Weight Watchers (WW) is a popular weight management program that focuses on healthy eating and lifestyle changes. It assigns point values to foods based on their nutritional content, and participants are given a daily and weekly point budget to work within. This article provides a detailed overview of the Weight Watchers diet, including sample meal plans, tips for success, and how the WW app can aid your journey.
Understanding the Weight Watchers Program
Weight Watchers emphasizes that there are no "good" or "bad" foods, and the program encourages you to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation while staying within your point budget. The WW app offers a variety of tools to help you plan your meals, track your progress, and find support from the WW community.
Key Features of the WW App:
- Recipe Database: Browse over 6,000 recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts.
- Dietary Filters: Filter recipes based on dietary needs, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, lactose-free, and vegan.
- Point Tracking: View the Points value for each recipe and track your daily and weekly points.
- Meal Planner: Use the Meal Planner feature to plan your weekly meals in advance.
- Barcode Scanner: Scan barcodes at the supermarket to make informed food choices.
- Community Support: Get inspiration and support from other WW members.
Sample 7-Day Weight Watchers Meal Plan
Here's a sample 7-day meal plan based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines and Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, showcasing how you can enjoy a variety of delicious and satisfying meals while staying on track with your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that your individual energy requirements may vary depending on factors like age, activity level, health status, height, and weight.
Monday
- Breakfast: Berry overnight oats (Layer 35g oats, 200g 99% fat-free plain yoghurt, and 150g frozen berries in a jar or bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with 50g frozen berries (thawed) in the morning).
- Lunch: Tuna and rocket toastie (Sandwich 30g reduced-fat feta, 1 can tuna in springwater, and 1 cup rocket between 2 slices of wholegrain bread. Cook in a sandwich press for 2-4 minutes).
- Dinner: Chicken enchiladas
- Snacks/Dessert: Skim cappuccino, piece of fruit, air-popped popcorn
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with mushrooms on wholegrain toast (Pan-fry 100g button mushrooms with 1 tsp olive oil until golden. Season. Whisk 2 eggs and cook in a lightly oiled pan. Top 1 slice wholegrain bread with eggs and mushrooms).
- Lunch: Chicken enchiladas (leftover from dinner)
- Dinner: Tofu and cashew stir-fry
- Snacks/Dessert: Anna's apple pie bliss ball (find the recipe in the WW app), piece of fruit, raw cashews
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Berry overnight oats (same as Monday)
- Lunch: Roast beef, chickpea, and tomato salad (Combine 100g deli-sliced roast beef with 1 cup canned chickpeas, 75g cherry tomatoes, and ½ Lebanese cucumber. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and 2 tsp balsamic vinegar. Serve with 1 slice wholegrain bread).
- Dinner: Tuna spelt pasta bake
- Snacks/Dessert: Rice cakes with reduced-fat ricotta and tomato, piece of fruit, air-popped popcorn
Thursday
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with mushrooms on wholegrain toast (same as Tuesday)
- Lunch: Quinoa, chicken, and broccoli salad bowl (Combine 125g microwave cup quinoa and brown rice, 125g cooked chicken breast, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 75g cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp olive oil, and 2 tbs orange juice).
- Dinner: Middle Eastern lamb and lentil soup
- Snacks/Dessert: Raw cashews, 99% fat-free plain yoghurt with fruit, carrot sticks with low-fat hummus
Friday
- Breakfast: Avocado and feta on toast (Mash ¼ large avocado and 30g reduced-fat feta. Season. Spoon onto 1 slice wholegrain bread and top with cherry tomatoes and rocket).
- Lunch: Thai beef salad wrap (Combine 1 tbs mashed avocado and 1 tsp lime juice. Spread wrap with avocado mixture. Top with spinach, sliced tomatoes, and cucumber. Arrange 65g deli-sliced roast beef on top and drizzle with 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce. Sprinkle with sliced red onion).
- Dinner: Fish tacos
- Snacks/Dessert: 99% fat-free plain yoghurt, piece of fruit, air-popped popcorn
Saturday
- Breakfast: Berry overnight oats (same as Monday)
- Lunch: Smashed chickpea, feta, and salad wrap (Mash 1 cup canned chickpeas with 30g reduced-fat feta and 2 tsp lemon juice. Spread 1 wrap with chickpea mixture. Top with ½ sliced cucumber, 1 small sliced tomato, and 20g baby rocket leaves).
- Dinner: Mushroom, bacon, caramelised onion, and spinach pizza
- Snacks/Dessert: Rice cakes with avocado and tomato, piece of fruit, boiled egg with chilli flakes
Sunday
- Breakfast: Poached egg with avocado and tomato salsa (Toast 1 slice of wholegrain bread. Combine 1 tomato with ¼ medium avocado (diced). Serve toast with a poached egg and salsa).
- Lunch: Ricotta and tomato toastie (Spread 2 slices wholegrain bread with ½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese. Sandwich 1 sliced tomato and 1 cup rocket).
- Dinner: Chicken and pineapple fried rice
- Snacks/Dessert: Piece of fruit
Monthly Menu and Recipe Suggestions
For those who prefer to plan their meals further in advance, a monthly menu can be incredibly helpful. Here's a sample weekly plan with recipe suggestions that can be incorporated into a monthly menu:
Week 1: Focus on recipes that yield multiple servings for leftovers.
Read also: Carnivore Diet for Beginners
- Breakfast: Fruit and nut granola (make a large batch to last the week)
- Lunch/Dinner: Vegetarian chili, curried lentil stew, Thai coconut chicken soup (prepare these in larger quantities for leftovers)
- Dinner: Homemade pizza (substitute with your preferred recipe)
Additional Recipe Ideas:
- Breakfast: Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Lunch: Shrimp Salad with Avocado
- Dinner: Hawaiian Chicken with Cauliflower Rice, Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Dish, Chicken with Artichoke Hearts
Weight Watchers Friendly Meal Ideas
Weight Watchers encourages you to enjoy all your favorite foods while making smart choices to stay within your Points Budget. Here are some meal ideas and suggestions that you might not expect to be able to enjoy regularly while trying to lose weight:
Breakfast
- Mug Muffin: Versatile and quick to prepare, mug muffins can be filled with nutritious ingredients like oats, bananas, and dates. Try a date and banana mug muffin or a smoked salmon and cream cheese mug muffin.
- Pancakes: Squeeze in a serving of nutrient-rich fruit and yoghurt or oats with 3-ingredient banana pancakes. You can even make them with ZeroPoint butter beans to increase the protein content.
- Big Breakfast: A traditional "big brekkie" can be lower in Points than you might think. Use ZeroPoint foods like eggs, beans, and non-starchy veggies as your base and add your favorite ingredients that have a Points value.
Lunch
- Sandwich or Wrap: Choose a wholegrain option as the base and add your favorite ZeroPoint non-starchy veggies and lean protein, like chicken or turkey breast, as in a chicken with greens sandwich.
- Takeaway - Sushi: Sushi is a fantastic option as it's rich in omega-3s, an excellent source of protein, and often contains veggies packed with fibre. Consider swapping some of the sushi for sashimi or a serving of edamame to bump up the meal’s hunger-busting protein content.
- Leftovers: Cook something healthy for dinner, like a vegetable chickpea curry or veggie frittata, and pack the leftovers away as tomorrow’s lunch. Or, if dinner includes roast veggies, make extra and simply add some lean protein to make a salad for lunch the following day.
Dinner
- Pasta and Lasagne: Choose wholemeal pasta varieties, which are higher in fibre than regular pasta. Spelt and pulse pasta varieties are other healthy options. Consider trying zucchini zoodle bolognese or swapping in veggie slices in your lasagne, like in a zucchini and turkey 'lasagne'.
- Stir-fry with Rice: Stir-fries are simple, delicious, and offer many nutritious benefits. Incorporate lean protein options - even fish or meat-free options - and load them full of colorful, fibre-rich veggies, like in a loaded veg stir-fry for zero Points. Choose low GI white, brown, or wholegrain rice to further enhance the meal from a nutrition point of view.
- Eating Out: Many cuisines, from Thai to Indian, offer dishes that are vegetable heavy. If you know you’re eating out for dinner, try filling up on lower-Point options earlier in the day so you’re not too hungry when it’s time to order and you’ll also have more Points to play with.
Dessert
- Cakes and Baked Goodies: Lower the Points value by using natural sweeteners like fruit purees or fresh medjool dates. Replace white flour with wholemeal flour to add some additional fibre to your baked goods, as in WeightWatchers Coach and Ambassador Rebecca's lemon and blueberry syrup cake.
- Ice Cream: Focus on the serving size and, if needed, lean on your Weeklies if you’ve used all your Points for the day. Or, try a healthier version of ice cream, such as a strawberry nice cream - frozen banana and strawberry and a dash of vanilla, blended into a fruity and refreshing dessert.
- Chocolate: A bite or two of sweet treats like chocolate tends to satisfy a ‘taste’ for it as effectively as a larger portion. The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate, the better, in terms of delivering a hit of healthy antioxidants.
Snacks
- Bliss Balls: These make the perfect healthy sweet snack because they’re typically filled with protein and fibre, such as nuts and dates, like in chocolate hazelnut bliss balls, which is a powerful combo to help manage hunger.
- Crackers and Cheese: This tried-and-tested snack can provide a healthy source of carbohydrates and protein. Look for crackers made with wholegrains to provide a source of dietary fibre. Add some fruit or veggie sticks to create a cheese & cracker style snack board for afternoon tea.
- Muffins: Choosing a muffin as a between-meal snack can be a tasty, simple way to bump up your intake of vegetables or fruit, as in carrot and banana muffins.
Sample Weight Watchers 23 Points Menu
Here are two example days of typical Weight Watchers meals that add up to 23 points. These are just examples, and your personal points allowance may vary.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Mushroom and Egg Dish (162 calories, 11 points)
- Lunch: Watermelon Salad (84 calories, 4 points)
- Dinner: Chicken Packets (175 calories, 3 points)
- Dessert: Melon Balls (any kind you like!)
Day 2
- Breakfast: Hard-boiled egg (75 calories, 2 points)
- Lunch: Turkey, Apple, and Brie Wraps (312 calories, 10 points)
- Dinner: Salmon with Garlicky Beans and Spinach (317 calories, 17 points)
- Side: Steamed Kale
Tips for Success on Weight Watchers
- Plan Your Meals: Planning your meals in advance can help you stay on track and avoid impulsive food choices.
- Track Your Points: Use the WW app to track your daily and weekly points.
- Utilize ZeroPoint Foods: Incorporate ZeroPoint foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins into your meals.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Get Active: Regular physical activity can help you burn calories and improve your overall health.
- Find Support: Connect with other WW members for support and motivation.
- Don't Deprive Yourself: Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation.
- Be Patient: Weight loss takes time, so be patient and persistent.
Read also: Securing Your SPA: A Guide
Read also: Preserving Muscle on a Cut