Okay, I don't know if you people will agree or dissagree but I really have to say that calorie counting is stupid, stupid, stupid! First off, for the past couple of months i've been counting my calories because people told me that it was the thing to do. 1 cup of cereal, 1/2 cup skim milk etc ... Now I must say ... when I read the nutritional information .... who are they making these servings for? Babies? Wait, babies eat more than that. Who the hell has 3/4 of a cup of cereal for breakfast. I am not ashamed to say that now for breakfast I like to fill my bowl with cereal and fill it half way with skim milk. Why shouldnt I? I starve myself all night, I think my body is entitled to what .. 4 servings of mini wheats lol. They are healthy and Im hungry so why not. And I never take in more than 1500 calories now that ive been doing it the healthy way. Calorie counting is dumb unless your obese and you need to watch what goes into you. I dont eat fatty foods such as whole milk, sodas, donuts, danishes, cookies, chocolate. I dont even eat out at fast food places. I think that counting calories takes away from the food. It makes you obsessed and you no longer enjoy it. Because thats what happened to me. I started to despise food. And I deprived myself so much from food that I would have these frequent splurges and I would overeate which made me feel really sick and bloated after. It really wasnt worth it. Bottom line: Calorie counting is really stupid. These are rules I try to live by: 1) eat only when hungry 2) Eat healthy foods that are in their natural form such as whole grams, fruits/veggies and all that great stuff 3) Limit fats 4) and exercise!! Does anyone else see my point?

yes. vegan+ vegetarianism will give you best results mixed with a RAW food diet.
:P

And I never take in more than 1500 calories now that ive been doing it the healthy way. .......It makes you obsessed and you no longer enjoy it. .......Does anyone else see my point?

Looks like you're still counting calories...yeah, I see your point...yeah, you were/are obsessed. Your plan is a good one though, imo, 1500 cals a day doesn't cut it; too low.

Destiny,

I think that you have the right idea. I, too, have been trying to limit/eliminate processed sugars from my diet for reasons of wanting to cut out useless toxins. I also want to eat healthier: leaner meats, cheeses, fruits/veggies, whole grain breads, and other high-nutrient foods.

I haven't been doing as well with this over the holidays :p , but I will pick it back up again once it's over (gotta splurge sometimes, you know ;) ). I have also been trying to make a real effort to get more excercise. I recieved a heart rate monitor (which I asked for) for Christmas, and I love it and want to use it. I set it up yesterday and walked/jogged a little, and I want to make this a more permanent part of my life.

What are your goals?

~Colleen

yes. vegan+ vegetarianism will give you best results mixed with a RAW food diet.
:P
Actually, It's a common misconception that vegan/vegetarian automatically equals healthy.