How to handle Points® surprise

Hi, I’m Zoe, registered dietitian (RD) and WW’s Global Director of Nutrition. I'm so excited to be your guide for all things food!

I’ve spent years helping people build healthier eating habits that stick. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that while starting anything new is exciting, it can also feel intimidating and overwhelming, especially in the beginning. The good news? I’m here to help you navigate all of it!

Have you tracked anything yet and thought “WHOA, that’s how many Points®?!” Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw everything out and buy new food, or give up what you love. I’m going to tell you how to use the food you have, even if it has a lot of Points, and ease into a new(ish) pattern of eating, one meal or snack at a time.

First, remember: all foods fit into a healthy pattern of eating and can fit within your Budget. In my opinion, that’s really what makes WW so effective for helping you lose weight long-term! So if you’ve just had something that’s higher in Points than you’d anticipated, deep breaths! Here’s what I want you to do:

Instead of spiraling, think about how you feel. Many of these higher-in-Points foods are nutrient-packed, satisfying choices (like nuts, seeds, nut butters, full-fat dairy), so you may actually wind up naturally feeling less hungry later on.

Now, consider what you have to hand for the rest of the day, and whether you’ll want to make any adjustments. One way to do this? Pre-track your planned meals and snacks. This will help you get a sense of how you’re using your remaining Points.

On that note, if you’re planning out your day and realise there are too few Points left in your daily Budget to feel satisfied, fear not! Your ZeroPoint food list is packed with tons of options that can help bulk up any meal or snack.

Challenging yourself to add more ZeroPoint foods to your daily menu is a great way to practice. Here’s how I do it:

• Breakfast: Add a side of fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries) to my avocado toast and chopped egg
  
  

• Morning snack: Add an apple to my mid-morning BabyBel Light
  
  

• Lunch: Add leftover veggies to a takeaway sandwich
  
  

• Afternoon snack: Add cherry tomatoes to eat with my carrots and hummus combo
  
  

• Dinner: Add one new veg to my usual pasta bowl.
  

The last thing I want you to do is restrict how much you eat for the rest of the day after spending more Points than you expected. You don’t have to hit your exact Budget every day - it’s OK if you’re a few over. That's because you have an extra bank of Points each week to use however you want (we call those weeklies). So if you ate allllllll the pizza and the three tips above just aren’t cutting it for you, your weeklies are here.

No one’s perfect - not even me. Just track it, learn, and keep going. If you’re not tracking because you’re afraid of the number, remember, this is not a contest! Healthier eating habits aren’t formed overnight, and you have to live your life in order to be successful in reaching your long-term goals! There’s no need to be afraid of the Points values of the foods you eat, it’s simply information that can help you make choices that feel right for you next time. Deal?