I have about 20 lbs to lose and just can't stay on track. I just recently started "trying" to count calories and I am getting so frusterated! I have found the eating, counting and being satisfied pretty easy during the week but really have a problem on the weekends and then it seems that I just put myself right back at square one. - We are invited to someones house for dinner, in-laws want to take us out for dinner. I know I should just eat a salad or something but I just give in and have the bad stuff. It just tastes too good. That is the first problem

The second problem is knowing what to eat. I have changed my bread to a higher fiber bread. When I get groceries I pay attention to the calories. I try and drink more water. The problem is I know I should do more. I hate, hate, hate veggies!! About the only veggies I get are frozen. I just don't like them.

My goal is very attainable and since giving birth to my 2nd child 18 months ago I have lost betweek 10-15 lbs. I know I can do it! I just can't seem to get over this hump.

HELP!!!!!

I have a range of calories. Mine are 1200 to 1800. I've gone under and over, but my average is about 1500. If I stick to the lower end most of the time, then when I get to the higher ends, I'm really not that stressed. Everybody is different but it seems to work for me. Here's my suggestion, take your time learning about foods. When you go to someone's house, use your common sense, but if you want something (within reason), ENJOY it. Use much smaller portions of that stuff than you normally would and supplement it with the other stuff. Don't deny yourself or you won't be able to maintain.

Make a master list of foods you can eat from each food category from the types of food (fruit, etc) to the style of food (convience, homemade, frozen, ready to eat). Give yourself a variety. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Drink Water. Not only do you need it, but it helps you be fuller. Don't go to your friend's really full. Eat every few hours (small meals or snacks).

MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE: Forgive yourself, pick up and MOVE ON!

First of all, , Adaem and congratulations for the progress you've made so far!

You're right. This whole thing can be quite daunting, especially when there seem to be so very many details to attend to. Calories. Carbs. Fiber. Whole grains. Exercise. Those dad-blasted veggies. It's enough to make your head spin! Hmmm I wonder how many calories are expended while head-spinning...

I'm rather new to the whole calorie-counting thing (even though I've been on some sort of diet pretty much since I left the cradle), but I can tell you what I've tried to do to ease the weekday vs weekend issue.

Basically, I've tried to be "good" Monday through Friday. "Good" means having a good deficit (Calories Burned is greater than Calories Consumed). Exercise Monday through Friday, strength and cardio. Try for 10k steps. 72 oz water daily. On weekend days, I slack off. No all-out food-fest, but my deficit can be less and I don't worry about doing the exercise.

If, for some reason, I mess up on a weekday, Saturday is my mandatory "make-up" day.

This plan is one I think I can really stick with. I can make the push Monday through Friday because I know the weekend is coming, when I can cut myself some slack.

It may not be a plan for everyone, and some may think it's far too lenient, but that's my story (whoops, I mean plan) and I'm sticking with it!

Again, congrats on your progress so far and good luck with moving on to the next phase!

It's not so important that each day you move more and eat less .... but that averaged over time, you consistantly have a calorie deficit.
Say that over the five day week you eat 500 calories a day less than you use. That's a 2500 cal deficit. As long as you don't eat that much extra on the weekend, chances are you'll still be in a deficit for the week. Did that make sense?
How are you tracking your calories?