I am making this statement but now need to figure out how to lose 100lbs. What diets are effective for this weight loss? I am going to give myself one year to get this weight off of me. What is my motivation and how do I become successful with beating this fat once and for all!

Most people here will tell you not to set a time limit. 100 pounds in a year is pretty ambitious. The way to do it is to start now and keep at it, no matter what plan you use or if you stumble along the way.

I've lost 90 pounds in about 16 months, calorie counting. It's simple, it's free, and I can eat whatever foods I want as long as they fit into my daily budget.

Good luck!

I saw someone with a very cool quote under their ticker. It said something like: I can't lose 100 lbs., but I can lose 10 lbs., 10 times."

For me, calorie counting is the best because there are no off limits foods....just portion control. You also quickly realize that you get a lot fuller by eating whole foods. It can sound overwhelming, but I use LoseIt on my iPhone. Also, some people like SparkPeople.com and there are others out there (you can ask on the calorie counting board here).

Keep in mind that it's not about motivation but more about consistency. Your motivation can come and go but your consistency needs to be...well...consistent.

If you fall off track (and most people do), get right back on as quickly as possible.

Also, I know you've set up a time limit of one year, but don't stress yourself out over the time it takes. Things happen in life but overall, if you follow your plan and stay on track 90% of the time, you should get to your goal. A lot of people give up because they don't see the weight loss going down the way they expect. The scale can be tricky due to water fluctuations. I highly recommend taking photos so you can see the transformation. Maybe do a photo every 10 lbs. you lose? It's up to you. Try to wear the same thing and be in the same position and lighting. Also you can use measurements to let you know how you're doing.

Visit here often and make small changes and that will all end up with a lot. For specific advice, you might want to post a sample menu and people can help you tweak it. One easy way to cut down on calories would be to not drink your calories. That means no soda and no juices. Another would be to drink more water. Another change could be to include protein at every meal (in order to regulate blood sugar so that you're fuller longer)...another would be to eat high fiber (again, fuller longer). Another would be to get a cheap pedometer and walk more every day and aim for 10,000 steps a day or even more. I could go on and on.

The point is to head in the right direction and do it in a way that you can keep it forever and make it your lifestyle. Best of luck to you Starchild!

Another vote for calorie counting and for luckymommie's advice. I use a tracking app on my iPhone (MyNetDiary.com) and religiously record calories and exercise. I weigh-in once a week and chart the actual and predicted loss (but I'm a geek when it comes to numbers). So far I've lost an average of 2.4 lbs. per week, which is more than 100 lbs. per year and a little more than recommended. However, I keep my goal at a 10% loss at a time (I'm working on Goal 2). After meeting a goal I try to maintain it for awhile before moving on to the next one. If I have a temporary setback I don't stress over it. Just try to make up for it with a bump in exercise or setting my target calories a little lower.

I have tried many "diets" and this is the method that has worked the best. I have no cravings because I can eat what I want, as long as it fits into my daily allowance. I haven't yet hit a plateau (more than 1 week stall or gain) in 6 months. It's a plan that I intend to use for the rest of my life. Painless + free + effective = long term success!

Good advice on the replies!

I also have that motto that I can lose 10 pounds over and over (16 times in my case) 160 pounds? That's too much for me to worry about at one time.

I have a 10 pound monthly goal. What works for me, is to keep carbs very low during the week, and on the weekends just try to be sensible. Since March I have done this dropping 80 pounds. 1 month took me a few days longer, so I caught up the next month. Wrongly, I haven't incorporated much exercise. I'm feeling that I may be able to do more, without so much pain and suffering, now that I've gotten rid of 1/2 of my excess weight.

I have no idea why I waited so long to make this change in myself!

There are several forums here that are very helpful! You kind of get to know the gals in the same predicament as you are in. There is much to be learned! These gals have been there, done that, and know some of what you might be struggling with. They are encouraging, motivating, and most of all helpful!

Best of luck to you on your journey!

There are a lot of methods for losing weight. Mostly, it's about eating less food and making the food you do eat nutritious to feed your body. Exercise, while it won't burn a lot of extra calories (unless you do a lot!), does offer a lot of good benefits towards becoming healthier in general. And it really helps tighten everything up as you lose weight.

You made a statement..."I am going to give myself one year to get this weight off of me." I have some questions surrounding this goal. It's not a bad goal. I am wondering if it's a realistic or appropriate goal that will serve you well.

1. I am assuming you're a female. How old are you?
2. What have you done in the past to lose weight?
3. Why do you think you gained weight?
4. How long have you been at this weight?
5. What are you willing to give up in order to achieve your goal?

If your only goal is to lose the excess fat, that's a recipe for frustration and disappointment on the other end if you don't change the choices you make for your future. This is where pinning down your motivation is important. We can't tell you what that is. You have to figure out why weighing more than you care to isn't working for you, and you have to figure out why dropping 100 lbs is so important to you and what you believe it will bring to your life.

I'm 51. I've been far too heavy for far too long. I've lost nearly 70 lbs, but it took me a long time to do that. I still have a lot of weight to lose. Giving up is not an option for me. My motivation is that I have a HUGE list of things I want to accomplish in my life. I want the health and vitality to do it all! Losing weight is only a piece of my optimum health picture. I want to be strong! I want my range of movement to improve and then to maintain it into my old age. I want to wake up and have energy and enthusiasm for my day every day. My motto is RAWR!!!

That's not who I was even 5 years ago, when I weighed over 350 lbs and I was depressed and failing at finding good health after 25 years of taking stabs at losing weight, only to regain it and a bit more, again and again. I didn't know what I wanted. I thought just losing weight would fix my whole life. But being fat was a symptom of my problem, not the reason.

I imagine I will be happy about being thin eventually. But I found the real, enthusiastic me so I can be happy NOW. Feeling good from the inside out, that's a huge daily motivation to stay on track with my efforts every day. I want to eat healthfully. I don't want to overeat to deal with emotional lows or anxiety when I'm feeling good and strong in my identity. I want what I look like from the outside to match what I feel like on the inside.

Just want to add that I lose a lot faster when I count cals and watch carbs. I count calories but also try to follow the skinny rules, which means that my diet is mostly focused on lean protein and veggies. For me, even if I keep my cals low I don't lose as fast if my carbs are high.

Geobliss, that was awesome! Actually, everyone's advice on this thread has been just great!

I'll just add my welcome, Starchild. Whatever plan you choose, try to find one that is sustainable for the long term, and I'm not just talking about the next year - forever.

I pinned a little note to the screen of my computer at work. It says, "Can you do it today? Just for today?" That's the way I've looked at almost 11 months on plan. One day at a time. After today, I'll worry about tomorrow, and like the Bible says, tomorrow usually takes care of itself. Once you've been on a new trajectory for several weeks, it will get easier. I also recommend doing something for exercise. Even if it's very little. Get started gradually and early. You'll be glad you did! Best of luck to you!

I think a better idea is to give yourself a date where you can look back and proudly say you accomplished something. You might not have lost the 100lbs you wanted to, but will you be able to say that you've made progress a year from now?

^THIS!!! This is what I'm doing, because as much as I'd like to, there's no way I'm losing 100 pounds in one year. You can control your efforts to stay on plan for any given length of time. You can't control the rate it comes off for said time.

I personally can't wait until March to see how far I've come, as the fifth of that month will mark a full year of my current commitment. In my case I know I have to eat healthy and exercise for the rest of my life anyway, so I figure it's not worth stressing over two pounds every week when my body seems much more comfortable just doing half that.

My vote is also counting calories AND keeping carbs (especially 'starchy' carbs like bread, pasta, grains, etc) low. Most of my carbs come from fruit and some veggies. I have lost 60 pounds in 4 1/2 months. I am rarely hungry and very seldom have cravings.

Good Luck! Also as other's have said it is about persistence not perfection!

I had 90 lbs to lose to start, I still have 50 lbs to go. Diet is key. Exercise is great, but as Jillian Michaels says, "You can outeat any amount of exercise" so if you exercise you still need to very carefully watch your caloric intake. I also find that, for me, I have the best results when I cut out wheat products and all processed food. If I need a sweet, I eat a piece of fruit. I use stevia in my tea and coffee instead of sugar. But I admit diet is my weakness, and the reason I still have 50 lbs to go.