I need to lose weight

[Hollybee]

Most diets or "lifestyle" changes people suggest to me don't work because either I can't afford the food, or I don't like the food (fish, ick!). Usually when I need to lose weight I simply make a point to get an hour (or more) of exercise a day, I watch my calorie intake closely, and I cut nearly all sugar from my diet (The pounds peel off me when I don't have much sugar in my diet). You also have to get a good handle on portion size. You can eat the healthiest food on the planet, but if you're still eating too much you're not going to see the results you want.

A few years back I weighed 230 pounds. I starved myself for a few months and got down to 180. When I stopped starving myself though I saw all the weight come back and I realized it wasn't a good long-term solution. From then on I just started eating less and I cut nearly all junk food from my life. If I had a major craving for a piece of cake or something I'd have an extra-small piece, or I'd ask someone for a small bite of theirs and be done with it. I stopped having seconds at dinner, I stopped eating out, eating alot of meat (although I was never big on meat to begin with), or eating things that were particularly greasy. I started walking every day for an hour. Eventually that turned into jogging 2-4 miles every day, because I liked getting my workout done faster. I've now been 145-150 pounds for the past 5 years, and am working on getting my weight below 140.

I keep a scale in my bathroom and weigh myself everyday. When I see an extra couple pounds popping up (this usually only happens on a birthday or when family or friends want to take me out or buy me a cake) I'll go on a one-week banana-soup diet where I eat nothing but soup and bananas, or something else super low-cal that I know will help me get a handle on my weight. Even when I'm not in "emergency weight-loss mode" I still try to be very careful with my intake. I try not to eat candy or cookies, I don't snack between meals, and I try to keep my portions small (which is hard when you live with a man who loves to eat...) Even while eating like this though I'm still mostly dependent on exercise for improving the shape of my body. If I feel as though my jogging routine isn't giving me the best results, I'll switch it up and move to pilates for a little while. Sometimes a small change in routine like that is all you need to bring about change to your body.