Welcome to the diabetes-tailored Points® plan

Published 21 October, 2021

Hi. We’re so glad you’ve chosen WeightWatchers.

We understand you’re here because you want to meet your health goals. You want to form new habits for lasting change, and you want sustainable weight loss. (There’s really no other kind, if you ask us!)

Our diabetes-tailored Points® plan is designed by our nutrition and behavioural science experts to help you do all of the above.

How is this programme different, you may be asking? We get it - anyone with diabetes hears a steady drumbeat of advice about how important weight loss is to managing their condition. But here’s the thing: most weight loss plans don’t understand what it’s like to live with diabetes, doling out strict meal plans or making you cut out your favourite foods.

That’s not real life.

That won’t help you create lasting habits.

That certainly won’t lead to sustainable weight loss.

And...that’s where our diabetes-tailored Points® plan comes in.


So, how does it work exactly?


Our Points® plan goes beyond calories, simplifying complex nutritional information into one easy-to-use number. (We know you have enough numbers to deal with while managing your diabetes.) But what makes our diabetes-tailored plan so revolutionary is our ZeroPoint™ foods list that takes your diabetes into account.

You'll get a ZeroPointT food list designed for people with diabetes. Each ZeroPoint food was specifically selected by our nutrition and diabetes experts because they are lower in carbohydrates and less likely to raise your blood sugar. You can reach for them as often as you want - no need to track Points® for them.

These recommendations come backed from the American Diabetes Association and International Diabetes Federation, and are carefully selected with diabetes in mind.

Foods that are higher in carbohydrates (like fruit, wholegrains, and dairy) will not be on your list of ZeroPoint foods. Don't worry, though: because everything is on the menu here, you can still enjoy them using your Points® Budget. The programme is built to guide you away from added sugar and towards choices higher in fibre, protein, and healthy fats.

When you track a food in the WW app, you'll see its Points® value and nutritional information, including the amount of carbohydrates, which will adjust as you enter your portion size.


Where can I find support?


At WW, we understand that living with diabetes can be challenging - physically, mentally, emotionally - all of it. That’s why we have a host of support systems, as well as articles, recipes, and resources for living well with diabetes. You’ll enjoy every single aspect of the WW weight-loss programme to help you make lasting change, including healthy eating, being active, a helpful mindset, and getting enough sleep.

On Connect, our WW-exclusive social network, you will find a vibrant community. You can join groups with other members to share recipes and workouts, cheer each other on, post photos and videos of your milestones, follow members you admire, and find friends who understand both where you’re coming from and where you’re headed, so you never have to go it alone. Check out the Living with Diabetes group in Connect to find your tribe.

Our vast network of Coaches and Workshops work together to lift you up in every conceivable way. You’ll find strategies to manage your eating that let you enjoy food while meeting your health and weight goals. You’ll discover that being active is not just about managing your weight, but can lower your blood sugar, prevent complications, and reduce stress. You’ll also learn how self-compassion can change the way you think about yourself and help you set realistic goals that lead to real results.


Will I still need to see my GP?


We can’t stress this enough: our plan is not a replacement for a medical provider, and weight loss should never come before health. If your blood sugar is not where it needs to be, continue to monitor it based on your health care provider’s recommendations and follow their guidance on how to stabilise those numbers. We’ll be here to help with everything else.


How do I transition to the diabetes-tailored Points® plan?


When you join, you’ll see a pop-up message instructing you to answer a few simple questions. When prompted, indicate that you’re living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Our Food Quiz will create a plan with a ZeroPoint foods list just for you.