Hi, I am pretty new here, have been reading the board lots. I have so got to snap to it! I've dabbled in so many different programs and do exercise very well once I get going.

How are you all successfully losing, could you please share some ideas?
Food Plan?
Exercise?
Water?
Anything Else?

I have tried Atkins, Sugar Buster, South Beach, Starvation, Weight Watchers.

My goal is to pick a plan and try to follow it, add in my exercise and drink my water---why sometimes is it so easier said than done?

Thanks for any help! Marcie

Good old fashioned calorie counting. I'm reading Calorie Queens at the moment and loving their approach so far. Aside from that accountability with the calorie counting (i.e. I only ate 1/4 the package so I won't "count it") lots of water and exercise that is moderate-intense but that I still enjoy has been the key. For me, this is the only approach that has worked because I feel I can do it forever. It truly is a lifestyle. Good luck!!

I'm calorie counting too. I like the flexibility that comes with it. I make sure my fat stays under 30% - its normally about 25%. I drink when I'm thirsty. I also work out at the gym 3x a week. Its a non stress diet and lifestyle. I'm actually enjoying it! Its something I could do forever. The way you succeed on a diet is to just keep going - through sunshine, rain and snow - just keep going. So choosing something you find pretty easy is the best plan I think as well as believing that you can do it.

A combination of portion control and intuitive eating as well as attempting (key word here!) to be vegan. So far, I've got the dairy and eggs out of the picture completely. Meat though... sometimes my body just says, "Give it or die, fatty!" So what's a girl to do? I eat no red meats though. Lean fish and poultry only and I tend to prepare them in ethnic dishes so I can flavor the **** out of them as I find both meats rather blah otherwise. Beyond that, all foods in my diet are organic, non genetically modified and generally healthy for you. Even my fave cookies in the world are pretty damn healthy -- for cookies. (Newmans Own Ginger O's).

Probably my biggest secret is that I have a spice rack the size of Rhode Island. That way, no matter what the dish I can make it taste like anything I want. Sometimes I think broccoli that tastes like chicken sounds nifty and so I go at mixing the spices like a mad.... um... scientist. LOL.

I also make sure to do everything in moderation. Nothing is forbidden or guess what I'm going to be drooling over until I devour the whole thing? Yep. I LOVE food and I won't stick to anything that deprives me of things I love. I just know to eat a few and put it up and if I can distract myself for just 5 minutes, I'll quit thinking about what goodness awaits me in the pantry. Doesn't always work for me, but I try.

I drink no soda. Unsweetened iced tea most of the time, water when I'm exercising. Organic 100% no sugar added fruit juices when I either just want them or haven't had enough fruits. I normally have basic iced tea on hand but alongside my spice rack up there is an herb apothecary and I mix my own teas from organic bulk herbs.

Exercise cannot be boring or overly tiresome for me or I will quit after a single session. Lucky me, I live in a place that is every outdoorsy person's dream. Hiking/biking trails are abundant and that is one of my favorite activities is trapsing around the wilderness here with a light backpack. I do Curves when the weather is crap or I don't want to drive out to the trailheads. I have some stuff here for lifting weights. I'm also dying to lose enough weight to get my big butt back on a bicycle (say that three times fast!) as I love riding but I break bicycles because I'm too heavy for them In fact, I have alot of activies planned for the near future when I am physically able. Basically, I really mix it up or else I won't stick with it.

Last thing: I don't count. I wouldn't even do scales if I didn't need some regular tracking of progress because most days, I want to throw the sucker out the window. That, and I get too obsessed too easy. I don't know how many calories I consume, fat grams, etc. I will perhaps consider doing so when my eating disorder is under control and have lost enough weight that calorie counting is necessary.

I'm a calorie counter too. What I did was make a list of things I felt were jeopardizing my attempts at losing weight, and then tackled them one by one. Some of them were easier than others.

For example, one problem I have is that I work long hours and I'm exhausted after work, and the last thing I feel like doing some nights is cooking. Since I do have a little extra money (from working those long hours), I've spent it on a solution OTHER than stopping by McD's every night. I go to this 'quick prep' food class every month or so, where in 2 hours you make 12 meals, doing all the assembly bit, so that cooking is super-easy. Usually it's just sauteeing something for a bit, or sticking it in the oven for an hour, and it's done and tastes good. The added benefit is that sometimes I'll exercise while it's cooking.

Other factors are harder. I have a problem with emotional eating. Still working on that one. Plus the "eating on the road" dilemma. I've gotten better, but I do a lot of business trips and I'm still working on strategies there.

At 250-ish pounds I'm eating anywhere from 1400-1800 calories on a regular day. Then around PMS time it seems to skyrocket to around 2500-3500 for 3-4 days. Still working on that 'glitch' as well. For exercise, I'm sporadic. Sometimes I'll exercise 30-45 minutes every day for 3 weeks. Then I'll go 3 weeks doing nothing. It really depends on my work schedule and level of exhaustion, and level of 'feeling deprived' where I want to spend my limited free time goofing off and not doing exercise. Sometimes I'm successful at the "just 20 minutes on the bike" trick, which occasionally leads to 30 or 40 minutes. Sometimes I just do nothing.

I am on Jenny Craig myself. For me it really works, because it is a structured approach to portions and calories, but has enough variety of food that I do not get bored. I also work pretty long hours (with a long commute) that by the time I get home, the absolute last thing I want or need to do is prepare a meal. I am aware of the calories I have, and currently I am on 1700/day.

Excercise is big thing with me as well. I have finally found something that I really love to do and miss it when I do go. Kickboxing challenges me everytime I go, the teachers mix up quite a bit, and it is fun as well. All key factors to sticking to excercise IMHO.

Water has always been my downfall, but I try to drink 6 glasses a day. I am building up to 8, but I thrilled I can get 6 in, as I used to not even get half that amount in a day.

I guess what everyone has said so far, is you have to find something you can live with. I have said it before, all the plans work, but you need to find something you can do in the longterm.

I have always been a counter. WW points or calories. But lately, I have realized that my track record isn't doing very well and it was time to change my method. I am addicted to sugar, so last week I started Sugar busters and I am enjoying the lack of cravings and the even keel the program offers. It's a bit more strict than what I'm use to, but I seem less tempted!

My husband and I are doing Weight Watchers at home using materials from a previous try. It's been working great for us so far. Right now we're just trying to work on the mental aspect of trying to lose weight. We're trying not to fall into the perfection trap and trying to not set unrealistic goals. I'm really gearing up for Maintenance by reading a lot about how to keep the weight off although I have a long way to go. I've never reached goal before so when I do I want to be prepared for it.

As far as exercise, I walk for 45 minutes - 1 hour 5 days a week and lift weights every other day.

Best of luck to you in finding a plan that works for you.

I concern myself with calories and portion control. I try to keep my daily calorie intake around 1500 most days. I let myself indulge when I go out with friends on Friday and Saturday night. On those days, my calorie count is around 2000. I haven't really cut anything out of my diet; I just pay attention to portion sizes. Instead of eating a whole bag of pretzels, I just eat a handful. I still drink way too much Diet Coke every day, but I also drink a ton of water. I still eat ice cream when I want it, but I also try to get in at least five or six servings of fruits and veggies daily. Again, it's all about "how much," not necessary "what."

Exercise, though, is key. I started off at Curves and have since moved on to a bigger gym and running outdoors on nice days. I don't think I would have been able to lose as much weight as I have and keep it off for this long without exercise. Because I work off 500+ calories a day at the gym, I don't feel bad when I have a pint of beer on Friday night.

The one key for me, though, was that I started off without really expecting much. I didn't expect to lose 100 pounds in the first six months or anything crazy like that. And I didn't. It's taken three years to lose 125 pounds. But I have no doubt that I'll keep it off. So, don't expect instant results and you won't be disappointed when you don't get them. Also, don't expect perfection. You'll slip up along the way. It happens. When you do, just start over again.

Oh my gosh I have tried sooooooooo many things. I finally joined our local weight loss center who developed a nutrion plan for me. On top of that, I use my bowflex and tummy tape (alternate days is free weights and tummy tape), plus I walk 2 miles each day now and I still do 18 flights of stairs 2x a day (I take the stairs at work on my breaks). This is working! I was sooo skeptical and thought, more money paid out and I bet it won't work -- it does! I am loving it

oh yes & the water! 64 - 80 oz per day some days I swear I could live in the bathroom LOL

For me to be successful this time meant no more diet sodas, refined white sugar or flour and adjusting my thinking. I am no longer trying to lose weight as much as I am working toward fitness and health. I also make every effort to live like a thin person. Eating the right portions and exercise 6 days out of 7.

Along with WW and 2 online support groups that is what makes this work for me this time.

I'm an exerciser, but I also try to eat fairly clean - for me this means mainly homemade vegetarian stuff (made out of vegetables rather than cheese and bread ). I also drink mainly water with a little green tea and slightly more alcohol (don't tell anyone!!!)

I am on the Cambridge Diet--a very low calorie diet with mainly liquid, 4 litres of water a day and little bit of weights. Plus all the running up the stairs to go toilet!

I do Weight Watchers because I think the plans they offer encourage a healthy lifestyle change, and I like the gold stars we get. I enjoy the meetings and camraderie (but only this time when I decided that participation was key to my losing weight), and the accountability of weighing in once a week. I've tried a lot of things, but Weight Watchers has been the only plan that's worked for me.

I also exercise quite a bit, and I hired a personal trainer to get that extra nudge. Exercise has helped this Grandma speed up her metabolism and have a normal bodyfat percentage even though I still have weight to lose.

I count calories and exercise!! 6 days of cardio and 2 weights per week. No foods are off limits, but I do avoid lots of processed crap.