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I really have no idea.Sometimes, I think I’m the only one who’s ever heard of BRIXMIS. Often I talk to people who think they know a lot about covert operations and secret missions of the Cold War, but find they’ve never heard of it. It’s nice to know there is someone else, at least, out there who knows about it.I suppose at this point I should explain, for the benefit of readers other than the one who posted the question, what BRIXMIS was and why it is one of the best stories of the Cold War that (almost) nobody knows.As everybody does know, Germany was carved up between the Britain, France , the USA and the Soviet Union after the Second World. Whilst relationships between the western allies and the Soviet block were still relatively friendly, an agreement was reached whereby each party would be allowed a small military mission in the others territory. These missions would have quasi-diplomatic status, meaning they could move around unhindered by the military or civilian police.The British mission, BRIXMIS, was set up first and was the largest. The other three were considerably smaller. The Soviet Union used their mission, SOXMIS, to run secret agents. The western allies also used their to spy, but did so very differently.Being bigger, BRIXMIS ran three-man teams. The French and Americans used two man teams, which were less effective. They wore military uniforms and drove western cars, but were able to move freely around East Germany. There were, officially, some restrictions on where they could go, but they were usually ignored.As a result BRIXMIS teams were able to see first hand the Warsaw Pact in action. When Soviet armoured divisions mobilised in radio silence and deployed on the West German border, BRIXMIS watched. When four Russian divisions were mobilised in four days to surround West Berlin, BRIXMIS was there.They also did a lot more than just observe. By the 1980s a stand MO had been worked out for BRIXMIS. An Intelligence Corps Officer was in command, a Royal Corps of Transport driver was at the wheel, and the third person on the team was usually seconded from the SAS. Tours would last several days, with the teams sleeping in the woods, often in the middle of huge formations of Soviet troops.(You see why this is such a great story? Everyone remembers the SAS in Malaya and Borneo and Oman and the Falklands, but who lists East Germany as one of their Cold War deployments?)At the start of the eighties the teams drove Range Rovers or special four wheel drive Opel Senators, but by the end they were given Mercedes G Wagons. This was important because, as each BRIXMIS team deployed, it would be given a Stasi escort. However, the poor old secret police in their Trabants or Wartburgs had no chance against a RCT driver at the wheel of a high powered 4x4. Once free of their chaperone, the BRIXMIS teams could start their work. Usually this would mean getting out of the vehicle and having a scout around on foot to see what could be found.The intelligence coups of BRXMIS were quite significant. Rooting around in a dustbin after a Warsaw Pact exercise one team uncovered a guide to all the Soviet weapon systems, with special mention of all their defects. On another occasion a key to the top hatch of a T-64 tank was fashioned from a photograph, and so when one of these brand new tanks was found parked up and unguarded the team were able to unlock it, pop inside and take some photos of a vehicle many Soviet officers didn’t even know existed.Sometimes the team would take some trophies home with them. These included empty shell casing from the new AK-74 assault rifle, a sample of reactive armour, and even the radar and engines from a crashed Yak-28.The BRIXMIS teams also got to observe the Soviet military in operation at close hand. If the Cold War turned hot the SAS would operate as stay-behind parties, sabotaging the Soviet logistics. The SAS who deployed with BRIXMIS were therefore interested to find that very few Warsaw Pact officers were ever given maps, and that the movement of Russian units depended on teams going out to put up road signs beforehand. The SAS were therefore briefed that these people would be a priority target in wartime.Save to say the Soviet and East German authorities didn’t take too kindly to this sort of snooping. They couldn’t actually stop BRIXMIS without also losing SOXMIS, and that was too valuable for them to do this. Instead, they could make life as hard as possible, whilst arranging the occasional little ‘accident’.Teams found where they shouldn’t be could be detained for a few hours. Anyone who went too far, like the American team which refused to stop at a checkpoint and ran over a Soviet guard, could be declared persona non grata and sent home.The ‘accidents’ though, were another matter. These usually involved lorries which swerved across the road to take out a BRIXMIS vehicle. The photo above shows what happended to a French team. One photo taken by BRIXMIS shows a heavy Soviet tractor unit, hastily detached from the pontoon it had been towing, charging like a raging bull towards them across a dusty plain, still training wires and other bits of bridge. Several missions vehicles were lost in this way, and others in more ordinary accidents.Other ways of dealing with the missions were even more direct. BRIXMIS teams were sometimes shot at, but never hit. However, on 24 March 1985 Major Arthur ‘Nick’ Nicholson of American USMLM was shot by a guard at a Russian tank storage facility. Major Nicholson died several hours later after being refused medical attention. The resulting diplomatic freeze saw the US boycott a planned joint celebration of the 40th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War.But back to the original question, why doesn’t BRIXMIS get the recognition it deserves? I really have no idea. There is a good book on them, and it’s by Tony Geraghty whose Who Dares Wins was required reading for teenage boys when I was growing up. I’m surprised more people haven’t read his BRIXMIS.I’m also surprised it doesn’t appear in more books about the SAS. I first learnt about BRIXMIS in Ken Connor’s book about the Regiment. However, Connor’s book is a factual account of the history of the SAS, whereas most books on the subject are mostly fiction. You can add imaginary firefights in Iraq quite easily, but I guess you couldn’t really get away with making up shootouts in Cold War East Germany.This is all a pity because it’s a great story. This is Major General P G Williams CMG OBE, a BRIXMIS tour commander in the 1980s:“It is already impossible to recreate a true impression of the fantastic atmosphere of professionalism, enthusiasm and camaraderie that characterised life in BRIXMIS. The job itself was exhilarating, not infrequently dangerous and undoubtedly addictive; it really was the ‘Great Game’ of the Cold War, played out in the forests and farmland of regions with evocative names like Mecklenburg, Brandenburg and Saxony.”I suspect BRIXMIS will remain a secret until such a time as someone makes a film or a TV series about it. The story is there to be told, we just need someone to tell it.Sources:Geraghty, Tony (1996). Brixmis: The Untold Exploits of Britain's Most Daring Cold War Spy MissionConnor, Ken (1999). Ghost Force: Secret History of the SAS. London:BRIXMIS in the 1980s; The Cold War's Great Game : peter williams : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet ArchivePictures:BRIXMISMuseums:There is a BRIXMIS Opel Senator in the Cold War Museum at RAF Cosford.Opel Senator 'Spy Car', RAF Cosford

Step 1) System Preparation - NVIDIA Driver Update and checking your PATH variable (Possible "Gotchas")This is a step that was left out of the original post and the issues presented here were the source of most difficulties that people had with the old post. The current state of your Windows 10 configuration may cause difficulties. I'll try to give guidance on things to look out for.The primary testing for this post is on a fresh install of Windows 10 Home "October 2018 Update" on older hardware. (Intel Core i7 4770 + NVIDIA GTX 980 GPU). This turns out to be a good test systems because it would have failed with the old guide without the information in this step.Check your NVIDIA DriverThis is important and I'll show you why.“Don't assume Microsoft gave you the latest NVIDIA driver! Check it and update if there is a newer version.”Right click on your desktop and then "NVIDIA Control Panel"nvidia control panel 1nvidia control panel 2You can see that my fresh install of Windows 10 gave me a version 388 driver. That is way too old! Now click on "System Information" and then the "Components" panel. The next image shows why that 388 driver wont work with the newest TensorFlow,nvidia control panel 3The CUDA "runtime" is part of the NVIDIA driver. The CUDA runtime version has to support the version of CUDA you are using for any special software like TensorFlow that will be linking to other CUDA libraries (DLL's). As of this writing TensorFlow (v1.13) is linking to CUDA 10.0. The runtime has to be as new, or newer, than the extra CUDA libraries you need.Update the NVIDIA Display DriverEven if you think you have the latest NVIDIA driver check to be sure.Go to [Download Drivers] and enter the information for your GPU. Then click "search".driver page 1Click "search" to go to the download page,driver page 2It doesn't matter too much what GPU you put in on the search page the latest driver supports cards all the way back to the 600 series.Download and install the driver following the prompts.Note: I used the "Standard" driver if you are using an install that was done by Dell or HP etc. they may have put there own OEM version on your system. If the standard driver doesn't work try the "DCH" driver. Also, NVIDIA now has 2 drivers because some video processing applications were not working right. I used the "Game Ready Driver". After all, it's "Workstation by day, Battle-station by night". Right?Check your PATH environment variableThis may not be something you think about very often, but it's a good idea to have an idea of the state of your PATH environment variable. Why? Development tools will often alter you PATH variable. If you are trying to run some code and getting errors that some library or executable cannot be found, or just having strange problems that doesn't seem to make sense, then your system may be grabbing something by looking at your PATH and finding a version that you are not expecting.If you answer yes to any of the following then you should really look at your PATH,Have you installed Visual Studio?Did you install some version of CUDA?Have you installed Welcome to Python.org Python?Have you tried a "pip" install of TensorFlow?You may be reading this because you tried and failed to install TensorFlow following Google's instructions. If you feel that you made a mess on your system then you can try to do some clean-up by uninstalling what you did. But, you may not have to clean up. Try to do what I suggest for the TensorFlow install. However, first look at your PATH so you know it's state in case you run into strange errors.Go to the "Start menu" and start typing PATH Variable, your should get a search result for the control panel "System Properties" advanced panel.control panel pathClick on "Environment Variables"control panel sysThe PATH on my testing system is short because I haven't installed anything that would modify it.If you have a long string then there is a great "Edit.." panel that will show you each entry and allow you to move things up or down and delete or add new entries.The main idea to keep in mind is that when your systems searches for an executable or library it will start by looking in the current directory (folder) and then goes through directories listed in your User PATH entries followed by the System PATH. It keeps going until it finds the first thing that satisfies what you asked for (or fails) ... but it might not be the thing you want it to find. It takes the first thing it finds. If you have folder entries in your PATH that have different version of an executable of DLL with the same name you can move the PATH for the one you want toward the beginning of your PATH so it's found first.Be very careful with your PATH. Don't make changes unless you know what you are doing. It should mostly be something that you are aware of for trouble-shooting.A special note for laptopsIf you have a laptop with an NVIDIA GPU (like a nice gaming laptop) then you should succeed with the instructions in this post. However, one unique problem on laptops is that you will likely have power saving control that switches your display driver back to the CPU's integrated display. A current Windows 10 setup on your laptop along with the latest driver should automatically switch your display to the NVIDIA driver when you start TensorFlow (same as starting up a game) but, if you have trouble that looks like TensorFlow is not finding your GPU then you may need to manually switch your display. You will likely find options by right clicking on your desktop.Step 2) Python Environment Setup with Anaconda PythonI highly recommend Anaconda Python. If you need some arguments for using Python take a look at my post Should You Learn to Program with Python. For arguments on why you should use the Anaconda Python distribution see, How to Install Anaconda Python and First Steps for Linux and Windows. Another reason for using Anaconda Python in the context of installing GPU accelerated TensorFlow is that by doing so you will not have to do a CUDA install on your system.Anaconda is focused toward data-science and machine learning and scientific computing. It installs cleanly on your system in a single directory so it doesn't make a mess in your systems application and library directories. It is also performance optimized for important numerical packages like numpy, scipy etc..Download and Install Anaconda PythonGo to the Anaconda downloads page Anaconda Python/R Distribution - Free Download and get the 64-Bit Python 3.7 (or newer) version.Anaconda downloadYou can download an "Run" at the same time or download to your machine and double click on the "exe" file to start the installer.You will be asked to accept a license agreement ..."Select Install Type" I recommend you chose "Just Me" since this is part of your personal development environment."Chose Install Location" I recommend you keep the default which is at the top level of you user directory."Advanced Installation Options"Advanced install opts"Register Anaconda as my default Python 3.7" is recommended." "Add Anaconda to my PATH environment variable" is OK to select. However, you don't really need to do that. If you use the GUI, Anaconda Navigator, the (DOS) shell or the PowerShell link in the Anaconda folder on your start menu they will temporarily set the proper PATH environment for you without making a "permanent" change to your PATH variable. For this install I will leave it un-checked.My personal preference it to "Add Anaconda to my PATH" because I want it to be found whenever I use Python.Note: This version of the Anaconda distribution supports "Python environments" in PowerShell which is my personal preferred way to to work with "conda" on Windows.Check and Update your Anaconda Python InstallGo to the "Start menu" find the "Anaconda3" item and then click on the "Anaconda Powershell Prompt",Powershell prompt for AnacondaWith "Anaconda Powershell" opened do a quick check to see that you now have Anaconda3 Python 3.7 as your default Python.(base) PS>pythonPython 3.7.3 (default, Mar 27 2019, 17:13:21) [MSC v.1915 64 bit (AMD64)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on win32Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.>>>Type CTRL-D to exit the Python prompt.Update your base Anaconda packages`conda` is a powerful package and environment management tool for Anaconda. We'll use `conda` from Powershell to update the base Python install. Run the following commands. It may take some time to do this since there may be a lot of modules to update.conda update condaconda update anacondaconda update pythonconda update --allThat should bring your entire base Anaconda install up to the latest packages. (Everything may already be up to date.)Anaconda NavigatorThere is a GUI for Anaconda called `anaconda-navigator`. I personally find it distracting/confusing/annoying and prefer using `conda` from the command-line. Your taste may differ! ... and my opinion is subject to change if they keep improving it. If you are new to Anaconda then I highly recommend that you read up on `conda` even (or especially!) if you are thinking about using the "Navigator" GUI.Step 3) Create a Python "virtual environment" for TensorFlow using condaYou should set up an environment for TensorFlow separate from your base Anaconda Python environment. This keeps your base clean and will give TensorFlow a space for all of it's dependencies. It is in general good practice to keep separate environments for projects especially when they have special package dependencies. Think of it as a separate "name-space" for your project.There are many possible options when creating an environment with conda including adding packages with specific version numbers and specific Python base versions. This is sometimes useful if you want fine control and it also helps with version dependency resolution. Here we will keep it simple and just create a named environment, then activate that environment and install the packages we want inside of that.From the "Anaconda Powershell Prompt" command line do,conda create --name tf-gpuI named the environment 'tf-gpu' but you can use any name you want. For example you could add the version number.NOTE: avoid using spaces in names! Python will not handle that well and you could get get strange errors. "-" and "_" are fine. (Python programmers often use underscores.)Now exit from the Powershell you are using and then open a new one before you activate the new "env". This is an annoying quirk but, powershell will not re-read it's environment until you restart it. If you activate the new "env" before you restart you will not be able to do any package installs because the needed utilities will not be on the path in the current shell until after a restart."activate" the environment, (I'll show my full Powershell prompt and output instead of just the commands)(base) PS C:Usersdon> conda info --envs# conda environments:#base * C:UsersdonAnaconda3tf-gpu C:UsersdonAnaconda3envstf-gpu(base) PS C:Usersdon> conda activate tf-gpu(tf-gpu) PS C:Usersdon>The `conda info --envs` command shows the "envs" you have available.After doing `conda activate tf-gpu` you can see that the prompt is now preceded by the the name of the environment `(tf-gpu)`. Any conda package installs will now be local to this environment.Step 4) Install TensorFlow-GPU from the Anaconda Cloud RepositoriesThere is an "official" Anaconda maintained TensorFlow-GPU package for Windows 10!A search for "tensorflow" on the Anaconda Cloud will list the available packages from Anaconda and the community. There is a package "anaconda / tensorflow-gpu 1.13.1" listed near the top that has builds for Linux and Windows. This is what we will be installing from the commands below.This command will install the latest stable version of TensorFlow with GPU acceleration in this conda environment. (It will be the latest version maintained by the Anaconda team and may lag by a few weeks from any fresh release from Google.)(tf-gpu) C:Usersdon> conda install tensorflow-gpuThat's it! You now have TensorFlow with NVIDIA CUDA GPU support!This includes, TensorFlow, Keras, TensorBoard, CUDA 10.0 toolkit, cuDNN 7.3 along with all of the dependencies. It's all in your new "tf-gpu" env ready to use and isolated from other env's or packages on your system.Step 5) Simple check to see that TensorFlow is working with your GPUYou can use the powershell that you have activated the tf-gpu env in and did the TensorFlow install with or open a new one and do ` conda activate tf-gpu`.With your tf-gpu env active type the following,pythonYour prompt will change to the python interpreter prompt. this will be a simple test and we'll use a nice feature of recent TensorFlow releases, eager execution.>>> import tensorflow as tf>>> tf.enable_eager_execution()>>> print( tf.constant('Hello from TensorFlow ' + tf.__version__) )(that is 2 underscores before and after "version")My session including the output looked like this,(base) PS>conda activate tf-gpu(tf-gpu) PS>pythonPython 3.7.3 (default, Mar 27 2019, 17:13:21) [MSC v.1915 64 bit (AMD64)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on win32Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.>>> import tensorflow as tf>>> tf.enable_eager_execution()>>> print( tf.constant( 'Hellow from TensorFlow ' + tf.__version__ ) )2019-04-24 18:08:58.248433: I tensorflow/core/platform/cpu_feature_guard.cc:141] Your CPU supports instructions that this TensorFlow binary was not compiled to use: AVX AVX22019-04-24 18:08:58.488035: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:1433] Found device 0 with properties:name: GeForce GTX 980 major: 5 minor: 2 memoryClockRate(GHz): 1.2785pciBusID: 0000:01:00.0totalMemory: 4.00GiB freeMemory: 3.30GiB2019-04-24 18:08:58.496081: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:1512] Adding visible gpu devices: 02019-04-24 18:08:58.947914: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:984] Device interconnect StreamExecutor with strength 1 edge matrix:2019-04-24 18:08:58.951226: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:990] 02019-04-24 18:08:58.953130: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:1003] 0: N2019-04-24 18:08:58.955149: I tensorflow/core/common_runtime/gpu/gpu_device.cc:1115] Created TensorFlow device (/job:localhost/replica:0/task:0/device:GPU:0 with 3005 MB memory) -> physical GPU (device: 0, name: GeForce GTX 980, pci bus id: 0000:01:00.0, compute capability: 5.2)tf.Tensor(b'Hellow from TensorFlow 1.13.1', shape=(), dtype=string)>>>When you first run TensorFlow it outputs a bunch of information about the execution environment it is in. You can see that it found the GTX 980 in this system and added it as an execution device.Next we will do something a little more useful and fun with Keras, after we configure Jupyter notebook to use our 'tf-gpu' environment.Step 6) Create a Jupyter Notebook Kernel for the TensorFlow EnvironmentYou can work with an editor and the command line and you often want to do that but, Jupyter notebooks are great for doing machine learning development work. In order to get Jupyter notebook to work the way you want with this new TensorFlow environment you will need to add a "kernel" for it.With your tf-gpu environment activated do,conda install ipykernel jupyterNote: I installed both ipykernel and jupyter above since jupyter was not installed by default when we created the tf-gpu env. jupyter is installed by default in the (base) env.Now create the Jupyter kernel,python -m ipykernel install --user --name tf-gpu --display-name "TensorFlow-GPU-1.13"You can set the "display-name" to anything you like. I included the version number here.With this "tf-gpu" kernel installed, when you start Jupyter notebook you will now have an option to to open a new notebook using this kernel.Start a Jupyter notebook,jupyter notebookLook at the "New" menu,Jupyter kernel for TFNote: If you start a jupyter notebook from the (base) env you will see "TensorFlow-GPU-1.13" option but you will not be able to import tensorflow in that notebook because TensorFlow is only installed in the "tf-gpu" env. [You could have installed into your (base) env but, I recommend that you keep separate env's.]Step 7) An Example Convolution Neural Network training using Keras with TensorFlowIn order to check everything out lets setup the classic neural network LeNet-5 using Keras using a Jupyter notebook with our "TensorFlow-GPU-1.13" kernel. We'll train the model on the MNIST digits data-set and then use TensorBoard to look at some plots of the job run.You do not need to install Keras or TensorBoard separately since they are now included with the TensorFlow install.Activate your "tf-gpu" envLaunch "Anaconda Powershell" and then do,conda activate tf-gpuCreate a working directory (and log directory for TensorBoard)I like to have a directory called "projects" in my user home directory. In the project directory I create directories for things I'm working on. Of course, you can organize your work however you like. ... But I do highly recommend that you learn to use the command-line if your are not familiar with working like that. You can thank me later!In powershell the the following commands are useful for managing directories,To see what directory you are in,pwd(if you just opened "Anaconda Powershell" you should be in your "user home directory")To create a new directory (and additional subdirectories all at once)Note: when you are working with "code" I highly recommend that you **do not use spaces in directory or file names**.# in the new version 1.14 you no longer need to create the logs file for Tensorboard# It is still good to create a working directory# mkdir projects/tf-gpu-MNIST/logsmkdir projects/tf-gpu-MNISTThat one command above gives you a work directory, "tf-gpu-MNIST", and a "logs" subdirectory.Note: In powershell you can use "/" or "" to separate directories. (It has many commands that would be the same in Linux and you can use those alternatively to "DOS" like commands. )To change directory use "cd"cd projects/tf-gpu-MNIST(For completeness) To delete a directory you can use the ` rmdir` commandIMPORTANT!***********************************************************The older version (1.13.1) was able to use UNIX like file paths on Windows but it looks like version 1.14 does not! You need to change this,tensor_board = tf.keras.callbacks.TensorBoard('./logs/LeNet-MNIST-1')to this,tensor_board = tf.keras.callbacks.TensorBoard('.\logs\LeNet-MNIST-1')I also noticed that you no longer need to create the directory before hand i.e. if the directors .\logs\LeNet=MNIST-1 doesn't exist when you start the job run it will be created automatically.*************************************************************Launch a Jupyter NotebookAfter "cd'ing: into your working directory and with the tf-gpu environment activated start a Jupyter notebook,jupyter notebookFrom the 'New' drop-down menu select the 'TensorFlow-GPU-1.13' kernel that you added (as seen in the image in the last section). You can now start writing code!MNIST hand written digits exampleThe following "code blocks" can be treated as jupyter notebook "Cells". You can type them in (recommended for practice) or cut and past. To execute the code in a cell use `Shift-Return`.We will setup and train LeNet-5 with the MNIST handwritten digits data.Import TensorFlowimport tensorflow as tfLoad and process the MNIST datamnist = tf.keras.datasets.mnist(train_images, train_labels), (test_images, test_labels) = mnist.load_data()# reshape and rescale data for the CNNtrain_images = train_images.reshape(60000, 28, 28, 1)test_images = test_images.reshape(10000, 28, 28, 1)train_images, test_images = train_images/255, test_images/255Create the LeNet-5 convolution neural network architecturemodel = tf.keras.Sequential([tf.keras.layers.Conv2D(32, (3,3), activation='relu', input_shape=(28,28,1)),tf.keras.layers.Conv2D(64, (3,3), activation='relu'),tf.keras.layers.MaxPooling2D(2,2),tf.keras.layers.Dropout(0.25),tf.keras.layers.Flatten(),tf.keras.layers.Dense(128, activation='relu'),tf.keras.layers.Dropout(0.5),tf.keras.layers.Dense(10, activation='softmax')])Compile the modelmodel.compile(optimizer='adam', loss='sparse_categorical_crossentropy', metrics=['accuracy'])Set log data to feed to TensorBoard for visual analysistensor_board = tf.keras.callbacks.TensorBoard('./logs/LeNet-MNIST-1')Train the model (with timing)import timestart_time=time.time()model.fit(train_images, train_labels, batch_size=128, epochs=15, verbose=1,validation_data=(test_images, test_labels), callbacks=[tensor_board])print('Training took {} seconds'.format(time.time()-start_time))The resultsAfter running that training for 15 epochs the last epoch gave,Train on 60000 samples, validate on 10000 samplesEpoch 1/1560000/60000 [==============================] - 6s 105us/sample - loss: 0.2400 - acc: 0.9276 - val_loss: 0.0515 - val_acc: 0.9820......Epoch 15/1560000/60000 [==============================] - 5s 84us/sample - loss: 0.0184 - acc: 0.9937 - val_loss: 0.0288 - val_acc: 0.9913Training took 79.47694969177246 secondsNot bad! Training accuracy 99.37% and Validation accuracy 99.13%It took about 80 seconds on my old Intel i7-4770 box with an NVIDIA GTX 980 GPU (it's about 17 times slower on the CPU).Look at the job run with TensorBoardOpen another "Anaconda Powershell" and activate your tf-gpu env, and "cd" to your working directory,conda activate tf-gpucd projects/tf-gpu-MNISTThen startup TensorBoardtensorboard --logdir=./logs --port 6006It will give you a local web address with the name of your computer (like the lovely name I got from this test Win10 install)tensorboard startOpen that address in your browser and you will be greeted with (the wonderful) TensorBoard. These are the plots it had for that job run,Note: on Chrome I had to use localhost:6006 instead of the address returned from TensorboardTensorBoard outputNote: For a long training job you can run TensorBoard on a log file during the training. It will monitor the log file and let your refresh the plots as it progresses.ConclusionThat MNIST digits training example was a model with 1.2 million training parameters and a dataset with 60,000 images. **It took 80 seconds utilizing the NVIDIA GTX 980 on my old test system! For reference it took 1345 seconds using all cores at 100% on the Intel i7-4770 CPU in that machine. That's an 17 fold speedup on the GPU. That's why you use GPU's for this stuff!**Note: I used the same procedure for doing the CPU version. I created a new "env" naming it "tf-CPU" and installed the CPU only version of TensorFlow i.e. `conda install tensorflow` without the "-gpu" part. I then ran the same Jupyter notebook using a "kernel" created for that env.I sincerely hope this guide helps get you up-and-running with TensorFlow. Feel free to add comments if you have any trouble. Either myself or someone else in the community will likely be able to help you!

Get to Know CarbsCarbohydrates or “carbs” get a lot of attention these days and you may wonder if you should even eat them at all. The fact is that food is made up of three main things: carbohydrate, protein, and fat. You need all of these to stay healthy, but the amounts that each person needs or chooses to eat may be very different. The most important thing is choosing the carbs that give you the most bang for your buck in terms of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Processed foods tend to be high in carbohydrate while very low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, giving carbs a bad rap. But choosing less processed carb foods and paying attention to how much you are eating can make a big difference in your blood sugar and overall health.Carbs come in many different forms, but let’s focus on the top three: starch, sugar and fiber.StarchFoods high in starch include:Starchy vegetables like peas, corn, lima beans and potatoesDried beans, lentils and peas such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas, and split peasGrains like oats, barley, rice, wheat, and others.Whole grains are just that, the whole plant that has been harvested and dried with little processing. They provide fiber as well as essential vitamins including B and E and other minerals needed for optimal health.Refined grains are processed to remove the most healthful parts including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Laws were passed in the U.S. to ensure that essential vitamins and minerals be added back in during processing as a result of vitamin and mineral deficiencies leading to diseases in children and adults.SugarSugar is another source of carbohydrate. There are two main types of sugars:Naturally occurring sugars such as those in milk or fruitAdded sugars that are added during processing, such as fruit canned in heavy syrup, sugar added to make a cookie, and table sugar to name a few.There are many different names for sugar. Examples of common names are table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, powdered sugar, raw sugar, turbinado, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar and sugar cane.If you are looking for information about sugar substitutes, look here.FiberFiber comes from plant foods so there is very little if any fiber in animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, poultry, and fish.Fiber is found in plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and pulses (dried beans, peas and lentils). Fiber is like your body’s natural scrub brush, passing through your digestive tract carrying a lot of bad stuff out with it.For optimal health, adults need to eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day. Most Americans do not consume nearly enough fiber in their diet, so while it is wise to aim for this goal, any increase in fiber in your diet can be helpful. Most of us only get about half of what is recommended.Eating foods higher in fiber can improve your digestion, lower your blood sugar, and reduce your risk of heart disease.Good sources of dietary fiber include:Beans and legumes. Think black beans, kidney beans, pintos, chick peas (garbanzos), white beans, and lentilsFruits and vegetables (for example, apples, celery and beans) and those with edible seeds (for example, berries)Whole grains such as:Whole wheat pastaWhole grain cereals like old fashioned or steel cut oatsWhole grain breads (To be a good source of fiber, one slice of bread should have at least three grams of fiber. Another good indication: look for breads where the first ingredient is a whole grain. For example, whole wheat or oats.) Many grain products now have "double fiber" with extra fiber added.Nuts — try different kinds. Peanuts, walnuts, and almonds are a good source of fiber and healthy fat, but watch portion sizes, because they also contain a lot of calories in a small amount.You can find foods that are naturally high in fiber that are labeled as “excellent source,” meaning they contain more than 5 grams of fiber; while foods labeled as “good source” contain at least 2.5 grams of fiber.It is best to get your fiber from food rather than taking a supplement, but if that is not possible, a supplement can help.If you haven’t been eating a lot of foods high in fiber on a daily basis, it’s important that you increase your intake slowly. Even though they are good for you, it can take time for your body to adjust. A sudden increase in eating foods high in fiber (especially foods with added fiber or when using supplements) can cause gas, bloating, or constipation. Be sure you are drinking enough water too, because fiber needs water to move through your body!Get Smart on Carb CountingCarbohydrate counting, or "carb counting," helps many people with diabetes manage their food intake and blood sugar, and it’s most often used by people who take insulin twice or more times a day.Carb counting may give you more choices and flexibility when planning meals. It involves counting the number of carb grams in a meal and matching that to your dose of insulin. With the right balance of physical activity and insulin, carb counting can help you manage your blood sugar. It sounds complex, but with help from a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) or certified diabetes educator (CDE), you can learn how to find the right balance.How much carbohydrate?The best place to start is to figure out how many carbs you are eating at your meals and snacks now. Tracking your food intake and your blood sugar before and about 2 hours after your meals for a few days can provide useful information for you and your diabetes care team to see how different meals impact your blood glucose and determine the right amount of carbs.What foods have carbohydrate?Foods that contain carbohydrate or “carbs” are:grains like rice, oatmeal, and barleygrain-based foods like bread, cereal, pasta, and crackersstarchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and cornfruit and juicemilk and yogurtdried beans like pinto beans and soy products like veggie burgerssweets and snack foods like sodas, juice drinks, cake, cookies, candy, and chipsNon-starchy vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, and cauliflower have very little carbohydrate and very little if any impact on your blood sugar.Reading food labels will tell you how much carb is in foods that tend to be processed. Foods without labels such as fruits and vegetables are often better options and you can learn to estimate how much carbohydrate is in it.Protein and fatWith carb counting, protein and fat in meals are also a factor but have less impact on your blood sugar than carbohydrates. Foods high in protein often contain fat, and both protein and fat can affect your blood sugar. While there is currently no clear method of counting grams with protein and fat to predict impact on your blood sugar, if you notice unexpected outcomes in your blood sugar when you eat foods high in protein and/or fat, talk with your diabetes care team about the best way to plan for those meals.Using food labelsCarb counting is easier when the information is on the food label. You can look at how much carbohydrate is in the serving of food you plan to eat. The two items on the label that are most useful are the serving size and the total carbohydrate amount.Look at the serving size. All the information on the label is about this amount of food. If you will be eating 2 or 3 servings, then you will need to double or triple the information on the label.Look at the grams of total carbohydrate.Added sugars and other bullets below the total carbohydrate listing are included in the total carbohydrate. They are called out to provide more information about what you are eating.Finding the right balance of carbs, calories and portions that will satisfy you can take time and may also change as other factors in your life change.Carbs have been vilified as the culprit behind weight gain in several trendy diets like Keto and Whole 30. But the headlines about one recent study were enough to unnerve even the most dedicated low-carb fan: '' ‘Low-Carb’ Diet May Up Odds for an Early Death'' was one of the scarier ones.The Truth About Carbs1/13What Are Carbs?They’re one of three types of food that give your body energy. The other two are proteins and fats. Together, they provide the fuel your body uses to build and repair itself. Carbs break down into glucose (sugar) that you can use right away.2/13Your Body’s FuelYour body runs on glucose. Your brain, in particular, needs it to work the way it should. Carbohydrates are an almost instant source of it. Your body can break down and use fat for some of the same needs, but not all of them. Plus, fat that’s used for fuel makes compounds called ketones that can raise the level of acid in your blood, and that can be unhealthy over the long term.3/13Workout PrepBecause carbs are a source of energy, they can keep you going strong while you exercise. Experts recommend fueling up 1 to 3 hours beforehand with a combination of carbs and protein, like oatmeal, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, or nuts and raisins.4/13Full of NutrientsThe best-quality carbs -- berries, vegetables, and whole grains -- are packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants that are important for good health and well-being. Whole grains have fatty acids, magnesium, B vitamins, folate, and zinc. Fruit and starchy veggies have some of those, plus phytonutrients like flavonoids and carotenoids that help prevent disease. If you skip the carbs, you lose out on those nutrients, too.5/13Simple CarbsThink of table sugar as simple carbs in pure form. They’re very small molecules, which makes them especially easy for your body to break down and use. That means they raise your glucose levels (blood sugar) really fast. Things that sweeten any number of candies, pastries, and desserts are loaded with these kinds of carbs.6/13Complex CarbsString together a bunch of simple carbs, and you get these larger molecules. Your body has to break them down into simple carbohydrates and then into glucose before it can use them. This takes longer, which means your blood sugar goes up more slowly and they’re less likely to be changed into fat. These kinds of carbs include multigrain breads and pasta, beans, potatoes, and other vegetables.7/13Storage TankBefore your body turns leftover glucose from carbs into fat, it stores what it can in your liver in the form of glycogen. This keeps your body going between meals. But your liver can only keep a day or so’s worth at a time.8/13If You Have Too ManyIf you overdo the carbs, your blood sugar levels can get too high. This causes your body to make more insulin, which tells your cells to save the extra glucose as fat. That can be unhealthy if you’re already carrying a few extra pounds. It can lead to diabetes and other related health issues.9/13If You Don’t Have EnoughIf there aren’t enough carbs in your diet, you could get constipated from lack of fiber and nutrients. Your body is also forced to use protein or fat for energy. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. If you use them as fuel, you may not have enough left to make more cells and keep them healthy.10/13The Right AmountThe number of carbs you need can depend on your gender, size, and how active you are -- and that can change as you get older. But as a general rule, about half your daily calories should come from carbs in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and dairy products. Just make sure to go with healthy, complex carbs and don’t overdo the simple ones.11/13Low-Carb DietsIn theory, fewer carbs mean less sugar. And “ketogenic” diets have been shown to help some people lose weight and control their blood sugar in the short term. But these diets include lots of protein, and your body may need to use stored calcium to digest it. Plus, digesting lots of protein can be hard on your kidneys over time. You also tend to eat more saturated fat to replace the carbs, and that can be unhealthy in the long term, too.12/13Diabetes and CarbsIf you have this disease, you need to watch your carbs carefully because your body has trouble keeping your blood sugar at a safe level. If you have too many, your body may not be able to bring your blood sugar down quickly enough. But if your blood sugar gets too low, a glass of juice or another simple carb might be just the thing to kick it back up again. If you have diabetes, talk with your doctor about the best way to manage carbs.13/13Where to Get Healthy CarbsLook for unrefined whole grains like quinoa, rye, and barley instead of highly processed white bread and pastries. Whole unprocessed fruits and vegetables are better than juices. And it’s a good idea to pass on the high-carb potato foods, especially french fries, in favor of beans, chickpeas, and other legumes.But another recent study by Harvard researchers found a higher chance of premature death in both low-carb eaters and high-carb eaters.These conflicting findings point to a larger problem with carb research, experts say. Carbohydrate studies are plentiful, but agreement about the best way to eat carbs -- and how much of them we need on a daily basis -- is rare."The confusion is major at this stage," says Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "People don't know what carbs are, how much they need."So, what should you do about carbs -- go low, high, or stay in the middle? What's healthy and what’s moderate carbohydrate intake anyway? And which amount of carbs will help you lose weight and live longer? Or is that an impossible dream?Low-Carb DietsThe newest study, presented at a meeting of European cardiologists in August, looked at a U.S. sample of nearly 25,000 people. It found that the low-carb eaters had a 32% higher chance of dying from any cause during a follow-up of over 6 years. The risk of death from heart disease, when looked at separately, was 51% higher, stroke, 50%, and cancer, 35%. They evaluated other studies to confirm their findings.But experts not involved in the research took some issues with the study. It offered no clear-cut definition of low-carb; nor did the researchers have information about why people ate low-carb diets.AboutWhat are Good and Bad Carbohydrates? 0:54Cutting back on carbs? Maybe you don’t have to deny yourself that slice of whole-grain bread.RGood carbohydrates would come from things like whole grain bread products, fruits, vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes also known as beans, peas, or lentils. Our bad carbohydrates would come from processed or refined grain products, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages and snacks. Everyone has different carbohydrate needs, and it's best to talk with a registered dietitian to help determine how much you need. But in general if someone was following a 2000 calorie diet, they would need between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrate at each meal during the day. The best sources of carbohydrate will always come from whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, as well as dairy. It's best to avoid things with added sugar, such as sugary-sweetened beverages and desserts.What are Good and Bad Carbohydrates?Cutting back on carbs? Maybe you don’t have to deny yourself that slice ofAnother new study on carbohydrates from Harvard found that middle-of-the-roaders who kept their carbohydrate intake to 50% or 55% of total calories were the likeliest to live the longest. Those researchers evaluated dietary records completed by more than 15,000 U.S. adults, ages 45 to 64, between 1987 and 1989. During the 25-year follow-up, they found that the moderate carb eaters, staying at 50% to 55%, were less likely to die than both the low-carb eaters (in this study, less than 40%) and the high-carb eaters (in this study, more than 70%).The researchers then combined their results with the results of seven other studies, including more than 432,000 people. They got the same results, finding moderate-carb eaters likely to live longer than low-carb or high-carb eaters.In addition, they found that low-carb diets with protein and fat from animals, such as from beef, pork, and chicken, were linked with a higher risk of death than those that favored plant-derived protein and fat, such as from vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, and whole grains.Previous studies have produced conflicting findings. Some have found that low-carb diets promote weight loss and can help heart health. But other studies have found that low-carb eating could boost the risk of heart disease, cancer, and earlier death.Carbs DefinedWhile researchers continue to sort out exactly how many of our daily calories should come from carbs, experts say most of us could use a bit more information on carbohydrates, starting with: What exactly is a carb?Slideshow12 Habits of Super-Healthy People1/12Have BreakfastIt's important for a bunch of reasons. It jump-starts your metabolism and stops you from overeating later. Plus, studies show that adults who have a healthy breakfast do better at work, and kids who eat a morning meal score higher on tests. If a big plateful first thing isn't for you, keep it light with a granola bar or a piece of fruit. Just don't skip it.2/12Plan Your MealsIt'll help you save time and money in the long run. Block out some time, then sit down and consider your goals and needs. Do you want to lose weight? Cut back on sugar, fat, or carbs? Add protein or vitamins? Meal prep keeps you in control. You know what you're eating and when. A bonus: It'll be that much easier to skip those doughnuts in the breakroom at work.3/12Drink Plenty of WaterIt can do so many good things for you. Staying hydrated is at the top of the list, but it may also help you lose weight. Another reason to go for H2O? Sugary drinks are linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. If you aren't a fan of plain water, add flavor with slices of orange, lemon, lime, watermelon, or cucumber.4/12Take an Exercise BreakDon't just grab another cup of coffee -- get up and move. Do some deep lunges or stretches. It's great for your body and mind. Just 30 minutes of walking five times a week may help keep the blues at bay. And if you can't do those minutes all at once, short bursts help, too.5/12Go OfflineChecking your email and social media a lot? Sure, your friends' and family's latest updates are just a click away, but do you really need to see pictures of your cousin's latest meal? Let it wait until morning. Set a time to log off and put the phone down. When you cut back on screen time, it frees you to do other things. Take a walk, read a book, or help your cousin chop veggies for her next great dinner.6/12Learn Something NewNew skills help keep your brain healthy. Sign up for a dance class or a creative writing workshop. Better yet, master a new language. The mental work it takes can slow the signs of aging and may even delay the effects of Alzheimer's disease.7/12Don't SmokeIf you light up, quit. It's a big move toward better health. Your body repairs itself quickly. As soon as 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. Why wait? Kick the habit, today. Your doctor will be happy to help you get started.8/12Sleep WellThere are almost too many benefits to list. A good night's sleep keeps you in a better mood, sharpens memory and focus, and helps you learn new things. In the long term, it lowers your risk of heart disease and helps you keep trim. Aim to get 7 to 9 hours a night. For the best rest, do it on schedule -- turning in and waking up at about the same times every day.9/12Train Your MusclesStrength training helps your body trade fat for muscle mass. That means you'll burn more calories even when you're being a couch potato. But these workouts can also help you slim down, strengthen your heart, and build up your bones. Do strength-training exercises -- like push-ups, lunges, and weight lifting -- at least twice a week.10/12Head OutdoorsA few minutes in the sunshine raises vitamin D levels, and that's good for your bones, your heart, and your mood. Plus, being outside means you're more likely to move your body instead of parking it in front of the TV or computer. Choose nature over city streets, if you can. One study found that people who strolled in urban green spaces were calmer than people who walked in built-up areas.11/12Keep Your BalanceIf you're young and active, good balance will help you avoid injuries. If you're older, it will keep you active longer and lower the chances you'll fall and break a bone. No matter your age, good balance means better muscle tone, a healthier heart, and greater confidence. Yoga and tai chi are great ways to work on it, but just about anything that keeps you moving, even walking, can help.12/12Be MindfulIt can mean meditating or simply stopping to smell the roses. However you do it, studies show mindfulness slashes stress, relieves pain, and improves your mood. And scientists are beginning to understand how. One study found that 8 weeks of regular meditation can change parts of your brain related to emotions, learning, and memory. Even washing dishes can be good for your brain, as long as you do it mindfully.Some carbs occur naturally -- such as those in fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes. Other carbs are added to processed foods in the form of starch or extra sugars.Sugar, the simplest carbohydrate form, is in fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. Starch is a complex carb found in grains, vegetables, and cooked dry beans and peas. Fiber, also a complex carbohydrate, is in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dry cooked beans and peas.Our bodies convert carbohydrates into sugar or glucose as foods are digested. Glucose is a main source of fuel for our body, including the brain.While carbs often get blamed for weight gain, they aren't all bad. Besides providing energy, carb-containing foods such as whole grains and dietary fiber can lower the chance of heart and blood vessel disease, according to experts at the Mayo Clinic. Fiber may also lower the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes and help your digestion. Eating healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is also linked with weight control."Carbohydrates are your body's energy [source], but what is important is which ones you choose and the quantity. That word moderation, which we all hate to hear, is important," says Diekman.Defining Low, Moderate, HighFurther confusing the issue is the definition of a low-carb diet. But most people term diets that allow 25% to 30% of calories from carbs as low-carb, says Stephen Phinney, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Virta Health, which offers a very low-carb treatment to reverse diabetes.So if you eat 2,000 calories a day, a diet of 25% carbs would mean eating 500 calories from carbs, or about 125 grams. The keto diet, as it's known, is even lower, with ketosis (the state at which your body is fueled mainly by fat and ketones) occurring when you eat 50 grams of carbohydrates a day or less.Continue Reading BelowModerate, in general, is 45% to 65% of total calories from carbs.And high is often defined as more than 70% of total calories from carbs.The 'Party Line' On CarbsThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating a moderate amount of carbs -- about 45% to 65% of your total daily calories. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, your carbs on this moderate plan should total about 900 to 1,300 calories, or about 225 to 325 grams a day. (A slice of whole wheat bread has 12 grams or more of carbs; a single 6-inch pancake, 30.)Depending on which expert or which study you refer to, opinions differ about the benefits of low-carb versus higher-carb diets, and why moderation is the best course.A low-carb diet can definitely benefit children with seizures, says Phinney, who’s a professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California, Davis. It can also help reverse type 2 diabetes. "This is dangerous to do on your own without expert medical supervision," he says, especially if people are being weaned from their diabetes medications.Eating a small amount of carbs doubles the body's ability to burn fat during high-intensity exercise, Phinney says. Very lean and high-performing athletes, such as runners in 50- and 100-mile events, can run totally on body fat stores if they eat a very low-carb diet, improving performance, he says.Healthy Habits: Better Eating Resolutions1/16Get More Fruits and VeggiesTry to add one more of each to every meal. Store cut-up raw veggies in the front of the fridge and fruit on the counter where you'll see it. Keep healthy dips on hand, like hummus, peanut butter, and low-fat yogurt. Load extras into your sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups, and omelets. Pureed options like butternut squash can thicken soup and add nutrients. Mix cauliflower puree in with mashed potatoes for a healthy boost.2/16Cut Down on Fast FoodTry to reduce fast-food temptations. Take a different route so you don't have to pass drive-through places. Keep fruit or nuts with you to tide you over until you get home or to work. If you have to hit up a restaurant, choose lower-calorie items like grilled chicken. Look for fruit or veggie options like a salad (watch the dressing) or a plain baked potato as a side. Order regular or small sizes, and avoid value meals. Sip water or diet soda instead of sugary soda.3/16Choose Better SnacksWork in one more healthy snack a day. Trade cookies or chips for a small handful of nuts or trail mix, or low-fat yogurt. Find fresh fruit in season. Oranges are good because they take time to peel and eat. Try pretzels or a few whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese. Only snack when you're really hungry -- not just bored or stressed. Keep it to one serving.4/16Eat at Home More OftenPlan every day so restaurants aren’t your only option. Use a slow cooker so you have a hot, healthy meal ready and waiting when you get home at night. Cook more than you need, and freeze half. You'll have meals you can take out and heat up when you need them. Try an easy-to-fix healthy breakfast -- like oatmeal with fruit -- for lunch or dinner.5/16Avoid Mindless EatingDon’t chow down unless you’re hungry. Stop when you feel satisfied -- but before you feel full. It’s OK to leave food on your plate. Don’t sit in front of the TV or computer when you eat. When you multitask you’re more likely to overeat. Stay in the moment. When you tune in to your appetite signals, you won’t eat just because you're bored.6/16Snack Less at WorkGet unhealthy snacks out of your office -- or at least out of plain sight. You'll eat less if you don't have food within easy reach. If you tend to graze at work, don't keep food at your desk. Make sure it’s at least 6 feet away from where you sit. That will give you time to think before you grab a bite. Take time for a real lunch break, away from your desk.7/16Eat Smart at RestaurantsIt’s all in the planning. Order off the children's menu or ask for smaller portion sizes. Don't get so hungry that you overeat when you get there. Munch a healthy snack before you go. Start with a clear (not creamy) soup or a salad. Divide your meal in half and take the uneaten part home. Or split an entrée with a friend. Tell the waiter not to bring bread or tortilla chips to your table.8/16Cut Down on SugarGive up one sugary soda a day. That cuts out about 8 teaspoons of sugar. Choose water or unsweetened tea instead. Choose fresh fruit or fruit canned in water or juice, not syrup. Opt for unsweetened cereals.9/16Eat Breakfast Every DayIf you're too rushed to sit down and eat, take something with you. Portable breakfast items include granola or breakfast bars, yogurt, instant oatmeal, or pieces of fresh fruit. Muffins, bagels, and other baked goods are often larger than a single serving -- so keep an eye on portion size. If you don't like traditional morning eats, choose something to fuel your body.10/16Plan to Eat RightDon't give up because you're out of time. Create a healthy-eating plan for days when you work late or have errands to run. Keep nutritious snacks with you, like trail mix, whole grain cereal, or fruit. Store healthy foods in your freezer. Learn which restaurants and supermarket delis have salad, soup, or grilled chicken so if you have to get something "to go," you can choose wisely.11/16Eat Smart at PartiesHave a healthy snack before you go. That way you won't hit the buffet too hard. When you get there, fill a small plate with at least half fruit and veggies. Opt for just a bite or two of desserts and high-calorie dishes. When you’re finished, step away from the food. If you stay and chat around the buffet, you might be tempted to graze. Drinks can be high in calories, too. So whether it’s alcohol or soda, use moderation.12/16Keep Track of What You EatA food journal can help you pay attention to what you eat and how you feel. You may be surprised by your habits. You can write it out by hand or download an app for your phone or tablet. You don't have to track meals every day. Just do it one day a week or for a few days. That’ll give you an idea of what and how you eat.13/16Learn to Say "No"Stay strong. The waiter might say that you can't have sauce on the side. You can. Your coworker might pressure you to try her homemade treats. Say no. Every bite adds up, so don’t give in. Explain why you're saying no if you want to -- or just politely decline. You don't owe people an explanation. You do owe yourself good health.14/16Stop OvereatingTrade your large plates and silverware for small ones. You’ll eat less on a 10-inch than a 12-inch plate. Use a tablespoon, not a serving spoon, to dish out portions. Think about what you put on your plate to make sure you really want it. Serve from the stove instead of the table, so second helpings aren't right in front of you. Eat slowly so your body has time to tell your brain you're full.15/16Get SupportIt'seasier to be strong when you have folks on your side. Ask a buddy or family member to eat healthy with you. Hold each other accountable. Don't try to go healthy while your family eats what they want. If you’re all in it together and one of you is tempted to slip, the rest will be there for support. Or go high tech and download an app or find a website to keep you on track.16/16Set Yourself Up for SuccessAim for one small, specific healthy eating goal at a time. Reward yourself when you meet it. Don't try to make too many changes at once. Post reminders where you can see them every day. Choose something that won’t derail your hard work, like healthy food, gourmet herbal tea, or a massage.Phinney says he is not aware that the low-carb trend has gained traction among elite athletes who run shorter distances, such as the 26.2-mile marathon or the 13.1-mile half-marathon. But he has heard from many recreational runners who compete at these distances and shorter ones who follow the keto diet and find it improves their times. And he suspects the very low-carb diet may also be catching on with elite athletes besides runners.What about very low-carb eating for your average healthy person without seizure issues or diabetes? "I wouldn't advocate it for someone who doesn't have a tangible benefit," Phinney says.If losing body fat is your aim, cutting dietary fat lowers body fat more than restricting carbs, according to a National Institutes of Health study. Kevin Hall, PhD, an NIH senior investigator and lead author, studied 19 men and women who were obese but free of diabetes. Before trying each of two diet types, they ate a diet of 50% of total calories from carbs, 35% from fat, and 15% from protein. Then they reduced total calories by 30% -- while on the low-carb plan they reduced carbs by 60%; while on the low-fat diet they reduced fat by 85%.Continue Reading BelowThe reduced-fat diet was better than the reduced-carb diet at increasing fat burning, which led to body fat lossExperts agree that some carbs are better than others. Choose the least refined carbs -- think whole grains, brown rice -- says Lichtenstein.Aim for the moderate range and don’t focus only on carbs. "You have to think about the whole diet,'' she says. The fat you eat should be healthy, such as from liquid vegetable oils. Protein should be lean. Within each category, choose the healthiest option, Lichtenstein says.Follow these tips from Lichtenstein and Diekman to boost your diet's content of ''better'' carbs, fats, and protein:Choose less-refined carbs -- whole wheat pasta over regular, whole grain hamburger buns over non-whole grain, Lichtenstein says. Grain foods such as pasta, whole grain cereals and breads, quinoa, lentils, and beans are also good fiber sources, Diekman says. Plus, they provide a good base for eating more vegetables.Aim to get most of your carbs from fruits, vegetables, and grain foods, Diekman says, with the rest from dairy foods such as milk and yogurt.For fats, choose liquid vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, Lichtenstein says.For protein, go for lean meats, nonfat dairy, and plant-based protein, Lichtenstein suggests.Deciding how many of your daily calories should come from carbs isn't an easy decision, but one thing is sure: Although more research about the optimal balance of carbs is on the horizon, it may help you with your decision, or it could complicated.