Weight Watchers New Program: PointsPLUS

Weight Watchers works hard to keep up with nutrition science, and even though the science has evolved, it's been a long time since Weight Watchers updated its plan in a fundamental way.

Weight Watchers Management Discusses Points PLUS program change

Here's Weight Watchers management discussing the PointsPLUS change:

Points PLUS? PRO Points? The Scoop

In the U.S., it sounds like the plan will be called Points PLUS. Early indications are that:

• We'll still track points and have a daily and weekly "allowance."
• Points for foods will take into account more than calories - the protein and carbohydrate values will also factor into how many "points" a serving of a particular food "costs."
• Most or all fruit is free, or no points value. This is wonderful; I don't know about you, but I didn't get fat on fruit.
• Points values reflect nutritional value of the food: Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat, and Fiber.
• The Plan materials and lists will be new and points values NOT the same for the same foods.
• 49 points per week allowance, according to TheChalky80, a UK Weight Watchers Online member chronicling her own journey on YouTube.

New Science, New Plan

If you've been with me on my Journey to Fitness for awhile (I started blogging about my fitness and weight loss journey in 2003), you'll know the last time the plan changed radically was the CORE program - moving away from strictly "calorie counting" and trying to nudge people into making fundamentally different choices about what they eat.

The program that will be launched next week - November 28 - does represent that type of change. Kudos for the Weight Watchers management for recognizing the need to evolve and doing it. They get lots of pushback when they do this. Do you suspect that Weight Watchers changes the plan for marketing purposes or in order to maximize profits? Well - they do, in a sense - we all need to grow and evolve in order to stay effective, and WW is no exception. Think about what they COULD do if profit was their sole motivation. Weight Watchers Vitamins? Weight Watchers clothing? They don't "milk" us members nearly as much as they could. I'm not affiliated with them, just a fan and member for many years :) At today's weigh-in, where I was again/still above The Number That Must Not Be Named (TNTMNBN) - I resolved to use this change as another refocus/restart. Keep in touch with me! Tell me how your own journey is going! Let's do this, people!!

Weight Watchers Plan Options

Weight Watchers offers vegetarian options, pregnancy and new mother options, and an online-only options for folks who don't like the in-person meeting support. I'm the type who NEEDS the in-person meetings to stay focused and motivated, but it's nice to know we have the option. Weight Watchers also has a vibrant online community, and you can become a member and participate without being a Weight Watchers member. Check it out!

Sneak Peek at Weight Watchers Points Plus or Pro Points Plan

Check the Weight Watchers UK site for a sneak peek at the new plan, and BEST OF LUCK!