I know, potato salad is the pits. I haven't made any for at least a year. I do love that Amish potato salad you can buy in a tub but last time it was on sale I thought, "oh, a little potato salad sounds good" but then, when I picked it up and read the calorie count in a 1/2 cup serving, I put it back down and walked away. I knew that one would ruin at least a couple days for me.

If my potato plants make any potatoes (not holding my breath) I might make some this fall but I use the light mayo and limit the amount so it isn't nearly as bad as the pre-made stuff. Plus, I can make just one potato worth so could have a serving then it's gone.

If I keep it under 1100 calories a day the weight loss is fairly consistent although not real fast but this time I'm not going for fast, I'm working for sustainable. I used a calorie calculator site and found it takes 1600 calories a day to maintain my goal weight. I figure if I have extended practice at staying under 1100, it should be fairly easy to stay under 1600, although I will have to watch it closely and still insert those severe cut days now and then because those "Oops" days do happen.

@DotLewis That's my technique too. I aim for between 1100-1400 C/day. SLOW loss (2-3#/mo) means good habits formed, skin damaged less than with a drastic loss, EVERY freakin' time I go to a picnic or a shared-dish function I end-up consuming over 2000 C. Maybe I should take a super lo-cal dish and only eat that... especially since certainly nobody else will.

@mtnhome Well, my theory is, unless you go to a picnic/pot luck at least once a week, maybe we should cut ourselves a little slack. Few weeks ago I went to visit a friend in Colby. I only go there every 3-4 months so when she suggested we go eat at Pizza Hut (buffet) I said sure. Of course, I ate more than I should have although not as much as I COULD have but I figured it would probably be at least 6 months before I did it again. Actually think it had been more like a year and a half since I'd been to the Hut. I figure if it is just occasional, I can make up for it in the next couple days.

That is why I avoided those diets where you exclude complete groups of food. I didn't want to commit to living the rest of my life without any ice cream or warm bread pudding. I like the idea that if I am really craving something, like a piece of chocolate, I can have it. I have to control how much of it I have but I don't have to avoid it altogether. That "deprivation" is what usually drives me to "cheat".