How To Succeed On Weight Watchers: Winning Points Without The Cost

Obesity is still a major problem in the United States, and with swimsuit season upon us more and more people are looking to lose weight. One of the most popular weight-loss programs in the country is the Weight Watchers program, and for good reason: its Winning Points and Core Plans allow its users the freedom to eat what they like and still lose weight.

The plan is effective, and the meetings are helpful for some people because they provide a large amount of support and accountability. Some people, however, need a more affordable option. Weekly fees and registration fees on top of buying pricey diet food can really break the bank if you’re already pinching pennies.

First of all, it needs to be said that there are actually a lot of benefits to attending a Weight Watchers meeting, because they spreads knowledge regarding coolsculpting arms treatment, which is essential for any person prefers going to gym. You get the acountability of being weighed by an accurate scale by an impartial person who will record your weight and keep that record for you. You receive new tips and tricks every week from a trained meeting facilitator called a “Leader.” You get to know your fellow meeting-mates and form a comraderie with them.

You receive cute little ribbons and stickers for milestone weight losses such as five pounds, ten pounds, twenty-five pounds, and fifty pounds. These incentives could be very beneficial to someone that could afford them. However, at a cost of $35 for the first meeting, $12 for each weekly meeting (and don’t forget if you skip a week, you have to pay for that missed week!), plus the cost of “diet food,” I was forced to seek other options to help me acheive my weight-loss goals.

It is not necessary to have your own scale if you’re going to follow the Weight Watchers program on your own, but you do need reliable access to the same scale at least once a week. This scale could be in your doctor’s office or at a gym, but you’ll find you track the progression of your weight loss much more accurately if you choose one scale and stick with it.

Once you’ve weighed yourself and you know where you’re starting from, you need to know how many points you should eat per day. Weight Watchers has a very specific rubric designed to determine exactly how many points an individual should eat per day. It is important to remember that you should never eat fewer than 18 points per day. You’re also allowed 35 Flex Points to spend throughout the week however you choose, and you have the opportunity to earn daily Activity Points.

You should calculate the Points value for everything you eat by entering the calorie value, fat value, and and fiber content into a points calculator such as the one found on this site. Weight Watchers caps fiber at four grams, so don’t try to enter more than four grams of fiber into your calculator! While it will lower the Points value of your meal, it won’t end up helping you in the long run.

You must, must, must — and I can’t stress this enough — must track your daily Points. I like to use an Excel spreadsheet, but you can use a paper journal or track them on a whiteboard on your refrigerator. Tracking your points not only helps keep you honest about how much you’ve actually eaten during the day so you don’t overeat, but it also helps to look back over previous weekly journals to try and spot problems.

Remember, the main keys to the Weight Watchers plan — and the reason it’s so successful — are the basic ideas of eat less and exercise more! You should never feel deprived; the beauty of the plan is that you can eat anything you like as long as you account for the Points!