WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Just Made a Big Change to Its Weight Loss Program. Here’s Everything You Need to Know
If you fall somewhere between a millennial and a baby boomer, then WW (formerly Weight Watchers) is probably a household name for you. Well, big news: U.S. News & World Report just named WW the number one best diet for weight loss for the tenth year in a row. (We’re guessing it has something to do with the fact that its newest program, myWW, is both customized and effective for sustainable weight loss.) How do you like them ZeroPoint apples?
The myWW proof is in the pudding (no seriously, you can still eat pudding), but for those of you who haven’t tried it yet, here’s a rundown of all the program’s groundbreaking benefits to help you take the plunge for a healthier 2020.
1. There’s a Personal Assessment
Let’s get real: If you were an all-knowing weight loss guru, you probably wouldn’t be here right now. And since there are only a handful of those in the world (at best), myWW is stepping into that role for you—no studying or super expensive soul-searching trips to Bali required. After you sign up, you’ll take a personal assessment about your eating habits, preferences and lifestyle and then be matched up with the customized plan that’s best suited for you. Each plan has different a SmartPoints Budget (a specialized budget given to members to help guide eating choices and deliver weight loss) and list of ZeroPoint foods that don’t “cost” your budget anything. The goal here is livability. MyWW promotes weight-loss strategies that are adaptable within your current lifestyle, not in spite of it.
2. It’s Still Based on the SmartPoints System
One thing that hasn’t changed? The fact that the program promotes eating delicious foods as well as satisfying, nutrient-dense meals and snacks. Once you take the personal assessment and answer questions about your health-related goals, you’ll get a daily SmartPoints Budget, a number that will help you achieve safe and effective weight loss. Of course, the SmartPoints don’t only analyze calories. They assess the nutritional value of different foods and their energy-sustaining properties as a whole to create a generally health-promoting pattern of eating that works for weight loss and long-term health. And because SmartPoints don’t require black-and-white thinking and eating habits (like not letting even a crumb of bread touch your lips), the myWW program is sustainable and not a crash diet.
Oh, and let’s not forget the Weekly Budget. It’s basically a safety net for when you go over your daily SmartPoints on a night out for pizza and beer with the girls.
3. There Are Still No Restrictions
Elimination dieting? Not here. The myWW program incorporates (and encourages!) conscious indulgences. If you have room in your budget, you can choose to splurge however you’d like. So, like we were saying, pizza and beer, anyone?
4. The Community Aspect Is Easier Than Ever
It’s no surprise that shared goals build momentum, and myWW knows that—it’s why the program is so big on community. There are more than 3,000 studio locations if group face time works best for you, but if in-person meetings really aren’t your thing, just use WW’s private social platform, Connect, to stay motivated and connected to others on their weight-loss journey.
The WW app also has more than 8,000 recipes that make it easy to throw together WW-friendly meals, 24/7 live coach support so you can ask any spur-of-the-moment questions that’ll help you make the best decisions, audio workouts, mindset meditations and more.
5. There’s a Rewards Program
Did you track your meals this week? Did you weigh in on your designated day? Congrats—you’re now earning your way toward sweet, sweet rewards. The new WW WellnessWins rewards program tracks your wins, and once you’ve racked up enough, you can redeem them for things like a one-month membership to Rent the Runway or ClassPass, plus lots of gym accessories and self-care items in between.
6. You Can Track Physical Activity
This is one update to the program that makes it feel so much more like an all-around wellness tracker. In addition to keeping tabs on what you eat, you can also log activity or sync your fitness tracker or phone with the app to automatically keep tabs on how much you move. Activity earns you FitPoints, which you can choose to swap for extra SmartPoints. Or, if you only want to focus on food right now, simply skip adding FitPoints to your plan. You’ll still earn WellnessWins for your efforts.
So now that you’ve got all the info, go ahead and try myWW today instead of waiting another day, week, month, year… Hindsight is 2020, after all.
