How did YOU lose weight?

I dropped 22 pounds from September to November (204-182) by cutting fastfood, carbonated beverages (sodium), cheese, eggs, milk, and deli meats. Half of my diet is raw fruits and vegetables.
I exercise five nights a week, spending two at the gym on an elliptical and the other three doing doing a brisk, hour long walk.

I don't actually log calories. There's a lot of taboo about going rogue on the calorie counter. It's a very great tool and you will lose weight by logging calories. I just stopped because I would always use it to try and get away with drinking a coke and still being in a deficit, but in reality all of the excess sugar and fat was messing up my digestion and metabolism. All I can say about the counter is I'm not you, so you should do whatever you think will help you the most.

I have been eating the same food just small portins and no eating after 6pm, and I walk every chance I get instead of forcing myself to do exersize I know that I hate.

Got off my *kitten* and started moving and quit eating junk!

Short and sweet lol - dont need spiels and spiels to get ones point across...just saying.

What is the 1200 calorie trap?

Believing that you need to eat only 1200 calories a day to look good. A lot of us learned our lessons, began eating 1600-2000, started lifting weights, & now we're at or are reaching our goals so quickly that we can't believe our eyes. You're new to MFP, so take this as your first lesson & use it to guide you in your goals. :flowerforyou:

i do what works for me, which is eat a balance diet, being mindful of everything that i put in my mouth...

i exercise for at least an hour 6 days a week, a combination of strength training and cardiovascular workouts...

ive found that you do not need to be perfect to get results, you just have to be honest and never quit, even if you have a bad day or even an entire month...

for me this is as much mental as it is physical...i have had to get my head right at the same time as my body, both are a work in progress...

What did you eat? Did you workout? Did you eat healthy or eat bad but just a certain amount of calories? Did you make muscle after? Do you plan on making muscle?

What did I eat?, pretty much anything I wanted, the only thing I avoide (still) is cheese and pizza, I didnt stop eating a specific thing, I still eat goodies, still drink soda... its all about moderation.. at least for me. Of course Im eating more healthy stuff now, such as veggies or fruits. I ve added lots of yummy/ healthy things that I didnt even consider before.

Did I workout?, hell yes I did / DO. I started this new lifestyle on january 2012, and started exercising in march, Im addicted now. I walk a lot, do zumba, taebo, pretty much any good cardio DVD I find ( I dont go to the gym, I do it at home).. And soon Ill start p90x.. for some tonification and muscle.

Im still losing weight (going for my last 10), so im still eating 1200 calories a day, I dont eat exercise calories back. I will once I reach my goal and I wanna maintain.

What works best for me when I can stick to it is low carb with heavy lifting and some cardio.
2000 cals a day low cal or 3000 a day low carb works about the same for me.

I fell into the 1200 calorie trap.
lol
seriously I did, but lost alot of muscle, got headaches, no energy, sleepless, hair thinned out etc.....

That happened to me too. Thank goodness I'm out of that now!!!

And to the OP - I am not just losing weight, but I'm changing my lifestyle and how I think. It has been and continues to be a road that is leading me to change (for the better) not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

I did it without any gimmicks, diet fads, pills, or whatever else is going on these days. I did it with just me...and having my MFP pals has also helped me push myself more.

As the others have said - learning to eat smarter, being more conscious of my choices, logging before I eat (which has helped me with overeating, learning portion control, and stopping me from stress/bored/emotional eating), and getting off my butt and exercising

I started losing weight by first literally cutting my portions in half. If I got a burger for lunch I would cut it in half and save the other piece for dinner. But after I found MFP, I started just logging everything for 2 weeks without any modification. Once I saw what my food choices were horrible I started switching to healthier meals. Most important thing i learned here is that and appropriate calorie deficit = fat loss. Exercise isn't needed but it sure helps.
Find a balance but it's about life change not a diet.

So many of you say strength training is the key. If I don't have a gym how can I do this? Thanks for your help!