If you're on a mission to lose weight but aren't a fan of tracking macros or counting calories, the simplicity of the Weight Watchers points system may appeal to you.
In the old Weight Watchers PointsPlus system, users had a minimum of 26 points a day, with the option to add a few more and earn bonus points. Weight Watchers rebranded as WW in 2018, and with the name swap came a change to the program's points system where users would instead build their own SmartPoints budget based on their personal goals and lifestyle.
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Most recently, WW debuted their PersonalPoints Program, which involves a customized Points budget and ZeroPoint food list that's tailored to your lifestyle, health needs and goals, according to the website.
Here's everything you need to know about the newest program, including how many WW points you may get on the plan.
How Many Points a Day for Weight Watchers?
In the newest iteration of the WW program — called the PersonalPoints Program — users get a customized daily point budget based on their size, activity levels, health needs and weight-loss goals. As a result, there's no straightforward answer to how many points you get on Weight Watchers: It'll vary depending on your characteristics. But factors like a high activity level, for instance, may make your points budget bigger than if you were sedentary.
About the PersonalPoints Program
The PersonalPoints Program is a new-and-improved WW plan designed with your individuality in mind. After registering for the program and answering some questions about yourself (more on that later), WW creates a Points budget and ZeroPoint food list (that is, foods that don't count toward your daily points allowance) customized to your lifestyle, per the website.
So, how many Weight Watchers points a day does that translate to? Well, it depends. For example, a person who is tall and highly active may have a higher points budget than someone with a smaller body size who participates in less physical activity.
The PersonalPoints Program calculates a food's points based on its overall nutrition, rather than individual factors like calories or fat. For instance, a food with saturated fat and added sugar may have a higher point value, whereas a food with fiber or unsaturated fat may have a lower number, according to the website.
Eating nutritious foods, hydrating and exercising also allow you to add to your points budget, so your number can fluctuate throughout the day or week.
How to Get Your PersonalPoints Number
When you sign up for WW and download the app, you'll enter details about yourself, such as your age, height, weight, sex, activity level and weight-loss goals.
Based on these factors, the program will calculate how many Weight Watchers points you are allowed each day. Your specific PersonalPoints number is designed to help support your weight-loss goals and specific health concerns, per the website.
You can use the WW app to keep track of how many PersonalPoints you've used and how many you have remaining. You can also log your nutrients, hydration and physical activity to add to your points allocation and build beneficial habits.
Make the Most of Your Budget With ZeroPoint Foods
Your plan will also include a personalized ZeroPoint food list, which is a catalog of foods that don't count towards your daily budget and that are intended to steer you towards more nutritious decisions, per the website.
What's on your list will vary based on your needs: For example, if you have diabetes, your zero-point foods may include those that are least likely to spike your blood sugar level.
Typically, though, zero-point foods are full of lean protein, fiber and/or beneficial fats to help pack your meals with nutrients and build a foundation of sustainable, nutritious eating, according to the website.
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