You know when someone tells you something, or you read it and you really want it to be true..? Even when you have a little niggling doubt at the back of your mind, which you try and ignore, its so tempting to push ahead and believe it because you want to. I’ve practically got letters after my name for my ability to do that, in fact it’s probably fair to say that the majority of my major life fuck-ups have hinged on that very thing.
So it’s got to be an area of focus, right? As I’m trying to untangle this spaghetti in my head, it’s one of my watch-outs, and a big red flag was raised for me yesterday, which I ignored. I saw bunting…I might have even fist-pumped quietly to myself. Happily, the nagging doubt persisted so I have revisited it this morning, and for once I can thank the Asshole voice in my head. He was just a bit too enthusiastic you know? Too keen to have me believe, and I got suspicious.
According to Weight Watchers’ website, the high protein bread rolls that I like to buy from Lidl were 2 smart points per serving. And one serving of a bread roll has to be…well, one bread roll, right? Under the old system, they were 9. Now I don’t know if you’re familiar with these rolls, but they’re big heavy triangular things, dark like rye bread and choc full with sesame seeds, kind of like the Rolls Royce of bread rolls. Plus they have added protein so they keep you full for ages.
So as I was preparing to go shopping yesterday, I checked, thinking if they’d gone up like so many of Weight Watchers values under this new system, they’d have to be struck off the list as being too expensive you know? I saw 2 points and it felt like Christmas all over again…get in! So I stocked up, and gleefully raised a proverbial glass to the person who baked them with added magic to account for them being heavy, filling and yet so light in points.
So, fast forward to this morning, as I stuck my bacon medallions under the grill for lunch. The Asshole voice was setting off party poppers in my head. Go on, why don’t you have two rolls? You could even do a few minutes on the hurt machine later and have four!! Pushing all the excitement to one side, something just didn’t feel right so I went back to the website and checked.
Yep, there it was, 2 smart points per 42g serving. It seemed a bit of a belt-and-braces approach but I even called up the chat facility and spoke to their on-line support to make absolutely sure, and they confirmed that yes, it’s 2 smart points per serving. Despite the Asshole voice’s best efforts at screaming believe! believe! believe! in my ear I was still sceptical so I took out the kitchen scales just to be sure. The chuffing thing weighed 120g!
So, basically Weight Watchers were calling out one third of a bread roll as a serving. WTF? Why would they do that! Who in their right mind eats one third of a bread roll..? If they’d said per 100g I would have got it immediately, that’s an invitation right there to weigh it. Per serving suggests that’s what you get.
On the bright side, they’ve come down 3 points in the re-shuffle so they’re still on the list of good things to eat. But come on Weight Watchers, much as I love you, that’s just dumb. I’m so glad I checked.
Shame I didn’t deploy the same amount of diligence last night when I wolfed down two pots of my favourite dessert, before it occurred to me that they might have gone up or down in points under the new system… yeah, from three points to nine.
Crap!
Ohhh that just burns my britches! I HATE when companies do that! Be it weight watchers or the nutrition labels where you think ‘hey I have the budget for this food’ ….eat it…and then realize that the SERVING size was only 1/3 of the package! GRRRRRRR Make it easy for us people!!!
I know, right?! Like it’s not hard enough anyway! D x
Reminds me of the foods that scream on the label “only x calories per serving!” and you look at the nutrition information and find out they consider the box/bag to have 8 servings when you would think the whole thing is one serving.
Or, as my Sweetie puts it, “A serving is however much it takes to make me feel full.”. He has never had to worry about his weight. Makes me nuts!
Oh I hear you! x
I like what you said Cherie – I like eating ‘more’ more too — it’s just figuring out which of those foods that is. Like 1/2 cup of egg whites is 1 point and 1 cup of egg whites is 1 point – so why not have the 1 cup and make a big ass veggie omelet!
Sorry Dee – but BRAVO for you – if something seems too good to be true than it probably is!
I know! 🙂
I think 42g is the weight of an average slice of bread in the US, that is probably why they chose it as a “serving size”. Here in Australia, an average slice is rather smaller at about 35g, and the bread rolls I like are approx. 2 slices of bread (Australian bread).
I am not currently doing WW, I was during the last incarnation when fruit and veges all became point-free. What would you say is the big change this time?
Hi Natalie, this time they’ve come down hard on processed foods and refined sugar so it’s really encouraging people to eat clean. I guess it mirrors emerging thinking on nutrition in general so it’s not a bad thing 🙂
so true! Kills me, KILLS ME, to admit it – but the new system has me eating better – the junk just isn’t worth the points. Not when there’s so much stuff that’s now SO MUCH LESS! I like eating ‘more’ more than I like eating junk. Sad but true – they’ve made a good change, angry as it gets me that my caramel candy corn is now ridiculously pointsy.
Good for you figuring it out – those sound really good though – I wish we had them here!
I agree…but who the hell eats one third of a bread roll! The new system is working for me too…onwards and downwards 🙂