Weight Watchers POINTS are part of the Weight Watchers diet plan. Instead of counting calories, dieters track their consumption using a POINTS system. The number of POINTS allowed each day is determined by your gender, weight, height, age and how you spend your days -- and because low-fat, high-fiber foods have the fewest POINTS values, the system encourages such foods by default.

Since POINTS are essentially a free-for-all, dieters could potentially live off of junk food -- provided they stay within their daily POINTS limit. Some dieters may eat a high number of low-POINTS foods and end up without enough dietary fat or protein. Others might under-eat all day and save up their POINTS for a single splurge. Neither option is particularly healthy. But dieters who take a balanced approach to the system can find success.

"The research indicates that of all the commercial weight loss programs, Weight Watchers has the best track record though the overall weight loss is not as significant as most people desire," Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., M.A., R.D., spokesperson, American Dietetic Association told AOL Health. The other downside, claims Sass, is that the POINTS system is based on fat and fiber. "Many of my clients who've done Weight Watchers end up taking in too little healthy fats such as nuts, olive oil, avocado.

See our full Weight Watchers diet review for more information. Plus, find out how to calculate your Weight Watchers POINTS online.

Photo of and by: Debbie Hugo

Our smartest diet and fitness plans usually mean an admirable weight loss of a few pounds. Unless you're Debbie Hugo. This Kent, Wash. Weight Watchers leader is the inspiration behind WW's national Lose for Good campaign, kicking off August 30 to raise big money to support the hungry. That's Fit recently interviewed Hugo to find out how her brilliant idea metamorphosed in millions raised for food banks nationwide.

Approximately six years ago, Hugo needed to come up with a motivational idea to spark client weight loss over the food-driven holidays. As a leader, she found it frustrating that "You're down a quarter pound!" typically resulted in a lackluster "That's all?" response by clients. A success story herself -- Hugo lost 40 pounds through WW -- she knew those quarter and half pounds add up fast. So her "food shrine" idea was born.

For about two months, Hugo asked clients to build a non-perishable food shrine at home, equivalent to weight lost each week. A 6-ounce loss became a can of tuna on the shrine. At the end of the program, client shrines were hauled into a meeting -- a tangible example of weight shed -- then donated to a local food bank. Hugo's food shrine idea had clients abuzz with excitement. "People were building it on their TV because they had late night snack issues," explained Hugo. "I had others tell me they were building it on their dinner table, so they wouldn't reach for more food."

Photo: Provided by Sherrie Harris

Weighing in at 285 pounds, Sherrie Harris (right) decided to do something about it, so she joined Weight Watchers. After she saw her mom shed 147 pounds, Courtney (left) followed suit, dropping 66 pounds and overhaulling her eating routine. A typical pre-diet day for the two consisted of fast food, fried foods and carb-heavy sides like mac and cheese and mashed potatoes -- and neither paid attention to portion sizes. "Exercise was changing the channels on the remote, or going up the stairs to watch TV in our rooms as we ate M&M's or Cheez-Its," Sherrie tells AOL Health. Read more about their success story and others who got fit together on AOL Health.

Have you lost big? Share you diet success story with That's Fit here.

Photo: float, sxc.hu

Four weeks into Weight Watchers and everything is perfect -- my journaling is exact, I'm making all the right eating choices, I've never gone over my points limit and I've reached my goal already. So take that last 20 pounds! OK, so all those things really do apply, in a perfect world.

Here's what's going on in my real world: Four weeks into Weight Watchers, and I've attended three out of four meetings, still eating right up to the points limit and borrowing as needed from other days. I journal on occasion and have gained as much as I've lost. I was down 2.2 pounds and back up 1.1 pounds.

No doubt, I am only enjoying half of the benefits of the program because I'm only halfway trying. I can't lie ya'll, I like to eat. And for as many posts that I write with tricks, tips, pointers and expert advice, I don't always do the things that I should. I can hear experts, trainers and nutritionists in my head saying, "Karla, you don't have to deprive yourself, you can enjoy -- in moderation." A single Nutter Butter cookie never brought me no joy. I need at least two to crack a smile and at least three to show some teeth -- four and I'm bordering on elation. Some days, I just can't talk myself down. I try to gauge when I'm weakest and when I'm strongest, but then I get nervous because I can't identify and well, I need a snack to think it over.

I'm only human. I make no excuses, and I take full responsibility for all the wrong I've eaten. On a much lighter note, my exercise routine has not waned. I've continued faithfully with my trainer and am working hard. I've graduated to male push ups and various other exercises that months ago were only a dream. All of this is in preparation for the big day, August 1st.

Karla Carrington

Two weeks in with Weight Watchers, and I've been more off the wagon than on. I realize I am too smart for my own good. I'm so smart, in fact, I'm dumb. Here's an example of how my mind works: Vanilla wafers. Innocent enough, right? They are a better choice than my favorite Nutter Butter cookies, so I buy them instead. But that doesn't mean eat the whole box, fool!

Yes, over the span of two days, I ate an entire box of vanilla wafers. They weren't even the good Nilla brand wafers, but a bootleg store brand.

Some foods I just need to be brought into a courtroom before a judge, with my hand and lips on a six pack of bibles and sworn to a death oath not to buy. Ever. An entire box later, Nilla brand and all its bootleg vanilla wafer cousins are banned from my house.

Photo: mason bryant/Flickr

I promised myself that there are some numbers on the scale I will see never again. When I got down to 300 pounds, I said bye-bye forever. Again at 200 pounds, I vowed the needle would never reach two anything -- ever again. Having consistently teetered between 183 and 191, my two-hundred-phobia has resolved. However, still looming in the back of my mind is the fact that by medical standards, I am still considered 'overweight.'

My 'normal' weight range is between 125 and 150 pounds. Did anybody else laugh reading that? Because I sure did. Those numbers are a little too low for someone stricken with bigbuttitis. In my usual fashion, I have taken the initiative to set a goal of 170 pounds. That is still 10 pounds above the recommendation of my doctor and trainer Jake, but any lower and I may have to turn in my big-butt club membership. I'm not quite ready to do that. It does have its privileges.

This goal lead me to my first Weight Watchers meeting at a local synagogue. I jumped on the scale and went through the routine hesitantly but proud of myself for making the steps and not stopping where I am because I "feel" good. Losing these 20 pounds, I expect to feel better.

It's almost blueberry season, and Jonny's got another reason to enjoy this sweet summer treat: Blueberries just might help banish belly fat.

Maggie tells us about an emulsion could be added to foods that helps people lose weight. Should our focus be on making processed foods less fattening, or teaching people to eat a healthier diet. What do you think?

Need some motivation to keep that fitness plan rolling along? Laura's got five good reasons to always be fit.

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After all that hard work you've been doing, you deserve to show off those fit and sexy legs. Put yourself in a great pair of shorts with some advice from Kristen.

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Attention frappuchino lovers: Starbucks is taking a small step towards a healthier coffee break in their Dallas stores.

"Wipeout" host Jill Wagner opens up about her own journey to fitness in an interview with Fitz and why she's yet to try out the "Wipeout" course herself.

Karla's starting Weight Watchers with one goal in mind: Not quitting. If you've ever yo-yoed, you know exactly what she's talking about. We're behind you all the way, Karla!

DNF - all you racers out there know what it means. Would you rather finish a race with a bad time, or get that mark that means "did not finish?"

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight, and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose the last 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every Wednesday about every win and setback along the way.

OK, people. Here I go. My first Weight Watchers meeting is Thursday night. And I am nervous as hell. I can't say exactly why since I've successfully done Weight Watchers before. But I am. I have stepped on enough scales in my lifetime with many different emotions, but nothing beats the excitement I've felt weighing in at a meeting after a good week and seeing the minus sign in the total-loss column. I also haven't forgotten the frustration I would feel on weeks when the weight held a plus sign, meaning I'd gained. Even that was not a bad experience. It always motivated me to stay on the wagon and do all I could to see that precious minus sign again.

I'd love to say that I just took off running with it, but Weight Watchers was not unlike most projects that I start and don't finish. I start all things gung-ho because of the organization process. That is my favorite part. I begin with charts, graphs, analyses and labeled index cards in prep for the exercise itself. Putting things together excites me. But once I have completed that phase, boredom sets in. That zest for the project itself goes right out the window. I'm organized and ready now! Oh, you mean I actually have to do the project? What a novel idea.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight, and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose the last 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every Wednesday about every win and setback along the way.

I could dress it up in fancy words, but that's not my style. In a nutshell, my eating stinks. Dr. Jonny Bowden was glad to hear about my new fitness habits, but he did not delay in telling me that I could not out-train a bad diet. He stressed the importance of balanced eating and gave me great tips to help break some of the bad habits that have created this pseudo-plateau. It is actually not a plateau. I have somehow managed to balance out enough exercise to keep me from gaining. The downside is, I'm no longer losing. The drastic work is done. That was losing the hundreds of pounds. But I'm not done. I've still got another 10 or so I'd like to get rid of. Somehow these 10 seem much harder than the first 200, but I know I can do it.

I'm not too proud to say it. When it comes to my eating, I need help. Having tried every diet on the market, the only success I've ever experienced was with Weight Watchers. Back in the 80s, my brother and I even tried a pill called Dream Away. The infomercial was incredible! We watched all the before and after testimonials, and all we needed to do was "dream the fat away." Well, we jumped on this deal with both feet. Let me get this straight: We can eat what we want and just take a pill and the fat will melt away, while we sleep? Talk about a no-brainer, we were all over it. We pooled our allowances and his lawn mowing money and ordered our bottles of Dream Away. What this infomercial did not tell us was that it was really speed, and you never slept. Hence, if it failed it had to be because you weren't sleeping. Duh! Weight Watchers held no gimmicks and if I worked the system, it worked. I lost nearly 70 pounds and got too cute to keep up the good work. I'm still cute, but my thighs are still huge -- so I am considering a Weight Watchers rejoin.

Trigger foods are diet derailers, and you should know what yours are. Weight Watchers says the most common trigger foods are sugar/fat combinations (like ice cream and cookies) and fat/salt combinations (like nuts and potato chips). The Fit Shack found in their binge eating survey that sugar is the trigger for 72 percent of their readers. If you're not sure where you fall, they suggest you try this exercise: For one week, write down everything you eat and drink, describe your feelings at the time, and every time you put something in your mouth, indicate whether or not you're overeating or drinking. At the end of one week, scan your list, and you should be able to see a pattern of foods that trigger overeating.

Once you zero in on your eating trends, you can start to make changes. Maybe you'll need to ban the bakery altogether or send your spouse to the grocery store if you can't stop buying your trigger foods. Avoid restaurants with items that send you into overdrive, and when you cross paths with your trigger favorites at a summer BBQ, grab a pal and take a walk around the block. The key, says Weight Watchers, is to identify your trigger foods and avoid them altogether, at least for a certain period of time, and then reassess periodically. Only when you're able to control your portions can you consider these foods safe to be around.

What are your trigger foods? And please share if you've found a good way to avoid them.

It's seems like you hear about a new diet plan all the time. Low-carb, meal replacement, plans where you purchase your meals, plans that teach you a new way to eat ... the options are limitless. I wondered what diet plans you have tried:

• 29 percent of you have given Weight Watchers a try. With online and in-person meetings to choose from, Weight Watchers has great built-in support. Weight Watchers teaches nutrition and exercise habits to last a lifetime. "That's Fit" reader Julie said, "I have tried many diets in the past, but what finally worked for me was Weight Watchers. I lost 50+ pounds and have kept it off for two years and counting."
• 23 percent of you have tried more than one plan. I know this is where I fall! Switching diet plans isn't a bad thing if the plan you're on isn't working for you. Just be sure you're not diet hopping because you aren't seeing immediate results. Weight loss isn't meant to be instant ... slow and steady wins the race.
  
• 16 percent of you tried The Best Life. Though the plan is different, The Best Life is similar to Weight Watchers in that it teaches you habits you can maintain for life. After all, a healthy weight comes from healthy habits. Check out more of Bob Greene's advice right here on "That's Fit."
  
• 14 percent of you have gone the low-carb route with The Atkins Diet. The Atkins Diet is based on the principle that if you reduce your carb intake (especially refined carbs like white flour and sugar), your body will burn more fat for energy.
• 5 percent of you have tried Slim Fast. Meal replacement options like Slim Fast give you calorie-controlled bars or shakes to take the place of regular meals. It's not a bad way to jump start a diet, and the convenience of the meal replacements works well for some people. However, "That's Fit" reader Connie said, "Long ago I did the Slim Fast diet. It was boring. I have found that a diet journal with a healthy diet of all types of food works the best for me. I keep track of what and how much I eat and adjust my diet accordingly."
• 3 percent of you have tried The Zone Diet. The Zone Diet follows the principle of balance. It recommends eating 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat at each meal.

Not sure what diet plan is right for you? Check out "AOL Health" for information on many different diet plans.

Are you one of those people who doesn't think a Valentine's Day gift counts unless it's chocolate? It can be tough to say no to your favorite indulgence, but if you're serious about watching your weight, a big box of chocolates is honestly the last thing you need to have around. (You know I'm right.)

However, Weight Watchers has a way for you to have your candy and eat it, too. They've joined forces with Whitman's to create a line of chocolate candies with point values assigned -- I had a chance to sample the Pecan Crowns, which were delicious, and just one point a piece!

Here's the catch -- the point value is per piece. So, if you know you're not going to be able to eat just one, they're still not "safe." I find it helpful that they're individually wrapped (so I can't eat a dozen a couple and trick myself into thinking I've only had one ... not that I've ever done that).

The beauty of a "before" picture is that it allows you to really appreciate how far you've come. Not there yet? Are you walking around in the body you'll one day refer to as your "before"? Watch this video and get a move on. Life is too short to spend one extra second in your "before" body. Pay close attention, take action and zoom on into your "after" body.

For fabulous cooking tips, creative workouts and more fun quick information from degreed experts in health and fitness, visit SportsHealthExercise.org.

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Even if you're not all that interested in football, I'm willing to bet you've attended a SuperBowl party or two. I mean, why not -- it's a chance to socialize and get rowdy with your friends, and it's a free pass to eat junk and chug beer. Oh, wait. Actually, it's not.

I don't mean that you have to munch on celery sticks and drink water all game -- after all, this is a party. However, you have plenty of healthful options, and Weight Watchers has some tips for helping you be a winner this SuperBowl.

Check out the gallery for some quarter by quarter suggestions as well as a delicious sounding recipe from the Weight Watchers Cookbook. Got a healthful recipe you plan to use? Share it in the comments!

Jenny McCarthy and her long-time boyfriend, Jim Carrey, were caught by the papparazzi while vacationing in Hawaii. Usually, I feel bad when celebrities are hounded while on vacation, but Jenny McCarthy should be very proud of these photos. She looks amazing.

Back in her early days on MTV, McCarthy came across as sexy and silly ... and sometimes crazed. But, in more recent years, McCarthy has shown that she's also dedicated, intelligent and a strong advocate for her son. Her dedication obviously spills over into maintaining her beach-perfect body as well. She lost weight post-pregnancy with the help of Weight Watchers; since then, she has continued eating healthfully and exercising in her home gym.

It's not too early to get your body ready for bikini season. If you want to lose some extra pounds, check out the America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size program.

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