Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator – How to Use It

The Weight Watchers Points Plus calculator offers an effective program for overweight or obese people around the world to lose pounds. The new and improved points system encourages you to eat healthy foods and stay away from processed foods. You can reach the weight loss goal effectively using the calculator. It is different from the original points system due to major changes in the program. It calculates the points based on the foods you eat. You need to understand the system better to lose weight effectively. The new points system has a better way of assigning foods the value to make healthy choices. Read ahead to know more about the Points Plus calculation.

Know About Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator

Source: Amazon.com

Weight Watchers or WW is the popular weight loss company that introduced its first plan in 1997. It was introduced to the people in the USA and captivated everyone with the effectiveness of the plan. Many women propelled towards membership in WW due to its guaranteed results. It resulted in the company to establish its billion-dollar empire. The new formula called Points Plus came into existence in January 2011. The Points Plus calculator uses the point value of the food you consume. It is different from the original WW points plan. The new plan based on the scientific evidence of how your body processes different types of food makes you feel healthy and look good.

The new formula has big changes and it reflects on other areas of the plan. So, there is a change in the calculation of daily and weekly allowances. Calculating activity points also changed slightly with the new plan. The biggest change comes in the food points. In the new plan, all fruits and vegetables have zero points. So, the majority of fruits and vegetables are point-free. While processed foods have a higher value. The gist of the plan is to stick to natural foods like fruits and vegetables, but stay away from processed food.

Changes In Calculation Using Point Plus Calculator

So, people who are following the old system need to brace themselves for the complex formula calculation used by the new method. You have to calculate differently from the formula ingrained in your mind. The new system has upended with the points allotted based on the mix of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and fat value. In the original method, only nutrition information was used. So, the formula was based on total calories, protein, and dietary fiber. The new point plus system uses no calories at all. Instead, you need to make note of the nutrition information like total carbohydrates, fats, dietary fiber, and protein. Are you feeling confused? Read ahead to know more about the new plan and how you can calculate it with ease.

Food Points While Using Points Plus Calculator

The food points calculation using the Points Plus calculator is different. It is significantly different from the previous calculation of food. The original points calculated the food points based on the following:

• Calories
• Fat
• Fiber

But, the new calculation omits calories entirely. Instead, it takes into account proteins and carbohydrates. When you use Points Plus, you have a larger daily allowance, but the individual value of the food has increased. The two major changes in the new system are:

• Points Plus gives higher points to processed foods compared to whole foods. So, it encourages you to stay away from such types of foods.
• It encourages including more fruits in your diet by assigning zero points. So, the majority of the fruits are free of Points Plus.

So, how can it change your eating habits? In the previous points system, you mostly choose an unhealthy option when given a choice. For example, you opt for a cookie or some squares of chocolate instead of healthy options like fruits. These foods used to have the same value in the original points system. It was in such a way to prevent missing out. But, the Points Plus program encourages you to choose fruit as it has zero points. So, it promotes good food choices by making them more appealing to you in the new Points Plus calculator. It does not mean that you have to only gorge on foods with zero value. Even if the calculator provides no points, the food contains calories that can influence your weight. So, eat only when you feel hungry and limit your consumption.

Benefits Of Using Points Plus Calculator

While it may seem complicated, the new Points Plus calculator can ensure you include a healthy balanced diet in your life. You have to take into account all the rules of a diet to ensure good results. So, eating such foods can promote a sustainable lifestyle. If you are aiming for weight loss, then the new weight loss system can help you achieve the goal when you restrict your food intake. By using the calculator, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• You can shed the stubborn fat accumulated in the body.
• The weight loss plan reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It is because the diet can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
• You can improve the eating behavior. It aids in long-term weight loss and curbs hedonistic hunger.

Difference Between Points Plus Vs Original Points

Before feeling confused about the old and new points, you need to read the difference. It will help you gain a better understanding of the Points Plus calculator. Here are some major differences:

• The old points system calculates the value of the total calories of the food, saturated fat, and fiber content in the food. The old system offered you free rein of choices. So, most people made unhealthy choices. But, the points plus system use carbohydrates, proteins, and fat values. The value of fiber is subtracted from the equation to get the food value.
• Another difference is, the new system allows more Points Plus each day. For example, if you have had 21 points in the original points system, then the new system allows 29 points.
• Most of the food items have a higher value compared to the old points system. Like, the chicken grilled sandwich was 7 points in the old system while Points Plus gives the same food 9 points.
• The Flex Points are renamed in Point Plus as Weekly Points. You had 35 Flex Points every week in the old system while the Points Plus allots 49 Weekly Points.
• The old points system zeroed the activity points at the end of each day. But, Points Plus allows rolling over of Activity Points. So, the unused Activity Points are used during the weigh-in day to zero it out.
• You can now replenish the Weekly Points with the newly gained Activity Points. It aids people who use their Weekly Points.
• Activities are given higher points with the Points Plus system. So, you can gain more by working out (Earlier you received 6 points for running 50 minutes while now you gain 9 points for 45 minutes of the same activity.

Formula Behind Points Plus Calculator

When you use the Point Plus calculator, it seems so simple. You just have to enter all the values in the calculator and enter to get the value. So, what is the formula behind it? Let us see in detail. Before we go into the formula, remember the new points plus calculation does not use the calories. The values used to derive the points include total fat, protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. The weight or value of each of the factors varies. For example, the total value of fat is higher than the value given to dietary fiber. So, if you choose a food item that has the same value of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, but have higher fat content, then the food has higher Points Plus value. The formula behind getting the Point Plus value is:

Points Plus Value = (Fat (in grams) / 3.8889) + (Carbohydrates (in grams) / 9.2105) + (Protein (in grams) / 10.9375) – (Fiber (in grams) / 12.5)

Has The Formula Changed?

When you see the formula, you can conclude that it has changed from the old calculation. The old method uses only the calories, fiber, and fat for getting the points. It omitted proteins from the formula. The previous formula is provided below:

Original Points = (calories / 50) + (fat (in grams) / 12) – (fiber (in grams) / 5)

Apart from not including the value of protein in the formula, the original points used only 4 grams of fiber. So, if the food contained more than 4 grams, then it was neglected from the formula. The carbohydrate content was also not considered in the old formula. To make it clearer, here is an example of how the same food has a different method of calculation.

Example To Demonstrate The Difference

So, if you take a meal, like the Burger King’s grilled chicken sandwich that comes along with mayo, you have the following values to it:

Total Calories = 470

Fat = 18 grams

Fiber = 2 grams

Protein = 37 grams

Carbohydrates = 40 grams

So, the calculation based on the two formulae are:

Original Point Value

(Calories / 50) + (fat (in grams) / 12) – (fiber (in grams) / 5)

Substituting the values in the formula gives us

Original Points Value = (470 / 50) + (18 / 12) + (2 / 5)

Original Point Value = 11 points

Point Plus Value Calculation

Point Plus Value = (Fat (in grams) / 3.8889) + (Carbohydrates (in grams) / 9.2105) + (Protein (in grams) / 10.9375) – (Fiber (in grams) / 12.5)

Points Plus Value = (18 / 3.9) + (40 / 9.2) + (37 / 10.9) – (2 / 12.5)

Points Plus value = 12 points plus

The difference is not huge in both the calculation. You can see the difference of one point. But, on a larger scale, the difference is huge when you take into account the carbs and proteins. So, the different values to the various nutrients in the food you consume has a big impact on the points value. It has a direct link to your weight loss goal. The calculator is suitable for most of the foods. But, it uses different calculations for sugar alcohol and alcohol.

Is The Points Plus Calculator Useful When Eating Out?

You can use the Points Plus calculator when you are cooking at your home with ease. Finding the values for the food you cook is easy. But, how about when you eat outside? The restaurants and other sites providing you recipes may not use the exact formula suggested above. It is patented by the WW International. So, using it is an infringement of the copyright. In such cases, you can use offline spreadsheets that use a slightly different formula. So, you can calculate the recipes of restaurants. It may have a different value (slightly up or down) compared to WW Points Plus. However, never stress as the values you derive are a close approximation. In many of the cases, the value you calculate is the same as with the WW formula. If you are a member, then you can check the Weight Watchers materials to get the exact value. Else, you can neglect it as the results are more or less the same.

 Points Plus Calculator In UK

While the above-mentioned formula is widely used in countries like the USA and Canada, a different calculation is implemented in the United Kingdom. The Points Plus calculator calculated Pro Points. The formula used for the method is:

(Fat (in grams) / 3.8889) + (Carbohydrate (in grams) / 9.2105) + (Protein (in grams) / 10.9375) + (Fiber (in grams) / 35)

If you look closely, the difference between the calculation and the Points Plus calculation used in the USA and Canada is the method of handling fiber. Instead of deducting the fiber in the formula, you add it to the above-mentioned formula. It is because the nutrition labels do not count fiber in the carbohydrates line. So, you have to add the value of fiber in food content separately in the total value to get actual results.

 How To Use Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator?

Many people, including celebrities, swear by the effectiveness of the Points Plus calculator. So, you can use the exciting tool to follow the weight-loss program suggested by WW to make yourself feel better. Once you become a member of WW or buy the tool on Amazon, you need to spend some time to know the tool’s working. It helps you get the maximum benefits that will guide you towards healthy living. Using the calculator, you can accomplish the following:

• It helps calculate the Points Plus of the food item you like to include in your diet.
• You can keep track of your personal information like age, weight, and height to get the appropriate value that aids the healthy living.
• It helps you calculate the daily Points Plus Target that allows you to include foods that will keep you healthy and encourage weight loss.
• The Weight Watchers Points Plus can track the weekly allowance to make you stay within the limits.
• It allows you to edit the daily target as well as the weekly allowance suggested by the weight loss plan.
• It is easier to track all the Points Plus values you need to use each day and week.
• The WW offers the Points Plus calculator that works just like any standard calculator.

Activating And Using The Calculator

When you get the Points Plus calculator from WW, you get detailed instructions on how to use it. But, if you buy it from other platforms like Amazon, it can trigger several doubts in your mind. So, here are the instructions to use the calculator.

Source: Amazon.com

Like any calculator, you can see the keys with the function mentioned on them. Using it, you can start a new day or week calculation, set up daily or weekly target allowance, calculate the points, edit them or scroll up and down for data. To start the calculator, you have to pull out the clear plastic tab. It keeps the battery fresh while not in use. Once you press the On button, you can start calculating. Before working on the daily or weekly targets, you need to enter the following values:

• Age
• Height
• Weight

After saving personal information, the next steps are to enter the nutrition information. It is handy to have the food values you choose to add to your diet. It makes the calculation easier. Once you have all the information, you can get the calculation within no time:

• You need to use the number keys to enter the number of fat (total in grams per serving) into the calculator and press enter.
• Enter the value of dietary fiber grams per servings in the food you consume and press enter.
• Finally, enter the protein in the food (in grams per servings) and enter.
• After you press Enter, you get the Points Plus value for the food you consume. It will help you keep track of the food you consume each day and week.

Tracking The Daily Points Using Points Plus Calculator

After personalizing the calculator, you can track the daily points. Every member has a Points Plus target that you need to stick to. Using the calculator you can track both the Points Plus value as well as the value of the foods you include in your diet. You can track the value in the calculator easily. When you calculate the value of new food, you can the word USE appear on the calculator. You can subtract the value from your daily allowance. It will help you keep track of the food you consume and the point you have left each day. If you eat the same food multiple times a day, then you need to multiply the number of servings with the food value. You can use the calculator provided easily without any confusion to track the food points.
Many people tend to refrain from using the Points Plus calculator due to the hefty fees associated with the plan. Weight Watchers have membership fees that can escalate as time progresses. So, if you have no budget to maintain the weight-loss plan, then how can you keep your weight under control? Do not worry, Amazon has made it possible to access the calculator online. So, you can avoid hefty fees and long meetings associated with the WW.

Conclusion

The Points Plus program from WW is great for people who wish to live healthily. You can learn about the right eating methods that will enhance your fitness levels. It also guides you away from naughty foods triggering issues. You learn to eat such foods in moderation to shed extra pounds. Including exercise and collecting activity points, you can make a major transformation in life. It is better than the original points system. So, the new program has a slight improvement compared to the old one. Check if you can follow the weight loss program and make the right decision. A better lifestyle can keep several diseases away and improve the quality of life.

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