Sometimes I play headgames with myself - I don't sacrifice ice cream for dessert, I trade it for yummy grilled pineapple with a squeeze of lime juice! I don't sacrifice nights out with friends...I trade them for non food-focused nights out with friends or for dinners that I cook where everyone has a great time AND I get to be on plan. Trade the bad choices for good ones, and you get to have the same things (dessert! nights out with friends!) in much healthier ways...and that makes me happy.

Carb counting is totally a legit way to go - but I'm always so sad when I see people down on calorie counting, it doesn't have to be hard or stressful or anything! After a few weeks of logging food into fitday, I found myself really understanding food and calories and fat and protein and carbs... It really changes the way you THINK about food. My recommendation is always to give it a try. Good luck however you decide to go, though, and keep coming back!

I too think that 'tradeoff' is such a better word. My mother isalways at it with "having to sacrifice this and that", but I don't like that mentality. Truth be told, I've cut down on processed foods and other artificial sugars, and I don't even miss them a lot--which probably wouldn't be the case if I was spending everyday thinking "oh woe is me I am SACRIFICING tons and DEPRIVING myself". It's sure not easy, but I honestly think that part of all of this is in our heads only, and departing with a positive, strong-thinking attitude is IMHO a good key to success.

Anyway--This sounds like a good plan you have here. I won't say good luck because there's very little left to luck here, but I hope everything will work allright for you.

Instead of saying I'm doing it for someone else, I say, "I do it so I can be proud of myself when I'm with that other person."