Step 1: Determine Your Daily Points Allowance
The first step in calculating your Weight Watchers points is to determine your daily points allowance (DPA). Your DPA is based on several factors, including your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. It’s calculated using a proprietary formula developed by Weight Watchers and assigns a certain number of points you can eat each day without going over your recommended calorie intake.
To calculate your DPA, you can use a Weight Watchers calculator online, which takes into account all the factors mentioned above. Alternatively, you can use the following formula:
For Women: DPA = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
For Men: DPA = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
Step 2: Find the Points Value of Foods and Beverages
Once you’ve determined your DPA, the next step is to find the points value of the food and beverages you consume each day. The number of points assigned to a particular food or beverage is based on its nutritional value, specifically the amount of calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein it contains.
Most packaged foods come with a nutrition label that lists the calories and other key nutrients in each serving. To calculate the points value of a food or beverage, you simply divide the number of calories by a certain value (which is different for each nutrient). For example, one point is assigned for every 50 calories, 1 gram of saturated fat, or 12 grams of sugar.
To simplify things, Weight Watchers provides a comprehensive food database that lists the points values of thousands of common foods and beverages. You can also use the Weight Watchers mobile app, which has a barcode scanner that lets you easily scan the barcodes of packaged foods to find their points value.
Step 3: Keep Track of Your Points
Now that you know how to calculate your DPA and the points value of foods and beverages, the final step is to keep track of your daily points intake. This can be done using a food diary or the Weight Watchers mobile app, which makes it easy to track your points as you go throughout the day.
When entering foods into your food diary, make sure to record the serving size, the points value, and the time of day. This will give you a detailed overview of your daily intake and help you identify areas where you might need to make changes or adjustments.
Conclusion
Calculating your Weight Watchers points can seem overwhelming at first, but it’s actually a fairly simple process once you get the hang of it. By keeping track of your daily points intake and following the recommendations of the program, you can stay on track towards achieving your weight loss goals and build sustainable, healthy habits that last a lifetime.