Weight Watchers (now named WW, aka Weight Watchers reimagined) is a popular weight loss program that has been around for over 50 years. It’s estimated that nearly 10 million people have lost weight with this program, and there are currently 1.6 million members in the United States alone.
Weight Watchers offers online and local support groups to help you stay on track throughout your weight journey and become healthier.
One of the best things about Weight Watchers is that it encourages healthy food choices and good behavior in a way that doesn’t feel like too much work for you to handle.
Learning how to live healthier and make positive changes in your life will not only lead to weightloss, but you'll also maintain your results once you reach your goal. WW isn't a "one and done" program – it's a lifestyle change that will last you a lifetime.
Will Weight Watchers Help You Lose Weight?
Weight Watchers offers a unique combination of both diet and exercise guidance to help you lose weight. Its strategies are based on education, health awareness, and community support.
During your weekly meetings with like-minded people struggling with the same issues as yourself, you will receive help from others who have succeeded at weight loss before. It’s easy to stay motivated on this program because you’ll be surrounded by support and encouragement.
Other programs we discuss on the blog include the Man Shake program, the Lady Shake program, Hello Fresh meal delivery, and The Cookie Diet program.
“Weight Watchers focuses more on flexibility than dietary restrictions.”
The focus is on eating healthy, more nutritious foods with a variety of options available. They emphasize a lot on eating high-fiber fruits and veggies to help keep you full.
There are no specific rules for portion sizes or food groups. Instead, you can choose which foods work best for your lifestyle and goals! You don’t have to drop your favorite foods, but you’ll have to cut down on the portions sizes to limit the calories you consume every day.
Weight Watchers; Getting Started
When you first sign up for WW, you’ll need to undergo an initial assessment. There are two ways to do this: either in person with a group or by phone/online with a private coach. When you meet with someone in person, they will ask about your starting weight and current diet plan (if you have one). They may also want to know what challenges and successes you’ve had in the past regarding weight loss.
If you’re doing this assessment by phone or online, your coach will ask similar questions in a more relaxed setting where they can hear your responses without any background noise. They may also want to know about how long you have been struggling with losing weight and what has worked/not worked for you in the past.
The MyWW Basics
Smartpoints
Smartpoints are allocated to the user based on their personalized weight, height, sex, age, etc. They are calculated using the calorie content, protein content, sugar content, and saturated fat content of foods. For instance, foods with less sugar, more protein, and saturated fats will have a much lower smart point than foods with high sugar & fat content and little protein content.
The SmartPoints/Personal Points system can be used on any food you like. It’s more of a guidance system on how to eat healthier meals.
Zero Points Food
ZeroPoint foods are your everyday favorite or easy to access foods you can’t quite live without. They make the foundation of your meal and are compromised of a food list that will be customized to your tastes –that means the list will vary from one person to the other.
Depending on the answers you provide during the personal assessment, here is a list of zero-point food choices;
- Potatoes and starchy veggies
- Non-starchy veggies
- Low-fat or fat-free yogurt and cottage cheese
- Brown rice and whole grains
- Whole-wheat pasta and noodles
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Avocados
- Fruits
- Poultry
- Fish & Shellfish
- Oats & oatmeal
- Tofu & tempeh
- Corn & popcorn
- Eggs
“Don’t Overeat Too Much Zero Point Foods.”
With “cheat meals” included in the weight loss programs, it’s easy and possible to overeat Zero Point foods. This is because you don’t have to track or measure Zero Point foods. You may still hit your weight loss goals, but it will take a little longer if you excessively indulge in excess fruits, yogurts, chickpeas, etc.
Eating multiple servings of Zero Point Foods will slow down your weight loss!
What you can eat and what you can’t
The Weight Watchers program is not meant to replace a healthy diet. This program helps you identify the foods that help you lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You are allowed to eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole-grain bread. You are not allowed to eat foods high in sugar or saturated fat, such as candy, cookies, and ice cream!
WW Plans
Once the ww coaches complete your personal assessment, they suggest a food plan, healthy habits, and the total points you will be working with to achieve your weight loss goals. The WW points are based on color-coded programs, Purple, Blue, and Green.
The Purple Plan
The purple plan is designed for those who are just starting out on their weight loss journey. This program offers a lot of structure and guidance to help you ease into the process.
It offers a little over 300 zero-point foods and fewer total daily points.
WW members on the purple plan don’t have to track or focus more on consuming meals on the 300 zero-point foods. However, the system is designed to hold the members accountable for consuming items (like cocktails or cheeseburgers) that are not included in the zero point list, leaving fewer total points to go around.
The Green Plan
If you are looking to lose weight and want a more flexible ww program, the green plan might be perfect for your needs. This diet offers over 400 zero-point foods with higher daily points. WW members on the Green Plan use a food tracker to focus more on their meals and a zero-point food list to achieve their daily smart points.
If you opt to go with this WW plan, you will practically be tracking every food item you consume. The best part about the plan is to have more daily points to work with.
The Blue Plan
The Blue plan is the perfect fit for someone who wants a mix of flexibility and guidance. With more than 200 zero-point foods and a moderate number of daily SmartPoints, this diet provides you with everything your body needs while still allowing room to indulge in some moderation!
How Does Weight Watchers Work? Quick Overview
The plan works by assigning point values to different foods based on their serving size, calories, sugar content, and fiber.
Here is a more detailed broken down explanation about how the meal plans work;
- Each plan uses the SmartPoints formula (calories, sugar, protein (10% max), fiber (20g)) to determine your daily SmartPoints value. SmartPoints are always based on regular portions and not dessert or snack-sized portions.
- Each food is assigned a different point range; lean proteins like white meat chicken tend to be lower in points (1–5 smart points), while foods with high sugar or fat content tend to be higher in points (9–20 smart points). When you’re eating out, even healthy options like fish and veggies are often packed with more fat and salt than is necessary.
- There is a daily budget of SmartPoints assigned to each plan. The daily points budget decrease with time as you lose more weight and your needs change. NOTE: A minimum daily points value has to be achieved every day for each plan.
- Each plan provides you with a bank of weekly points that can be used to your liking. Like the SmartPoints, the weekly points budget also decreases as your needs change.
- You can accumulate or rollover up to 4 unused daily SmartPoints that will be added to your weekly points allowance.
WW Pricing
WW has different pricing plans, with a minimum commitment of one month required.
Digital - Starts at $3.38/week.
The digital pricing plan is a self-guided program that users can access through the WW app and website. The WW app has different capabilities to help you on your healthy eating and weight loss journey. Some of the features include:
- Food, water, fitness, sleep, and weight trackers
- Recipes database, restaurant finder and fitness guides,
- Social interaction platform
- Customized food plan
- PersonalPoints Budget
- Meditations and all-level workouts
- Weekly check-ins and progress reports
- 24/7 Live Coaching
Digital 360 - Starts at $4.61/week
This pricing plan has everything that is on the Digital plan plus;
A lineup of live & on-demand Digital 360 Coaches for more guided support on your own schedule.
Access to exclusive nutrition classes, virtual cooking demos, and more.
Unlimited Workshops - Starts at $7.15 per week
The Unlimited Workshops pricing plan is designed to motivate and inspire you to take more action. It gives you all digital access to WW content and unlimited face-to-face (virtual or in-person) coach-led sessions alongside other WW members. The workshops allow participants to discuss and share goals, progress, tips, advice, and scientific behavior change techniques for weight loss.
The 1-on-1 Coaching - Starts at $11.08 per week.
The plan includes all digital access PLUS private coaching to support you and help keep you accountable if you need a nudge.
You can access your private coach for guidance during scheduled weekly check-ins or anytime via direct messaging. The 1-on-1 coaching helps you get instant feedback from your coach on what’s going well or not so well and helps you set new goals for the week ahead.
The Final Word
The weight loss process can be overwhelming, especially when you have to weigh your food and count calories. With the Weight Watchers program, you have the flexibility to use their online tool and app, which does everything for you.
It easily tracks and assigns a value to each food item, even restaurant foods making it easy for you to stay on track with your weight loss goals. It takes the guesswork out of your weight loss journey, allowing you to focus on what’s most important -Your health!
You will love weight watchers if you don’t know your way around the kitchen! Their premade prepared foods and snacks are a quick and easy way to control portion sizes and calories.
So, if you are looking to get into one of the most efficient Commercial Diet Plan today, you should try out any of the WW plans today!
Losing Weight With WW+; FAQ’s
These questions can help your coach better understand what they need to do to get you on track and feeling great about yourself!
What Is The Weight Watchers Plan?
The weight watcher plan is a points-based system that allows flexibility while still encouraging healthy eating habits. This program works by assigning point values to
How many Weight Watchers points are you allowed a day?
You are allowed a certain number of points every day, depending on your age and gender. The Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator can help you determine how many Point Plus values you are allowed each day!
Do Weight Watchers really work?
The program has proved to work for nearly ten million people worldwide. If you’re looking for a program to help you lose weight. Most people lose weight by focusing on vegetables and lean meats, eating out less, and following the simple point system.
The people who lose the most weight and keep it off are those who make a long-term plan and stick to it! The people who lose weight the fastest typically have a support system and share their success with people they trust.
How Much Does It Cost To Join Weight Watchers In Australia?
It costs about $20 to join weight watchers online. The price varies based on the plan you choose and where in Australia you live! Extra costs include monthly fees for online access, attending in-person meetings at your local office, or purchasing healthy foods from the grocery store.
How much weight can you lose on Weight Watchers in 3 months?
You can lose up to 30 pounds in three months on Weight Watchers! Check out the results of these members who have lost weight with this program. On average, people lose about one to two pounds a week.
Is Weight Watchers Healthy?
The program is designed to help you lose weight in a healthy way that doesn’t involve restrictive dieting or vigorous exercise. The focus is on eating healthy foods and making sustainable changes to your lifestyle. You will learn about portion sizes, reading food labels, and making healthier choices when eating out.