Zero-point foods on the new Weight Watchers program Nov/2022

Wondering what the zero-point foods will be with the new Weight Watchers program coming in November? Read on to see a list of all the zero-point foods.

When will the Weight Watchers plan change?

While there has been no official release date yet, previous years can indicate that the changes will likely happen around mid-to-late November. Weight Watchers always make their changes around this time of the year. It is so members can get comfortable with the new layout before the new year rolls around. January is the busiest month for any weight loss geared business. Everyone is looking to start the new year off with their health and weight in mind. While learning a new program just before the holidays can be stressful I understand them wanting to do it before the end of the year.

How do you know there will be a new plan coming in November?

Word got out a while ago that weight Watchers connected with some of their members to see if they wanted to test a beta version of a new program. That right there is a sure sign of changes coming. You may have also noticed that a lot of their products are going on sale. They always do this before a program change, out with the old and in with the new. And lastly, if you google “weight watchers new plan 2022” you will see many posts and videos of people talking about it. Many have shared that “inside” sources gave them the information. I have not spoken with anyone directly that works for Weight Watchers but I found enough sources to believe the information to be correct.

What are zero-point foods?

For those familiar with Weight Watchers, you know that they work on a point system. Meaning all foods are given a point value, and members are given a daily point allowance. Many years ago Weight Watchers started incorporating “zero-point” foods. It started with fruits and vegetables and then as programs changed they added more zero-point foods. Today there is a long list of zero-point foods available on the program, meaning these foods do not take away from your daily points allowance.

What will the zero-point foods be on the new Weight Watchers program?

The list of zero-point foods will be the same for everyone (unless you are diabetic) these foods will be as follows

• Non-starchy veggies
• Fruits
• Non-fat yogurt
• Non-fat cottage cheese
• Eggs
• Fish & shellfish
• Tofu & tempeh
• Skinless & boneless chicken & turkey breast
• Corn
• Air-popped popcorn, plain
• Beans, peas, & lentils

How do these zero-point foods differ from the current zero-point foods on personal points?

With the current personal points program, you take an assessment to determine what your zero-point foods on Weight Watchers will be. While all of the above foods are included as options some other foods are

• Avocado
• Potatoes
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Whole-wheat pasta
• Oatmeal

The more zero-point foods you have available to you the fewer daily points you have. If I remember correctly I think the point ranges for daily allowances are 13-27 give or take.

With the new program since all members will have the same zero-point foods then the daily points will most likely be similar for everyone. As in past programs, your daily point allowance will depend on factors such as current weight, height, age, and sex. I expect there to be some range in the daily points, for example, men typically have more points than women.

Will we still get weeklies on the new program?

Yes, all the information I was able to gather showed that members will still get a weekly points allowance. I think these numbers might vary slightly for each member depending on your activity level. Also, the same information they use to determine your daily points, weight, height, age, and sex will likely play a factor.

Can I earn any points on the new Weight Watchers program?

With the current personal points program, you are able to earn points for drinking water and eating certain foods such as vegetables. You can also earn points for activity. The new program will do away with earning extra points for drinking water and eating vegetables. You will still be able to earn points for activity.

What if I don’t like any of the zero-point foods on the new program?

I think the key here is to just try and add at least some of these zero-point foods to your daily routine. Have eggs for breakfast or make a recipe that uses eggs like my Southwest chicken frittata, this delicious breakfast is only  1 point on the old freestyle or “blue” program. You can pair it with some fresh fruit.

For lunch, you can make a sandwich or a wrap and add in some vegetables. Maybe a pasta salad that you can add chicken to bulk it up like my chicken & broccoli pasta salad.  Take some plain greek yogurt and fruit as an afternoon snack. If you don’t like plain yogurt try adding some crushed berries, it is a great way to sweeten it up without adding any extra points.

For dinner try having chicken or turkey at least a few times a week, there are so many great recipes out there. For example, my one-pot turkey rigatoni, it is easy to make and tastes great!

When it was the older freestyle or “blue” program and the zero-point foods were the same as they are expected to be on the new program I would always complain that I didn’t like the foods. The reality was there are many recipes available that have these zero-point foods in them that I love. Try searching for recipes that use zero-point foods and take the focus off the food by itself. I bet you can find many recipes you’d be willing to try that take advantage of all the zero-point foods. For example, having a serving of plain corn with my dinner doesn’t appeal to me but my creamy cheese corn casserole I’ll take any day!

Try doing a search on Pinterest by the ingredient. Let’s take greek yogurt as an example, seeing that many people don’t care for plain greek yogurt. Type in greek yogurt recipes in the search bar on Pinterest and you’ll be amazed at all the amazing recipes you can find.

Doing this for all the zero-point foods will help you find some recipes that might make you fall in love with some of the foods you normally wouldn’t eat. It is also a great way to discover new food bloggers!