HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLAN FOR YOU

One of the most frequently asked questions of members new to using the iTrackBites app (which allows for all the previous WW plans as well as the current one) is how do I choose the right plan for me...everybody has their favorite plan and there is a lot to be said for personal preference.

Everyone approaches this journey differently and there is no right or wrong way that fits every person.

However if you don't understand any of the basics of the main plans, it can be hard to make a choice.

What follows are just my personal take on how the plans are different. Everyone will get their own mileage out of this information but hopefully it will give you a place to start.

The first thing I think that you need to evaluate is where you have a problem in your current eating habits.

SUPER SIMPLIFIED (Read on for more detailed information)
Are sugary treats or fast food your downfall? Proteins are discounted while sugars and fast food are higher points.  (Considers calories, sat fat, sugar & protein) [Choose Bites Smart / SmartPoints]

Want a balanced plan with all but a few fruits and vegetables being "free"?  (Considers total fat, carbohydrates, fiber & protein)[Choose Bites Plus/PointsPlus]

Want to be accountable for everything including fruits and some vegetables?  (Considers calories, total fat & fiber) [Choose Classic / Original POINTS / 123 Success / Momentum]

Want a more Whole Foods approach or don't want to track or calorie count?  These two programs are predominantly "no count" with a food list to eat from and modified points remaining for items not on the list. [Choose Freestyle / Simply Filling]

These are my opinions in the simple answers above - and here is why.
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BITES Smart/SmartPoints:
This is the current weight watchers system as of December 2015. Most recipes that you find online, most websites, most pre printed packaged materials will all be in this format. (FREESTYLE is just an adaptation of SmartPoints - it is the same formulaic base but has a list of foods to eat from that you do not have to count.)

BITES Smart/SmartPoints focuses on controlling sugar intake both from simple carbohydrate sources and from refined sugars.

Lean protein is assigned lower points values so items like fish, chicken and lean cuts of pork/beef have gone down in points.

What this means is twofold.

If you enjoy having a lot of simple carbs like white bread, white rice and sugary treats in your diet and you're NOT trying to give that up - you WILL struggle on this plan. Sugary treats are pointed as high as two to three times as much on this plan as they were the previous one.

Many members find it restrictive and have left the plan for the previous BITES Plus/PointsPlus plan because of this.

HOWEVER - If you are diabetic, wanting to learn to make choices that don't involve as much sugar in your life, or are ready to kick that sweet tooth - then this plan is exactly what you need.

If you are going to struggle giving up sweets in the beginning then don't start with this plan because you're setting yourself up for frustration IMO.

If you currently have a high simple carbohydrate and sugar intake but are ready to make a major change and switch over your eating habits substantially - this will do it.

This plan's calculations focus on:
Calories
Sat Fat
Sugar
Protein

You have the highest number of daily allocated points + weekly points on this plan. The lowest the numbers go is 30 dailies + 14 weeklies.

All fresh, frozen or canned (in natural juice only) fruit and non-starchy vegetables are [0SP] up to the recommended daily servings which is 2-3 fruit servings and 3-5 vegetable servings.

USE YOUR POCKET GUIDE FOR CORRECT POINTING OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

Here is an easy reference chart that shows the ONLY fruit and veg that must be pointed.

SmartPoints is the first plan to also introduce the "blended fruit" rule.  Basically this says that when you change the fiber structure of fruit to the point that it can be consumed through a straw - it must be counted.  So smoothies and juices suddenly have points when consumed this way although in their original form they do not. 

People handle this a number of ways.  I have an article about it here:  http://fromdumpytodivas.blogspot.in/2017/05/blending-fruitsmoothies-on-smartpoints.html

Freestyle introduced the "dried/roasted" snack rule in a similar way.  If you take canned chickpeas which are "free" from the can and roast or otherwise dry them - you are supposed to count them because you are more likely to snack on them.

From the WW Freestyle FAQ:

Will dried or cooked versions of zero Points foods also be zero? (i.e. chickpeas that are dried/toasted or popcorn vs corn?)

When fruits and vegetables have been dried, their calories increase per ounce. Our program promotes the consumption of vegetables in their raw or cooked form, but not dried. Dried vegetables are essentially a snack food that is easy to overeat, so unfortunately, they don’t meet the criteria for our zero Points foods.

ACTIVITY POINTS: Can be earned but are recommended NOT to be used in addition to weeklies.

PLAN SPECIFIC GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/834102943443204

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BITES Plus/PointsPlus:
This program is the one Weight Watchers ran from 2010 - 2015. Many members enjoyed the change and were given two options for how to best work this plan. You could use the Points+ counting system or their Simply Filling technique.

This program focuses on carbohydrates (both simple and complex) and fiber.

Carbohydrates are not the enemy, they are our bodies fuel, like gas for your car.
Giving up or eliminating any one food group entirely can work in the short run but normally when that lifestyle is no longer followed, it causes a rapid regain of that weight plus more.

This plan is NOT designed to eliminate carbs but help lower the amount of simple carbs eaten...it is easy to overdue any aspect of our diets and for members who are wanting help controlling the pasta, bread, potato, rice and savory salty snack portion of their days - this plan is the only one that takes a foods carb load into consideration.

Calculations for the program take into account:
Total Fat
Carbohydrates
Fiber
Protein

You have a moderate number of daily allocated points + high weekly points on this plan. The lowest the numbers go are 26 daily + 49 weekly.

Fruits and vegetables are treated the same in this plan as in BITES Smart / SmartPoints with the exception that blended fruits do not carry the "need to be pointed" rule.

USE YOUR POCKET GUIDE FOR THE CORRECT POINTING OF ALL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES ON THIS PLAN.

A lot of members find this to be a good alternative to SmartPoints if they find the sugar aspect too restrictive.

ACTIVITY POINTS: Can be earned and used daily but many members do not use in addition to weeklies. If you are doing a good deal of high intensity exercise and not losing, you may not be eating ENOUGH (as strange as it sounds) and should try utilizing some activity points (up to 4AP a day).

PLAN SPECIFIC GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/itbpointsplus/

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BITES Classic/Original POINTS/Momentum Plan:
This plan, which started in 2004, and in other places was known as the Core/Flex Plan, has been one of Weight Watchers most successful plans.

There's no particular focus for this plan as almost everything is pointed. The main objective for this plan is to teach healthy eating habits, better portion control, and increase daily exercise.

Nothing is pointed higher or lower and nothing is restricted.

Calculations for this program are based on:
Calories
Total Fat
Fiber

This plan has the lowest number of daily allocated points + moderate weekly points. The lowest the numbers go are 18 daily + 35 weekly.

Almost all fruit and some vegetables are pointed. This link lists all zero point foods on this plan and I have placed a copy of the images in the FILES section in case the link should stop working.

This is the first plan to introduce WEEKLIES.  On this plan especially - they are meant to be used each week or you may not be reaching your daily caloric guideline which can slow or stop your weight loss.  They were simply set aside for you to decide how to break them up instead of having the exact same number of points a day.

This is the plan I originally lost almost 100lbs on.  I ate all my daily + weekly points and some Activity points if I had a particularly active week.

USE YOUR POCKET GUIDE FOR THE CORRECT POINTING OF ALL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES ON THIS PLAN.

ACTIVITY POINTS: Can be earned and used daily to coordinate with the lower amount of points given and the need for most fruit and some veg to be pointed.

PLAN SPECIFIC GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/382371745558285/

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This is the current WW program introduced in Dec 2017.  Most all WW recipe sites have switched over to reporting Freestyle points.

This less tracking option to me is like a baby version of Simply Filling.  You have a core food list of over 200 items that you do not have to count or track as well as Daily, Weekly and FitPoints to use.

https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/sites/default/files/complete_freestyle_0.pdf

On this plan - WW also introduced ROLLOVERS - the ability to save up to 4 of your unused daily points and have the "rollover" into your weekly points for use later.

It is still based on the SmartPoints plan but like Simply Filling when introduced on PointsPlus, it focuses on a more whole foods lifestyle.  Eat until you are satisfied, not full and make healthier choices.

It has been greeted with mixed results as your daily points are reduced from the original SmartPoints plan to make up for the addition of the zero point foods.  For some people this is an exciting change and for others - it is a struggle.

That is one of the reasons I think people like iTrackBites - you can choose any of these plans and find the one that best suits your lifestyle.

Here is what WW says about it:

We've kept our proven SmartPoints system

As always, the core of the program is based on the latest nutritional science. Every food and drink is still on the menu. No foods have gone up in value, and many have gone down to zero! 

NEW Zero Points® foods

Now, over 200 foods have a SmartPoints value of 0, including some surprises like chicken, fish, eggs, corn, beans, and more! The best part? Foods on the zero Points list don’t need to be tracked or measured, so you can spend less time counting and more time enjoying your food and your life! 

Introducing Rollovers

When it comes to eating, for most people Mondays are usually pretty different from Saturdays. Rollovers give you flexibility to use fewer SmartPoints values one day and have up to 4 extras rolled over into your bank of weeklies for the days when you need them the most. 

ACTIVITY POINTS: Can be earned and used daily to coordinate with the lower amount of points given but as always - let your weight loss be your guide.

PLAN SPECIFIC GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/itrackbitesfreestyle/

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SIMPLY FILLING: (This is the plan I do in combination with PointsPlus+)
This is an incredible option that has sadly almost been pushed to the wayside by WW.  It was originally introduced under the Filling Foods category of the Momentum plan.  It has undergone several name changes - Power Foods, CORE, No Count and does remain an option on the WW app alongside Freestyle.

WW info when it was combined with PointsPlus+ originally.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=65271

This program is great if:
* You want a cleaner, more whole foods approach to weight loss.  It has some overlap with any program that does not eliminate food groups and focuses on eating much less processed/artificially sweetened foods.  It certainly requires more cooking than other programs - this is not a "grab and go" lifestyle.

You don't have to calculate, track or point any food that are on the Simply Filling Foods list.  The list is much broader than the Freestyle list and focuses on lean proteins incl red meats, whole grains, fresh fruit and veg, healthy fats and oils and although it does include fat free dairy - you do not have to use it.  I can't process the emulsifier Carragennan that is in most fat free dairy foods - so I just pay the points for 2% or full fat.

https://www.weightwatchers.com/images/1033/dynamic/GCMSImages/FillingFoodList_US.pdf

* If you want to learn a more mindful approach to health and eating - this is a great way to do that.  But you have to be ready to slow down, learn to listen to your bodies hunger signals, learn to eat to be comfortable and not stuffed and make better food choices.

MINDFULLNESS
The basic idea is that as long as the food is on that list, you can eat it in reasonable moderation. (Same as Freestyle) It relies on you being able to know when to stop eating, before you are full.  The key to this is SATIATION. You need to be able to stop when you are satisfied. If you reach that full feeling, you have over eaten.

It takes practice for sure - and it is not for everyone.

In SIMPLY FILLING - there are no daily points.  You eat from the No Count/Filling Foods List and you have the weekly points associated with the program you choose to pair it with.  It is an option on SmartPoints in the current WW plan or with iTrackBites, you can pair it with PointsPlus+ or Classic as well.  Filling Foods are represented by green diamond items.  It is not currently a separate plan that you can select, but I have written a workaround for iTrackBites members.

Here is WW's clarification on the differences between SIMPLY FILLING and Freestyle.

How is the WW Freestyle program different than the Simply Filling technique?

With Freestyle, members may roll over 4 unused daily SmartPoints per day into their weekly budget. Also, with Simply Filling, the no-count food list is broader but members don’t have the flexibility of dailies for foods outside of the list.

There are three main differences between Simply Filling and WW Freestyle:

* Freestyle provides you with a SmartPoints budget that consists of daily and weekly SmartPoints while on Simply Filling, the SmartPoints Budget is weekly SmartPoints only.

* Simply Filling allows a broader list of “free” foods: the Freestyle 0 SmartPoint foods plus certain whole grains and reduced-calorie breads, skim milk, cheese, certain yogurts, lean cuts of red meats and 2 tsp healthy oil.

* WW Freestyle allows for the accumulation of up to 4 unused Daily SmartPoints per day to rollover to Weekly SmartPoints, however, Simply Filling does not allow for this.

ACTIVITY POINTS: Can be earned and used daily to coordinate with the lower amount of points given but as always - let your weight loss be your guide.

PLAN SPECIFIC GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/itbsimplyfilling

Hopefully this clears up any questions you have about the differences in plans and helps you decide which may work the best for you.

Regardless of the plan you choose, it will only work as well as you work it.

A calorie is not a calorie by any other name...

If you choose to spend your points on things that chew through them, not leaving you enough for healthy daily choices - you can still be within your points and not lose.

If you don't eat enough, you could not lose either.

Your best bet, in my opinion, is to choose the plan that seems to make the most sense for what you are looking to change and give it at least a month.

Eat ALL your dailies, use your weeklies for a guilt free splurge and remember - the weight didn't go on overnight and in most cases, it isn't going to come off fast or easy BUT if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.

The time is going to pass anyway - it is up to you if that time is used to make a life change or stay the same.