New WW Program - FLEX POINTs- Got my info at my WW meeting last night!

[MelanieC]

We got our new info last night. Our leader gave us our new books, the new journals (I don't know if I like the journal, but thank goodness I don't use the WW journal since I use my PDA.), and another little book that you carry with you (it has sizes of portions and things that you might eat out.....kind of like a cheat sheet).

It's exactly like all the rumors that were floating:

The new point ranges are:
Less than 150 pounds - 20
150-174 - 22
175-199 -24
200-224 - 26
225-249 -28
250-274 - 30
275-299 - 31
300-324 - 32
325-349 - 33
350 or more 34

You get the 35 bonus flex points to use any way you like. I really like the new system, and I have lost well eating at the high end of my points (didn't loose the one week I went under my point range twice). I will definately try using my 35 points each week.

I started yesterday morning doing the program. It was easy to program on my PDA. I changed the point range so that I had 22 points each day. Then I had it add 35 points to my bank each week starting on Monday. I made it to 22.5 points last night. I couldn't eat any more because I didn't do a lot of snacking during the day due to WI.

If anyone has any questions, I can see if my information has any answers. I know that some locations are rolling out the plan this week, and the others will be next week.

Melanie

 

[kamgen]

Thanks Melanie. Since I am doing WW on my own, it helps to have new info!
One thing that confuses me is the banked (flex) points...if it is 35 for everyone a week, doesn't that work out to 5 per day extra?? That means I would get 25 per day, which seems high! Please help me out with this! With only 9lbs till goal, I am hoping this helps get me there!

Thank you!

 

[MelanieC]

I am assuming (I could be wrong though), that you are in the
18-23 point range now. This would give you a point range of 20 per day.

They want you to have that 20 points per day and not go below that. I think they realized that too many people were eating 18 points a day everyday, and that it puts your body into the starvation mode and slows down your metabolism too much. I think they realized it's better if people in this weight range eat at least 20.

So you have your 20 target points each day. You have several options for your flex points:

1. Divide them up into equal points to use each day. 5 per day. Range of 20-25 per day. (only 2 extra than you were used to). You don't have to use them all, like you don't have to now.

2. Only use 3 of the flex points per day. Range of 20-23 points. Very similiar to how you are doing it now. You just wouldn't go below 20 points.

3. Save your 35 points to use during the week however you want. I think having 35 points tacked on to your target points is alot in one day, but if you were having a special meal.........go for it.

4. Don't use the flex points at all.

5. Keep doing things the way you are doing them now.


There are people who still do the 123 points plan instead of the winning points. You can even choose to add 1, 2 or 4 points to your range. It really does make them FLEX, because you can use them anyway you want to.

I look at it like I have 2 extra points per day. Maybe I will use them, maybe I won't. It's nice to know they are there.

Some people may gain if they add in 2 extra points. Test yourself and see. When you get to maintenance, you will have to add in points anyway. Maybe you want to just get to your goal first, and add them in during maintenance. Once you get to maintenance, your body will take some time to level off and you may actually have to test adding in points more than once. Your body is used to eating less, and when you first start adding points it wants to add weight.

Hopefully I didn't ramble too much and it made sense.

Melanie

 

[kamgen]

Thanks Melanie! Totally makes sense to me! I thought we HAD to use them...nice to know I can if I need to!

 

[mowsie dreamer]

Melanie, was there any mention of activity points? Just wondering how they will fit into the mix.

I have to say that I am a bit confused by the change. Under my previous point range of 26-31, I could potentially have a maximum of 217 points for the week (not counting activity points). Under the new system I will have 28 points per day and a bank of 35 points per week or a maximum of 231. While I realize that no one will hold me down and force me to eat all the points I have coming to me (but please, if you do, make it something chocolate ), I have to wonder if the rate of weight loss would be slowed. I guess we will all have to find our comfort zone within that bank of points.

Thanks for posting, Melanie!! I am going to have to miss my meeting next Mon. and that's when they are going to hand out the new materials. I will have to wait an extra week for them, but at least now I know what is going on!!

 

[MelanieC]

You know.......she didn't really touch much on activity points. She gave out the week #1 books, and went over what the other books were. We have to wait each week to get all the new material. Next week we get week #2, etc. I think that activity points is week #4. The slider looked the same, but the book is new.

According to the new journal, you add your activity points in your journal in the deposit/Earned (+) column. The journal is called the QuikTrak System, and it is like a checkbook.

Date / Meal/ Description (food or activity)/Used(-)/Deposit/Earned(+)/Points Balance

Those are the rows across the top. Say you start with 26 target points.

So at the beginning of the day you add your Points target in the points balance column. (26 points)
Next you have breakfast and you put 5 in the used(-) column and you have 21 left in your points balance column.

Then you did a 45 min walk you add 3 to your deposit/Earned (+) column that gives you 24 points now.

There are 35 cirlces that are numbered that you can mark off your flex points. She didn't say anything about adding them, and the book doesn't give an example, but I would imagine that you add them to your deposit section?? Either that or just mark them off in the circles and don't write them down. Seems to me you could forget what you wrote down that way.

There is also a quicktrak express which has numbers from 34-1 that you can use if you don't want to count write down what you ate, but you could mark off points as you use them. She called it the lazy journal! But it would work for those who are too busy to write down everything they eat.

Melanie

 

[jenanderson]

Melanie,

Thank you so much for all of the information. I am so excited to see the actual details of the new plan. I have been losing the weight really slow and I am wondering if part of it is because I am not eating enough (silly as it sounds). I had been only eating 18 points each day (or up to 21 if I was having a day where I "cheated"). Looking at what you posted, it shows I should have 22 points each day plus the flex points. There were a lot of days where I would eat under the 18 points to save up for extras on other days. I guess I knew this was not a good plan but to see how it is suppose to work makes me want to to it right (plus I will get to eat more and not feel guilty as if I am cheating each day).

I am looking forward to hearing more about the new program. In addition to eating only the 18 points each day I have been exercising each day and not using any activity points.

Thanks again for the info. I am looking forward to adjusting my points and the food I eat to see if it makes any difference!

Jen

 

[becka]

It looks like they are giving back the points they took away a few years ago. When I first started with WW a few years ago there was a 7 point spread for each weight range. I have recently learned that they cut it down to a 5 point spread but I went ahead and stuck with what I was familiar with and I have been successful. My current range is 26-33 so mowsie dreamer I think that this new plan just gives you those extra points they took away earlier.

I don't think I will adjust my plan because what I am doing works for me right now. I don't like the idea of hitting one number each day (I have always been one to mix it up - some days min, some days max and most somewhere in the middle) and the whole flex points thing would get me in trouble. I would either a) eat all of them at the beginning of the week because I would feel points-rich and then starve at the end of the week because I felt so limited or b) save them all up throughout the week because I would be afraid of running out and then be panicky and the end of the week with all those extra points.

 

[lulu201]

Thanks, Melanie, for the great info. Please keep us posted as you learn new things each week about the program. I'm eagerly awaiting your explanation of activity points!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Our leader was very specific that they weren't allowed to tell anyone about the new plan until the 25th. I have my meeting tommorow. Will be interesting to see if they can give it out now. It was silly that the info was out in their magazine before the meetings could give it out. someone wasn't thinking on that part! LOL!

 

[Mermaid02]

They must have had different release dates in different parts of the country- here in the NorthEast we go our information on the 18th too.

I think I'm going to like it!

 

[MelanieC]

I know that WW's International will get the info the week of 8/25. Some of the franchises (like mine - Philadelphia Franchise), got the information the week of 8/18. Its so strange how they worked that.

Jen - You definately need to eat more. If you should be in the 22 point range...........then you are in my weight group too. I am not going to be lowering my points when I go under 150, unless I absolutely cannot loose weight. I want my metabolism to keep working at this point range. I have heard that it makes it easier when you go on maintenance, and you can sometimes eat more on maintenance because your body is used to eating more already. I know that everyone is different, so I will have to play around with my points. I added my flex points this week and I am amazed how how many more points 2 is!! Last night I only got to 26 points. I am trying to spend my full 27 per day to see how my body reacts. So far this morning, even with the bloat fairy, I haven't gained. I have made it a rule thought to only eat dairy for those 2 extra points. Last night I actually got a yogurt, 1 cup milk and 1 oz 2% cheddar cheese.

Becka,
I agree that this makes it alot more similiar to the older plan, just putting it in a different way. I also like having that range, because I feel like I am cheating if I take the 35 points from the bank. What I may do is change my Palm pilot to give me a range of points from 22-27 (instead of the old 20-25). Then if I don't eat all 27 they still go in a bank that I can use till the end of my week. It's the same thing as the flex, but my brain somehow seems to like it better. I guess habits are hard to break.

 

[sm4987]

I received a very general email from Weight Watchers online telling me that they were getting ready to change the program and that my online account will reflect as soon as they change it. I am excited as I haven't been doing it as I should, but I'm still seeing the weight change.

 

[welovedis]

I just joined WW last night (good time to join, I guess) and they said they will be handing out the Activity Points info on week 3. HTH!

 

[geetey]

Melanie,
Thanks for sharing this info. It looks like I need to be eating more points each day. I have been hitting 21 or 22 points each day with just the occasional higher points day. I do have a question though. In theory, if I were to eat 24 points each day Monday through Friday, I could add 17 points to Saturday and Sunday and still be okay (and lose) that week?
Currently I don't bank my points, but I do try to make sure that my activity points don't push me below 21 points. Thanks again for guiding the at-homers.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I got the new program info today too! I haven't had too much of a chance to read over the booklets since I had to go to work right after. Our leader didn't want to get too much into the activity points because we'd be learning more in two weeks ... but she said that they don't carry over to the next day and that we don't have to eat them if we don't want to