[Durian]

I have always hated calorie counting until I combined it with 16/8 fasting. I know this doesn't appeal to everyone, but it works for me - I only have to calorie count for 8 hours in a day and something about that just works for me.

[jeminijad]

As for how much you are supposed to eat - you can do this based on total calories for the meal you are planning, or work off of general suggested serving sizes.

So if you know you want a 500 calorie lunch of soup and sandwich: 200 calories of soup is pretty common in a can. 70ish cal slices of bread, x2. There is the backbone of the meal, and the sandwich filling of 160 calories is all that you need to worry about. You can get a lot of volume for that 160 calories - a good amount of meat or cheese + lots of veggies, for example (meat and cheese have easy to find calorie counts online.)

[dtretv100]

Honestly it took me a couple of years. i was used to counting points from Weight Watchers that when I dieted, calories seemed like I was eating less than when I counted points. What I ended up doing was committing to logging my calories on MFP no matter what I ate, and after a week I started to adjust to my daily limit and have been doing so now for about a month now.

[jmh6251]

I still get days where i think I am still hungry after I have had my calories for the day. That is when I will have a diet soda or a cup of tea. I think my tummy is finally recognizing regular portions, because yesterday I had a veggie omelet, and hashbrowns at a restaurant. I ate too much of it and was uncomfortable for the rest of the day

[Sharnt]

I had a bit of trouble right at first, felt hungry so much of the time. I learned to use certain baking substitutions and other food items to make very low cal items to eat when I feel I just want something good. (Everyday. lol) I keep it as healthy and low cal as possible. Huge difference and much healthier ingredients. It's like a game to me now. I have broken the 50 calorie barrier on things like muffins, substituting things most people don't.

I have lost 14 ponds in a bit over a month, eating healthier and tastier stuff than is normal for a diet. The key for me really is having things I like that satisfy me. (You have to be able to cook a bit for much of it.) Plus, this is something I can keep doing when I am on maintenance. I don't sell anything or work for any diet company, but I now have friends starting to use some of the things I have discovered, makes me feel even better about it.

It is maybe a bit low, but I am on 1000 calories per day, but I am about 50 and was afraid of it being extra difficult now. I give myself one day per week off, not to exceed my maintenance calories of 1500 on my off day. The day off makes me feel like I am not dieting, but does not seem to hurt the weight loss much. I am taking vitamins, minerals and extra protein, although I feel good.

I am glad to share ideas with others. I am always looking for new ideas or recipes to try!