Weight Watchers Points System: A Comprehensive Guide

Weight Watchers is a dieting program that uses a unique Points system to help its participants decide what they want to eat and know how much they should eat.

How Does it Work?

• Participants in Weight Watchers receive a Points budget. Every food has a certain Points value, and participants are encouraged to eat within their Points budget.

What Can I Eat?

• Participants in Weight Watchers can eat anything; the program encourages portion control through the Points system.

What Is Calculated?

• The number of calories, the amount of fat and the amount of dietary fiber in any given serving of food is used to calculate the number of Points that food is worth.

The Math

• Divide the number of calories in a single serving by 50, and add to the result the amount of fat divided by 12. If the amount of dietary fiber is greater than 4, use 4 as the amount. Divide the amount of dietary fiber by 5 and subtract the result from the first sum: The result is the number of Points the food is worth.

The Calculator

• Weight Watchers provides a Points calculator on its website for members.