HOW the HECK do you do it? Manage on 21 points a day??? I've been struggling at this weight for 3 months now -- up two pounds, down two pounds and today I weigh the same as I did at the end of August. Granted, I had 1 family visit and two 3 week trips away from home, so I'm pleased that I've maintained. But I think my overwhelming issue is HOW to manage comfortably with only 21 points a day!

I exercise, but find that if I eat more than 2 of my exercise points, my weight loss stops (see January through August) -- I graph my progress and this is my reality. I have my bonus points but find that if I up my daily points accordingly, I manage day to day just fine but I really have to cut out the one dinner out a week that DH and I enjoy (Thai food, no dessert, well within the 35 bonus points per week that I get). I have tried eliminating this night out and find that I can't manage.

I've substituted high fat for low fat/low points options. I eat low point fruit vice dessert. I bulk everything up with no-point veggies. I cook everything from scratch and use exclusively WW recipes. I weigh and measure EVERYTHING. The issue isn't the weight loss or lack thereof (I understand how hard it is for me to manage being away from home with respect to food composition and portion control). My issue is HOW to manage on only 21 points a day. I'm at the point now where I eat only twice a day because I don't have the points!

And it is beyond me how to fit in the daily recommended servings of dairy and oil without eating absolutely freaking NOTHING, because these points account for almost 1/3 of my budget, so I don't get them in unless I want to starve.

Suggestions?

If you posted your menu for a day, we could help you more. I have 18 points a day and manage fine. I do plan my meals in advance, I don't eat 100-calorie packs, snack bars, etc. Divide you daily points by 2. Use 1/2 for breakfast and lunch. Use the other half for dinner and snacks. You must not be chosing the best foods if you can only get 2 meals out of it. Post the menu so we can see where to help you.

Thanks!
Sample menu:
Breakfast: 8 oz skim milk in a latte, 1 egg, 1/2 oz cheese, 1 english muffin total 8 points.
Snacks: 1 large banana (2 points) at noon, 1 cup grapes at night
Dinner: Spaghetti and meatballs (tonight's meal) made with a WW recipe for 8 points (1 cup spaghetti, 4 tiny meatballs), salad (1 point), 1 fat free pudding (1 point). total 10 points

Total: 21 points.

Today I didn't exercise so no exercise points. On the days I exercise, I have an extra banana before my 90-minute workout.

Sample day 2 (tomorrow's menu!):

Breakfast: 8 oz skim milk in a latte (2 points), 1 boiled egg and 1 piece of toast (4 points -- no lower point breads are available in my town), 1 tangerine (1 point) total 7 points
Snacks: sugar free tapioca pudding (1 point) around lunch, 1 cup grapes (1 point) in the evening, 1 banana in the evening (2 points) total 4 points
Dinner: 4 oz grilled salmon using Pam cooking spray (4 points), 1 cup garlic mashed potatoes (2 points using WW recipe book), 1 cup green beans (0 points), 1 glass of white wine (2 points), 1 lemon square (2 points from WW recipe).
As I am exercising for 90 minutes, I will have a banana around 45 minutes before my workout and count those as exercise points.
Total 21 points.

On the day I use my bonus points:

Breakfast: 8 oz skim milk in a latte, 1 egg plus 1/2 oz cheese plus English muffin (total 8 points)
Snacks: 1 banana (large, 2 points), 1 cup grapes (1 point)
Dinner: 1 1/2 fresh salad rolls with pork, fish sauce, 1 order of rice vermicelli with fresh salad and 1 spring roll (no actual points count, but best estimate of entire meal is less than 35 points), 1 no-fat pudding (1 point) when I get home.

Note: I need protein in the morning. Trial and error has shown that if I have cereal or oatmeal I become very very hungry quickly, hence the eggs. We don't have WW breads in my town, and the lowest point bread is 2 points per slice. I have tried eating more exercise points but weight loss for me stops. I also prefer to minimize my processed food intake so I won't eat Eggbeaters on their own as I feel that eggs/egg whites are a better choice -- no judgements made, just a personal preference...

Any input is most welcome. Thanks so much....

Ah well. Guess I've stumped everyone on this one! Thanks for listening, anyways.

I haven't done WW in years so forgive me for stepping in on this thread but reading over your menu, it doesn't seem like you're eating enough. I know the points add up but it doesn't seem like very much. Are you still hungry at the end of the day?

Also, iirc, isn't a point about 50 calories? That is only 1050 calories a day you're eating. Not nearly enough.

Make a big pot of zero point veggie soup. I make a big pot, freeze some & keep some in the fridge. Once it's cooked, I use a wand blender to break the veggies into tiny pieces.....seems more like a cream soup that way :-)
Have several cups of soup a day. Are you using whole wheat muffins/pasta & fat free cheese? Could you use ff cream cheese instead of cheese?

Lori

I would definitely add in some 0 points foods from your food guide. Fiber One yogurt, most vegetables, etc.

Hi!
Cassieroll, a WW point is 70 calories (if you punch in 70 calories, 0 fat, 0 fiber into your calculator it is one point. Any more calories means 2 points). So 1 point is 70 "pure" calories. 70 x 21 = 1470 calories, which is good for my activity level. And yeah, you are so right -- it just isn't alot of food. I am always hungry at the end of the day. Hungry pretty much all day long to be perfectly honest.
Stamperlori, that's a great idea -- 0 point soup is a great idea. I'll have to dig out my week one book to find the recipe.
Sheena41, I'll add some zero-point veggies although I must confess that I don't feel so full after eating them. It'll take alot of green beans to get me full, for sure! I'm not a great salad person, but I guess I'll have to suck it up and get on with it!
Thanks for the input. I really am struggling and I'm petrified of getting into the 150s -- 20 points! and the 140s -- 19 points and OMG what will I do in the 130s??? 18 freaking points??? I can barely manage on 21!
Oh well! No one said it was going to be easy, huh!

hiya!
if i were you i would divide your points by the meals depending on which you want to be the main one. breakfast could be 5, lunch 5, dinner 9 and then 2 points for snacks.
if you switched to low fat cheese that goes from 3 points to 1.5 per portion. also, if you cant get low calorie bread, i would replace it. 4 points for a boiled egg and one slice of dry toast isnt worth it imo! you could have the boiled egg, a wholemeal pita spread with hummous for that and be much more full.
also, i would replace the banana and only have it on work out days. 2 points for one piece of fruit, that would be 4 tangerines, 2 apples, 4 plums etc.
also, soup is an absolute lifesaver. the butternut squash and red pepper one is my favorite. its always there when you feel hungry!

other than that i cant think of anything else that might help. it is hard to balance things. i hope this helps a little bit!

Ah, 70 calories makes me feel a little bit better

Hang in there.You are doing so well. And it will come off! I followed weight watchers several years ago when you got a daily range.Mine was 18-23 a day. And you could bank your unused points.It was tough.I became pretty obsessed with the points thing.It took a lot of willpower, for sure.Look how far you have come!!

Hi...it's 57 calories per point (so 57 x 21 = 1197). That number fluctuates between 50 and 70 every few years (depending on what site you use). This comes from an employee of WW. So...my first suggestion is that it's not enough calories for you or your activity level. The hardest thing is bumping up....very nerve racking. The second thing is, if you are fine with 21 points as a number...I would never have 8 points for breakfast. I keep to around 4. Switch out the whole egg for liquid egg whites (pure egg whites, no preservatives or anything artificial) that's one point for the egg. 2 whole wheat lite toast is 1 point (lots of brands make this not just WW), I sautee my veggies (onions, spinach tomato) in a tsp olive oil (1 point) to get my oil in and keep me full. So far that's 3 points and more filling than a whole egg. I'd lose the cheese if I wanted a latte, I'm assuming it's 2 points. So that is 5 points. I'd save the latted for a mid morning snack if you can. I do break up my points through out the day to look something like this 4 breakfast, 1 snack, 5 lunch, 1 snack, 8 dinner, 2 snack. Then you can do a search for 5 point lunches or 8 point dinners. Baked potatoes are only 3 points and very filling (spray butter and yogurt on top to get milk in only adds 2 more points). Also, a haf of a cup of fiber one cereal is no points and I add it to my yogurt and it is super filling!! I do love the WW veggie soup and is also very filling. I add beans to most of my days and that is super filling. Of course you know salads are filling too. I just think you need to spread it out more. Don't forget your oil. I do a tsp on breakfast (really helps keep you full) and a tsp with dinner. A glass of milk and sugar free cocoa (3 points) fills me up mid afternoon. My husband is doing ww with me and he's super good at finding low point lunches and dinners. He has less points than I do at this time but only because I've gained back a lot of weight after slacking for a couple of years. Good luck!!!

I notice that you're not eating lunch. Try spacing your food out between 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. That helps me get through the day. It's just a though.

Miss.... I get only 21 points a day and I know what you are talking about. It's time to get creative. I'm going to journal a sample day (when I am being good - and lately I am not being very good, sadly) here for you.
I take note of your breakfast and I appreciate the need for protein, but you are having lots of points at that time of day. Have you tried the Vita Muffins that are one point each? They are filling and they are good. I especially like the chocolate ones, but the blueberry bran ones are pretty good as well.

Here is a sample day:
Breakfast:

Vita muffin - 1
Weight Watcher's yogurt - 1
sliced apple - 1
breakfast points = 3 remaining points = 18

Lunch:
WW garden vegetable soup - 0
grilled cheese with tomato (2 slices lite bread with one slice lite American (WW brand if you can find it) spray non-stick butter spray in pan to make it and grilled on both sides - 2
a vegetable such as canned green beans - 0
pickles - 0
Points used for lunch = 2 Points remaining = 16

snacks:
3 grapes = 0
94% FF micro popcorn = 1
WW cake or one small chocolate = 1

Points remaining: 14

Dinner:
A protein such as chicken breast or fish - 4
baked potato - 3
margarine - 1 (soft, lite version)
salad with 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar - 2

Points remaining 4
I can then make some choices. I usually have a tiny ice cream cone with frozen yogurt or a WW ice cream treat or a 2 point pudding.
If I have planned ahead and know what I will be having and will have 2 points leftover, I can add more snacks or perhaps another slice of cheese with my sandwich or make it grilled ham and cheese or maybe have a commercially prepared soup instead of the WW garden veg soup. I have flexibility.

The secret of this entire thing is to vary the breakfasts. Eggs are something I love, but adding 2 points for an egg that early in the day can wreak havoc with points the rest of the day. Plus, using real (English Muffins) vs. lite bread and cheese along with a breakfast is using up some serious points right up front and then you are in trouble.

Here is an egg alternative to ponder:

Linda's favorite omelet:

3/4 cup egg whites (buy the carton), 1 laughing cow lite cheese wedge, 1 tsp olive oil, chopped pepper, mushroom, onion.

Measure 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive oil into a small skillet. You can buy chopped frozen onions and peppers in the frozen food section of your grocery store if you are in a hurry in the morning. Add pepper, onion and if you feel like it, mushrooms. Saute' until soft and a bit caramelized.

Pour the egg whites over top and when they start to turn white instead of clear, gently slice the cheese wedge into bits over top of the omelette. If you like hot things, you can also spoon in a bit of salsa or add spinach/tomato and use low fat Feta cheese instead of the laughing cow or low fat grated cheddar.
The cheese is 1 point, the oil is 1 point, the egg whites are 1 point and the veggies are freebies. So, you have a healthy omelet that is 3 points and if you toast lite bread or a lite English muffin to have along side it and use the I Can't Believe it's not Butter spray for 0 points instead of butter or margarine on it, you have a 4 point breakfast that will fill you up and keep you going.

Also, Hood is making a wonderful new milk "dairy beverage" that is called Calorie Countdown. One cup is 1 point!
http://www.hood.com/Products/prodLis..._115_121_851_2

All the major grocery stores in New England seem to be carrying it now. Look for it and ask for it if they do not carry it. I learned about it at a WW meeting. It's calcium supplemented and tastes fairly well.
A good breakfast (and very filling) is to make Old Fashioned Oatmeal: Put 1/2 cup oatmeal and 1 cup Calorie Countdown milk in a med size bowl and microwave for 1 min 19 seconds and then stir and then microwave for one minute and 10 seconds. Put the Splenda brown sugar and cinnamon on top. It's so filling, I can't finish it and only 3 points.
I cut up an apple into pieces about 1" to 2" in size and put Splenda over tip and cinnamon and microwave (covered) for about 2 1/2 minutes. It's like eating apple pie, all hot and warm and often have that with my oatmeal. An apple is a point, period, even if it is hot and warm.
So, the oatmeal with the microwaved apple is only a four point breakfast and I guarantee you that you will feel just as full if not more full with this breakfast than the 8 point one.
This gives you 4 extra points for a real lunch!
One cup of pasta (whole wheat) is 3 points. You can heat up leftover pasta and put part of a can of undrained diced tomatoes over top and use enough so it's soupy. Sprinkle with Parmesan and you have yourself a hearty 4 point lunch. Add a salad with a spritz of the salad dressing spray and it's still a 4 point lunch.
You can do this!