I'll be your fan club, Sal.

I've lost 30# since the first of July, and I get next to no exercise. The only thing that works for me is counting calories. I try to average around 1300 calories a day. I average it over the month, so if I keep it around 1200 or so, I can "afford" a couple of days to splurge.

Some people think counting calories is hard work, but it keeps me focused on what I'm REALLY eating. It's surprising how a spoonful of this and a couple bites of that can make a difference.

If I choose a yogurt that's 80 calories instead of 110, a slice of bread that's 50 instead of 90, spaghetti sauce that's 70 calories a half cup instead of 90--well, at the end of the day I've "saved" 90 calories. Doesn't sound like much, but that's 90 I can "spend" on something else. A banana. Or two Dove dark promises.

I have a little notebook where I write down the calories for things I have often so I don't have to look it up every time.

Another trick that keeps me honest is measuring things. It's really hard to guess what a cup of pasta looks like on a plate. Or 3 oz. of meat.

I found after two or three weeks of not pigging out, I started not craving the bad stuff like I thought I would.