Hello girls and a few boys.

I have been gone too long.

I am over feeling like a cow. I am starting over as if I never started.

What plan are you on and why do you like it. I need to know what is actually out there.

I'm not on a set plan. I just eat better foods (foods that are healthy and make me feel good) and I eat smaller portions. Before I started eating this way I'd eat lots of greasy fried food (always made me feel gross) and I'd get seconds and thirds. I think what's most important is not trying to change everything once. Make subtle gradual changes so you can get use to it and don't binge eat the first time you fall (I've done that myself when I was rushing).

When I decided to make a lifetime change the first thing I did was start drinking water. I didn't worry about anything else just started drinking water. After about two weeks I started exercising daily. After two more weeks of doing both of those things I started cutting out fast food and fried food. After a few more weeks of doing those things I worked on portion control and cutting out even more bad foods. As you can see it was very gradual I just starting cutting back more every couple of weeks.

I lost around 40lbs in around 4/5 months. A lot of that was water weight of course but I've felt so much better about myself and have even lost dress sizes. It's all very exciting. The best thing to do is try different things and figure out what's best for you.

I have done 2 drastic diets and failed. I want to count calories like the gals I use to be in a group with but when I really tried, I would never lose.

I have set myself up for the week with 1300 cal meal plans but WATER is huge for me. You are dead on. I need to focus on that for a bit because I am really bad about it!

I just noticed your stats.......

S/C/G: 175/1173/125

You can't be over 1000 pounds......no wonder you feel like a cow.

I am just teasing. I know it is a typo.

I just started the South Beach diet and am also gonna watch my portions carefully. I have seen a lot of folks very successful on it.

I am a calorie counter.

I count calories + severely restrict refined carbs (sugar and white flour, especially) and try to get at least 40% of my calories from protein.

I do eat a lot--1500-1700 calories, mostly. Going too low was always my downfall. It wasn't sustainable.

I'm on the "I'm going to remain on plan for one year and see where it gets me" plan.

For one year I am staying within a restricted calorie diet of mostly whole foods. I eat very few processed foods and little to no salt. I exercise intensely 6 days per week. My baseline exercise is three days of Spin class and three days of lifting. Additionally, as the whim hits, I run, bike 20+ miles, walk 4-5 miles, do the elliptical, and lately have taken up walking on the treadmill at a slow 2.0-3.0 while typing and/or watching TV.

That's the plan to which I stick for one year no matter what. I just really want to see how much I can lose in a year's time. By looking at it that way, the scale has lost its power. In the past the scale has been my reason to quit. Now I just keep going because that year mark hasn't passed yet.

I just started the Primal Blueprint. It is super easy, I count carbs and calories on my Fitday. But the biggest defference is when you fill up on veggies, meat, and fruit 1700 calories seem to go alot further. And this plan isn't as restrictive as other plans, I still get between 50-100 grams of carbs per day. I've lost 2 pounds this week and I only have 13 to lose total. You can check it out here or on www.MarksDailyApple.com

I count calories (1400),
I don't eat more than 110g carbs,
I don't eat anything processed or ready made,
I don't eat sugar or wheat flour,
I drink 100 fl oz water plus milkless hot drinks,
I make lunch heavier than dinner,
I don't eat after 8pm,
I don't eat starchy carbs at dinner:
if I've got spare calories left but no carbs, then tough, I don't eat them.
I track everything on DietPower, before I eat it.

A bit fiddly? Maybe, but keeping track of it all keeps my hands busy and not eating; and it's working!

Another calorie counter here. But where my calories come from really, really, REALLY matters. In the very beginning that meant totally avoiding white flour and sugar, rice, pasta, etc. My menu consists of TONS of veggies, proteins, low fat dairy and some fruit.

The reason I eliminated the white stuff, is because those were the foods I overate the most and had a REAL hard time stopping to eat them once I started.

The reason I added in all the veggies, proteins, etc. is because those foods are filling, satiating and voluminous. Being hungry is not an option for me and these foods do the trick.

Another part of my plan is consistency.

And exercise.

You mentioned focusing on water. Ummm, water has its place, but I don't believe that's where your focus should lie. I believe that would be the BEHAVIORS. Get the good habits ingrained in you. Work on telling yourself no.. Focus on setting boundaries and limits. Work on coming up with strategies for staying on plan in all situations - stress, parties, holidays, restaurant, etc. Focus on meal planning and planning your foods out in advance. Focus on finding delicious, healthy, lower calorie meals and snacks to eat.

Focus on BECOMING/BEING a health minded person.

I follow The Insulin Resistance Diet method of linking protein with carbs, because it keeps my appetite under control, so I can live with counting calories.

I just wanted to add that my *food plan* also meant the acceptance that what I was doing, how I was living with food had to change. I couldn't go on the way that I was. I needed to change things, make them better, make them right, once and for all, NO MATTER WHAT - and permanently. I had to change my relationship with food - I had to overhaul my lifestyle.

So acceptance, maturity and responsibility had to be a major part of my plan.

Yeah, I'm a bit of a calorie counter/exercise junkie. I replaced chocolate with the gym!!!

I set the calories I'm allowed and if I use them all up on things that leave me hungry, I learn and don't do it again. I also want to change my lifestyle, rather than just go on a crash diet. I find it difficult to maintain diets that don't allow me to eat out with friends and be 'normal'. So Atkins etc doesn't work for me. If I know I'm eating out, I will eat less during the day. But I intend to eat like this for the rest of my life, occasionally allow myself treats but not until I get to where I want to be. I do not snack. This doesnt work for everyone but I like to arrive at my meals hungry.

And I burn a lot at the gym. As much as I can, as often as I can. You can eat whatever you want and lose weight if there is a calorie deficit. A simple equation. More out than in. This can mean eating very little (which is unsustainable and dangerous) or eating enough AND burning more.

Hope that helps, though a lot of people have already said it better than I!!!

xxx

canadianwoman- Have you dieted before?

Onederchic- Realistically, how many calories do you shoot for? Each site will tell you a dif number and you have been so successful.

Shmead- I have the same issue on cc. I need to eat more protein and I usually eat under my allotted amount.

Eliana- I LOVE THAT!!

rockinrobin- I have this internal battle year after year that white stuff is what make life so tasty. I am just so attached to them that letting go it more than half the battle for me. I can not eat sweets, I can eat veggies and protein all day but at the end of the day... I miss pastas and creams the most. It tends to be the reason I work hard for 6/7 months then just.... fizzle out.

ajowens, have you tried substituting whole wheat pasta, brown rice, whole wheat breads, etc. for your white stuff? That's the first thing I did before I got serious about weight loss. I found I ate less of it, and it has lots more fiber and protein which makes it a lot more filling. They even make kinds of mac n' cheese (annie's, I think it is) with 100% whole wheat. Obviously, you shouldn't overdo the portion sizes, but I did drop some weight simply from making that change. I also couldn't order those kinds of dishes (pasta, sandwiches, etc.) at restaurants anymore because I only allowed myself whole wheat, but I didn't really crave it anymore because I was eating reasonable amounts of my favorite things with substitutions. The same goes with the cheese and cream sauces that go on the pasta dishes -- look around for some lower fat and calories substitute recipes. Some of them are surprisingly good!