Up until about a month ago, I was posting frequently and recording my weight every day. I lost from 172 lbs to 150 in 2009, but I really want to get down to 135-140 lbs. I must admit that I haven't really made much progress this year. I've been losing down to about 148 then yo-yoing back up to 152 (as of today).
I have let life interfere with my healthy eating, especially since I have entered the busy season for my business, which is designing and making jewelry and selling it at art shows and festivals. It is shockingly easy to go back to eating the fattening stuff when you are not paying attention. This past weekend, of all things, my booth at an art show was located next to a homemade CUPCAKE vendor! Needless to say, cupcakes account for a couple of those extra pounds I have put on. I didn't take my food with me, so I ended up starving and eating cupcakes.
Anyway, this is my official notice to myself that I am going to buckle down, refocus, and reach my goal by the end of the year. I really noticed how depressed I was when I ate poorly. It seems being bad is just not as fun as it used to be. Is it the same for you?

Not paying attention and not being prepared almost always lead me down the road of giant calorie days.
I find that I still really appreciate the convenience of paying absolutely no attention to what I eat, but I sure don't like the consequences!

Can I just say - girl, what were you thinkin'???

Years later and I still take food with me. If I'm out for the day, than I take a days worth. There is no way in H-E double hockey sticks that I can rely on winging it. No, no, no. Sets me up for making poor choices. Much easier to avoid the cupcakes, if you've got something delicious lined up for you.

Okay, sounds like you're ready to get serious again! I'm excited for you.

It's all in the planning, so please, plan, plan and than plan some more. And you know what - than plan a little bit more.

I look forward to hearing of your progress.

I guess I look at things a little differently. I would say you HAVE been successful without planning (so far). You have managed to stay within a 4 pound range, so you must be making adjustments somewhere to make up for sweets & treats. All fine if you wish to be in maintenance mode...and sometimes our bodies need time to adjust to be at a specific weight. I would say that you should look at the past few months as a glipse forward to your true maintenance life. You can enjoy treats (occaisionally) and maintain, which is pretty exciting if you ask me!!

So, now that you want to re-focus on losing, Robin's advice is of course the best (and the one you already know). Plan, plan, plan...and then just do it! It won't take much given that you've been eating cupcakes & still basically maintaining. Just let go of the non-nutritous food choices & sub with healthy ones. Consider it a gift to yourself - the gift of nutrition, the gift of health, the gift of prioritizing YOU.

Go get 'em!! I look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks ladies for the truthful comments. I do feel glad that I have basically maintained my weight for over a year, but that is not my goal yet. I still want to lose to my goal and eating without a plan is not gonna help me get there.
So, I will get back to doing what worked for me last year.