For those who have lost 50+ lbs...

I lost 85+ lbs, but ended up yo-yoing. I was able to stop myself before I completely destroyed myself.

I gained 18 lbs in this time, however I feel that I need to catch up.

There's a few methods I used to lose my weight (or at least make it easier):

Do physical activities that are fun. No one likes working out. (Ok, some do but they're rare) If you are enjoying yourself, you'll want to do it more.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO CHEAT DAYS. BIG ONE RIGHT HERE. If you're anything like me, all it takes is a taste to have the cravings come back. It's no different than a 20+ year smoker who quits, and then has a smoke out of the blue. Those feelings nearly always come back like a flood. Find great tasting alternatives without the sugar and chemicals.

Have help; online, friends, family, who cares. When you have someone that you are accountable to, the embarrassment will typically motivate you to continue.

Do not cut your calorie intake to a ludicrously small amount. Find your regulated calorie intake, and take 10% off of that to start. This will free up lots of room to eat whatever foods you wish, as the typical male can eat 1900+ calories, while the average female can eat 1700+. (Of course depending on height, and current weight as well as activity level. You can look this up online).
(Slightly hypocritical for myself, as this is what I am currently doing. However, this is under a doctors guidance + I've done this before)

Last but not least is finding the proper motivation. When I lost my 85 LBS, it was because I had someone to do it for. Losing that motivation was a HUGE loss to me, which ended up in my rebound. However I was able to find a new motivator to keep me going. Everyone has to find something they can use, as motivation for one person rarely works for another.

Anyways, hope this helps a bit. In the end we all really need to stick together. Having people watching and cheering us on is very important for any fitness regiment. Humans respond positively to good feedback, so the more we get, the more we want to continue!

Don't have a finish goal. Problem solved.

Log everything
Weigh/measure everything
No cheating (unless it fits within your cals)
Don't over think things - I did it with no exercise, diet is 80% of the battle, worry about the rest later (unless you enjoy it)
Don't tell yourself you can't have something, just have a teeny bit (& log it)
Don't give up your favourite things - factor them in to your new lifestyle.
Start NOW
Don't ever give up. I've been'stuck' (no weightloss) for 5mths and haven't quit. If I did I'd be heading back up to where I started.
You can do this
:flowerforyou:

In addition to all the great advice given, remember...weight loss happens in the kitchen.

Too many times, I see people come back here.. after they lose/gain/leave, just to complain about how hard it was to get back on the wagon after falling off.

So, make the wagon easier to stay on.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines.
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
ETA:
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.

Yeah, I guess that's about it.

^^^^ perfect answer!

I've been at my goal weight now for a little over a month. Maintaining hasn't been hard this far. I will never stop logging my calories, I work best when I plan ahead. I plan out every meal in my food diary on here first, and play with it till I can get it at my calorie goal, this past month I've been pretty spot on. I'm also a beach body coach so I'm always talking fitness and health. I also blog about my ups and downs. I'm always working out, I went from working out 3 days a week to working out 6 days a week.

Being on MFP and making friends and having people to help has also helped me to keep on it.

I have lost a total of 56 pounds since January, and I am 20 lb. away from goal. My best advice would be to keep logging. I'm not sure, but I think that I will have to continue logging for the rest of my life. I used to do weight watchers, and gained all of it back because I was not logging what I ate. It makes you more aware of what you've eaten, because some people eat mindlessly, and don't even remember what they ate that day.

Yes. To all these. Just keep yourself accountable.

Hi Alicia
I used to believe all that stuff about going slow and tracking your food and losing a bit at a time, but it never really worked for me. I joined a site called Sparkpeople that has lots of articles and recipes and a supportive online community, and that helped me deal with sleep issues - if you don't sleep well, you won't lose weight. And it supported me into regular exercise. I do about 9 hours a week now of exercise I like - Zumba and water exercise. But you won't lose weight just by exercising, either.
I am losing weight now using what others will call a fad diet, but it is working for me. It is called the Cura romana, and I have used the book by Leslie Kenton. Since January I have lost 75 lbs in three rounds of this weight loss protocol, at a rate of about 2kgs a week, each followed by a six week phase of reintroducing different foods to find what agrees with my body. No calorie counting involved.
I have found this really easy to follow, I do exactly what the book says, without deviating. I rarely feel hungry and when I do, I eat. I feel strong and fit and have dropped two medications. I am no longer pre diabetic. My doctor is really pleased and impressed with my progress and encouraging me to stick with what I am doing since it works so well for me.
You need to be ready to clear the decks and stick with the programme, but it has provided me with quick results and a new lease of life.
Once I finish losing the last few pounds, the diet encourages you to adopt a Paleolithic style diet. I think the key for me is to avoid simple carbs that tend to trigger cravings and weight increase.Not sure I want to commit entirely to a paleo style diet, we shall see. I can use the Cura occasionally to continue to control any weight gain, though since I started I have not permanently regained an ounce of what I lost. The trick is to weigh yourself daily and if you ever put on more than 2lbs, use the method in the book to bring your weight back down to what you settled at after finishing the weight loss phase.
What I think I might do if I have any prblems maintaining is switch to the 5:2 maintenance method that the FAST diet advises.. This is one day a week of just 500 calories.
Hats off to all who have lost a lot using the traditional methods. That is hard work, and you are awesome.
I never thought I would try a fad diet, but the simple truth is, all the sensible methods did not work for me, and this one has done every single thing it said it would, no fuss and no problems. So have a look at the book and make up your own mind.
Good luck!
Fifi