Also, it really drove home the idea of how bad overeating can be when my doctor pointed out that it only takes a couple of weeks of eating an extra 150 calories a day to put on a full pound of weight. That's like 15-20 lbs a year. And that it takes an hour of running to burn off the 150 calories. Which is more effort? Running for an hour every single day? Or avoiding the excess calories?

For me, I just finally realized that dieting isn't a punishment when you do it right, but holding yourself accountable to only eat what your body can use without putting on weight.

Also, I told my doctor that I was trying to do better by avoiding pop and only getting a sandwich (not the meal with fries) when I do eat out. He pointed out that even just the sandwich can be 800+ calories, and that fast food isn't always "filling".

I started actually paying attention to the calories I ate and realized you can eat a tremendous amount of fruit (melons, strawberries, grapes), vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, green beans, asparagus), and lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish) in a day without going over your suggested daily calorie intake.

It's all about making better choices in what you consume.

Also, pop and condiments can get quickly add up in a day. Remember, for barbecue sauces and salad dressings, a single portion of only 2 tablespoons. You can easily scarf down 800 calories in salad dressing and not even realize it and that stuff isn't filling whatsoever.

When my sister was in girl scouts ~ 20 years ago, they taught them how to build a fire, then lit a lamp under some kindling to show it "on fire"...... Cause a real fire was too dangerous.....

When I was in boyscouts we used to throw cans of soda on the fire and wait for them to explode.

I can't believe we never had any scalding injuries from those camping trips.