Counting calories does not have to be an ordeal. I plan my meals ahead and write everything down, this takes me about 5 minutes in the evening to do my menu for the following day.I stay within my alotted calories and am able to eat healthy , well balanced meals, and I do lose weight.

I've been calorie-counting since Jan 1st and have lost 29 lbs. I shoot for 1400-1800 cals and so far I average 1600 (I keep track in FitDay). If I have an event coming (a party or something with food), I save calories during the week and let myself eat at the party. It doesn't have to be hard. After awhile, I got familiar with how many calories were in foods and I do pretty good at guessing how much I can eat.

Good luck to you, I hope you find something that works for you.

You know it took me a loooooong time to realise that when I want to start a "lifestyle change" lol.. I would actually have to research it SO big props to you. I'm sure you'll do whats best for you and your children... you seem extremely consciencious and especially caring.

Sitting down with your children was a fantastic step towards healthy living for all of you, I have no children yet I'm still studying but I try to urge my husband towards that direction without being too pushy. He seems to have these extremely wierd chocolate cravings lol... maybe its his time of the month? With calorie counting I have to say like I did in my earlier post that it's really given me back control and also absolute honesty with myself. I don't have to feel guilty about having some cheesecake or ice cream because I've budgeted (calorie wise) for it and measured out the portions. Before I started calorie counting... I felt guilty about ANYTHING I put into my mouth if it wasn't salad! Now - I feel so free and it has done wonders not only my waist line but psychologically. I don't see myself as this HUMUNGOUS BLOB but a human being eating food to sustain me and that there is no danger in enjoying/loving/savouring food as long as you're eating with portion control (thats my weakness). Well Good luck once again... I'll stop talking lol. I really and truly wish you all the best.... and remember.... dont "think" you can do it... "KNOW" you can do it (lol I sound like a Nike/reebok commercial).

Calorie counting is only a hassle at first, when you are learning how many calories things have and don't have an idea of what your favorite breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are. Then it's not such a big deal.

Like bargoo and a couple of other people upthread, I plan out my meals at the beginning of the week. The first week it was a lot of work to figure out what I would eat all week and make sure it was tasty, healthy, and stayed within my calorie allotment! Since then it hasn't been so bad though - I just take that original week's menu plan, switch out a few meals, tweak things I didn't like, and voila! a new week's menu!

I have only counted calories-and I have successfully lost the weight after my first two babies, and I am going strong again after baby #3. It is the only thing that works for me.

The thing is, YOU have to make a commitment to be healthy. You can "cheat" on any plan out there. You can eat junk for your Weight Watchers points, or for your calories. You can eat fat free ice cream and cookies if you go on a diet that lets you eat whatever-as long as you don't go over 20 fat grams a day. You can go on Atkins and eat sausage and bacon and low carb chocolate. Is it healthy? No. But, the if you want any plan to work-you have to commit to health.

For me, it isn't all about becoming "skinny". I want to be fit. Exercise, proper nutrition, and an overall healthy lifestyle. I go a little further than some people here on the forum healthwise-because I buy organics, use natural cleaners, recycled paper towels, etc...but I am commited to health overall.

Rather than finding ways to "cheat" on whatever plan you follow-think about your body as a vehicle, and you need to fuel that machine. You wouldn't put Kool-Aid in your gas tank, or Crisco where the motor oil should go, or Pepsi where your antifreeze should go. When you eat junk, you are essentially doing the same thing. Over time, your body doesn't work, or look as good as it should. Your body simply cannot use the "crap" like it can real food. If you eat a Pop-Tart, there isn't really anything that it is giving your body to use, you know?

Think of food as fuel, and nutrients for the body-which is what it is supposed to be. There are WONDERFUL ways of making healthy food taste good. Don't worry so much in the beginning about how many protein grams in this, or how many fruits a day...just worry more about staying in lower calorie range (1200-1800 for most people) and start becoming more aware of what you are eating-and try to eat things that are more in their natural state. Try to think of where something comes from for instance: apples come from trees, chicken breast comes from a chicken, skim milk comes from a cow, green beans come from a plant...but it takes a lot of thought to think about where exactly a Toaster Struedel comes from. The more it is processed, the worse it is. Just a guideline.

Great advice Aphil! The only problem I find with using an online calorie database (Calorie king) is that I never learn by heart how many cals are in things, as I don't have to look it up in a book! I've been doing it for 4 months, but I am still reliant on daily entering the food.

It's working for me, and the coolest thing has been keeping an excel spreadsheet with exactly how many macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein etc) and vitamins, iron etc I ate, how much exercise I did, and how much weight I lost. I need to know this is sustainable for the longterm, and that if I have one off day, I don't blow the rest of the week (or month!).

Agree with others that PLANNING is essential!! If I don't plan my day's calories in advance, I tend to pick and wander back and forth to the fridge trying to calculate what I can afford to eat. If I have the plan written down for the week, there's no worry and no temptation to go beyond it.

Everyone's given really good advice! I just wanna say congratulations on your decision to get off that diet! I hope that calorie counting really works well for you .

YES, YES, YES!!! I go there too

wow, thanks so much to everyone who has posted since I was here last! I really appreciate the encouragement and words of support and the kindness you've all shown! *hugs*

I have already started planning menus and figuring out how to balance the calories for each meal and snack. I was going to try for 3 meals and 3 snacks but instead, I think i'll be happier with 3 meals, one mid-morning snack and then an evening snack. I wont miss that afternoon snack since i'll be between two full meals. I'll just fill up on water during that time.

I've joined up at both FitDay and Nutridiary...not sure which program to stick with yet but for now, i'm still using the online Medifast calculator and am ignoring the warning that says "you ate too many vegetables today" I stuck my tongue out at it instead!

As soon as i'm fully transitioned off of medifast, i'll be hanging round here more and hope to get to know you all a bit better and be able to offer some return encouragement.

I am sooooo ready to do this. Its like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I'm going to be eating normal food again, in healthy portions...for life!

Man, I don't know how you were even keeping up with 3 kids, much less an 18 MONTH OLD, on that few calorie amounts per day! Crazy. Clearly, your body was complaining. Starvation mode it sounds like to me. Even people on survivor island didn't lose their hair (did they?) Anyway, get those cals up and your energy will return - your kids need a happy, smiling, energetic mommy!

Yay...great to see another Survivor fan. I remember one person losing a lot of their hair one season. I think it was Elizabeth from the Australia season (remember Elizabeth and Roger, the old guy...they were like father and daughter). I remember seeing her holding a ball of hair in her hands and saying just what you said..."this is crazy"

Thank, you're so right. And what a difference a day makes. I jumped my calories up to 1100 yesterday and woke up this morning feeling more awake then I have in over a month. (I also had my first cheat. Yesterday was my birthday and I had one small 13 calorie spice gumdrop (a licorice one) as a treat...my taste buds were in complete shock) Then I woke up this morning to see that I was down another pound! It must be a shift in water weight or something or maybe the extra calories made my body speed up the burning process as it went into shock from having more food!

I am pretty convinced that I was in starvation mode, even though the Medifast Nutrition Support encouraged me to stay on program and not to get frustrated with the changes I was going through. The sad thing is that when I researched the hair loss at their forums....many many women were having the same problem. Yet we were all told that it was not common and it was just a result of hormonal changes. I also saw several women complaining of terrible fatigue. The only thing that bothered me at the other forums was that the other ladies are so motivating and encouraging that you hate to disappoint anyone by complaining. If you do, there's a ton of people that will say "dont give up!" I've seen big long inspiring posts about what to do when the weight is coming off extremely slow...and its almost like you feel like you MUST continue in order to overcome. The proof was in the puddin', so to speak. Maybe Medifast is good for some women but it made me feel terrible and lethargic. I should have listened to my body rather than go with the hype.

On a happier note...I ordered the book, "Low Calorie Dieting for Dummies" lol....hopefully it will be a good read and will help me make that full switch without much of a problem.