The diet program Weight Watchers helps people lose weight through a system of counting points, which the program defines. Weight Watchers teaches participants how to change their eating patterns and explore the emotional and psychological factors behind unhealthy eating habits in order to achieve lasting weight loss instead of temporary success.
Program Basics
The Weight Watchers program focuses on a combination of diet and exercise to help participants lose weight and develop a healthier lifestyle. One major difference between Weight Watchers and other programs is an emphasis on peer support, through weekly meetings or online support groups. The program was revamped in 2010 to include the newest research in nutrition science.
Calories
Calorie counting is a method of weight loss that involves determining the number of calories you need per day based on your gender, current weight, age and activity level and keeping track of the calories in food you eat in order to lose weight. To lose 1 lb. a week, you need to take in about 3,500 fewer calories than your caloric needs for that week, or about 500 fewer calories a day. Alternately, you could burn those 3,500 calories in physical activity while maintaining your usual calorie intake. Weight Watchers includes calorie counting but also takes into account other factors that impact weight loss.
Points System
In the Weight Watchers system, foods are assigned points, and you are given an allotted number of points you can consume at each meal, personalized to your caloric needs and weight loss goals. Originally the system mainly took into account the number of calories, fat and fiber in a food. In general, one point is equal to about 50 calories, and an online database lists the specific point value of many different food items. With the 2010 revision, the Points Plus system now takes into account protein and carbohydrate content. Other considerations include how satisfying a given food is, the nutrient density of the food and how difficult it is for the body to process a particular food.
Considerations
Weight Watchers includes an emphasis on physical activity as well as food intake, unlike many other diets. Daily activity, such as walking, is encouraged. The meeting component of the program provides psychological motivation for weight loss that few other programs offer. The Weight Watchers system is generally recognized as a safe and healthy weight loss program since it emphasizes healthy eating and sets weight loss goals at a healthy 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
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