It's NOT all about the points, right?
 

I joined WW a couple years ago and it's just not working. Now don't think I'm hear to bash WW I know it works, but I'm just not getting into a rhythm with it. At 6'2" 295 or so I'm getting 41 points a day, which has been impossible for me to eat without eating a bunch of junk. I can hit 41 pts, but I don't think WW meant for me to do it on burgers and burritos. I've also had days where I eat super healthy and find myself at 20 points or less.

I'm starting to wonder if I need to try one of these "+ the cost of meals" programs, but they're pricy with so-so food. I'm at a loss for ideas on how to get myself straightened out and dump this weight after 20+ years.

i dont see how your having a hard time hitting those point ranges ... thats a simple one ... use more healthy fats and full fat versions of things in your diet

i like to make it a point to eat only things i like even though im on a diet ... just to prove to myself that a diet does not HAVE to be bland

example i dont do plain salad i always have a fancy salad even if im making it at home for example

1 serving grated cheese - 2 points
salad greens 1 point ( i dont care if veggies are one point they have SOME kind of calories so i count a large serving as a point )
chicken breast ( 1/2 cup marinated in fat free italian dressing ) 4 points
1/4 cup guacamole 2 points
beans (1/2 cup) 2 points
smidge of sour cream (2 points)
dressing of choice one serving full fat version about average 5 points

salad total 18 points ( this is a copy version of APPLEBEES SANTA FE SALAD minus the tortilla strips and the corn and olives )

and thats just a salad ... so figure thats dinner ...
breakfast could be as simple as some cereal ( 2 points for a cup average for cereal ) and milk 2 points for half cup and some juice or coffee ball park that at 3 points breakfast was 7 points your at a total of 25 you have 15 left to divy up between 1 snack and lunch ... so figure you have a 5 point snack and a 10 point dinner ... 5 point snack could be some yogurt ( 3 pts and a cheese stick 2 points ) and dinner could be steamed veggs in a light sauce about 3 points ( 1 point veggies 2 points for sauce ) with a grilled chicken breast marinated in something approx 5 points and you have two points left over thats not alot of food at all .... where are you haveing a hard time using 41 points ..


im 5'6 220 lbs and i get 28 points ( ive got the old book with the predetermined points range idk how many points id get according to the new formula ) but @ 28 points sometimes if i get carried away and make my salad to fancy ( ie nuts olives corn the whole nine ) i can be left hungry for the rest of the day my 28 points FLIES by ... when i first started at 259 lbs i got 34 points and i still felt like i could have used more food ...

not to mention zero point foods DO add up dont abuse them thinking that your in your point range so it dosent matter ... they DO have calories

In the mornings, after getting the kids ready for school and dropped off I head directly to work. If I have time for breakfast it's some sort of breakfast bar or coffee from the cafeteria. Lunch is either out somewhere which I have 30 minutes to go out, get it and get back (so usually fast food) or I get a sandwich and baked chips at the cafeteria. So either I'm eating junk for lunch or having a 7 point lunch. So I'm either at 10 pts after lunch or 25-30pts of junk. Dinner at home is usually quick again so I can get to studying (in my last semester) so it's a WW or other lean microwave dinner of some sort or fast food on the way home.

Like I said, I'm not blaming WW. I know it's my screw up, but that's how it currently goes. Even when I do hit my points I know I'm not doing the right # of fruit/veg/dairy/oil.

wow your in school working and you have kids i see the dilima now ... maybe you could buy some portable thiings when you go to the grocery .. Cheese sticks pre silced apples with the mini peanut butter dippy thiings small cans of olives

maybe once in a while you could eat a healthy /low point breakfast and a healthy/low point dinner and just have whaever lunch falls into your points range even if its not the best thing ever it is bound to be better than how you where eating before ...

So my wife and I went to Chipotle for lunch today. I had a Burrito Bowl and just calculated out the contents to 16 points, which would probably be a good lunch for me, but I'll probably skip the 13 point chips next time.

Just got back from the grocery store with swai, tilapia and salmon fillets. Frozen and individually wrapped so they should be handy for a quick dinner with a salad and regular dressing.

Good luck to you, Behemoth! I imagine if you're having trouble coming up with higher point recipes that are still good for you we should be able to come up with some, or your leader might. I know a lot of what's out there is focused on very low points, but I'm sure we all have a favorite higher point recipe :)

One question - have you been measuring everything? I'd recommend getting/using some measuring cups and/or a scale to make sure you're guessing your portions right. When I started I was at 33pts, and I remember having a bit of trouble eating that all, but it was a 3pt difference, not what you describe. Honestly, if I only ate 20pts a day I'd be famished!! I wonder if you're miscounting somehow. What are you getting the pts from? Calculations from the nutritional information, the books, or online (or somewhere else?). My sense is the books can be the least accurate because it's hard to figure out what a serving size is, and the online pts aren't a linear addition depending on the food (for example, my favorite cereal is 1 pt for one serving; 3 pts for 2 servings; 5 pts for 3 servings. That's because you get the fiber bonus for the first serving but not the others.)

Hope that helps some! I know how incredibly difficult it can be when you feel like you're eating all you need but aren't meeting your points or are losing too fast. They both sound like fun problems to have to most WW people, but it can be incredibly disheartening!!

Good luck to you!
Aym

I get the nutrition stats from the food packages if applicable and create a new food in my log, otherwise I weight/measure everything. I've been having better luck by using full fat options as some suggested. I've had a day or two the past week where I was 8 - 12 points short at bed time. It seems the key is making sure I have breakfast and make sure it's something significant. Otherwise I finish lunch around 12 points and end up getting home at dinner time with 29 points left.

No problem today though. Had breakfast with my wife at IHOP just because we so rarely get to go out for breakfast together. Hit my points but wasn't at all healthy. No worries, I'm back on program again.

healthy high point foods: avacado, nuts, beans, olive oil, Kashi cereal (one bowl isn't that high in points but I usually need two to be full)... I'm sure there are more but those come to mind at the moment

It's a lot of points ...but ...
 

I know that you have a lot of points to eat, but the suggestions that have been given are good ones ...avacado, nuts ...how about real butter (I love real butter!), whole fat milk, whole fat salad dressings, 'real' bread (I love 'real' bread), peanut butter, real sour cream, larger portions of lean meats, regular cheese? These are all things that I'd love to eat all of the time, but ...that's just the way it goes. As your points decrease, then you'll need to eat like the rest of us. ;) I wish you success!