I've begun keeping a food diary, and I'm utterly amazed...

[mike_c]

...at how much I was eating when I thought I had my caloric intake under control. I thought I was eating 1800 to 2000 calories per day, and was actually eating closer to 3000. Now I'm weighing and measuring EVERYTHING and writing it down in a notebook, and that has really helped get my intake down to 1500 to 1800 calories/day. People have told me before how valuable a tool a food diary is, but now I'm a believer. It's the best dieting tool I've ever used!

[Longhorn]

1. I have to admit that the same is true for me.

I was seriously underestimating the calorie content of some foods. I think this is why WW is working for me -- I don't feel like I'm eating less but just by keeping track, I am eating less!

[xmas74]

4. Second day of WW.

I've not hungry at all. I've already realized that it wasn't the quantity of food that I was eating but what I was eating in general. I've already had oatmeal, 2 glasses of milk, 8 glasses of water, an orange, a glass of orange juice, 2 coffees and a large garden salad(no meat, no cheese, no condiments but FF dressing) and I have almost all of my points intact, yet don't feel hungry.
And it's already 3 in the afternoon for me!

[auntAgonist]

2. congrats on taking hold of your eating habits

It IS amazing how those calories add up isn't it?

welcome to the W/L Maintenance Group!

keep us posted on how you're doing :)

aA

[u4ic]

3. I was the same way

Then Lavendardiva posted the www.fitday.com site (free!!) and started using that as an online journal. What a shock it was to see how many calories I was eating (and it wasn't fast food or junk stuff, either).

Welcome to the group! Good luck, we're all here to support each other!!

[cedahlia]

5. fitday.com

Thank you for posting that site. That is exactly what I was looking for! I can't really afford to do Weight Watchers online again at the moment, so I was hoping to find something similar (but free!) where I can track my daily caloric intake...and there it is! Thanks! :-)

[Katherine Brengle]

6. fitday is the best!!!

There is a really good forum on the Oxygen Magazine website where you can find advice and support for losing weight and getting fit as well. I was totally hooked for like a year, lol.

A lot of the users there are total fitday.com fanatics.