Tomorrow's Menu:

B: Oatmeal (3) with honey (1), cinnamon, and dried cranberries (1)
L: Chicken Chili (5) with whole wheat pita (2)
S: WW Bar (1.5)
D: Homemade Pizza - Base (4), Sauce (1), veggies (0), Meat (2), Cheese (2) as a rough estimate? I am eating at a friend's tomorrow night.
S: Birthday cake (???)
=22.5/23 not including cake (will use flex points)

I get to make my own pizza tomorrow so I am going to load up on veggies, take it easy on the cheese, and put some sandwich meat on there. How does my estimate look? Any ideas? I would prefer to overestimate than underestimate.

Depends what you're using to make your own pizza -- if it's a tortilla or a pita then you're overestimating; if it's a dough then it's hard to say, but I think it's a good estimate. Another thing you might think about is leaving off the sauce and putting down sliced tomatoes instead. That's my favorite thing for homemade pizza. Otherwise it looks good, just eyeball the 2oz of meat and 1oz of cheese you're accounting for.

This is my today:
B: oatmeal (3)
S: graham cracker w/pb (2)
L: chicken noodle soup (3), spinach with tuna salad (4 -- 4oz tuna w/tsp mayo, 1/2 an apple, and chives), 1/2c grapefruit and 15 grapes (1)
S: rye crackers with laughing cow (2), tootsie pop (1)
D: angel hair pasta (4) w/shrimp (2) and asparagus with garlic butter sauce (2)
S: popcicle (1)

=25/27 - woulda been 27 if my hardboiled egg had made it from the fridge to my bag for breakfast. I'll probably sneak in another graham cracker and a bit of milk to make up the other 2points this evening.

That's a really good suggestion, suite. Too bad I don't like tomatoes Tomato sauce, yes, ketchup, yes, tomatoes themselves... no. But I will stick to that estimate as I imagine it will be pizza dough rather than a tortilla. Thanks for your input!

Well last night was shot. Stuck to my menu til after dinner and ended up 11 pts in the hole (at least). Sigh. Back to it --

B: 2 lf waffles (2), homemade raspberry-mango sauce (1), hardboiled egg (2)
L: leftover black bean and barley salad (with tomatoes, bell peppers, green onion, cilantro and lemon juice) (6), grapefruit (1)
S: rye crackers and laughing cow cheese (2)
S: 1/4c cottage cheese, basil, tomato on top of rye crackers (2)
D: "sticky chicky" -- basically bbq chicken thighs with a funny name (6), pile o' mixed veg, potato (3), popcicle (1)
S: NONE because I'm not allowed to continue my nighttime grazing -- it's getting me in trouble.

=26/27. close enough. :/

I really need to mix it up a bit like you do, suite! I just find it so difficult to find low-point food sometimes, and when I make chili I don't have enough tupperware to freeze any of it (I am going to buy some one of these days) so I end up eating it for one meal for almost five days straight. I find it so difficult with only 23 points to find new combinations of things that won't put me over my "budget". But tonight for our pizza we didn't even have any sauce, and it was delicious without it, more like some kind of vegetable bake than pizza since I loaded up on the peppers and onions. Delish!

Tomorrow's menu:

B: Oatmeal (3) with honey (1) and cranberries (1)
S: WW Bar (1.5)
L: Chicken chili (5) with whole wheat pita (2)
S: Tea with a teeeny bit of honey (0.5), almond cake slice (1.5)
D: Chicken Burger Patty (3), Oriental Green Beans (1)
S: Cup of tea with milk/sugar (1.5), WW Peanut Bar (1.5)
= 23/23

Thursday's Menu:

B: Bowl of Special K (3.5) with 1/2 tsp sugar (1)
L: Tuna (1) with six 99% ff crackers (3), Cappuccino (2), Flapjack (4)
S: WW Bar (1.5) - they are just the right size to keep in my bag for between classes!
D: Chicken Chili (5) with whole wheat pita (2)
S: Skinny Cow Ice Cream Bar (2)
= 23/23 + 2 FPs

I think I am going to take a trip to the supermarket maybe on Friday with a goal of finding other low-point snacks that I can take with me to school since I spend so much time there. As much as I like the WW snacks, they're a bit impractical because I may not always buy them, and I would like a bit more variety in my menus in general as I don't want my body to get used to the same thing every day. The snacks list on the forum has given me some great ideas!

I think especially with snacks it's just important to be creative. When I start getting bored with my snacks is when I start seeking out cookies at the coffee shop down the street. I haven't made chili in a long time, I love chili! I generally just love to make a big pot of soup to freeze, it's like having my own stock of frozen dinners.

Yesterday got switched around a bit, I ended up making chicken burgers for dinner instead of my plan. I also had some unplanned wine.... I think I went over by 3 pts yesterday, NONE of which was due to nighttime snacking, just the wine. So hurray for that!

Today --
B: 2 lf waffles (2), raspberry-mango sauce (1), hardboiled egg (2)
S: rye crackers w/laughing cow (2)
L: leftover chicken burger patty (5), half a bun (1), roasted veg (0), 1/2 grapefruit (1)
S: 1/2 c cottage cheese w/tomatoes and basil and rye crackers (2)
D: from last night, moved forward -- "sticky chicky" (6) w/sweet potato (3) and steamed veg., popcicle (1)

=26/27

It seems to be just us here these days! Anyone else want to share their menus with us and give me some inspiration? lol

B: Bowl of Special K (3) with 1/2 tsp sugar (1), Skinny Cappuccino (1)
L: Chicken Chili (5) with six 99% ff crackers (3)
S: WW Bar (1.5)
D: 1/2 Can of Beans (3) with whole wheat pita (2), cauliflower with basil, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil (1)
S: Cup of tea with milk/sugar (1.5), almond cake slice (1.5)
= 23.5/23

Tomorrow's Menu:

B: Oatmeal (3) with honey (1), cinnamon and dried cranberries (1)
L: Last Serving of Chicken Chili (3), whole wheat pita (2)
S: Pringles Snack Pack (3)
S: Small piece of candy (2)
D: Pizza - Dough (4), onions, red pepper, Italian seasoning, cheese (2)
S: Skinny Cow Ice Cream (2)
S: Homemade flapjack (2)
= 25/23

I asked my friend for her recipe for pizza dough because it was really good, and it turns out a serving is worth like 7 points because it has milk and stuff in it. Anyway, needless to say, I will be using one of the pizza dough recipes from the board here instead tomorrow night!

I had some brown rice left over. I don't like it plain, but didn't discover that until I had made 4 cups of it last weekend. Well, I found a recipe that wasn't quite what I wanted to make, but it gave me an idea.

First I browned four bonless chicken breasts. Add whatever spices you like.

Then I took out that brown rice (it was about 3 cups worth), dumped it in a non-stick frying pan and added two 14 oz cans of no salt tomatoes (recipe called for diced, but didn't have any so just cut up the whole ones). I added some spices (oregano, basil, use whatever you want) and put in the chicken. I let it simmer until the rice was hot and the chicken was fully done, about 20 minutes. Served it with fresh green beans on the side and a grapefruit. It was wonderful! (5 oz. Chicken, 5 pts; 3/4 c. rice, 3 pts; green beans, 0 pts.; grapefruit, 1 pt.)

Tonight, I quickly sauted 4 oz. of shelled shrimp (about 12 extra large ones) with Old Bay (I am sure Cajun seasoning would be great, too, I just thought of it too late) in my non-stick frying pan (add a bit of butter or oil if you must, I just use a couple tablespoons of water). When the shrimp were almost done, I took out the leftover rice and tomatoes and added one heaping cup (remember, those tomatoes are in there) to the shrimp and let simmer until fully heated and shrimp were done. Voila, instant dinner. Served with fresh asparagus and grapefruit. (4 oz. Shrimp, 2 pts; 1 c. rice, 4 pts; asparagus, 0 pts; grapefruit, 1 pt.)
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Today:

Breakfast:
1 c. Cereal: 2 pts. (1 grain)
1/2 c. FF milk: 1 pt. (1/2 milk)
1 grapefruit: 2 pts. (2 fruits)

Midmorning:

Non-Fat Yogurt: 2 pts. (1 milk)

Lunch:
Egg Salad (2 eggs, 1 tb. Miracle Whip): 5 pts. (1 protein)
2 slices WW bread, toasted : 1 pt. (I grain)
1 c. veggie soup: 0 pt. (1 veggie)

Dinner:
4 oz. Shrimp (2 pts, 1 protein) mixed in with
Brown rice with tomatoes: 4 pt. (1 grain)
12 spears fresh asparagus (0 pts) (1 veggie)
1 grapefruit: 2 pts. (2 fruits)
1 1/10 piece piece yogurt cheese cheesecake: 5 pts. (1 milk)

Evening snack:
1 c. Chocolate Mousse (FF choc. pudding, Cool Whip Free): 2 pts. (1 milk)
Handful or two of non-buttered popcorn (?)

That's 27 counted, w/o the popcorn, out of the 28-31 points I'm eating now. I have managed to get in 3 dairies (and two of them were a dessert and a snack!), 2 veggies and four fruits (Okay, so grapefruits are a give away because one of them, even small, equals 2 fruits). Along with the water, these veggies and fruits are the most important things we need to try to get in us everyday. I notice a lot of these posted menus seem to be short on them.

I replied to your message, Philly. Thanks for posting with us. Your rice recipe sounds really nice! I might have to give that a shot.

As far as vegetables go, I am eating 3-4 servings a day (with Oriental Green Beans being 2-3 servings since I love them so much, but still only having the same amount of sauce as if I were just having one... generally if I am having vegetables with dinner, they are more than one serving, like my cauliflower last night was about 2 cups worth as I mashed it), have added dried fruit to my oatmeal, and am trying to have a vegetable with dinner every night, if not with lunch (like the four peppers, onion, and tomato paste in the chili divided by five servings), which is a big change for me. I rarely ate more than one serving of vegetables before because I am a university student and let's face it, living away from home, we don't have the best of eating habits all the time. That's changed, however, and I'm really pleased with how many vegetables I am actually getting in these days. It may not always be the required five, though occasionally I'll have a really good day and reach it, but I'm still upping my vegetable intake and it's working for me. I take a multivitamin as well. I know I will lose more weight if I eat more vegetables than I used to, and I am, and so I'm losing. My worst weeks as far as weight loss goes have been those when I haven't been eating enough vegetables and so, having realized this, I try to get in as much as I can.

Today I had:
B: cereal with fat free milk :4ts
S: granola bar:2pts
almonds:4pts
L: salad with carrots and 1 tbs low fat ranch:1pt
whole wheat fiber bagel with butter:6pts
S: orange:1pt
D: brown rice cooked with vegetable broth:2pts
vegetarian chicken:2pts
sauteed zucchini and mushrooms: 1pt
S:apple with 1 tbs peanut butter: 4pts
granola bar:2pts

This is 29/29 <3

I would like to track my meals on this site.

Breakfast- Weight control oatmeal, 1/2 grapefruit (4) = 4

Lunch- 1 c. ww split pea soup (4) 3 crackers+small round one (2)
chicken salad put on 2 of the crackers (2) 1/2 cup SF pudding (1)
1 apple (1) = 10

Dinner
ww yogurt (1)
apple (1)
1/2 Light muffin (.5
Laughing cow cheese (1)=3.5
Total Daily Points= 17.5

Seriously need to get back on tracking... I think I'm going to start tracking the Core aspects of my plan, too, as I'm interested in heading towards Core but still following Flex. I've been allowing too many junk foods into my diet while still accounting for them with Points, but ultimately I want to be eating a diet of primarily whole foods... Core foods in bold below.

B: 1/2c oats (2), 1 tbsp hazelnut creamer (1), 1/2 oz walnuts (2)
L: 2c spinach (0), 1/2c tuna (3), 2 tsp lf mayo (1), 2 tsp dijon mustard (0), apple (1), 1c grapes (1), 1/2c 2% cottage cheese (2)
S: 12 oz. skim latte (3)
S: 1 c skim milk (2), WW smoothie mix (1)
D: 2 c turnip greens (0), 1c pinto beans (4), 1/4c onions (0.5) and spices (0), cooked in 1 tsp olive oil (1), cornbread (3)
S: 85% dark chocolate (2)

=25.5/27 close, but just under... :/ And actually today I'm doing really well on the core/whole foods front, too! just some non-ff dairy and those walnuts... and chocolate!

I haven't had time to plan out my menus ahead of time recently... and I find I am way more focused if I do it, so I'd like to get back into the habit myself!

B: Oatmeal (3) with honey (1) and cinnamon
L: English muffin (2) with ham (1), cheese (2), red pepper, onion, WW Bar (1.5)
S: Pringles Snack Pack (3)
D: Chicken & Lemon Risotto (5), Oriental Green Beans (1)
S: Tea with milk/sugar (1.5), Special K Mini Breaks (2)
= 23/23

Sat., March 8
Breakfast: 2 sl. WW toast (1 pt); 1.5 tsp. each whipped butter and jelly (2 pts.); 1 grapefruit (2 pts.) TOTAL: 5 pts
Mid-am: nonfat yogurt: 2 pts
Lunch: 2 sl. WW toast (1 pt.), 1 3-oz. bl chicken breast (3 pts); 1 TB Miracle whip (1 pt); 1 12-oz can V8 (1 pt.) TOTAL: 6 pts
MidPM: nonfat yogurt : 2 pts.
Dinner: 4 small stuffed shells (5.25 pts); 8 oz. cooked spinach (0 pts) with 2 TB whipped butter (2 pts); 1 2-oz. sl. Italian Bread (2 pts); 1 TB whipped butter (2 pts). TOTAL: 11
PM snack:
1 c Chocolate "mousse": 2 pts.
Total Points: 28.25 pts. (allowed 28-33)

Sunday: Yesterday was not a normal day, woke up late.
Brunch: egg salad (5), 2 sl. WW Bread (1), V8(1) , Lite Yogurt (2)
Mid afternoon: Yogurt (2)
Dinner: 5 oz chicken (5), 1 c. brown rice (4), 8 oz. cooked spinach (1)
4 Irish Potatoes (4) (so slap me)
Points: 25 out of 28-33

Monday's:
Breakkfast: lg. pink grapefruit (2), 2 c. coffeew-2 tsp sugar free vanilla caramel creamer each - 1
Mid-AM: Non-Fat Yogurt (2)
Lunch: egg salad (5), 2 sl. WW bread (1), V8 (1)
Dinner: 4 oz shrimp (2), 1 c. rice (4), 1 c. peas (2), 1 sl. (1/12 pie) yogurt cheese cheesecake (4), 1 sl WW bread (.5), 1 TB whipped butter (2).
Evening snack: yogurt (2)
28.5 points