To reach your weight loss goal? My doctor suggested when I got pregnant with my second child that I only drink water. She said that it will help a lot in cutting calories and that she prefers to eat her calories rather than drinking them. I tried this and managed t gain only 17lbs with my second child. A huge difference over the 60 I gained with my first. So what is the biggest change you have made? Or the one that made the biggest impact in your diet?

The biggest change I've made is eating a breakfast. I could never face food first thing on a morning, but I'd read so much about what a difference it makes, I figured I'd better give it a whirl. I eased into it gently with banana shakes, then graduated to a high fibre/protein cereal with dried fruit and skimmed milk. I spend about 350 kcals on it which I consider to be an excellent investment. If I skip breakfast, I definitely eat much more later in the day.

My biggest change is regular exercise. My diet was never wholly bad before, my portion control was out but I generally didn't really eat junk and always drank water in preference to fizzy drinks. But exercise and just a bit more control over what I eat have done wonders. (and within exercise, the biggest impact came from I switched from mainly swimming to mainly running).

Everthing about my new lifestyle feels like a complete change. I also only drink water. I now eat within an hour of waking up. I used to wait until at least noon to eat. I've added daily exercise. I used to consider exercise walking from the couch to the computer chair. What has had the biggest effect on my weight loss? I don't know yet. Unfortunately, I haven't moved from my current weight. Perhaps the change that will make all the difference is still waiting for me to find it.

I'd have to go with regular exercise too. It took me a while to get into the pattern. Now I feel weird if I don't do it.

The biggest change for me has been the, Awarness of what I am doing: what I'm eating, have I walked enough, am I getting enough water, am I full, am I mindlessly eating?
DH is more aware of the lifestyle change I am making.

My biggest change is thinking. In particular thinking BEFORE I eat. I had a basically healthy diet, with some huge lapses, mostly when stressed or homesick. I had few friends and was quite lonely. I have always been pretty much ok with my eating, or so I thought, until I really analysed it and realised that it's when I am alone I do my worst eating.

Now I ask myself "is it hunger?" before I eat outside mealtimes. If the answer is no it's either off to the gym, on to the phone or internet, or ironing!!!

I have accumulated a load of friends, at the pool, the gym and on line, some of these friendships have become very important to me, and I now feel a lot more connected and at peace.

My biggest change was eating breakfast, too. I'm just not hungry when I get up, and I would have days where it would be 6 or 7 at night before I actually ate something (makes one wonder how I could manage to gain over 40 pounds in the last two years lol).

Like many others, getting regular exercise is my biggest change. Now it's become pretty automatic, and I get a little freaked out when I have to change my exercising schedule (like I'll have to do this week) to accommodate other things in my life.

I won't lie. I don't do anything perfectly. I exercise semi-regularly; but there are days (maybe more than one in a row) where I don't do a thing. I drink water often; but there are days where I really don't drink much of it. I eat breakfast most of the week; but sometimes I'm not hungry and I refuse to force myself to eat. I'm a perfect machine with imperfect habits that I am working to change. So I will say that the "single biggest" change for me is simply working to change/ working to instill better habits. I didn't develop all my bad habits and one day. It would be ridiculous for me to be surprised that, 2 months into my weight loss endeavor, good habits aren't exactly second nature yet. But then again, I'm getting better everyday. This may not make the most sense to anyone else, but for me writing this and sharing it helps to stop beating myself up for my imperfections. I'm trying and I'm extremely proud of that.

I've been thinking about this all day, and now I know what my answer is. My biggest change is NOT GIVING UP. In the past I have gotten quickly frustrated/overwhelmed/distracted, and thrown in the towel. This time...I just keep going. I gain 2.0 one week; so what, I keep going. I maintain two weeks in a row; so what, I keep going. I have one really indulgent meal; so what, I keep going. This persistance is new to me, but not unwelcome.

It has been very slow going, this time. I've lost 13 pounds, and it's taken me 14 weeks to do it. However, I'm not too terribly concerned with how long it's taking. Instead I'm just writing down facts and figures, and trying to make decisions that get me closer to my goal. What's my rush, anyway? Not like I have to be a certain size by a certain date or my life as I know it will end. So, I just keep going.

I joined Curves. I can't say yet that this is going to be "the time" I do it, but I have a feeling if it is, Curves is going to have had a lot to do w/ it.

My biggest change- sticking with it.

I realized that it is truly one meal at a time. Its something I have to think about. So I won't get down on myself for having chocolate or getting fed up with the foods. I basically stay on program all week and have a free day on saturday. This is going to work for me and I can feel it. If things get to overwhelming I don't look at the end I look at what I've learned about myself in just 25 lbs. I was going to lose the first 30 and then get a gym membership but I couldn't wait to help my body metabolize.

Great posts everyone!! Thanks for reminding me that exercise is such an important part of this!!

My biggest change has been my attitude. I don't think of eating healthily or limiting my portions as a sacrafice. I've given up my "all or nothing" mentality. I don't consider myself on a "diet" (although I use the term for lack of a better word sometimes). I don't create strict rules by which to lose weight and I don't set unreasonable goals. I still struggle with judging myself to harshly sometimes but I've gotten much better about it over time.

All of these little attitude adjustments have made things like eating right and exercising fall into place.