Introduction
The Brookhaven National Laboratory, renowned for its excellence in weight loss and health research, notes that those who eat a low-calorie diet can lose 8 percent more weight while banishing belly fat. It's no wonder that diet plans such as Weight Watchers, which centers on a low-calorie diet, are popular. Weight Watchers uses a point system that assigns each food a value according to its calorie, fat and fiber content to help dieters make more informed choices that lead to a low-calorie diet and ultimately to weight loss.
Food Points
Weight Watchers assigns points values to every food that is consumed. While Weight Watchers enthusiasts and members can gain access to Weight Watchers' substantial library of foods and point values, including point values of popular fast food dishes, all point values are decided by using a specific equation that divides calories by 50, the fat grams by 12, and then adds them together for a first value. The fiber content in grams is divided by four to get the second value, and the first value is subtracted by the second to receive a points value number. This equation is used for all points calculations, so as long as you know the calories, fat content and fiber content.
Points Allowances
The amount of points that you are allowed to eat per day is calculated by many factors. Your gender will be taken into consideration, as well as if you are a nursing mother. Your age is also noted, as well as your level of activity each day. Finally, your starting weight and height also will add daily points to your allowance. See the Resources section for a free calculator to find out how many points you are entitled to daily.
Following the Plan
The success of the Weight Watchers points-based plan depends on the dieter. Of course, once you know your daily points allowance, your goal is to stay under or meet your points allowance each day. Armed with the calculations to find out how many points are in your foods, you can make informed decisions to perpetuate a low-calorie diet that can help you lose weight. In the Weight Watchers FlexPoints Plan, you also get 13 extra points to spend each week any way you like. Some choose to spread those extras points out through the day, while some choose to have a "free day" in which they consume all of the extra points. Some find it helpful to keep track of points in a food journal, and some simply tally what they've eaten in their head. Either way, Weight Watchers can be a very successful diet plan when it's followed correctly.
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