I'm not currently gaining weight I've been pretty steady for I'd say at least a year. But I have gained over the last 7 years about 45 pounds. So it seems that it was a slooow progression. So now I'm trying to figure out where it's coming from. I'm trying to be more conscience of what I eat. It's hard though. I'll do a good job of tracking it on SparkPeople for a few days to a week then I get tired/bored with it and stop doing it.

Breakfast I eat cereal with 1% milk ... under 300 cals

Lunch usually a sandwich or can of soup with yogurt or fruit or veggies, sometimes chips but usually not ... under 600 cals.

So I have to assume most of my calories come from weekend dinners out and dinners when my fiance is home.

He works nights so is only home about half the week and every other weekend. If he isn't home I don't cook an actual meal. I'll eat a frozen meal/can of soup/sandwich/ something easy and quick and usually not very high in calories.

SO ... that leaves the nights he's home and we either cook an actual meal or order out. So apparently it's these meals that I over indulge and add all the extra calories to make up for the nights when I eat low cal by myself ... right?

Ugh ...I'm just trying to figure it out. It seems like it should be obvious though. It's annoying when co-workers who constantly ate fast food out and over ate everyday in front of me can just stop eating out at lunch and lose 50 pounds ... when I don't ever eat out at lunch and still don't eat out for dinner as much as they did during the week! Or people who drink tons of regular pop and just cut that out and lose doing that ... I don't drink regular pop either.

So frustrating! ... Sorry this is long I just needed to write it all out!

Have you become more sedentary.... like...did you switch to an office job when you used to be more active?

Also, it's DEFINITELY possible that dinners out and unmonitored dinners at home can make you put on weight. Especially the dinners out -- I work in a restaurant and there a reason restaurant food tastes so good, haha!! Drinking can put a lot of extra calories into your day without you realizing it, too.

Maybe look at the KINDS of foods you're eating, too. Is it a healthy, whole-grain, filling cereal in the morning? If it's not, maybe switch to one that is. Is your bread whole-grain? If not, switch. Make sure your sandwiches are full of good stuff -- veggies, lean meats -- and take it easy on cheeses and mayo.

Tracking your food will totally help you. I'm a BIG fan of keeping track of calories (that's how I monitor my food), though some people prefer to follow other plans. I like tracking cals because I can literally eat whatever I want, I just make sure that it gets entered (I have an app on my iTouch that I really like) and that you're being accountable. I also give myself one day off per week when I still try to make good choices, I just don't need to write everything down for the day.

I think you'll definitely start seeing where the weight is coming from if you're writing things down. And if you don't see any problems, maybe you should consider seeing your doctor to see if it's a medical thing.

Hope that helps!

I second the itouch app suggestion--it's easy, I can do it when waiting in line at the bank or waiting on class to start, and it just keeps me accountable. I'm like you in that if I have to go an enter it online, I get bored with it in about a week. I'd never realized how often I went for the bag of chips until I started entering it every time. Plus, it helps with realizing just how many calories are in those eat-out dinners... And hey, if you have an iphone, you can check the calories in what you're about to order while you're sitting in the restaurant or in the drive-through lane. There's no bigger deterrent to french fries than being reminded that yes, that medium order really will kill a daily goal.

I did switch jobs about 3 years ago, but if anything I'm moving more because of it. I'm on my feet about 75% of the day at work and walking.

I don't eat the healthiest cereals but a lot of the "healthy" ones really aren't either and I figure as long as I'm not still hungry after and don't feel the need to snack before lunch then I'm ok.
It's not that I feel hungry I think it's more like ... well the food is really good and it's all right here so I might as well eat it all type thing when it comes to eating out ... so I should just avoid that all together haha.

I am hypothyroid ... and am not currently taking the medication I'm supposed to ... I really don't FEEL any different when I do or don't so I have no motivation to take it ... I never really lost any weight when I started taking it either so no motivation there ... I know I should take it though.

I eat the SaraLee Delightful bread, low fat mayo, mustard, and either turkey or ham.

I drink water throughout the day at work and drink one can of Coke Zero per day with lunch.

It's the eating out that kills me. Plus when I eat with my bf I tend to eat more than I would when I'm alone. If he goes back for seconds, I tend to want to have more as well. I have to get out of that habit.