Hello, my name is Courtney and this is my first post. I would like to start weight watchers but I won't have the money to buy the book or anything else for a few weeks. I really want to get started but I don't know how many points I am supposed to eat. I weigh 300 pounds and I want to lose 10 pounds as my very short term goal, 40 pounds as my second short term goal and 100 pounds as my long term goal. Can anyone help me get started? Thank you so very much for your time.

Courtney

IMO, "points" are just a WW marketing term for "calories." Search google for a comprehensive list of calorie counts if you don't already have a reference book.

If you take the Weight Watchers "points" and multiply them by 55, then that is how many calories you can have. It's basically just calorie and portion control.

On a calorie restricted diet you have to make sure you don't get too many empty calories, because they displace the nutritious ones that you need. So go very light on the fatty, fried, or sugary foods, avoid eating too much starch or alcohol, and then just count calories.

Research on the web how many calories someone of your age, height and weight needs to maintain weight; then make sure you consume less calories that that, but not under 1200. Most people have good results keeping to 1400.

All this information about caloric intake and nutrient density is available free of charge, and you'll get lots of support right here, so it's not really necessary to hand over any big bucks to WW, IMO.

WRONG! W/W points are based on a formula of calories/fat grams/fiber grams. It is not just calories. It is not just about calories it is about fat intake and fiber intake which makes it a nutritional as well as caloric factor.

While calories play a major role in it there is not a set number (while I do have a general idea of what each point is worth in calories) of calories because the higher the fat the more points the and higher the fiber (capped at 4 grams) the lower the points.

Each weight group of 50 pounds changes by 2 points. I won't give out the copywrited information of how many points you can have I will say that the lowest range startes at 20 TargetPoints a day with 35 WeeklyPointsAllowance. It changes every 50 pounds and the lowest range is 149.9 and under. You also earn ActivityPoints (of which there is a formula for that based on current weight/intensity/time done).

This formula for points is from the patient and is public knowledge so it is not copywrited:

POINTS = (calories/50) + (fat grams/12) - (fiber grams <capped at 4>/5)

Here are unofficial Activity Formulas:

Light Activity (you can talk and sing):
Weight X Minutes X .000232 = Activity Points

Moderate Activity (you can talk but no sing):
Weight X Minutes X .000327 = Activity Points

High Activity (you need deep breaths to speak a few words at a time):
Weight X Minutes X .0008077 = Activity Points

Also as for how many calories are per TargetPoint:

18 = 1050
19 = 1100
20 = 1150
21 = 1200
22 = 1250
23 = 1300
24 = 1350
25 = 1400
26 = 1450
27 = 1500
28 = 1550
29 = 1600
30 = 1650
31 = 1700
32 = 1750
33 = 1800
34 = 1850
35 = 1900

But this DOES NOT include the 200-250 calories a day W/W built into the program for free veggies.

Additionally W/W provides PointsPies to help show you how to divide up your points to get either balanced; higher protien or higher carb (so you can be satisified depending on your individual body):

Points Pies

Balanced (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 8-9 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 6-7 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 0-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

Higher Protein (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 5-6 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 9-11 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 0-1 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-4 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

Higher Carb (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 9-10 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 5-7 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 1-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 1-2 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

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Balanced (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 11 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 10 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 3-4 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day

Higher Protein (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 8 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 12 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 2-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 4-5 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day

Higher Carb (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 13 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 8 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 2-4 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day

A very general statement is 1 food point is worth approximately 50 calories however technically 1 point can range from 25 calories to 110 calories based on the fat and fiber content. Additionally a general statement is 1 activity point is worth 100 calories burned but again that is very general because of the way they are calculated -- so you can see that by eating your activity points you aren't hurting yourself.

Thanks Kelly!

Ok, so if I'm at my goal - I'm at 20pt now. To maintain..how many extra points? Does anyone know?

SueJo, You start by adding points of 4 a day (you still get your APs and FP/WPAs) and the next week if you gain you take 1 or 2 a way and if you still lose you add 1 or 2. You keep doing this until you are no longer gaining or losing.