WeightWatchers Program - What's changed? | WW Australia
Life is complicated—losing weight shouldn’t be
WeightWatchers is committed to providing the most effective and flexible weight-loss program possible. And that means we’re constantly innovating—to reflect the latest nutrition and behaviour change science and member feedback. That’s why we simplified the program to make it easier for members to follow so they can achieve their goals.
Science you need, support you deserve, simplicity you want
The trick to making healthy habits happen—and happen again? Making them more effortless. With that in mind, we made the following tweaks:
A stable daily Points Budget
We removed the ability to add Points® to your daily Budget by tracking water and non-starchy veggies—so you can track less and you never need to guesstimate your true number of dailies. Your Budget may have shifted to make more or less room for ZeroPoint® foods, but your weeklies will still grow with activity (walking, swimming, etc.).
One list of ZeroPoint foods
These 200-plus foods are nutritional powerhouses that you can eat without weighing, measuring, or tracking. Your list may look slightly different than before, but this means every food and recipe has the same Points value for everyone. So sharing recipes—and your journey—with others is easier than ever.
Note: There is a different shared list of ZeroPoint foods for members on the diabetes program.
Get support
The next time you open the app and start tracking your food and activity, you’ll automatically see the simplified experience.* But you might still have questions. We’ve got you covered. Refresh your knowledge with our updated in-app program guide, attend a virtual or in-person Workshop, share ideas on Connect, or chat with a Coach 24-7 in the app. Below, you’ll find answers to your top Qs. Just know we’re with you at every step of your journey—that’s never changing.
FAQs
We know (now more than ever) that life is complicated. And we believe losing weight shouldn’t be. We have simplified our proven program to make it easier for you to follow so you can achieve your weight-loss goals.
For starters, we created one ZeroPoint foods list. Now all foods and recipes have one Points value for everyone, so sharing meals, recipes, and your weight-loss journey with others is easier than ever.
Also, you’ll no longer be able to add Points to your daily Budget by tracking water and non-starchy veggies, which means less tracking and less mental gymnastics to figure out how many Points you have to spend on any given day.
If you’re on the diabetes program, just note that you will have your own ZeroPoint foods list and your own Points values for foods and recipes—you’ll see that noted in your app experience.
No, not at all—the program is still uniquely tailored to you. Because in order for a weight-loss program to work, it has to work for you. Take your Points Budget, for example—it’s calculated based on your individual metabolic rate, which considers your age, height, weight, and sex assigned at birth. And it adapts with you—when you track an activity, you add Points to your weekly Budget. In addition, you choose how you follow the program. How you use your Budget, which ZeroPoint foods you lean on, and what you eat are totally up to you.
Yes, because we want to bring the same benefits to our members living with diabetes. The diabetes program will now feature one ZeroPoint foods list (selected by our nutrition and diabetes experts and based on global health guidelines) that is lower in carbs and less likely to raise blood sugar levels. The updated ZeroPoint foods list includes non-starchy veggies, eggs, fish and shellfish, chicken and turkey breast, tofu and tempeh, and beans, peas, and lentils.
You can still add weekly Points by tracking activity—we just removed the ability to add daily Points by tracking non-starchy veggies and water. Your new, stable daily Budget means you’ll always be clear on what that number really is, taking the guesswork out of planning and tracking. Having less to track means that you can focus more on tracking what has the biggest impact on the weight-loss journey, which is foods with Points values.
Whether you’re swapping air-fryer recipes with another member, gathering family for a taco night, or going out for cocktails with friends, we know that meals are best when they’re shared. A ZeroPoint foods list that fits everyone makes sharing even easier.
We totally get it—ZeroPoint pasta has a certain ring to it. But in order to make a ZeroPoint foods list that everyone can share and to give every member enough dailies to spend on their specific favourite foods, we streamlined the list. Just because certain foods are no longer on the ZeroPoint foods list doesn’t mean they’re not expert-recommended. They’re still the same nutritional powerhouses! That’s why you’ll notice they’re lower in Points—so that you can easily fit them into your Budget.
Nope, the Points system and algorithm, which makes healthy eating simple by boiling complex nutritional information down into one easy-to-use number, are staying the same. There are six components that make up a Points value: Kilojoules (a.k.a calories) are part of the equation; saturated fats and added sugars drive a Points value up, while fibre, protein, and unsaturated fats drive it down.
Our scientifically proven system is designed to guide everyone toward a healthier pattern of eating with foods that are higher in fibre, protein, and unsaturated fats (the better-for-you fats) and lower in added sugars and saturated fats (the less-good-for-you fats).
For some foods and recipes, yes
Foods and recipes containing foods that are new to your ZeroPoint foods list will decrease in Points for you. Many members will have yoghurt or fish or beans on their ZeroPoint foods lists for the first time. This is a great time to browse the thousands of WeightWatchers recipes for delicious ways to use these foods and make the most of your food plan.
Food and recipes containing foods that used to be 0 Points but now have Points will increase in Points for everyone. This includes recipes with oats, brown rice and other whole grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, wholegrain pasta and noodles, and avocado. These foods that are no longer a ZeroPoint food are still expert-recommended, nutritional powerhouses. That’s why you’ll notice they’re lower in Points—to encourage you to enjoy them regularly, and to fit them easily into your Budget.
The activity program hasn’t changed. To calculate your customised weekly activity target, you’ll answer a series of questions about your current activity level when you tap into the app’s activity dashboard for the first time.
You’ll still get a personalised weekly activity target. It’s based on your current activity level plus a small bump to encourage you to go slightly beyond what you’re already achieving. That’s because behaviour change science tells us that having a target to aim for helps us stay motivated.
And if you have the WW app, you’ll find a wide range of workouts, classes, and challenges for different activity levels—all included with your membership! If working out isn’t your thing, no problem. At WeightWatchers, all movement counts, even activity “in disguise”, like playing with your kids, walking your dog, and gardening.
Yes, but you’ll have a few weeks to make the switch. The first time you open the app on or after November 29, you'll see a prompt to accept the changes to the program. You can also choose to snooze this prompt. If you choose to accept the changes, you’ll then see your updated ZeroPoint foods list and daily Budget. If you aren’t able to transition by December 13, don’t worry! We’ll automatically switch you over so you can start getting all the benefits of the simplified program.
Get up to 40% off*!
*On Core & Premium 12 month plans only. Offer ends 22/04/24. See terms.