1. I'm eating more. My mother's idea of a diet is 900 calories a day, 1200 if you just can't stand 900. Stick to it as long as possible. On that diet, I'm miserable all the time--not hungry, but cranky and impatient and no short term memory and tired. I didn't realize it was hunger. I thought it was misery over denying myself, and I knew I couldn't live like that. On 1500-1800, I lose as much, and I have a life.

2. The internet. I love computer tracking for counting calories and macronutrients, and being able to look up nutritional information on-line. You under-30 people have no idea how much more of a PITA counting calories was.

3. My digital kitchen scale. SO much easier than measuring things. I have no idea why this took so long.

4. Motivation. I hit 33, we decided to try to have a baby. We have to use IVF for all kinds of reasons, and frankly, if I am going to risk $15K and one of the most significant events of my life on a roll of the dice, I want to maximize my success. That means being at a healthy weight if at all possible.

5. Learning that making something a priority means putting it FIRST, not first after my job and my social life. At this point, I'd rather not go to a party and disappoint a friend than go and over eat. I never would have said that before, but I want this more than I want everyone to be happy with me.

1. realize that when I fail to plan... I am planning to fail. Every single time
2. knowing that I have to do this for a lifetime... and being okay with that!
3. realizing that just one taste of some things is murder for me. Plain and simple
4. finally knowing that I can screw up, eat far too much... and get on plan THAT MINUTE... that just because you overeat does not mean that you are less of a person
5. learning to figure out when I do something I shouldn't... why did I do that?

Love this thread! I was just thinking today while driving about this very thing.

This time I am just doing better. Better for ME. Better choices. I eat healthy everyday and excersise. I am trying to flip that switch in my head to LOVE excersise. Daily when working out I tell myself how much I really am having fun. I think this is what gets me to the gym. "today may be the day for the flip". I really can't put my finger on how or why it is different THIS TIME. It just is.

One thing I have come to realize is this really isn't THAT hard. I have just made my mind up that this is the way I live now. Sorta like the law. (if that makes any since) I don't run red lights. Sometimes I slip thru a yellow one. BUT I know what the law is.

Gosh I really wish I would have just made my mind up like this years ago.

;)

Seriously, uber - sometimes we are so much alike it scares me! ;)

I have most of the same differences this time round as you do. The long-term outlook, celebrating the little changes and buying clothes that fit (and not keeping the ones that don't - even if I did like them) and being realistic about what my body will look like.

This time round, I'm more flexible. Since this is the first time where I don't see it as a diet that will end but instead as how I will live my life (with some minor adjustments for maintenance), I don't have an 'all or nothing' attitude. I don't expect to live on celery and yogurt for the rest of my life. I am probably losing more slowly than I could if I was more strict, but this is more sustainable for me long-term. For me, more strict and completely off limit foods mean that at some point I will snap and go back to old habits - that's how it's always been in the past. This time, if I want something and am willing to spend the calories on it, I eat it. But I don't feel the need anymore to binge or overeat.

The other big thing is my activity level. I truly consider myself an athlete now, an identity that I have NEVER had. I was the overweight bookworm who made up excuses to get out of gym class. Now I look forward to doing active things everyday - whether it's running, biking, hiking, whatever. Being active is a vital part of who I am now and I love being able to push my body to do things. Sweat is sexy! :lol:

I don't know why this time it 'clicked' or why it took so many years to do so, but I'm just thankful it did and that I don't have to live the rest of my life as the morbidly obese woman who kept making excuses for herself. Now I will live as a happy, fit, healthy person. :D