Innani, I searched through your posts and what I see in your post from September 20 seems to be still with you.

This is what I see...

The Learning Curve: I find it frustrating to always have to think about food - it occurs as such a chore!

Yes! You're learning something entirely new and until you've learned the "hows" and are feeling more comfortable, it will be a real mental stretch.

Not Sticking to the Rules: I'm down 8 lbs, and haven't been following things too too closely for the whole duration.

Umm, I think this is self explanatory. You've got to give your all.

Commitment: So for me I guess it's a bit of a struggly between the quality of life issue, and actually getting a bit more of a dramatic weight loss result

You have to decide which of the two you want the most.

I guess I'm still waiting to make the mental shift, since for me this is REALLY HARD right now...

The mental shift comes with learning to love, or loving what you're doing. It comes with stepping over all the boundaries you've created for yourself. Be patient. It takes practice.

These are some of the basic principles that enable you to be successful at any thing you choose to take on. It doesn't make any difference what kind of diet you want to follow unless you can learn to live comfortably and grow with it. Please don't use it as a form of torure. You have the ability to change it into something that will nurture you.

And you don't need the Meridia. You have the strength within you.

Karen