Go to the post "Just the facts...plain & simple". I think you'll find some info there. If you'll just calculate the calories needed to sustain you from day to day, and eat less than that, you will lose weight. It's that simple. You can eat anything you want, any time you want, as long as you stay under your calorie count. For instance, it takes 2700 calories a day to sustain my current weight, so if I eat no more than 2000 a day, I should be able to lose 1-2 pounds a week and be able to keep it off. Let me know how it goes for you.

An addendum...all you need to keep up with your calories is a scrap of paper. When you eat something, subtract the number of calories from your daily amount. You don't have to plan special menus. Just be aware of the calorie count of the things you do eat.

I've decided I HAVE to start tracking and planning my meals so that I stay within a reasonable number of calories. Does ANYONE out there have any ideas to keep me motivated and writing down and planning my food?! I absolutely HATE doing that, and have resisted it...which is so strange, because I know that when I do write it all down/plan it, I tend to do fairly well with my weight loss. Tips, anyone?!

I actually have a couple of ideas, ones that I am going to be using. (I just started today!) For planning food I am going to be using some recipe websites. I have done this for planning quick and easy dinners in the past for my family and it worked pretty well since I didn't have to think about too much. Now I am just going to subscribe to low-cal ones! They send you ideas, you keep an email folder of them, print out a week at a time, go shopping, etc. Brainless is where I am headed for with meal planning. The other thing I would recommend is for keeping track of food you have eaten, and the calories in those foods. Since almost everyone keeps their checkbook with them all the time, and the batteries can't die(PDA/cell phone), use that. Instead of keeping one register, keep 2. Slide and extra one in behind the one you use for your money. You can use the entry spots for date, time, food, etc. You can put the calories in the withdrawl spots and keep a running total of calories each day or something similar depending on what you are shooting for. You can even keep a running total of your weight loss in there as well! Hope that helps!

As far as ways to track, check out FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal, it's a huge database of foods that you can use to keep track of your calories/nutrients/etc. You can add in foods that they don't have on there, it just takes a minute and the nutrition label...I have added in tons, so now pretty much everthing I eat is right there.

Hi Michelle!

I had this problem too: I hate to keep track of what I eat, or to plan my meals. So I've found a way to stick to my 1500 cal a day diet, without having to count everything. I have a core diet of roughly 1000 calories, which I stick to everyday, and then, 500 calories for extras.
In my core diet I have:
- a can of slim fast, black coffee and a glass of grapefruit juice for breakfat
- a lean frozen meal + a can of V8 for lunch
- a yogurt + corn flakes + raisins or other fruits in the afternoon
- a can of slim fast + vegies (cherry tomatoes, baby carrots) + a V8 fruits for diner.
To that, I add whatever makes me happy (including birthday cakes, muffins, or chips as long as it stays under 500 cal). I don't have to bother with planning meals or counting calories.
I should add that I love all the foods in my core diet, so I don't mind eating them everyday.
Good luck to you

I LOVE fitday.com. I wish I could make mine public but I have a LOT of private thoughts in my journal. I wishthere was a way to make that part private, because I know on other boards people do well by sharing their fitday with their buddies.