While I was strolling through the aisles of my local grocery the other day, I headed towards the dairy section to get my usually fat-free cream cheese. Mind you I think it pretty much tastes like past, but a bagel and some cream cheese are pretty much a staple of my morning routine. Right as I was about to pick up my usual I noticed the Weight Watchers logo from the corner of my eye. And there it was, Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread. I thought, only 1 Point, so why not give it a try, right? So here’s what I got for my 1 Points worth of cream cheese.

Creamy, delicious and with no ‘fat-free aftertaste’, I was amazed that a whole 2 tablespoons of this stuff was only 1 point.

Bye-bye other brand and hello Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread. They’ve even added some fiber so I would imagine that’s how Weight Watchers keeps the Point value so low. No more do I have to suffer with the pasty, slightly gross tasting fat-free brand I used to buy.

So if you like cream cheese but not all the points of your regular brand or the taste of fat-free make sure you pick up some Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread next time your at the grocery.

Another innovative dimension of the Weight Watchers Momentum Plan is the ability to supplement your Points allowance by using Activity Points.

And practically any everyday activity can be exchanged for activity points. And as a standard disclaimer, no matter how mundane the activity many seem make sure to check with your physician before beginning any exercise plan. Below are just a few daily chores that can help you get some extra points that can be used when you have to have that extra snack.

• Ironing for 15 minutes: 1 Point
• Scrubbing your floors 10 minutes: 1 Point
• Mopping the floor for 10 minutes: 1 Point
• Vacuuming for 10 minutes: 1 Point
• Doing Laundry for 15 minutes: 1 Point
• Cleaning the windows for 15 minutes: 1 Point

The longer that you are mopping, scrubbing or vacuuming the more Activity Points you can gain.

And on a side note, as I was entering my meals in the online tracker today, I noticed that my activity points that I entered the day before were carried over to the next day. One item of debate that I’ve noticed in some online Weight Watchers forums is whether or not Activity Points can be rolled over from day-to-day and accumulated during the week for a special treat.

I did some checking and per the Weight Watchers Momentum Plan Website, Activity points can indeed be carried over day-to-day. You don’t have to use the Activity Points earned the same day. There is however one caveat to rolling over Activity Points.

While Activity Points don’t have to be used the same day they are earned, they do have to be used during the same week in which they are earned.

Now this being said, you’re probably not going to lose the weight as quickly if you are consistently using all of your activity points each week. But it’s good to know that on those special occasions when you could use a few Points to spare, you may just need to go nuts on the house work for the week and treat reward yourself later.

To find and log Momentum Plan Activity Points just log-in to the Weight Watchers online tools and look for the Activity Tracker tab in the Points Tracker.

What’s the Points value of the burger you just picked up on the way home you ask? Look no further. You can easily calculate the Weight Watchers Momentum Plan Points value of any food if you know the total Calories, Fat and Fiber of your meal.

I often find myself looking for the published nutritional information for popular restaurants. So as a helpful starting point for my readers, I’ve decided to create a resource of links to the most popular restaurants that list their nutrition info online.

Knowledge is key when making wise decisions on which items to choose when dining out. Use the links below to compare your favorite foods from the restaurants listed.

You may be surprised at how many ‘healthy’ items aren’t so healthy after all. In particular, many fast food restaurants feature mouth watering salads that on outward appearance present well to health conscious patrons, but in reality are quite unhealthy.

Pay special attention to how foods are prepared and which condiments are used. Many times a simple substitution of a condiment, such as salad dressing, can bring an unhealthy meal down to one acceptable for the Weight Watchers Momentum Plan.

If you’ve got any other links to restaurants nutrition info, please take a moment to comment an leave us a link.

Subway

Cousins Subs

Arby’s

Hardee’s

Carl’s Jr.

Jack in The Box

In-N-Out Burger

Wendy’s

Panera Bread

Dunkin’ Donuts

Taco Bell

El Pollo Loco

Del Taco

Qdoba

Baja Fresh

Starbucks

Caribou Coffee

Panda Express

Popeyes Chicken

Browns Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Olive Garden

Pizza Hut

Papa Johns

Papa Murphys

Dominos Pizza

Chilli’s

Weight Watchers setPoints is a way of establishing a Points Value for Filling Foods when you are unsure of the exact portion size.

Let’s say your out to eat with a friend after a day of shopping…

Make sure to follow the rules below and setPoints will turn out to be your most frequently used Weight Watchers tool.

• You’re still going to make a smart choice: Lean Proteins, Whole Grains and Fruits.
• You’re unsure of just how many points the your portion contains.
• Listen to your hunger signals and stop eating when your satisfied.
• You don’t have to finish the entire plate.
• Eat only what you feel is a reasonable portion.

setPoints Values for Filling Foods

• Lean Protein: 5 Points
• Grains and Starchy Vegetables: 6 Points
• Fruits: 2 Points

Weight Watchers really did a great thing by introducing setPoints. Using setPoints makes sticking to the Momentum plan an attainable goal in a world where most people find the grabbing quick meals while on the go. For more information on setPoints visit the Weight Watchers setPoints.

Even better, just in time for the post-holiday rush to work off that few extra we gained binging on cookies and mashed potatos. I’ve long been a fan of Weight Watchers Online Tools and a few new additions have recently been introduced.

• Weight Watchers is now on Facebook. Yest that’s right, you can now become a fan of Weight Watchers on Facebook. The WW Facebook page includes info about the new online widgets, awesome recipies and tips for wise food choices at the supermarket.

Best of all, all of the recipes and supermarket foods include points values to make following the new Momentum Plan even easier.

• The “I really want…” Snack Widget”. Now the next time you want to reach for that huge bowl of double cookie crunch ice cream consult your Weight Watchers widget first. We all need widgets, don’t we?  Also, you can download a copy of the Widget directly to your desktop.

The “I really want…” widget suggests better snack choices that won’t blow your Points balance.

Try the new Snack Widget for yourself.

• Lastly, Get Rewarded for choosing Weight Watchers products, with ‘incrEdible Rewards’.

Now when you purchase Weight Watchers products either online or retail you can earn points towards their virtual shopping mall online.

The rewards gifts are great and range from DVD’s and software to housewares and office products.

Compare these two breakfast menus and decide which incorporates filling foods.

Breakfast A:

• Shredded Wheat Cereal
• Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
• Small Grapefruit

Breakfast B:

• Restaurant bought Bagel, no cream cheese
• Starbucks Cafe Mocha w/non-fat Milk, no whipped cream

You might be surprised that even when you think your being “good” by forgoing the fattening condiments like cream cheese and whipped cream in breakfast B, you’re still consuming double the points as breakfast A.  By choosing Breakfast A and sticking with more filling foods you’ll feel satisfied longer and save your points balance for later in the day.

The new Momentum plan places more emphasis on making smart food choices.

For those of you who were already using the Flex Points eating plan it may be difficult to tell any difference. So I set out to find the differences between old and new and here’s what I found.

The Momentum Plan food plan tracker includes an option to tracker your hunger level in addtion to points. You track your hunger before your meal and then once again after you have eaten. Hunger tracking can be particularly helpful when analyzing your trends. You’ll probably find that those those three chocolate chip cookies you just ate at the rate of 9 points probably won’t fill you up like that two point salad.

The new Simply Filling plan is a great option for former Core Foods followers who don’t want to track points. With the Simply Filling plan you will almost exclusively eat only filling foods that are marked with a green diamond in the online points tracker. Also, tracking your hunger levels become vitally important when your not tracking points. You’ll need to recognize which foods turn off that hunger switch and how often you should eat to satisfy your appetite without overeating.

Find out more about the Momentum Plan by checking out Weight Watchers extensive resources.

Fruit

High in fiber, low calorie and mostly fat-free fruits are the number one way to stay satisfied on the Points plan.

Small Apple    1 Point
Medium Orange    1 Point
Large Banana    2 Points
1 Cup Grapes    1 Point
½ Large Cantaloupe    2 Points
1 Cup Pineapple    1 Point
1 ½ Cup Rapberies    1 Point
1 Cup Blackberries    1 Point
1 Small Pear    1 Point
1 Small Mango    2 Points
1 Small Grapefruit    1 Point
1 ½ Cup Strawberries    1 Point

Vegetables

Fresh Veggies are an excellent source of essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. There are several veggies that have zero points. That right zero points! Try a hefty salad next time with a low-calorie, low fat dressing to satisfy your hunger.

1 Cup Cucumber    0 Points
1 Cup Mushrooms    0 Points
1 Red/Green Bell Pepper    0 Points
1 Cup Lettuce    0 Points
1 Cup Raw Onion    0 Points
1 Cup Raw Carrot    0 Points
1 Cup Broccoli    0 Points
1 Cup Radishes    0 Points
1 Cup Cauliflower    0 Points
1 Cup Tomato    0 Points

I’m sure my story isn’t unique in that many of us attempt to lose weight many times before finding what works. What works for me has been Weight Watchers. It’s the only food plan that I’ve encountered that can truly be followed for a lifetime. Weight Watchers excels where other diets fail; they don’t simply tell you what to eat, but rather help you make more healthy food choices that won’t make you fat.

So now it’s your turn, take our poll and tell us if you’re a serial dieter.

• First and foremost, take the mindset that you are in this for the long haul. Weight management is not a destination, but rather a lifelong journey. For those of us who have dieted before, this is a sentiment that rings way too true. Many times people lose the weight, reach their their goal and then figure they deserve a break from healthy eating. I know this – I’ve been there. It’s a slippery slope once you’re off the wagon a 3 pound gain can easily turn into 30 lbs. before you know it.

• Stick to the program whatever you do. What’s so great about Weight Watchers is that the Points Plan allows you to eat normal, everyday foods. You’ll learn portion control and how to make healthy choices that fill you up without sacrificing complete satisfaction.

• Use your Weekly Points Allowance for a good splurge or treat once or twice a week. I’ve found that if I save my Weekly Points Allowance for a really great meal on the weekend, I stay more motivated since I have something to look forward to during the week.

• Find new recipes and try new foods. This one’s a biggie. Many people get stuck in the rut of eating fatty, high carbohydrate and calorie rich goods. This kind of diet not only leaves you fat, but can also lead to a multitude of health problems like metabolic syndrome. Weight Watchers keeps an extensive database of foods, Points values and recipes. Explore your food options and try something you would have never eaten before. Who knows you may just like it.

• Last but not least, don’t give up! The old saying quitters never win’ holds true in your weight management endeavors. Find a friend who’s also trying to lose weight so you’ll have someone to lean on during those hard times. Seek out the understanding of close family members who can ever so gently remind you all the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight.

And here’s one extra for the road..find your motivation whatever it is, a wedding, vacation or better health and keep that tucked away in the back of your mind for that extra push when you’re feeling weak.