
Thanks for the live points calculator. I am back on the program and lost my paper points calculator. I have been looking everywhere for a calculator!! This one is great!!
Hi Tinkerbell!
So glad to hear you like the calculator. I hope you and everyone else find it to be a useful to manage your Weight Watchers program. Good luck!!
hey Brandi,
so I have lost 75 pounds doing the points system on my own (I had done the program before, so I still had a points calc. and knew how to do it…) but now I am done losing weight and need to know how many points you add to maintain the weight you have reached? I would prefer not to have to join again just to find this out! If anyone knows would you please reply? Thanks!
Thank you for providing us with this information. W.W. really does work well. I was on it before and lost 100 lbs in one year! Unfortunatly I had tough times in my life after that and fell off the banwagen. I wanted to join W.W. again but right now that is not financially possible so I am ever so greatful for websites like these that provide free information for all of us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have followed the WW plan at two different times in my life. Both times, I lost approximately 45lbs each time, most of which was lost in the first 2 months. Remember to stay within your point range. Drink plenty of water, this flushes your system, watch your portions, don’t guess, remember to eat your frutis and vegetables each day and you WILL lose. Don’t deprive yourself. If you need a snickers bar, go for it, just get back on track after you’ve had your fix. I remember one lady that was in my WW class who was so upset that she did not lose that week, because she did everything right, or so she thought, when the counselor began asking her what she had for the week, she explained that for a snack she would eat Fat Free Cool Whip. For a single service the points were zero, trying to remember back, so … she figured since the points were zero she could have all she wanted, she at e 3 tubs that week! As you can understand, they figured out why she did not lose.
Stay with it, it works.
What was the old way of doing WW? How was it done before the flex points came into play?
Hello, is the point scale above for men and women? I was told that WW has 2 different scales for each gender. I’m 5’9 and weigh 185lbs so my max points would be 27 right?
I am trying ww with points. I have the point chart and ordered a calculator. I can’t afford to join WW. What I need to know is how many portions of each food group I can have. I weigh 167# and am 5’4″ and am over 50. Can anyone tell me this?
Ivan, no weight watcerhs has just one scale for all. Your max points would be 27. I am guessing you are going to do the range of points and not flex right?
Cherryl, the easiest thing to do is go to these 2 sites: http://quiddity.cc/rachel/diet/wwfoods.htm
http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html
these sites have the basic foods and their points and portions, make sure to eat the correct portion- no more, no less. And the other site has restuarants that have their points for their food.
If you have the points calculator, which can be found at; https://www.dietsinreview.com/Weight_Watchers_Points_Calculator/
you can figure out anything that you know the calories, fat, and fiber. And I have found that some resurants also have on their site that information about their food that you can figure it out also.
Good luck everyone!
i am confused as to how to use the free calculator at diets in review. i have tried to copy and paste the website into the browser but it doesn’t work. can anyone help?
Hi Sue-
You can visit this link:
https://www.dietsinreview.com/Weight_Watchers_Points_Calculator/ Click that, or paste in your browser URL bar.
Hope this helps.
Brandi
I have done WW about 5 years ago and I loved it! About 2 years ago or so I was taking prescription diet pills( for 3 months) I have never been that thin! I felt sooo good about myself. but then they weight started to come back on. I went from about 175 to 225! I have 3 different sizes of clothes in my closet and have started to get stretch marks on my stomach and have decided I can not live like this anymore. So this will be my first week back on WW and hopefully I get back to not being out of breath from simple daily activities!
That’s great Cheree! Good luck and keep us informed re: your progress!
this is really wonderfull i am in near teas reading this, I have been desperate to lose weight I am 192 5’6. My goal weight is 140#’s and I need to lose it asap. Insecurity issues. I have been wanting to do weight watchers for a long time and could not afford it. It’s also great to see many others like me reahing out and saying hey you can do it. Thanks to all.
this is to cashmere…
take it one step at time, it doesnt happen ASAP…i joined the weight watchers online site 6 months ago, weighing 237 (im 6-0), and this morning weighed in at 178. along the way ( or weigh!, 😉 ), ive had the usual ups and downs, the feeling it wasnt happening fast enough, the reversals, giving into temptations (like french fries!), but when you falter, just remember its a lifetime journey…the best part about weight watchers, is other than the first week or so ( when i was so hungry there were days i felt like eating my hands!), i really havent felt like im on a diet.
good luck to you and hang in there!
jon
So it don’t matter how tall you are?…….You just go by your weight?? I am 5’1 and 170 pounds so I just have 20 to 25 points a day till I get where I want to get
I have lost 23 pounds in 2 in a half months. Please try it it really works
Hello, I would like to knw is with WW diet I can drink diet pepsi o coke, and how many poits it has>
Hi Dorys-
The brilliance of WW is that it doesn’t impose any restrictions- eat or drink whatever you like. However, each unhealthy choice leaves fewer Points available for healthier options. Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke have zero points (just use the total calories, fat and fiber to figure the Points with the calculator https://www.dietsinreview.com/Weight_Watchers_Points_Calculator/).
There’s no fat, calories, or sugar in a 12 oz. can of either soda (the regular version of each is 3 points for a 12 oz. can). However, there’s also no fiber, nor anything else promoting a healthy diet. For really effective results, you should cut all soda from your diet and drink as much water as possible.
I started ww about 2 months ago and have only lost 15 lbs. I currently weigh 150 but the scale hasn’t moved in about 2 weeks. I walk/run the track 7 days a week for 45-60 mins everyday. I feel I should be losing more. I only use 20 points a day. Some days I don’t even use all of them. Can someone help?
Thx
Tabetha,
First, 15 pounds in 2 months is excellent – congratulations! The goal is 1 to 2 pounds a week, so you’re right on target. The next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up 3 five-pound bags of potatoes and walk around with them for a few steps – you’ll feel how much you’re no longer carrying around.
As for why you’re stuck, usually, I’d suggest you first examine your food diary and make sure you’re accounting for everything that goes in your mouth, but you mentioned you don’t always eat all your points so you might be stuck BECAUSE you’re not eating all your points & 20 may be fewer than you should eat, as well– have you included the additional points you get for your exercise? If not, you might be seriously undereating, not just on those days when you don’t eat your 20. Your body will go into starvation mode and slow down your metabolism if you don’t eat enough – another reason why the scale might not be moving.
If you’re already close to your maximum healthy weight (which you might be, depending on your height), the more stubborn those pounds get – they want to hang on! I’ve lost @ 40 pounds in 5 months, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if it took me another 5 to lose the last 20 to get to goal.
Finally, you may just have hit a plateau. After losing 1 to 2 pounds steadily every week for months, I lost only 1.4 pounds over the 3-week period before this week (including a gain one week) despite staying right on the plan. Then I weighed in today & in one week I’d dropped 4 – so that’s 4.4 pounds over 4 weeks – not fabulous, but within range. So stick with the plan – just make sure you’re neither overeating nor undereating.
Could the time of day I’m eating be affecting me? I usualy work late n will eat fruit for breakfast, a salad for lunch n then use the rest of my points when I get home, which is usually between 8 & 9 pm. I’m 5’2″ n now weigh 150. I did weigh 165 2 months ago. The chart says 20-25 points daily so I go with the least amt. I count everything that I eat. I also weigh out my portions. I went out and bought an ounce scale so I could. My total goal is to lose 25 pounds and I’ve lost 25. So how much longer will it take. I’m getting impatient. I wanna weigh between 135-140 pounds to be healthy. Should I make sure I use the 35 flex points every week? Because I don’t unless we go out to eat, and that doesn’t happen too often. Also, is it good to save up points for weekend/ special occasion usage?
For those who have not lost any weight (and any who want to begin losing weight) I reccommend seeing your doctor first. He or she can check do a lipid panel (check cholesterol, ) and TSH (thyroid) among other things. Good luck!
I am 130lbs and I am 5′ 4″. Today I wanted to join a weight watchers to find a “healthy” way to eat and maintain my weight with as little thinking as possible. I cook 3 meals for our 4 member family. If I could point my way thru, it would be easier on me.. But I got denied. I do not weigh enough. Forget the fact that I have a great motivating personality or that I am a Registered Nurse with an advanced practice degree who could bring a lot to the table. All I really wanted was the Welcome pack explaining the points and how to use them, which you can not get without joining. I am pretty upset! All I wanted to do was acheive a healthy wating pattern.
I’ve started to do the Atkins diet recently and decided that it’s just not for me since I’m feeling sick and very tired. I’ve done some research and looked into WW and it looks like this could be a much better option for me. However it is expensive. Is it worth signing up for one month? Or should I just used to sites offered here to save money? Basically I’m wondering what signing up will give me since I’m really interested in finding out particular things to eat and how much of everything.
could someone who knows alot about ww please answer my question about the 35 flex points and the time of day I eat.
Thx in advance for any help I can get with this
Where do I find a list of point values for exercises?
Tabetha – from what I understand you can eat whenever or whatever as long as you stay in your points range… however, WW is about better health and I’ve always been taught to eat your larger meals in the morning and afternoon and save the smaller meals for night. Maybe try that and see if that helps. as far as flex points – they are there IF you want to us them you dont have to. You have 35 for the week – after that week they are gone and you start with 35 for the next week. Hope this helps!!
I do ww on my own and i have a question..i am making bisquick waffles but I dont know how to figure out the point value per serving. can someone help me please????thanks!
To Cheree, as with all recipes simply figure out the points for each individual ingredient and then divide by the number of servings it makes.
Does anyone have any information about Weight Watchers and gastric bypass patients.
I’ve lost quite a bit of weight from the surgery I had 4 years ago and have stopped losing and am considering trying weight watchers to lose some more weight. I have 50 more pounds to go. Thanks for any help if there any other bypass patients out there.
I love to cook and often make my own recipes. I understand that I need to figure out the points for each ingredient, but that gets kind of messy when I do something like make my own chicken stock. Do I go with the calories that are in the chicken since the veggies and water have no points? Sauces get confusing, too, but I probably just have to be more attentive to the amount of each ingredient. And do you all weigh your food? I know it’s important to pay attention to portion amounts, but weighing every single thing seems intense. Any advice? (I love reading all the posts, by the way; it’s great to see how other people are managing the world of dieting!)
Disappointed that they removed the calculator from the above site. Now I won’t join for sure…I was tempted though.
Hi
I just ordered a WW starter kit from Ebay. But I was reading here about the point system. I am 41, and I am 5’3″ and weigh in at 152. My highest ever. My lowest used to be 122 two years ago. My goal is to drop 20 pounds. According to the point scale, the low end would be 18 points per day? Is that correct?
My SIL used WW, and her pounds came right off. Along the way, she learned how to eat properly, something she had never done.
I am considering it for the weight I have slowly gained….
Okay I have a question. I am trying to figure out how many points I should have a day on the Flex Point System. I know it is depends on your weight, age, height and gender. Does someone have the formula you use to figure it out? I saw the table at the top but I want to get started so I need to know an exact number. Thanks Guys
Hello everyone, I just started WW unofficially (meaning I have not joined) and have already lost 10lbs!! I was wondering if anyone knew how many activity points you earn through walking 3 miles? Thanks much
hi everybody i just started buying the smartsone meal from weight watcher i can afford the program so can any body help me how to figure out my points for the day using the weight watcher food i really appreciated thanks i’m 40 years old weight 152 pounds i’m five three height i want to get down to 145 can anybody help please and if you can thank you so much
Hello if you are 152 and a couch potato-go to the 20 points.
If you are high energy and always moving, excersice often I would lean towards about 23. There use to be a cd called fast track where if you follwed it over a few weeks you were almost guaranteed to loose 10 pounds in a few weeks.
I went from 210 pounds to 130 pounds with weight watchers.
It took over a year to take it off but I felt great!
I have since put the weight back on because I stopped using the program_foolish. There is a saying if you work the program-the program works… Good luck to you.
after u stop the program is it easy to gain it all back. I lost 18 lbs n am satisfied but now I kinda eat a little more than I was when I was full force doing ww. I still will not eat n e thing fried and still have the tendency to count and figure point values. Is this a bad thing. Should u be worried about gaining the weight back? Thanx to anyone who can help me with this
I lost 3 stone on weight watchers, and this was after years and years of being unhappy about my weight. Even after I stopped counting points, I lost another stone in a year simply becasue the points system helped to train me to not do silly things like buy a sandwhich in a shop for lunch, but to make my own at home 🙂 and generally to have a much healthier diet.
I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone wanting to lose weight.
Also if you’re worried about gaining the weight back here’s what I dio: you shouldn’t need to continue counting points, (you don’t want to spend the rest of you life as a slave to the points system!) just be aware of what you are consuming and make good choices. If you’ve done the diet properly then you will know how to eat certain foods in moderation etc. Weigh yourself every few weeks and see how this works for you, if you’re putting weight on you know you need to cut back somewhere. Common sense!
Can a 12 year old do weight watchers?
I did weight watchers during high school and went from 256 pounds to about 175 in a little less than a year. I’m doing it again presently for Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (I DID gain a little bit back…about 15 pounds…but it took me about 2-3 years to do so and only because I started eating horribly again)
Weight watchers is definitely not a scam. I lost 35 lbs in 2 months dieting on that diet. Weight watchers doesn’t stop you from eating foods it just limits what you eat. An individual who is dieting on this plan get a certain amount points to use each day. If you figure it out 1 point just about equals 50 calories. So lets say a persons chart says that they may have 24 points that means that they are only consuming 1,200 calories. This is why people lose weight. because they are decreasing their daily intake. So what ever it may be that the individual chooses to eat they should not go over their points. One slice of bread is 1 point (50 calories)That is where they need to have self discipline. Do I want to eat just one ice cream today or do I want to eat healthy foods and more of it? It is all about limits. It works….. Trust me….
You lost 35 pounds in just two months just counting points? Is that right?
I would plug in your 12 year olds age, weight and height on weight watchers online and see what it says. That would be the best way to know.
I have done weight watchers in the past and have been successsful. After having 2 children, one of which I was on bedrest and gained 82 pounds, I find myself returning to the program. It is definitely not a scam. I am excited about seeing the weight come off. This is not a quick fix. It is a life style. I have been preganant for it seems like the last 3 years and I’m now serious about getting back in shape. I have 45lbs to go. Wish me luck!
Hello Im thinking about joining weight watchers, Im just wondering do I really need to go to a meeting to start?
Hi April – Weight Watchers is a great choice if you’re looking to lose weight in a healthy and effective way. It was recently named one of America’s top 10 healthiest diets by CNN and Health.com, and it was #1 in our own list of 2008’s most popular diets.
You do not have to attend a meeting. Weight Watchers is known for its flexibility – so you can either join via meetings, or you can join via the online program. Here are some more helpful resources that can help you make your decision:
Weight Watchers Meeting review
Weight Watchers Momentum – their new program.
Weight Watchers Online
Hope this helps! – Brandi, DietsInReview.com Senior Editor
3 years I did ww without joining. Iweighted 263 and I lost 100 lbs. BUT I have now gained 68 lbs. back. I have tried to start over again on ww, but can’t stay with it. Can anyone out there help me, by telling me what to do?????????
I have done the weight watchers flex plan and it does work if you stick to it. I lost 45 lbs in 6 months. I also worked out at the gym 6 days a week. I received an injury to my knee and couldn’t work out and slacked off the program. I have gained it all back and can’t seem to get on track. I thought I would try the core plan this time. I wanted to see if there is a core only recipe book available and where can I get it? I know they have the flex and core together, but at this point, I don’t need to see food recipes that I can’t have.
Hello Weight Watchers fans! I wanted to reach out and personally invite you to join our new community here at DietsInReview.com. It’s free and just takes a minute. You’ll be able to save your favorite content on the site, as well as direct message one another. We hope this will better suit the needs you have as some of our most active readers. Happy New Year! – Brandi
Join our new Diet Community Today!
I’m new to this, does anyone know why fiber grams aren’t counted if they are higher than 4? It seems that the higher the fiber, the lower the points. Thanks!
I am trying to lose weight and am interested in WW like many of you have already mentioned I am also not able to fund the meetings lol. I came up with an excel spreadsheet that calculates the points so I will be using that and thanks to this article I now know how many points I can have per day! Hopefully I will get results. Brandi thanks for posting the message about the Diet Community I just joined 🙂
Hey everyone,
I joined WW on Tuesday evening and Wednesday was my first proper day. My daily allowance is 24 points but I found it was too many, I’ve used 19.5 today and I even had some WW snacks and a skinny cow ice cream mmmm! Can you really eat what you want and still lose weight as long as you stick to the points? In the past I have stopped myself from eating any chocolate or crisps in my attempts to lose weight, which failed every time and I would be midnight munching! So being able to eat chocolate etc as part of my points allowance feels weird and I feel naughty! I am scared that when i get weighed next week that I will have put on a few pounds.
I was hoping someone might be able to answer my questions…..
“what happens if I don’t use up all my 24 points?”
and
“are you sure I won’t put on weight if i give myself lets say for example a 2 point WW chocolate snack bar each day?”
My aim is to lose 26pounds and get down to 10stone, I have 30 pairs of trousers waiting for me to wear! I really hope WW works for me and I have to wait until next Tuesday to know if I have lost anything.
Loved reading all the testimonials above, I probably shouldn’t be dubious but I can’t help it cos if this WW thing is for real and works I am one step closer to a fab new me!!!
Hello. You really need to get in your daily allowance everyday. It is very important in weight loss & maintaining your metabolism. What I hear most often in the meetings I attend from people who don’t use all their points is that they’re aren’t following all the WW guidelines. The thing about WW is that it is a plan you can follow for life. It doesn’t “restrict” any food or food group but it teaches you in order to maintain a healthy weight you must utilize the guidelines. They are all beneficial in weight loss & maintenance. You can spend some points in sweets but beware because with sugary snacks the more you have the more you will want. I’ve been a member for a long time. My highest weight loss is 80 lbs. I have gained weight back but it is NOT the fault of the plan…it is me not doing the plan. WW is for real & I am on my way too! Good luck!!!!
This is an answer to the fiber question. WW used to count up to 10 grams of fiber. But the problem with that is you have to accountable for the calories you are eating. The only foods that are 0 point are vegetables(with the exception of some starchy vegis). This is what my leader has always said. I hope this was helpful. Good Luck!
I have a daughter taking med classes, more and more doctors are stating that Weight Watchers is the healthiest eating plan to follow. You know exactly what to eat, amounts, nutritional values and so on. I recently visited an emergency care center, and in every section of the ER, there was a Weight Watchers poster about how weight can effect you at different levels. It is no-way a scam unless you feel paying a little amount of money per month to assist you in becoming healthy is a scam.
I joined ww eight weeks ago and lost 11 lbs. Is that a good pace or should i be losing more?
Hey there i am looking for an online support group to join up with someone i can talk to daily i have been doing ww for a bit now and would really like to have someone to share this weightloss journey with if you are interested can you let me know??
how many points should i have daily at 158lb
hi im new here cant afford to pay a monthly fee to join ww so i thought id try and find out my self iv bought a magazine but its hard to know what you can have if you dont know your daily allowance.
I am five six and 170 how many points a day?I used to do weight watchers and lost my book. Thanks
Hi…I have been doing weight watchers for almost 2 weeks now,and I have lost 6 lbs in my first week.I am 5’3″ and my starting weight was 156lbs,and I am 37 yrs old.So now I am down to 150lbs.My goal weight is 135lbs.My point value is 23.I find it quite satisfying,I also gain back 2 pts a day because I work out on my elliptical trainer for 30 mins 5 days a week.I never go over my daily pts.I hope the weight keeps coming off like it has been.I would recommend ww to anyone who is looking for a great weight loss program to get started on : )
I cant afford the program i weighted 209 i read a lot about ww and came up the best i could on my points and ate a lot of the meals and added fruit and vegettable so on and off i lost to 191 it does work if you are consist and stay with it i dont know how many points i can have in a day i just guess around 2o – 23 i have some books and a eat out book guide on ww thankyou God bless you all Angela
The best and most accurate way to get the WW info and learn how to use the program is to go to a meeting. As far as i know, you don’t have to sign any contract so you can just go to the first meeting, learn how to use the program, and not go back.
Yes…It is best to go to one meeting and pay for your first weigh in ,so you can get your points slider etc…the rest you can do at home so you don’t need to attend anymore meetings if you don’t want to.It is hard to estimate what points you should be having,when you don’t know how to calculate it propery.I lost another 2 lbs today so I am 148 lbs,so now I need to subtract one point from my daily points,so instead of 23 pts a day I am down to 22 pts.I have now lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks.It makes a huge difference if you excersise as well.Good luck to you all 🙂
I lost 101 pounds on Weight Watchers, so don’t tell me it doesn’t work.
You just have to stick to it, and understand patience and dedication.
If you can’t do it, you haven’t put your all into it
**edited for language
I have used WW points in the past and I think it’s great however, I recomended it to a girl who is 5 feet tall and giving her those extra 35 flex points is not a great idea. If you try to learn something while using the points you figure out that a point is roughly equivalent to 100 calories. So, if you have to burn 3500 calories to lose a pound and 35 points is about 3500, wouldn’t you rather lose the weight.
I don’t even use my flex points,on occasion I might use my extra excersise points for the week to have a couple of glasses of wine on the weekend but thats about it.It is true, why would you want to use an extra 35 flex points when you are trying to lose weight.I might think about it when I achieve my weight loss goal,to occasionally use on a special occasion.So think about what you would rather do,lose weight or stay the same.P.S.I just love my WW program : )
i was wondering what my point system should be…does anyone know? I am 5″1 and i weigh 150
I have been a ww leader for 10 years…anyone interested in losing weight at a heathy rate should try a meeting. The meetings are FUN and motivational. You cannot figure out the # of points by simply looking at a weight…your POINTS target is determined by several other factors. I encourage you all who would like to START EATING AND STOP DIETING to find a meeting near you and join . WW made a differnce in my life…I have had 3 children and have been able to get my weight off everytime and KEEP IT OFF. Remember this is a lifestyle change NOT a diet. I know you will enjoy a ww meeting.
Well it’s been 5 weeks and I’ve lost 14 pounds on WW…I’ve been on every diet out there..Atkins,south beach etc…this is the only one that has been so fantastic,with such great results.I wish my friend would have introduced me sooner.I feel like I was 25 yrs old again..even though I’ll be 38 in July.I know I don’t have a whole lot of weight to lose like some people,but I just want to say that if you’ve got the will power to do it full time ,try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised like I was.I’ve got 7lbs to go till my gaol weight of 135 lbs…I am so used to doing the point thing with my food,I know I will never gain my weight back.It seems so natural now.Love it,Love it,love it! : )
I have been on WW twice through an at work program and lost both times. My problem was keeping it off once I lost it. I probably lost about 30 lbs each time over a 3 or 4 month period of time. You can eat whatever you want as long as you count the points for each item. I never added points for exercise so that always worked out well for me. I still have all of my info so I think I’m gonna try and do it myself instead of joining again. It is always better to attend meetings because there is a certain sense of accountability, but right now I cannot afford it. I was trying a low carb diet but it is much too restrictive. I am heavier than I have ever been right now so I am gonna have to get myself in gear and do this thing. Getting started is the hardest part. Once you see the pounds coming off it really gives you incentive to keep going.
could someone please help me figure out my points? I’m a 26 year old woman, 5′ 7″ and 163lbs. I exercise 30-60 minutes 6 days a week. I thought I need 23 points but it just doesn’t seem like enough! Thanks!!
I am 72 yrs. old, and work (sitting) in an office all day, and can’t do most exercises due to leg injuries (20 yrs. ago), so getting very fat!! 5’5″ and 245 lbs. now. At 40 yrs. my weight was 135-140# pretty consistant, until injury. Can I lose weight on WW, without doing lots of strenuous exercise?? Can’t exercise because of injury, and weight is making walking and leg problems worse. It’s a snowball. I haven’t seen any comments with people with disabilities, so would appreciate any help or comments that I can receive. Will just diet work??? Thanks!!
For JoanJ, if you are able to get into any kind of physio program, or even some hints on ways to do low impact exercise (such as in a pool), that is very helpful for losing the weight. My mom had a stroke a number of years ago and was paralyzed on one side. While in recovery, the hospital had her on a 1500 calories a day diet and she dropped from around 250 to just under 200 in about 4 months. Her exercise was very limited and always guided by a medical professional, due to her condition. So, it is possible to lose the weight with just diet. As for the exercise, you don’t need to be doing anything that uses your legs. Pool exercises are great because the water acts as a great support/cushion. These exercises are common for older people and anyone with arthritis. So, I believe that weight watchers (or any calorie controlled diet) will work for you. Just remember to keep your water intake up. If you cut out fruit juices and sodas, and substitute with water, you allow yourself other food options. Replace the fruit juice with real fruit, it’s much tastier! Good luck!
I just have to say that I went to my first ww meeting just a few days ago and I am gonna start the program on friday. while I was at the meeting I felt like it is where I needed to be in order to lose all of my excess weight. I have tryed many diet plans either by myself or online and I have always failed but I have never had support from people other then my husband and really hes not that much of a help.
Try using
to help w/ points. One thing I would recommend–do this with a FRIEND! It works so much better when you have a friend to share healthy dinners with, etc.
I thought that WW was a scam for many years. This was until I was injured and gained 65 lbs in addition to my already hefty figure. I was 255 at my heaviest. Non-weight bearing on my foot and unable to excersize at ALL. I am now able to walk much better even though I will never be back to normal.
My daughter is heading to London in May and she encouraged me to join her and her step mom on WW. I let them go to the meetings a few times without me. I’m cheap what can I say? She came home and shared the flex point system with me. I have been sent out of town a few times where I had to eat out for all of my meals. I have been learning how to overcome that issue. I went shopping today for some new pants and to my delight I went from a very snug 18 (weighing 217) to a nice fitting 14 (today, 194). Skipped the 16 size completely. I am very happy to see that these results are working to keep me healthy. I lost about 35 lbs of the temporary weight gain from the injury in the first 6-10 months of just being able to walk again. I’m even more inspired to keep it going! WW has been absolutely wonderful. I wished that they had a points calculator or tracker for my new G1 phone. I hate it that my daughters phone has an application to track her points (iphobe) and I have to do it old school.
I don’t add points for activity. I tend to eat between 23-26 points a day and when I hit a plateau I’ve gone as far as eating a few extra points and it just budges my body that little bit and I’m going back down again. I’m also looking at begining to swim. I’d rather pay the local community center than WW. I was really put off that they are removing points calculators and even a G1 application from use. I know proprietary information but come on…some of us can’t afford to pay to go to meetings. I don’t have time to do meetings online or go to them in town. I’ve shared with others at work that I began this WW lifestyle and you wouldn’t believe how many people are on it and supportive. We all share our ideas and receipes. Good luck to all.
Well its week seven and I’ve hit a plateau.I went from 156lbs to 141lbs and now I’m barely losing a pound a week.I’m staying on track I was eating 22 pts,so i’ve taken off 1 pt so now I’m down to 21 pts a day.Is that the right thing to do?I also do cardio 30 mins 5 days a week.I just need to get that extra 5 lbs off,why is the last 5 pounds not coming off?I was reading Robbie’s post and saw when she hit a plateau she added a few points back to jump start her weight loss again.Please help,thanks.Heidi.
My fiance has been on WW for about four months now and has lost over 20 pounds. I started the program with him and lost a lot of weight too which was not needed. I am now trying to stay where I am and am finding that I have to eat a lot to do so. What has been so effective for me is small bits of exercise that get my heart racing in minutes and then stop. I do that probably 5 to 6 times a day as I can’t go out for a run due to an ankle injury. This is easy to do, walk in place while you fold a load of laundry or leg raises and jumping jacks while waiting for the microwave to beep. If you make sure all four limbs are moving at the same time it’s easy to get your heart rate up. This has proven to be more effective for me than the usual exercise I was doing like walking or running. I am now trying to figure out how much to eat to stop loosing weight as I am now 5’8″ and 124 pounds. For those who don’t like exercise, please try this with a few toning exercises and you will increase you metabolism and loose weight faster. Good luck
I started WW 29 Oct 2007 and lost 34 pounds. I recently gained 6 pounds because I have been off the program and giving into my cravings at work since things have been stressful. I went to the meetings for maybe 7 to 8 weeks, until I had enough information I needed to continue the program on my own. I’d recommend this program to anyone. This is the only weight loss program I have found to be successful. It sucks because the first one to two weeks when you start you’re starving! But after that your stomach is back to normal. I keep a small tablet with point values for foods I eat most often. My friends make fun of me, but every now and then they’ll pick up something and ask me how many points it is! I’m getting back on WW either this week or next week to try and reach my ultimate goal…a total of 48 pounds lost!
WW is not a scam; like another pointed out the point system allows you to eat whatever you want as long as you stay within your point range. And that is the whole purpose of point system. Let’s say you can have 27 points a day. You can have a bagel which is like 10 points or you can have egg beaters, veggie pattie and green beans for about 7 points. It does teach people to pick healthier foods. Some people need the structure; just because it didn’t work for you or others doesn’t make it a scam. And besides, just about program WILL WORK IF YOU FOLLOW it to the letter. That’s the bottom line here.
Hey all,
Can someone please tell me how many points need to be added once you’ve lost the weight you want to loose? I’ve started counting points etc with a weight watchers cookbook that had the basic point values for different foods you’d get at the grocery store, but it has crossed my mind that I’ve got no idea what I should be eating once I hit maintenance mode and don’t want to loose more weight. I can’t afford the weight watchers program other than cook books etc right now because I’m a students, so if anyone could let me know how to ‘maintain,’ that would be great.
Cheers!
I recommend going to 1 weightwatchers meeting at least, and picking up the literature. I lose about half to a pound a week, but stay about the same for 1-2 weeks sometimes, and then the next week drop 2 pounds. As long as I’m honest about the points and portions, then I know the process works. It’s definitely a patient process for me (although I only have to lose 15 pounds, which should take about 6 months). The advantage is a better long-term behavior change. I have attended meetings: they help in many ways, but I”m too busy to do so and I just resolved that I’d be focused and committed and so far so good (after 2.5 months – 6 pounds). Don’t beat yourself up over a bad day. This is the second time I did WW, and didn’t gain weight until I suffered a physical injury which put me off my exercise habit.
I believe in this program with all my heart! It works for me, and if you follow the plan you’ll lose weight too! I believe in this program it has helped me shed weight over the years, and I believe it will help me from NOT getting type 2 diabetes like my mother. I don’t look up to her for a role model but my leader I do!! Shes a wonderful motivator and I love her shes my friend. I “HOPE” you will try this program out and TOPS and SLIM FAST and other diets won’t work!! It’ll hurt you in the end. WEIGHT WATCHERS is my lifestyle and what I love is the classes. I am on “11” weeks of keeping my TRACKER!
why should you eat all of your daily points
i wanted to know if anyone knows how many points my 13 year old daughter should have in a day. She is 5’2 and she just needs to shed a few pounds. ( 10 pounds) She knows all about points because i do weight watchers, she caculates the foods she eats but we dont know how many points she should be eating in a day.
I’m not working at the moment, so I can’t afford the program for the moment. But I’m overweight (about 100 pounds) and desperately need to lose weight. Appearances count when you go to job interviews. Can someone tell me how to start until I can afford joining the program?
Lea, email me and I’ll explain. 🙂
Lea….Duh I just realized my email address doesn’t get published. I’m going to send you my email that I don’t use just in case. I’ll check it and respond.
I know WW works… hubby and I have both lost 13 and have more to go…. We don’t go to meetings… I have materials from going in the past.
What I need to know is What are the points for a MALE 213 pounds.
I thought at one time there was a place in the little booklet that told mens range.
I can do the calculator, but I thought I read the range somewhere
Anyone know?
I came across this blog today in looking up point ranges for Weight Watchers and found it quite interesting. I thought I might “clear the air” a wee bit and share some background information. Weight Watchers got its start with a doctor-recommended diet for (as I understand it) heart patients. It was most definitely based on healthy eating. It was also very restrictive, which, to a certain point, truly healthy eating is. What Weight Watchers did was take those components and simplify the procedure by basing their program on servings, and then in recent years, on points. It’s all the same thing. The major difference that I have seen is that reducing food to a point system also reduces accountability. You can eat your 23 points in unhealthy choices or you can eat them in healthy ones. I was a leader/lecturer for Weight Watchers years ago (long before “points” and when it was a bit more restrictive) and taught my members to make healthy choices for permanent weight loss. I no longer work for Weight Watchers, but still apply the princiiples of healthy eating under the points limitation and recently lost 18 of the 20 pounds I had gained in my careless eating habits. One needs to realize that it isn’t points alone that makes it work! 23 points of chocolate or 6 points in cheese just aren’t healthy choices, even if you do have the points to spare! That said, I still consider Weight Watchers to be one of the best programs out there to help you learn to make informed choices. And sometimes, you stay a bit more committed to things you have to pay for…
I have had very good luck with this in the past 3 weeks, losing 8 pounds. I was told by a co-worker how to count points and such, but now I have 2 friends who want to try it. I can have 18-23 points per day, but can anyone tell me the points range for someone who weighs 152 and someone who weighs 165? I would really appreciate it!
I’m 5 feet and I’ve gained 5 pounds over the winter and now I’m 120. I want to join WW to lose about 5 to 7 pounds. Will I be able to join the program?
Hello, I would like to start ww can anyone tell me how many points I can have. I am 5’6 at 143. Also do you count sugar or= no. Thanks
As a Lifetime member of WW, I feel the plan is practical and can work for anyone. When you go to the meetings you get group support as well as vital information to help keep on track. The plans were created for adults (17 and older), if a child is to join it is to be under physician care as they are still growing and need extra maintenance.
How to figure your daily points: add one choice from each of the 5 following categories together: 1) You: Male 8 pts, Female 2 pts, Nursing mom 12 pts// 2) Age 17-26: 4 pts, 27-37: 3 pts, 38-47: 2 pts, 48-58: 1 pt, over 58 0 pts// 3) Weight: enter the 1st two digits in pounds// 4) Height: under 5’1″ 0 pts, 5’1″ to 5′ 10″ 1 pts, over 5′ 10″ 2 pts// 5) Activity most of the day: sitting 0 pts, mainly standing 2 pts, walking mostly 4 pts, physically hard work 6 pts.
Add all of the points for each of the 5 groups together and those are your allowed daily points. They can change with your weight, activity and age so please review regularly.
I hope this helps anyone wanting to start the WW program! Best wishes and most of all stay on track!
Hey everyone, I would like to start Weight Watchers. I’m 5’5 and 164 lbs. Can anyone tell me how many points I can have?
I don’t have the money right now to sign up for meetings and stuff, but I really need to lose weight as I’m at my biggest now. I will be going by the points calculator I just found on a site as well as a generic food booklet from a friend. But I need to know how many points a day I am allowed.
Rochelle- thanks for your helpful msg explaining the way to figure out your points. Can you, or someone else, tell me if I figured it out correctly.
Female: 2pts
Age 17-26: 4pts
Weight: 164 first 2 digits 16???
Height: 5’1-5’10 1pt
Activity: I basically sit all day at work so 0pts
Total= 23pts daily???????
Did I do it correctly? Also, Do I have to have exactly 23pts a day, or is there a range I have to fall between? Thanks for your help in advance.
Gina, that sounds correct to me, 23 points a day – no range. The program offers 35 flex points per week which can be used or not. Those points are for those times when you have a need and must go over your daily (23) points. Personally, I did not use them unless utterly necessary. My goal was to lose weight and I did, 47 pounds in 5 months. Exercising adds points on daily depending on the activity. I never “ate” those points. Good luck!!
Rochelle, thanks so much for your help. 2 Years ago I lost a little over 30lbs but I did it in a very unhealthy way and ended up gaining it back quickly and then some. I am hoping that I can do WW and lose weight a more healthier way and keep the weight off. I can’t wait to see if WW will work for me. Congrats on your weight loss, that’s great! My goal is to lose 40-45lbs so hopefully I see results!
Gina, You can do it! You are already on your way by deciding to work toward a healthier you!!
WW is not a diet but a way of life. It’s all about making the right choices with portion control and staying within your point goal each day. By adding exercise to your routine you increase your ability to lose weight and become more fit and healthy. Slow and steady weight loss has a higher percentage of staying off. Best wishes.
for tose of u who say the scale hasn’t budged…the same thing happened tome, and it turned out i wasn’t eating enough…i figured out the points and lost 18 pounds.
I’ll tell you why I love weight watchers. I have never paid a dime and all I do are the calculations in my head. Generally, it’s 1 point for every 50 calories and 1 point for every 12 grams of fat. I don’t even include fiber in my calculation. Worst case, I calculated it higher than it is, so it works in my favor.
I go to Popeyes, Mcdonalds, out to restaurants. Barley eat any of the weight watchers meals. (A snickers ice cream bar is 4 points). General rule of thumb. Half a portion of most meals at restaurants is between 10-12 points. You don’t have to get the WW frozen meals or lean cuisines. I’d much rather get somethign taht’s 400 calories and 20 grams of fat than a 6 grams of fat Lean Cuisine. It’s one point more and waaay better (and satisfying). I’ve been doing this for 4 + years and never gained my weight back. I went from 120 pounds to 100 in about 6 months and have maintained it. Now I can just tell how many points I’ve eaten based on how full I get. I also eat a lot of fruit and workout so this really has been perfect for me.
So I don’t think you have to join WW or go to meetings. It’s discipline. With such few points, it’s not hard to keep track of it in your head. But that’s just me. One size doesn’t fit all. No pun intended. 🙂
hi can somebody help me figure out how many points i need to eat in a day.
my weight is 178lbs, 28 turning 29 in may.” 5 3″ height, female, and activity is i walk.
thanks
It should be 27 Alvina.
2 points for being a Female
3 points for your age, 27-37
1 points for your height range
4 poins because you said u are a walker &
17 points for the two first number of your weight
Add all the numbers up and what do u get ?
Good Luck !
Can you guys please clarify the plan for me? I’m a lifetime member, who recently came back. I’d like to lose @ 10lbs. On this posting, I keep reading about point range. I’m unaware of that. I thought I had 20 points per day plus another 35 for the week. What’s up with people referring to a point range?
Karen, at your weight you can have 21 points per day. When you dropinto the 130’s, you will drop to 20 points a day
I started ww and Im confused on the extra points. Doed anybody have a chart they can share. Thanks
I am a 19 year old female, I am a freshman in college, i am about 5’4 5’5 and weigh about 175 lbs. I work out at least 3 to 4 times a week. I would really like to lose about 15 to 20 lbs. I have no idea how the WW system works. I do not know how many points I would be allowed and what not. Could someone please help!
thanks!:)
ks student – please scroll up on this chain, where it is listed twice on how to calculate your daily points.
Iaf- WW allows 35 flex points a week that are in addition to your daily points. These are to be used for those times when it’s difficult to stay within your daily alloted points, i.e. a wedding; special dinner occassion, etc. You do NOT have to use them, they are there just in case.
i was scrolling through these posts and was curious about how many of you on the program are against the 35 flex points. i was always under the impression that these were worked in as necessary calories that will actually help you to lose the weight – does anyone actually use them?
Can someone who is more familiar with WW than I am please help (I just started this week… and so far, I’, not starving, so… we’ll see).
If something is 0 points (like vegetables, for instance) – is it okay to eat double the portion size? or does it really only count as 0 points if you eat exactly the portion size (like 2 cups of salad)?
Also, I am wanting to lose weight kind of quickly… I want to be healthy about it, but… I also want to look good in a bridesmaid’s dress this summer…. any tips to speed up the weight loss process in a healthy way would be appreciated.
Does anyone know, if you don’t use all of your points one day, can you roll them over to the next? For example. I am allowed 25 points but yesterday only used 20, can I tack on another 5 for today?
To Lynn—-The only points you can carry over for the week are the bonus points allowed (each week) the 32 (or something like that), can;t remember, its been awhile since I’ve done WW.
To Jenny– As far as veggies that is probably ok, but, let me give you an example like Progresso Soup, one serving might be 1 point, but if you have two servings that might be 3, you need to check your paper scale, that has calories, fiber and fat grams for the correct amount of each. If you don’t understand, when at the grocery take your scale and check for one serving, then double all the calculations and check again, then you will understand what I am stating. Good Luck
Hi, I have a question………Can anyone tell me how to calculate points if I were to have 2 servings. I was told just double the points for 1 serving & then I was told to double the calories, fat grams & fiber then calculate. Who can help me? Thx Geralynn
It is simple numbers based on the first 2 digits in your weight, your gender, your age and your activity level. If you are a woman and are breastfeeding you are allowed more points. If you are under 18, but older than 10 you are allowed more points. If you look up the weightwatchers patent you will be able to find the points system there.
Oh, yeah, your height also plays into the formula as well.
OK, Here is the formula for the point WW point system to lose or maintain pounds. 🙂
1. Are you:
Female? Score 2
Male? Score 8
Nursing mom? Score 12
2. How old are you?
38 – 47 Score 2
48 – 58 Score 1
Over 58 Score 0
3. What do you weigh?
Enter the first 2 digits of your weight in pounds.
For example, if you weigh 145, enter 14. If you weigh less than
100 pounds, enter the first digit of your weight in pounds, i.e
for 98,
enter 9.
4. How tall are you?
Under 5’1″ Score 0
5’1″ to 5’10” Score 1
Over 5’10” Score 2
5. Do you spend most of your day:
Sitting down? Score 0
(e.g. as a receptionist, bust driver, cab driver)
Occasionally sitting, but mainly standing? Score 2
(e.g. sales person, housewife, cook, teacher)
Walking most of the time? Score 4
(e.g. waiter, mailman)
Doing physically had work most of the time? Score 6
(e.g. nurse, gardener, construction worker)
6. Do you want to:
Maintain your current weight? Score 4
continue / or resume losing weight? Score 0
TOTAL POINTS TARGET _______
I took your information and plunked it in and got your score of 22.
Good luck!!! 🙂
Hi, I weighed 120lbs before my baby, he’s 13 months now and despite my efforts I still weigh 160lbs and my goal is120lbs, I have never seen it mentioned about your goal weight having anything to do with the points you’re allowed to have. Can someone explain this to me.
Robbie: On maintenance do you still get to add in the 35 weekly points and the activity points?
I joined WW and got the books and did it at home. However, the materials I have in the at home kit do not tell you very much about the maintenance program. From Jan. 09- May 09 I lost a total of 50 pounds with WW and high intensity work-outs 5 x’s a week! I would recommend WW to anyone!
Joanne: adding in the digits for your current weight has been a part of WW for several years! Makes weight loss safer and even though the weight comes off slower your metabolism has time to adjust correctly thus making the weight loss more permanent.
I have been back and forth on WW and it has been the only thing that has worked all this time. I am not very disciplined, even for WW so once again I am here. Looking for support…. I have read many of the postings and it is very encouraging. I started yesterday @ 188. Hopefully I will have some good news to report by the end of the week. I also plan to work out as well and hope that will help kick things off.
I am a VERY disciplined person but admit at first I hated the idea of journaling my food BUT now I don’t even think about it and its just second nature! So glad that I have done WW. When my children were younger my wife worked second shift and I teach school so it was almost like single parenting for 8 years! I went from a thin work-out-aholic to tending to the children. Now that they are older and I get more “me” time I have been able to workout again and follow a good eating plan. Hope to stay this way for the rest of my life. I feel good, have energy and very happy with my new me! WW was a HUGE help!
I use fatsecret.com it has a place for journaling that keeps track of your points etc. and a great place for some support
I lost 30 lbs out of highschool using weight watchers… through the stressors of College and Med School I have gained 60 lbs within the past 4 years! I’ve tried everything to loose it so I’m going back to this. I started when there was just the point range and you could “bank” the points you didn’t eat. Now I see there are a lot of newer programs.. anyone have any thoughts on the programs? Which are the easiest to stick too? I don’t have any real schedule in my life I’m so busy, any suggestions which plan would fit most with a busy and slightly unactive life style (studying constantly!)??
How many points do you get for exercising? I am running a 5 K every day on an eliptical, (in 40 minutes) doing upper body low weight reps and abdominal work outs. Takes about 1.5 hours. Any ideas?
I love WW. My question is alike Dee’s… I run for 45-50mins (7km) 4-5 days a week. This is outside and up and down quite steep hills, I also spend roughly 45mins-1hour strength training 2-3 days a week. I have been thinking that 2points is enough, would I be right?
I am 125lbs and 5’1
Dee and Ardy,
I can calculate these values for you when I get home. The points are based on your weight, duration of the exercise and intensity level. For example I weigh 200 lbs. and do an intense elliptical workout where my distance is 5 miles and I burn an average of 900 calories in 30 minutes. I get to add 5 points for that!
So, Ardy I doubt your two points is enough!
I also forgot that you only get to add the exercise points on days that you do the exercise
Ardy, I checked out your exercise points and you should be adding 5 – 6 points, six if you are doing the full hour, on the days you do this exercise!
Hello, I am considering joining ww and going to meetings, but I wanted to know if most people think the meetings are worth the money. I know how to calculate my points and keep track of everything at home, so I wanted to know if the meetings are really necessary. Thanks!
It is definitely worth going to the meetings. Stats show the success rate is 40% higher, if meetings are attended.
I haven’t had a job in the past 10 months all I do is eat, my Dr. told me yesterday that I must loose weight or will end up in the hospital
please I DON’T HAVE MONEY TO GO TO ww i AM 5’3 233 LBS AND 56 Years old I spend all day on the PC applying for jobs I don’t excersice
I did the point as you showed but I get 30 points isn’t that too much? Please help me.
To Ron.
5-6! Really, no wonder I have stopped losing… I have been adding 2 to adding none when I exercise, Thank you so much. I will try adding 4 for starters and see where my body takes me. I do 45-50 mins… pretty high intensity.
You have been really helpful, thank you again.
Ardy
Would someone be willing to email or talk to me and explain WW?? I don’t have the extra funds to join and I have surgery in 6 weeks and my doctor wantsw me down to 125. If you don’t mind, please email me at [email protected]
thanks
WW ISNT A SCAM! IT DOES WORK! IF YOU ARENT LOSING THEN YOU ARENT EATING ALL YOUR DAILY PTS AND YOU ARE SCARED TO EAT YOUR EXTRA PTS A WEEK AND YOU ARENT DRINKING ALL YOU WATER & YOU ARENT FOLLOWING THE GUILDLINES. I’VE LOST 11.8LBS IN 3 WKS.
AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SAYS I CANT AFFORD IT..PSSH ITS $12 A WEEK. I BET YOU SPEND$12 A WEEK ON SOMETHING THAT YOU DONT NEED BUT YOU WANT IT.(SO IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT SO BAD THEN YOU JUST FIND A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS).SO WHY NOT SPEND$12 ON SOMETHING THAT WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU..OH AND IF YOU LIKE ONLINE ITS LIKE$6 ONLINE. I PERSONALLY DONT LIKE ONLINE CUZ I LIKE SEEING PEOPLES RESULTS IN PERSON & GETTING HELP IN PERSON. ALSO, THEY RUN SPECIALS ALL THE TIME.
IM NOT YELLING IM JUST THROWING OUT MY POINTS. I HOPE SOMEBODY READS THIS & STARTS LOSING THE WEIGHT THEY WANT TOO & FEELING GOOD, CUZ IM SURE ENJOYING WW & LOSING WEIGHT
ALSO i just found 2009 weight watcher start kit which has everything in it..Pay onces & do it yourself
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NE3UQS/ref=nosim/?tag=wwweasyfreesc-20
but just a reminder 40% of people who go to the meeting lose & KEEP THERE WEIGHT OFF!
I just started weight watchers today 🙂 I am allowed to have 29 points a day and have only used 14 so far! I don’t see how people eat all their points, but I don’t mind indulging a little later today 😉