[Magpie]

I'm rather confused. I was told its 1 point per 50 cals with the WW point plan.
I bought their 2 Point Bars which have over 140 cals per bar...how do they get 2 points ? Would anyone have the answer to this ? I'm not disputing WW,just want to know how this can be.

[Karen L]

You need to look at the whole picture when computing points. You need not only the calories, but the fiber grams and fat grams. 50 calories is just a starting point. Because of the fiber in some foods I think it is safe to say that 1 point is worth 50 t0 75 calories.

[leader]

Magpie: Karen L is right -- the WHOLE picture is what "calculates" points. It's not only the calories. If you look at our smoothies, they are 2 points by themselves, if made w/ water. If you make them with 8 oz of skim milk, which is itself 2 points, the whole mixture calculates to 3 points. One point can be as few as THIRTY calories (1 tsp. of oil for example) or as many as 75 or so. The 50 calorie estimate is just a GUIDELINE and is not a hard and fast rule. It's a function of how much fat is in the food, fiber, AND the calories.

[Magpie]

Thank you so much for your replies to my question. I have only been going to WW since May 7 and have sooooo much to learn : ) I must take a new approach to figuring my point value of foods...thought it was a simple 1 point per 50 cals...now that I know the difference its going to be neat to see how far out I've been on some of my regular foods I 've been calculating.
I'm happy to share a 40 pound loss since May 7 so can't have been very wrong on my point counts. Can't tell you enough what a terrific support this group and others like it are. I don't often join in but believe me I observe and learn daily.Thanks to all for being here for me,Magpie

[Bumby]

The formula for calculating points is included in the WW patent application, and it is a fairly simple mathematical formula which adds fractions of a point for each gram of fat ("the fat penalty," in my husband's words) and subtracts for fiber ("the fiber discount"). The paper slide rule uses a slightly different, but essentially mathematically equivalent, manipulation to calculate points for you. Look at your slide rule and you will see that this is what it is doing:

1. start with calories
2. subtract 10 x fiber grams, up to max 4 g (that's what you are doing when you are pulling down the inside card)
3. add 4 x fat grams (that's what you are doing when you are going down the scale in the second window)
4. divide by 50 and round up (that's what the printed windows with the point value on them are--rounded results of dividing by 50--a wide range rounds to the same point value)

Memorize that and you'll never need a point finder again. It's easy--you only have to divide once.

[Magpie]

Thanks Bumby...I found the slide thingie abit confusing so had been sticking to the 50 cal thing. It is much clearer at this point and I dug out a book I have with cals,fibre,fat,etc counts and looked up some foods I eat and I was surprised at some of the points I had figured out wrong...some a nice surprise...less than I thought : ) I made a veggie stew today with chickpeas for my protein and even they are less than I thought. Thanks for taking the time to explain it to me.