What was your weight loss journey like?

I bobbed around with great workouts and barely a diet for a long time. It came off very slowly. When I finally wanted the rest of it off though, something clicked in my head, and it came off. Its all about committing but yes, we all mess up. That's why a reasonable diet and focusing on counting calories works. Its doable in the real world.

I was all over the place in the beginning, and really, throughout the process. I had a lot of over-calorie days, and my food choices were very bad for the first several months. It took me 48 weeks to lose 55 lbs - so right about the average.....but it is difficult to learn new ways of being in the world, and there will be many, many slip-ups. My exercise was the same. Still is.

I think maintaining is just as difficult. I've kept it off - more or less. The winter ten pounds gets me every year, and I lose it again every summer. I've decided it's just Nature, and I don't stress it as much. It's been five years for me.

Mine was tedious. Relearning everything and learning new things. I became consumed with improving myself. I weigh daily, so every night I go to bed wondering if the weight loss Santa is going to leave me a scale of rewards or a scale of coal. No, I never binge. I did give myself a week or so off when I would reach goals. I found that I was ready to restart sooner than I planned. Mentally, I think I tend toward being obessive. I planned to give myself Dec, 14 (my birthday) off until January 2nd. I find myself going under my calorie goal anyway. I feel I am obsessing because I can't splurge even when I should. I do eat healthy and am trying to learn more about nutrition and fitness. It's a long road back to daily, reflexive health.

The hardest part of my journey was the years i spent getting fat and not caring about myself. Once i took that first step, and realized i had a serious problem and i wanted to do something about it, it has been very easy. I did seek professional help for nutrition and fitness. I am now in the process of learning to eat properly on my own, and it isnt hard, but it is time consuming and its actually kinda fun. I love this whole learning experience. Proper diet and exercise will be a part of my life forever.

I'm one of those people that didn't have a lot to lose. People say that is more difficult, but I did not feel it was at all. I actually lost more than what I had intended, but I'm fine with that because I am not any less than I have been at other times in my life. I would not want to lose anymore, though (so I upped my calories). I lifted weights, that helps a lot and is very effective and efficient. Counting calories is great and eating a healthy diet with flexibility of course. I actually thought I was eating at maintenance, but lost weight. So, if you don't have a lot to lose, eat a small deficit and take your time. Slower is better when you don't have a lot of fat to lose. And that way you transition easily into maintenance and don't regain.