How I Make Sure I Get Enough Calories on Weight Watchers

I’m on a mission to lose weight and keep it off this time.  Unfortunately, over the last 10 years, I have gained and lost a substantial amount of weight three different times.  Now that the big 5-0 is right around the corner, I want to make sure I take off the weight in a sustainable manner that I can follow for life.  I don’t want to yo yo any more!  It also means that I want to maintain my metabolism.  Getting older already slows down my metabolism; I don’t need to slow it down further by not eating enough.  Although each person needs to decide what is best for him or herself, here’s how I make sure I get enough calories on Weight Watchers.

How I Make Sure I Get Enough Calories on Weight Watchers

These are the four main strategies that work for me:

I Don’t Count Oil

I have been on the WW Green Plan for the last four weeks.  On that plan, I currently get 31 daily points and 42 weekly points.

Now, every time I’ve lost a significant amount of weight in the last ten years, I have done so following the Paleo diet.  The Paleo diet emphasizes good fats.  In our household, we use olive oil almost exclusively.  I use it to saute onions, to roast cauliflower, etc.  And I’ll be honest, I don’t count the oil I use.  One tablespoon of oil is 4 points on Green.  To get enough calories and nutrition on the program, I’d have to start using cooking spray instead and dramatically limit my oil usage.  I’m not going to do that because I know it’s important for the body to get some healthy oils.

Keep in mind, I’m not using huge quantities of olive oil.  Just enough for things like sauteing and roasting foods.  By not counting olive oil, I’m allowing my body to get enough calories than if I followed the plan perfectly and counted my oil.

I Use All My Dailies

WW gives you a healthy point range which is a minimum number of points that you have to have.  I don’t even know what my healthy range is because I always eat either all of my points or almost all of my points every day.

Like I said, I was on the Paleo diet before, and I don’t like starving myself.  I don’t mind getting hungry between meals, but there’s nothing worse (or less sustainable) than feeling like you’re hungry all.day.long!  So, I eat the points.

I Use Most, but Not All, of My Weeklies

I also use most, but not all of my weeklies.  I believe that the weeklies are there for extra cushion and indulgences.  When I was on Paleo, I NEVER ate dessert.  But inevitably, after a year or two of no dessert, when I did finally eat something, I went crazy and ate a lot of sweets.  (Then I quickly gained back the weight.)  I don’t want to be on that cycle any more.  I want to enjoy desserts within the confines of my points.

For instance, this Sunday, I watched a movie with the family.  My kids wanted Sweet Loren’s sugar cookies.  We each got two.  Two of these sugar cookies is 11 points on Green.  That is 1/3 of my daily point allotment.  But I didn’t sweat it.  I just dipped into my weeklies; that’s what they’re there for!

I Eat Zero Point Food

I’m not afraid to eat zero point food.  For instance, today for snack I had 12 Nut Thin Smokehouse crackers for 3 points and one slice of Daiya cheese for 2 points.  Five points for a snack is about as much as I’m willing to go, but I was still hungry, so I also had a bowl of applesauce.  Last night at 8 p.m., I was hungry, so I ate a pear.  Many fruits and vegetables are zero points, so I eat those to round out my meals or snacks, which gives me more calories than my points reflect.

Final Thoughts

That’s how I make sure I get enough calories on Weight Watchers.  I have heard some people in different Facebook groups grumble that Weight Watchers wants you to only eat 1,200 calories a day, but that has not been my experience.  Using these strategies on Green, I have lost 1 to 1.5 pounds a week for the last 4 weeks.  That is a nice sustainable pace.  Plus, I’m developing good habits and keeping my body nourished.