On 12/3, Weight Watchers unveiled an update to their Beyond the Scale program. It is called the Weight Watchers Freestyle program or “Freestyle” for short. It comes with some fun and interesting new updates. So what can you expect with the new program and how is it different?
What is the Freestyle Program?
The Freestyle program uses the same SmartPoints system that has worked so well with some exciting updates. Beyond the Scale really helped bring an emphasis to whole foods and healthy eating. The Freestyle program takes it even further, and adds some zero point foods to high protein, commonly used healthy foods. See below for a full list of what those new zero point foods are.
What about the SmartPoints system?
The SmartPoints from the Beyond the Scale program are not changing. But the way that those SmartPoints are calculated has changed.
There are more Zero point foods
The list of zero point foods just got longer! And we all rejoice. A full list of those 200+ zero point foods are here, but some of those new zero point foods are: chicken, eggs, fish, beans and corn.
With more zero point foods, you will notice that your daily SmartPoints values have gone down. Mine (I am still in Maintenance mode) went from 36 on the old program to 28. This isn’t a punishment. This is because you don’t have to track the zero point foods anymore, so you won’t need as many daily SmartPoints.
Please keep this in mind about zero point foods
Just because some of these food items are zero points, please don’t over-indulge. Please be mindful of your body and know when to stop eating. Just because a chicken breast is zero points, please don’t eat 5 in one sitting. Use the serving sizes in recipes or on the app as a guide.
Don’t over-indulge or over eat just because these are zero points. Listen to your body and stop when you are satisfied, not when you are stuffed (like when you eat a Thanksgiving meal).
Added Flexibility
Weight Watchers has now unveiled the ability to rollover 4 daily SmartPoints each day into your weekly points allowance. I don’t know about you, but this is an awesome opportunity. I love that you can plan ahead and rollover extra daily SmartPoints when you know you might need them.
I always had 1 or 2 extra SmartPoints (unless I used my weeklies), so having the ability to roll them over into my weekly points is a great option.
You get less daily SmartPoints
As I mentioned above, your daily SmartPoints will go down because of the added zero point food list that has been unveiled. Since you don’t have to track things like boneless skinless chicken breast or corn or beans, you don’t need as many SmartPoints as you had before.
The number of weekly points you used to get stayed the same. I still get 35 weekly points to use at my discretion, like I had on the old plan.
*Please note that I will be updating the SmartPoints values of all the recipes on Dash of Herbs, but this could take a couple of weeks to complete. Please reach out if you want an updated SmartPoints value with the new Freestyle program values.
interested
I get making protein zero points. Weight Watchers was too carb focused in the past anyway, so they are coming around to other diet plans that work for many. But corn? Corn is a super carb that is often GMO and many people get inflammatory issues from it, even if it’s non-GMO.
I do think they made great improvements when they first introduced SmartPoints last year. But you are right…I’m not sure why corn is a zero point food. I was surprised by that one more than the zero point lean meats.
Is there anyway to figure out my new points without having to join WW?
No, not that I know of. Since the points depends on many factors, I don’t have a way to figure that out for you.
I have 2 WW cookbooks. One has Points Plus totals, the other has Smart Points totals. Will those totals stay the same with the Freestyle program? If not, how do I calculate?
No, the recipes would be different points values (SmartPoints would be the most similar to Freestyle points) than the Freestyle points values. If you have a WW calculator, you should be able to calculate the accurate points. Or use the recipe builder in the app to figure out the correct points values.
How can we calculate eating out points now?
Love your page and the recipes! But when you update your older recipes to the new program will you differentiate by noting something like Freestyle Smart Points? Thanks!!
I would use the app, Pam, to calculate points if you are eating out. They should be updated in the app.
Hi Kristen (love the name – haha) – all my recipes are now with Freestyle points. If you scroll to the bottom of a recipe, you will see a Tag section that lists “Weight Watchers Freestyle” on all the recipes that have been updated.
What if you are eating all the zero points foods and are way under your point count daily?
If I were you, I would reach out to Weight Watchers support (you can use the app if you don’t go to meetings) to ask that question. I am not currently following the WW program (I am pregnant, so I can’t track points). I do suggest reaching out to them to answer that question.