New Weight Watchers SmartPoints Program
Hello friends! If you’re a current Weight Watchers member, you’ve probably heard by now that this week WW is rolling out an all new program called Beyond The Scale. If you’re not a Weight Watchers member or interested in the program this post may not be for you, but since my recipes all offer points calculations and many of my readers follow the program, I wanted to be sure to address it here. Full disclosure: I was part of a group put together by Weight Watchers who received early access to this new program. I was not paid in any way for my effort or time, but for the past few weeks I’ve had a beta version of the new program app so I have a little bit of knowledge about the new program to share with you all.
If you already had your WW weigh-in this week then you’ve already started the new Weight Watchers SmartPoints program, but for those of you yet to weigh in, you’ll be switched to the new program on your weigh-in day. Upon the change you’ll notice that you’re no longer tracking PointsPlus, but SmartPoints. Weight Watchers SmartPoints are calculated using calories, saturated fat, sugar and protein, and you’ll see that saturated fat and sugar make the SPs go up, while protein can make them go down. The result is that many lean proteins went down in points while you will likely notice that foods high in sugar or saturated fat will be higher in SmartPoints than you were used to on PointsPlus. The purpose of these changes is to steer WW members toward making healthier choices with their daily and weekly points.
Speaking of daily and weekly points, your allowance may be different on SmartPoints. The lowest daily points allowance anyone receives is now 30 SPs, so if you were at less than that on PP, your daily points will go up. If your daily points allowance was higher than 30 then it may have changed or stayed the same. The other difference is that your weekly points allowance is now customized based on several factors such as age, gender, height, weight and goal. Rather than everyone receiving 49 weekly points like on PointsPlus, on SmartPoints you could receive 42, 35, 28 or other multiples of 7 (so that you can easily divide them across the days of the week if you choose).
As for the recipe builder, I am hoping they will continue to update the functionality and add back some of the features from the previous version (please show me the points values of individual ingredients!), but there is one thing I’m really excited about: zero point fruit and vegetables are now free in the recipe builder! There is one exception, if you’re making a smoothie (or something similar) there is a box to check at the bottom of the recipe builder showing your ingredients have been blended/food processed. If they have, then the nutrition information of the fruit is calculated as points. So, for example, 0 SP fruit in baked oatmeal or a fruit crisp will be free in the recipe builder, as will 0 SP veggies in a soup or casserole. A pile of fruit and/or veggies that have been blended into a smoothie or juiced will have points. I’m super excited to have the fruits and veggies in recipes be free, but it does mean that if you use a recipe’s nutrition information to calculate the SmartPoints versus using the Weight Watchers recipe builder then you may get different results (because the nutrition info for a recipe will be counting the values of the produce).
I’m sure one of the big questions you all have for me is…“will you be updating all of your recipes to include the SmartPoints??” The answer is YES, but not overnight. I wish! I will get started and try to get it done as quickly as I can, but I am only one person and this site has hundreds of recipes, so please be patient with me :). In the meantime, I did update the nutrition information on my recipes to now include the saturated fats and sugars that are tracked on the new program. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, if the recipe includes fruits and/or vegetables then the SmartPoints value you get using the nutrition facts may not equal the SmartPoints using the recipe builder, but it’ll give you all something to use while I work on calculating the SmartPoints. I’m working on it!
Update: All of my 2015-2012 recipes are updated with SmartPoints! I am continuing to work my way backward and will update here as I finish 2011 and 2010. Thanks again for your patience!
Moving forward any new recipes will include the SmartPoints values as well as the standard nutrition information I offer (calories, fat, saturated fat, carbs, sugar, fiber and protein). As the PointsPlus program will no longer be supported by Weight Watchers I will not have a method of calculating PointsPlus, so those will not be listed on future recipes.
There are some other changes on the new program including FitPoints replacing Activity Points (I really like that I now get a weekly activity goal), a focus on overall happiness/wellness and a new “Connect” social component, but for more info on those you may want to attend your weekly Weight Watchers meeting or click on “Find out about our NEW program” on the WW site. Since this is a food blog, I’m just focusing on the changes to the eating plan – I know this is already a long post!
I can’t claim to be an expert on the new program yet but I did get to try it out for a few weeks, so if you have further questions about how this will affect things on my blog let me know. Change can be scary and I remember freaking out when Weight Watchers changed from Points to PointsPlus. Of course I got used to it and embraced PointsPlus, so I’m assuming this new program will require a similar adjustment period while we all become more familiar with SmartPoints. I like the idea of trying to make healthier choices with my points as long as I can still work in some treats and eat my beloved comfort food. SmartPoints forces me to get used to a few less treats, especially of the sweet variety, which is ultimately a good thing for my health. I will admit to freaking out again about the new program (it’s my nature to fear change, especially when I didn’t ask for it), but after calculating some foods and recipes and getting a little more comfortable with what went up/down/stayed the same in points, I felt better. I have a snacking problem and I think a change like this just further encourages me to go for healthy snacks like fruits and veggies and steers me away from low-PP sweets (not that I am giving those up completely). We didn’t have access to the recipe builder for most of the “early access” period and I was a bit lost without it! I’ve had access to the recipe builder for less than a week now, but from what I can tell many of my favorite recipes stayed roughly the same or only went up a point per serving and some even went down in points (which you’ll see once I’m able to get things calculated and put some points up here). Phew!
I also really like the new FitPoints (which I know I didn’t get into much here) because it motivates me to be given a weekly FitPoints goal to meet and exceed! I love that it links to my Fitbit and I earn FPs all day. I feel accomplished earning them by taking a walk, cleaning the house, shopping or doing other activities I may not have thought of as traditional “exercise.” I don’t feel like I’ve spent enough time with the new program to give it a full review at this point, but if you follow me on Instagram I’ll likely continue to chat about it with my Instagram Weight Watchers family from here on out. Join me there and let’s chat!
Thank you so much for being here and for following my blog and cooking my recipes. You all are so important to me and I sincerely appreciate your comments, support and readership. Thank you also for your patience during this transition, please know I will be working on updating things as quickly as I can during the holiday season (while we’re also planning to move in January – AHHH, everything always happens at once!). I love you guys!
Emily
I can’t find the recipe for Cheesy Taco Pasta anywhere on your site. Did you remove it?
It’s here! I’ll never remove that one, I love it <3
http://emilybites.com/2011/11/cheesy-taco-pasta.html
I’m so excited about Smart Points. I’ve been doing it for 7 weeks (mum is a WW leader) and I’ve lost 11lbs despite birthday and constant holiday treats in work and it’s been so easy and fun. My cravings have reduced and I’m naturally drawn to making healthier choices. So glad you’ll be updating your site too 🙂
Wow, 11 pounds is awesome! Congrats on your success 🙂
Great post!! I am super excited as I have hit a major plateau and I think this will help jump start my weight loss again. I love how lean proteins are lower in points and those with more sugar are higher!! Thanks for a great post and I love, love, love all your recipes!!!
It definitely seems like a plateau buster! Thanks Lisa! <3
Thank you for your overview of SmartPoints! I am excited for the change. I have an Android too and I just noticed as of this morning Connect is on the app. By the way… I am making you Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup for dinner tonight I can’t wait to try it.
Yes! My app was down all day yesterday but I checked earlier and I now have Connect! I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet, but I’m looking forward to it!
Oh, and I hope you love the soup! 🙂
Hey! I am so excited you posted this today! I was hoping to come to your site and see a post on the new Smart Points! I love your blog and have happily resigned up for weight watchers today!
Thanks Julianne! Good luck on WW!
So….I am the odd “women” out, I am nervous about the change with WW. I understand change is needed, but when I signed up for WW, I did the online program only, so I am afraid with the lack of communication I won’t get, change will be hard for me. I will look forward to following along with your blog for help for counting new for recipes. Thanks!
I’m online only as well. The site does have a lot of info on there and if you have questions it’s nice that they have the 24/7 chat feature. It’s totally normal to be nervous about this kind of change. Hopefully it’ll be something that works for us!
I upgraded the mobile app yesterday (it forced me to!) and so far I like what I see. A lot of the problems from the last couple weeks seem to have been resolved, particularly when it comes to syncing with my Fitbit. One thing I noticed on the new website and the mobile app is that they did away with Healthy Checks. Or at least there isn’t a place to track those. Did they go over that component in the beta period? Has anyone else noticed that? My weigh-in day isn’t until next Saturday, so I’m wondering about that.
I know they’re working really hard on all the site and app problems people are experiencing, so I’m happy to hear most of your kinks are worked out! They did get rid of healthy checks with the mindset that the new program is already guiding you toward healthy choices so the checks are no longer necessary.
Thanks for the great info. I don’t weigh in until Friday so will have to wait a few more days!
🙂
I cannot get past the intro on my weightwatchers app. I tried online, as well. Is anyone else having trouble logging since the update? I cannot track right now at all.
I had that problem yesterday and today mine is fine. I know they’ve been working on the app problems. Maybe try uninstalling it and reinstalling it on your phone?
I’m having tons of trouble. Sometimes it logs me in and let’s me track and sometimes it tells me there’s an error and I’m not connected to the Internet (which I am) I’m assuming this will get fixed as they make their changes. I’ve already started the new Smart Pounts program and I’m still having trouble with the app. 🙂 you’re not alone.
I had this problem over the weekend. Monday it started working again. I think it’s all the updating they are doing. I’d just be patient. Online still worked and that’s how I logged my points.
If you download the lastest version for android, connect is on there! 🙂
Yes! I wrote this up last night to post today and then after I posted it I found out I have it now! haha. I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet but I’m excited to see what’s up. 🙂
I tried asking WW Help, but kept getting a generic answer about giving the program time lol … do you know … if we have a recipe saved in our recipe builder, will it automatically adjust it to the new SmartPoints? Or do we have to delete and re-enter the food to find the SP?
Hi Erin, the answer is complicated because…sort of. The recipes will automatically update based on the information the recipe builder has, but if you have recipes saved including ingredients you input manually then those will be missing information (calories, sat fats and sugars) needed to update. So, some of your recipes will likely update correctly and some will take more work on your part. Hope that helps!
I had to uninstall the app and then reinstall it and it seems to be working fine now. Just FYI for anyone else having the same issue.
🙂
The Healthy Guidelines are gone for good. WW is moving in a new direction and the focus is not going be focused on the Healthy guidelines and power foods (from what I been able to see). Today is my weigh in day so I am excited to hear about the new program. I know that under the new system I now have 27 more points for the week to use. Need to find out more about the activity points since they will not be calculated like normal, again from what I found on the web page. There is looks of information under the FAQ section of the web page.
Yup! Healthy guidelines are gone. The mindset is that the new program is already guiding you to make healthy choices so they’re unnecessary. You’ll gt a lot more info at your meeting today, I’m sure!
Where is the barcode scanner? Also, I have a hard time changing the app on my phone to reflect a new weigh in date of Wednesdays instead of Sunday? Does anyone know how to fix that on an Android?
Hi Sara, if you’re in the app and click on the three lines in the corner for the drop down menu (at least on my app for Droid) it has the barcode scanner. I was told that they’re not letting people change their weigh in day this week because everyone is starting the program on different days and it would be too confusing. I’m assuming they’ll add that option back in!
Hi,
I just found this blog…thanks for the review! I’m freaking out a bit about the new FitPoints. It seems that you can’t use them up, like you could Activity Points? Earning points to use for holiday splurges was really motivating me to exercise more! I tried to ask WW tech support, but their site is so buggy for me this morning, I couldn’t get through.
You can! The default setting for the new program is to not use your fitpoints, but you can go into your settings and change it so that you can use them – I did! The WW site is not loading for me at all right now (I can’t wait until they get through all these site issues!) but when it does I will go in and try to remember where the setting was for you 🙂
Thanks for the update! This has made me feel more relaxed about the transition.
I’m glad! 🙂
Thanks for the info about the FitPoints! That’s a relief! I’ll poke around in there and see if I can change my setting. (As soon as my app or the site start working again, haha!)
Thank you so much for this post. Today is my weigh in day and I’ve been a little stressed about it. I’m not a fan of change, but I made a decision to accept this with “open arms” and give it a try, rather than getting upset over it. Your post has made me feel better about what my meeting will reveal this afternoon. I love your site, your instagram and your recipes. Thanks for being a ray of sunshine in my day!
It sounds like we’re very similar when it comes to changes, Stephanie, so I feel you on that! I’m so glad reading my post made you feel a little better. Your comment was a ray of sunshine for me as well! 🙂
I stumbled across your post because I am too anxious to wait until my weigh-in day (Saturday) to hear about the changes. This has been super informative and I am excited to get started! I just rejoined after having my second baby and this may be the swift kick in the a$$ I need to get motivated. Do you have any information on how the plan would work for nursing moms? Is it just more points like in the past?
Welcome Sarah, I’m glad you found me! I’m having trouble getting on the WW site right now (argh) but I know when I was fooling around in my settings there was a setting where you could check whether or not you were nursing. You definitely get more points if you are, I just don’t remember how many off the top of my head. I want to say 6? Don’t quote me on that! 🙂
I was freaking out because I now have so many points to eat in a day and was wondering how my breastfeeding points changed. I finally found it on the site under settings – If you are exclusively breastfeeding you now get 16 points (you used to get 12) and then if you aren’t exclusively breastfeeding you get 6.
Thanks for this Emily! I’ve been freaking out a little about the change, but overall from what I’ve heard from those of you who tried it – it’s a good thing. I’m a little bummed that some of my low point “treats” aren’t so low points anymore (my fiber one brownies went up to 4) – but you’re right, we don’t need to have as many of those types of treats (I would find myself indulging in more of them than I really wanted in a week just bc they were low points).
And thanks for taking the time to update your recipes! It’s a standard thing for us to have 1-2 of your recipes every week haha.
Thanks!
renee (reneedoesww on IG)
I feel all of those same feelings! I think we’ll get used to the changes, though I’m sure there will be some thing that went up in points that will be bummers. Don’t freak out! 🙂
Hi Emily!
I’m new to your site! I was looking for more information on the new SmartPoints and came across your post! I have my meeting tonight but I’m feeling pretty anxious about the fruits/veggies counting in a smoothie? I know you said you were part of a test group but did it explain why if the ingredients are blended they magically count? I usually have a green smoothie (1 banana, 1 cup pineapple, 1 cup spinach, water) for breakfast and it used to be 0 points and now it is 10 points. Which just seems crazy to me! I only started weight watchers 1 month ago so I’m pretty unhappy that just as I had learned all of the point values they’ve now changed. I’m trying not to feel really discouraged…but it’s not working haha. Thanks in advance if you’re able to answer this question! Excited to look around your blog for new recipes!
Hi Taryn, I’m glad you found me! Here’s exactly what I was told straight from one of my contacts at Weight Watchers:
“Hi all, I wanted to give you a little more information on why fruit counts for points in a smoothie, but not when you eat it whole or in a recipe (as opposed to drinking). I know I was confused when I first saw this, so I want to make sure you have all the information!
Part of the reason is that we know that people tend to over consume juices and other beverages, and under-estimate how many calories they have consumed. We are counting the points values of fruit in smoothies in order to help our members realize exactly how many calories they consume when drinking in order to make healthy choices. Of course, it is still in your hands as members to decide if it is worth the SmartPoints to have a smoothie.”
I hope that helps. With that said, do whatever works for you. Basically they don’t want people to think consuming 5 full sized fruits in one drink isn’t going to contain sugars, calories, etc. While you’d never sit down and eat 5 fruits at once, it’s easy to blend them up and drink them in one sitting and that’s a lot of extra calories, sugar, carbs, etc. which could ultimately affect your weight loss.
I know it’s frustrating to have to learn a whole new program (we’re all feeling it!) but the good thing is that I’m sure they’ll likely keep this one for at least a few years (PointsPlus was 5 years) so you shouldn’t have to learn a new one again for a long time.
I hope you’ll try some of my recipes! I’m hoping to have them all updated with SmartPoints before the new year. 🙂
Thank you so much for following this change with all your old recipes as well! I love love love your site and recipes, and this will definitely make the transition much smoother. I honestly don’t know how i’d do WW without my Emily Bites meals!! 🙂
Aw, thanks Samantha!! <3
THANK YOU so much for talking about smart points. I’ve been trying to figure out what is going on!! your post helped a lot! 🙂
No problem, I’m glad I could help!
I am relatively new to weight watchers in general. I attending meetings about 5-6 years ago, but had to stop after my mother in law became sick with brain cancer. Unfortunate,ply, we don’t have meetings closer than 54 miles away. I’m sceptic all about doing the online program, but just can’t travel with a full time job and cheer mom status lol Is this going to be too overwhelming for me to figure out without the support of a group?
I’m so sorry to hear about your mother in law. I also do online only and though there is definitely less communication I think you can still figure it out, there are FAQs etc. Plus you can always ask questions in the 24/7 chat. Maybe find a group on Facebook or some WW friends on Instagram that are also working the program so you can help each other?
I am absolutely thrilled by this! I have really struggled with getting started back on weight watchers (after losing 40lbs) in 2012, because I have felt like I’m always hungry and don’t get enough protein! I am hoping that this will be the kick start I need again to get back on track!
I hope it is!
Thank you SO much for this post!!! My WW changed to Smart Points yesterday and I FREAKED out!! It took me from 26 points plus to 30 smart points and I was NOT okay with that. After reading your post I saw that 30 is the lowest it goes so I’m guessing my experience won’t be much different from when my points were 26. I noticed that if I ate the exact same foods from the day before that equaled 26 they equaled 30 on the smart points. I guess I just have to get used to seeing a higher number and not having a heart attack that my plain Greek yogurt went from 3 points to 5. Again, thank you for this post and putting my mind at ease!!
Haha, it’ll probably take a while for all of us to get used to the new points values! I’m glad it’s working out to be about the same for you. 🙂
With your early access, was there a calculator option on the recipe builder online? That’s been the one thing I have been struggling with this week.
Nope, we had less features on the beta app than the real app, so nothing additional. I agree that I want that back. At the top of the WW website when you login there should be a “Give Feedback” button and I suggest using it for features you miss. They’re working on a lot of them from what I understand.
I am not liking the new SmartPoints system. What I liked about Weight Watchers was that I could fit it into my life (i.e., meet a friend for some frozen yogurt, have a cupcake at work for a celebration, etc.). Now I’m supposed to fit my life into Weight Watchers. If I would like to have two cookies (an entirely reasonable serving size), they now constitute more than 20% of my daily points. A single medium-sized baked sweet potato is now 25% of my daily points. Being able to indulge my sweet tooth a little took the pressure off, and made me much more likely to stick to the plan. This new system is a diet, not a life style.
I totally understand what you’re saying. I’m hoping this is something I can personally stick to (time will tell) and it was certainly easier when sweets fit more smoothly into the plan. I’m trying to give it some time before coming to any conclusions about whether it will work for me.
Thanks Emily, for doing all the work on these recipes!
I’ve slacked on the PP program but have maintained a decent weight.
I’m going to go this week and check out the new program.
I feel you on the slacking, Mary 😉
I’m hoping that having a new plan will get my butt in gear!
I totally agree with Shelby above. I don’t like SmartPoints at all and am considering going off WW completely even though I have had weight loss success.
I am a hobbyist baker and I LOVED the fact that I could have a small portion of whatever I baked along with my family or guests. I wasn’t really thrilled about Points Plus even because I feel that I don’t need WW to “teach” me how to eat in terms of whats healthy, what isn’t. I lost weight very successfully by portioning out my points each day so I could have a treat other than an apple or an orange or some carrot sticks and without it meaning I would basically have to skip a meal to stay within my points.
I agree – Its now a diet – not a lifestyle. It being a lifestyle really worked for me.
Also, I am amazed that WW for the second time now has changed its plan in the winter around the holidays. Pointsplus came on the scene with its 0 points for fruit during the time of year with the least amount of fruit. Now, Smart Points shows up just in time for the holidays with all the baked goodies and candy. Thanks alot Weight Watchers.
I totally understand how you’re feeling. I didn’t get to give it much of a try on the trial because I was missing so many of the tools I find necessary to do WW (like the recipe builder) so I’m really starting it with you all. I definitely want to give it some time and a fair shot before I determine how I feel about the changes and whether this is a plan I can stick to for the long term. As for the timing, I’m guessing that they launch it this time of year so they can work out the kinks for a few weeks and be ready to go for the influx of new members in January.
Ive been struggling getting back into it for the past few months and have needed a way of getting back on track so i hope this can be a fresh start for me from my weigh in tonight. thank you for your information of the new weightwatchers progamme 🙂 xx
I hope it can be a fresh start for me too, I have been off the wagon for a while. I hope the change gets us back on track!
I am so excited to read that you will be updating your recipes 🙂 One of my biggest fears was that ALL of my recipes (homemade and from my favorite bloggers like you) will need to be re-calculated. It is a daunting task and I thank you for putting in all that effort!
One question I have that I’m not sure if anyone might know the answer to is prior to them changing the program, even before they changed the app to this fancy beta app, I was able to manipulate my weekly points allowance to what worked for me and my lifestyle. When I entered into the maintenance phase over a year ago the points allowance they gave me was too much as I would gain each week so I was able to play with the allowance until I found my sweet spot so to speak. Well once they upgraded the app they put me back to whatever they felt was right and I cannot for the life of me find out where to change that again. As it was still PP I could do the mental math but now that point values are changing and my allowance has changed again, I am a bit weary and anxious about the program.
As an online only user I feel that the lack of communication/heads up from WW was really jarring and my first response to that is defensiveness. Just my (very long winded) two cents.
It’s my pleasure, I want them all updated too! 🙂 I wish I could answer your question but I’m really not sure whether you’ll be given back the ability to manipulate your weekly points allowance. Since everyone gets a different one now I’m going to say I doubt it because they’re choosing the number based on your info. However, if you feel like it’s too much you could just quick track a fake item to use up a bunch of your weeklies at the beginning of each week. I agree that the communication has not been stellar and is causing alarm to a lot of the online only members. Had I not been part of the early access group I think I would feel pretty lost, so I feel you.
I don’t track on line and I have never used the recipe builder and I don’t have a smart phone are they going to have a hand held calculator like they did for points plus. I went into the shop and I don’t see one.
Yup, there’s one for $9.95 on the WW website in the shop area under getting started!
WOW WOW WOW!! You rock even more than I thought you already did!!!!
My normal weigh in day is Saturday, but I am going to be out of town, so I am going to a meeting tonight (Tuesday), where my leader is so that I can learn more about it, but you are AMAZING for taking the time to tell us all about it! THANK YOU!!! My only worry is my weekly “free” points. I am 60, 5ft 2 and have about 40 more pounds to lose! I’m screwed!!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this for all of us, and for changing your recipes. Ugh….my pinterest board is all going to be wrong now lol. ((((((hugs))))) THANK YOU!!!
Haha, you’re so sweet! I’m happy to update all my recipes even though it’s tedious – I want to know the SPs too! My pinterest board is also going to be all wrong, lol. Just trying to navigate these changes one day at a time! Glad to share the info. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing. My weigh in day is Saturday so I haven’t made the switch yet. I’m nervous because, like you, I don’t like change but on the other hand I’ve been stuck for a few months so maybe this will get the scale moving. My family enjoys your recipes and I am hoping the point values of our favorites don’t fluctuate too much.
I hope they don’t either! I feel the same way. I’m so glad you and your family enjoy the recipes!
Thank you for your answer– I’m a paper and pencil kind of person.
Just after checking your email I got a new email from WW.
It had all kinds of information I had not seen (my weigh-in day is Saturday).
I did look at the calculator and it has a download on the shop page explaining how to put all the new information in and why. This will help!
Thank you for all the work you put in to help us—-it is appreciated.
🙂
Well, just like everybody else, I’m excited about this change, but also quite afraid. I am VERY resistant to change, but I’ll try to make it work. I’m concerned that they appear to be placing so much emphasis on the mobile app. I’m not one of those people who’s constantly attached to my phone. I rarely use apps. I have an android with a very limited data plan because that’s all I can afford. I’m also not happy about the fact that I’ve spent so much money on cookbooks with PointsPlus and have created a file with hundreds of recipes that include PP or that I’ve taken the time to calculate myself. I have been needing a kick start, though. I haven’t been tracking like I should. And while I haven’t gone overboard, I’m not losing either…and I desperately need to. My weigh-in day is Thursday, and I’ll go in with an open mind. Thank you so much for your help. I’ll stay tuned while we all learn and adapt to the new program!
I’m super resistant to change as well, but at least we’re all figuring out this change together. I hope it’s something we all end up being successful with – time will tell! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Thank you for the information. I am sure the message boards on WW will be on fire today with people complaining. Change is good people!! 🙂
Haha, I’m sure you’re right! 😉
Thank you so much for this insight! My weigh in is tomorrow so I’ve been anxious about what all these changes entail. I’ve been slacking with the program the last few months so maybe this is just what I need to get back in the game!
P.S. your recipes are my favorite =)
Aw, thanks Amy – I’m glad you’re loving the recipes! I’ve been slacking as well so I hope the same thing!
Thanks for this blog. I was unfamiliar with it but saw a community comment on WW Website that said to check it out. You do a far better job of explaining SP than either the WW site or my leader at yesterday’s meeting. I am not happy about so many changes so quickly. I was successful on the PP plan, and my doctor just told me to keep on doing what I’m doing. I’ve decided to try it for a couple of months, but I am not beholden to WW. I admit these healthy choices are admirable, but I can’t do it all at once. As some others have pointed out, WW was a way to balance a healthy life with real life – celebrations, stress, good and bad! I’m not sure this will be as easy to use.
I’m glad you found my blog, Karen – welcome! It’s definitely a lot of change all at once and I agree with your thoughts on balance. I’m going to try out the new program and I hope it will still leave some room for celebrating – we’ll see! I will continue to post the nutrition information with my recipes, so whether you end up trying SPs, selecting a different program or continuing to track PPs, I hope you’ll try out some of the recipes here!
Emily first I want to thank you for your website, your recipes. What a great site! I read your article and scanned through the comments. Wow. I thought about it and decided enough with Weight Watchers changing again. Change is good but it’s a personal choice to do so or not. My life is full of changes. I too have followed Weight Watchers since I was a teen and have seen it change over time, mostly for the better. Thank goodness for it, it’s helped me keep my weight down. I put on a few pounds this year and I’m prepared to dive back into counting my points again in January. I have a sweet tooth and the old points allow me to have a little treat. Each time I cut back a little more on sweets, that’s good. Weight Watchers to me has removed the flexibility out. I am 5’4 1/2 and over 50 and have to count fruit as part of my points to maintain a lower weight. So as for me, a life time member, I will keep points plus not change to smart choice. I feel I already make smart choices. My question Emily, will you post points plus and smart choice points or both. If not will you have the nutrition available so I and those who wish to can calculate their own points. I have “living cookbook” on my computer for years that will calculate points for recipes and this has been a great help for me. Thanks for your updates and recipes. Great site!
Thanks Julie, I’m glad you’re loving my site! I will definitely leave up the PointsPlus for all my current recipes. Moving forward, I won’t have a way to calculate them anymore as the recipe builder no longer shows PPs, but I will definitely continue to post all of the nutrition information needed to calculate PPs if you have a way to do so. I hope that helps!
Thanks Emily!
🙂
Thank you for this review! I unfortunately JUST JOINED WW two weeks ago, and had just kind of figured out the PP system… so now I will need to change! But this new system sounds better. I am doing everything online, and don’t have a support system yet- I need a little encouragement that this will really work! So far I’m down 3 pounds the first week (second weigh in on Friday), but I’m skeptical of course. I have about 30 pounds to lose. I’m 44 years old. Help!!
Hi Becky, you can do this!! I do everything online too, it’s definitely doable. Congrats on your 3 lb loss so far, that’s awesome! Have you looked into the new Connect feature on the updated app yet? I think it’s a great way to interact with other WW members and get support. Try it out!
The PointsPlus formula is Protein/10.94 + Carbohydrates/9.17 + Fat/3.89 – Fiber/12.49
Do the divisions first (protein grams divided by 10.94, carb grams divided by 9.17, etc.) and then take the resulting protein number, add the carbs number, add the fat number, and subtract the fiber number.
Thank you so much for your continuing support of those of us this weight loss journey. You have made such an impact on us all. Your recipes are delicious, easy to follow and so very helpful. Your review of the new WW program was very honest and clear. I weigh in on Thursday and you have taken some of my apprehension away. Good luck with your move and best wishes for a wonderful holiday season.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Patt. I’m glad I could help! Good luck with your weigh in Thursday and thank you for the kind words. Happy Holidays!
Word of warning to current members: If you’ve tracked any measurements on WW, they are now gone. Lost forever. I spoke with a WW online rep last night, and she verified they cannot be retrieved. Huge fail on their part. I’m pretty upset about it.
Oh lame. I’ve never tracked my measurements but that’s a bummer :/
I am pregnant currently, but I cannot wait to try the new program to lose this baby weight! And oh my goodness, I’ve got lots of work to do in updating the Points values (from PointsPlus to SmartPoints) in ALL of my recipes. :-/ Eeeeek!
Congrats on your pregnancy!! Yes, it’s quite an undertaking, haha. Good luck!
Thanks for addressing the new Smart Points program for Weight Watchers. As I use many of your recipes, your comments have reduced my anxiety about the new program greatly. Thanks so much. Always glad to know we are not in this alone.
No problem, Elaine, I’m glad I could help! 🙂
I’ve been doing SmartPoints for about a week and a half and I really love the program. I think it encourages healthy eating which is a plus. Some foods really do go up a lot in points (mostly high sugar foods). Lots of foods stay the same, some go down (lean protein), and some go up a minor amount. I followed it all last week and used up more SmartPoints than I would have PointsPlus but still had a few Weekly Points left. I had some dark chocolate a few times during the week. It was a little higher in points, but I ate small portions so it was fine. I agree with you that is still possible to eat those kinds of foods on the program. You just need to be a little careful about it and pick and choose. I think it is a great improvement over PointsPlus.
I’m so glad you’re loving it, Kitty! <3
I dropped out of WW a few months ago and am considering going back. I see there is a new program rolling out and have seen a lot of negative feedback on FB sites about it. A lot of the complaints are about the app which I understand takes time to work the kinks out. My concern is the program itself. Is it similar to the Points Plus program? If I have issues with the app is there a way to manually track? I am a creature of habit and don’t necessarily like change, so I’m a little leary of this new program. Any feedback on the program itself would be a great help in my decision.
Hi Brenda,
There have definitely been a bunch of frustrating technical issues since the updated site/app launched so I understand the feedback you’ve been hearing. The new program is structured similarly to PointsPlus, but obviously the points are calculated differently. I really outlined all the changes in the post above, so I’m hoping that will help you. There are definitely still people who paper track and the WW website sells a SmartPoints calculator for $9.95 if you didn’t want to use (or couldn’t use) the app/site. Hope that helps!
About the points with the smoothie: my nightly smoothie consists of 1 cup of 1% milk (now 4 points), a half to a whole banana, no more than a half cup of strawberries. Blended, it’s now 10 Smart Points!!! I’m not putting together 5 whole fruits. Why are the fruits now 6 points? If I were making a fruit salad of the exact same proportion of fruits, it would be 0 points. If I wanted to drink a glass of milk with my fruit salad, the fruit would still be 0 points. This just not make sense that my smoothie of modest proportions is now 10 SP! Meanwhile, a 3/4 cup of ice cream is 11 SP. So if I wanted something sweet and cold, I might as well take the extra point and eat the ice cream!
Hi Mary,
I can’t really speak for WW (I didn’t make the rules, I’m just conveying them here!) but I posted this above which was what I was told directly by my WW contact:
“Hi all, I wanted to give you a little more information on why fruit counts for points in a smoothie, but not when you eat it whole or in a recipe (as opposed to drinking). I know I was confused when I first saw this, so I want to make sure you have all the information!
Part of the reason is that we know that people tend to over consume juices and other beverages, and under-estimate how many calories they have consumed. We are counting the points values of fruit in smoothies in order to help our members realize exactly how many calories they consume when drinking in order to make healthy choices. Of course, it is still in your hands as members to decide if it is worth the SmartPoints to have a smoothie.”
With that said, do what works for you. Weight Watchers is saying to track the fruit in your smoothie as part of the new program, but it’s of course your call if you follow that instruction. I doubt not tracking those two fruits is going to stall your weight loss, but if it does you can always start tracking them in the future. It’s important to make the program work for you. Good luck!
Super frustrating! The response below is silly – a fruit is a fruit whether or not is is whole or blended. I’m not going to drink five smoothies a day and not think they would still be 0 points. Just like I wouldn’t eat three pounds of bananas in a day and not think they would count. Maybe that is why I’m not losing as much weight since I drink a smoothie almost every day.
Hello,
thanks for the read. I am a gold member so I haven’t got the use of the app anymore, how can I work out sp without this?
Hi Vicki,
I’m not sure what a gold member is…is that like lifetime? I would suggest talking to your leader about it if you go to meetings. Weight Watchers is also selling SmartPoints calculators if you would like to paper track!
Great write up on the new program, thanks! I had my meeting last night and learned about the program, but this explains it in more detail. Really looking forward to the recipe updates, I’ve made several from your blog and love them! Thank you!
Thanks Steph!
Thanks so much for your post!
No problem! 🙂
Are you going to continue posting the points plus weight watchers points on new recipes?
Hi Amanda,
Since the WW recipe builder will no longer calculate the PointsPlus for my recipes moving forward I won’t be able to include the PointsPlus values. However, I will continue to post the nutrition information necessary to calculate the PPs if you have a way to do so. I hope that helps!
Oh, Emily, I didn’t mean to rant at you about the smoothie points. Sorry. But it’s just so frustrating since it doesn’t make sense. I’m in the coaching program and I have a session with my coach tomorrow. Believe me, he’ll get an earful!!
Hi Emily! I am wondering how you think this program will work for vegetarians. I appreciate that points are low for tofu, but many of us know better than to rely too much on soy for protein. I love fat free Greek yogurts (among other things) as a protein source–it sounds like the points have gone up for these. Thanks!
so glad I found you! I’ve been a weight watchers member for over a year. I was able to calculate the pt plus value of my recipes by using the ww formula to calculate the points. How do I calculate points for the smart points. I’m soooo confused. Thanks in advance,
Ann
Hello. I literally just joined WW today, but the website is like a merry go round. I can’t figure out what I am supposed to do next. Where can I find the point information for my pantry or grocery lists? Is there a menu made that I could follow the first couple weeks or should I select recipes from the internet, not sure if the points would be correct with the new system. Not a good way to start- in the dark. Any light shed would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Just found your blog. Thank you for your efforts. I am a life long on-and-off weight watcher member. I had many recipes that I had created in the recipe app. I can see my recipes, under “items I created”. Some of them are missing ingredients. Is there any way to edit these ? If not, how do I delete?
If I go over my daily 30 is it better to dig into fit points or my weekly 35? I love the update, as a diabetic I love that the carbs change in conjunction with the food quantity.
I want to be able to just put points in my Fit Bit tracker online. It take too much time to track on WW and track on Fit Bit as well. How can I do that I am open to any ideas.
Lisa
So glad I found this post because I was all whoaaaa what happened here when I opened up WW on my phone today. The fitpoints threw me – it gave me 11 points for the 6200 steps I took according to my Fitbit yesterday?! Usually I get maybe 3. They must have changed the way they calculate them.
Thank you, thank you, Emily! I was absolutely pissed off about the Fit Points. I am very active and was so upset with WW for taking away my ability to earn extra “cushion” with all of the holiday parties and stuff. My meeting leader presented the Fit Points as something that you earned, but couldn’t spend. It was very easy to make the change online in my account. Thanks for the heads up!
Victoria – I was just on WW tech support chat this evening and this is what they told me about the Fit Points basically being double counted:
“Sorry about that Lisa. Unfortunately there has been known issues reported regarding Fitbit and mobile app. These issues were escalated already currently our technical team are working to fix it.”
Sounds like they already know about the problem and are working on it. I have had two problems this week with my Fitbit. First, I have to go onto the website (not the mobile app) and tell it to manually sync my activity. And it’s giving me double the amount of Fit Points. Something is clearly broken.
Your explanation of SmartPoints was sooooo much better than anything I found on the website. I’m a WW online member and suddenly I was switched and I didn’t mind..but I just wanted to know the differences. You spelled them out clearly for me, thank you! WW should pay you for that.
When I first heard about WW changing to SP, my very first thought was, “Oh no, what about Emilybites!” HAHA! So happy you are able to keep up with the change. All your hard work is definitely appreciated. I love your recipes
I hate SmartPoints, it’s a complete joke. I lost 50lbs on PointsPlus years ago and now I’ve been doing it for 8 weeks and lost 15 pounds already.
First they changed the website, which is awful, lost tons of features and is down pretty much every other day for some amount of time.
Then they completely changed the points system. Maybe it would be OK if I was new to the program, but I’ve already got established eating habits. I came up with a lot of recipe substitutes, lowered portion sizes, etc.
But now I’ve been cut from 42 to 39 points a week, my weekly points from 49 to 42, and literally every single thing I was eating on a regular basis (and losing weight eating, by the way) are 2-4 points more.
It’s a dangerous program now. If I followed it using the foods I’ve been using (again, successfully with the pointsplus system) I would be eating under 1200 calories a day.
I really don’t want to go through the effort of completely rearranging my diet again. So I’m dropping the plan.
I’ve been tracking side by side with MyFitnessPal, a very comparable online tool, and I must say I find simple calorie counting much easier. I can set goals for macro nutrients, limit fat intake, and still maintain a reasonable calorie intake.
With PointsPlus I was probably eating 1500-1700 calories per day. With SmartPoints eating the same foods but staying within my points limit I’d be down to around 1100-1200 points per day, simply because my diet still had some sugar and fat in it (I don’t buy into the notion that all sugar and fat are evil and don’t go out of my way to avoid them)
That’s a dangerous calorie intake level. If I changed my diet like they want and ate a bunch more protein, I’d bring it back up, but I really don’t want to eat a super protein heavy diet, and since they go after fat so hard with SmartPoints, you’re limited to pretty much chicken and turkey…boring.
All in all I think the new plan is pretty bad. It’s like they’re trying to turn it into a mini atkins diet, and I’m not interested.
My issue with the smartpoints is that many of my recipes have actually gone down in point value. I almost exclusively use recipes from my own cookbook collection, adjusted to lower the fat content, and focus on vegetarian, chicken and fish meals. I know this may not sound like much of a problem, but now I’m in the odd position of having to actually eat more in order to meet my new daily point value. Since I’ve worked very hard over the past year to adjust my eating habits (I joined WW Jan 2015), I didn’t want to assume that I could consume more calories and still lose weight or maintain it. So…I tried posing this issue to WW online (I’m on online member only) and got back nothing but meaningless cliches (“Let your weight be your guide” Huh?) or advice to add nuts and dairy to my diet. Right now, I’ve set an artificial daily point value for myself and have rigged a few of my recipes to look more “normal,” but this makes the program less meaningful.
I also agree with the comments that this was a truly awful time of year to make such major changes in both the website and the program. The communication and rollout also were pretty bad.
Thank you for your insights and I am relieved to see that I am not the only one who dislikes this new program. It’s not about change, I can handle that, it’s about the diet now. WW was a life style and as Shelby, Mary and Matt said, this is no longer a lifestyle. They are telling me what to eat for health. I am an adult, I understand that lean protein and veggies are better for my health than a cupcake. However, there are times I want a cupcake and previously it was fit in without guilt. My points only increased by 4 points, yet everything I have been eating and loosing with, has increased to about 8-10 extra a day. The extra points are only about 4 a day, so wow, I get 34 points to eat basically eat turkey, ham and chicken. there is no variety any longer. I too am considering dropping the program.
Sorry for the length of this – but maybe this will help some folks with a history of binge eating or diabetes/prediabetes to evaluate Smart Points.
I am a Lifetime WW member who has struggled with weight for decades. I am also pre diabetic and have dealt with Binge Eating Disorder on and off also for decades.
Last Saturday, I tried the new program, and after half a day on it, quit. I’m back for good on Points Plus – here’s why:
I was diagnosed with prediabetes last June; Points Plus (with only 1-2 fruit servings a day) has helped me lose 19 pounds – more than 10 percent of my body weight Why fix something when it ain’t broke?
As a recovering binge eater, it is super important for me to avoid the all-or-nothing mentality on eating treats that triggers my binge eating (something that is TERRIBLE) for blood sugar. The Smart Points plan’s heavy, heavy penalty on sweets virtually guarantees I will eventually fall into a black hole of rebelling and overdoing it on sweets – I’m wired that way.
The new program is designed in part to promote eating still more “free” fruit instead of sugary treats. In fact, one of the WW staff told me that “fruit is a different kind of sugar and is OK.” She is incorrect: Anyone with diabetes is better off eating a couple of small cookies than a couple of zero point big oranges!
Because of my health problems, I can no longer go on and off any diet; I am determined to continue embracing a moderate, flexible eating plan with mild calorie restriction the rest of my life. I have about 10 or 15 more pounds to lose, and I will do it the Points Plus way.
I am on a free month because I complained. I am obviously the odd girl out here because as soon as my month is up, I’m gone. Sayonara WW and your 9 point can of Coke (and I rarely even drink it!) I did wonder about how the activity points work? I wore my fit bit today and I work on my feet so I have 13 fit points, the problem is I don’t know what that means??
Hi Emily! I’m going to be honest, I am waiting for your recipes to convert because I will base my weekly menu on those as I am one to have to follow a planned out menu. I literally go to your IG and look for ideas! So I’m hanging in there with SP’s and going shopping for lean meats and tons of veggies and fruit to just follow program that way until I learn some recipes, from you of course. Thanks again, I’m hoping to drop 10 lbs by my birthday in January which will have to include 5 lbs up from holiday stuff and 5 lbs regular weight loss heading toward my WW goal! I can do it!!
Going to cancel my subscription to the app. For almost $20 a month, the lack of features is laughable. And I’m not impressed with the so-called smart points — I don’t need a nanny to tell me how to be healthy. I’ve been successful with the program in the past, but I think just counting calories might be more to the point now.
Do I still have to have daily milk and oil? 2 Tbsp of olive oil is 8 points and milk is now 3 points each so that leaves me 11 points from my 30? Confused?!
The daily checks from PointsPlus are not part of the SmartPoints program
Thank you for your hard work!
I tried the very first WW points program years ago and lost my goal and kept the weight off for quite some time, then menopause hit and every thing changed. I tried the PP program online last year, but did not really like the online program or the PP values. There is not a meeting place close to my home, so the online program is the only option. I have read your posts about the new program. Question…will the original program still work as well as the new program that is being promoted?
I’m not 100% sure what you’re asking, so I apologize if I don’t answer your question, but the older points program is no longer available through Weight Watchers. If you have the materials and the handheld tracker you can still do it based on the nutrition information though! Does that help?
I use to do points plus online. I really liked the barcode scanner feature on the app. I am thinking about restarting WW at the beginning of the year. My question is… has the app been updated with smartpoints values vs the points plus. And does it still have the barcode scanning feature?
Yes and yes 🙂
I use to do points plus online. I am considering starting WW again at the beginning of the year. Is the WW app updated with the smartpoints values vs. the points plus values? And does it still have the barcode scanning feature? I loved that feature! Dont know if I would be able to function without it! I havent signed back up yet and was just wondering about those couple of things before I do. Either way, I am excited to try your recipes. They look delicious!
I absolutely despise the new program. It’s so infantilizing and intrusive. I know what’s healthy for me, and I want to be treated like an adult and allowed to set my own point target and make my own choices about what’s healthy. I did well with Points Plus and was happy to pay for it, but I have zero interest in having my weight loss Oprah-fied. I think they made a huge mistake. I also have neither the time nor the bandwidth to sort through the website changes with all the smarmy “encouraging” talk as if we’re all children who can’t make decisions for ourselves. It’s moronic and insulting.
I’m new to the program having started to the online program 12/02/15. I bought the dark chocolate dulce de leche ice cream bars as a low point dessert/treat because the we’re 3 points and now they’re 6? That’s pretty disappointing 🙁
Emily, what is the true difference in the original WW point system and the now SP system? Allowable points have increased in all programs, but WW also raised the point value for many foods, which offsets the allowable points? I do still have the old points counter, so for me, that is the most simple system. It is really all in watching proportions and eating as many vegetables as possible no matter which WW plan you choose. I wonder, does WW take into account menopause for women, when metabolism and hormones for many women changes drastically, no matter the amount of exercise. Thanks for posting your nutritional information. It makes it easier to calculate the points, no matter the program you choose! You are doing a great job! Happy New Year to all.
Where can I go to find out exactly how many Snart Points I will be allowed each day and the extra weekly allowance? I have been using the old PP and am getting a SP calculator but need this info to get started again. I really don’t do meetings but didn’t see a guide or information book on the new SP program in the beginner packet. Help, please!
Not my thing. Been doing so well on the pp program. In fact the best I have done is on 2 versions ago. Don’t think this change is going to cut it and unfortunately forced me to use a better program that is more like what WW used to be and cancel my WW account.
Look calculate beyond the scale
Hi I’m doing the ww smart plan I’m a monthly direct debit member and had the app on my iPhone 4 phone when intent to update to the new ww app for smart points it won’t let me any ideas please x
Sorry Alison, I really don’t know anything about that. Have you tried contacting WW customer support?
Hello, I am new to all the WW stuff and I am trying to find your recipes as well as the name of your app.
Hi kristin, you’ve found it! All my recipes are right here on emilybites.com. Just go to the main page and scroll or head to the recipe index to see recipes by ingredients, category or points value. Hope that helps!
What is the “formula” to figure out how many SP I am allowed???? I cannot find it ANYWHERE!!!!
Hi Dave, I think the only way to do it is to join Weight Watchers! I doubt they want to give out the formula for free 🙂
I have an android phone. Can’t seem to find the bar code scanner on the new app. Thanks!
Hi April, I have an Android too. The barcode scanner on my app is in the drop down menu on the left side.
Does anyone know what the smart points are for fruit if used in smoothies? The book I got today at class says zero for bananas but I know from the class that you do count it when blending. But no idea what I need to count it as?
Lou, if you make a smoothie you just need to enter it into the recipe builder and click the “blended” part to get the points for your smoothie
Just to clarify – if I have all the books and tools for points plus, I can still do points plus and lose weight? I don’t go to meeting and I’m not signed up for WW currently. The smartpoints is just promoting to choose better foods like lean meats instead of using your points on pasta. Also, if new WW MEAL packages show smartpoints values on them then all I have to do is use my points plus calculator to calculate from the nutritional values for points plus value ?
Thanks for your time and looking forward to a response.
Hi Bianca,
Sure, you can definitely lose weight doing things other than the SmartPoints program, including continuing to follow the PointsPlus program. PP just isn’t supported by WW anymore so you won’t have the app, website, meetings, etc with PP available.
Hi Emily, I just found your site while trying to find more info on the new WW program, and I am now a subsciber. Great site!
I read your excellent post and understand what you were saying about blending, but I just can’t seem to comprehend the following. Suppose for breakfast, I sat down and had: 1 cup of raw kate (yeah, I know, but stay with me), 1/4 cup of grapes, one small cucumber, and an apple. If I ate that, I wouldn’t be using any of my Smartpoints. BUT…if I put those exact items in a blender with a cup of water, it’s like 7 points! How does this make sense. If you could give me any insight, I’d be very appreciative. By the way, also following you on Facebook–not sure if FB and your site have differences though.
Thanks!
Hi Tony,
I think that’s something you’d have to take up with Weight Watchers. I’m just reporting the facts of the new program, I didn’t make the rules! I think their reasoning is that it’s much easier to over-consume fruit as a juice or smoothie. So, while most people wouldn’t sit down and eat all those things, it’s easier to drink it and although fruit is free on WW it still has lots of sugar. You may want to ask them for an official answer though.
are potatoes free too since all veggies are free now??
All veggies are not free. Most are, but the starchy ones like potatoes are not. Same as PP!
I feel like I just won the lottery! I can’t access the WW recipes, and didn’t think I would ever find recipes with real, easy to find ingredients, that included the smart points. I am thrilled! Thank you SO MUCH!
No problem, I hope you love the recipes, Shirley!
Do I need to buy the new calculator or with the points plus calculator work the same?
SmartPoints are calculated completely differently than PointsPlus, so you can continue to try to follow the PP program using your calculator, but if you are going to do the SmartPoints program (which is the only one offered by WW now) your PP calculator will not help you determine SPs.
This was really helpful. I drifted away from tracking on my WW mobile account and when I went back recently I was a little confused about the points and why my yummy Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich went up in points. Thanks for explaining it so clearly.
Sorry if this has been asked already, but why does taking a pile of fruit and/or veggies that were once zero points, and blending them with water and ice suddenly make them 10 or 11 points? That makes no sense, as nothing about the caloric content of any of those foods changed, and I’m pretty sure that my Ninja Blender does not add calories to anything.
You’d have to ask Weight Watchers to get an official answer. I didn’t make the program, I’m just reporting on it! I believe the thought process is that it’s easier to over-consume fruit (which still has calories and sugar obviously) as a smoothie.
i don’t have the new smart points calculator or book. i just can’t afford meetings either. is there a way to get my points evaluated for me or a free place online to help me. I need the help and should would love to do something right now..
thank you
I’m sorry, I don’t know of any way to get that information without signing up to be a Weight Watchers member since it’s personalized.
is it possible to get a calculator and have someone just put the information in for me and then me learn as muuch as I can online? I do hate to ask but Money is so tight right now
Not that I’m aware of, I think the only way to get your personal points target is to take the quiz through WW which affects your individual account. There are plenty of free weight loss programs online though, maybe look at MyFitnessPal?
When we join the online only, does it plug our height and weight and assign points to us?
It gives you a quiz where it asks you a bunch of questions and then gives you your daily and weekly points targets.
Like others said, I rejoined WW last year and was super successful and very excited. Then they changed. It’s not about the change. The new program is not maintainable. I had my foods selected, recipes, snacks, etc. It was working very well for me. Well since the change I have GAINED BACK 10 POUNDS THAT I WORKED HARD TO LOSE. I’m always hungry; everything is more points; the fact that I run 7-10 miles per week practically counts against me as we can’t swap points out. So they basically want me on a 700 calorie diet and who cares if I run off 500 calories. I’ve got more cravings now and have basically lost control of what I eat. This new “lifestyle” program is ridiculous. I do not need to be preached to and told to take some me time. I need some reasonable help paying attention to what I eat. I feel like the wheels have come off and I am so frustrated. After talking to several friends that are doing it with me, we’ve all decided to quit. We didn’t want to and were so happy before. And by the way, completely changing the entire plan including what points things have and what you can eat right in the middle of the holidays is completely stupid. And WW – you can no longer honestly preach “you can eat whatever you want just in moderation” as this plan leaves no room for moderation.
Hi Laura,
I just want to clarify that I don’t work for Weight Watchers or represent them, I’m simply reporting the changes for those of my readers following the program. I don’t think WW reads my blog comments, so if you want to speak to them directly I would suggest posting this to their social media accounts or customer service maybe? I just want to make sure your complaints are directed toward someone who can respond on behalf of Weight Watchers!
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you’ll continue to visit my blog for lightened up comfort food recipes. I post nutrition information and PointsPlus values in addition to SmartPoints, so you can use my recipes on a variety of programs. Good luck with your weight loss journey!
I have been on WW since 2004. The change from Points to PointsPlus was the kind of change I might expect from sophisticated organization–incremental to avoid higher risk. Now, I find that the SmartPoints not maintainable; that WW is now like every other non-maintainable diet–starve yourself for a few weeks or months to lose weight fast. I am barely hanging on here hoping that WW management wake up. I was doing great on the PointsPlus; now, I find myself in discouraging deficits. I am wondering why I pay them.
I need to lose some weight where my wife has been a Gold member for some years and is doing well on the new Smartpoints programme.
I would like to join her diet regime, but being disabled cannot get to my local WW would be my Smartpoint allowance (current weight 190lb height 5′.10″ BMI 26-ish)
Thanks for any advice
John
Hi John,
I actually have no ability to figure out how many SmartPoints you’d get per day/week. As far as I know the only way to do that is to join WW and take the quiz they give you. If you’re unable to go to your local center you can always join online and take the quiz there to calculate your points. I hope that helps!
I loved reading your post. I just returned to WW last week after a 2 year absence (lifetime member) and I’m getting used to smartpoints. I have 40lb to lose this time and i dont know if i can do it. I have a question for you. Do you know where I can find an online restaurant food guide showing smartpoints? I ate at panera bread today and want to see how bad it is. I don’t feel too bad though because I just joined an 8 week Zumba class today too! Man, am I feelin’ it!
You can do it, Christine! You’ve already done this once, so you know you can! As for restaurants, have you tried just typing it into the tracker to search the WW database? When I type in Panera a ton of results come up so you should be able to find what you ordered! I don’t know of another place where it would all be listed online though. I hope that helps! I love Zumba too, it sounds like you’re doing all the right things! 🙂
I am new to WW and so far I have been following the plan with enthusiasm! I have only been doing it for a week and one thing I noticed is how large my portions were prior to joining WW. By keeping track of what I eat using the WW app and all the other tools available has made losing weight much easier. I love your blog (I think you call this a blog) and all the recipes you share. I will be following for sure 🙂
Thank you Rene! Yup, this is a blog :). Let me know which recipes you try! I feel you on portions, if left to my own devices I will definitely eat like 4X as much as I should, lol.
Hi Emily 🙂
I made the Chicken Pesto Flatout Pizza and it was so delicious! There was so much flavor and it was VERY satisfying! I am going to make the Cheddar ranch chicken fingers for the Super Bowl but I am having a hard time finding the Sabra ranch greek yogurt at my local grocery store, Meijer, is there an alternative product I can use? Thanks Emily!
Thanks for the review, Emily. I joined WW today, so we’ll see how it goes. 🙂
Good luck, you’ve got this!
I just learned of your site during my last WW meeting. I’m a lifetime member and haven’t made the switch to SP yet, but I will when I can find enough substitutions for my two and three point snacks. Your comments are great and very supportive. Thanks for your insight. The WW member mentioned a 2 sp muffin you have. I can’t find it. I’ve been making banana, oatmeal, whole wheat muffin for years that is 2 pp and I’m sure they are now a lot more points now. I’d like to try yours. Where can I find it? Thanks again for all you do.
Hm, I don’t think I have a 2 SP muffin! I have several baked oatmeal singles (muffin-like) that are 3 SP but I don’t have any that are 2 SP. I wish I did! Sorry I can’t help with that. I’m glad this post helped though and good luck when you do decide to make the switch!
Are you still able to use the old PP calculator and scales or are these now outdated?
You cannot calculate SmartPoints using those tools
How do calculate how many smart points I am allowed?
Hi Cynthia, as far as I know the only way to do that is to sign up for Weight Watchers and take the quiz they give you 🙂
Hai Emily,
Just stumbled upon your blog and I started WW on Jan. 6th, today is my weigh-in and hope there is some progress, last week was terrible only 200 grams (I am dutch we use kilograms;) )….But in the first week 1.5 kg (that’s about 2.5 pounds I think….
Love your recipes, we don’t have all the same ingredients over here but with a little creativity it works! I lived in New York (Poughkeepsie) for 4 years and hope to go back some day! Good luck with your blog!
Hi, found your blog as I have just started the new program and really confused about weekly points etc. Anyway, Re comments about smoothies. If you check out Jeff Novick talks he explains that the problem with smoothies is 1) as you say it’s easy to over consume 2) chewing our food is the start of the process of digestion and feeling satiated (enzymes etc). Blitzing the food first misses that step and may take out some of the fibre. I find fruit triggers my sweet tooth so as I really have to be careful with sugars or bingeing veggies are better for zero option. I chose this plan as I can link up to Fitbit. Good luck to everyone, I used to do slimming world as they don’t use points so it’s a learning curve. Happy to find your blog, thanks.
Great info, thanks Ellie!
Well….it’s a month into the new program and I am as confused as ever…..i am ready to quit!!
I’ve been on the new program for 7 weeks. At this point I’m really frustrated with my weight loss I am at 30 points a day and I have only lost 1 pound. Incorporating more protein that I ever did on the old plan I talk to my leader and she has no idea why I am losing so slow or maintaining. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
Been doing weight was for 2 years down 60 pounds. Gained 10 back from October thru end of December. My own fault now on smart points and have only lost 2 pounds. Frustrating did better on points plus but will tough it out.
Doing it online
If anybody out there wants to know how many smart points they get if you can buy a new ww smart points calculator it will tell you. My husband has paid to do it online and ordered a calculator and after reading the directions I found you can input your age,sex,height,weight and if you need to lose or maintain and it will tell you how many points. It doesn’t ask your activity level. I hope this helps some of you
I found your site while googling about the new Weight Watchers points system. I instantly saw an advertised recipe for butternut squash soup (which is perfect for the squash in my fridge at home!)
Just wanted to say I look forward to making some recipes on this site, and kudos to you for converting all of your recipes!
I joined yesterday because we get a nice discount from our employer. And I’ve done WW in the past (10 years ago) and it worked for me, but honestly, nothing has helped me lose even one pound since menopause. I figured I’d give WW another whirl.
I get 30 SmartPoints per day. I picked up my usual breakfast items this morning (remember, this is day 1 and I haven’t gone out and stocked up yet).
1 pint of 2 % milk and 1 hard boiled egg: 12 points gone.
Technically I could burn up all my daily SmartPoints on three bottles of milk?
This can’t be right.
I was thinking about going back to WW but after playing online with the smart points calculator, I am freaking out. My morning smoothie would be half or more of my points for the day because Chia seeds went up as did my Mct oil! Then fruit in smoothies have points? Aaghh!
We joined WW the last week of December, after the new SmartPoints had been rolled out. I convinced my husband that WW was the way to go, as I had done it twice in the past, under the old point plan, and was very successful each time. And since I never stayed on it longer than 6 months, we agreed to commit to a full 12 months this time.
The first two weeks on SmartPoints, I lost 4 lbs and 3 lbs – a great start, but realistically I knew most of that was water weight. Then over the last four weeks, I have not made any progress – up 1.5, down .75, down .50, up 1.0
It is very frustrating since we have stayed very true to the plan, sticking to the daily points, and using most but not all of our weekly points. We have cut out breads and added sugars, and are getting in 2 fruits and 5 green veggies each day. We have added in daily 40 min walks, and take 10 flights of stairs instead of using the elevator. Water intake has been no less than 48 ounces, but more often we get in 62 ounces.
Having successfully done WW twice in the past, it seems to me the only difference I can pinpoint this time around is the new SmartPoints calculations. As discouraged as I feel right now, I’m not sure I shouldn’t be looking “beyond Weight Watchers”. Am I the only one, or has anyone else experienced a “plateau” right out the gate?
Hi there! I just wounded WW with the new year and a loving it! I was hoping you could direct me toward the recipe builder.. Is there a way yet to add in what’s in my recipe without combining all the calories, protein, etc? And also serving sizes change from item to item so it confuses me when I’m trying to make a casserole or something like that. Thanks!
Is it normal for points to have gone from 26 to 36? Seems like a big jump. I hadn’t been using my online app and decided to start again after gaining back 20 from big loss a few years ago… And saw the app automatically jumped me up.. Just want to make sure. Yes I know points higher now but ten pts seems like big jump. Thx.
I’ve been a member of WW since Oct, but just got the app a week or so ago. I can’t seem to tell the difference between favorites and recently added and also, if I’m having the same salad as I had yesterday, can’t I make that a favorite or a recently added instead of creating a recipe and punching everything in. I tried chatting with them, but they didn’t seem to understand my question. I want to be able to put something in favorites without creating a recipe. Is this possible?
Thanks
Can anyone please tell me what my Smart points allowance is? I am 57 years old, 5feet tall and weigh 9 stones exactly. I am aiming to lose 10 to 12 pounds. Many thanks
We’re do I sign up at
Hi Debra, do you mean for Weight Watchers? You’ll have to go to their website or to your local WW center.
Is anyone having trouble with the ww website? I hate the new recipe builder! It will not allow me to “create a food” and pull it into the recipe builder if they do not have it in the database already. I tried to create a food and it doesn’t show up in the list once saved. Also, I am having a hard time finding my recipes when I create them. How are you navigating it? I tried contacting ww and asking my ww leader and they don’t seem to know what I am talking about. Also, if I “search” for my recipes they are not in the list. If I click on “my recipes” I have to scroll through them alphabetically to reach the desired recipe. Good Lord to get to my Slow Cooker recipes it takes forever! 🙂 Any suggestions you have would be awesome. Big fan of your site and have been for years. Thanks for sharing!
Hi. I’ve been doing the program for about six weeks and I’m not happy with it at all. The app is not very intuitive and the website is cumbersome.
I understand the way the plan was designed was to help you make better choices, but for someone who already ate fairly healthy and included lots of fruits and veggies, as well as exercise 5-6 days a week, I’m finding this program very frustrating. I know weight loss can be a very slow process, but I feel I should be seeing more results.
I’m still not clear on the fit points and what their purpose is, exactly. I noticed this week after logging my exercise, the full fit point amount didn’t appear on my daily log. Has something changed? The toes points is correct on the fit points summary page, but not on the daily diary page. I know you can switch it so you can use your fit points before your weekly points, but are you supposed to actually be using your fit points? My leader said no (and I don’t), so I’m really confused.
Sorry to vent — I know the program isn’t for everyone, but hoping to get some clarification on the fit points.
Thanks!
I am nervous about how many points I get . I did the online chat & they tell me its correct. 52 smart points and 28 weekly point for someone who is 5’2 and 135.
Anyone else similar?
According to Smart pts values, a person like me who eats mostly WWatchers meals because I have for years could eat 1 meal each night and go over allowed SP’s in a week before including other meals. I eat fruit, never any dessert, but 7 WW dinner meals, 6-8 pts in average would put you between 42 and 56 SP’s just eating dinner. How does this make sense?
Hi Sharon,
The lowest number of daily SPs you can be assigned is 30, so using 8 for dinner shouldn’t be a problem. I’m confused by what you’re asking, sorry!
You mentioned a recipe builder. Is there a place where I can build my meals more easy? I am new and I just started on Monday this week. I asked about tools on the 24/7 support but she didn’t say anything about recipe builder. OR any other tools for that matter. She just told me I could purchase things at the meeting.
Thank you for any help you can guide me to.
Lynn
Sorry if this has been asked…couldn’t read through all the comments…
I’ve done WW off and on since the regular points program. For abt 8 years have just done it online via their website. Got used to the new P+ program so I’m ok with having to get used to yet another points program.
BUT…I hate the change in the recipe format! First of all, where the heck did the pictures go? I don’t like making a recipe if I don’t know what it’s gonna look like. Seems like they’re mostly on the website but not at all on the app which is what I primarily use. Also….why did they take away the user reviews on the recipes?! This is how I would decide if I wanted to waste my time trying it and/or how to tweak the recipes to make them better. Am I the only one who finds this new part of it frustrating? I must use their recipes more than others…
I’m glad I found this page. I lost my needed 25 lbs on the WW points program years ago and loved it. I need to start again, but after reading here I’m staying away from the new program. The points plus program didn’t work for me when I tried it, and I’m sure this won’t. I’ll find my old trackers and go back to that. Thanks for all the information.
I’m glad you have something that works for you, Phil!
i like to know smartpoints list food i like to loser at home .kim
I had been a WW member off and on for years and was very successful in losing weight. Over time I gained about 20 pounds so in the fall of 2015, I joined the program again and was doing fine. The leader had great programs about foods, exercise etc. Although I know how to eat healthy, these lessons and guidelines were so helpful in reminding me to track, to move, portion control, and I was excited, encouraged, and interested in these reminders/lessons. Then “WAM,” smart points entered the picture in December, 2015. The helpful lessons went away and people just sat around talking. BORING!!! Usually, only 2-3 women would dominate the conversation, not on topic of weight issues or foods. I learned nothing, I was absolutely bored out of my mind with such conversational drivel. I asked the leader if this was the way this program would continue to be run, she replied yes because the focus was on the people. I think the focus is WW’s bottom line since they no longer must supply learning materials. Long story short, this new program/meetings were a waste of my money and time. I’m back on points plus on my own, and I have discovered a wealth of information on foods, water, basically, the old WW guidelines on the internet
I’m glad you found what works for you! Everyone responds to something different 🙂
Smartpoints now, wonder what WW will change to in another couple of years.
They do change the program every few years
I recently re-started WW for the umpteenth time.
Earlier in the year I did well using Points Plus, and felt it was pretty flexible. A few months later I went off the wagon. Three weeks ago I rejoined WW and, as one of the few males participating in WW, I have the following observations:
1. Some of the foods that I used successfully staying within my daily points limit under Points Plus now have significantly more points values, which dismays me. Other foods – not that many I might add – have fewer points. I am DEFINITELY having a harder time staying within my daily limit under Smart Points than I did under Points Plus.
2. I know what we males tend to lose faster and sometimes more poundage than many females, but: (AND I TRULY HOPE WEIGHT WATCHERS IS MONITORING THIS SITE AND SEES THIS STATEMENT) As a male, under Smart Points, I CONSTANTLY feel like I am on a STARVATION DIET!!!
I am CONSTANTLY hungry TO THE POINT OF DISCOMFORT!!!
Under Points Plus, I never had this problem. Never. EVER.
My verdict: I dislike Smart Points. If I continue to feel like I’m starving, I will eventually go off the wagon again and gain back.
I’ve seen WW tweak their points plan a number of times since I first joined back around 2000. I fully anticipate there will be further tweaks in the future. But frankly, my vote is that WW drops the Smart Points system and goes back to Points Plus.
I completely understand why many members are dropping their membership.
Love your web site with dedication to understanding and use of weight watcher mart points. Too bad about the smoothies though I do believe bananas are higher in carbs and pineapple high in natural sugars thus the points for points
I hope my instructor is better about this than just being in weight watchers. This was the reason I quit last time.
How do I figure out weekly or daily extra smart points
When you join the program you’ll take a quiz that will personalize that info for you.
Hi! I have a question for you. I’m in my second month of weight watchers and noticed that my weekly smart point allowance dropped from 35 to 28. Do you know why this could have happened? I couldn’t find the answer quickly via web searchers or the weight watchers website.
Thanks in advance,
J
You say weekly points are given in multiples of 7. I did not use my points this week yet it went from 28 to 2.
Hm, that definitely doesn’t seem right! I don’t work for Weight Watchers so I can’t help you directly but I definitely suggest asking on their 24/7 online chat. I’m guessing it is some kind of error!
Under the new plan there is no simply filling? Does a nursing mother get extra points? Thanks.
Emily, I love your recipes. I joined ww in October 2016, down 30#!
I’m wondering if you have a shopping list with sp listed…I hear about trader joes and want to check it out….any help is appreciated…ill keep making your wonderful recipes too!
Hi Brenda,
Congrats on losing 30 pounds, that’s amazing! I don’t have a shopping list with SPs listed but I could definitely think about putting something together. I usually shop at Wegmans which is not a nationwide chain. Th Trader Joes by me is not very convenient so even though it’s awesome I rarely go there. I will say that their Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (in boxes) is AMAZING and low in points. It’s my favorite thing there by far. 🙂
I’m signing up for weight watchers and would love to follow your website… can I have the link please?
… As stated Dec 2015….. going from PP to SP… last plan was 5 years…this one should last a long time…NOT… 2 years..and changes again? SO did you actually think with Oprah in this that money was not to be made? LOL