For about two weeks I was strictly dieting and exercising (and I lost 5 pounds!). But with the start of school and working everynight, I haven't been able to exercise daily like I was and lately my 'diet' has been reducing portion sizes even more and eating only when I am hungry (when before I ate just to eat, lol) but for the most part I eat whatever I want. Like any normal person I thought that I would just gain the 5 pounds back since I'm only exercising like 2 days a week and am not on a real diet, but surprisingly, I have been steadily losing weight for the last 3 weeks (7 pounds!). So I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if so, does the weight keep coming off just from reducing portion sizes?

It looks like what you are doing is working so why not keep doing it! I am pretty much doing the same thing, just trying to cut back on the empty calories and watch my food portions at meals. My Aunt just lost 25 pounds in 3 months just by watching portions and not eating at night.

I've been doing portion control as my method of weight loss for the past few weeks. My plan is simple; I eat whatever I want, just half as much. So far it's been working. My measurements are going down and so is my jean size.

Best of all nothing is forbidden and and I should be able to transfer easily into maintainence.

Yup! I've been doing the same. My boyfriend and I like to eat out a lot and that means enormous portions. I've just been eating the main bit of my meal (eg. the protein) and leaving half or more of the stodge (eg. the carbs). Luckily, my bloke, who ironically isn't vocally encouraging me to lose weight, is more than happy to become a human vacuum cleaner to my unwanted chips!

I've seen estimates that weight loss is 70% calorie cutback, 30% exercise. One can have weight loss doing just one or the other, but doing both gives the most bang for the buck. If you have to pick doing one or the other, go with the portion control. And even if you are just doing the exercise, it is easy to undo that by stepping up your calories.

I walk or do cardio about 4 times a week. Seem to be working fine.

I've often heard weightloss is 80% diet and 20% excersize. I am a firm believer of eat less, lose weight. I don't always have time to go to the gym 3 or 4 days like i'd like, but i still manage to lose about a pound a week. I like to go to the gym because i know i am increasing my cardio muscles and my body muscles but it is not always possible. Weight loss is calories in, calories out. So...if you can't excersize, but you still eat less than your body uses to get up and live your life, then you should still be able to lose weight. But any excersize you can get in has lots of other added bonuses besides just weightloss. It can make you just plain out feel better and more energetic. Good luck on continueing to eat healthy and lose weight!!!

I hope just cutting calories works! haha

I can't excersise really cause of my disability, - moving really hurts and stuff so my aim in moving is more for being adamant not to let my condition own me than weight loss, but walking across the room with crutches is a huge effort for me but for you it wouldn't be, you know?

I've dropped my calorie intake right down and I'm taking adios pills at the same time, but other than that i'm kinda stuck and to be honest it upsets me...I really really miss step aerobics!!! - but not as much as i miss being able to walk properly and wear high heels, hahaha