What are Points — and how do they work?

Weight Watchers first introduced Points® in 1998, but the way Points are calculated has changed over time to stay in step with the latest nutrition research. What hasn’t changed? The concept of Points: Simplifying complex info so people can make food choices faster and easier.

“When you pick up a package of food, the nutrition label gives you a lot of data: calories, saturated and total fat, cholesterol, fiber, carbs, protein, and more. It takes a lot of information and time to interpret whether that food is a nutritional choice you want to make or not,"  says Fernanda Almeida, R.D., senior manager of global nutrition & food data operations at Weight Watchers. “Points simplify your decision-making, because we’ve already done the complex calculations and assessments behind the scenes to give you an overall health value for each food.”

Here’s how to use your Points so you stay satisfied, nourished, and energized on your weight journey.

Points are the numbers that Weight Watchers assigns to foods to help make deciding what to eat simpler. To calculate each food’s number, Almeida says that Weight Watchers Registered Dietitians use a mathematical equation based on nutrients we want more of in your diet (fiber, protein, unsaturated fat), which help bring Points down, as well as nutrients we want to minimize (saturated fat, added sugars), which raise Points. In some ways, Points can be immune to trends of the moment — like the ‘90s fat-free craze, or today’s high-protein obsession — because they’re not focused on a single nutrient. “Points give you a more complete picture,” Almeida says.

No. Points take calories into consideration, but they aren’t the same — because not all calories are the same, says Almeida. “300 calories from a meal of lean protein, veggies, quinoa, and olive oil is not nutritionally equal to 300 calories from soda. They’ll have different impacts on how full you feel and even your long-term health.”

That’s why Points take more factors into consideration than calories alone. Instead of falsely comparing 300 to 300 like they’re equivalent, consider that the meal would only have about 4 Points (3 Points for ½ cup cooked quinoa, 1 Point for 1 tsp of olive oil, with everything else being ZeroPoint foods), while the soda (25 fl ounces) would hit about 25 Points, making the disparities much more clear. 

Counting Points is also not the same as counting macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). 

Carbs in whole vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains are bundled with lots of other nutrients — including fiber, which helps you feel satisfied. On the other hand, the carbs in a chocolate chip cookie (though delicious) generally don’t come with the same nutritional perks. 

Likewise, not all fats are the same. High amounts of saturated fat — found in foods such as red meat and butter — are associated with an increased risk of developing health conditions like heart disease. Meanwhile, the unsaturated fats found in avocado, seafood, nuts, and plant-based oils may help reduce disease risk.

How many Points you should eat each day is called your Daily Points Budget. It’s different for each person, based on your metabolic rate, which is calculated using your age, height, weight, and sex assigned at birth. It also considers whether you’re looking to lose weight or maintain it. Then the Weight Watchers team again does complex calculations to figure out how much energy you need, using equations that have been tested so you don’t cut calories too much or not enough. This tailored-to-you Budget will adjust over time as you age, as you lose weight, or as your goals change.

Then you have what’s called your Weekly Points (or Weeklies). These are additional Points you can spend each week, and they don’t kick in until you’ve exhausted your Daily Points. These Weekly Points — available in all Modes except All-In Mode — are still designed for weight loss even when used. Rest assured that even if you use all of your Weeklies, you should still be seeing weight loss. You can also add to your Weeklies Budget in a few ways:

Activity Points: Log your workouts, and you’ll get additional Weekly Points. You don’t have to worry about gaining weight if you use these Points because you’ll still be burning more than what’s added.

Roll-overs: This is a feature you can turn off in the app, but defaults to being on, which means that if you don’t use all of your Daily Points, you can roll over up to four Points to your Weekly bank.

With Weight Watchers, no food is “bad” or off-limits. An item with a high Points total is just information about what’s inside, so you can make the best choice for you. 

For example, if you love ice cream, there’s absolutely room for that in your diet with Weight Watchers, says Almeida — you may just need to keep your serving size smaller and the rest of your day’s Points lower to fit a scoop into your Points Budget. 

“We want you to enjoy eating. The idea is to be informed so you can make decisions to fit your goals, not to be joyless,” she says.

You choose how and when to spend Points. You can save more of them to make room for higher-Points items at specific meals, if you wish. For example, restaurant meals tend to be higher in Points because they typically have more saturated fat and calories because of bigger portions, and diners often go for items like wine and dessert that they might not at home. 

“Know yourself, prioritize what matters most to you, and plan accordingly,” says Almeida. “If you’re going out for dinner, you might want to save 50-75% of your Points for that, and then have low-Point meals for breakfast and lunch.” 

Focusing on building those breakfast and lunch meals with ZeroPoints foods that don’t take anything out of your Budget will be key to making this happen — more on those below.

No, the goal is not trying to eat as few Points as possible, but to actually use all of your daily Points Budget.

“Remember, that number has been calculated specifically for what your body needs — trust that if you follow it, you’ll lose weight,” Almeida says. That’s because Weight Watchers’ behavior change science results in 3.5x more weight loss than standard nutritional guidance.*

Going below your Points total can lead to several issues:

Missing out on important nutrients: If you’re not eating enough, you become at risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can have negative short-term and long-term health impacts. Not eating enough also likely means you’re not getting the protein you need, which is extra important during weight loss so that you don’t lose as much muscle mass.

Slowing your metabolism: “Our bodies are smart and they adapt. When you go too far into a calorie deficit, your body thinks you’re starving and so will slow your metabolism down and get very efficient. This means it will use fewer calories at baseline, which is the opposite of what we want,” Almeida says.

Getting bored: Sure, raw veggies are healthy, but eaten solo, they get boring — which means it’s not a sustainable way to eat long-term. “Adding olive oil for cooking vegetables or a dip for crudites like ranch does add some Points, but it also brings some joy and excitement to your diet, which helps you stick with it in the long run,” Almeida says.

Enter ZeroPoint foods — which are most foods that show up as having no Points. We never want you to feel hungry on your Weight Watchers journey, so you can always turn to these nutritional powerhouses. Packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, these foods form the foundation of healthy eating. 

You also don’t have to diligently weigh, measure, or track them, no matter how often you reach for them since they don’t impact your budget. That said, if you are paying attention to macros or other nutrients in addition to Points, you should consider tracking ZeroPoint foods normally. Otherwise, your macronutrient view (especially if you are paying attention to protein or fiber) will be significantly off. 

ZeroPoint foods include beans, peas, lentils, fish, shellfish, fruits, corn, popcorn, lean meats, vegetables, oats, tofu, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese, though the list will vary from this slightly if you have diabetes or are doing our Menopause Program. Check out the whole list of ZeroPoint foods to get inspired.

Weight Watchers uses Points to make decision-making around food faster and simpler. The Points for every food is determined through a mathematical equation based on nutrients you want more of in your diet (fiber, protein, unsaturated fat) and things you want to minimize (saturated fat, added sugars). Your personal Points budget has been calculated specifically for what your body needs — trust that if you follow it, it can help you lose weight. And if you use all of your Points, you can always rely on ZeroPoints foods so you never have to feel hungry.

^{*Based on a 6-month randomized controlled trial (n=376) that compared participants following WW to those given standard nutritional guidelines alone. Palacios et al. Effectiveness of a digital weight management program on diet quality: a randomized controlled trial. AJCN. 2025. Funded by WW International, Inc.}