Portion Control

That's what I do. I can't give up my favorite foods, I just portion everything.

I have lost 5lbs doing the what I want but portion. I log it first to see what I can have. Tonight, for example, is pizza night. It used to be pizza, wings, dipping sauce, chips, garlic bread with cheese night until I burst night but now: 2 pieces of thin crust pepperoni pizza, one garlic bread and a coke zero night. For the first night of tracking (apart from the expected Christmas tomfoolery) I will be using up most of my calories - I have been eating between 1200 and 1300 most days - but I have up to 1780 to meet my goal but I am trying to go lower than that.

I had four quality streets (candies today) at 44 calories each...you can do all of this but have to reign in your worst impulses and build your better ones. That is what I have found thus far with MFP: you start to look at things and realize just how much some of the nonsense is costing you in terms of weight and health - like granola bars - used to think they were healthy but when they are like 160 calories for a snack you sort of start to think: 'hmmm not at the gym today and not running a marathon...maybe not!'

As for lack of money - if you buy things for your recipes, based on a meal plan for each week you might find that helps your budget. Also, if you make a larger sized item you can freeze (like chilli) you might save a bit again on that. Some communities have those fruit and vegetable boxes you can order that are a good deal - or find someone who would like to split larger quantities of fruit and veg and meats at costco and the like with you so that you get the deals that family sized things give but don't have to bear the weight of buying it all on your own.

Good luck!

Portion control works very well and allows you to eat what you want within reason. Invest $10 - $20 in a kitchen scale that converts to both ozs. and grams and weigh everything you eat.

Heh I have had similar situations; my boyfriend loves to cook for me but he forgets that he can lose weight at 2100 calories a day and I only get 1400 -.-

Also, the other day he went to the store and asked if I wanted anything and I said
"something sugarfree from the candy section" and he came back and said
"They didn't have anything sugarfree so here's a kit kat bar and 2 reeses cups, I know you like those."

LOL they have good intentions but it's frustrating.

That made me laugh. He cuts out something like cola and loses 10 in a week. LOL

I typically weigh or measure everything out. I'm to the point now where I can usually eyeball the right amount. I invested in a digital kitchen scale at about $20. Best thing ever!! Works really good. Another thing I noticed that helps is using one of my 2years old's spoons. It takes me longer to eat because the spoon is so small so I'm not cramming large spoonfuls into my mouth and eating too fast to wear I don't feel satisfied. I also only put small amounts of food on my forks at a time as well. I've come to realize the faster I eat the less satisfied I am. The slower I eat the much more satisfied I am. So the smaller portions go along way when you take smaller bites.

The whole reason I am able to stick to this so-called diet (I don't like to call it a diet; seems too temporary) is because I eat absolutely anything I want. I just watch my calories, so I would not even say it is portion control. It is calorie control.

Mostly, I eat healthy-ish food. But, I always fit in something that would make a clean eater cringe. In fact, w/in the first couple of months, there were two ocassions where I had a delicious Cold Stone Creamery cookies and coffee ice cream shake for Lunch/Dinner. I wanted it. I had it. The only other thing I ate was cereal for breakfast. Two meals on those days, and really high in fat and calories, but stayed w/in my calorie limit. In terms of weight loss, I could do this every day. In terms of good health, I cannot do this every day. So, I do it once in a long while.

Anyway, the point is, calorie control keeps me losing weight.

This is exactly right. The only thing I have done is to limit my calorie intake and have lost 43 lbs. To me it is simple, calories in vs. calories burned. If you burn more than you eat, you will lose weight. There are other reasons to eat healthy and execisze, but as far as just losing weight, it's that simple.

Portion control works very well and allows you to eat what you want within reason. Invest $10 - $20 in a kitchen scale that converts to both ozs. and grams and weigh everything you eat.

^^ This!! I had a Bacon Egg and cheese sandwich tonight with 6 FULL slices of bacon... and an In and Out burger Thurs... It is just a matter of what fits into your cals!!!

I've lost 29 lbs doing just that. I have rheumatoid arthritis that hurts a heck of a lot more in winter, but if I overdo it in the summer that can mess me over too. My previous two diets involved running for exercise and within two weeks I would always hurt my knee AND get my metabolism up enough that I was hungrier than normal...which led to overeating as I sat on my butt trying not to hurt my knee more. This time, I'm focusing on managing my calories and not worrying about exercise; I wear my Fitbit and track food religiously, and it works well for me. I didn't worry too much about losing weight between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and plateaued for that period (stay below TDEE and win!), but it's time to focus again.

Don't be fooled by bogus 'servings'.
It's the biggest con trick of the food industry.
They're made up by marketing departments.
A male body builder and a little old lady can't have the same 'serving'.

It doesn't matter how big a serving you have.
Just use a digital scale for calorie dense foods, log everything, and stay within your daily allowance.