Here are some other ideas to try - Wear a pedometer or step counter: this has made a big difference to me. It motivates me to move more so that I meet my self-imposed daily step goal. When I don't hit my minimum of 10,000 steps then I move more the next day to compensate. If you're the competitve type, get family & friends to also wear one and then out do them. Keep a food diary: seeing it written down helps make you aware of every bite. It makes you really see what you are eating (like those crusts from your kid's sandwiches or the 15 Hershey kisses) and what you're not eating (like enough fruit or water). Eat mindfully: Really taste, smell and appreciate the appearance of your food for deeper satisfaction, and possibly, fewer but more satisfying calories. Join a weight loss group: Many find the combination of spending money and the semi-public accountability to be helpful. I've used Wt Watchers but there are many options. Or start your own with friends & family. Charge dues & let people earn the money back if they are successful. Don't sit when you can stand. Don't stand when you can walk. Don't walk when you can run: In other words, GET MOVING. Everyone agrees that it is hard, hard, hard to find time to exercise if you don't really enjoy it. But it is so important to exercise for strength & flexibility & endurance. Find something you can tolerate and do it. Make. The. Time. Do it for you. It's your health and future. Take charge. Today. And if you slip up, start again with the next meal or next work-out session. Don't wait until the next Monday. Or 2 weeks before your class reunion. Start right now.

Here are a couple of soups we've been making. Both are recipes from Elephant's Deli here in Portland, favorites of daughter and mine. Elephant's publishes the recipes, so we decided to duplicate them at home. The exact wording is not Elephant's, I simply copy/pasted from ''My Recipes'' on Calorie Count where I've been storing recipes lately. I've noted where I tweaked the recipe a bit. Also, my serving sizes may be inconsistent. Mama Leone's Soup Makes 6 servings, each 160 calories. 1/2 lb chicken breast 15 oz canned diced tomato 1/2 cup flour 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 onion 3 stalk celery 1 tbsp garlic 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp tarragon 2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp salt 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp butter 6 cups chicken stock 2 cups spinach 1. Lightly salt and pepper chicken breasts, bake 20 minutes at 375F, dice meat and set aside. 2. In large pot over medium heat, heat oil, melt butter, and cook onions and celery (both diced) until onions translucent (about 7-10 minutes). 3. Add garlic (minced or crushed), tarragon and oregano (dry or fresh), paprika, black pepper, and 1 tsp salt. Stir and cook a few more minutes. 4. Add flour, stir until absorbed. 5. Add chicken broth, stirring and scraping bottom of pot. Bring to boil. 6. Add tomato with the sauce (I give the tomatoes a buzz in the food processor to smooth them out) and cream, stir, reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. 7. Add diced chicken and simmer for at least another 10 minutes. 8. Adjust seasoning, adding rest of salt if desired. 9. Finely slice or shred spinach, add shortly before serving. 10. Note: 11. Chicken may be dark meat. 12. Cream may be replaced with half and half, but it won't be as good. Elephant's Tomato Orange Soup Makes 6 servings, each 220 calories. 1/2 cup butter 1 onion 28 oz canned diced tomatoes 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp baking soda (I omit this, because I never have any around) 1 tsp dried thyme 3/4 cup orange juice (recipe says 1 cup, I find that a wee bit much) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1. Melt butter, add diced onion, cook to translucent. 2. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes. 3. Puree in a food processor or blender. If you want a particularly smooth soup, strain through a sieve or food mill. 4. Return to pot and add orange juice and cream. Adjust seasonings, and serve. Lastly, this is a tomato orange soup that does not use cream or butter. Not an Elephant's recipe. Tomato Basil Orange Soup, Creamless Makes 8 servings, each 80 calories. 56 oz canned whole tomatoes 1 medium onion 3 cloves garlic 1 tbsp basil 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tbsp brown sugar 3 cup chicken stock 3 slice bread 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp orange juice 1. Place canned whole tomatoes (two 28-oz cans) on baking sheet, sprinkle with brown sugar, roast at 375F for 45 minutes. Save the canning juice. 2. Roughly dice bread, after removing crust. 3. Heat oil in large pot on medium heat. 4. Rough chop onions and garlic, cook in oil until soft. Add a bit of stock as needed to avoid burning. 5. Add reserved canning juice, basil, red pepper, bread, and salt. Reduce heat to low, add 1 cup stock, and simmer. 6. Add roasted tomatoes and any juice released during roasting. Roughly mash tomatoes, simmer for 20 minutes. 7. Transfer to blender and puree to smooth. Add remaining stock as needed to achieve desired consistency. 8. Squeeze orange and add juice slowly, stirring and tasting as you go. The juice adds a bright, sweet, tart flavour, which you can make subtle or bold. 9. Serve with garnish of bread cubes, chopped chives, and/or orange peel/zest. 10. Notes: 11. Basil may be fresh or dried. A tangerine may be substituted for the orange, as can commercial orange juice. Vegetable stock may be used. I've also recently made the above soup as a sweet tomato bisque, leaving out the bread and orange, but adding plenty of brown sugar and/or honey and some cream.

i refuse to call them craving thou LOL! i go thru phases where i eat one certain thing alot. for months this past fall/winter it was eggo Blueberry low-fat Wheat waffles, i'd have them for dessert, put 2 in the toaster w/ tiny bit of blueberry jam in the middle and fold them in half like a taco LOL. have 2 boxes in my big freezer still LOL because during that time they were in short supply and hard to find due to manufacturing plant closings hahaha. i also had a steamed plain artichoke every night w/ dinner for more than 6 months. got tired of it then they were out of season even here in FL and $4 a piece. they are back in season and i'm back eating them again @ $.79 ea just plain w/ no butter or sauce, i just enjoy the flavor. i also go thru phses w/ baby carrots. right now i am eating alot of them as my snack @ work w/ homemade fat-free veggie dips. at this time of the yr i also have to have a grilled hot dog w/ a dill pickle half while watching spring baseball on sat or sun. any other time of the year, i shun hotdogs as gross but w/ baseball games i must have a hot dog LOL life long cubs fan in me ;-) ~ liz

The "original" Red Robin had even better burgers!! This was a University of Washington student hangout and the food was good, plentiful and cheap. And the beer flowed!! This was a college tavern that served food long before it was a chain restaurant. I dated the bouncer there for awhile :-) Sadly, I think it deteriorated in both service and food quality once it was acquired and franchised in the late 70's. The prices certainly went up!!