WeightWatchers Point System 2023

If you’ve been a long-time Weight Watchers member, you know WW likes to make significant upgrades to their plan every two years. With the newest plan for 2023, WW has gone back to basics and created a plan similar to their previous plan of 2017 (WW Freestyle).

This new plan is called WeightWatchers the Points system. Unlike the Personal Points Plan of 2021 and MyWW Plan of 2019, this plan will have all users back on to one simple plan instead of varied individual ones.

Going to Back to Basics

The draw to the new WeightWatchers Points System is its ability to put all users on the same main plan. In 2019 the MyWW programs split users between three different types of color based plans (Blue, Green & Purple).

RELATED ARTICLES

• NEW Weight Watchers Points Calculator 2023
• WW PersonalPoints weight-loss program

What made WW successful? ... Sense of family

Then in 2021 with Personal Points, users had their own Zero Point food list which made sharing recipes and meal plan tips difficult for the community.

One of the biggest draws for members looking at Weight Watchers is the sense of community that is created when multiple people are on the same journey together and can share tips and results with ease. While we are all individuals and separate plans make sense, there is still a level of similarity in the nutritional needs between people.

These similarities in the grand scheme, make having similar plans with a greater sense of community more beneficial to success than just having many different food tiers.

Research has shown that people with obesity are more likely to lose weight if they do it in a group for weight loss programmes, rather than having one-to-one support (1).

New Changes and Plan Adjustments

The biggest perk to this new Weight Watchers plan in 2023 is the simple and common sense based approach that makes the steps to losing weight feel easier. In an attempt to simplify the plan, WW introduced the same Zero Point foods list for ALL members.

The only group this Zero Points list will not apply to is diabetics.

Diabetic users will have their own separately curated list. Check out the complete list of over 200 Zero Point foods here.

Adjustments in the Earning of Points

In previous plans there were three ways members could earn extra points:

• drinking water
• tracking activity
• and eating vegetables

While these are all good habits to form, Weight Watchers removed eating vegetables and drinking water as ways to earn points. This is in part due to the fact that vegetables, while often filling and naturally satiating, don’t always block ghrelin, the hunger hormone and overeating was common.

While regularly drinking water and eating non-starchy veggies is still super important and encouraged, this is another way WW has simplified the plans; because there will be less tracking! (2, 3)

What Will Remain the Same

While there is a shift in plan type from WW Personal Points to the new system, calculating the value of foods will remain the same.

Food Points

Weight Watchers calculates points using their nutritional profile such as carbs, fats, protein, and fiber. The goal with this new system is to gear you towards foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and satiating fiber (4). They want users to limit foods high in saturated fats and sugars.

The goal is to target foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and satiating fiber

WW Weekly Rollover Points

This plan will continue the rollover system in points just like the previous plan. If you do not use all the points from one day (up to four points), they will combine these points with your weekly budget for later use.

The point of this system is to make sure users are meeting their nutritional needs and getting all the calories they need for effective sustainable weight loss. Finally, the Zero Point foods list will still exist so users can feel confident they are able to lose weight and not feel hungry or deprived. Any of these zero point foods can be used as a snack, meal basis, or in addition to a meal that may lack some nutrition.

WW ZeroPoint Food Groups

The new WeightWatchers Points plan has approximately 200 zero point foods. When you sign up for the new plan they will send you a full comprehensive list letting you know all the healthy choices you can make on the program.

Again, if you are diabetic the zero point foods list will be different as they want to make sure members are managing blood sugar and insulin levels properly.

Here are the 9 ZeroPoint food groups

The perk of having such a large zero point foods list is that users can eat plenty without the fear of running out of their total point tally.

1. Fruits
2. Eggs
3. Fish (Including smoked fish) and shellfish (shrimp, crab, and lobster ect.)
4. Poultry (Chicken breast without skin, skinless turkey breast, and ground chicken and turkey breast)
5. Non Starchy Vegetables (examples include, squash, cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli.)
6. Tofu and Tempeh
7. 99 %Fat Free Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
8. Corn and popcorn (Air popped popcorn without butter or oil)
9. Beans, peas, and lentils (this includes chickpeas, black beans, soy beans, peas ect.)
10. For the full list check out Weight Watchers Zero Point food list here.

Check out the full ZeroPoints food list

How Will the New Plan Affect Diabetics?

Unlike many other diet programs, WW’s diabetes-tailored plan aims at making wise food adjustments than at food denial and deprivation (5).

The program creates a balanced diet by utilizing zero point foods low in carbohydrates and sugar, making it less likely to impact a diabetic's blood sugar. Diabetic zero point foods includes chicken, eggs, fish, veggies, beans and tofu with little to no starch.

Although diabetics on the plan can still eat foods that might be higher in sugar and starch, they have to be more mindful of their points.

As the WW diabetes-tailored plan contains fewer zero point foods, members will be compensated by getting approximately 5 extra daily points more than the equivalent main plan.

Check out the list of diabetes ZeroPoint foods here.

How to Use the Weight Watchers Point System

Each person utilizing the program will be given daily and weekly points that can be spent on whatever food they want, so long as it fits within their total allotment. Weight Watchers uses their own special formula to calculate how many points each individual gets based on factors such as gender, height, weight, age, and activity level.

RELATED: WW Freestyle Points Allowance Calculator

Every item in the program has a point value that will be deducted from your total amount after consumption. Members will be directed to food choices high in protein and lower in fats and sugar. The goal is to keep you full and satisfied with healthy ingredients. While the daily point allotment is the overall consumption goal, you can always move points between days so long as you stay within a weekly budget. If you find you are frequently running out of points, try including more of the zero point foods into your diet to stay full within your budget.

So, if you are worried about working that birthday cake or office pizza party into your diet, don’t fret! WeightWatchers Point System will allow you to move around some points and leave space for new memories.

Reasons to Love the New WeightWatchers Point System

The all new WeightWatchers the Point System is a simple, yet effective, variation of the previous WW programs that came before it. WW PersonalPoints and MYWW colored plans were personalized and easy to customize, however they took away from the most popular aspect, the WW community and the simplicity it brings.

Members don’t have to search far for recipes and weed through lists of customizations anymore. Family members and support groups can all follow the same simple and easy to navigate plan.

Personal Points was isolating and more work than many felt was worth it. Some clients even manipulated their quiz to tailor a plan to support their bad habits. Meaning, success wasn’t going to come easily, if at all.

If you hate traditional diet culture as much as we do, the new WeightWatchers Point System may be perfect for you.

By utilizing science backed meal plans and a unique community based app, WW has set users up with an easy way to track their success (6).

The new program brings back a sense of community, WW's most powerful tool.