Counting, counting -- calories, carbs, fat grams. What a bother!

But there's nothing better to make sure you're truly on track with which ever diet you're following. Of course, if that happens to be Kimkins that cuts it your work down to checking carbs with a sly glance toward calories.

There's a gaggle of food diary sites on the web, but my favorite happens to be Fitday

A free tool, it tracks a very wide variety of whole and prepared foods listing all the basic nutritional info, plus a report on where you stack up percentage wise for nutrition goals.

Have to admit, my obsessive-compulsive self loves the calorie breakdown pie chart graph the best!

Users will appreciate the basic food journal where you can jot your menus, exercise or anything else you care to remember about a particular day. A handy weight graph (love it at a steep decline!) is a visual reminder of your progress.

Care to share your choices? An easy "public" link option makes viewing by the public easy as 1-2-3.

BTW, Fitday exported most (all?) of its data from the USDA Nutrient Data Database. My sources reveal that this was done painstakingly by hand, so there are a few errors. If anything doesn't look right, you can always check it through the USDA site.

I've posted often about the awesome support that Kimkins members show for each other. Truly, it's nothing short of amazing! The energy, selflessness and compassion are second to none, anywhere.

Here's a Kimkins Challenge post that caught my eye. There's a huge variety of challenge groups for any goal or time frame and, appropriately, this group is called "Hot Chicks Getting Hotter"!

Our own beautiful Carolyn, aka "Drill Sgt of Hotties", wrote this right on target post to keep the girls on track:

"I am throwing down the gauntlet:

Ladies, we all know that this plan works. If it isn't then it is something that WE are doing that isn't according to plan. What does it take for a wake up call to tell us to get out butts in gear and get on plan?

What is it in ourselves that tells us that we don't deserve to make our bodies healthy and to not put the crap into it that got us here in the first place? We need to get rid of that "stinkin thinkin" and be kind to our bodies. Look in the mirror - it is screaming for help!(I need visuals) If what we are doing ISN'T working, then we need to be harder on ourselves to MAKE it work.

It's like Becky said: if it were your child wanting to do something you knew would harm them, you would put your foot down and not let them do it, force them if necessary. WE did this to ourselves. NO one forced us to shove junk in our face. WE are stronger than all those outside forces that we think causes us to eat. I have never met a stronger group of women. I have never been prouder to be considered a friend by such wonderful women.

Sure we have trials. Everyone does. (Even skinny people have trials.) We need to figure out a way to get rid of the stress and disappointments in our lives other than eating. Work it off on the Treadmill? Walk around the neighborhood. Go for a swim? DDR until you slip and fall from the sweat dripping off you? LOL Go on this web site and post until you feel you have vented enough to move on (we are always willing to listen - even give our $.02 of advice).

Figure out something that will work for you. Seriously. I don't know any women who deserve it more. BE GOOD TO YOUR BODIES. BE GOOD TO YOURSELF.

It may feel like you are depriving yourself. But are you really??? It DOES feel like it. But you aren't. You are training your bodies to know what healthy feels like. Who doesn't deserve to be healthy??? First one to raise your hand I am going to personally kick your butt!!! lol That also applies to the first person who says they don't realize what they are doing until AFTER the fact. We all do it. At some point or another. It is called sabotage. We need to stop the vicious cycle that got us here in the first place. There is too much vaccilating and not enough standing our ground against our own worst enemy ... Our inner voice that tells us to do what we know we shouldn't be.

WE are strong, We are beautiful, we are WORTH the effort to put into ourselves!!!! It's time to buckle down and GIT R DONE!!!

IF you haven't already. Its time to do a re-start. Nothing in the past and only good things to come. Decide RIGHT NOW what is your motivation. Why do you want to get this weight off? Once you answer that you need to make a visual goal. Something you can see/read every day several times a day to keep you moving forward.

Show me those wonderfully strong willed women and that you DESERVE to be healthier!!! YOU CAN DO IT. WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT AND HELP YOU!! No more excuses!

I have decided to do a WEEKLY HOTTIE CHALLENGE. Are you up for it?

This weeks challenge is:

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?

Why are you here. why do you want to lose the weight? Write it down, post it, ponder it, make it yours -- inner conversation with yourself. You can tell the rest of the Hotties or you can keep it private. It doesn't matter. Just do it! Easy enough.

I'll go first:

I want to lose weight because I want to have the energy to go out and play with my kids. I want my joints to not hurt just from sitting. I want to feel beautiful as well as look beautiful (we all know everyone has different ideas of what beautiful is) I want to walk around with a smile because I am proud of myself.

K ladies. It's up to you."

So, if you're ready to commit and join Carolyn and the other "Hotties" in their challenge, sign up and get started! Honestly, where else do you find weight loss buddies willing to go to the mat for you like this?

Carolyn, you've earned the title, "Awesome Possum"!

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

~ Lao Tzu
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Are you trying to scam your diet?

Now, be honest with yourself. Do you “forget� to stock diet friendly foods? What about absentmindedly ordering that Grande Mocha Malt Frappuccino at Starbucks last Monday morning? You know, the Monday you were going to start your diet – again?

Maybe you're the type that figures once the morning diet is shot to hell, you may as well blow the rest of the day? Or, better yet, wait until next month?

What if you just needed a gentle reminder when you first wake up while your brain is still foggy? Try these two simple tricks: Run a piece of masking tape across your bedroom doorway – something you'll run smack into first thing in the morning. Nothing like being caught in a spider web to enhance the memory! Now run another piece across the bathroom mirror where you shave or apply make-up – another instant reminder.

My last favorite “reminder� trick is just a plain 'ol mind game. Hide everything! Trying to break the high calorie coffee habit? Stash the coffeemaker, ditch the mucho calorie Coffeemate.

Wish you could pass on McDonald's for lunch every day? It's hard to buy anything if you leave your money at home. Yeah, you could hit up your coworkers, but then you need to ask yourself: “How badly do I want to be thin?�

Could it be that you're afraid? Scared that you'll fail again? Nervous that it will be too hard or complicated? Leery of not understanding all the “rules� for the newest diet you're trying?

Well, clearly you've been trying the wrong ones! Why not give the Kimkins diet a try?

The basic diet is so simple you could write it on the back of your hand. It's so easy your 2nd grader will have it down pat in 30 seconds. Complicated? Not even. The purpose of Kimkins is very simple – fast weight loss, no messing around, no coddling.

Our mental attitude and mindset is everything when it comes to mastering weight loss. If you're not on board consciously, then your subconscious is going to play every trick in the book on you – and win. Don't let that happen. Be the boss. Outsmart yourself!

Oh, and next time you're going to “forget� to pass on your favorite Starbucks creation, try to “remember� that Grande Mocha Malt Frappuccino will set you back 600 calories and 95 carbs!

Ever have days when eating seems out of control? Or, are you surprised yet again on the bathroom scale -- and not in a good way?

A few days of meal replacement shakes might do the trick. A la Slim Fast but homemade, fresher and in your favorite flavors!

If you're following a low carb diet like Kimkins then opt for the lowest carb counts in whey protein powders.

Here's a few brands with 1-4 carbs per serving (assuming 0 calorie mixer). If you add milk, your weight loss will be drastically less.

• Champion Nutrition, Cocoa Mochachino, 4 total carbs, 23 protein grams
• EAS Whey, Vanilla, 3 total carbs, 23 protein grams
• MET-Rx, Cookies & Cream, 2 total carbs, 22 protein grams
• Prolab, Cinnamon Oatmeal, 3 total carbs, 22 protein grams