I JUST WANT TO BE NORMAL

I do it, I just TRY to do it smart. When I go out, or cook something, I know is high fat/calories, I make sure I have a salad and a good vegetable too. Then I just eat them first and end up eating only a moderate portion of the delicious something I shouldn't have, and taking the rest home for the hubby.

When I make brownies or cakes, I leave them in the kitchen and only get a small one, take it to the couch or dining room. This way I have to get up to get another, and usually decide I'm fine without it.

It sounds like you may be over restricting yourself. When I was actively losing weight, I went out to eat at least 2 times a week. I just tried to make better choices than I used to make, such as one slice of pizza with a side salad instead of three slices of pizza. But if I made bad choices every once in a while, I didn't let it bother me. I just got back on track the next day.

How many calories are you eating? You may have them set too low.

You love pizza, you love eating healthy, so why not both? Order pizza with your friends, have a slice or two and have a tossed salad with it.

Don't torture yourself. You have to change your mindset that losing or maintaining means you cannot partake in certain foods. AS a previous poster said, manage your intake so that you can enjoy outings with your family. Everything can be eaten - in moderation.

One of the key points of our journey is to stop looking at food at a punishment. It is not, it should be enjoyed but not abused. One day, or one meal, is definitely not considered abuse.

Um, this is no way to live and ultimately won't be sustainable.

I eat out regularly, make a lot of cupcakes, and whatever I want. I've lost a good bit of weight and haven't gained any of it back. There is no reason what you are describing (pizza/brownies) can't be fit into a regular day of losing with planning and if you are maintaining, you probably don't need to plan nearly as much.

Yes im in maintenance and my calories are set to 1740. It's just so hard for me to fit in restaurant food and still feel satisfied at the end of the day so I try not to do it. Is that my problem? I am hungrier at night so I try to save most (1300) of my calories for then BUT I STILL feel hungry while eating things like fruit, dark chocolate, a quest bar, almond milk, etc ALL after dinner

I used to have a big issue with mindless night time snacking, back before I lost weight, (I'd sit down at 8pm with a book and a can of Pringles and finish the whole can oiy!). So, during weight loss that was one of the things I worked on and I slowly pushed my eating window back, until it cut off at 7pm. It was a weight loss tool that I've now carried over into maintenance Maybe doing something similar would be helpful to you, if the night time eating is a problem? I realized that for me, it was about habitual eating and not because I was actually hungry. I'm to the point where now I don't even think of food at night-last night I made cupcakes for a party today and my husband and kids were devouring a pkg of Oreos at the same time. It honestly didn't even cross my mind to eat any of it

My maintenance calories are also higher than yours as well-mine are at around 2,200. How long have you been in maintenance for? Are you sure that's your top end for maintenance calories-have you played around with eating a bit more and seeing what happens? For me, I found I was able to bump mine up by quite a bit, and still maintain.

I eat normal food. I happen to eat hamburgers and pizza, and drink a fair amount of beer. It's all in the mix, portions, and frequency.

You don't have to set your life up as an ascetic to be healthy.

Yes im in maintenance and my calories are set to 1740. It's just so hard for me to fit in restaurant food and still feel satisfied at the end of the day so I try not to do it. Is that my problem? I am hungrier at night so I try to save most (1300) of my calories for then BUT I STILL feel hungry while eating things like fruit, dark chocolate, a quest bar, almond milk, etc ALL after dinner

That's a lot of needless anxiety. I imagine, like the rest of us, it took you awhile to lose weight, that it happened slowly. Well, gaining weight happens just as gradually. You have to eat a calorie surplus on a sustained basis to gain weight, a day or so of surplus here and there isn't going to suddenly pack on the pounds, it doesn't work like that. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. "Maintenance" isn't about pinpoint accuracy, it's about forming sustainable eating habits. For me, it's about using my "diet meals" on days when I am above my maintenance weight, and just eating whatever on days when I'm at or below my maintenance weight. You don't win a prize for unwavering weight measurements, there should be a bit of wobble.

most restaraunts have lean meats (ie: lean steak or chicken breast) potoato options (get a baked potoato) and steamed veg or salads - control your portion by moving half to the other side of the plate to take home (lunch tomorrow). Or tell yourself that you are allowed to be normal and the occassional splurge will not diminish all that you have already accomplished. Tomorrow is another day to eat sensibly and burn calories. You are maintaining, fit and active a night out would be good for you.

Appetizers.

Yes im in maintenance and my calories are set to 1740. It's just so hard for me to fit in restaurant food and still feel satisfied at the end of the day so I try not to do it. Is that my problem? I am hungrier at night so I try to save most (1300) of my calories for then BUT I STILL feel hungry while eating things like fruit, dark chocolate, a quest bar, almond milk, etc ALL after dinner

1740 for maintenance seems kind of low to me. I eat 1,700 to lose a pound a week.