Calorie counter here.

Yes, I've tried other diets, and yes they worked. South Beach, Metabolic Research, MediFast... I lost weight. Six times in my adult life, I have "lost the weight I intended to lose." However, all that lost weight "found me" again, and brought a bunch of its friends!

Actually, SouthBeach, Atkins, Weight Watchers, etc... all those "diets" are just calorie counting diets, but they each use a different way to count the calories. Some by restriction or elimination of certain foods. So I have finally learned that counting the calories is the way to go. Simple. But not always easy, because OMG I love to eat!!!!

I don't adhere to a dead-set "X" number of calories every day because I like to eat different things sometimes. But in general, I make sure to keep my calorie count between 1400 - 1600 per day. I log everything on FitDay. If I happen to eat 1605 calories one day, I don't sweat it or fret it. I eat what I like, and most of it is raw foods (salads, fruits) and processed foods (I'm a big fan of the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers frozen meals.) I have treats/desserts every day, I simply work them into my caloric count. My current fave is two scoops No-Sugar-Added Vanilla Ice Cream (made w/Splenda) and fresh cut strawberries & a dollop of real whip cream. Yummy!!

I enjoy whatever I want on special occasions such as birthdays or weddings or my anniversary. I don't "count" those calories; I stick to my usual diet, but I watch those portion sizes. When I go on vacation (which is rare) I do the same.

I also exercise, but I do what I enjoy doing and I do it for FITNESS, not weight loss. I love to swim; I have a pool & live in a hot climate, (10 minutes to the beach) so I swim a great deal during the April - October months. Otherwise I enjoy lifting weights (2x a week) and walking & biking. Sometimes I do yoga or an exercise DVD.

And you know what else? I FINALLY GET IT. This is my diet. This is my fitness plan. I cannot slack off either when I reach my goal. Maintenance requires me to stick to it... FOREVER. And that's OK, because honestly, I'm tired of the lose/gain/lose/gain/lose/gain merry-go-round.

It depends on the context it is used in. There are several fad diets. And then, there is your eating habits - what your diet consists of.

BeachPatrol you crack me up with your clever use of emoticons. :bow (insert emoticon)

Plus- I also love to eat!

That's nice to know!
I also talk with my hands a lot!

Food is sooooo good!!!

Calorie counter, vegan diet, strong on the wholefoods. I try to have porridge for breakfast (otherwise cereal or sometimes toast), and soup and/or salad for lunch. Supper is my usual fare, which works well if I'm cooking for my partner too.

I'm calorie counting. It's the only thing that has worked well so far and NOT made me gain weight.

Everyone seems to have the most success with calorie counting and not some diet. Ive tried unsuccessfully calorie counting before because I continued to eat junk as long as it was in my calories. Can some of you successful CC offer me some advice as how to do it the right way. TIA im so tired of being on a "diet" and want to make a lifestyle change that I can live with!!!

Lots of protein, lots of veggies, and get most of your carbs from fruit. You can eat a LOT of food this way and keep your calories under 1500 and still have room for a little treat here and there. The difficult part is to make this kind of food taste good you're going to have find recipies that you like. It's a little bit of work up front but you'll find a rotation of things you like that aren't too time consuming to prepare.

I am also a calorie counter. What works for me is setting targets for carbs, fat, and protein in addition to my calorie target. I also monitor sodium and fiber. Right now I aim for 40-45% carbs, 30% fat, and 25-30% protein. I started with higher carbs and have slowly adjusted. The fiber goal is good (I aim for 35 g per day) because it helps ensure that your carbs are good ones, and the sodium goal (I shoot for under 1500) really makes you limit processed foods. Start with the calories and slowly add the other things in. I have been doing this for 3 months and have lost 30 lbs, and it really starts to become second nature.

I'm a happy calorie counter as well, and work very similarly to juliana77. I started with just tracking calories and fat and % calories from fat, and have since added in tracking of fiber, protein and carbs. My calorie range is 1200-1500, and I shoot for 20-25% calories from fat, 30-35% of calories from protein, and 40-45% of calories from carbs with 25g or more of fiber daily. Tracking the macronutrients definitely helps me in choosing good foods for my calories. For example, I'll finish dinner and add up my calories for the day and notice I'm low on fiber, and so raspberries become my evening snack; or notice I'm low on fat and so have some nuts. Of course there are days here and there when I blow my macronutrient ratios completely (especially if I have to eat out at a restaurant), but keeping my calories in check no matter what keeps the weight coming off.