How the Weight Watchers Program Works
Reducing Caloric Intake Through Counting Points & Exercising More
Aug 25, 2009
Before beginning any weight loss program, carefully research what each plan requires in terms of food intake, exercising and weight loss rate. Keep in mind that the less drastic the changes to your current lifestyle, the easier it will be to stick to the weight loss program. Many people find Weight Watchers to be successful because it limits caloric intake without limiting choices.
How Weight Watchers Works
The Weight Watchers weight loss program is one of the oldest around, and for good reason: it is healthy, it is realistic, and it works. Members lose between one to two pounds per week after the first few weeks, which is the recommended rate by dietitians and physicians. Weight Watchers functions on a basic principle that every food and drink has a points value based on its fat content, calorie content and fiber content.
The points value most heavily depends on the calorie content, and foods with a higher fat content will slightly raise the points value of a food while foods with a higher fiber content will sightly lower the points value of a food.
Weight Watchers recently added activity points to the plan, designating different activities with different points levels based on duration and effort put forth. These activity points may be swapped for food points throughout the week.
Why Do Fiber and Fat Affect the Points Values?
One of the most popular and undisputed methods of losing weight includes reducing and counting caloric intake, but why do Weight Watchers points values account for fat and fiber content? Both are to encourage those who want to lose weight to choose healthier foods.
Higher fat foods tend to be less filling and more unhealthy while foods rich in fiber tend to be more filling and healthier. No food is off limits based on fat content, calorie content or fiber content; instead, each works together to create an overall points value per serving.
How Many Points Will a Person Have in a Day?
Points values differ based on many things, particularly weight, height, gender and activity level. Points values are roughly equivalent to 50 calories a piece, and a person will have a target points goal of 18-44 points per day depending on their lifestyle, gender and size.
An additional 35 points are given at the beginning of each week and can be used anywhere at anytime throughout the week. The points may be evenly divided among the week or used all at once on a special occasion. The primary reason for the points is to make the plan more versatile and easier to stick with, but some think the varying points help prevent plateauing.
Losing Weight and Maintaining Weight Loss
With every ten pounds a person loses, one point is deducted from his or her daily points. Once target weight has been reached, points are slowly added back in until the person maintains his or her weight loss for a period of six weeks at which point he or she becomes a lifetime member of Weight Watchers.
Lifetime members do not have to pay monthly dues as long as they remain within two pounds of their weight goal. Weight Watchers remains a popular and successful plan primarily because of its flexibility and sensibility. A person can have a cheeseburger or slice of cake as long as the points are deducted, and after some time, members often find they do not wish to spend their points on unhealthy options unless for a special occasion.
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