As mentioned in my last post, I will be starting a Weight Watchers program sponsored by my office next Wednesday. I couldn't be more excited to get started! So excited in fact that I stumbled upon a resource last night that will allow me to get a head start! So far it's working great, and I'm confident it will really prepare me for the actual program. Let me preface this post by saying I do think it's important to join an actual Weight Watchers program due to the additional support and features you gain, however I wanted to provide this as a resource for individuals to test out the program before they sign up.

STEP 01: Determine Your Daily PointsPlus Allowance
With Weight Watchers, every food has a PointsPlus value, which takes into account a food's protein, carbs, fat, and fiber and wraps it all up into one easy-to-use number. Depending on your height, weight, and age, you will be assigned a daily target number. This number can be dispersed throughout the day at your digression, allowing you to still eat your favorite foods, in moderation of course. Use this calculator to see your daily PointsPlus allowance.

STEP 02: Print Out Your Food Trackers
One habit Weight Watchers enforces is monitoring your daily food intake. The best way to do this is by using a food tracker, which will keep track of what you ate, what it was worth, and what you have left for the day. I'd recommend using a tracker similar to this as it also keeps track of activity points as well as the additional 35 extra weekly points. Keeping track of everything you put in your mouth will help keep you accountable and enforce better habits.

STEP 03: Calculate the PointsPlus Value in Foods
Each food is assigned its own PointsPlus value which is determined by certain nutritional values. There are many calculators online that can yield these results, however I've see this one referred to and recommend more than others. It also supports the old points system in case that's a route you're interested in exploring.

STEP 04: Be Prepared for Dining Out
Eating out is one of, if not the most popular social event in daily life. However, although many of us are aware of restaurants and their unhealthy ways, this knowledge usually goes out the window when we are sitting down for our meal. We assume certain things are safe (salads, for example) and usually don't put any extra thought into our meal of choice. Unfortunately this sense of security is false, and we walk blinded into a trap! So, when you are in a situation when you have to eat out, be prepared by following this guide, which features hundreds of restaurants.

STEP 05: Follow the Plan!
Simple, right? Unfortunately, this is the hardest step. You can plan and plan and plan some more but if you don't succeed with this step, you won't succeed at all. So, surround yourself with positive reinforcements. Get a work out buddy. Clean your kitchen of unhealthy trigger foods. Start a diary or blog of your own. And on top of everything, give yourself some additional support by attending Weight Watchers meetings. Remember to set realistic goals, hold yourself accountable, celebrate the successes, and take your journey one day at a time!