Getting back on the diet wagon.
 

So, I joined here a while back full of excitement about my first diet. The Scarsdale diet lasted 3 days before I started having dreams about bread. I started breaking it a little bit and then a little bit more before I noticed that several beers and a bag of candy had made its way back into my daily routine. I know fad diets aren't supposed to work the same way as a healthy change of lifestyle but darn it I wanted to lose the weight fast.

I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to food. I went over the edge when we went paddle boating and the kid running the place handed me a life vest in Extra Large. I wanted to cry. I thought to myself, "Extra Large? But I'm just kind of chubby." I handed it back to him and said, "I don't think this will fit me." He gave me a look like, oh hon I think it will. I decide not to go paddle boating and instead went to the snack bar and got some nachos.

I had a few more bad days, and I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to do the next week because my brother is in town (and he loves restaurants). I really wanted to lose at least part of the weight before the end of the month when my husband's band is playing a couple shows and I'm very aware of the looks that seem to say "Wow. The singer's wife got really big." It is so hard to feel okay with myself when it seems that everyone I'm surrounded by is a size 2.

I really know I can do this diet thing. I just can't do the super low carb thing. I like the idea of a diet telling me what to eat and what not to eat, because if not I will find a way to justify cheese dip (as in...low in carbs!). Does anyone have any low calorie diet suggestions? Preferably something I can find online with a meal plan.

Thanks!

I believe one of the WW plans is about only eating the foods on a list. Also South Beach has foods you can and can't eat. There's a list of the foods in the South Beach forums. It's a good carbs/good fats diet, not a low carb diet.

If you're a calorie counter, you can justify anything you want as long as you stay in your calorie range. Doesn't mean it will be the best thing you can eat, but really, don't we all have those certain things we like that aren't perfect fuel but we won't give up anyway? I get the idea of liking structure but usually, as soon as people are on a plan that says "No, you can't have that" they want it all the more and I think that's why plenty of people fail at certain things. If that's still what you want to do, more power to you, willpower is all it takes. Myself though, I prefer to just count calories, knowing I can eat whatever I please and if that means a piece of candy here or there, so be it. Generally though, I don't really even want the bad stuff anymore.

I really like Sparkpeople.com. When you sign up, it figures a calorie range for you based on your lifestyle, height, weight, goals, etc and you can check the box that says you want meal plans. It'll even customize it for you, to an extent (as in, you can include/exclude foods you do/don't like, can/can't eat, etc), and the meal plans will always keep you in your range.