Weight Watchers PointsPlus is a revamped version of the old Weight Watchers POINTS program that assigns values to foods based on their nutritional value, including fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and protein. The system aims to encourage members to make healthier food choices and exercise more, with rewards for both. Fruits and vegetables have a PointsPlus value of zero, and indulgences are allowed. Meetings and online resources are available for support.
The Weight Watchers PointsPlus programme, called ProPoints in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, is a revamp of the former Weight Watchers POINTS programme. As with the previous program, a person who participates in the Weight Watchers PointsPlus system receives a daily points goal based on their weight, gender and other factors. Each food or drink that a person eats is assigned a certain value. Foods that are processed slowly and leave a person feeling fuller are generally more nutritious and are given a lower value than less nutritious foods that are quickly processed by the body. Using PointsPlus values, the system aims to steer members away from processed foods toward whole, nutritious foods.
There are some differences between the old Weight Watchers POINTS program and the new Weight Watchers PointsPlus system. Launched in 1997, the old program assigned POINTS to foods based on fiber and fat. Under this program, a low-fat, high-fiber food had a lower POINT value than a high-fat, low-fiber food. However, it did not account for other nutrients. The new program accounts for not only fat and fiber, but also carbohydrates and protein.
A high-carb food that is higher in fiber, like an apple, takes longer to digest than a sugar-laden, processed, high-carb food, like a cookie. The result is that a person who eats whole, unprocessed foods will feel fuller for longer compared to a person who has eaten processed foods. Weight Watchers PointsPlus values are calculated so that a person is rewarded for making healthier food choices. For example, most fruits and vegetables have a PointsPlus value of zero, which means that a person can eat as much food as they want. There is also an allowance for indulgences as the company recognizes the need to “cheat” on a diet program.
The Weight Watchers PointsPlus program also encourages people to exercise more. If a person increases their activity, they can earn PointsPlus values that can be exchanged for additional food allowances. This means that the program takes into account the nutritional needs of an active person and also rewards exercise. As with the previous program, a person can also attend Weight Watchers meetings for support and advice. There are also online resources available for members who are in the program.
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