Weight Watchers Calories & Nutrition Information

Weight Watchers was founded in 1961 and is a commercial weight loss method based on weekly meetings and group motivation. The plan reduces calorie consumption and emphasizes nutritional choices, focusing on lifestyle change and long-term maintenance. The core program has changed approximately every 10 years to keep up with the latest scientific findings -- the newest program launched in 2010.

New PointsPlus Program

The new PointsPlus program was revealed in late November 2010 and is the first new Weight Watchers program since 1997. It uses the same idea as the previous program -- counting assigned point values for food -- but employs a new formula which takes into account the nutritional content of food. Dieters are assigned a PointPlus number to consume daily. This is based on their age, gender, height, and weight. A weekly PointsPlus allowance is also available to be used if dieters go over the daily allotment. PointPlus values can be discovered by using the PointsPlus calculator sold at Weight Watchers meetings or by using Weight Watchers online tools.

Better Nutrition

The formula for PointsPlus values was created to take the emphasis off calories and put it onto nutrition. The value is calculated based on protein, carbohydrate, total fat and fiber content. The body processes each of these types of food differently, using more energy to process protein and fiber and less for fat and carbohydrate. The new formula takes this into account and assigns higher PointPlus values for foods that take less energy to process, such as white bread. Following the PointsPlus formula will guide food choices to enhance feelings of fullness and better nutrition, according to the Weight Watchers Research Department.

Calorie Intake Reduced

As you use the Weight Watchers plan your calorie intake decreases. A 2010 study published in "Obesity" by Patrick et al. found that dieters following the Weight Watchers program lost weight and reduced their caloric intake, even without counting calories. These dieters kept a three-day food journal when they first joined Weight Watchers and then again at six and 12 weeks. The amount of calories people ate was significantly lower at six weeks when compared to the food diary kept at the beginning of the program and remained lower at week 12. The reduction in calories created a weight loss of nearly 5 percent of the starting weight.

Power Foods

Weight Watchers provides an easy way to pick the most nutritious food on the new program. They are labeled "Power Foods" and are the ones that give you the most nutrition for the least amount of calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. Included are all fruits, most vegetables, fat-free lunch meat, non-fat dairy and whole grains. Choosing foods from this category will help weight loss efforts by increasing the feeling of fullness. It also helps you achieve the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations.