Weight Watchers Points Plan Diet

The Weight Watchers program replaces calorie counting with a points system. Rather than forbidding certain foods or food groups, the points system allows you to eat what you like as long as you stay within your daily points target. The plan encourages food journaling to help you keep track of your points.

Identification

Weight Watchers assigns every food a points value based on calorie, fat and fiber content, according to the Weight Watchers website. Foods that are higher in calories and fat have higher points values than foods with fewer calories and less fat. To encourage the consumption of high-fiber foods, fiber content decreases the points value of an item. Therefore, foods that are high in fiber have lower points values than foods with little or no fiber.

Effects

Although the Weight Watchers points program allows you to eat any food you want as long as you stay within your target, the plan encourages healthier food choices. If you choose lower-calorie, higher-fiber foods, you get to eat more throughout the day and still lose weight. Eating foods that are high in calories and fat results in your meeting your points target with less food.

Features

The Weight Watchers points plan allocates dieters a specific number of points a day based on gender, age, weight, height and average activity level. Your daily points target identifies the amount of food you can eat and still lose weight. To determine your points target, allocate two points if you're female and eight if you're male, according to the Just Diet Now website. Add four points if you're age 17 to 26, three points if you're 27 to 37, two points if you're 38 to 47 and one point if you're 48 to 58. Add the first two digits of your weight to your points total. For example, if you weigh 183 pounds, add 18 points. Give yourself a point if you're 5'1" to 5'10" and two points if you're taller. Allocate an additional two points if you spend most of the day on your feet and four points if you spend most of the day walking. Nursing moms get an additional 10 points unless they supplement with formula, in which case they earn 5 points.

Bonus Points

In addition to your daily points target, Weight Watchers gives you a weekly allowance of 35 points. The 35-point allowance renews each week and can be spent all at once or intermittently over the course of the week. Using the extra points is optional. You can spend the points on any food at any time, but saving the points to add to another week's balance is not allowed.

Considerations

The Weight Watchers points program encourages exercise. When you add physical activity to your routine, you earn additional points. For example, 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise earns one additional point if you weigh less than 155 pounds, two points if you weigh 156 to 260 pounds, three points if you weigh 261 to 360 and four points if you weigh over 360 pounds.