Ok so I've only been at this for a few weeks and have learned a lot from you all so here's another one.

At first I was being really strict about 1200 cals/day because I don't exercise a lot. About 40 mins of walking and that's all I can muster. So I lost about 2lbs a week and was happy. Then I had some 1500-1600 days and freaked out. You guys calmed me down and you were right--I still lost half a pound.

But now I feel like I'm getting complacent. I'm visiting my parents right now for one thing which makes it harder. But I have just been totally relaxed and doing 1500 every day and I feel like I'm gonna gain. I ate spaghetti today (which I'm convinced was one of the foods I gained weight on) and 3 chocolates! This can't be ok.

I have decided to be alright with maintaining until the holidays are over but I can't gain back the little bit I've lost! It's not much and I don't want to be back at the beginning!

I call this the dreaded "calorie creep" and I think it's something that happens to most of us... the good news is that it sounds like you caught it early and like most things in life... just having an awareness that it could be a potential problem should help you to deal with it before it gets out of hand...

And to hopefully to put your mind a little bit more at ease... You would have to eat A LOT of spaghetti and probably more than 3 chocolates to undue those losses that you've had so far...

Thanks Trip. That's exactly what I needed to hear.

You sound like you will be fine. I doubt the spaghetti and chocolates will do much damage but if you are very worried about it you can do what I do over the holidays. I eat what I like but I try to keep my portions smaller and if I do want to indulge in something that I normally don't eat I make sure it is something very special and have a small portion of that.

I eat between 1200 to 1400 calories per day but I try to keep it at the lower end of the spectrum because my mobility is so bad that I have trouble even walking at this point. I could not even do your 40 minutes if I tried so I think you are doing great.

Btw we are neighbours in a way. I live in Hamilton, Ontario right now but my birthplace was Toronto and I lived there for over 30 years before I moved here. Mainly in the Etobicoke area.

I've had it happen before where I started getting lax on my calorie counts....and sometimes i've even given up on calorie counting. But I always come back to it....I do believe it is the only thing that can work for me....measuring food in and exercise/activity out....

Hang in there!

One thing that I cannot relax about is calories from spaghetti. Think about spaghetti as always a side dish not a main course. A half a cup is over 100 cals.
This week I have been a little lax. A chip here a nibble there. Bad! Thanks for reminding me. Eat what you eat, but count every bite. That way you know for sure where your nutrition is going . This is the hardest time of the year. Just keep plugging away.

Thanks everybody. The holidays are truly ON now. I am at my parents again and there is SO MUCH eating going on! I think I did about 1500 but it could have been more cuz I don't know how things were prepared. Grrrrrrr. This is gonna be tough.

Weigh in day tomorrow

Canadianwoman- I lived in Hamilton for about 8 months in 2000. And I live sorta close to Etobicoke, west end of Toronto near Parkdale.