How to Figure Out the Weight Watchers Points’ Value on a Menu

If you’re a Weight Watchers, I’m sure you’ve dined at restaurants, enjoying the food, but wondering, how many points are in this entre? You’re savoring every mouth-watering bite, yet worried that maybe you’ve gone beyond your point allowance. Too often, we deceive ourselves, thinking, Surely, it’s not that many points….

Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore. Thanks to the website, “Dining Out Guide with Weight Watchers Points (http://www.healthdiscovery.net/restaurants/index.html) you can know, for sure, just how many points are in that Lasagna Classico dinner at Olive Gardens or in that 8-ounce cup of nonfat Mocha Cappuccino Blast served at Baskins and Robbins. For example, for Olive’s Gardens’ Lasagna Classico dinner, it’s 26 points (however the Lasagna Classico lunch is half, at only 13); the Mocha Cappuccino Blast at Baskins and Robbins is 2 points.

It’s helpful having this web site as a guide, but often you still don’t know the points value of a food when you dine out. What should you do if your favorite restaurant isn’t listed?

Here’s some suggestions when in doubt…..

*Pick up a copy of the book “Weight Watchers Dining Out Guide”, usually sold at Weight Watchers’ meetings.

*Use calorieking.com. Although I may not find the exact entre of a particular restaurant there, it’s useful in that I can find a similar food and estimate the points’ value.

*Find another restaurant on http://www.healthdiscovery.net/restaurants/index.html) that offers a dish with the same name and apply those points.

*Ask your server if he can find out the nutritional information of a particular dish.

*Save up your points on those days you dine out. This isn’t to give you a license to pig out. It’s just a safeguard so you’ll be sure and have some extra points to spend at at the restaurant..

*Use your extra points and guess on the conservative side—In other words, give your food a higher point value that it probably contains.

*Visit www. dietfacts.com, another Weight Watchers-friendly web site which lists calories, fat grams and fiber. Using your Weight Watchers Points Finder, you can at least get a good estimation of the points in a particular food.

*Skip the rolls and garlic bread—Some may say to limit it to one roll, but if you’re like me it’s better not to get started at all.

*Order grilled or baked, but don’t even mutter the word “f-r-i-e-d”.

*Ask for a doggie bag if they give you a huge serving size. As soon as your server plops it on your table, immediately scoop the uneaten food into the doggie bag—and then close and seal.

*Choose either a light or nonfat dressing. If the restaurant doesn’t have either, ask for oil and vinegar. However, if you must have that 1000 Island or Bleu Cheese dressing loaded with calories and fat, ask for it on the side. You’ll be better-off if you just dunk you lettuce, rather than pour the drown it in dressing—dunking is just as tasty, as well as less points.

*Watch out for “extras”—Be forewarned that many restaurants load up their menus with extras laden with calories. For example, take a chef salad. It would fine without all the extra chesses, hams and croutons. Ask your server to only give you about half of the cold cuts he’d normally include on your salad. It’s easier if you don’t even have to look at the extra grated cheese, croutons, and bacon bits.

*Don’t even think about dessert. But if you have to have it, ask for fruit and another cup of coffee, preferably black coffee.

These are only a few suggestions. Why not find a Weight Watchers meeting (www.weightwatchers.com) near you and join? Just by sitting in on a Weight Watchers’ meetings and asking questions, you’ll learn even more tips on how to stay on program as you dine out.