Help Understanding Points
 

I did it, I went to my first meeting today. I was a member a while ago, when points first came out. They have changed. When I originally did it, you had a range of points that you needed to stay in, now you just get 1 number. I don't understand this. My number is so high, I don't understand how if I eat that much I will still lose weight. Someone please explain it to me. All the leader said was it was medically tested and it worked. That wasn't enough of an explanation for. me. Do I really have to eat all those points every day?

Star...

Yes it works. When I restarted WW I as shocked at how many points I got. I did Core last time which workd for me until I was cheating more than I was on plan. I had a lot of trouble eating enough points at first...then I rethought my food choices and found it easier and easier. It does work. It's kind of like this...

A full size SUV needs more gas than a sub compact because the SUV has a bigger tank and a bigger engine. In order for it to go as far as it can...it needs more fuel. Our bodies are the same. The myth of 1000 calories a day being the miracle cure to being overweight...is a MYTH. If you don't feed your body properly (enough calories per day) it will think it is being starved to death and it will not let you lose weight. You will lose at first but then you will stop and that will be that. It has been medically tested. You also have to remember that for every 10 lbs you lose from your starting weight, you get 1 less point per day.

My best advice is track your food and be honest. Eat your points, use your flex points when you need them and drink lots of water. You really truly can eat what you want...but your body will get more out of more fruits and veggies, low fat and fat free dairy, whole grains and lean protein. But when you absolutely have to have that candy bar...you have the points to indulge now and then.

What has saved me and made my program easier is that my WW leader focuses on alternative foods...close substitutions for the food we love that are hgher in points. Sometims you just have to be a littel creative and do some research. There are also great web resources out there that provide similar information.

Good luck...I'm happy to answer any other Q's :)

Great post Julee!

What our program here says (and I think it could be the same on this point) - do not go below 4 points under your daily totals. So I have 24 points per day (because of my weight) and I should never go under 20. Most days I'm right on target or I have 1 or 2 to put into my 'bank'.

Many of our fruits and veg are 'free' so I tend to eat a lot of those at each meal and even in between (I like most fruits and veg so that's a bonus :) )

Instead of the range like there used to be, there's now a base points level and 35 flex points to use each week. So they basically took the range system, assigned everyone the number at the bottom of their range, and then took the upper daily values and added them together for you to draw from throughout the week. It's the same system, just more flexible.

If you're having trouble getting in all your points at first, focus on meeting the healthy guidelines - get in your dairy and your oils and fruits and veg. That usually helps. If all else fails, an ounce of nuts is usually 4 points, that's what I use when I need to get to my base target at the end of the day. WW does not recommend going under your target points.

Trust the system... At least for a while. give it a good, honest effort eating all your base points for two weeks and if you aren't making progress play with your points a little, change the kinds of things you've been eating, etc etc. It'll take a little time but I think the first few weeks are the toughest while you figure things out.

This isn't exactly true. What happened before is that you had a range. Say it was 22-27 points. And you stayed in that range was good for 25 pounds (the 22-27 range was if you weighed between 175 - 200). The way they do the system now, your target slowly lowers as you go from 200 to 175. So your target at 200 may be 25 or 26, and your target at 190 might be 24 or 25, etc etc all the way down.

Ideas
 

Star,
What kinds of things do you usually like to eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. This is my 4th week in WW on the flex plan. I stepped back to look at the things I like to eat. Then I found healthier ways (i.e. low calorie english muffins) to still eat the same things I like.

I love lunch meat and sandwiches. I buy low calorie high fiber bread and oscar mayer chicken breast shaved which is only 1 point for 4 slices. I also buy 2% krafts singles slices which are a point a piece. With that I like to eat a fruit cup or a string cheese, also being 1 point or 2 depending which kind you buy. Or the 100 calorie Cheese Crisps or Lorne Doone Short Bread cookies, also 2 points.
Just to give you an example.

It really is like shopping the way you always do, but stopping to read the back of the box instead of throwing it in the cart. Do you have the points calculator??