Hello, AlliAdmin3 ---
Thank you for the Portion Control containers; they are very helpful. However, I don't take them with me when I have a "mystery meal" (calorie/fat content) in a restaurant. 2 weeks ago, a couple of restaurant meals, including a ham & cheese crepe, were the probable cause of a 1-pound weight gain. I feel no need for the "changing negative thoughts" tactic suggested in Step #8. Each week, I realize that my weight ratchets up or down for Cause-and-Effect reasons, and I always look for the cause of progress or setbacks. Therefore, I am considering some drastic actions for the next few weeks. How "drastic" can I go? Soy butter instead of peanut butter. Crumpet instead of English muffin (I've sworn off croissants). Alli's B.L.T. sandwich with no mayo. Smart Squeeze @ 5 cal./T., no fat, instead of even margarine, & I don't even care what's in it. Celsius Soda @ 10 cal./bottle, instead of Cola @ 150 cal./bottle. For snacks, I slug down a can of vegetables, e.g., peas or wax beans. For protein, Dried Squid, Korean-style, shredded, chalk-white & bone-dry. Some leeway over choices for dinner. Fruit-flavored Vitamin Water for vitamins. So what is the target range for protein? What is a "bad carb-" and what is a "good" one? Along with the target range, what is the questionable lower limit, and what would be "dangerously low" for each? Mid-term, I am very determined to go from "clinically obese" to "merely overweight", B.M.I. considered. Long-term, I am very determined to achieve a "normal weight" for my height. In the Alli Journal, "Today I felt --- " Happy-Face? With successes, yes. Plain-Face? Usually. Sad-Face? Never over the dieting. So where is the Grim & Determined Face? Why, it's on me, as I pursue my goals!