I gave up the scale. :) And D@MN it's liberating!

I got so caught up in the numbers that I lost focus on everything else. Now that i've ditched scale I'm finally seeing some progress and a healthy step forward!

I've given up bread, pasta, and rice. Also, fried foods, though that wad never something I ate often anyway.

For me it was about eating more. More vegetables, fruit, and lean protein.

Along with Krampus and the other ladies that haven't permanently 'given things up' I have not said I will never have something again except regular soda (I don't see the point when there is Diet).

I do have a pretty long list of things I just don't eat regularly though;

- Packaged desserts - Most cake, pies, cookies, and the like just don't fit into my life. I will make exceptions for really delicious QUALITY things on occasion, but you won't find me scoping out the Little Debbies!

- Rice and pasta; I generally don't like rice unless it's with the rare sushi meal and pasta just isn't worth the calories to me.

- Pre-packaged frozen meals; I don't care if it's Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Kashi, or some other "healthy" brand, I can generally make something tastier and with more protein/less sodium/crap in just a few moments at home.

- Granola/cold cereal; I just don't care for it enough to justify the calories for a tiny serving. I'd rather have a nice hot bowl of oatmeal, quinoa or wheat bran which is much less processed and a lot more filling.

- Gum; I used to have a HUGE gum addiction (like a 15-piece pack of sugar-free gum each day) but I haven't had a single piece in almost 8 weeks! I'm not saying I'll never have it again, but I quit cold turkey and haven't really missed it.

- Bread; MOST of the time I do not eat bread. If I keep any at home it is Sprouted Grain bread like Ezikiel that I can keep in the freezer and have as needed. I will eat the delicious bread that comes with dinner or if I'm having a Treat Meal, but generally I don't mess with it.

- Regular peanut butter; Natural nut butters with no added sugars for me, thanks. :)

- Fast food/dining out; yep, I don't do it save for rare occasions. I might go out for dinner 1-2 times a month and maybe a couple of lunches at Panera or Chick-fil-A if I'm traveling and need to get a decent salad. I prefer to make my own food. It saves money, I get exactly what I want, and I genuinely enjoy cooking and creating my own meals!

- Butter/Mayo/full fat salad dressings; I prefer to get my fats from nut butters, avocado, light dressings, olive oils, fish oil, light dairy, and things with more monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fats than saturated. I know the latter is not bad per say, but I still try to make the best choices.

- Fat Free dairy; Yep, you read that right! I will not eat fat free cottage cheese, greek yogurt, frozen yogurt, cheese or other dairy. What's the point?! I'll take light or regular any day. I need the fat and it tastes a million times better.

- Overly processed 'frankenfoods'; I am no purist, but I do my best to avoid things that have too many ingredients or chemicals in them. I don't care how low in calories or 'good' it is for me (diet soda included the majority of the time), I don't want that crap in my body. Again, I'll make exceptions here and there (like sugar-free pancake syrup once every few weeks and my Arctic Zero here and there) but generally the more natural something is the better.

- Lunch meats; I don't like my meat to have added ingredients. I don't buy any deli meats at all, and my chicken/beef/fish/shrimp etc. should be one ingredient... itself! Chicken does not need an ingredients list in my opinion. I will do my best when traveling but I realize that most fast food establishments' chicken/meat has a lot of additives.

I've given up giving things up in general, like a few others have said. I think that is part of the lifestyle vs diet thing. It really is nice. I just try to always think long and hard about what is worth eating and what isn't in the moment.

The biggest thing is that I'm pretty choosy about quality. If I have desert I want it to be decadent and luxurious, you know, worth it. Otherwise I would really rather just have fruit or tea or nothing.

Plus, just about anything really can be budgeted into most plans, even if you don't calorie count per se.

I gave up a lot of stuff like soda and highly processed foods years ago and haven't seen a need to ever add them back into my diet, even when I'm not eating so well. It really is amazing to me how pointless soda seems when you aren't used to drinking it and how cravings for real junk are non-existant when you don't have all of those chemicals in your system.

I eat mostly vegan and I always include the mostly in order to have a little wiggle room for special occasions, travel, or serious cravings. I have seafood, cheese, eggs, and butter each maybe a handful of times a year when the situation is right. I like to be flexible.

I think its all about doing what is sustainable for you. I personally don't do well with strict restriction.

The only thing I've truly given up is gluten, but only because I'm gluten intolerant. It does a real number on my inside, so that makes it easy.

It would be easier to list the things that I DID NOT give up! lol

Another one for giving up regular soda. It was actually one of the first things I cut out when I first started losing about 8 years ago. I don't really miss it much anymore, but I will admit that I still drink (probably too much!) diet soda.

Another thing I've seem to have given up recently? Exercise. :o :p

the only thing i've only really been able to give up is pop... i have terrible sodium cravings and my sweet tooth is insane, so haven't gotten those in control yet! lets not even talk about carbs-- rice, pasta, and bread are the secret lovers of my life. kudos to all who have been able to keep off of their vices!

Since september ive given up junk food. i thought it would be impossible cos im so addicted but i just eat cereal bars, snack a jacks, soya yogurts etc. Its such a good feeling, i dont know if i lost weight from it but its such a great feeling to sit in front of everyone eating dessert and just say no

Replaced processed meats with chicken breasts or lean chops
Replaced juice and soda with ice tea
Replaced full cream with low fat milk and yoghurt
Replaced the occasional snack or sweet with dark choc
Cut out any fried food
Cut out butter/ margarine/ spreads

My biggest problem - Mayonnaise!! Switched to low fat, but can't seem to give it up!

Nothing is wrong with it but I can't have one bowl of cereal or just a serving! It's like my reptile brain takes over and I eat half the box. Granola and muesli are the worst. Even plain oatmeal I have a hard time rationing.