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So I'm in day 4 of the diet and am doing fairly well. The homemade chicken and cheese quesadilla I had for dinner last night set me back a bit. But I was encouraged that today at lunch I could make chicken, cheese and salsa nachos for 480 calories. With my breakfast of a Special K bar, I'm at 570 calories for the day. Pretty good!

Counting calories is certainly an exercise in math (not my strong point) as well as paying attention to labels you might otherwise disregard. Here are some tips from the American Diabetic Association in reading labels and making sure you're accurately counting your calories, fat, sodium, etc.

When looking at a food label, look for the following:

Serving size

• Some small packages that you would normally eat in one sitting may have two or more servings.

Servings per package

• Control portions to eat just one serving.

Calories

• Choose products by comparing calories per serving

Percent Daily Value (% DV)

• 5% or less means a food is low in a nutrient o Choose foods that are low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium

• 10% to 19% of the DV is a good source of a given nutrient

• 20% or more means a food is high in a nutrient

• Choose foods that are high in fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron

There's also a handy worksheet you can use to track your progress with food and exercise.

My biggest challenge is staying motivated when I get a craving. What's your biggest dieting challenge? Let me know here or at mballeck@craigdailypress.com and I'll get you some helpful advice from local experts!