Hi Andrea, I'm trying to stay around 1500 cals a day. Any less than that and I am starving and I know myself well enough to know that I don't take hunger pangs very well. I am taking a multivitamin in the morning and keeping things balanced. Lean meat,chicken,veggies,fruit,whole grain,low fat dairy/cheese and small amount of the good oils.Oh, and drinking as much water as I can force down. Glub,glub! I am making a lifestyle change, rather than starting a diet this time. Taking it one day at a time, one meal at a time and planning on slow, study weight loss of about a pound a week. I know that I can do this, as millons of others have before me, by just taking it slowly and sticking with my plan. When I hit a rough patch in the road ,as I know I will because life isn't static ,then I will deal with it as best I can and try to keep my hand out of the cookie jar.( or at least make sure that the cookies available are low cal)
I liked the sticky that Aphil put up about falling off the wagon. It is not about if, it's about when we fall off the wagon, because we are human. The main difference between the winners and losers, are that the winners get back on the wagon and continue on the journey. In the past, I have been both a winner and a loser on the weight loss/maintance game. Right now I am taking responsiblility for my own life by being more aware of what I am eating. I am also writing everything down in a notebook/journal and jotting little notes of encouragement to myself. I know I can and will do this, because I am doing it to feel better and look better, and I am doing it for me.
Thanks for the sympathy on the knee injury. Sorry to hear about your neck and back pain. I hope that you are on the mend soon.
Good luck on your low fat plan. Have a good week-end.
It is mainly tissue damage, but still very painful. Not sure how long that it will take to recover but meanwhile I will continue the calorie counting. 
