The first time I was on WW we called these "bonus points." I always ate them + my activity points and lost weight. Last time I was on WW I see they just called these 35 points "Weekly Points Allowance". At that time I was going to meetings. The first time I showed a slight increase in weight, my leader told me it was because I had eaten all my 35 weekly points allowance in addition to my regular daily points. She said she'd never known anyone who could lose weight if they ate these. This made me mad and I decided to do it on my own this time. Why would WW give you these points if you aren't suppose to eat them? These extra points are what keep me going and give me something to look forward to on the weekends! I also exercise, but don't eat my activity points. Is there actually anyone out there that doesn't eat those extra points each week?

I can't even tell you if eating them has sabotaged my weight loss yet. I only just started back on WW. My first week was only a partial week and I've decided to wait 2 weeks to weigh in this time.

I can't imagine why she would tell you that.From everything I have read and from my own experience eating the points gives better losses.

My leader insists that we eat every one of our 35, and that 99.9% of members need to do so and will lose weight that way. She says they are not extra and are simply build separately into the program to provide flexibility. Most of her members simply add 5 extra to each day of the week if they have no special occasion coming up. I think the majority of us however do not eat our activity points unless we are extremely active and really need to do so. WW used to use a range system and you could carry leftover points over the week. This is just their new way of doing this. I always eat at least 30 of mine and have had a pretty steady 1.5lb a week loss (started at 210lb 5'4" and am currently 170lbs)

Try eating your 35 for two weeks and see what happens. If that doesn't work eat 30 of them and see. Work your way down from there. I've also heard maintenance is easier and you'll get to eat more then if you eat more now, although I'm not there yet so I can't tell you for sure. I would also recommend you try another leader if you weren't getting the support you need from your last one. I tried three before I found mine, and I always leave her meetings feeling pumped and ready to begin the week on the right track. Everyone likes her so much her meetings are standing room only often, so she can't be steering us completely wrong.

Good luck, let us know what works out for you.

I never could eat all of my weekly points and still lose weight, I could eat about half though and still see a slight loss....however I eat almost all of them now to maintain.

It's something you are going to have to play around with to see if you can lose or not.....everyone is different

Personally, if I use them, I don't lose weight. I only use my daily points and never use activity points or weekly points.

The fact is they wouldn't give them to you if they were detrimental to your weight loss. Every leader I've had has said that and I agree in relation to myself, as well. I simply don't lose if I stick to my 26 points. I've always had to eat as many points as I've worked out each day and not having some extras would make me feel more deprived if I couldn't have my a little bit of something here and there. I always lose better if I eat at least half of my extra points. You've just got to figure out what works for YOU. If you've found that to help in the past, do it. Everyone's body is different and that leader should recognize that. I'd find someone new, if possible.

I eat mine one day a week (usually on Saturday). I don't eat them during the week mostly because I save the bulk of my points till the end of the day and if I had 16 + the extra 5 to eat I would be going to bed too full. I LOVE having a splurge day, though. I basically just eat whatever I've been craving for the week. Lately it's a massive doughnut that I can't stop thinking about. So every Saturday I get the doughnut. Then I eat reasonably the rest of the day and will have pizze or a cheeseburger for lunch. I have lost 18 pounds so far and have been doing this for close to 3 months now. It seems to work for me! Hope you are able to find your balance.

I don't follow WW, but their little 2-3 point ice cream cups are what help me nurse those nighttime sweet cravings

I haven't been on WW for very long, but my Leader stressed that the Points are there for flexibility. The only way you will stick with any diet is if it's flexible enough to fit into your life. If you feel deprived every day, you aren't going to stick with it very long. The Lifetime Members in my group all said last week that they ate every single one of their Bonus Points and lost weight. Most, however, did not eat their activity points. Like everyone else has said, try and see what works for you. If eating them makes the program enjoyable, do it!! You should still lose weight, it might take a little longer. It's a journey though, not a sprint. Enjoy it!

When I lost 20lbs on WW a few years ago I ate ALL my flex points, ALL my activity points, and sometimes even a little bit more than that. And most weeks I still had a loss. I'm sorry your leader said you shouldn't be eating all of them as I have always heard you should eat all your flex points each week, or at least as many of them as you feel you should.

You may want to switch to another leader.

It's going to be up to you, but personally, I use all my weekly flex points but tend to stay away from using my activity points. That allows me some flexibility on the weekends if we eat out and helps me not feel like I'm depriving myself. Much more sustainable this way. I'm probably losing weight more slowly than I would if I cut back more, but I also know that I wouldn't stick with it in the long run.

Eat as many points as you can while still losing - that's my leader's advice. (She eats all her points - daily, weekly and activity)

Well this is at once not helpful and comforting, LOL. It is comforting though to see so many of you chiming in to eat more! I've been leaving most of my WP untouched, for fear of eating them and seeing less of a loss. Granted I've only had 3 weigh-ins so nothing I can guess at right now will be accurate, since that first week was a huge loss - sure I ate a little more (Had 22 WP left and didn't earn activity) but it was the first week. The second week I lost a more reasonable 2 pounds, and I'd eaten a little less (had 25 WP left and earned 8 AP). The 3rd week I lost nothing (had 27 WP left and earned 8 AP). But again, many tell me that's a normal weight loss pattern.

It scares me to eat them all.
I keep equating less calories consumed = less weight lost but I'm guessing it's not quite "that simple" despite what others have said.

Agreed. That leader sounds like a complete wackadoo! They wouldn't give them to you if they were detrimental to weight loss. Some people don't lose weight if they don't eat them at all because their bodies go into starvation mode. Some people NEED to eat them. Others can do without, but you shouldn't automatically assume no one can eat them and lose weight.

For me, I eat my activity points, but not my WPA. It makes calculating on Etools tricky, but what I do is look at how many WPA I've eaten and how many activity I've earned, and as long as the two #s still add up to 35, I'm good.

I haven't touched my weekly points allowance yet...but I am also having trouble making my daily points goal. I am getting better at it, but I pretty much chow down on fruits and veggies, and a few whole grains throughout the day. I end up with anywhere from 13 to 5 points left over. One day I used 2 of my points...but the next day I under ate by 8 points. It isn't that I am restricting myself, but I don't feel hungry. My weight loss has been averaging about 3 pounds a week (usually a big loss one week followed by a smaller one the next week). I am sure once I have a smaller daily points allowance, I will start to use my WP's. Hmmm. Good question though.

My leader encouraged us to use the 35 points. Personally, I find i get the best results when I go back in forth between using them and not using them. Kind of like a WW version of calorie cycling.