i wanna start this thread to see what other ww people do to keep with in points i think its a good way to swap ideas about how to stay with in limits and not go hungry, any and all ideas welcome

thank you

This really isnt that good of advice but it works for me.
I work at an office job where I am at my desk for 9 hours a day. which used to mean 81/2 hours of eatting

So to stay with in my points ... I dont eat my breakfast until about 11:30 and
Lunch at 2:30 .....

I eat later so I dont have alot of hours left to where I can get into trouble.


Angie ...


I also fill up my RED BOX MEALS (SMARTONES) with Green beans or Baby carrots to make them more filling but No additional points.

Oh boy, so many things. First and formost, I have a cheat day...actually 3 cheat meals over the weekend. I don't count them, I just do it. That keeps me straight for the week. Also, I spread out my food, my breakfast usually involves eating at least twice, may be 3 times. I've found that if you use a good amount of points for breakfast, you aren't as hungry at night. Also, lots of fruit, it's filling, it's 1 point and it's sweet. I always budget my day so I have 10 points at dinner. This allows me a 6 or 7 point meal, and a 3 or 2 point dessert. I don't eat my work-out points...unless it's neccessary, which it never is. I rid my house of anything easy and unhealthy. If I were to go on a binge at my house, I would have to OD on toast and non-fat yogurt. Also, lots of veggies at dinner. My trick is to always eat veggies first, then protien, then carbs. That way, I am more full by the time I get to the carbs, rather than the veggies, less points. And finally, I eat food I like. If you are miserable, you will not stick with it, and if you don't stick with it, you are back where you started. Oh, WW desserts, the oreo bar or giant ice cream cone....2 points, but very good and filling. That is all. Enjoy.

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]

1) Follow the 8 Great Health Guidelines
2) Follow one of the Points Pies
3) Eat as more from the list of Core foods rather than prepackaged junk and simple carbs

Another strange system, but it works for me.

I eat at a points target two weight zones below mine (22 instead of 26 up until this week). I hardly ever have just 22 points so that part doesn't work. But the 4 points a day results in 4x7 = 28 additional extra points per week. So basically if I use my 35 extra points, I still have a slush fund.

In addition to that, I keep a total points per week and average points per week in mind. At 26 points + the 35 extra points (which is about 5 per day), you can average 31 points per day and still be on program. So even if one day (or two) isn't going well, I just try to keep my average under 31 and my total under 217 for the week.

These are my points per day
PTS 24 30 27 24 26 33
26 40 23 25 40 24 24
25 24 36 22 32 31 60
24 23 25 35 31 36 50
15 39 44 29 51 31 24
24 28 35 24 30 24 39
25 46 25 36 24 41 49
26 27 32 54 42 22 27

This is my total points per week, average points per week and weight loss.

189 27.3 -6
202 28.9 -1.4
230 32.9 -0.8
224 32.0 -3.2
233 33.3 -1.2
204 29.1 -2.2
246 35.1 0.2
230 32.9 -4.8

Now that I have hit the under 200 threshold, I am going to strive for 20 points per day so I can still have the slush fund.

I also really like the article on the "Wendie" plan that is stickied up above. I think that is basically my model. I don't worry about each day, but just the week.

Hi - I try and divide my points this way. Half for breakfast/lunch & other half for supper/snack at night. Try to leave flex points for weekend since I have lots of social functions. If I stick to this I lose.

I eat about 4 to 5 points at breakfast so I stay full longer.

I then have low fat yogurt or celery with laughing cow light cheese as a snack.

I make sure to include protein at lunch - keeps me full longer and lessens the 3 pm sugar cravings.

I have a snack around 3:30 or 4 p.m. so that I am not starving by the time I get home 6:00. This way I avoid eating half the fridge while waiting for dinner to cook.

I get 22 points per day so I eat a lot of veggies & fruit to keep my points low but also spend some points by including a bit of protein with every meal i.e. canned tuna on salad at lunch, leftover chicken, low fat deli meat etc.

Dinner is 3-4 oz protein and 2 cups of vegetables - I try to limit rice and potatoes.

While I understand basically what you are trying to do eating less than the recommended daily target points will only serve to slow your metabolism down. In the end doing more harm than good for your system. These have been researched on basal metabolic rate and thus the reason for the target aka daily points is to keep your body from thinking it is starving. While at first it does have weight loss it will eventually slow down. DO NOT EAT LESS THAN YOUR RECOMMENDED TARGET RANGE.

I'm gonna pull up a story about 2 of my friends and what happened when 1 did the same thing as you (or what I understand you are doing) and what happened to her.

Kelly, I understand what you are saying, but respectfully disagree. This forum is a wonderful place to exchange ideas and information. We are all different and how we approach weight loss is different.

If you look at the numbers, for the last 8 weeks I have been in the 26 points per day range. 26*7 is 182, so if I had no extra points I would be eating 182 points per week.

Week 1: I used 7 extra points (189 total) and averaged 27.3
Week 2: I used 13 extra points (202 total) and averaged 28.9
Week 3: I used 41 extra points (230 total) and averaged 32.9
Week 4: I used 35 extra points (224 total) and averaged 32.0
Week 5: I used 44 extra points (233 total) and averaged 33.3
Week 6: I used 15 extra points (204 total) and averaged 29.1
Week 7: I used 57 extra points (246 total) and averaged 35.1
Week 8: I used 41 extra points (230 total) and averaged 32.9

Notice, I am not eating less than is recommended. As a matter of fact, during 4 of the eight weeks I ate more than my alotted extra points for the entire week.

Does it help me to think of a 22 point target even though I don't reach it. Yes, I like to set my goals high.

Am I losing weight. Yes. 19.4 lbs in the 8 weeks.

Is it wrong? No, not for me.

Might it help someone else? That is for them to decide.

This is all part of why I love the interent and 3FC. I celebrate freedom of speech and free will.

Then I misunderstood you but research (both W/W and every respected weight loss program out there) has proven if you continuously eat below a minimum your body needs to think it is not starving is detrimental to your weight loss efforts serving only to slow down your metabolism. I apologize if I misunderstood what you were saying.

W/W is research proven and the minimum a day is set that way for the reason stated above.

It is for all of us to decide and I never truly try to change someone opinion on how to do their program. I only provide facts from research and training (yes I have taken many courses in nutrition, fitness and weight loss --- about 9 credit hours to my degree).

Write it before you bite it! My WW leader stresses this point all the time. It's important to journal every bite, it keeps me accountable. Weighing in weekly at WW also keeps me accountable. Besides, I'm a sucker for the little 5 lb. weight loss stars to put in my WI book.

I have just discovered a wonderful snack recommended by our fill-in leader last week. Slice up a small Fuji apple (1 point), sprinkle with cinnamon, and cook on low heat in a skillet (covered) with a few sprays of butter spray (0 points). Makes wonderful cooked apples and only 1 point. I did 2 apples for dinner last night and shared with my husband. Made a nice side dish and it's v. filling, warm comfort food. Plus, it helps me get in my fruit servings. Since I'm a banana fanatic, it's good to get some apples in my diet. It's so easy to make and smells wonderful while it's cooking. I have an apple corer/slicer (the hand held kind that you press over the apple) and I don't peel the apple but I do slice each slice in half lengthwise so they will cook quicker and makes it look like a bigger serving.

I agree with Dee, I write down EVERYTHING. I plan my meals ahead of time to keep me prepared. I keep an online journal where I write everything I eat. The night before I pack my lunch. In the morning before I leave for work, I have dinner planned out (sometimes this happens, sometimes not). I save ALL my flex points for the weekend (and so far have not even used them).

If anyone ever wants to read my journal, let me know. It's on livejournal and can only be viewed if you have an account and are on my friends list.

I have my best days when I use the "brown bag" approach. I organize all my snacks and lunch just like I am not going to be home for the day. I write it down in my journal. And then I don't eat anything that isn't in the 'bag'. Now, I don't actually have a bag on my kitchen counter. It is just that on work days I always do really well because I only eat what I brought with me. On days that I stay at home I tend to do a lot of grazing. If I pre-plan by writing down what I am going to eat ahead of time, setting out the apples all in a row and measuring out what will be on my salad, etc.. then I am a lot more likely to stay within my points prior to dinner.

wow the response has been so over whelming thanks for all the good advice, its neat how every one has their own system.

I have a desk job and I keep apples at work.
Breakfast is oatmeal with splenda brown sugar - Then I drink water
I try to drink at least 45 oz of water at work - I always have water on my desk to drink and many times I have an extra something (diet soda, etc)
Lunch - I try to stay around 4-7 points and leave the rest for supper and a small snack (which is usually an apple with a spoon ful of peanut butter - YUM)
If my family wants something I really should have - I choose chicken - I grill it on kebobs with mushrooms and yellow and red peppers (I dont like the green ones)