Weight loss is often a daunting task. It often seems easy to gain, yet hard to lose. There are hundreds of weight-loss methods on the market; Weight Watchers being one of them. Since its 1963 inception, Weight Watchers has promoted weight loss through a balanced diet. According to Weight Watchers, it does not advocate excluding entire food groups and believes that all food groups are permissible in moderation and balance. Consult your doctor first, if you are considering Weight Watchers as a method for weight loss.
Point System
Weight Watchers provides a point system based on saturated fat content and calorie amount for each food item. You are evaluated individually and recommended a target daily point average. This takes the guess work out of your day. You choose whatever foods you want, aiming to stay in your targeted point range for each day. If you eat a food item worth two points, subtract that from your daily total so you know what you have left for the day.
PointsPlus
In 2010 Weight Watchers introduced PointsPlus. When you sign up for the PointsPlus program, you receive an individualized target point goal. PointsPlus considers protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber when assigning point values to food. Weight Watchers considers this a four-way approach to weight loss. Because you are taking into account more than fat and calorie content, identical foods can have different values. If you are on the PointsPlus plan, follow the values assigned for PointsPlus members as this can differ from other point plans.
General Point Guidelines
Your individual target point range is assessed by Weight Watchers staff but there are general guidelines. Women weighing 140 to 196 lbs., aim for 20 to 22 points per day. Women 196 to 252 lbs., shoot for 24 to 26 points and women weighing more than 252 lbs., aim for 28 to 30 points a day. Men weighing 140 to 196 lbs., should stay between 26 and 28 points per day. Men weighing 196 to 252 lbs., aim for 28 to 30 points a day and men weighing more than 252 lbs., aim for 34 to 36 points per day.
Support
Weight Watchers offers support to members in the form of weekly meetings. Meetings aim to discuss strategies for weight loss and assess how everything is going so far. Members who prefer anonymity or have scheduling conflicts can schedule their meetings online. Forums are available to discuss general topics and meet and talk to other members.
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