Weight Watchers SmartPoints - My Thoughts

I've been on the Propoints program for the past three years and I loved it because it worked for me. While one could argue 'Why change something isn't broken?', after nearly two weeks on the new program, I really like the shift WW have taken towards a better overall diet as opposed to simply calorie counting. 

I've been hearing a fair bit of doubt surrounding the new SmartPoints program which was introduced here in Ireland last week so I was curious to see what it was all about. The primary difference is that the points attributed to an item of food is no longer just based on the calories in it. In the past, I always used the crude-but-reliable formula of 40kcal = 1pp rule when in doubt. The new program is so much smarter.

The new SmartPoints program

Now, the base value of any food is calculated from the calories in it (as before) but sugar & saturated fats increase its value while protein reduces it. Zoe (from 59lbs to Go) sums it up perfectly: "So what you are left with for the most part is processed foods being higher in smart points, and fresh natural foods being lower."

The next difference to the program (and my favourite) is that there is a greater focus being placed on activity. Move (and FitPoints) encourage people to move more and earn FPs which are NOT cashed in for food. Exercise doesn't cancel out food choices so moving more isn't an excuse to eat more. I love this and think this was what was missing in the old program. If you don't exercise, you still lose weight on following the program so why would you exercise and then cross off its benefits straight away by eating. (Side note: If you are doing high-intensity workouts multiple times a week, WW do recommend you swap some FP's for food to account for the amounts of energy you are expending).

Another difference to the program is the focus on inner well-being, positive mindset & being nicer to yourself. Learn from your mistakes by looking back at the week just gone by and seeing what worked well... what didn't. What one thing can you use from last week to make this week better? 

On a personal level, what I love the most about the program is that it shakes things up enough to make me have to step back and start again. The problem which clogged my 'well-oiled WW machine' was when I stopped tracking. I know tracking works, I know it keeps me in the bounds of the playing pitch yet for the past couple of months, I've been turning a blind eye to how many points I was spending/carelessly throwing away.

Its easy to think 'That lunchtime treat of a Curly Wurly is only 3PP, two chocolate digestives at coffee break are only 4PP etc' but over the course of a day, you'd easily have 20+ propoints notched up without even thinking about it. Having to go back and calculate the SmartPoints in everything has made me really look at something and think 'Is it really worth it?'... then add in the fact my Curly Wurly is now 6SP and each chocolate digestive is 4SP. 

I'm only two weeks into the new program but from what I know so far, I think this is a fantastic move in the right direction for a weight-loss program to take. I'm a believer in 'Think Healthy' instead of 'Think Skinny' and this program takes a giant step in that direction. I'm looking forward to being healthier in 2016 - even if that means I have to cut down on the number of Curly Wurly's I have...

First weigh-in of 2016