Daily Points Target
Your daily Points target is the number of Points that you should eat every day on the WeightWatchers plan. This number varies from person to person. It is calculated based on your weight, gender, age, height and normal activity levels. Additionally, Points are added for nursing mothers. The range of daily Points targets runs from 18 to 44 Points per day. Once you know your daily Points target, you can calculate the amount of Points in the food you eat, using the Points booster. This sliding scale looks at the fat, calories and fiber in your food to give it a Points value. Additionally, WeightWatchers provides a list of common foods and their corresponding Points value. It is important to eat to your daily Points target every day. However, you must also be careful of portion sizes---if you calculate the Points value for one portion of cake, but eat two slices, you must count double the Points for that dish.
Weekly Flex Points
Every WeightWatchers member has 35 flex Points every week. These Points are in addition to your daily Points target. Eating these extra Points will not hinder your weight loss, and in fact WeightWatchers strongly recommendeds that you eat your daily Points in addition to your weekly flex Points each week. For example, if you know that on Saturday night you are going to be attending a wedding or party, you can save up your weekly Points to use on some wedding cake and some extra food at the reception. However, if you are not planning on anything special, you can divide up the 35 Points among the days of the week, and add a few extra on each day so you can enjoy a bowl of ice cream or a glass of wine.
Activity Points
The third type of Points you can have on WeightWatchers are Activity Points, which are earned through exercise. These Points are calculated through measuring the intensity level of your workout, the minutes you spent doing it and your current weight. WeightWatchers recommends trying to do 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week. Activity Points cannot be earned through any physical activity you have always done; for example, if you are a postal carrier and you walk all day, you cannot use this walking towards Activity Points. This is because your normal physical activity is already included in your Daily Points Target. Additionally, any Activity Points you have earned should be used before you dip into your Weekly Flex Points. However, you do not have to use your Activity Points, and they can be considered something as a reward for hard work and regular exercise. You cannot carry Activity Points over from week to week; if you do not use them the week you earn them, then they are lost.
Tags: Activity Points, your daily Points, daily Points, Points addition, Points value