How does Weight Watcher points convert into calories?

The old plan I did (I think Points Plus?) around 2005-2007 was :

1 point = 50 calories OR 12grams of fat. And you would subtract 1 point for 5 grams of fiber. So if something was 300 calories & 12 grams of fat, it would be 7 points. If it had 5 grams of fiber, 6 points.

The new 360 program, when I was using it in March, the point value varied by the make up. If it was a high protein / fiber food the point value was lower than if it was a higher carb / fat food. The calories could be the same, but one product would be 5 points and the other would be 3.

I am struggling with the same thing lost a lot of weight on WW but it has stopped! I am training for a half marathon and work out every day! I am having trouble with the amount of calories it says I need, bc on WW I was only eating 1200 calories and not eating exercise calories

I am thinking that one of the reasons the calories on WW are lower than what you get on MFP is because of all of the "free" and 0 point foods. All of them have calories even if not very many so they do add up. So the points converting to being a few hundred less calories is probably to give a cushion for all of the "free" foods

Hi everyone!

I'm doing both MFP and weight watchers PPV. I've been doing PPV since october, and just started entering my foods into MFP on top of Weight Watchers. Did some quick calculations.... here are some of my findings on how calorie counting converts to PPV.

A weight watchers PPV is roughly 40 calories, depending slightly on nutrition. The produce I ate was about 45 calories/PPV, and the rest of the food I ate averaged to 38 calories/PPV.

When I calculate the PPV of my total nutrition form the day as totaled by MFP, leaving out all zero-point fresh fruit and vegetables, it comes within 2 points of what the PPV summary is of calculating all items' PPV individually. Adding in those fruits and vegetables adds more points (today it was about 10 points).

Using the 40 cals/PPV, my daily calorie intake before zero-point fruits and veggies is about 1280. That's too low for me, (my MFP goal is 1570) so that leaves room for more calories from fruits and veggies.

So, if I eat about 300 calories worth of zero-point fruits and veggies each day, the two plans are roughly equivalent. Tadaa!

I also have my fitbit pedometer connected, and MFP gives you way more credit! Today I got 12k steps, and MFP called that 623 calories. I know there is a lot of debate whether you should eat those calories back or whatever, but weight watchers converted 12k steps into 6 PPV. Multiply that by 40 calories and that is 240 calories earned back from exercise. That seems more reasonable to me as an amount of calories I should add to my diet. Don't eat everything I burned, but eat a little more to account for the exercise.

Maybe I will do a more complete study... but I've always wondered how WW really breaks down...

I'd love to be friends with other WW-ers! I promise not to annoy you with more math

I have worn a heart rate monitor during fitness classes and estimate that 60 calories burned is approximately equal to 1 APPV. There is no official conversion for this, it's trial and error.:ohwell:

I'm new to MFP and am also counting Weight Watcher points. I'm allowed 31 points a day and on My Fitness Pal it says my goal should be 2200 calories a day. That seems like a LOT of calories. I'd like to know how many WW points that equals. Any idea how to find out? I've been successful with WW in the past- I lost 90 pounds, but sadly i stopped eating right and gained it all back. I want to lose the weight again.

The big difference between MFP calorie allowance and WW points plus is that you get free fruit and certain free veggies with WW. Therefore WW sets your calorie goal lower to allow for the extra calories from those foods. While using MFP, make sure you track everything including those fruits and veggies to get a more accurate calculation.

Also WW leaders don't always pass on the information about the earned exercise calories. If 40 calories is approximately 1 PP then I would think burning 80 calorie would give you 2 activity points but you may want to check with your leader to find out for sure.

YES!! My biggest frustration with WW was the conversion of exercise points, it was vague and no one could help me when I asked. I was starving after working out and couldn't accuratley figure out the amount of calories to replenish.
Even at 26 points, with the extra points divided by 7, my daily calorie allowance was 1,320. My BMR is 1444 plus exercising, I was always HUNGRY.
Sorry WW is a scam, only because if its' price tag. Yes, it works but it's not worth the $$ they charge. MFP is free and a source of info, a o pposed to the cryptic WW system. Sorry guys, I'm not a WW fan.
Real exercise is hardly promoted, rather they promote walking, etc. This is great but it's not geared towards more active people.Rant over!

I find all the general calorie guides pretty interesting. It sounds like WW sets you at about 1200 cals and then your free fruits/veggies/0 point foods account for any upward variance in total daily cals. AND you do not eat back exercise cals.

I think they have most people starting around 1450 calories (29 daily points plus 7 'weekly', times 40 calories per point, roughly) and then you add 'free' produce, bringing most people over 1800.

And I think they advise you to eat back exercise calories (as desired) at the rate of about half of what you burn. One 'activity point' is around 80 calories in exercise, and you can eat all your activity points.

This is all how it was when Points Plus first came out a couple years ago, so it might've changed since then.

WW is low but you can eat veggies and fruit as much as you want I believe?

So even though I use WW points, I still calculate my calories. I like WW for the accountability of attending meetings, the weekly weigh ins, the support and motivation, etc. I will never stop counting calories. I just balance my life around both.

Agreed!