Is Weight Watchers' New Points System Better?

Posted on Dec 3rd 2010 10:00AM by Hilary Walke

Weight Watchers has officially launched a new points system, PointsPlus. According to USA Today, the new plan considers fruits and veggies "free" foods. This system has already been used in Europe for a year now.

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The latest nutritional science and research was the inspiration to the new PointsPlus system. Studies have shown that protein and fiber are more effective than carbs and fats when it comes to staying fuller longer, Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer for Weight Watchers explained to USA Today. The idea is to encourage users to indulge on fruits and veggies rather than chips or cookies.

Sometimes change is good, sometimes it can be overwhelming. Will you be embracing PointsPlus? Find out what our users had to say about the new Weight Watchers point system.

Janelle M.
I love it! I can LIVE with this program! No more DIEts for me!

Candace S.
It has to be better than the traditional points system which freely endorsed the use of Velveeta and other chemical concoctions they called food. It's about time!

Sheila W.
I'd like to see the person that got fat eating too many fruits and veggies. If you are out there please contact me! :-) Everyone should adapt to this way of eating!

Julia M.
Well there is a such thing as eating too many fruits (not so much vegetables). Neither has significant protein or provide a sustainable energy source, so for those who weight train, there is a such thing as "too many." Everybody is different and in fact I was told by my nutritionist to stop eating excessive fruits. I know that is rare though and most people don't incorporate enough... especially those who are obese/overweight or not involved in intense training.

Amy G.
They have to do this...it's a business first and foremost. Like changing a logo or a business plan, things get a bit stale. People need to see something fresh to keep interest.

Koko B.
YAY!!!

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Tags: pointsplus, weight loss, Weight Watchers, weight watchers diet, WeightWatchersDiet, ww points

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Kathy 12-04-2010 @ 2:06PM

As a diabetic & weight watcher participant the new change is not so good for me or any other diabetics. Fruit is fructose/a simple sugar that will cause glucose hikes quickly. I have been trying to recocile the diabetic food plan & the weight watcher's plan for a while unsuccessfully

Lisa 12-06-2010 @ 4:01PM

Weight Watchers is all about choice. I am a lifetime member, maintaining for 15 months now. This recent change is not saying we must eat unlimited fruit. I practice medicine, and I know you are right: fruits are sugars. Even Peas and corn have high carbs. If you closely look at the plan it it embracing the core ideas of a mediterranean style diet: more veggies, fiber and low fat protein. Only with WW there is still that element of choice. Let's give this a chance, folks. I am finding it not much different than my previous points system as I was already doing veggies and fruits as opposed to searching the face of the earth for low-point cookies, etc.

Amy 12-06-2010 @ 9:09PM

Kathy...are you T1 or T2? I've been T1 for 34 yrs...(I'm 38) and I'm on a pump,(also a WW member) so fruits aren't such a problem for me......you need to talk to your Endo. (you do have one..right?) and see if there is something different you can do.....

Gail S. 12-06-2010 @ 6:38PM

I agree...my diabetic nutritionist likes WWs but now having to tweek it so much because we can only have limited carbs, we wouldn't really be following the WW plan. A lot of low point foods and low point recipes they talk about at meetings have way too many carbs for a diabetic, regardless of the points. They talk way too much about food and recipes and it is often counter-productive for a diabetic.

Susan 12-04-2010 @ 2:14PM

It is almost like the core system. You can eat vegtables and fruit. Eat your veg. and fruit and don't forget protein. Workout aerobics and weights. and you will be fine.

ce 12-04-2010 @ 2:21PM

To the diabetic: You can combine the 2 food plans, get help from your lecturer or doctor if you can't figure it out. I am lactose intolerant; I just don't drink or eat any dairy products.

Laurie 12-04-2010 @ 2:30PM

Weight watchers has always worked well for me.

old enough to remember 12-04-2010 @ 2:31PM

Weight Watchers typically "tweeks" its program every year about this time. The important thing is to go to the lectures, and if you have problems losing, speak to your lecturer. They usually have been on the new plans before it is introduced to the general public. No, I am not a lecturer, but have been on ww enough times over the years to be familiar with how it works.

Jay 12-06-2010 @ 2:41PM

I have been on the Momentem plan since last March. No other WW plan worked for me like that one. It is very foxy of them to start a plan that is so very different that the previous one, right at Holiday time, when most people are a bit stressed, out shopping and grabbing what meals they can. In the midst of the Holiday stuff, to try to configure this. I met my goal, I'm a Lifetime member. All that said, I am hungry all the time, I always ate plenty of fruits and veggies anyway. Too much of the fruit is too much acid for the system. I'm hungry, not sure of WHAT to eat when I'm on the go, I'm cranky, and I have lost my belief in WW. I understand it's a business. Starting this big change up now, it's not very friendly.
Disappointed

RWoody 12-04-2010 @ 2:34PM

Weight watchers---hmmmm. Come on of course fruit and veggies are better snacks than chips and cookies!!!! Wow--revelation. Does W.W. still sell W.W> cakes, brownies, hot dogs, and all the other unhealthy garbage they sell to make a buck without concern about REAL health? Love the accountability and social aspect for helping succeed. They lack in the "teaching" real health area.
www.randywoody.com

Jeanne 12-04-2010 @ 5:47PM

RWOODY - of course WW sells the food bars and snacks AND at a higher point value. No one says you have to stick to Fruits and Veggies. This Points Plus plan makes you think before you buy or eat. I had what I call a stress snack - they went from 6 to 9 points. That is not worth it to me, it is teaching a person a better choice decision. BUT EVERYONE - REMEMBER, YOU EAT UNTIL YOUR ARE SATISFIED NOT UNTIL THE WHOLE BUNCH OF BANANAS IS GONE AND DEFINITELY NOT BECAUSE THE FRUIT AND VEGGIES ARE FREE.

Sheryl Banak 12-04-2010 @ 2:46PM

South Beach has a good plan & it doesn't cost an arm & a leg. Based on Mediterranean diet. It's good. Did WW for years. Fruits have sugar & so, still need some limits. The starchy veggies do, too. There must be limits of some things.

Sheryl Banak 12-04-2010 @ 2:50PM

A dietician is a very good resource as well. For various conditions, there are nrses & dieticians & social workers who specialize & can be of help. The bottom line is YOU have to learn to be disciplined.

angie 12-04-2010 @ 3:14PM

The best weight watcher's programs were before the points system.
They taught one to eat in the most healthful way. Long after they abandoned it, I have still followed it to some extent for decades, and it always works...
Basically, on a daily basis, (depending on which week you were at) there were between 4 to 6 protein exchanges, 2 to 4 bread/starch exchanges, 3-4 fruits, UNLIMITED veggies, and 3 fat exchanges. They also allowed for weekly *optional* calories which could include basically anything.
From that diet, I learned that, as a woman, if I ate more than 3 starch exchanges a day, I would not lose weight, and my stomach would not flatten.
As a pasta lover, I was still able to have a full cup of pasta (with meat, veggies, beans, sauce, whatever) every night and still be within my limits to lose weight.
When I eat less than 3 breads a day, it helps me stay even skinnier. This is the weight loss trick that all chic European women know to keep themselves looking slender and fantastic.

knuckles 12-06-2010 @ 2:39PM

Hi
When you had your cup of pasta, how many starch exchanges was that?

debpro66 12-09-2010 @ 10:14AM

anyone remember Lean Line?? also was about exchanges and was a great weight loss tool........

angie 12-06-2010 @ 10:47AM

I forgot to add that they also included 2 milk exchanges in the plan back then too! (Men were allowed more exchanges of mostly everything, and it worked brilliantly for them too)
I think that the thing most people didn't like was weighing and measuring, but honestly, after a while it becomes habitual and easy, and when you slack off, and then go back to measuring, you start to realize how off your portions can get...that is when the pounds start coming back on without you realizing it.

Dawn d. 12-04-2010 @ 3:36PM

Mentally, I understand how the new PointsPlus plan calculates the points in a new, better, more realistic way. However, emotionally, I am reacting like they are trying to put me on a DIET. Yes they give you more points to consume, but most of the foods cost more points. The small things I was doing to keep my cravings at bay COST MORE, and they no longer seem like small things.

I am going to give the new plan a chance, but right now I am reacting and, therefore, experiencing a backlash of rebellious cravings because I feel like it has turned into a regular diet where things are shouldn'ts and can'ts again.

Dawn

KATHY J. 12-04-2010 @ 7:14PM

Dawn, I agree with you about feeling like they are putting us on a diet, a diet of fruit and veggies, and yes, those items are very costly. I will still follow the old point system, which worked very well for me. LIKE IT IS SAID, "IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WHY FIX IT???"

ettienana 12-05-2010 @ 12:14AM

I too am very angry with the change. I initally lost 63 lbs on the programs and kept it off for 7 years. On the new program (I cannot eat large amounts of fruit or vegetables)I have already GAINED 2 LBS. I now feel that I must find an alternative to this program. I was very happy the way things were.

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