My Experience with WeightWatchers Old Food Based Exchange Plan VS. The WW Points Based Programs
Did you ever have a nagging thought that you just couldn't get out of your head? Here's one that I've been wrestling with for a while now:
"The old Weight Watchers food based exchange program (Quick Success) from the late 1980s / early 1990s was better for my personal weight loss than counting Points"
This would be quickly followed by: "How could that be?" "You're nuts." "Weight Watchers is a huge public company that knows a lot more than you do." "It's so retro." "It's just because you learned it first, it's the plan you had initial success with and became a lifetime member following." "You're being nostalgic."
I did lose weight and become a lifetime member following, Quick Success, Weight Watchers food based exchange program, long before they switched over to Points. I followed the plan, learned a ton about healthy balanced eating and portion control and consistently lost weight week after week.
Naive and cocky, I failed to take maintenance seriously. I thought I'd be able to go it alone—a big mistake in retrospect. Live and learn. I now know that I need systems, discipline, accountability and support to maintain a happy healthy weight. It's a lifelong journey.
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 1
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 2
Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story: Part 3
How I Came to the Conclusion that WW Food Exchanges Was Better than Points
Recently, I had a lightbulb moment: While I learned the Weight Watchers Points and Points Plus systems, and know how to calculate them, I don't think in terms of Points, I think in terms of numbers of servings of food groups. What I learned way way back in that early 1990s Weight Watchers exchange plan has stuck with me all these years.
I think because it's logical. You eat real food from all the food groups: starch, protein, fat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. You are allotted so many servings from each food group every day. Once you learn serving sizes and number of servings, it's easy to stay on track.
This way of eating was first developed for diabetics as a way to keep their blood sugar stable. And it worked really well for me. It's a healthy balanced way of eating. It was "clean eating" back before such a term even existed.
Food exchange programs like this have been around for decades and are well tested. There's nothing sexy, flashy or trendy about them, but they work. With exchanges you never forget that you are talking about FOOD.
So, while counting points works for some people, so does counting counting calories or food groups, and I think it's a whole lot simpler, which is important when you are prone to laziness the way I am. When it comes to weight loss, simple is the only thing that has ever worked for me.
Then I read this interesting article in the NYT Article, which agreed with me and essentially said…
"...Recognizing this new evidence, the scientists on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, for the first time in 35 years have sent recommendations to the government without any upper limit on total fat. In addition, reduced-fat foods were specifically not recommended for obesity prevention. Instead, the committee encouraged consumption according to healthful food-based diet patterns
The limit on total fat is an outdated concept, an obstacle to sensible change that promotes harmful low-fat foods, undermines efforts to limit refined grains and added sugars, and discourages the food industry from developing products higher in healthy fats. Fortunately, the people behind the Dietary Guidelines understand that. Will the government, policy makers and the food industry take notice this time?"
It turns out the scientists on the 2105 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for the US, agree with me 🙂 We should learn to eat according to healthful food-based diet patterns, just like I learned to do back with that old Weight Watchers Quick Start Exchange Program.
The sad thing is that US dietary policy and Weight Watchers can't change on a dime. It will take years or decades for this information to make its way out to the masses. In the meantime folks will continue to struggle with low fat diet thinking.
Why I Think the Old Weight Watchers Food Based Exchange Plan Was Better for Weight Loss
I learned healthy balanced eating and portion control. It was not as restrictive as the Old Original Weight Watchers Plan from the 1960s, but more so than today's approach which doesn't provide enough structure and discipline for some folks.
I believe that when you are learning a new skill, such as healthy balanced eating, you need to start with the basics. You need clear instructions and guidance. You essentially need to be told what to do. You need training wheels until you learn to find your balance and begin riding without them.
We somehow have gotten to the place in our development where many of us are completely confused about how to feed ourselves in a healthy balanced way. We are overwhelmed by conflicting information. I was lost and confused when I first began WW back in the early 1990s.
WW Quick Success with it's food based exchanges taught me a healthy balanced approach to eating that I've carried with me through to today.
The exchange lists group foods together because they are alike. Foods on each list have about the same amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat and calories.
Basics of the Weight Watchers Food Based Exchange Weight Loss Program
Under the Weight Watchers Quick Success Program, as a woman, I was allowed the following each day:
- 2-3 fruit exchanges
- 3+ vegetable exchanges
- 5-6 protein exchanges
- 2-3 bread/starch exchanges
- 3 fat exchanges
- 2 milk exchanges
- Beginning with the 5th week 1 optional floating exchange
- Optional calories per week: no more than 150 week 1, no more than 200 week 2 no more than 300 week 3, no more than 400 week 4, no more than 500 week 5 and beyond.
*Men and Youths add 2 Protein Exchanges, 2 Bread Exchanges, and 1 Fruit Exchange; Youths add 1 Milk Exchange
Once you had used up your exchanges and optional calories, the only choice was to supplement with vegetables if you were still hungry. There were days when I ate a lot of vegetables 🙂 Green beans and salsa were a particular favorite.
Examples from the WeightWatchers Fruit Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1 small fruit like an apple or orange (about 4 ounces or ¾ cup)
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup melon
- ½ banana
- ½ medium grapefruit
- ½ cup blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
- 12 large or 20 small grapes
- ½ cup canned unsweetened fruit
- ½ cup fruit juice
- 2 dates
- 4 dried apricot halves
- 2 tablespoons raisins
Examples from the Weight Watchers Vegetable Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables like lettuce or spinach
- ½ cup of most other vegetables, raw or cooked
- ½ cup vegetable juice
Examples from the WeightWatchers Protein Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1 ounce cooked meat, poultry or fish
- 1 egg
- 1 ounce hard or semisoft cheese
- ⅓ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup canned tuna or salmon
- 3 ounces tofu
- ¼ cup cooked dried beans, peas or lentils
Examples from the WeightWatchers Bread/Starch Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1-ounce of bread or crackers
- ½ english muffin
- ½ cup cooked cereal or pasta
- ¾ cup cold cereal
- ½ cup starchy vegetable (potatoes, peas, corn)
Examples from the WeightWatchers Fat Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1 teaspoon oil or butter or margarine or lard or mayonnaise or animal fat
- 1-½ teaspoons salad dressing
Examples from the Weight Watchers Milk/Dairy Exchange Group
Generally 1 serving is equal to:
- 1 cup skim milk or 1% fat milk
- 1 cup soy milk
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup instant nonfat dry milk
- ½ cup low fat yogurt
- ¾ cup nonfat yogurt
Sample Daily Menu Based on OLD WW Food Exchanges*
BREAKFAST
- ½ cup Pineapple Chunks
- ⅓ cup Cottage Cheese
- ½ cup Skim Milk
- Coffee or Tea
LUNCH
- Chicken & Swiss on Rye (1-½ ounces sliced chicken and ½ ounce Swiss cheese, lettuce, and 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on 2 slices reduced calorie rye bread)
- 6 Celery Sticks and 3 Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 cup Watermelon Chunks
- Coffee, Tea or Mineral Water
DINNER
- 3 ounces Baked Chicken Cutlet sprinkled with Lemon Juice and Chopped Parsley
- 1 serving Mozzarella, Tomato and Arugula Salad
- ½ cup each cooked Cauliflower and Green Beans
- ½ cup pudding
SNACK
- 1 cup Strawberries with ½ cup Plain Yogurt
*Men and Youths add 2 Protein Exchanges, 2 Bread Exchanges, and 1 Fruit Exchange; Youths add 1 Milk Exchange
The system provided much more structure than the current points system which was important because I was clueless about how to nourish myself. It forced me to eat in a balanced way that's effective at keeping hunger at bay.
The old system taught me about what foods are categorized as proteins, starches, fats, fruits, vegetables and milk. And what amount makes a serving. I learned that ½ a medium banana or 12 large grapes was equal to 1 fruit exchange and that ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta or one one ounce slice of bread equaled one starch exchange.
Sample of Old Weight Watchers Quick Start Food Tracker
These days when I want to track/food journal for a few days, I tend to use a small notebook. I just jot down what I ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. And I use check marks to keep track of my exchanges:
Example
B) ⅓ cup cottage cheese (1 Protein), ½ cup pineapple chunks (1 fruit), 1 slice wheat toast (1 bread)
Milk (2):
Fruit (3):
Veg (3+):
Protein (6):
Bread (2):
Fat (3):
Optional Cals:
A Comparison of WW Food Exchanges VS WW Points
Weight Watchers Food Exchanges Approach:
1. Basis:
- Concept: This approach categorizes foods into groups based on their macronutrient content (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and assigns specific portions or "exchanges" for each group.
- Focus: Emphasizes portion control and balance among different food groups.
2. Pros:
- Simplicity: It provides a straightforward way to categorize and plan meals.
- Nutrient Balance: Encourages a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
- Education: Helps individuals understand the nutritional composition of different foods.
- Behavioral Aspects: Includes support groups and focuses on behavior change for long-term success.
3. Cons:
- Rigidity: Some find the need to track exchanges for every meal can be restrictive.
- Individual Variability: May not account for individual differences in metabolism or dietary needs.
Weight Watchers Points-Based Approach:
1. Basis:
- Concept: Assigns a point value to foods based on their nutritional content, with an emphasis on calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein.
- Focus: Promotes flexibility by allowing individuals to eat any food within their allocated daily or weekly points.
2. Pros:
- Flexibility: Allows for a wide variety of foods, as long as individuals stay within their allotted points.
- Adaptability: Can be personalized based on individual preferences and dietary restrictions.
- Behavioral Aspects: Includes support groups and focuses on behavior change for long-term success.
3. Cons:
- Complexity: Some may find the points system complex, especially when starting.
- Subjectivity: Points are assigned based on specific criteria, which might not perfectly reflect an individual's nutritional needs.
Summary:
- The Weight Watchers food exchange-based diet focused on categorizing foods into groups, promoting balance and portion control.
- The Weight Watchers Points-based approach assigns points to foods based on nutritional content, offering increased flexibility in dietary choices.
Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on individual preferences, lifestyle, and the level of structure or flexibility desired. Some people may find success with one method over the other based on their personal preferences and adherence. The bottom line is that to lose weight you need to figure out a way to eat less (create a calorie deficit) that you can live with.
If Points are working for you and you don't find the process cumbersome, that's great. Stick with what is working for you. But if counting points is not working, if calculating them seems overly complicated, or if you feel like you need more structure, you may want to experiment with the old food based exchange approach, like the one in the Weight Watchers' Quick Success Program Cookbook.
If you are interested in following the old WW Program you can buy the Weight Watchers' Quick Success Program Cookbook, which includes plan/program details and 5 weeks of Meal Plans on Amazon.
My Favorite WW Cookbooks with Food Exchange Information
WeightWatchers included food exchange details in their cookbooks published through 1999. Some of my favorite WW Cookbooks with exchange information are:
- Weight Watchers Simply the Best: 250 Prizewinning Family Recipes (1997)An award-winning collection of 250 recipes submitted by Weight Watchers members that are sure to win rave reviews from your own friends and family. Simply the Best has a recipe to please every palate: Asian Meatballs, Corn and Bean Chowder, Cranberry Basmati Rice, Chicken Tetrazzini -- plus a wealth of selections from soups and appetizers to main dishes and desserts.This is one of my favorites from which I've cooked dozens of recipes, mostly before I began this website.
- Shrimp Salsa
- Hot Shrimp Dip
- Cream of Broccoli-Cheese Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Waldorf Salad
- Baked Yams with Pineapple
- Black Bean Fiesta Salad
- Orange Cucumber Salad
- Arroz con Pollo
- Grilled Chicken with Mozzarella and Red Peppers
- Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes
- Greek Spinach and Rice
- Beans and Rice Ole
- Weight Watchers Favorite Homestyle Recipes: 250 Prize-Winning Recipes from Weight Watchers Members and Staff
I've had this cookbook since my initial go-around with Weight Watchers back in the early 1990s. Because the recipes were contributed by Weight Watchers members, staff and magazine readers they are simpler and down-home in nature.
- Weight Watchers Simply Light Cooking: 250 Recipes from the Kitchens of Weight Watchers
Another book I picked up at VNSA Used Book Sale, this was published in 1992, so it predates Points Plus, making it a good choice for folks who prefer to count exchanges. The nutritional information needed to calculate Points is provided. Many of the recipes are designed to serve 1 or 2.
More Interesting Reading About Food Exchange Plans
- Healthy Slice of Life
- Frugal Fat Loss Exchange Plan
- Diet to Go Meal Delivery: Healthy Eating Made Easy
You Might Also Like:
- What Was the Old WeightWatchers Original Program from the 1960s Like?
- The Most Commonly Tracked Foods on WeightWatchers Points Program
- Advice to People Doing WeightWatchers from Successful Members
- Healthy WeightWatchers Weekly Meal Plans
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Originally published July 2015; Updated with new photos and content January 2023
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Coleen
Oh Martha,
Thank you sooo much for this post and the menu plan!! I am currently on the WW's point program again (joined and quit several times) and I just simply cannot seem to get the hang of it. You have posted a wealth of information that I have been looking for for a very long time. The old system makes so much more sense to me. I'm very excited to start the old program now that I have the information I needed. You're a dieting girls angel!
Martha McKinnon
Hi Coleen, best of luck with the old exchange program 🙂
Gerri
Found your info on the internet today, can I get an AMEN!
In the 80’s, I joined WW after my first child was born and lost over 60lbs on the Exchange program. On the day I received my “gold key” as a Lifetime member, that same afternoon I found out I was pregnant again and gained it all back. Luckily I had some solid knowledge to fall back on and lost the weight within 4 months.
After many years with a midnight desk job, I got lazy, was always tired and the weight crept back on. I tried ALL of the points programs, but all I really accomplished was learning how many WW ice cream bars I could eat and stay within my points limit for the day. I switched to the simply filling program and quickly discovered that if portion control isn’t addressed, no foods are really free.
I ordered the quick start book on Amazon tonight and have high hopes for a healthier future. Thanks for making this information and how to find it available.
Mary C. Campbell
Martha, So glad to have found your page. I was on the program in the mid-eighties, and lost over eighty pounds and have kept them off for over twenty four years. Have lost thirty more the last ten.
I have just started my son on the program and know he will succeed if he follows the program. Still have all my old literature from way back. Have tried the points and did ok, but nothing compares to the old program.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks, Mary!
Julie B
I was a WW Quick Start user in the late 80’s in the Uk. I had just given birth, was very down about myself and weighed 21 stone. I was hugely skeptical about joining WW but had no choice really. I remember the booklets and feeling that no way would it work. Week 1 was really hard. But i remember the night of the weigh in and the shock of losing 10lb.
Within a year i was at goal weight of 10 stone 10lbs and running my first marathon. It became a way of life but we moved away and i threw my books away in the move.
Obviously the weight came back on and despite several attempts at the next WW reincarnations, none ever worked or fitted me the same as the original Quick Start plans. I’ve been searching for them for years. I found some info on ebay and bought the cookbook from ebay and created my own version of quick start week 4 and have so far lost 4 stone 5 lbs in a year and have been running again too. Now back wearing size 14 jeans and much much happier. We’ve made it a way of life and it’s made a huge difference. I’ve put together my own Quick Start week 4 booklet and have given out copies to friends. For so many this old diet worked brilliantly and stopping doing it was the worst thing Weight Watchers ever did. I’m going for my new goal which is 12 stone by the end of this year. If anyone would like any help, please email me.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Julie,
Thanks for sharing your positive experience with Quick Start! Would you mind sharing your week 4 booklet with me so I could share it here on the blog??? Thanks for your consideration!
J R Peterson
Thanks a bunch for this. I remember well the old plan and loved it more than the points.It works and it's cool to invent concoctions( recipes). For instance today I had a soup of bouillon with mushrooms, carrots,broccoli,celery,one egg,and a few crackers. delicious. Thanks again. J R
Wanda Henderson
I went to weight watchers in 1986 and I loved the paperback books they gave out each week. It was normal food to pick from for each meal and it was a tremendous help to me. I need that discipline and I followed it to a tee. I have misplaced those books and I would love to find some. I lost 30 pounds and felt the best ever. I am wanting to lose about 30 pounds now and I just do not like the new programs. It was so nice to look at the different foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack and pick. Are there any of those floating around anywhere that I can copy? I love your blog and want to follow you. Thank you!
Rebecca A Mcclelland
Can't believe all the negative comments about the point system.I thought I stood alone.LOL!!!!! Glad to see people feel as I do.If's it's not broke then don't fix it.I too choose not to go back to the weight watcher meetings.I have the old books and tools I need.I lost 60lbs on the old exchange system.Now after having surgeries that sat me back,I gained a lot back.So I pulled the yellow pages out of hiding and am starting over.I made daily sheets on the printer,so let's began,crossing off exchanges and losing weight.Love and Luck to each of you.
Tammy Criswell
Hi Rebecca, I am looking for the old program 1989?1970 ish). I lost 75 pounds and maintained for years. I have tried the new WW programs, but I am not as successful in maintaining the weight loss as with the exchange program. I am looking for more details that I can just can't remember included in the plan.
Allison
Glad I found this. The exchange program is so ingrained in my brain! In fact, a few years ago, a nutritionist put me on a program., and it was an exchange program! Funny.! One difference was to write out the food I planned to eat that day, instead of writing down after eating the food. Anyway, just because the knowledge is a part of me doesn’t mean I go by it, so this is encouraging!
Rebecca A Mcclelland
Tammy ,this is Rebecca McClelland.Try going into Pinterest and putting in the old Weight Watcher Program.If no luck.write me back .
Ronna
Thank you for writing about the old WW program. I did it in the 90’s and lost 45 lbs. and kept the weight off for about 10 years. I then gained weight and tried points but as you say it’s not structured enough and the old program taught me real portion control. Nobody really understands true portion control. I have the books from the old program and I started the old program yesterday after trying low carb for the past month with big portions of meat. My body can’t handle that. By the way, I thought it was 7O0 optional calories! My memory is going I guess! So after 2 days of eating regular food but sticking to real portion control I feel less bloated already.
Kate Martindale
I have been trying for years to obtain a copy of the 1980's weight watchers menus.
They were issued in Australia in either a red or orange covered paper booklet.
It was the best diet that I have ever been on and achieved so much weight loss.
Where am I able to get a copy of either the booklet or the six week diet.
Chantla
Hi Martha, I am so glad to have found your site. I was a member of a group of moms from the same cul de sac who decided to join Weight Watchers in the late 80's? We were introduced to the Old Weight Watchers 1-2-3 Quick Weight Loss Plan using the Food Based Exchange. It was fantastic! We learned about food groups and diet proportion. It was simple to use and most important, it worked! We all qualified for lifetime membership. I recently went through a severe depression and put on some unwanted weight. I have been searching for the Old Weight Watchers 1-2-3 Quick Weight Loss Plan information because it is the only plan I know that is very easy to use and actually works! I wish WW would bring it back.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Chantla, You can find the old WW 123 Quick Start Program Book and Cookbook on Amazon!
Margaret Crozier
Hello Martha,
I followed a programme in the 90,s called Slim &Trim 96 96 it was in a green plastic folder and every week we got a new leaflet up to Six weeks, it was like the exchange programme, but I had great success on it and could never get on to the points, I wonder if anyone would be able to tell me where I could get this.
Barbara Papp
Help Martha!! How much difference is there between the women’s plan and men’s? I need to get my husband on a diet and it would be easier if we did it together. He has never been on a diet in all of his 73 years. I have been on WW on and off for years and it is a good plan. Any help would be great fully appreciated.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Barbara,
With the current WW Freestyle Program, the plan for men women identical, except men typically get more points so they can eat more 🙂 - Hope this helps
Lynn Hoffman
Martha-Thank You! Thank You! Thank YOU! I have been a Weight Watcher since 1989. Loved the old plan and I was lifetime. I have not been able to follow the FreeStyle Program and really wanted my old program back, which provide more structure I sadly gained my 40 lbs back and I knew what worked best for me. I will let you know how it goes. I am starting tomorrow.
Ann
I have been looking for the old exchange system. I understand it, but when they switched over to points - I was lost. I first joined WW way back in the late 70’s and made my medical goal and achieved lifetime member status. Unfortunately I was unable to maintain it and have rejoined multiple times. I have some of the old cookbooks. Now all I need it the Food Tracker.
Mary Spirito
I became a WW lifetime member in 1985 and kept the weight off for many years. However, I am now 62, and after shoulder and knee injuries trying to lose 40 pounds. I workout 6 days a week, but I cannot budge the scale...I tried the points system, and even tried Keto when someone suggested that carbs might be the enemy, but I am now going to try going back to what initially worked for me...thank you so much for posting this!
Bonnie
I could not agree more. I wish I had kept my old leaflets with each weeks menu on it. I always liked just taking the menu,l and going shopping.
Laura
I wish someone could share the old weekly meal plan menus from the 1980's. Had much success with that plan versus counting points.
Lynn
I also liked the 1980 s weight watcher menu but i really liked the the program with the few exercises would love to find one