Dawn,
30 lbs in 12.5 weeks!!!! You should be proud of yourself instead of mad!!! You are doing great!!!
I think it is very important for you to know how many points you should be eating everyday..it seems like you still aren't really for sure...
To determine you daily points target:
1) Take the first two digits of what you weigh (For you 28 sicne you weigh 288)
2) Are you female? Add 2 pts
Are you male? Add 4 pts (Now you are up to 30)
3) How old are you?
17-26....Add 4 pts
27-37....Add 3 pts
38-47...Add 2 pts
48-58..Add 1 pts
Over 58...Add 0 pts ( 30 plus____=_____)
4) How Tall are you?
Under 5'1"...Add 0 pts
5'1" to 5'10"..Add 1 pts
5'10 and up...Add 2 pts (Total of 3+____=_____)
5) How do you spend most of your workday?
Sitting down (ex. office worker)...Add 0 pts
Occassionally sitting, but mainly standing (ex sales person, mom)..Add 2 pts
Walking most of the time (ex postal carrier).....Add 4pts
Doing physically hard work (ex construction worker)...Add 6 pts
(Total of 4+ ____=_____)
6) if you are nursing mom,
Soley breastfeeding...Add 10 points
Supplementing w/some solids or formula.....Add 5 points
PLUS You get 35 flexpoints a week...
PLUS you get your Weekly Activity points...
With your Activity Points you don't have to eat them on the day you use them just within the week you earn them. So if you exercise late, you don't have to eat them that night! (I double checked this in the week 2 book just to be sure, AP's carry over day to day but not week to week)
I let my body judge how much I need to eat and when....I usually eat 4 pts for breakfast (since I am not so hungry), around 8 for lunch and about 20 for dinner (4 pts for milk, 16 for dinner)..I use my Weekly Flex points for snacks (if I need them) or to spurge(birthdays, holidays, or something I have been really craving that is high in points) . I may use 15 Weekly points in one day, or none just depending on what my body is telling me and what is going on in my life. I have had days where I can barely reach my points target and other days where I am starving and used 20 flex points....You can also use points for things like peanut butter, nuts, full fat version of salad dressings if you are having trouble getting all your points in!!
With that said you need to tell hunger from stress/emotion...Make sure you are really hungry before you head to the fridge!!!
And try to celebrate those non-scale victories such as smaller pants and smaller measurements...If you really need the visuals trying taking progress pictures so you can "see" the difference or make up a chart to celebrate the days OP or how much exercise or a smaller size or losing an inch....
I know you are frustrated..I've been there done that...sometimes our bodies just need to take a break from losing for a while but eventually all your hard work will pay off if you just stay OP!!!!
Hope this helps!
Trish