It all depends on the kind of fat or carbs you are talking about. Yes, 100 calories of healthy fats (containing large amounts of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids) are better for your health than 100 calories worth of sugar. Some good fats can actually lower bad cholesterol. On the other hand, saturated fats and trans-fats are a lot worse than starch and fiber. Fiber is very important to keep the digestive tract working properly. Low-carb and protein rich diets are not healthy in the long run. The digestion of proteins creates some toxic by-products and the kidneys have to work hard to eliminate them in form of uric acid. Portion control is a big factor in any diet. Eating a wide variety of healthy foods and watching the total calorie intake is the best method of losing and/or maintaining weight.

I lost 40 pounds last year and the most important thing I learned was portion control. I ended up using a lot of frozen meals - Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, Healthy Choice, Honestly Good, etc.They are good, and there are a lot of choices now, and the calorie and fat counts are reasonable. And they are more interesting and tasty than most of the meals I would make myself I know some of you will snarl and post a few snarky comments, don't waste your time. I found these to be much more cost effective, filling and kept my daily calorie intake at about 1450 calories. I cut WAY back on meat, and used a lot of meatless meats, since I also needed to cut back on fat and cholesterol. One egg a week, max. Buying ingredients and not using them is so wasteful, and I can't afford to throw away food/money. I made my own breakfast - oatmeal or my own egg, cheese muffin or PB&J on toast. Lunch, at work, was a frozen meal, or some soup. I used the frozen meals for dinner. It was usually about six when I got home, I don't like to eat late. When my DD and her family moved it, it was a bit harder, since I was doing most of the cooking initially but I did it. I found a smartphone app called "My Fitness Pal" really helped. I've used it for about a year and a half and now I'm pretty comfortable with the portion sizes and do a pretty good job day by day. Good luck. This post was edited by momj47 on Wed, Oct 16, 13 at 23:54

For low-carbing, when it comes to things like "spaghetti" I enjoy using thinly sliced cabbage and cook it slightly. Spaghetti sauce or Alfredo also tastes great over cooked broccoli. Very good Ruthie. I had lost 26, but I have been sluffing off this summer and gained back 7 - 9. I need to get serious again!

Barb, here is Alton Brown's recipe, you could easily leave out the salt and any of the flavorings you don't like. The brown sugar adds a nice flavor, but it'll make the sausage stick if your meat is too lean, so watch it carefully. I often use dried herbs, although the fresh are very good used like this the dried ones are good too. If you don't want to grind your own meat, just get ground pork or ground chicken and use that. I like it with chicken a lot. Breakfast Sausage Alton Brown 2 pounds pork butt (2 1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 pound fat back, diced into 1/4-inch pieces 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Recipe courtesy Alton Brown Ruthanna that's a great idea with flavored butters, CC could use unsalted butter and add things her husband likes. I love your Tomato Basil Butter, that's good on a lot of things. Annie