I'll be another person who puts in a plug for the plan I am currently using - the Dukan Diet. I've been on this plan since May 22. I have been on plan with food every day since then, and I've lost 40 lbs.

It's a very low carb, low fat plan. You eat 2 tbs of oat bran (not oat meal) a day but no other grains, starches or sugars. You eat lean protein, no/low fat dairy and veggies (on a specific pattern). The list of foods you are allowed to eat is very limited, but as long as you stick to those foods, you don't have to worry about quantities and can eat whenever you are hungry.

Before I started this plan, I would never have considered myself a carb or sugar addict. I did ok with calorie counting in the past, but always got burned out after a while. Plus it was always a bit of a struggle and in retrospect, I think I was a bit obsessed with food - planning what I could eat, weighing and measuring and tracking, figuring out what I could fit into my day, worrying about whether or not to stop eating even when I was hungry so I could save up some calories for later.

On Dukan, staying on plan with food has been so easy for me. I eat when I'm hungry and I eat foods I like but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about eating. Totally different mindset. Plus this plan has a phase that comes in between weight loss and maintenance, where you follow a prescribed schedule on how to get your body used to the new weight and how to add back in foods that were not allowed during the weight loss phase. I think having this guidance for once I finish losing weight is going to make a huge difference for me.

I also have some friends doing the same plan, with similarly good results. So it's worth checking out - all you need is the book, you don't have to sign up for the $$$ coaching that they offer.

WOW! Thanks to everyone for your great resources. Looks like I have some research and reading to do. Everyone here is so great - I really appreciate the time and attention you've taken to share with me. I was feeling totally dejected the other day, but I now have some hope thanks to all of you. I've decided to look at our journey in a new way:

I'm trying to think of our journey as a railroad track. Many days it's a straight line that requires a few shovefuls of coal to keep chugging along. But, there are those days when we run into a sharp turn or a hill. If we aren't shoveling in as much coal because we're tired or distracted by a problem on the other end of the train, we may slow down at those curves and hills, but it's extremely rare that we completely stop or jump off the track. If we do jump the track, then it's true, we need to make repairs before we can start our journey again. But, even then, we don't go back and start our journey over; we just get back on the track where we jumped off and continue on our way. We may reach our destination behind schedule, but we'll still get there.

So, here's hoping for some straight track ahead! :-) Thanks again!

Sued1971, thank you for writing that about how you quit cigarettes. I've smoked for 14 years and I've tried to quit a few times. It was so easy for me to accept my mistakes when it comes to losing this weight, but for some reason it never occured to me that cigarettes could be the same way. I've always given up because I couldn't do it cold turkey. Thank you. That was really helpful.

:) I am very happy that was helpful!

ThinkinThin --- I could have written the same post (your thread-starter) about four months ago. I'm not kidding.

I, also, am/was also a carb addict, plain and simple. I would crave certain foods like some crave nicotine, and others who crave alcohol. For those who have never experienced it, for me, it was like rabid hunger (it's hard to describe!!). For the last few years, I had given up hope that I would ever be able to change. I felt like I had no control over it.

Anyway - this is all to say - you aren't alone.

I won't bore you with details of what I have done and am doing, "plan-wise" - but suffice to say, it CAN get better. There is a way out, and seeking support is essential. I wish you much luck!! If you feel like chatting, let me know.

::: HUG :::

Thanks PghGal - It's good to know there's hope. Any details you can share about what plan you follow would be helpful...

BTW Are you from Pittsburgh, PA by any chance? I'm from east of there. And I like your avatar - hilarious!

Thinkin Thin, have you thought about writing a blog? I've started writing one and I'm finding it strangely motivational. I'm not sure why but it's actually helping me stay focused. I'm very positive about my weight loss at the moment and I wanted to capture that so that if I have a bad day or week or whatever I can look back and hopefully recapture that feeling to help get me back on track. Things are going well for me now and it's lovely to write that down and celebrate it. Your railway analogy is really good btw:)

Keep us posted on hwo you are getting on. :)

you might want to try a cooking class that focuses on healthy eating, it could be fun and a good way to steer yourself in a good direction. (something I've wanted to do, but it can be expensive to take classes like that where I live.)

check out farmers markets, and trying new recipes with the fruits and veggies you find there (I've done that). it gets me away from feeling like lower cal eating is a "deprivation."

for me, getting more into different types of exercise and doing it more has helped with the way I think of food and eating too. hang in there.