Weight Watchers Dining Out Points

Disclaimer: The team of Weight Watchers keeps updating the program, according to the requirements/feedback of their members. The program has been updated many times, the latest one being the Weight Watchers 360° program, which was unveiled on the 3rd of December, 2012. The program teaches members how to manage their food environment, claiming that we tend to eat what we see. It also guides people on ways to control their temptation, and to avoid pleasure eating. Weight Watchers has not increased their rates for this new approach, and all the meetings, eTools, and apps are included in the total fee.

The content in this article explains the Weight Watchers program in detail. The details of the current program are exclusively available to the paid members of Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers is a diet program which deploys a calorie counting mechanism for dieters to lose weight. However, this is done in an innovative way, by assigning numerical values to foods! All the foods are evaluated on the basis of their fiber and fat content. Then, they are assigned numerical values from 0 to 20. Foods with less fiber and more calories are assigned greater points, whereas foods with low fat and high fiber are assigned very few points. The concept is such that a dieter is encouraged to eat more healthy foods and less unhealthy fatty foods. Although, dieters may not have any trouble following this diet when they prepare their meals on their own or order them online, they may face real difficulty, when they are required to eat out.

How to Calculate Weight Watchers Dining Out Points

Food served at restaurants is usually high in calories and very fatty. Only a few restaurants serve what you can call truly healthy food. In such circumstances, all you can do is make healthy choice between the available menu. While you may not be able to track accurate points, you can certainly ensure that you won't exceed your daily limit by too many points. As you must be aware, Weight Watchers does not discourage dieters from having their favorite food, even though it is unhealthy. However, the key of weight loss lies in portion size or eating in moderation.

Some restaurants have a special Weight Watchers menu, in which they provide foods with their respective points. Besides, some other restaurants also provide the calorie content of the foods they serve. If you know the calories in the food, a Weight Watchers points formula may help you to calculate the corresponding points for the particular food item. In all the other cases, you can follow these guidelines of eating healthy while dining out.

What to Order while Dining Out

The general rule of thumb is to stay away from anything that says, fried, crispy, sautéed, stuffed etc. Instead go for grilled, boiled, steamed, baked foods. While ordering appetizers, it is best to order soups and salads rather than bread or pitas or similar preparations. However, do not be under wrong assumption that you have made a healthy choice because the type of soup and salad also matter a lot. For instance, broth based soups carry fewer points as opposed to cream based soups. A cup of minestrone (2 points) or plain chicken soup is anytime better than a cup of cream of vegetable or mushroom (6 points). Similarly salad dressing must be chosen with care. Go for healthy dressings such as olive oil rather than mayonnaise or any other fat based dressing.

While ordering main course opt for items such as grilled fish, lean steak, broiled chicken, steamed or baked vegetables etc. Whole grain pasta, brown rice are some other healthy choices in main course. If you must need sauces, make sure you take them on side so that you can control the portion. Similarly, also switch to healthier options while ordering beverages. While water can be your best option to go with your food, you can also settle for unsweetened lime soda or unsweetened ice tea.

Desserts can be the trickiest to choose as you may not have much of choice, given that most desserts are laden with calories and fat. You can make an exception in the form of a fresh fruit. If you must have a piece of your favorite apple pie or chocolate cake, then make sure you only consume a very small portion of it.

If you only eat out occasionally, you need not fuss about the points and weight loss. You can always compensate for it by working out or eating healthy for the rest of the day.

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