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Effective 11/2021 WW has a new Program: WW PersonalPoints
Built around the latest nutrition and behavior change science, but most importantly, it’s built around you. Your life. Your favorite foods. To make sure you live the life you love AND lose the weight you want.
Effective 11/2019 WW has a new Program: myWW
The program includes Blue, Green, and Purple plans. According to WW, “You’ll have the opportunity to try an entirely new plan—Green or Purple—or stay on Freestyle—now called Blue.”
Have you caught any of the scuttlebutt regarding changes to the WW Freestyle Program for 2018?
The internet and social media are buzzing with rumors and speculation about the changes that Weight Watchers will unveil here in the US on December 3, 2017.
Image source: Weight Watchers
One big clue that this year’s change is significant is that all meeting room cookbooks have been deeply discounted. Always a sign of changes to come.
The latest Weight Watchers Program has been released in UK where it’s called Weight Watchers Flex. According to this article in Good Housekeeping UK…
‘WW Flex expands our range of zero Points foods to guide members toward a healthier pattern of eating,’ says Zoe Griffiths, Head of Programme and Public Health at Weight Watchers.
‘It offers the freedom and flexibility they need to make significant lifestyle changes that have positive benefits beyond just weight loss. The results are the best we’ve ever seen for a Weight Watchers programme in a clinical trial.’
This video provides a bit of a sneak peek into what to expect…
Changes mentioned in this video include…
- Over 200 zero points foods including lean proteins such eggs, chicken, turkey, fish and seafood, lean plant proteins like lentils, tofu, and beans (Click here to take a look at the UK Zero Points food list)
- The ability to rollover up to 4 daily SmartPoints
Rumor has it that “Flex” will be called “Freestyle” here in the US. According to Danica from Danica’s Daily , WW filed for that Trademark earlier this year and I’ve just met with a very reliable source who confirmed it.
New 2018 Program: Weight Watchers Freestyle Details
According to many online sites the new Weight Watchers program for 2018 will be called Freestyle and will be rolled out beginning December 3, 2017.
An updated version of SmartPoints that will expand zero points foods beyond fruits and vegetables (including corn and peas) to include lean sources of protein such as beans, chicken breast, eggs, fish, lentils, shellfish, turkey breast, tofu and nonfat plain unsweetened yogurt.
Interestingly, the current issue of Weight Watchers magazine includes a detailed article about the power of protein for weight loss.
Continuing with the focus of WW SmartPoints & Beyond the Scale launched in 2015, it appears that the plan changes will go even further to encourage people to make healthier choices and nourish their whole selves.
How SmartPoints Work
- For those of you not already familiar with SmartPoints, the SmartPoints system uses the latest nutritional science to make healthy eating as simple as possible. It nudges you toward making healthy choices so eat better and lose weight.
- Every food and drink has a SmartPoints value: a number that is based on calories, protein, sugar and saturated fat. The baseline SmartPoints value is based on the food’s calories. Protein lowers the SmartPoints value. Saturated fat and sugar increase the SmartPoints value.
- Every day you get a SmartPoints Budget to spend on any foods you want.
- Your Daily SmartPoints Budget is calculated based on your age, height, weight and gender with a minimum daily value of 23.
- You only need to track the foods that have a SmartPoints value.
- You don’t need to weigh, measure or track 0 SmartPoints foods.
- Enjoy a greatly expanded list of 0 SmartPoints go-to foods.
- Every week you also get a Weekly SmartPoints Budget that you can think of as “overdraft” protection. They are there to use when you go over your Daily SmartPoints budget.
- You can roll over up to four (4) unused Daily SmartPoints into your Weekly SmartPoints. Use them or not as you see fit.
Weight Watchers Rollover Points
Most sources, including the WW UK website say that on the new Weight Watchers plan for 2018, you will be able to roll over up to 4 SmartPoints daily if you do not use them.
I love this idea since it means you could adjust your points to match the natural rhythms and fluctuations of your appetite.
Weight Watchers New Products to Include Meal Delivery and Wine
There’s talk of a SmartPoints friendly home meal delivery system similar to those offered by companies like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, several variations of which are being tested in various regions of the country.
And just today Weight Watchers unveiled its new line of diet wine called Cense, starting with a sauvignon blanc.
Lower in alcohol and calories, the new white wine is “is rich in flavor” but contains only 85 calories per a 5 fluid ounce serving (the equivalent of 3 Weight Watchers SmartPoints), while many other white wines contain about 120 calories (4 SmartPoints) per the same serving size.
“We’re not about diet. We’re about living life to its fullest,” says WW. “Wine is the No. 2 tracked beverage in our app.”
Weight Watchers 2018: What These Changes Mean & Thoughts
At this point, I’m taking a wait and see attitude, but it seems to me that this plan is more like Simply Filling (which I love) than any other program in recent history.
While I love the idea of more zero points foods to encourage healthy eating, I am not looking forward to having to update all my favorite recipes to reflect all the points value changes.
However, I am excited that many of my favorite recipes include lots of 0 SmartPoints foods so they will go down in value. In fact I just calculated the this favorite Skinny Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Soup, which is now *0 SmartPoints (instead of *3 SmartPoints)!
Weight Watchers has been around for more than 50 years. There have been many changes to the program through the decades to reflect the latest nutrition and weight loss science.
The latest program is vastly different from the original plan from 1963 or the Quick Start Plan from the late 1980s / early 1990s that I followed to become a WW lifetime member.
What have you heard about the new plan? Please leave a comment if you have any details or insights to share.
More news about the new Weight Watchers Plan for 2018 from around the web…
- The New Weight Watchers Program (Danica’s Daily)
- New Weight Watchers Program (Snack Girl)
- New Weight Watchers Freestyle Program? (Slender Kitchen)
- Weight Watchers Announces Huge Changes to its Weight Loss Programme (Good Housekeeping UK)
- Weight Watchers New Program 2018 (Less of a Better Me)
- Emily Bites Who Had Early Access to Freestyle Weighs in with Her Thoughts (Emily Bites)
- Weight Watchers Ambassador, shares the scoop on freestyle and her experience with it (Daily Dose of Pepper)
- Weight Watchers Liberté – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers France)
- Weight Watchers Your Way – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers Germany)
- Weight Watchers Feel Good – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers Austria)
- Weight Watchers Liberté – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers Switzerland – French)
- Weight Watchers Your Way – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers Switzerland – German)
- Weight Watchers Your Way+ – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers Australia)
- Weight Watchers Your Way+ – New Program 2018 (Weight Watchers New Zealand)
Weight Watchers Girl Video…
Wellness that Works WW Program Changes 2019
I belong to Watchers and enjoy the ease of the program. We have a woman in our class that has allergies to eggs and dairy. We are looking for ideas for her for breakfast. She would like to eat a large breakfast but is having trouble. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much.
How many SmartPoints for weekly budget now, if dailies are 23 please?
Still not sure exactly how many points I can eat daily.. Is the target 30 smart points every day, then exercise adds more, and then the weekly “budget”
Hi Mariah, The minimum daily FREESTYLE SP target is now 23 down from 30.
How many for weeklies please Martha if 23 is daily points?
Hi Clare, the weekly points vary from person to person depending on age, height, weight, gender and activity level.
I am 66, 5 ft , and 175lbs. Help me, I am newc! I have the WW app!
In the past we were able to stick with an older version if it was working for us, even when a new one was unveiled. Is this still true?
Hi Gail, It’s much more difficult to stick with an old plan if you are using the online program or apps since they reflect only the new points system. I imagine, if you were doing things manually, you could continue to use your paper tracker/pocket guide with the older points values. There are also APPs available online (not sanctioned by WW) that provide the old points values. Hope this makes sense.
Having done WW on and off since 1970, I’ve seen an amazing number of plans. What I’ve noticed is that we’re never told that we have to give up the old one if it’s working for us. A new one may be touted, and may indeed work better for many folks, but if what you’re doing is working, I believe you’re free to continue doing just that. . .or so have said each of the leaders I’ve worked with over the years.
Martha, please correct or just delete this one if I’m wrong. I’m not looking to mislead anybody.
I joined WW back in February 2017 so far I’ve lost 50 lbs. I really like the sp system but with this new system I just don’t know. As someone mentioned before I like being able to track everything and with my points decreasing to 23 I’m not sure I will continue to be as successful. I don’t really eat much eggs, beans and chicken. So this wasn’t really a hit for me. Is there a way that if you don’t want to switch over to the new program that you can stay with the old one ?
Is anyone else confused with this?! I find it near impossible to get all my points in…. It doesn’t make sense to me….
Thank you for steering me back towards WW!! The new freestyle plan is right up my alley. I’m someone who already eats eggs, chicken, and beans and now they count as ZERO sp ??????
Freestyle is cleaner. The less packaged processed foods is better .
Great newsletter btw ?
Thanks Kim! Yes, I’m very excited that this is the best WW plan yet, steering us toward cleaner, healthier, more nourishing food and healthy balanced way of life.
I’m thrilled to attend my WW Meeting this coming week. I became a Lifetime Member in April 1977 and have had the usual ups and downs that most of us go through, but I have loved every change that’s been made with the program; so glad to be done with liver, tickled when bananas became free, then fruits & most veggies free….and now eggs, yogurt, lean chicken, turkey, fish & beans….Yahoooooo!! I’ve maintained my goal, but haven’t been to a Class since March 2017….I’m 3# over my goal and will have to pay for this coming meeting, but I can hardly wait!!
So are all the other things you eat not listed on the 0 point list still calculated by the smart point system?
Martha, I just bought your ebook bundle…now I can’t find it to
Download…any advice?
Betz