I think you're doing great! I also love reading your post and hearing about your challenges. I even visited a few sites.
I suck at counting and keeping track. Last year I was feeling like crap. I had pain in my chest, stomach and for years trying to lose 50 lbs I picked up after a break-up.
anyhow, I looked into a diet called "Eat to Live". It seemed really extreme but I was ready to not only lose weight but heal my body. I adapted it quite a bit and lost a lot in a short amount of time. I struggled because I still like meat now and then and eat organic chicken. It was also hard to center your life around eating but I will say this... I never felt better.
I still eat things I really love just not as much. I love tacos and buy free range bison and organic ground turkey.
Here's the key and if you do this, just add this, it will greatly improve your health which will also help you naturally lose and begin to change your life.
I bought a Bullet Express. I juice carrots, ginger, celery and some kind of green- kale, spinach, whatever.
I also chopped cabbage, broccoli, parsley, all kinds of raw veggies. Put some olive oil and balsamic and some crumbled goat cheese.
I also do a fruit smoothie. Frozen berries, a banana, pineapple, frozen mango and a bit of organic soy milk. I make a BIG one too. Its very filling so many times i have this later in the day to help with my cravings.
I try to get as many raw fruits and veggies in my diet as I can. I make brown rice ahead and throw in all kinds of stuff. I eat whole wheat wraps with humus and more greens.
BUT I also eat other stuff, however many times I'm full from all the greens. I dont count anything. I focus on getting as many nutrients into my body as I can and stay away from processed food.
The other thing that helps me is that I make stuff ahead. Not just salads but chili, curry stews, things that are comforting, warm and will curb some cravings. I just make sure I add a salad or something.
I also buy organic fruit babyfood simply because some things are hard to get where I live and you run out. I want to get at least 6 servings of fruit a day... pears, blueberries, banana, mango, etc. Im in a hurry I eat babyfood or I run out of fruit.
I grow a lot but with this diet I need to increase but I dont grow fruit in winter. I started figuring out cost, gas, time and availability. In the winter it makes more sense for me to
www.diamondorganics.com the food is shipped FREE overnight and its really fresh. Fresher then the stores. I get a large sampler packaged for 115 (12 lbs of produce) and that last me about 10 days. I still buy my organic carrots and tubs of spinach elsewhere.
You have to do what works for you. This works for me and I am noticing a difference in every aspect of my life. I do a pint of ice cream once or twice a month, love fresh bread and other goodies. I treat myself and I am still losing and week by week notice lots of things. I fell off over the holidays, ate too much crap an within 2 weeks felt like crao again and quickly got my ass in gear.
I just stopped smoking again, FIVE DAYS now and really feeling good.