Hi, I did the WW program 4 years ago and it worked great! 16 points seems to be really low. I don't have my book in front of me right now, but I don't think you go below 18 points (and that is if you are already at or under 140 or less lbs - depending on height too i think)
I went to the meetings and I had a great support system from my mom, a friend and co-workers. so I found, at the time, that it was easy to stick to. Granted, I only lasted on it for 6 months which was the time I needed to reach my goal weight. I maintained my goal weight and got even lower during the next year, but due to moving to a new city and other stressful events I put it all back on, and more.
As far as going over your allotted points for the day, there are "free" points to use during the week to cover if you go over, and also there are activity points (for being active, working out, etc.) that you gain to put points back into your day (so you can eat a little more, healthy foods of course, and still balance out).
Message me on here if you need a little more advice on the WW program.

I am doing WW points and they just started a new program and itnis good...but the lowest point allotment is 29 +49extra weekly points. If you get only 16 then you must be looking at the older program which worked for me also.

I also want to try to do weight watchers on my own. I cannot afford the extra 40$/month to go to meetings. How can you figure out how many points you're alotted on the new program?

so I just checked some of my old WW info, and the daily point allotments for the old WW go like this:
less than 150 lbs - 20 points
150-174 lbs - 22
175-199 lbs - 24
200-224 lbs - 26
225-249 lbs - 28
250-274 lbs - 30
275-299 lbs - 31
300-324 lbs - 32
325-349 lbs - 33
350 lbs or more - 34

you also get a weekly points allowance of 35 extra points to use; and when working out you should aim for using 28 activity points per week.

weight watchers is great, but i found counting calories was easier. i hated having to calculate the points, it was easier to count calories for me

Hi there. New to the group.

The new WW program PointsPlus allotment takes into consideration age, weight, height, male/female. It's an entirely different program, so if you follow the old program, you'll want to make sure that all of the points values that you are looking at pertain to the old program and not the new. Points values have gone up for certain items, and now all fruits and veggies (except for starchy veggies) are zero points.

You may want to try the online version, just to get you started, so you can get a good understanding of the new program.

Good luck!

Tee

yeah i have 39 pts daily and 49 extra weekly. i think its a pretty good system. but yeah, its only 20 dollars for the online component and i'm telling you, its worth it if you can afford it at all....because it calculate everything for you, gives you a chart for your weight loss, and helps you build goals. its a great thing!

It works and it's healthy. You can join for free now through 3/12/11 only pay the one meeting fee then you will have all the materials you need to follow the new program on your own and get your support here.

I did WW a long time ago and it worked great for me then. I got to my goal weight -- unfortunately after many years of going back to an unconscious eater and few surgeries that prevented exercising for over a year, I gained it all back. But I'm down again now, only 9 pounds to go to my goal. I count calories now because I just didn't feel like spending the money for the WW. I might still go back to it though. I wonder if the points on the "Smart Ones" frozen foods are the old or new points.

I know they have a new points system and I guess the minimum for that is 29 points. Using the old system, the most points I have ever gotten was 17. I'm short,petite and not really overweight, I just have about 10 pounds that I have been struggling with for a few years now. I assume that the point values have changed as well? I really don't have money to join WW, so I am thinking that maybe I will go with the old point system just to start out?

I'm looking at SparkPeople, too. It's just that counting calories is hard for me. I like how WW works in that if I use all my points, I can still eat as many veggies as I want because they are 0 points. With calories, I feel like they go so quickly and then I am left with nothing. Any kind of filling food has a lot of calories, it seems.

Right now most points on Smart Ones are the old points and also everything else. The new points on products will say Points Plus or Points+ - not sure which as I have not seen any yet. So if it just says points it is the old system.

I think the new system is healthier but it is too complicated to figure quickly in your head like the older system. That is what I do not like about it especially when shopping.