What is Weight Watchers Points Plus Plan?
Weight Watchers has changed their highly successful points system and their CEO was very quick to explain. A lot has happened since 1997 when the original points system was launched. Technology and science have progressed and so too has our understanding of food, dieting and weight loss. Weight Watchers has adjusted its points system to work more in line with these advancements.
Formula & Point changes
New PointsPlus formula
Please note that this is not the official Weight Watchers formula. Source is from Wikipedia. Although not confirmed by Weight Watchers the above formula is an empirical match to the Weight Watchers calculators. All Units in gram
Points Changes:
- Before the Weight Watchers formula was predominately calorie based with a penalty for fat and reward for dietary fiber. It now takes into account
- the protein, carbohydrate, fat and fiber content of food
- The thermic effect of food i.e. the amount of energy that is required to process/digest
- How many pointsplus points can you have? When calculating the number of allowable points per week, dieters will have more on the points plus plan than on the previous system
- Bonus points have risen to 49 points per week
- Dieters will be able to eat as much fruit and vegetables as they wish
Benefits of Weight Watchers Points Plus Program
The weight watchers points system to date has helped a countless number of people lose weight successfully, but the new points plus program addresses the key flaws of the original system.
Nutritional Value vs. Calories
The Weight Watchers Points Plus Program takes into account the nutritional value of food rather than just its caloric value, fat and dietary fibre. For example, a small apple was 1 point and so too was a hot chocolate under the original points system. As long as you stayed within your allowable points, there was little emphasis on nutrition. Under the new points plus program a hot chocolate will end up containing more points than a small apple and this seems like a more reasonable assessment.
Further weight loss benefits of the Weight Watchers Points Plus
- Healthier more nutritional food higher in protein and fiber requires and burns more energy for digestion (up to 25% more) than unhealthy foods (even if they have the same calorie content).
- Food with a higher protein and fiber content is more filling and satisfying, reducing the hunger and cravings that often damage weight loss endeavors.
- Yes fruit contains calories, but they are also full of vitamins and minerals that contribute to the general health of members. Many people do not get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day so the “eat as much as you like” rule will help people to do. Sound judgment should be used though to avoid eating amounts that will slow weight loss efforts
Weight Watchers suggests filling up on foods that have a high water content. "Dry foods pack a lot of calories into a small portion and are easy to overeat," says Rolls. She warns to stay away from dry foods like pretzels, crackers and chips. Dried fruits, like raisins, prunes and dried apricots, are also high in calories and low in volume, so they can also be easy to overeat.
The most filling high-volume vegetables are high in water and fiber. They can be made into salad, cooked in soups, and used as pizza toppings. Eating nutritious foods that are high in volume and low in calories enables dieters to lose more weight while still getting necessary nutrients.
High-volume, filling vegetables include broccoli ( 1 cup, zero points), cucumber (1 cup, zero points), dill pickle (1 cup, zero points), green beans (1 cup, zero points), lettuce and other leafy greens like spinach, kale, watercress (1 cup, zero points), mushrooms (1 cup, zero points), okra (1 cup cooked, zero points), olives (1 oz. one point), onions (1 cup cooked, one point), peas (1 cup cooked, one point), pimentos (1 cup, zero points), radish (1 cup, zero points), summer squash (1 cup, zero points), tomatoes (1 cup, zero points) and water chestnuts ( 1 cup, one point).
The most filling, high volume fruits are juicy and can be made into soups, smoothies and desserts. They include apples (one small, one point), cantaloupe (1 cup, one point), grapes (1 cup, one point), oranges (one medium, one point), peaches (one medium, one point), pears (one medium, one point), raspberries (1 1/2 cup, one point), strawberries (1 cup, one point) and watermelon (1 cup, one point).
Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD, chief scientist at Weight Watchers International says that complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, water or air are also good foods to fill up on. Complex carbs provide energy for the body to use and supply other vital nutrients to keep the body healthy.
Whole grains, such as wheat germ, oats, bran and flax provide fiber and are a good source of complex carbohydrates. Filling whole grains on the Weight Watchers' diet include bran flakes or raisin bran cereal (3/4 cup, one point), high-fiber bread (one slice, one point), oat bran (1/4 cup, uncooked, two points), oatmeal (1 cup cooked, three points), air-popped popcorn (3 cups,one point) and brown rice (1 cup cooked, four points).
Miller-Kovach says that lean protein-rich foods can also add to satiety. She suggests that for maximum satisfaction, lean protein should be added to meals.
Lean protein should be devoid of visible fat, minimally processed, or have some or all of the fat removed. Filling protein-rich foods include kidney, lima, canned refried black, and cannellini beans, (1/2 cup, one point), baked, black, garbanzo, navy, pinto and canned refried beans (1/2 cup, two points), non-fat cottage or ricotta cheese (1/3 cup, one point), chestnuts (six small, one point), chicken breast (one medium, three points), low-fat or non-fat milk (1 cup, two points), salmon (3 oz. grilled, two points), tofu (1/3 cup, two points), tuna (4 oz., three points), light or dark turkey (one slice, three points) and light (artificially sweetened) yogurt (1 cup, two points).