I don't have an evening cutoff time either. Dinner is around 5:30-6:00 pm and I go to bed around 1 am. But I don't eat big meals anyway. I do tend to eat smaller but more frequently.

I don't drink a humongous amount of water--I would say the equivalent of 3 20-oz bottles, and most of that is flavored (lo-cal drink mix, iced tea).

I don't worry about sodium. Very low bp.

I don't have a pre-determined exercise regimen. I'm more freestyle.

I don't do rewards for weight loss. If I want something, I get it.

What rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules....

I've found what seems to work for me...and attempt to stick to it.

Whoever invented splenda should be given a Nobel.

Geez! Another page got started as I was reading all of this!

What a great thread!

I've been following some of you "big losers" (said with the greatest of admiration and respect). I've read your comments to others about what to eat and what to avoid. You've always been honest with your own short fallings.

This thread has been the mental spanking that I've needed. I've been stalled for over a month now. Granted, I missed 2 weeks of exercise because of knee pain and an intense foot pain. I've just started again. I missed it. Now for my "no nos".

I don't bother with watching sodium. I don't have a high BP. I enjoy my Lean Cuisine's for lunch at work.

I'm rethinking why I cut out diet soda. I was trying to avoid aspartame. I don't think that the small amount in a diet cola is going to do any worse to my body than what I did with bad eating habits. I switched to Splenda and enjoy it but it is too sweet for colas. I quit drinking Diet Rite because it was too sweet and it made me crave salty stuff.

I do drink tons of plain water. I've always liked water. I take it everywhere with me. I'm not going to stop that.

I do like to have a chocolate chip cookie every now and then. If I want it after dinner, I'll have it. Just not every night.

I do have pizza once a month. I love Amici's veggie pizza and 2 pieces of that make me happy.

I've tried to cut red meat down and have succeeded. I finally got boobalah to realize that arguing with me and getting angry with me was not going to help our relationship. He can have steak every night of the week if he wants it. I'll just fix something else for myself. We've finally agreed on once a week for steak.

I don't have to have 2 cups of salad before every meal. I've found that I get sick of salad every night.

I don't get enough fiber everyday. I have to work on that. I just have to figure out how to do it other than packing yet another big salad for my lunch and making myself resent salads.

This thread has given me even more encouragement. Not one of you "big losers" is perfect. How refreshing! Thank you!

For me, this thread highlights that the only "rule" for weight loss is that you have to eat less than you burn. And that the plan that accomplishes that goal is different for every person.

I DO need rules. I do need a set of food "laws" to abide by. When I left things up in the air, gave myself no boundaries, well that didn't work out so well.

But I think the only rules that really and truly count, are the ones that we set up for OURselves. Meaning, no one can tell us what's right or what's wrong for us. We must each figure out for ourselves what works - and most defintely what DOESN'T work for of us.

Caffeine and diet soda: I feel like the fact that I gave up regular soda is a big enough step for me right now. I can't imagine living without the caffeine and fake sugar beverages. I would be failing big-time if I had NOTHING to satisfy my sweet tooth, not even fake sweeteners...

small portions: same as some others have mentioned. I like to fill my plate up, and then eat it all. Fortunately, there are ways to do this that don't involve a gazillion calories, like, say, I like steamed veggies and raw veggies without fattening dressings on them. I try to eat leaner meats instead of cutting portions hugely.

Cut off time: I don't let myself order pizza at 3AM anymore, but if I'm up late I'm not going to starve myself either. I will eat snacks late at night, I just try to make better choices as to what they are.

YES. I have never used cream or milk in coffee or tea, but I would just die without splenda in my hot drinks. I also drink my share of diet dr pepper. A lot of the time I drink flavored water instead of regular water.

variety: Not too much of it in my life.

sodium: Though I don't have blood pressure issues, I am on prednisone still, which means I should watch my sodium a lot more closely. If I eat, say, a can of chicken soup I bloat up like a pufferfish but sometimes I just can't help eating salty foods.

food types/amounts by the food pyramid and similar guidelines: the food pyramid baffles me. I don't think I could eat that many grains in 3 days, much less one, for example. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but not THAT many.

dairy: I'm not allergic to it anymore but I just don't like it and don't really want it, so I take calcium and D supplements instead of drinking milk.

~I jump on the scale every morning (it's my motivation to stay at this weight!)

~I don't have a cut off time for eating

~I don't do FF or SF anything!

~I eat cookies! Often. Yes, I make them myself, I try to make them healthier, and I make them small, but I'm not giving up my cookies! Or chocolate for that matter...

~I drink wine most days

~I don't do strenuous exercise. I'm down with walking, but that's about it.

~I eat lots and lots of carbs! They are almost always the unrefined variety, but I eat a lot of them. I also consume a lot of fruit (veggies too, but lots of fruit.)

I do watch my sodium intake, but I'm one of those individuals who should (hbp runs in the family and I'm already borderline.) I also drink lots of water, but not for weight reasons. It makes my skin feel better.

I don't drink lots of water. I just can't get into it...

I don't have a cut off time for eating. If I'm hungry before bed, I'll eat.

I occasionally use sugar in my coffee, rather than the Splenda packets I usually use.

I don't watch my sodium intake either.

I haven't given up my diet soda. I pretty much gave up regular pop, I'm not giving up the diet stuff.

I occasionally eat fattening fast food. I'm with Elisa...life wouldn't be worth living otherwise. I haven't forbidden any food from my life, if I want something bad enough, I'll have it, and move on.

Robin -- That's what I meant to say. There are no (or few) universal rules for weight loss. Except that one must eat less than one burns... we each need to find our own lifestyle path to the goal of maintaining a weight loss... Your rules are not my rules and that's okay for both of us.

Maybe that makes more sense!

Oh no Heather, you made perfect sense to me, as always. My response was in general to the whole thread, not specifically a comeback to your last post, even though mine came right after yours. I knew exactly what you were getting at, and I was in total agreement with you. I of course felt the need to beat it to death .

Ahhhh! Got it!!

I guess I should say I don't need OTHER PEOPLE's rules....although I have stolen ideas from almost everyone here at one time or another.

I'm a diabetic so I use aspartame sweetner, don't drink the water I should. I'm the same about my diet soda as Meg lol I don't have a cut off time either, i hate going to bed hungry!

Viola, on your weight loss of 153 pounds. I didn't see that at first. Wooohooo!!

Mine are similar to many others already given... probably my biggest is eating before bed. Any time I tried to not eat after 7pm (or maybe it was 8pm), I would end up absolutely ravenous. It just doesn't work for me.

I'm also not a sodium watcher... I don't go hog wild, but I do salt a few things

Viola - just noticed your loss too... WAY TO GO!!!! That is quite an accomplishment! Keep up the excellent work!!!