I'm not sure why ..

I always keep frozen veggies in my freezer. I like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and microwaving a large portion of these and adding a slice of reduced fat cheese, or shredded Parmesan, about 15 seconds before the end of the cooking cycle makes a nice flavor addition, and the fat will help you feel satisfied. This is my secret weapon for dinner if I don't have many calories left, or if my exercise plans fall threw and cause my calories to reduce over what I planned.

I have learned that if I get enough protein early in the day, I am not going to be attacked by the "hungries" later in the day. Thank goodness for Zone Perfect nutrition bars which I have for breakfast on the days that I work, and I always carry one in my purse for emergency rations.

I don't always eat my exercise calories. In general, I stay around 1400 calories a day, and usually have 100-300 calories left over. That way, on a day like today where I ended up 100 calories over, it is no biggie in the grand scheme of things.

Another thing I do about every 3-4 weeks is have a day where I go over my calories by at least 800. This has kept me from going into starvation mode and plateauing. Usually I tie it in with an occasion where I will be eating out or some other food-related activity.

This next tip won't work for everyone. Since I adopted the philosophy of "diet is a 4-letter word" and "lifestyle change" is what I am on, I no longer have overwhelming cravings that constantly derail me. I thnk it is because I know nothing is off limits with planning. That being said, there ARE still things I love --such as chocolate, ginger snaps. Thanks to the snack size candy bars, I can enjoy an Almond Joy and only "spend" 80 calories. I have no trouble limiting myself to one as they are individually wrapped. I can satisfy myself with 2 ginger snaps, and that will only be 80 calories also.

At work, I always keep something around to nibble on (often an apple or a banana) so I can avoid the vending machine. The two things I will get out of the machine in a pinch are V8 juice (wish they had the low sodium kind, but I often have my own can) and milk is the other thing I will get.

After fighting the battle from the time I was about 11 years old, I have learned a few things that I would like to share, so here are my 10 Commandments of PERMANENT Weight Loss:

1. "Normal" is what you make it. So I have changed my "normal" diet to one that does allow me to have things I like, but in moderation. I LIKE breads, and pasta. Thus, although I lost on a low carb program, Atkins is not comfortable for me, long term, so when I went off of it, I gained.

2. Veggies are your friend. In addition to the nutrients they provide, and "good carbs," they are very filling. They can help you reduce your calories and not feel you are starving to death.

3. You can EAT ANYTHING you want, if you P L A N for it, calorie-wise speaking. When I have a special occasion or a dinner out where I know I will be exposed to things I like but don't have everyday, I don't have to deprive myself, because I can go into the MFP database ahead of time, figure out the caloric "cost" of different things and plan how to order. Many restaurants have nutritional information on their websites, which is also helpful for this purpose.

4. People who severely limit their calories will lost, BUT as soon as they try to eat any additional, they will gain very easily. This is because the body becomes too "efficient" by slowing the metabolism to get by with less. The way around this that has worked well for me is "Zig zag calories." You can google it and get all kinds of info, but simply put, you eat MORE on a given day, on a regular basis. For me, every 3 -4 weeks, I will do a day where I might have 2000-2200 calories on a given day. This is different from the other days, where I have 1200-1400 per day.

This WORKS. I lost 20 lbs. in 9 weeks. I have NOT been hungry. I am not feeling deprived. I have foods in my kitchen that would normally send me in to "binge" mode, but they don't bother me now, because I know I can have them, as long as I take into account what else I will be able to eat that day.

5. EXERCISE matters!! I haven't started strength training yet, for reasons of time and practicality, BUT, I am the queen of walking. I average 20-28 miles a week. It is free, can be done by most anyone, baring physical limitations, and if you get yourself a cheap MP3 player (it doesn't HAVE to be a spendy IPOD) load some fast tunes on it, you will be surprised how quickly the time flies.

If you are trying to lose and you are only doing strength training, you are going to be disappointed with the results in terms of pounds lost, but you will likely firm up, build muscle (helps boost your metabolism) and be more toned, so include some cardio for a complete program of exercise.

6. Be responsible for what you put in your mouth. I have heard, and used all the excuses. "It was there" "I was hungry" "My boyfriend made me go to the pizza parlor" 'or to Baskin & Robbins." (ice cream chain for those that are not familiar w/the name) That last statement may be true, but he didn't hold a gun to your head and FORCE you to eat 5 slices of pizza instead of having one slice and a salad!! and no one threatened you into having a 3 scoop banana split instead of a child size dish of your favorite flavor.

7. People who log their foods lose more weight than those who don't . Thank goodness for MFP!!! People who have a support system, whether family, friends, or online --such as right here-MFP!! are more likely to be successful over the long term than those who don't.

8. People who make permanent changes in the way they deal with food and how and what they eat will lose, maybe not as fast as on a crash diet, but they are much more likely to lose PERMANENTLY!!

9. Be sure to eat enough PROTEIN, and GOOD FATS (Nuts, Avocados, Fish oil/ Omega 3's). The protein will keep your body from consuming muscle to survive, and the fats will help you feel satisfied and avoid the "hungries."

10. Don't use a screw up as an excuse for "falling off the wagon" for the entire day, or week, or month. "I ate a bunch of cookies, so that makes me a failure, therefore, l will eat an entire pizza!!" Hey while I am at it, lets get a burger a fries and a milkshake for lunch tomorrow!!"

And on a related note, remember "FOOD is intended as FUEL." --NOT a source of comfort. Think of it in those terms, and find other ways to satisfy your emotional needs and you will succeed in the long run.