How to Count Calories With Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a dieting plan that is meant to change your outlook and approach to food and dieting habits. It's a long-term eating plan as opposed to a short-term diet. The Weight Watchers system doesn't focus on counting calories, but instead simplifies the process by converting calories to a specific number of points. Instead of counting calories, you will keep track of points. Specific food items are assigned a point value that can be figured into your daily intake of food. The quantity of points you can consume on a daily basis is calculated according to your weight and height.

Instructions

• 1

  Go to the Weight Watchers points calculator on Calculator.net (a link to the site is provided in the References section of this article.) This calculator utilizes the latest Weight Watchers points system and takes into account the quantity of protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrate that are contained in a single food item.

• 2

  Find the nutrition data on a food's packaging in order to find the information you need. If you don't see nutrition data, try calling the manufacturer of the food to find out the values that you need. Input the value of each -- fiber, fat, carbs and protein -- into the calculator, in grams.

• 3

  Convert the quantity of points that you consume in a day to calories by figuring out how many points you need on a daily basis (check the bottom of the Weight Watchers calculator page on Calculator.net.) Please note that Weight Watchers focuses on points, not calories, so converting your points into calories is not in line with the Weight Watchers philosophy. It can, however, be done. Add up all of the food that you consume in a day according to the Weight Watchers points system. Check the nutrition data of each food item you eat to find out how many calories you're consuming in a day.