I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing

But I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it right.

Now I don't want to "toss the baby out with the bath water."  I've eaten pretty healthily but liberally since WLS.  That being said, I gave myself an inch and then took a mile.  This time of year is bad timing.  I've already been wanting to lose another 10-20lbs. to be at my best weight.  At 155 I'm doing great, but not my best.  But now that the holidays are here, you'd gasp at what I've been doing.

My class schedule recently makes eating kind of weird.  I've tried taking soup and sandwich, and that didn't sit well with my stomach-->therefore I've been hitting the vending machine hard.  And I mean like twice a day, all bad.  Plus Halloween candy.  Plus went out of town to New Orleans and indulged (this one I'm ok with rationalizing--laissez les bon temps roulez).  Plus I've been helping myself to seasonal lattes.  At least I'm doing ff and sf. 

It boils down to too much sugar/carbs, not enough protein, and way too much snacking.  The train is not off the rails yet.  I'm only up like 2lbs. and that could be fluctuation from my weekend in NOLA.  But I know it's starting to become a problem.

However--I don't know what or how much I should be eating.  There's no way 2 oz. of chicken would satisfy me now.  How do I gauge it?  I also find that when I'm too strict with myself, the more quickly I resort to "cheating" on my "diet" so that's part of why I never have really "dieted."  Please help!  I'm 4 1/2 year out and no idea what i should be doing.  I really want to maintain restriction.

well first you gotta determine a calorie range you can maintain on.  go back to your original weight loss calorie level and increase by 100 calories a day.  do that for a week and see what happens. or maybe you already know the calories you maintain on.  if thats the case, then you gotta ditch the vending machines. if 2 oz chicken is not enough, try 3 or 4.   for convenience I get those single serving pouches of tuna. that and some carrot sticks makes a good lunch.  keep some almonds with you to help avoid the candy.  do a week "detox" on the white carbs and reach for protein whenever in doubt.  you can get back on track if you find a daily routine that works for you.  

I kind of do the same routine every day.  GY for breakfast, some cheese or tuna for lunch plus a few peanuts or carrots or a little can of tomato juice,  glass of wine before dinner, and dinner chicken or some protein plus veggies.   might have some almonds later on or skim milk.   sounds fairly bleak but we do go out to dinner or get fresh local fish or crab when we can.     gl    diane