When I first started WW Freestyle (formerly Weight Watchers), right away I was blown away by the flexibility this nutrition plan has to offer. Nothing is off limits if you plan accordingly.
The main goal of the program is to allow you to eat what you like, but smarter. It sounds great to be able to lose weight and eat what we want, but how exactly does it work?
The Points System
WW Freestyle runs on a points system where food is based not only on the caloric amount, but also on fat, carbs, and protein. Foods with higher fat and sugar content will most likely be higher in points.
Points are broken out into three categories: daily, weekly, and FitPoints. Your daily allotment of points represents the amount you can use to help continue your weight loss goals on a daily basis. The amount is personal to you and adjusts as you lose weight so you don’t plateau.
Weekly points are there for you to give yourself a little indulgence because you can use them at your discretion. I personally use almost all of my weekly points for a nice glass of wine with dinner. As my motto says, weeklies are for wine!
FitPoints are points you are earn exercising. The WW app allows you to synch your Fitbit (or equivalent) to calculate the amount of FitPoints you earn to use towards additional food or drink. The best part is you don’t have to get crazy with your workouts. Simply getting in steps can gain you back some points.
The App
WW has a proprietary app that you can download right to your phone allowing users to track on the go. Gone are the days of carrying around a food diary and calculating points yourself. With the WW app on my phone, I can quickly track my food intake and look at my day ahead of time to fit in what I would like to eat. You are able to search ingredients, create recipes, calculate points off nutrition facts, and scan foods via barcode. With all of the ways to look up points in one app, there is no excuse not to track.
The app also comes programmed with multiple restaurants and their food points. It is a reality in my life that I need to eat takeout some nights. I love that I can scroll through restaurants close by and pick out my meal beforehand. Not only does this take the pressure off of limiting myself from certain food groups, but it also makes getting through my day much easier.
There are Many Zero Point Foods
As a rule of thumb, fruits, veggies, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, shellfish, and plain Greek yogurt are all zero points. Some exceptions to this are avocados, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. These foods make great snacks and recipe bases to help keep your point count low. It is possible to make entire meals with no points used!
The WW Community
What sets WW Freestyle apart from other nutrition plans is the community. Connect is an online community exclusively for members. It creates a safe space for members to share their successes and failures, and motivate each other to keep going. It functions as an exclusive social network.
WW Freestyle is all about flexibility. If you are looking for a nutrition plan that will suit your lifestyle while still eating all the foods your love, WW may be right for you.
