Here's today:

B: 2 packets of peach oatmeal:4pts
vegetarian bacon:1pt
S: banana:2pts
L :single size whole what boboli pizza with broccoli, mushrooms, mozzarella and sauce: 9pts
2 tbs low fat ranch:2pts
S: apple:1pt
almonds:4pts
D: mushroom patty:3pts
brown rice:2pts
steamed green beans:0pts
S:strawberries:1pt

29/29

Exercise: 1/2 hour cardio
5 sets of weight lifting

B (4): Oatmeal with brown sugar (2.5), banana (1.5)
S (5): Protein bar (5)
L (5): 15 bean soup with ham (5), 1 cup carrots (0)
S (3): Rice crackers (2), apple (1)
D (4): Salad with tuna and dressing (4), light soy milk (1)

Used: 22
Range: 20-25
AP Earned: 5 (biking at the gym tonight)
In the bank: 3
APs banked for the week: 5

Thursday: (wow, it's Thursday already!)

B: english muffin, egg (3)
L: big salad with veggies, 1/4c beans (1), 1oz chicken (1), hardboiled egg (2); 1c fruit (1), 1/2c pasta salad (3), roll (3)
D: spicy beans n greens (4), cornbread x2 (6)
S: fudgecicle (1), 1/2 a beer (2?)

=27/27

b: yogurt(1)banana(2)
s: panera asiago cheese bagel(7)
l: smartone quesadilla(4) orange(1)
d: porkchop(5)salad w/dressing and bacon bits(3)brocoli w/ cheeze(1)
s: sugar free pudding cup(1)

total:25/26

i know that i should really have 27 but is it okay to move myself to 26 points if i am like a pound away from switching over anyway?

You don't want to get into the habit of under-eating, though. I'm of the opposite mind - I'm supposed to be at 26 now but I'm hanging on to that 27th point until I find I'm not losing well. The more you can eat and still lose, the better. As counter intuitive as it may seem, eating less does NOT necessarily equal losing more, and in many cases, people's losses stall out when they take their food consumption too low (not eating their base target points, not eating any APs or FPs).

My take on this has always been that if you can eat more and lose, then you should eat more. Everyone is different though and I think that everyone needs to figure out what works well for them. For instance I will gain weight if I use all my flex points in a week, so I can't eat a whole lot more and still lose. Try considering your target your minimum for the day instead of a target. Use some flex points to differ your daily intake. Your body can get used to it if you always hit your target every single day instead of switching it up.

Today's plan:
Breakfast was melon and toast: 3 pts
Lunch: rice and beans (I have got to post this recipe for you guys it is DELISH) 5 pts
Snack: carrots and hummus 2 pts, soup 2 pts, orange 1 pt
Dinner: let's see...tofu and veggies with rice sounds good. 5ish pts. Ooh, that leaves room for desert -- frozen yogurt? I think it's 2 pts...

Total 20/20

thanks ladies, i think i will stick with 27 until i am supposed to move down. i just want the weight to come of faster, but maybe it will anyway. i forget that every loss counts sometimes, and i only lost .4 last week and i can't get myself to think that i did any good if the number is under one lb. sorry i'll stop whining now.

We all understand where you are coming from! Don't feel like you are whining!

How about looking at what you've been eating instead of adjusting how much you are eating? I'm perusing through your planning posts now... well there are only a couple. But I would make sure you are following the 8 healthy guidelines. Also, it looks like you probably eat a lot of processed foods (you had a smartones dinner listed, etc) so I would watch your sodium intake. One thing you can do to counter that is by putting some lemon in your water that you drink.

i do try to meet all the guidlines but i have a problem with the 2 tsp. oil , how do you fit that into your day. it just makes me sick to think about it. but if it is really necessary i would like some suggestions so that i don't have to taste it. i have heard about putting it in a smoothie but have never made a smoothie.

Huh, in a smoothie? I'd rather not *drink* my oil!

I usually cook my dinner in it, or dress steamed veggies with it, or mix it with vinegar for a salad dressing, or make a sauce for chicken or something with it.

It is important though, that good fat keeps our hair and skin healthy and does lots of protective things for our organs!

Friday:

B: Oatmeal (3) with a tsp of cocoa, and 1/2 tsp sugar (0.5)
L: Frozen coffee (5.5), rocky road square (10) - am guessing on both of these
D: Penne (5) with broccoli, tomato sauce (1) and cheese (1), 3 meat muffins (thrown in sauce - 3)
S: Cup of tea with milk/sugar (1.5), WW almond cake slice (1.5)
= 32/22

Flex points used (as of Friday): 33

Saturday:

B: Cereal (3) with 1/2 tsp sugar (0.5)
S: Cookie (1.5)
L: Chicken burger patty (3), baked sweet potato (3), 2 squares dark chocolate (2)
D: 2 chocolate rice krispie-esque squares (4), 1 piece of cake (4), popcorn (4)
S: Onion rings (7)
= 32/22

Flex points used this week: 43 (-8 for next week, hopefully)

I put EVOO on my veggies and mix it with vinegar for salad dressings as well. Also if you are grilling you can brush the EVOO on veggies or meat before putting it on the grill. It keeps it from sticking too.

I admit this is the one thing I'm really bad about getting in every day!

THANKS, I THINK I'LL TRY THE GRILLING IDEA BECAUSE WE DO GRILL ALOT BUT I HAVE ALWAYS USED PAM SPRAY. I'LL USE THE OIL ON THE GRILL INSTEAD. MY TINY GEORGE FOREMAN IS MY BEST BUDDY LATELY. GRILLED MUSHROOMS ARE MY FAVORITE FOR 0 POINTS SO I GUESS IF I USE THE OIL TO COOK THEY WOULD BE 1 POINT. THANK YOU FOR THE HELP. CAUSE I HATE THE IDEA OF DRINKING OIL TOO