There are SO many diets to pick from. I wasn't following a certain diet. What I have been doing for the past week to get my mind into the lifestyle frame of thinking is simply cutting out caffine and fried foods. That ALONE has made me feel so much better because I'm not all clogged with grease. I notice that if I eat a burger, I usually get a tummy ache now. Also. I think my stomach is shrinking because the past 3 meals I have been unable to finish all of. Anyways. Here's the problem. I had some salad for lunch, saved the rest for later, but I'm hungry again. I don't WANT to eat again right now. I also know that not eating is not good though.

My question is. What actual DIETS work fast (yet are effective) that cut out caffine and fried foods so that I can stay on track so far? I have so much to learn. I feel swamped with information and stuff I simply don't understand...

The thing about diets (and there are as many diets as people who want to lose weight, you know ) is that none of them are "fast" - even with eating well and exercising, your body will lose at its own pace. That being said, I've lost about 75 pounds on Weight Watchers since March 24th of last year. To me, that's pretty darn speedy and makes me a huge fan of the program. Counting points is easier for me than having to worry about calories, and I'm not restricted as to what I can and cannot eat on different phases. Also, I've found that going to meetings (which is not required) is the cheapest form of therapy I can find! It's wonderful to talk with other people who understand the struggles and celebrate the victories, along with getting useful information about how to "cope".

However, you may also want to research what you think will be the easiest way to change things for yourself! Cutting out greasy foods and caffeine are excellent ways to start making changes, and they can be incorporated into *any* plan you decide to work with. At least, I've yet to see a plan that required someone to partake of french fries and Mountain Dew, hehe!

Diets with fast results and in the long-term, effective? I don't think there are any. I've been on hundreds of diets in the last 35 years, and I really am convinced that only when I stopped worrying about speed, and started looking at making changes that were healthy in the long-term and easy to fit into my existing lifestyle (modest, rather than drastic changes), did I start feeling that I was making changes that I could live with forever.

I do think that's the way to look at it. What changes am I willing to make today, that I can see myself being happy with forever? I'm finding that the more changes I make, the more I find myself willing to make. So being perfect in making dozens of drastic changes "from the start" just never worked out in the long term for me.

Weight Watchers seems to be a possibility. It's the meetings that I am worried about. I have a very hectic schedule with work and other things, and I don't yet drive on my own. I know only briefly about weight watchers. What exactly does your money pay for in terms of... anything? I used to have a nutritionist years ago and I remember bringing home boxes of foods to eat at certain times. lol. Also is there anything to eat if you are hungry that doesn't count against you so much?

Celery has virtually no calories at all (takes more calories to eat it, then it actually contains. So I've heard), but I don't know how well it would fill you up. Try it:P

If you are not sure about meetings you should try weight watchers online. You get all the online tools but do not go to meetings. I have had success with it in the past.

Also the Richard Simmons food mover plan is online. I was doing it but it was just too comlicated for me to keep up with. Others who have more time or eat more simple foods might have an easier time with it. It costs a lot less than weight watchers online.

It's easy to get overwhelmed in trying to decide "which plan" to follow, because there is a lot of conflicting advice out there, and it's hard to know who knows what they're talking about. Credentials don't always help, because a dozen degrees doesn't prevent a person from having a crackpot idea and writing books about it.

So how do you evaluate and sort through all of the B.S. to get at the "truth" of it all?

Well, I can't give you an easy answer on that one, except that you don't have to know it all (or much at all) to get started. You'll learn as you go, and at your own pace, and you don't have to worry about picking the "best" plan either, because your plan(s) may change as you learn more (not only from information sources, but from experimenting and finding out what works for you).

I think if you're starting with little or no knowledge of nutrition, you might consider the South Beach Diet, Weight Watcher's or an exchange program.

Personally, I like exchange plans because they provide at least some nutritional balance, just by their very nature (requiring and limiting servings of fat, fruit, vegetables, protein, starch and dairy). It is true that eating simple, whole foods is easiest on an exchange plan, but there are resources (online and in books) to help you calculate the exchanges for combination foods (I use the second to newest edition of Exchanges for All Occasions).

The hardest part of any plan IS compliance. Change is very difficult, especially changing unhealthy habits (or so it seems), so the most important aspect is being patient with yourself. When you make mistakes, do not assume that you've blown it, failed miserably, or aren't able to do this.

The more folks you can get to help you, the better. If you can afford to, or if you've got insurance that allows you to meet with a diabetic counselor (often you need to have a diagnosis of diabetes or insulin resistance) or a dietitian, that can be very helpful.

For the support of other people, and for the accountability of regular weigh-ins, you can't beat groups like Weight Watcher's, First Place and other church diet groups, TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly, much cheaper than WW and you can follow any food plan(s) you wish, although an exchange plan is described in the TOPS manual (optional purchase, and you can usually borrow it from a member before deciding to buy) and on the TOPS website (which you don't have to be a member to use).

And of course, this site is great for learning about other people's experiences and what they are finding useful.

Weight loss isn't simple or easy (and usually isn't accomplished quickly). While the formula for success can be reduced to a simple concept (burning more calories than consuming), living that concept isn't so easy.