Help! I need ideas, here! I find that I am famished at breakfast-time and need to eat a bunch of points to carry me through to lunch.
I eat a piece of fruit (1 point) before my 90 minute hot yoga workout, and have breakfast afterwards. By this point, I need my protein! And my milk! WW toast and jam and black tea just doesn't cut it.
So my typical breakfast rings in at 9-10 points (1 point for fruit pre-exercise, 2 points for one egg, 2 points for one english muffin, 2 points worth of cheddar or well-cooked bacon, and 2 points worth of milk in a homemade latte for a total of 9 points, and I may add 1 point of juice for breakfast, too for a total of 10 points).
Then I plan my supper. It typically clocks in at 10 or 11 points, which is really reasonable considering that I plan for a nice 2 point dessert every day so I don't feel deprived. A typical meal would be a grilled chicken breast for 5 points with bbq sauce for 1 point, 2 points of garlic mashed potatoes, 0 points for a huge serving of green beans, and a 2 point biscotti that is homemade using my WW recipe books.
SO after my planning, I usually only have 2 or 3 points left for lunch!!! Meaning a banana, or an apple and some grapes.
I don't like using the flex points or my exercise points, because experience has shown that if I use them, my weight loss stops.
So what to do? I was reading another post about stomach growling, and I am usually in this situation by 2pm, and again by 9pm. But I just don't have the points to use!
Help! Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Kira
For breakfast why don't you get the light english muffins that are only 1 point and get the fat free cheddar cheese that is 1 point for a serving. That will give you two more points for lunch. Also instead of a whole egg, if you make an omelete or scrambeled eggs with 3 egg whites it is only 1 point. I don't know if you are into soy milk but 1 cup of fat free plain soy milk is one point. This gives you back 4 points that you can use for lunch. You can do one of these things or all of these things depending on how many points u want for lunch.
Thanks for the advice -- I'll keep looking for low/non-fat solutions. I already use the low-fat cheese, as non-fat cheese is not available in my area. Neither is low-fat or calorie-reduced english muffins or breads. I can't find corn tortillas (do they even exist?), WW breads are hit and miss -- lucky to find it, but often they are actually moldy! --non-fat sour cream is not available, and non-fat fetas are truly the holy grail of my diet! Non-fat soya doesn't exist, and low-fat soyas come in chocolate or vanilla, with a ton of sweetners in them -- and are an option if you can find one that isn't curdled because it is out of date!!! The Progresso soups aren't available here, either. We don't have alot of low-fat/non-fat solutions here, so I wind up using my WW recipe books and adjusting them according to what products are available. It is time-consuming and frustrating, but definitely worth it, but I wish I could make some of the recipes as written as it would make my life much easier. And alot of the WW recipes are just not useable as they rely on non-fat EVERYTHINGS that I just can't get here.
But I take your advice to heart, and I will keep my eyes out, and I appreciate your help! Any more suggestions that you veterans have would be greatly appreciated!
Kira
How do you spend your extra 35 points per week or your exercise points? Why not break them up daily that would give you around 5-6 extra points per day.
I would lower the breakfeast by using lighter amounts of what you are doing now. Throw in a 1 point snack around 12 noon have lunch for 5-6 points throw in a snack late afternoon for 1 point than you have your dinner and I always have a 1 point ww fudge pop every night.
Remember there are 0 point things you can use to fill up during the day.
Vegiges
Progresso soup
remember the higher the fiber in your food the less you need to eat to become full so you use less points per meal leaving you more points for more food.
You could try making an egg white omelete instead. Use three egg whites (1 pt) and add any combination of veggies you like (0 pts).
Also, maybe you could try using some of your weekly points, but not all of them. Maybe use 14 of them per week. That would add two additional points per day for lunch.
WOW where do you live???
anyhow, Try finding some cereal that's high in fiber. Maybe incorporate some oatmeal instead of the egg and english muffin? Start finding 0pt items.
Since you can't get Progresso soups, which IMO I don't like.. make some Veggie soup. Make a clear broth (0pts), add any veggies and spices you want, add a small touch of olive oil to the mix and you have yourself a very low, if not 0pt soup that is uber-filling!
Can you get things like wheat bran, flax meal? Those add some fiber, good healthy fats in the flax and low points. The wheat bran is 0pt/serving and the flax meal is 1pt/serving. Each of these are packed with fiber. I add these to my oatmeal a few times a week.
You could also have a smaller breakfast and then carry 0pt snacks with you until lunch time. Then have more points for lunch.
I must say that for me generally my meals consist of 5-6pts, at times more depending on circumstances but not normally. So, breakfast 5pts, lunch 5pts, dinner 5pts, for me that leaves 7pts for other things like snacks, desserts.
But, I'm also on the run a lot. I leave the house around 930am, stop by at 3pm, then head to work until 11pm. We work in our car. I generally make sandwiches of some type for dinner and then grab 0pt snacks.
But, you will find the balance that your body needs. Until you find that balance, start using some flex points. Don't forget your exercise points! I generally get 3 or so of those each day. I count those first then flex points, if I use any!
I am having the same problem....don't want to use m activity points, BUT I inevitably always use my WPA. I have been losing every week for the last 5 weeks, BUT I don't think I will lose any weight at Tuesdays weigh-in. I am getting hungrier and dread my points being lowered when I drop to the next 10's.....not that I don't want to be there, physically and mentally, But that I am already feeling like I cannot manage my points well.
Every morning for breakfast I have 1 egg....would have 2 eggs, but not worth the big jump in points 2pts vs 5 pts. I have been having a coffee @ Starbucks with 1/2 cup skim milk (1 point) mid-afternoon during the week. Cannot convince hubby to stop on weekends. I have also incorporated bananas back into diet. I am a former- South Beacher, so adding the bananas was hard to do, but extremely filling. Also, try sweet potatoes. Oh, and the Progresso Light -weight watcher- endorsed soups are FABULOUS and FILLING 1.5 to 2.5 points per CAN! I add red pepper flakes to kick it up. With all of these techniques, though, I am still feeling hungry, deprived, and somewhat losing my motivation. This is typical of me after 6 weeks on any program. Hard to stay loyal. Amazing to me that I have been married for 13 years ;-}
Hope this helps. Would love to hear other ideas for success.
[QUOTE=risab;2675722]I am having the same problem....don't want to use m activity points, BUT I inevitably always use my WPA. I have been losing every week for the last 5 weeks, BUT I don't think I will lose any weight at Tuesdays weigh-in. I am getting hungrier and dread my points being lowered when I drop to the next 10's.....not that I don't want to be there, physically and mentally, But that I am already feeling like I cannot manage my points well.
Every morning for breakfast I have 1 egg....would have 2 eggs, but not worth the big jump in points 2pts vs 5 pts. I have been having a coffee @ Starbucks with 1/2 cup skim milk (1 point) mid-afternoon during the week. Cannot convince hubby to stop on weekends. I have also incorporated bananas back into diet. I am a former- South Beacher, so adding the bananas was hard to do, but extremely filling. Also, try sweet potatoes. Oh, and the Progresso Light -weight watcher- endorsed soups are FABULOUS and FILLING 1.5 to 2.5 points per CAN! I add red pepper flakes to kick it up. With all of these techniques, though, I am still feeling hungry, deprived, and somewhat losing my motivation. This is typical of me after 6 weeks on any program. Hard to stay loyal. Amazing to me that I have been married for 13 years ;-}
Hope this helps. Would love to hear other ideas for success.[/QUOTerE]
A few things I have learned on my way to life time. Fiber one is your best friend, every day I have that with bannana for breakfast
and it keeps me very full for a long time a lot longer than an egg will. I also add it too my yogurt as an afternoon snack. With the progresso soups i also add in extra frozen veggies for zero points and that bulks it up all the more you can also add in some frozen shrimp. Don't give up or loose motivation just keep telling yourself that you did not gain the weight overnight and you will not loose it that way either. besides studdies show the longer it takes you to loose it the better your chances of keeping it off.
IDK if you like oatmeal or not, but if I have a bowl of Quaker flavored instant, it's 3 pts but if I have a bowl of Kashi Go Lean hot cereal, it's only 2. That stuff is loaded with fiber (7g I think) and keeps me full longer than other cereals, hot or cold. However, I don't love the taste and texture of it so I don't eat it every day.
Do you have egg beaters or generic egg beaters in your area? If so, they are 1 pt for 1/2 cup (which is the equivlent of 2 eggs). This keeps me pretty full through the day
I would also suggest ordering items online through Amazon.com - you may be able to find lots of the choices there - it may cost a little more, but then you'd have some variety.
How do you divide up your points?
