Weight Watchers diet: the revolutionary points diet
Since 1963, the Weight Watchers diet has gained millions of followers around the world thanks to its unique concept. Diet expert Laura Seiz Loeches explains: "We want to encourage people to lose weight by enjoying food and leading a normal life." Compared to many other diets, in fact, Weight Watchers does not exclude the key foods of a "healthy eating and does not prohibit any food, not even the most gluttonous one.
To achieve this, you have the help of points, or as they call them, propoints. Each food has points that depend on its nutrients and take into account fiber, fats, carbohydrates and proteins, as well as the time it takes our body to metabolize it.
See also
Sirt diet: how it works and what are the foods of the lean gene diet
How do we know how many points a food has? It's very simple: through the plan guide, which is offered when you sign up for the program or through their website or in the app. There is even a way to see the points of the packaged products.
Just as every food has a certain number of "points", also every person who follows the diet has a "capital" of points, which is a function of height, sex, weight and age. Each day you have a certain number of points to consume in food and drink. You have to spend all the points planned for that day if you don't want to deprive the metabolism and the body of the energy it needs. Even if you think you are overeating, you need to stick to the plan to lose weight properly.
In addition to these daily points, each person has 49 extra points per week, which can be used for special occasions, unexpected invitations or simply for a personal "cuddle".
In addition, points of reference are also obtained through "physical activity. In the plan guide c" is a table which, depending on the weight, the time spent on the "activity and the" intensity (low, medium or high), says How many points do you earn with that training session. The Weights Watchers expert says: "These points are not focused on eating more, but if one day you need them because you are going to eat out, you can use them. The application or the web it also calculates the reference points of the most common activities, such as aerobics, cycling and even walking. "
It is essential to have five meals a day. Then the breakfast must be based on carbohydrates, fruit, proteins and dairy products and you have to keep track of what you eat, both with the application and with a notebook. Become aware of what you are consuming, through a simple gesture such as writing can help a lot.
Another way to use the program: don't count landmarks
Yes, we can also follow the Weight Watchers method without counting the points. Like? Through satiating foods, that is, "those that have less fat, less salt, less sugar". These are leaner foods. Vegetables, fruit, lean meats and even wholemeal pasta. There are many possibilities, but you have to stick to them.
You can follow this variant of the method every day of the week or one or two days. Expert Laura Seiz Loeches tends to reiterate that "what we are really doing is learning to eat. I recommend satiety days if you have a tough week, or redeem the extra points if you plan to eat out or attend an event, such as a wedding. If so, then try to have plenty of satiety days that week. The "important thing is to plan these meals out of order."
How To Begin Weight Watchers Diet
There are two ways to follow the method:
- Face to face: with monthly or quarterly subscriptions. Sometimes the web offers offers like the first month for free, or three months for the price of one. This option allows you to have access to the entire plan and to join a meeting once a week.
This is a monitor-led group therapy that will show you the guidelines to follow to make your weight loss a success. Motivation is the key to these meetings. Your assistants share their experiences and help each other achieve your goals.
The meetings last between 30 minutes and an "hour. They start by weighing each person, which is done in private, and then with a tutor-led speech, but in which everyone contributes their experience. It is ideal for those people. who need a boost in their daily lives. In addition to the meetings and written material, you will have access to the site and the app.
- Online: this is another way to follow the plan, perhaps aimed at a younger audience, accustomed to new technologies or people who do not have time to attend a meeting. The material they offer is the same as the face-to-face method, but you will have it all online, via the web and application. If you prefer to have it on paper, you just have to print what you need. You can speak with the tutors through the web or the appropriate social networks, but you will not be able to attend meetings. This means that you will be in control of your weight.
Indeed, this method implies greater motivation and autonomy. It might seem more complicated than attending the meetings, but in reality, everything is explained very well on the web and you have the same recipes and the same advice that you will have at the meetings.
The recipes provided by the Weight Watchers diet
In this diet there are many recipes, so that you can never miss good ideas for the various meals. These include pasta, vegetables and even cakes. You can eat anything, the important thing is that you keep track of the points. If you follow the method "in personam", face to face, a book full of recipes is provided. When you follow the online system, all the recipes are present on the site and in the app." You can search by food, type of food and more. All recipes have the indicated points.
The Weight Watchers method in 4 points
- Tailored. From the very first moment, every person who wants to lose weight is awarded a certain number of points. This "capital" is calculated on the basis of age, sex, height, weight and daily physical activity. It corresponds to the energy needs adapted to individuals for the purpose of weight loss, according to the basics of a diet low calorie.
- Balanced. Nothing is prohibited in the Weight Watchers regime. Everything should be consumed in reasonable quantities and in a varied way, that is, trying to consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 or 3 dairy products, 2 or 3 tablespoons of vegetable fats, carbohydrates at least twice a day, a food rich in protein and from 1.5 to 2 liters of water. In this way there are no deficiencies from a nutritional point of view.
- Flexible. Simple and practical, the points system avoids having to weigh food. Everything you eat or drink is evaluated in units of points, called propoints, according to lipid indices and calories. Each day drives propoint are counted to settle your personal points capital.
- Evolutionary. The method is very complete. In fact, it includes the big stages of all successful weight loss: weight loss, stabilization and long-term maintenance.
The key to Weight Watchers success
In short, beyond the support, this diet is based on eating "with your head", learning to compensate some meals with others, adding more fruits and vegetables to the day and practicing more physical exercise.
For more information on a healthy and correct diera, consult the Humanitas website.
