Ollie- Well, thank you very much for the compliment
... As far as the amount of time it took to lose it goes, it took me about 6 months. Now, some people might think that is a really long time to lose 20 pounds. However, I took it very slow and there were a couple of times I fell of the wagon, and there were obviously weeks that I didn't lose any at all. I'm a big fan of taking it slow. I've lost weight in the past and it was usually fast and unhealthy, that weight tends to come back plus some. I've maintained the 20 pound loss for about 4 months, and I'm just now starting to lose again. (mainly because I had no routine during the summer) I think it is really good to be realistic, and realize that your not going to see a loss every week, and don't get down about it when you don't. Just go at your own pase, If you think of it more as a lifestyle change than a diet, your body will automatically adjust and you are a lot less likely to gain it back in the future! I reccomend the book
YOU on a Diet by Dr. Oz... It really helped me when I started out. I didn't go by the diet plan in it, but it taught me a lot about the foods I was eating and how my body would adjust, and what was happening when my body did adjust! I really reccomend it! Hope I helped a little!