Rules and principles of weight watchers
The Weight Watchers Diet is easy to follow.
If in standard weight loss schemes it is necessary to calculate the calorie content of individual products or ready-made meals, then here the entire count of food eaten is calculated in points. The amount eaten is recorded in the diary each time, and at the end of the day the accumulated and remaining points are counted. The main principle of the weight watchers diet is a gradual reduction in body weight and a transition to a lighter weight category without serious restrictions on food. There are a number of rules that will help make the diet easier:
- Fasting is unacceptable. If you feel hungry and it's not time for lunch or dinner yet, treat yourself to foods that contain zero points but still satisfy your hunger.
- You need to eat a balanced and varied diet. The optimal number of meals per day is 4–5 times. All food points must be distributed evenly between breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner.
- Advantage should be given to plant foods that contain a large amount of fiber. Such products have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, help cleanse the intestines, remove toxins from the body and normalize metabolism.
- Refusal of fatty, fried foods, sweets and yeast baked goods is welcome, but not mandatory. The optimal proportions of products are 50% plant foods, 25% protein, 25% grains.
- The minimum volume of liquid you drink per day should be between one and a half to two liters. This does not include tea or coffee. In the hot season, with severe physical exertion or an upset stomach, the amount of fluid should be increased to three liters of water per day.
- Any type of physical activity is welcomed and encouraged. The number of “premium” points for each sport is described in the table below.
- It is imperative to organize meetings with like-minded people, share your successes, and provide moral support to newcomers. If you can’t meet, you can visit special forums for adherents of the weight watchers diet.
What are “points” and how to count them
The Weight Watchers Diet assumes that each food product will be assigned its own “calorie” point. These are, in fact, the same points, the sum of which is calculated based on the person’s initial weight. The higher your initial body weight, the more points you should “eat” per day. As you lose weight, the number of points will decrease. This allows you to achieve a smooth transition to minimal portions, without compromising your health and prolonged fasting.
Food diary
To constantly monitor the number of points and weight, followers of the weight watchers diet recommend keeping a diary. In it you need to record each product or dish eaten by points and in grams, and define a separate column for weight. You can determine the duration of weight loss yourself, depending on the desired results. On average, in a week of eating this way you can lose from one to three kilograms. A table for recording weight loss results should always be in a visible place.
What is the lunar weight loss calendar?
In a world of bustle, busy work, endless stress, it can be difficult for women to create their diet so as not to gain excess weight, but, on the contrary, to lose weight. In order to make life easier for the fair half of humanity, astrologers have compiled a lunar calendar for weight loss. It displays all the favorable days to start a diet and all the dangerous days when it is better to be careful and not overeat.
Weight control table for losing weight
The Weight Watchers Diet has no restrictions on the number of servings or caloric content of food. The only existing condition is strict adherence to the table, which shows the main points according to the body mass index. It is calculated based on height and weight. The initial system of total points for consumption per day was calculated based on the table of caloric content of foods and fat content, and looked like this:
Person's weight in kg | Number of daily points |
up to 70 | 18 |
from 71 to 80 | 20 |
81-90 | 22 |
91-100 | 24 |
over 100 | 26 |
Since 2011, the company, which has been developing and improving weight-loss methods for weight watchers, has revised the norms of items taking into account carbohydrates, proteins and fats per 100 grams of product, fiber and glycemic index. The final version, which Weight watchers experts recommend sticking to, looks like this:
Human weight, kg | Number of points per day |
up to 70 | 26 |
from 71 to 80 | 28 |
81-90 | 30 |
91-100 | 32 |
over 100 | 34 |
Exercise Bonuses While Dieting
If you lead an active lifestyle, move a lot or play sports, this will only be a plus and will speed up the weight loss process. At weight watchers, there is a special reward system for people who go to fitness, swim or other sports. Its essence is that during exercise you will lose calories, expend more energy, which means you can afford to expand the number of points.
If you play sports for at least 30 minutes, you will be awarded bonuses in the following amounts:
Kind of sport | Number of bonuses |
Water aerobics | 3 |
Fast run | 4 |
Jogging | 4 |
Race walking | 3 |
Long distance running | 5 |
Figure skating | 3 |
Karate | 6 |
Skis | 4 |
Cycling at a moderate pace | 2 |
Walking tour | 1 |
Swimming | 4 |
Riding a galloping horse | 4 |
Riding a horse at a slow pace | 2 |
Work in the garden | 2 |
Roller skating | 4 |
Exercises in the gym using weight training equipment | 2 |
Sports outdoor games | 3 |
Dancing | 3 |
Tennis | 3 |
House cleaning | 1 |
Football | 4 |
Climbing stairs | 5 |
Moon phase influence
If you want to start losing weight according to the lunar calendar, then you need to keep in mind that there are four lunar phases: new moon, waxing moon, full moon and waning moon. Each of the phases affects overall well-being and weight loss as well.
During the New Moon period, there is a lack of fluid in the body. Therefore, the basic rule of this period is: “Less food - more water.” Arrange a fasting day or fasting during this time - the result will be amazing. Physical activity should be minimal.
During the waxing moon, it is recommended to take vitamins, weight loss products, and fiber. You need to monitor your diet, as there is a risk of gaining extra pounds. Intense training will be beneficial.
The period of the waning moon is the most ideal period for losing weight. This is the time when waste and toxins leave the body. Fats are digested well, but carbohydrates are poorly digested. It’s time to start eating right and go to the gym. On the last day of the debilitated Moon, the diet is completed.
During the Full Moon period, you should eat fortified foods and drink purified water. At this time of day it would be good to arrange fasting days. You need to take medications with caution, side effects can be 5 times stronger than on a normal day.
Product points table
The advantage of this principle of nutrition for weight loss is that if you are planning a grand party, get-togethers with friends, a birthday or a corporate event at work, where you will definitely exceed the limit, you can earn yourself extra points by reducing your diet by 2 over the course of 5-7 days. –4 points daily. The developers and followers of the weight watchers technique advise not to abuse this, but to reduce the norm only in extreme cases and no more than once a month.
For ease of scoring, experts compiled tables for each type of product in grams. In total they look like this:
Product | Weight, in grams | Number of points |
Meat, eggs and meat products | ||
Sausages | 30 | 2 |
Smoked | 20 | 2 |
Chicken leg or thigh | 100 | 4 |
Sausages | 100 | 6,5 |
Roast beef | 100 | 3 |
Ground beef | 60 | 1 |
Eggs | 50 | 5 |
Boiled sausage | 20 | 1 |
Turkey fillet | 100 | 2 |
Poultry pate | 15 | 1 |
Poultry ham | 20 | 0,5 |
Flour products and cereals | ||
Rice | 40 | 1 |
Crackers | 20 | 1 |
Different types of bread | 120 | 5 |
Pasta | 120 | 2 |
All types of flour | 20 | 1 |
Muesli or flakes, cereals | 20 | 1 |
Products containing sugar | ||
Waffles | 16 | 2 |
Chocolate | 7 | 1 |
Candies or chocolate bars | 10 | 1 |
Pies or buns with sweet filling | 50 | 5 |
Any yeast baked goods | 50 | 2 |
Cookie | 20 | 2,5 |
Marshmallow | 35 | 2 |
Honey | 1 tsp. | 0 |
Vegetables and fruits | ||
Bananas | 100 | 1 |
Olives | 5 pieces. | 1 |
Raisin | 14 | 0,5 |
Canned corn | 50 | 0,5 |
Mango | 100 | 1 |
Fresh figs | 50 | 0,5 |
Olives | 1 PC. | 0,5 |
Dried fruits | 20 | 0,5 |
Grape | 100 | 1 |
Cherry | 50 | 1 |
Raspberry, strawberry, watermelon, orange, melon, kiwi, apple | in moderation | 0 |
Cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage, all greens | in moderation | 0 |
Milk products | ||
Curdled milk | 200 | 2 |
Natural yogurt | 1 tbsp. | 2,5 |
Cottage cheese 6–9% | 3 tbsp. l. | 2,5 |
Cottage cheese 0–5% | 3 tbsp. l. | 1,5 |
Kefir up to 1.5% | 1 tbsp. | 2 |
Kefir 2.5% | 250 | 3 |
Milk | 250 | 2 |
Hard cheese | 30 | 2 |
Processed cheese | 25 | 2,5 |
Sour cream 10% | 1 tbsp. l. | 0,5 |
Soft or curd cheese (Camembert, Mozzarella, Philadelphia) | 30 | 2 |
Fish and seafood | ||
Carp | 100 | 2,5 |
Salmon | 20 | 1 |
Mackerel | 90 | 4 |
Salted herring | 45 | 2,5 |
Sprats | 15 | 1 |
Perch | 100 | 3 |
Fish fingers | 25 | 1 |
Breaded fish | 150 | 7 |
Pike | 125 | 2 |
An extended list of products can easily be found on thematic forums or weight loss challenge websites. For ease of scoring, the developers have compiled an additional table of ready-made dishes:
name of the dish | Weight, grams | Number of points |
Casserole | 120 | 2,5 |
Ice cream in a waffle glass | 70 | 3 |
Glazed ice cream | 70 | 6,5 |
Omelette with butter | 20 | 1 |
Fried egg | 60 | 2,5 |
Pea soup | 300 | 5 |
Cabbage soup | 300 | 6 |
Milk soup | 300 | 3 |
Chicken soup | 300 | 4 |
Meat soup | 300 | 4 |
Chicken schnitzel | 80 | 4,5 |
Steak | 60 | 4 |
Meatballs | 100 | 6 |
Meatballs | 50 | 2,5 |
Fried potato | 200 | 7 |
Meat salad with mayonnaise | 30 | 2,5 |
Vegetable salad with sour cream | 30 | 0,5 |
Burger | 30 | 1,5 |
Sponge roll | 50 | 2,5 |
Cheese cake | 100 | 5,5 |
Weight Watchers diet menu for the week
Gradual replacement of heavy foods with softer ones, switching mainly to plant foods has a beneficial effect on health and promotes weight loss. When creating a menu, you should remember that eating foods harmful to the body (smoked meats, sausages, sweets, alcohol) should not exceed 14 points per week. To make it easier to create the right diet for the week, nutritionists recommend using special slimming formulas for weight watchers:
- Fruits and vegetables should be eaten at least 5 times a day. The calculation must be made so that there are at least 3 servings of vegetables and 2 fruits per day. It is worth remembering a simple principle for calculating the correct weight of servings: 1 serving is something that can fit in the palm of your hand (for example, one apple, 1 peach or tomato). In addition, instead of an apple, you can drink 1 glass of vegetable or fruit juice.
- Drink at least one and a half liters of liquid per day. This is approximately 8 glasses, 4 of which should be water.
- Every day, allocate 2 points to vegetable or animal fats: butter, nuts, olive oil for frying.
- 2 servings of dairy products will help strengthen bones, hair and nails: milk, cottage cheese, yogurt.
- When compiling a menu, from the main daily points it is worth subtracting fermented milk products, fat, vegetables and fruits with non-zero points, and dividing the remainder by 3: 1/3 - give to proteins, 2/3 to grain crops.
The Weight Watchers Diet requires you to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you feel hungry in between, have a light snack. Ideal for an afternoon snack or second breakfast: vegetables, zero-calorie fruits, cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir. An approximate menu for a week for people weighing 80–90 kg might look like this:
Breakfast | Dinner | Afternoon snack | Dinner | |
1 day |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Day 2 |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Day 3 |
Total – 4 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 7 p. |
4 day |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 7 p. |
Total – 3 p. |
Only 6 p. |
5 day |
Total – 5 p. |
|
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Day 6 |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
Day 7 |
Total – 6 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 5 p. |
Total – 6 p. |
How to organize a diet according to the lunar calendar?
The diet must be compiled taking into account the physiological processes occurring in the human body, which depend on what phase of the moon the diet is in. This will allow you to achieve a harmonious relationship between nature and nutritional rules. In this case, not only weight loss occurs naturally, but also the body is cleansed of toxins, which contributes to its healing.
In order for a weight loss diet to have the maximum effect on the body, you need to follow the rules of rational nutrition throughout the entire period:
- At the initial stage and when switching to a diet, the main principle is to find motivation for yourself, i.e. set a goal and determine why it is needed;
- you need to completely avoid drinking alcohol and unhealthy foods (smoked meats, marinades, pickles, confectionery);
- when following a diet, it is necessary to count calories to avoid the accumulation of excess ones, however, these data are individual for each organism, so the optimal amount can only be determined experimentally;
- during the full moon period, it is recommended to eat only unsalted foods and low-calorie foods - cereals, fruits, vegetables, fermented milk drinks, cottage cheese and cheese, green and herbal tea;
- At first, you should gradually reduce portions and their caloric content and eat in small portions, i.e. 5-6 times a day;
- You should practice a systematic approach - draw up a monthly meal plan in advance with a detailed indication of the dishes and products that need to be purchased in advance.
When deciding to switch to dietary nutrition, you should create a lunar weight loss calendar for yourself, which you should follow during the intended period. As evidenced by the reviews of those who used the diet taking into account the lunar phases, its effectiveness is high, and the rules are not at all strict, so it is suitable for almost all people.
Recipes for preparing dietary dishes
A huge plus of the weight watchers diet is that the menu can be built at your discretion. There is no limited list of allowed products, so it is possible to vary the recipes. You can cook stewed vegetables with meat, bake chicken. French fries with cheese in the oven and diet pizza are very tasty. For breakfast, you can treat yourself to pitta with chicken from Mediterranean cuisine.
French fries in the oven
This recipe is completely dietary, because the potatoes will simmer in the oven. The calorie content of 1 serving of fries according to the weight watchers system is 2 points. To prepare 4 servings you will need:
- potatoes - 2 large tubers;
- salt – 1 pinch;
- grated Cheddar cheese – 65 g;
- paprika or black pepper - to taste.
Cooking method:
- Turn the oven to 200 degrees to warm up.
- Grease a baking sheet with olive or vegetable oil.
- Cut the potatoes into cubes and place on a baking sheet.
- Season to taste with salt, paprika or other spices.
- Bake for 40 minutes. After a while, sprinkle the potatoes with grated cheese and place in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Chicken sandwich
This sandwich originates from Greece. There it is usually called Souvlakya. The recipe assumes that you will cook tender chicken in soy sauce in pitta bread. The calorie content of the dish is 5 points according to the weight watchers diet. To prepare 4 sandwiches take:
- lemon juice – ¼ tbsp.;
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp. l.;
- liquid honey – 1 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- olive oil – 2 tsp;
- aromatic spices – 1 tsp;
- chicken breast – 500 g;
- homemade yogurt – 150 g;
- cucumber – 1 pc.;
- chopped dill – 1 tsp;
- pitta bread – 5 pcs.
Cooking method:
- Turn on the oven to preheat at 200 degrees.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces.
- Separately mix lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce. Marinate the meat for 10-20 minutes.
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25 minutes, occasionally basting the meat with the remaining sauce.
- Separately mix homemade yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, a little garlic, and spices.
- Once the chicken has cooled, toss the fillets with the cucumber dressing and place among the pittas.
Diet pizza
If you really love hamburgers, nuggets or Italian pizza, you shouldn’t deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying these dishes. Even at home, it is quite possible to prepare diet pizza, which will turn out no less tasty, but will contain a minimum amount of calories. On the Weight Watchers scale, eating 1 slice of this pizza costs you only 3 points. To prepare the dish you need:
- granular cottage cheese – 300 g;
- eggs – 3 pcs.;
- flour – 8 tbsp. l.;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- baking powder – 2 tsp;
- tomato sauce – 2–3 tbsp. l.;
- lean ham – 3-4 slices;
- pickled cucumbers – 2 pcs.;
- champignons (finely chopped) – 200 g;
- grated cheese – 100 g;
- seasonings – 1 tsp.
Cooking method:
- Place cottage cheese in a bowl, add eggs, flour, grated carrots, baking powder.
- Knead the dough thoroughly with your hands.
- Roll out the finished base to 2–3 cm thick and place on a baking sheet.
- Spread tomato sauce on top, add mushrooms, cucumbers, and ham.
- Add spices and cover with hard cheese.
- Bake at 200°C for 10–15 minutes.
Successful lunar days to start a diet
When deciding to lose extra pounds, every person wants to choose the most suitable day when it is best to start a diet. Experts have considered that the optimal day to start a long-term diet is the second lunar day of the cycle, and it is recommended to end it with the arrival of a new phase.
However, many nutritionists, for psychological reasons, recommend starting to lose weight during the waning moon phase, which is associated with a decrease in appetite during such a period. This makes it easier to fight your desires and allows you to optimally tune in to the weight loss process.
In addition, there are several days on which it is convenient to fast:
- It is better to start a 24-hour fasting in the evening before the full moon (after dinner); you can include a large amount of liquid (water and herbal teas) in your diet;
- A 36-hour fasting is carried out starting from the evening before the new moon, continues 24 hours and the next night - it includes the use of clean water and herbal teas.
In 6 sessions of such unloading you can lose up to 3 kg of excess weight.
The most popular lunar diet is designed for 4 days and starts on the 1st day of the new moon. It is based on the rule of eating by the hour with the same time interval:
- breakfast at 8:00 includes 1 cup of green tea and 1 tsp. honey;
- 10:00 - 2 boiled eggs;
- 12:00 - similar to breakfast;
- 14:00 - 200 g of boiled chicken fillet or other poultry;
- afternoon snack 16:00 - 1 glass of low-fat kefir;
- 18:00 - 1 unsweetened apple;
- 20:00 - glass of red wine;
- 22:00 - 1 glass of kefir.
During these days of dietary restriction, the weight of the person losing weight decreases by 4 kg, and in the absence of stress on the body due to the lack of hunger.
Advantages and disadvantages of weight watchers
Like other weight loss plans, the Weight Watchers Diet has its pros and cons. The main advantages of the technique include:
- Easy to count calories (points). You can find, print and post charts listing over 600 different foods.
- Gradual weight loss and effectiveness. You will not starve, and your body will suffer from a deficiency of fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The entire weight loss process is structured so that you can easily lose from 1 to 3 kg per week.
- Versatility. The weight watchers diet can be combined with any kind of sports and cardio training. During physical activity, you will not only build muscles, but also earn nice bonus points.
- Keeping a daily food diary, where a detailed list of the dishes eaten and the nutritional requirements for each of them will be recorded. This will help eliminate the feeling of hunger and monitor a balanced diet.
- Diversity. You can tailor the diet to suit you by choosing the food or drink that you eat most often on regular days. There are no restrictions or prohibitions here.
- Group communication. Meet, correspond and share your achievements with like-minded people. This will help maintain your psycho-emotional background and serve as good motivation to achieve new weight loss goals.
- Utility. The developers of Weight watchers conducted a study and found that people following a weight watchers diet have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, which has a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system.
The Weight Watchers Diet does not have many significant disadvantages, the following can be highlighted:
- Inability to track points and points when visiting cafes, restaurants, parties.
- Paid basis of the diet. All general information can be found on the Internet or read on special weight watchers forums. If you want to get an extended list of products by points, a ready-made diet, a recipe book, the official Weight watchers developers will ask you to pay a certain amount.
Influence of the Zodiac sign
The presence of the Moon in different signs of the Zodiac (2-3 days) affects both the emotional state of a person and his physical well-being.
When the Moon is in the signs of Leo, Aries, Sagittarius, you will need to eat less fat and carbohydrates, more proteins.
A good period to start proper nutrition is when the Moon is in the signs of Virgo, Taurus, Capricorn.
The Moon in Libra, Gemini and Aquarius will promote weight gain.
When the Moon is in Scorpio, Cancer, Pisces, fats will be poorly absorbed, so they can easily settle in the waist and hips. It is important to monitor your diet.
Contraindications
The Weight Watchers Diet will be equally effective for people with very high weights and those who simply decided to correct their figure for the summer. Meetings with like-minded people provided for in the system will help to avoid unexpected breakdowns and are highly stimulating. With all these advantages, nutritionists do not recommend following this diet:
- a child whose age is under 17 years;
- pregnant women;
- nursing mothers;
- people who have recently suffered infectious diseases or major operations.