Click the “<<Show” button to get back to the Form.  Reposition it, if you need to, using the drag method above.  Now click on the Protein tab.  On the right side of the meal choices click on the lower arrow to scroll the screen down until you see the choices for, “Eggs”.  Click on one of the Egg choices.  Now click the button marked, “Add>>”, to add this to your breakfast selection.  Now click on the condiment tab and add>> “salsa” to your breakfast selection.  Click the fruits tab and add fresh apricots.  Go to the tab marked, “Grains” (“All” on some versions) and add ½ slice of “Bread, whole wheat”.  Notice how some foods are grouped by Type, such as all Dressings are grouped together under the Condiments tab, and baked potatoes are found under, “Potatoes, Baked”, in the “Veg” tab.

Now look at your Points to the right of your meal.  Below you’ll see your Points Total.  This is one of two numbers you have to watch (the other is your efficiency average).  On a typical diet you’ll only want to get about four to five points in any given meal.  Snacks are only a point or two (don’t skip these snacks).  Now look at the number at the bottom of the Efficiency column marked, “Effic Avg”.  This is an important number.  This rates how well you chose your foods.  Your goal is to get this number as close to 100% as possible.  It’s okay if it goes a little over 100%, but if it drops below about 80% you won’t be getting enough calories to maintain your muscle and feel at your best – even though you will still lose weight quickly. 

You can check out your food choices before you even add them to your meal.  If you look at the window below the food tab you have selected you will notice that there are three columns marked, “Food Item”, “Points”, and “Efficiency”.  By studying these before you click, “Add>>”, you’ll find you can start putting together excellent meals.

Now that you have accumulated some meal choices, click on the button marked, “More>>”, on the lower right side of the Form.  Now you can study other features about your meal, like total calories and protein. You can also change portions.  For the most part, you don’t want to see all this.  Concentrate on Points and Efficiency instead of calories and you’ll lose a lot more weight while feeling better and preserving your muscle.

Now look at your Points Total and Efficiency Average.  Remember these numbers.   Click the tab marked Fruit and choose Apples.  Notice your points go up and your Efficiency Average goes down.  Sometimes you will make a food choice like this that throws your meal out of balance.  Then you can look at the points and efficiency of all your meal choices and find the one that is throwing your meal off.  Highlight this food item by clicking on it, not in the left window under the tabs, but in your “meal” window under the meal name – Breakfast in this case.  Now click delete.  It disappears and you can make a better choice.

Once you are happy with your meal click the button marked, “Accept”.  Your meal is printed to the worksheet.  Now you can click the “1st Snack” button and continue making great meals.  Try supplements for a snack, like ½ of an Ultra Protein bar.  In fact, try UltraMet for breakfast sometime.  For Lunch try a McDonalds’s Chicken Salad with a Caesar dressing.  Just experiment and have fun.  After you work your way all the way to dinner, close the Form by clicking the “Close” button and print out your meal.  You can then clear your meal and start over or save it.  You may want to plan a whole week of meals on the weekend and keep them in your purse.

You’ll be an expert in no time.