I agree about planning ahead -- in my notebook I write out a plan the night before, on a big post-it that I stick under the next day's entry. Sometimes it is very exact; more often it is like a flow chart ~ this or that, and then this or that. You can still make adjustments as you go, just try not to make them after you eat something else, because then you find out you already ate Dinner's calories. :)

Re: snacking, I actually converted most of my week's lunches to snacks. I pace it out by splitting the day's lunch calories into 2-4 different eating times. I get a lot of things to eat if I'm having a small dinner or if the things I choose that day are low enough. Today's split-up is half of a ham and asiago sandwich (215 cals) as well as a WW yogurt with ground flaxseed (130 cals). I really like this because it keeps me eating more often and helps for working out as well, because I always save a little something to eat right after working out.

Things I use to cobble together a lunch:
apple with 1/2 tbsp PB or 1 laughing cow wedge
banana with 1/2 tbsp PB
low cal soups
yogurt with flax
1/2 sandwiches
peach, plums, 1/2 avocado or other fruit
Trader Joe's lite cheddar string cheese
frozen things I can microwave like morningstar Italian sausages
small salads (1 tbsp dressing)
veggies such as roasted cauliflower

Definitely up the protein intake. I tend to try to eat more protein and things higher in fiber- really helps keep me going. I try to get at least 25 grams of fiber a day.

My menu today was:
Breakfast: 2 light laughing cow wedges + 1 serving (15 crackers) wheat thins fiber selects (190 calories).
Lunch: 4 oz grilled fish, 1 cup white rice, and an orange (440 calories)
Snack: Kashi TLC Peanut peanut bar: (140 calories)
Dinner: Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with light mayo, light yoplait yogurt: 520 calories

That's a total of about 1300 calories. I'll probably have another snack when I get home from school, but not more than 300 calories of a snack. :)

I ALWAYS plan out my menu's, sometimes for the whole week. Helps me stay on track, it took me a while to get a good balance, so if you are hungry, it's time to tweak things up. I currently try to get around 1600 calories a day.

If it were me, I'd mix some flax meal into the oatmeal, trade the sugary fruit snacks for real fruit, add some veggies at lunch, and have a different snack on hand for afterward. Some of my favorite snacks are vanilla Greek yogurt, raw almonds, part skim mozzarella sticks, Kashi granola bars, frozen grapes, apples with peanut butter, and (if I want something sweet, usually after dinner) dark chocolate or a Vitamuffin.

Stay away from sugary things until you know you can handle them...

Wow, girls you are great. I think I'll sit down tonight an make out a plan for tomorrow. Is there a place on this forum that shows food ideas? I'm a bit overwhelmed with this site!

I do agree with so many things, like the fruit snacks and oreos, those just need to go. I tend to eat my kids food too much, and they don't even need that junk so I guess I shouldn't but it or just resist.

I do think I should start by counting calories, my mom, who used to be bigger than me for my whole life is now 20 lbs lighter then me and she is a calorie counter. I just get lazy!

Thanks again

FYI: I'm always short for words so let me apologize if my posts don't seem very thought out. I'm not much of a writer, and I thank those of you who are and are able to take time to write me a post from the heart.