1. Flex Your Options
The Weight Watchers Flex plan allows you to eat the foods you want and still lose weight. The plan is based on the idea that every food has a point value based on the calories as well as the grams of fat and fiber. Your daily points allowance is based largely on your weight, with points generally ranging from 18 to 44 per day. In addition to your weight, your age, gender, height and daily activity level may affect the number of points you receive. As you lose weight, your daily points allowance decreases. In addition to your daily points, you also receive 35 weekly "allowance" points to use for whatever you want. These points can help keep members on track when they slip up during the week, and they also come in handy if you're expecting a big event such as a romantic dinner or a birthday party.
2. Down to the Core
Weight Watchers Core plan doesn't get the same press as the Flex plan, but it works just as well for many people. On the Core plan, you may eat all the vegetables, fruits, lean meats, soups and whole grains you want, but you must pay attention to your hunger signals. In addition you may add condiments to your foods, enjoy diet soft drinks or coffee, consume fat-free milk and dairy products and use non-stick cooking spray or up to 2 tsp. of healthy oils like olive or sunflower oil. Any additional calories consumed must be counted toward your 35 weekly allowance points.
3. The Key to Losing Weight
The key to losing weight on Weight Watchers is tracking your food consumption. Even if you're on the Core plan, you've still got 35 weekly points to monitor. When you write down what you eat, you're forced to be accountable. One of the biggest mistakes people make is underestimating how many points they consume in a day. Be accurate and honest with yourself. If you're not losing weight, take your points tracker to your next meeting and show it to the instructor. He or she may be able to help you pinpoint areas where you're underestimating the points values.
4. Hit the Gym
If you want to sustain weight loss and live a healthier life, you've got to make exercise a regular part of your daily routine. Week Two introduces "Activity Points" to the Weight Watchers program. You can bank these points for additional weekly food points. During the second week you receive a sliding activity tracker that makes it easy to record how many points you earn based on your weight, the duration of your exercise and your intensity level. Regular exercise not only helps you shed pounds more efficiently, but it's also one of the only ways to sustain significant weight loss.
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