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Please Note: Weight Watchers has changed it’s program again. Click here to learn more about Weight Watchers latest program for 2020.
Some Successful Weight Watchers Struggle with Transitioning from Points Plus to Smart Points
I ran across this post over at Drizzle Me Skinny, where Kate, a successful Weight Watchers Lifetime Member, explains why she made the decision to switch back to PointsPlus after testing out the new SmartPoints Plan for three months.
She basically sums it up with this assessment:
After about a month of getting into the swing of the new point system I noticed my moods at the end of the day were different, and I was finding myself in the kitchen eating all sorts of snacks I normally never would have, a little of this, a little of that and next thing you know I am easily 10-20 points over my daily allowance of 30SP. This is because I wasn’t buying or making the things I was so accustomed to on my points plus journey… because most things were about 1/3 of my allotted daily allowance. This new habit I had picked up was something I never did on points plus and I can sum that up to “restriction.”
A lot of folks left comments expressing similar frustration that was tapping into feelings of deprivation leading to bingeing and weight gain. Not a good thing! And I’m sure not what Weight Watchers intended. Weight loss is such a mental game!
I know being told I can’t have something is a real problem for me. I have this really spoiled inner child that rebels when told, NO.
So, I’ve learned to appease her by telling her that nothing is off limits provided she is willing to plan/budget for it. Most of the time it works.
This is why Weight Watchers is the only plan that works for me longterm. I can’t live without bread, wine, chocolate, sweets, fat, sugar, pizza or potato chips forever. It’s unrealistic for me and the way I want to live.
Other Weight Watchers Are Seeing Greater Success with SmartPoints
Another commenter’s experience was just the opposite. SmartPoints is working for her:
For what it’s worth, PointsPlus is what knocked me off of my goal weight. I loved the old original points plan and I could NOT make PP work for me. I found myself doing a lot of what you were doing and eventually, I quit WW in frustration of not having any good tools. I happened to join WW again just as they were rolling out SP (I had avoided it because I resented the PP plan). SmartPoints is working really well for me. I think the experience of many of us is: we have made one lifestyle change to embrace a program (Weight Watchers or otherwise) that works for us. We have success, and we find goal. If we are summarily pushed to a new mindset, when we like the one we have — and it’s working for us — we probably won’t like it.
I think this is why I still have good feelings about the old WW exchange plan I followed to originally lose weight and achieve lifetime status. It was very restrictive, but the joy I felt getting slim and reaching goal is what I most remember.
Why Do Some Weight Watchers Programs Seem to Work Better Than Others?
As my leader explained during Friday’s meeting: Weight Watchers has been around for more than 50 years and has changed the program dozens of times to stay in alignment with current dietary understanding, which continues to evolve.
Each and every program worked for the members that followed it. Many of us who have been with WW through the decades have witnessed this first hand.
The key is to lasting success is adjusting the program to best meet our individual needs. Question any group of successful Weight Watchers members and you’ll discover that they’re all doing things differently.
We all know what we are supposed to do – eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid sweet treats. The difficulty begins with actually doing it, as Mindless Eating expert Brian Wansink explains in this interesting article about tricking yourself into eating better:
The thrust of his research directly contradicts the prevailing wisdom in nutrition circles—that the way to improve America’s diet is to teach people about the dangers of trans fats, refined sugar, and white flour. In Wansink’s view, that’s a losing battle—if we were rational eaters, the snack food industry would already be out of business. “There are a million nutritionists out there that tell you to eat an apple instead of a Snickers bar,” he says. “I want to meet people where they’re at.”
Here’s another great article that sums up why Weight Watchers is struggling as a business – because sensible eating and portion control can be boring and hard work. It’s not extreme or sexy. It’s not a silver bullet promising unrealistic results!
Can thinking differently help those struggling with SmartPoints?
I recently had this realization… with Weight Watchers SmartPoints, you can never hit your daily target and still lose weight!
Say What? The SmartPoints Target is a number designed to reflect OPTIMAL/NEAR PERFECT HEALTHY EATING FOR WEIGHT LOSS. So, it’s possible to go way over your target and still lose weight…
I Regularly Exceed My WW SmartPoints Target While Managing to Maintain My Weight
When I first tested out SmartPoints, I began by just eating the way I regularly do to maintain my lifetime goal weight and was shocked to discover that I was consuming 50 to 60 SmartPoints per day!
That’s way over my suggested SmartPoints target for maintenance! And I’m okay with that.
I eat a relatively healthy diet of mostly home cooked foods with occasional sweet treats. I enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner most nights.
I’ve been successfully maintaining for several years now the goal weight I set back when I was 28. Could I eat healthier and meet my SP target most days? Probably. Would I be happy? Probably not. And for me it’s all about me finding my happy/healthy balance.
Remember that your daily SmartPoints is Simply a Target you are shooting for. You don’t have to hit it to be successful! You just keep aiming for it! You can never hit it and still lose weight!!
You know yourself best and you should do whatever you need to, modify the program however you need to, to take care yourself. This is your life and you know yourself best!
The Correct Mindset is Critical to Lasting Weight Loss
Weight loss is a MIND – BODY challenge. It’s as much psychological as it is physical. The correct mindset, thoughts and beliefs are just as important (or maybe more important) than what you eat.
Lasting weight loss happens with little incremental behavioral changes.
It takes awareness. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes practice. It takes creating new habits and changing your environment. It has to be a priority. You have to really really want it. You have to be willing to do the work. You have to be willing to learn from your mistakes and be kind to yourself.
There Are Lots of Ways Other Than Weight Watchers to Successfully Lose Weight
And the truth is that there are lots and lots of ways to lose weight. Heck, here’s an example of a college professor who lost weight and got healthier on the junk food diet! You know yourself best so do what’s best for you!!
Personally, I hate that you can no longer use a recipe’s nutritional information to accurately calculate SmartPoints. Recipes must be run through the WW Recipe Builder to accurately determine SmartPoints which is time consuming.
I’m still a huge fan of the overall Weight Watchers model, with the accountability and support it provides. I believe Weight Watchers success is in their structure as a support network.
For me WW meetings are 30 minutes of sanity in an out of control food world. And I love the new WW Connect feature.
What do you think? Has Weight Watchers gone too far with Smart Points? Is it too restrictive? Or sustainable once you get used to it? Is it easier for new members than for those transitioning from Points Plus to SmartPoints?
Please share your thoughts. I really want to know so I can help be part of the solution to our weight loss and healthy eating struggles!
I’ll also continue to provide both SmartPoints and PointsPlus for all new recipes for those of you sticking with the old plan.
PS – If you are tired of calculating/tracking Points or calories, check out why I’ve shifted to Intermittent Fasting after reading Eat Stop Eat!
I an struggling with the new sp program when I joined in 2013 I totally loved the program I lost a total of 130lbs….Then I had 2 unexpected spine surgeries within 6 months of each other last year…I did well losing through the first surgery but when I had the 2nd is when they changed the program….and since then I gained back 40lbs…I have only lost 10 of those pounds since I am just not feeling what I felt back with the pp program….I’m finding there is much more to do with this program as far as calculating etc….I myself have really been contemplating leaving the program and to find something I can work with better then what WW has given these past few months….I don’t have the feeling I use to when I walked into my meetings or even when I leave…..I still need to lose another 75lbs…..feeling very frustrated!
Hi Angela, I’m so sorry for your struggle and that you are not feeling the same when you go to your meetings. Motivation does go up and down over time so it’s really helpful to find ways to get the excitement/enthusiasm back. Instead of trying to focus on everything, can you get back on track by just focusing on one good thing you can do for yourself each day??? Sometimes that’s all it takes to get the motivation spiraling upward again. I’m praying for you 🙂
I can’t see why you’re saying that WW is saying “NO” to anything. There isn’t any food that is a no-no. If you’re saying that you can’t eat unlimited amounts of sugar and bread, then… okay, I see your point. It takes a while to adapt to any healthy eating plan, and eating healthy is never easy. I believe it will always be a struggle, no matter how successful you have been. I lost 50# twelve years ago, and have kept it off with three different WW plans, each an improvement over the one before. When you stop struggling, you start gaining it all back. Nobody said anything in life was going to be easy, but the Smart Points food plan is definitely good for us and very much doable.
Hi Mary, Thanks for your comment. You are right, it takes time to adjust to a new way of healthy eating. It’s like learning any new skill. It takes time and patience and lots of self compassion. Congratulation on your 50# loss and long successful maintenance through 3 different WW Plans! You are a WW Rock Star 🙂
I too find the recipe building a pain and think they made a mistake getting rid of the healthy guidelines. But overall, once my body got used to eating less sugar and carbs, I found in many ways it is easier to stay full. Things like fruit and yogurt help satisfy the sweet craving, and I do treat myself to some dark chocolate. In fact I have found that if I overindulge on something sweet it makes me sick to my stomach! So I am usually happy just or have a bite of something sweet.
Hi DlinBham, Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad that you are finding it easier to stay full. I find the same thing to be true for me when I eat less sugar and carbs. Interesting that when you now overindulge in something sweet it makes you feel sick to your stomach!! I have found that to be true also. I had a terrible experience after eating too much cake: https://simple-nourished-living.com/2013/08/i-ate-too-much-cake-sugar-crash/ I am now usually happy with just a bite or two or three of something sweet. It’s different for everyone.
I am struggling with SP and wish we could go back to the previous plan. I lost 55 pounds on the previous, quit WW cuz I could do it my self. I gained 20 pounds back and had to start on the new SP. I have gained 5 more pounds in the last 3 months. I am so very frustrated!!!
Hi Kathy, I can relate to quitting because you could do it yourself. I made that mistake more than once! Now I’m a lifetime member for life!! I appreciate your frustration! What exactly is the cause of your frustration? What is causing the struggle do you think? As you can see from all the comments, while some folks are having difficulty with SP, many people are doing very well! What about SP isn’t working for you?
You can have WHATEVER you want on the smart points plan. The only catch is you have to be willing to use up more of your points for it. So it’s up to the individual to decide if the food or snack is worth it to them. Not a bad idea and it’s working for me.
After 9 months of WW PP I lost 10 lbs in the first 6 weeks and didn’t lose any more in the remaining timeframe. WW SP to me is no more than the South Beach or Atkins Diet. However, I found the push to eat more protein and less carbs was putting way more protein in my daily diet than seemed healthy. When the WW leader implies a 12 oz serving of protein is a good thing because it’s less points than carbs, that’s when I decided enough. I want good advice on proper nutrition, not a gimmick that really didn’t work.
Hi Susan, Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. I think we always have to remember to trust our own instincts. WW Leaders many be suggesting things that work for themselves, but are not necessarily the views of Weight Watchers! A 12 ounce serving of protein is way more than anyone should ever eat at a time. I think we have to remember portion control! Sorry you got such questionable advice!!
I started with WW (and Smart Points) in January and have lost nearly 40 lbs so far! So I am definitely happy with it. I did WW years ago and also found success. WW isn’t telling us we can’t have anything….but it makes us think about if it is worth it. Personally I am finding myself eating a lot more fruit and I am not missing the sugary treats much. Last night I did crave chocolate so I indulged in a 6 pt treat but still stayed within my points. You can have the treats, you just have to plan for them.
Hi Susan! Congratulations!! 40 pounds since January is awesome success!! It sounds like you are working the program as it was intended. Good for you 🙂
This is an interesting discussion. I lost a significant amount of weight with Momentum (or whatever the plan was right before PointsPlus) but I never was able to lose weight with PointsPlus. I was never sure if it was the PP assigned to the foods or eating my activity points. I did not exercise at all on Momentum but I steadily gained every time I tried PP while exercising. I tried and quit PP at least 4 times but have continued to exercise. Weight has crept back on due to life changes so here I am not quite where I started with Points on Smart Points. For me, not eating back my Fit Points has been beneficial. I know many would say that I should have just not used my APs for me that just wasn’t going to happen…. because it was allowed, I wanted to do it. The same with sugar/carbs. I would have a 3-4PP light ice cream treat every night because what’s 3 points? But for me, sugar begets sugar. Knowing that the treats I used to have now have a significant higher costs- well that makes me pause. It’s easier for me to resist when I am not in the habit of doing something. Now I am only on month one of SP so maybe I am still in the honeymoon phase but for me, the restriction is helpful.
Hi H, It sounds like you have learned a lot about what works for you and what doesn’t. Some people need more structure and discipline. Some people need less. All this conversation demonstrations that there is no one way that will work for everyone. We all need to adjust and modify the plan to work for us. Thanks for sharing!!
I have said from day one, that WW should have 2 Options…Points Plus or Smart Points!!!!….. let the member decide which is better for them!!!!!
Yes! Most definitely. Two options would be great! I am a lifetime member and was only a couple pounds to goal when the new Smart Points came in. I enjoyed the points-plus plan but Smart Points is way too restrictive. I have been unable to motivate myself to follow this plan.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences Lucy!
Amen Amen Amen!!! I could not agree more!!! Options!!! That has always been the beauty of Weight Watchers…flexibility and choices!!!
I joined WW last April and so far I have lost 35 lbs on PP and 10 lbs on SP. My weight loss has been slower recently because I am only about 10 lbs from my goal; however, I feel that SP is allowing me to make better choices and has allowed me to understand that I was a sugar addict. Reducing the amount of sugar has helped tremendously and my cravings have decreased dramatically. Has it been easy? Of, course not…but losing weight is not easy and I was expecting challenges. I still enjoy my little sweet treat at night, but I just had to search for options that would work with the new program.
Frankly, I love the fact that WW is smacking me in the head when I am thinking about getting a 17 point Wendy’s frosty. Is it worth using half of my daily allowance for a chocolate shake? Maybe not, but if I decided to splurge, I could have shrimp or chicken (lower in points now) and 0 SP vegetables for lunch and dinner and enjoy my frosty. At the end of the day, WW tries to teach us to make better choices and the program gives guidelines. It is up to us to use them wisely. I think rebelling against the new program is a way to sabotage ourselves. We just need to dig deep and understand our relationship with food and what is the trigger that makes us give in before we blame WW and the changes. Losing weight is 50% food choices and 50% mindset. Good luck to everyone and stay strong! 🙂
Lucia
Hi Lucia, Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I think it’s so helpful that we can share our ideas and experiences. What works and what hasn’t. I think it’s interesting that you are experiencing reduced cravings have you have cut back on sugar but still realize you can have a Wendy’s frosty if you really want it!! Good for you and thanks for your words of encouragement 🙂
Thanks. Cravings are reduced, but not gone at all…this is still a tough journey with ups and downs. I have to fight my demons every day and I hope to keep winning. 🙂
Hi Lucia! I’m so glad you are winning. And you will keep winning. Just make the decision to never give up!!