I am not eating much sugar, I am eating much less carbs (but not cutting them completely), cut out all the junk / fast food / soda, added in lots more veggies and salads. I would ultimately like to see a dramatic loss (I need to lose 100 lbs to feel OK again really). Have others done this without being on a super strict no carb type diet?

I've lost about 80 lbs since August 2013 doing pretty much what you've described.

80 lbs in almost 2 years may seem slow to many people. Honestly, it kind of does to me. But at the end of the day, I'm happy with it. I'm not in a race. My ultimate goal is to get healthier, have more flexibility and just generally feel better. Every action that I take toward that is a win in my book.

I wanted to find/structure a way to eat that I could do every day for the rest of my life and I think I've found that for me. If "normal" everyday eating is a 10, I try to set my daily eating at about a 9. I've had a few months though where it was more of a 9.9 and a few times it was at a 15!

IMO it's a process. Finding the foods you like, taking the tastes you're used to and figuring out a way to make them healthier, discovering things that you really don't miss at all. It took a bit of experimenting to find the amount of protein I needed daily to feel full and energized and to find the amount and makeup of carbs that satisfied me and still allowed a moderate loss. I remind myself daily to Trust The Process.

Hope this helps! It sounds like you're well on your way to making some really great long-term changes that you can hang on to for the rest of your life. AND you can do it without feeling deprived. Plus, you get the bonus of having your body feel better!

Yep, pretty much what you described- no sugar if possible, very few carbs (mostly complex, but not all!), lots of fresh produce, and as much protein as possible (eggs, greek yogurt, jerky). I started March 15th. Down 32 lbs!

Thanks! I mean my changes have really been major, due to how horribly I was eating before. I figured it up in another thread but I would have over 2000 cals and 100 g of fat in just bfast and lunch sometimes, now it's more like 600 cals and 10-15 g fat in those two meals.

There's never a bad time to start - but starting in the spring and summer is really beneficial I think. Fresh fruit and produce is so much more plentiful. I believe that once you get that fresh produce and fruit habit ingrained into your daily diet, you tend to stick with it.

If 15 lbs is a lot then yes, I lost a lot by eating healthy and with moderation, for 6 months.
However I recently hit a plateau, so I took out the weapon I've been keeping just for that: Excercising.

LOL! Yes exercise is important. I am trying to be more active in general but haven't started say full on working out. I am so overweight that even the last week of cleaner eating has made me feel more lighter and easy on my feet so my energy is coming back.

I've been doing this for the most part, and the first year I lost around 50 lbs. While I did lower my carb intake, I'm not technically on a diet. I don't count calories (except when my weight plateaued) and I don't weigh foods, but I am mindful of portions and I read the nutrition labels. I haven't cut out many things cold turkey, mainly soda and certain processed foods, and I don't crave them anymore. I still eat fast food but not often. I still have junk food sometimes and it doesn't necessarily ruin my day. I like to bake my own desserts where I have full control over the sugar amount and organic ingredients, or I try to buy junk that is a lesser evil, such as foods with a short list of natural ingredients.

My weight loss rate has slowed down a lot this year even though I have better eating habits and I eat less. Over time I've learned to like more vegetables and a lot less sugar. It's been a slow process, just living and learning by taking away some of the less healthy habits and introducing more of the good. Currently I'm the lightest I've ever been as an adult. I'm trying to lose almost 100 lbs overall, but I reckon it'll take me over 2 years doing it this way. I like this lifestyle change method though because I don't feel too restricted or overwhelmed, and I've picked up good habits.

I also exercise 5 days a week, cardio and toning. The intensity and workouts vary, and I do it at home.

Hi!, I've lost 108 pds in 9&1/2 mo. Eating A lot like you- I did a weird jumpstart for 45 days, but ever since maybe 6 grams tops sugar (use stevia & raw honey) No white flour,no fake sugar. Those are my rules- then eat mindfully until I'm full and nutritionally and otherwise I'm doing The Gabriel Method. He doesn't limit anything- says your body naturally will drop wanting what's bad if you are getting the nutritious stuff ( Live-fresh-organic as possible)This has happened for me.

Depending on how much you weigh and how much you exercise that should work.

I do what you do. I eat super clean, exercise a lot, eat a lot and maintain.

To lose I would need to cut portions. But at a heavier weight I would definitely get some mileage on the scale with this approach.

I lost most of my weight just changing my eating, eating around 1800 or so calories per day, eating a lot of fruit, avoiding high fructose corn syrup. I still eat unhealthy portions or foods, but I'm so much better off than before I started. It took me about a year to lose 60 lbs. slowly but surely. The past few months I've incorporated Leslie Sansone 1 mile walk and that has helped get me to the 230's and through the 220's.

I'm just starting on doing this, but I've lost 3 pounds in the past week and a half, so it seems like it's working for me. My biggest change is being more active. It really seems to jump start my metabolism...my siblings are this way as well, so maybe it's a genetic thing for us. Even when I eat really strictly if I'm not moving at all I don't lose, but the combination really seems to work well for me so far. I'm not strictly exercising, just going on casual walks with friends and doing a lot of walking around at my new job. Weight loss might be overall slower this way, but it's worth it to me if it means I'll really keep the weight off this time because I'm making changes I know I can maintain.