Calorie Counting etc..... what's your plan?

What has it been since I posted last... a week?  Two?  Seems like the time has passed so quickly.  At my last post, I was STUCK. And it hurt. A lot.  I went for an unfill and she removed .75 ccs.  And I put seven pounds on as fast as they came off.  So then yesterday, I had .25 put back in.

That is the story of my life.  Get fill....too tight....lose weight... get stuck, unfill.... gain weight..... and get a fill again.  If you look at my weight chart, you will see the pattern there.  Up and down and up again.  It is just a wee bit aggravating.  I am so close to the 100 pound mark, and just a little farther than that to onederland.

So, I guess this is the point when I quit waiting for the band to tell me when to stop and I start being more concerned about calories. 

My nurse told me she wants me at 1100-1200 calories. 

So this is my question -- and believe me, ALL ideas are welcome.   What kind of plan do you all use to keep track of calories? I have used Sparkspeople in the past, but it takes so dang much time to do the food searches. And how do you account for things like homemade recipes that you have no idea what the calorie count is? 

My favorite plan ever was based on Diabetic exchanges, but I am not sure how many exchanges would equal the calorie range I need to be at. 

This morning, I had my protein shake for breakfast.  It is 1030 now, and I am ready for something else, but trying to hold out til it is closer to lunch time.  It seems like a long wait.  But, I am headed for a long hot bubble bath with my book, a novel about Marie Antoinette.  (Fascinating!)   My first thought was to take my sugar free hot apple cider to sip on in the meantime, but I have also been advised to cut out the artificial sweeteners, even fruit sweeteners.  Bah!!!!!!!   Yup, definitely need that hot bath!

If nothing else, I can't get in the fridge unless I scare my children with a naked streak to the kitchen!!

Happy Saturday to you!!