So... ive had trouble sticking to a diet/exercise plan for a long time. I finally lost 10 pounds. Actually, I lost 14. And I worked crazy hard to get that far. Now, i feel like ive given up without wanting to give up. So, now ive gained back 4lbs and I cant get myself to start dieting and exercising to the point where ill lose weight. Help? I still want to lose 10 more pounds.

Am I correct in assuming that you only have 10 lbs to lose for what you consider your ideal weight? If that is the case, what you need might not be so much a diet, as a careful look into your eating and exercising lifestyle and a plan on managing your health (and weight) long term.

Too often, people think of "diets" as activities that they perform for a certain amount of time, and then they go back to their old way of living when they are done. Then, of course, they lose all of the benefit from the work the did during their diet. Lose 10 lbs, gain 10 lbs, lose 10 lbs again, gain 12 lbs, lose 10 lbs, so on and so on.

There is a lot of great information here on all kinds of healthy life-styles that can keep your body in top shape. I personally prefer calorie-counting and plenty of exercise, but I'd suggest that you start by first looking at all the possible options here and find what fits your personality and situation best.

Good luck!

Try to come here for inspiration and support. Choose whatever plan will work best for your lifestyle. It's good that you caught yourself before gaining back all of the 14 lbs., be proud of that. Jump back on the wagon with the rest of us.

I suggest you start with small changes and keep finding what works for you. I would recommend logging EVERYTHING you eat if you aren't already. There are sights online that will help you to do so (Fitday, Nutridiary) for free, or you can do paper/pencil, whichever is easiest for you. You'll know what is hardest for you. What do you need to focus on? Food? Exercise? Both? Do you struggle with portion sizes or just not eating healthy enough? None of this is a diet, it is going to be the way you are going to have to eat for the rest of your life in order to maintain a healthy weight. It won't be easy and you will see plenty of people who know exactly what to do and have had to start over time and again. There is nothing wrong with that, you just have to keep going.

Also, on the topic of motivation the Maintainer's Thread has a great sticky about some of the best posts and I found it when I was looking for particular posts on this illusive thing called "motivation." Thought it might interest you or anybody to read or read again, plenty of good threads in there.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...ght=motivation

Also, like lilybelle said, keep coming here for support! Keep posting here for your good days and your bad days and your so-so days and just keep going, we will all be here for any kind of day you have

If you think of it as a diet, it will never work. If you are going to keep the weight off, no matter if it's 10 pounds or 100, you have to change the way you eat. Try cutting back on everything. Eat what you want, but only half, and fill the other half with veggies, water, fruit and other good low cal things. Excersise is also important. I am sure if you can commit to those things, it will feel less like a diet, and more like habits. You know you can do this, because you already have.