Weight Watchers is one of the more popular weight-loss programs. It encourages you to reduce your caloric intake to lose 1 to 2 lb. per week. You can follow this plan buying Weight Watchers food or by eating the foods you buy at the grocery store. Over the years, Weight Watchers has come up with many different plans to follow. Many of its programs are designed by assigning point values to foods. However, the Core plan was an attempt to design a program with more freedom.
Most of Weight Watchers programs are designed around a point system. Every food you eat is given a point value that is determined by the amount of fat, calories and fiber that are in a serving. The lower the calories and fat and the higher the fiber, the lower the point value. To lose weight, you are given a formula to determine how many points you can eat each day to lose 1 to 2 lb. per week. This is considered a safe amount of weight loss. Counting every point you eat can be time-consuming and challenging if you eat out.
Benefits
The Core plan was developed for members who do not like to count points. It revolved around foods that were naturally low in points and higher in water, air and fiber per serving. In addition, you track your hunger. You attempt to eat when you start to feel hungry instead of waiting until you are starving. In contrast, you try not to eat mindlessly. Instead of grabbing food throughout the day, you check in with yourself to make sure you are really hungry. The goal is to never get too full or too hungry and to eat only the amount you really need.
Types
The Core plan revolves around fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish and poultry, noncreamy soups and fat-free dairy products. If you want to eat foods that are not on the Core plan list, then you need to count points. The Weight Watchers program allows 35 points per week of non-Core plan foods. In addition; there are foods on the Core list that can be eaten only in limited quantities, such as once per day. When you join Weight Watchers, you are given a list of Core foods and the rules to follow.
Misconceptions
Since you are not counting points or focusing on serving size with the Core plan, you may tend to overeat. Overeating even healthy foods can lead to weight gain. Any extra calories you consume are stored as fat by your body. In contrast, just following points does not always encourage healthy eating. You can stay within your points while eating unhealthy food. The Core plan helps to encourage healthy eating.
Considerations
Given the limitations of the Core plan, Weight Watchers has developed the Momentum plan, which combines the best of the two plans. On the Momentum plan, you count all the points you eat; however, you focus on "filling foods" to make up those points. This helps you to not overeat and to focus on healthy foods. You basically follow the Core plan while making sure you are eating appropriate portion sizes, counting points and tracking your hunger signals.
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