find how many calories you need to eat/day in order to lose in a healthy way. remember, you will have to re-adjust this number periodically.

and as it has been said above, keep track/journal of exactly how you eat and be brutally honest.

combine those two, and it's simple arithmetics.

Write everyting down.

If you are tired, rest instead of eating.

Take responsibility, none of us are ever held down and force fed. Every single thing that goes into your mouth is your choice and you can't blame anyone for your choices except yourself. The same with exercise, everything you do or don't do is your own call.

It's really easy to blame circumstances or others for your choices but taking that blame away from them is the most empowering thing you can do.

Change one thing at a time. Don't try to give up smoking, give up drinking coffee, give up eating sugar, eat 8 servings of fruits and veggies daily, start a fanatical exercise habit, and count calories all at the same time. Pick just one thing and commit to really doing it, commit to really changing in that ONE direction...get it right, work it for at least two solid weeks...then think about changing exactly one more thing.

Baby steps.

Don't let yourself get hungry. Eat often 6 times per day.

my example

1. half banana with half cup of yogurt
2. protein shake
3. soup and sandwich (watch what you put on the sandwich, Mayo is a killer)
4. half a cup of cottage cheese with fruit.
5. veggies, any kind you like
6. Dinner with lean meat and salad or Veggies

I also drink water with every meal/snack.

Learn to appreciate whole, natural foods. Even a green bean has a beautiful flavour of it's own.

Stay positive! Surround yourself with positive people, positive images, positive affirmations. I remember reading a quote on here once that said something like "By making unhealthy food choices the only thing you are depriving yourself of is the healthy happy life you are meant to live". It's always so easy to say that we feel deprived if we cut out chocolate, chips, deep fried onion rings, etc, but really.....we are only depriving ourselves of the health that will carry us farther along into our golden years!

Find something you enjoy doing. I usually go with the flow. Some days I just can't stand the thought of going on the treadmill because I feel like a hampster on the wheel, but I'll make the choice to do something different. Go for a bike ride, go for a walk outside, go for a hike. Use your legs for what they were meant for!

And most of all, forgive yourself. None of us are perfect...although I tell my husband I am If you have a bad meal, don't wait until tommorow, hop back on the wagon right then. Don't blow the whole day.

Wow! Thanks for all the great tips everyone!!! I really appreciate all the encouragement!!! I'm feeling better about it already!!! It's really great to have found such a wealth of info and support!

Thanks!

Gently rework your relationships with people so that you never have to eat to make someone else happy. This can take a while and can involve some serious conversations in a neutral setting, but get it through people's heads that sometimes you just aren't going to eat, or aren't going to eat much, and that doesn't mean anything at all.

And, when you find yourself at a banquet or a work dinner and you are worried that your eating habits look strange to the people around you, people that don't know you very well and don't know about your progress, you need to remember the magic words: "f*** 'em." It all got much easier when I figured that out.

Write EVERYTHING down.

Make weight loss a priority in your life. Keep it on your mind CONSTANTLY. That's the easiest way to make your actions habits.

And NEVER EVER give up. Persistence is key. People say that a lot here, and it's true.