A question for those at goal or pretty close – how did you lose the weight? Did you use a name diet plan or did you devise your own plan? Did you have surgery? Has your plan changed or evolved over time? If you’re at goal now, is your maintenance plan different from your weight loss plan?

Please feel free to post details about what you did/do as well as answer the survey.

I guess that I have to vote 'other'. I followed an exercise and nutrition plan devised for me by a personal trainer for the year that I lost weight. It was basically calorie counting and keeping track of grams of protein, fats, and carbs. Now that I'm maintaining, I'm on my own but stick to the parameters of the diet that I lost the weight on. I started using Fitday back on June 1, 2001 and still use it every day.

I had to chose "other" also. I started out on SugarBusters and lost most of my scale weight that way, but switched to Body for Life when it was apparent that I may have reached my scale target, but not my target body. I did one "by the book" 12 week challenge, then customized the lifting and eating plan. My plan is still evolving and changing to meet my needs.

I'm currently exercising a little less than I did while I was losing, but exercising smarter. Except when I do something stupid in the gym, and injure myself
My eating is stricter, but I'm in a losing phase right now, trying to get down about 2 more pounds and then see if I can maintain there. I'm not sure I can over the long haul, but it's worth a try. I'm not willing to do endless sessions of cardio, so I need to find a spot where I can live.

I started out on low carb, tried South Beach, but desided I needed to eat a balanced diet, not just certain things. So I used the exchange plan that the ADA uses. I kept my calorie count at about 1200 per day. I eat from all the food groups each day...watch fat content. But I do have fats. You can get in real trouble if you cut those out or too low.
I am having a little trouble maintaining right now. Being careless about my eating, but I have maintained my weight for almost two years. I don't exercise enough...just haven't taken time lately...and that is a big part of my problem. But have started back which should help a lot.

I voted 'other' but Meg, after 'other' you should have 'many of the above' ...

I've counted points with WW years ago...lost then regained... This time around I did Body for Life, counted calories, counted carbs, and now it's a mix of all three ...

I started out trying to eat better and with more thought, drink lots of water, and get some sort of exercise (at first mostly walking) at least 6/7 days per week. I did end up using fitday for calorie and nutrient tracking after the first 2-3 months and started running and doing yoga in addition to walking.

I'm still doing all of the above, although I'm eating more, and the exercise changes with the season somewhat (snow shovelling has been added, but biking is out until at least late March). And I've realized that I still need goals to work towards to keep me motivated, but right now they're fitness rather than weight based. (5K on New Year's Day, 1/2 marathon in May)

I usually lurk here, because I have nor reached goal weight and although I am losing, it is going awfully slow. I voted others because I mainly oriented myself on all the possibilities, including lurking here and on ladies who lift, and do what is doable for me. That is 1 hr cardio, stationary bike or rowing machine, 3-4 days a week, lifting with dumbells 2 days a week, and 1 - 2 days a week nothing. I have a tendency to injuries, and then I skip the lifting and do more cardio. Foodwise I try for 5 - 6 small meals a day and 2 litres of water, but I do not count anything, just try to eat modest portions and cut down on the mayonaise and salad dressing.

I aimed for 1200 calories per day and walked almost 3 miles almost every day. I have some obsessive/compulsive tendencies so the planning, scheming, counting, figuring ... was right up my alley.
I tried just dieting but it was too slow. The walking just kicked it up a notch and also paved the way for my newfound fondness for exercise which is making maintaining much easier.

I "voted" WeightWatchers because that's how I got the last 40 pounds off. But the history is a little more complicated than that. I lost 40 pounds on my own by decreasing portion size, cutting out fats, increasing exercise. Then I regained 15 pounds all on my own, too. It was then that I decided to try WW. I lost 40 pounds (again) with WW. And it is continued journalling and the Maintainers forum here at 3FC that will help me keep it off for good this time.

Hi fellow maintainers! I'm Jeanne and I lost over 100 pounds and have kept it off now for about a year and a half now. May I join you?

I voted calorie counting for me because I did count calories trying to keep them to about 1400 a day, but I was tempted to vote other because it really took more than counting calories. It took me a couple years to get the weight off, but I did it. I didn't avoid any major food groups, I just cut my portions, cut way down on sugar and chocolate, made sure I ate some fruits and veggies every day, tried to drink 8 glasses of water a day, exercised both cardio and some weight training, weighed every day, and kept at it. Big successes are made up of strings of little successes. If I lost a pound, I just told myself - "Good, now all you have to do is do the same thing again. " -- and again, and again.

I'm still within my goal range. I set a goal range for myself of between 140 and 145. I did at one point get down to 137.5 but I felt that was too skinny for my body. I felt my best at 140 (I'm 5',9"). I'm currently 142.5 but some recent tightness in my clothes is telling me that although the scale number is in a good range, I've let some fat replace muscle because I've been busy and not making as much time for exercise as I used to. I'm in the process of getting back into the habit of exercising.

I went with other as well. I started out by using "some" tips from a dietician. However, I basically just started eating a healthier selection of foods, then added on exercise to boost the loss and help tone the flab. Recently, I tend to watch calories too, but for the most part, it was just a matter of healthy eating mixed with exercise.

I started myself without plan. I just started to exercise and lost about 20 pounds. Than i had a plateu and stayed there for about a year. Turned to Jenny Craig and nailed down last 20 pounds. I checked Jenny Craig because thanks to Jenny I am where I am now! I only used it for 3 month, but I learned a lot - incldung calorie counts, exchanges, water intake and exercise.
Sandy.

I checked off Weight Watchers because I've lost the same 40 pounds three times on Weight Watchers! This time, I joined WW online at the beginning of June. At the end of July, I joined Curves to learn to exercise (something I've never done before). I started going to WW meetings in September because I found that I could fit it into my schedule. I reached my weight goal (again) a couple of months ago but there is surprisingly a lot less of my body now than there was the last time that I weighed 137 (I'm 5'7"). That I credit to working out at Curves along with some yoga and being more physically active in my leisure time.
I stopped journalling and counting the weight watchers way just before I reached my goal. I've changed my eating habits to include almost entirely "unprocessed" food with lots and lots of fruits and veggies every day and don't really feel like I need the discipline of counting any more (although I'll go back to it if I see the scale going up or if the clothes start getting tighter!) Right now, I'm having a pretty easy time maintaining the loss between the new eating habits and the exercise which is a little scarey. I keep waiting for the scale to start going up again.

I am a proud Jenny Craig'er, within 15 pounds or so of my top-of-my-recommended-weight-range goal. The point of JC isn't any magic philosophy, just a low-fat, calorie-based program that uses exchanges as a simplified method of "counting" and with prepared foods to use as "training wheels." It's an easy one to stick to "for life" because it's not overly restrictive -- it's well-balanced and nothing is off limits theoretically. As I move towards maintenance I will probably monkey with the carb/fat/protein ratio a bit to up the protein, but I've been very happy with it.

I checked Atkins because that's how I lost the bulk of my weight (55 of the 65#). Of course I was working out about 3x a week at a gym too (mix of cardio & weights). I actually started on WW, lost 10# and hit a 4 month plateau before switching to Atkins.

Currently, I still work out regularly but am on more of a calorie concious way of eating rather than low carb. I try to avoid processed foods (but don't totally restrict them). I aim for more whole food eating and, where feasible, making my own sauces, baked goods, etc so I'm in control of what's in them.

I use fitday off & on. It's a good tool when I'm changing something up so I have an idea of what I'm actually eating and how that fits into the picture. I keep a mental tab in my head too of what I've eaten each day.

Brenda