so, here are some little tips. slim fast isn't so bad. put it in the blender with ice and some frozen fruit. it is much tastier, a larger ammount, more filiing. also, i've been eating every 3 hours. even if i'm not hungry. a hard boiled egg, yogurt, an apple, celery with peanut butter, there are many options. i have a 3 musketeers bar a few times a week cuz it's only 240 cals! that and a diet pepsi at night makes me feel satisfied. especially when i have the muchies..(yes, i smoke that). also, i discovered pre-packaged, microwavable hamb helper! just add water, cook 6 minutes. 200 cals per packet. easy, yummy, portion controlled. i prefer cooking light meals so i can eat more, but when you're in a hurry, or you just really want it, it's great. also, i reccomend flavored carbonated water instead of soda. the thing that's kept it fun and challenging for me is constantly googling low cal yummy recipes! the whole family eats better, i'm losing weight, and i'm proud of my new skill. there really are tons of great low cal recipes out there. also, dance dance revolution is great for weight loss. the fat just seems to be melting off. one more tip- don't buy your kids easter candy, christmas candy, etc..until a day or two before you're going to give it to them! then you can't eat it, cuz you won't have time to go to the store again. that was my downfall this month. i bought it early, ate a bunch of cadbury eggs and a bunny. probably 2000 excees cals. huge setback! i can't say no to chocolate, but i can refuse to go down that aisle unless neccesary, and never shop hungry!!! and remember, you can't eat junk if it's not at your house in the first place! one more thing- when going out to eat, if you're like me, you can't just get a salad when you're hungry and everything smells so good. look up the menu online , plan what you're goingto eat ahead of time. order it without opening the menu! for example, i ordered a veggie omelet and a bagel with cream chs and a diet coke for lunch. about 600 cals. but i planned the rest of my meals light, so i had plenty of room within my calorie limits! i was full, it was delicious, and i didn't feel bad for eating my usual cheesebuger fries and a shake! hope these tips helped someone!