I count calories and try to keep my foods high in complex carbs with tons of fiber and food low in fat. I try to not eat processed ready made foods and much prefer to cook things from fresh ingredients.

Forgive me for saying this but I don't believe in diet. I hope you will respect this. Nothing against those who are undergoing diet. I admire you. What I do is always exercise even if it's just plain walking around the park. That way, I can feel that my body is always on the go.

Calorie counting while trying to watch percentages of fat, carbs and proteins.

Another calorie counter here! I watch my calorie intake and incorporate as many whole foods (non processed) and home made stuff as possible.

How do I kow how many calories something has???

I too am a calorie counter. Works great for me because even though I focus on healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits and veggies, there is nothing forbidden. Once I'm told I cannot have something, I want that thing...even if I normally dont care for it.

Calorie counter here, too, so I also chose 'other'. I don't consider myself currently on a 'diet', but I do continue to count calories to maintain.

I chose my own diet. Civakas and RockinRobin pretty much summed up my plan. I calorie count, and while I could technically eat *insert said junkfood here* until I reach the calorie limit for the day, somehow eating 14 of those 100 calorie treats just doesn't sound appealing :dizzy:

RockinRobin...don't know if you will see this again, but that was a darn good post :) It captures ALL of the feelings I have about the word "diet" also. Especially like in the past, looking so forward to when I could go off the "diet". I know it had a lot to do with the fact that I just didn't know how to eat healthy. So it was usually an all or nothing thing. And the fact that the gimmicky ways to lose weight have just tarnished the word altogether. So if you don't mind, I think I might borrow your term of "lifestyle change".

Another calorie counter here. I voted "no diets for me" because it really is a lifestyle change. Although I am a vegetarian, I still eat a lot like Robin and Glory (but I eat a few more processed foods than Robin does. Until I can hire her to cook for me ...;)

Calorie counting for the win.

I was on ww in the past. Right now I am counting calories.

Borrow away. But don't give me credit for the term. It's a oft tossed around phrase, one that I didn't come up with, though I wish I did ;). And not only did I not know how to cook healthy, I had no idea that healthy could be so darn delicious - until of course I stopped thinking of it in terms of dieting and HAD to learn how to cook healthy AND delicious.

Actually the year I was losing my lunch most days of the week was the Morning Star Farms Chick patties. I didn't stop eating them because they were processed, but I discovered I needed even MORE volume. I do eat some processed foods - not the best ones either. I eat Hunts 5 calorie Jello. I also eat SF/FF yogurt. All processed. Oh and Fiber One cereal. There's some other stuff too, it's just not coming to my mind right now. The real reason I eat so little of the processed stuff, is because nothing satisfies me quite as much as veggies, salmon, egg whites, chicken breast and the such. I think if I were a vegatarian I would definitely have to rely more on processed foods. As far as I'm concerned processed foods can definitely have a place in a healthy diet.

Oh and I'd actually love to cook for you. LOVE it. You ever pass by my neck of the woods - and I'd be more then happy to whip something up for you. ;)

I'm doing the clevland diet. Calorie restricted for three days then normal foods for four days. This is the diet that they put morbidly obese patients on before they can do any kind of surgery to get the weight down to a safe lvl. Weight comes off fast (my brother-in-law has lost 47 lbs so far) but I'm also doing portion control, and working out at least an hour a day. Treadmill for 30 mins or more and weights for 30 mins or more. We'll see how it works out.

I am in an 18 jeans now. I can't imagine ever fitting into a 8 or 6 jeans Glory! How tall are you if you dont' mind my asking? Wondering if there is hope for me to get below a ten. Which is the smallest I've ever been >.<

Just curious - what does "normal foods" mean? For that matter, what does "calorie restricted" mean? I mean, how MUCH calorie restriction are we talking about?

South Beach Diet for me.Yes.....I say diet.Doesnt bother me at all.Its just a word.I have no problem telling anyone I eat what is on my diet.No different than people who follow a diabetic diet or cardiac diet.That is the word we use in the health care profession.