I was up bright & early this morning so I could get my hands on the new Weight Watchers 2011 Points Plus Program Materials. I have to be the first to admit that when Weight Watchers comes out with a REAL program revamp, not just an update, I am like a kid in a candy store (good analogy, right Tiff!) and I cannot wait to get the new materials.
For me the NEW PROGRAM = RENEWED MOTIVATION!!!
As several of you requested, I have outlined what I feel are the biggest changes and answered a few things I figured some people might ask along the way. I do NOT work for Weight Watchers so this is all based on my personal knowledge/experience.
The ONLINE VERSION is supposed to go LIVE tonight at 12:01 EST (9:01 PM for all my West Coast Friends).
If you can get to a meeting today, they are handing out all new materials and probably already know all of this.
I LOVE their new motto! The program is really simpler than it seems.
Eat Right
Be Active
Repeat!
CHANGES
1. The points formula is now based on how nutritionally sound the food is ~ You will need to know protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber content.
Their focus in on what they are now calling “Power Foods”. This is basically the same as Filling Foods and the CORE Foods. Think lean proteins, fruits/veggies, healthy whole grains, healthy fats, WHOLE FOODS, not processed, etc.
2. My FAVORITE one of all ~ ALL Fruits & vegetables are now 0 points (except starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas) and avocado)!
3. New Points Ranges for everyone. I know they raised the ranges because points on foods went up, however, I also think there is a mental aspect. that having say 29 points versus 18 points makes you feel like you have more to eat.
Eat your NEW daily points target each day. However, listen to your body and only eat until satisfied, not stuffed. No your daily points don’t roll over to the next day if you don’t use them.
4. No more points sliders (they tried but it just is too much info & wouldn’t work).
To FIGURE OUT POINTS VALUES OF FOODS ~ you have 3 options.
1. Look them up in your pocket finder or Companion Books
2. Look them up online or using your phone application.
3. BEST OPTION, (Honestly) ~ Use your points calculator.
5. Your daily points target is now given to you in ONE of TWO ways, it CANNOT be calculated online (unless you have e-tools) and it’s NOT in the books.
To FIGURE OUT YOUR DAILY POINTS TARGET ~ you have 3 options.
1. It’s given to you when you attend a meeting in your weigh in book.
2. It’s given to you online if you are an E-Tools or Monthly Pass Subscriber (I am guessing your phone app will have it too).
3. BEST OPTION, (Honestly) ~ Use your points calculator.
6. NOT COUNTING points is still an Option through Simply Filling (think CORE).
7. Get up and go ~ Be active whenever and however you can.
8. . Treating yourself is encouraged (We all now get 49 EXTRA Weekly Points Allowances)! No they don’t roll over between weeks if unused and you may not use them all each week.
Awesome, right?
Just remember, the things that went up in points are the not so nutritional things so they will cost you more. However, you will offset them by saving points on POWER FOODS that are now lower in points..
9. The Good Health Guidelines have been updated to factor in power foods as well as limiting sodium along with sugar and alcohol.
FAVORITE NEW FEATURE
I am waiting for….All you DROID users out there like me, they finally have a WEIGHT WATCHERS DROID APPLICATION rolling out.
The BEST part, you can scan bar codes & it calcs the points!
A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS
* BUY NOW! If you are going to buy the Calculator and/or Kits, buy them NOW even if you are not officially “joining” until January. The reason being is Weight Watchers got “price smart” in that they are rewarding current members with lower prices, but, taking advantage of the New Year’s Resolutioners and raising their prices each month until they cap out in February.
I bought the Deluxe Kit because it includes a CALCULATOR for Free & a COOKBOOK! It’s $34 now (but will go up to $39.95).
How cool is the organizer bag it comes in?!
There is also a smaller kit that is $14.95, but you don’t get all this cool stuff with it.
* You really need a Calculator to calc points ~ it tells you your daily points target and helps you find the points for each food. It’s $6 or FREE with the Deluxe Kit.
* All of the Weight Watchers Products they sell went up in points values from the Bars to the oatmeal to the Frozen Meals. (Side note, maybe they will work on making them with REAL INGREDIENTS/FOOD, not just chemicals 
)
The Frozen Meal points values will most likely not show the new stats until January 2010. Look them up in the Complete Food Companion and/or use your points calculator until then. The New Meals will have the Blue Symbol for points plus (most 6 point versions are now 9 points so check it out!)
* It’s really not that bad, they say most people eat roughly the same 25 foods all the time. Over time, I am pretty sure you will know the points of the things you eat most often.
* No you don’t need to throw out all your old cookbooks. Just use the nutritional information on each recipe (even on my site!) to calculate the NEW Points Values.
For those looking to get a little help or just want to have a little challenge, they have a tear-out Kick Start Guide that tells you everything you need to get the program working.
I was chatting up the new program on Twitter with a few super cool bloggers this morning and we decided to form our own Weight Watchers Support Group….anyone can join in, but, it would be a great way to swap ideas, motivate each other and reach our goals.
UPDATE!!! The Weight Watchers Support Group is now LIVE. We named it Friends for Weight Loss because that is what we are to each other. Click HERE TO JOIN THE GROUP & HAVE FUN!
Ready, set, go….
Whether she’s enjoying a dish at a local restaurant or whipping up a crowd-pleasing, nutritious meal at home, Danica has a passion for all things food. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of “all things in moderation” and chronicles her culinary adventures here. Besides sharing her daily eats and tasty, nutritious recipes, Danica connects others seeking a healthier lifestyle on her other site Friends For Weight Loss. 
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Why doesn’t my weekly remaining points change. It stays at 49. If I am using points every day then how can my weekly remaining points still be 49?
These are actually “Extra” points that you can use throughout the week; you will see the number reduce from 49 when you go over your daily points limit.
Hope this helps!
Hi,
I just started on Tuesday night and on my first day (Weds) I actually used 3 of my weekly points. Today, I have planned better and will probably have points left over tonight. Will those left over points “reimburse” my weekly points that I used on Wednesday?
Just trying to plan ahead for my weekend away/Easter dinner…
Thanks!
Kristine
No, once you’ve used your weekly points, they are gone. You can, however, earn some points by getting on your feet and earning activity points. A 10-minute walk will get you 2 points!
What is the lowest number of points on Points Plus?
(From the WW website)
5. You have a new daily PointsPlus Target
Whatever your daily POINTS Target used to be, it’s now higher. The minimum per day is now 29. Don’t worry that this will cause you to eat more and gain weight; the PointsPlus values of many foods are also higher.
I was told the min per day is 26, that is what mines is… Is that why i always hungry……lol
Help! Where can I buy the Deluxe Points Plus kit including the calculator off the internet? It is hard for me to make it into one of the meetings and would really like to get started on this. Can you please help me with this question?
ebay?
Here is a Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator Shortcut. A point value is total Calories divided by 40. Use 39 with a calculator for more accuracy. So, 200 Cal is 5 points. With 40, 5.5 points is 220 Cal. With 39, 5.5 points is 215 Cal. You can also do your own rounding. Say you eat 3.6 points, then 4.7. WW would round both up, to 9 points. But 3.6 plus 4.7 is 8.3. So you can enter 8 points if you want to. You can get to the 39 by taking 20 different Smart Ones frozen meals. Look at total Calories and total points. Divide to get 39. So with 29 daily plus 49 weekly, your daily total is (29 + 49/7) = 29 + 7 = 36. So 36 points X 39 Calories = 1404. That looks low. So now with respect to those who say a point is 50 Cal, we add 11 Cal X 36 pts for 396 Cal for fruits and veggies. So total daily Cal are 1950. You can also earn Activity Points. So 50 can be used as a value per point only when looking at total daily points, including fruits and veggies, when comparing WW to other programs. Enjoy and share.
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