New Program for 2002
 

Hi All,

Does anyone know what the new program is like? Are there any dramatic changes from the 2001?

Happy New Year :)

Jodie

There is no new program, per se. It is the same program -- same informatioln, same points range for everyone. Some minor changes include the following:

oatmeal, 2 points (down from 3)
jicama, 0 points (down from 1)
tomato juice serving size changed from 1 cup to 4 oz.
salsa changed from 1 cup to 2 tablespoons, still zero points.
Other minor changes.
Don't sweat the small stuff.

Have a very happy and healthy new year, with all the peace and good things you and your family deserve.

Regards, E

O.K., here's something that drives me crazy--
How does changing the serving size on a zero-point item help anyone? We need to know the points for the amount we are eating!! Did WW, by any chance, also provide guidance on how to count salsa if I still want a cup of it? Or how to count tomato juice if I drink a cup of that? And do these principles apply only to salsa and tomato juice or also to (shudder) broccoli? This would be a MAJOR change to the program. Not small stuff at all.

Not to panic anyone...

My WW leader told me the new changes (very few) will be told to us this week. I go on Wednesday nites - so I will find out then.

She said it was hardly a change really - which is good. LOL

Tara :D

Before you all get your knickers twisted: the reason v-8 and tomato juice changed was to conform to the USDA guidelines for "juice" which is measured as one serving at 4 ounces. Vegetable based juices shouldn't be considered differently. Salsa changed because salsa is considered a GARNISH not a vegetable, and in the infinite wisdom of the WW people, as a "dip", their feeling is, 2 tbls is enough (what with chips as your inspiration to eat too much of it.) Obviously, if it's a true zero pointer (which it is, unlike certain cereals which register as zero but are really 1) the qty you eat should be considered, but don't obsess over it. (Potatoes changed too, by the way, but it's not worth making you crazy over.)

Relax, and do your best. WE didn't all gain weight from eating a cup vs. 2 tbls of salsa. Right?

Thank You
 

Leader,

Thank you for letting us know the changes to the 2002 program :)
I'm doing the program from home and have all the 2001 information. was hoping that nothing dramatic changed, so that I could continue to use this information.

Good Luck everyone and Happy New Year!

Jodie

Thanks, Leader. I decided long ago to ignore anything that didn't make sense to me, but I always worry about the new members guessing/agonizing/reading tea leaves to try to figure out the "right" way to do something. As it happens, I eat my salsa without chips--usually I dump half a jar over a big bowl of lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos and add 1 point of FF sour cream and some taco "meat" made with textured vegetable protein for a huge, wonderful taco salad. I might crumble a taco shell (1 point each) or two into it. Sometimes I eat the salsa right out of the jar. I know, yuck. But I do that with spaghetti sauce, too. As far as I can tell, there's nothing in the salsa (other than onions) that isn't a zero-point item, so I'm going to go ahead and do what I've been doing.

Here's the full list of changes:

Breadsticks: 2 long or 4 short: 2 points (was 1)
Oatmeal, cooked, 1 cup: 2 points (was 3)
Falafel in pita, 1 large pita w/ 4 falafel patties 10 (down)
Falafel patties, 4 (each 2") 7 (down)
Fish, fresh, cooked w/o added fat:
Snapper 1 fillet, 6 oz 5 points (up 1)
Swordfish, 1 fillet or steak, 6 oz) 6 points (up 1)
Tuna, 1 fillet or steak, 6 oz 5 points (down 1)

Jicama, 1 cup, 0 points (down 1)
Kasha (buckwheat groads) cooked, 1 cup, 2 points (down 1)
Milk, evaporated whole, 1/2 cup -- 4 points (up 1)
Pasta, ANY TYPE

Leader, is there a change to potatoes? I had read on another thread that the points were being lowered from 3 to 2, but in the new Food Companion book it still lists potatoes as 3. Also, what is the change to Pasta? Your posting ends before giving the new point value. Thanks.

A six oz potato is now 2 points, down from 3. Pasta is now one cup for 4 points, up 1 point. One of the new ideas from last weeks meeting was to create your own soup, in the Today's Special booklet they handed out. I have been doing this for a long time and works well for me. I add a can of corn, can of beans, one potato and lots of veggies. Zucchini, onion, garlic, herbs, green beans, carrotts, mushrooms, celery etc. For the base I use 2 cans beef broth and 3 cans chicken broth, 1 can V8 juice. Sometimes I put in frozen chopped spinach and a handful of dry pasta shells. You simmer till the pasta is done. It lasts for one week in the fridge and I count it as 1 point per cup. I have measured it out and done the figuring and it always comes out under one point. Very hearty and filling. I don't sweat the small changes in the program. I will never count carrotts and onions!! I did not gain all the weight over eatting those.

Is there a new booklet or handout that lists the point changes for 2002? At my meeting last night we received the Today's Special handout, but there was no mention of any point value changes. It was so crowded that I couldn't ask the leader after the meeting ended.

Sasha- we got a little slip (1/4 sheet of paper) with the changes along with the "specials" booklet. Perfect size to slip it in your books or just write the changes in. They will probably have it at the next meeting!:)

This is a post I saw on the official WW site. I think it makes a very important point regarding one of the changes, and I wanted to share it.

(quoting)

A baked potato is STILL 3 POINTS.

The 2002 COMPLETE FOOD COMPANION **continues** to list a 10 oz raw or 8 oz cooked potato as 3 points.

What changed is the listing for 1 CUP of potatoes. But isn't a cup 8 ounces, you say? No it's not. You are confusing WEIGHT AND VOLUME. Someone else had to prove it and weighed a cup of potatoes and it weighed something like 6 ounces.

I think someone realized that the listing for a cup of potatoes at 3 points was incorrect and it was corrected to reflect the correct volume.

For those of you who have seen me post this before, I'm sorry... but every day I read a couple of posts saying that a potato is now 2 points... so I guess it needs to be repeated.


This was from a poster named Mike.

Important clarification for all of us!
Most NI is actually derived from calculations based on weight (except for liquids), and volume measurements are helpful best guesses that allow you to envision the portion size using common household measures. That's why the NI for a cup of pasta changed, too--because a cup of pasta is usually 2 oz, not 1.5 oz, of pasta (weighed dry) which the old materials had. Weigh when you can.

Thanks to Suzie and Bumby for the additional information on new program changes.

I think the changes over the last few years are valuable if the program wasn't working well for you, but i did pretty well on the 1999-2000 version of the program, so i dont really feel the need to take the changes THAT seriously.

I also still dont count carrots and onions. I ate unlimited amounts of em when i lost effectively, I can't imagine my body knows they've changed the plan ; )