Weight Loss plans?

I have been counting cals as well...not really following any one plan. A friend and I here on MFP do weekly challenges to keep us motivated and...well...challenge ourselves LOL But over all no plan. Just eating foods that are good for my body. Sometimes when following a plan we get swept up in the plan and not what we are actually doing and why we are doing it.

i count calories, and stay around 1200 a day. i stick to eating lots of fresh fruits, and fresh and frozen veggies. i eat whole grain breads, and pastas.
i just try to make healthy choices, and stay away from processed stuff as much as possible.
i also keep my sodium around 1500mg a day and i drink 15 cups of water a day.

i also try and work out 5 days a week

This is what I have been doing, and so far it's worked without me feeling like I'm on a "diet". Like you said, it's a life-style change.

I switched from cow to goat dairy products. If you like goat's cheese on your salad, go one step further. Get some goat's milk brie cheese from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Get some Goat's Whole Milk. Less fat than cow's whole milk, lighter taste and only 120 calories per cup? Delicious. There's also yogurts which are tasty. Why the switch? Goat's milk is easier to digest by most people than cow's milk. Also, I personally believe that cow's are treated terribly and I don't want to eat anything produced by one in a commercial farm setting. Poor things. It's my opinion, but it doesn't make goat products any less delicious.

I cut out red meat. While it's not bad for you in moderation, it has more calories per serving than chicken, pork or salmon. I have steak maybe once every few weeks. Otherwise, I stick to chicken breast, pork chops/loins, salmon and legumes (lentils and barley) for protein.

I don't drink calories. If I have soda, it's 1 diet coke a day at most. I drink water, crystal light, skinny water, green tea and coffee. No need to feel deprived.

My fiance is on Atkins, so I don't eat many carbs. Carbs aren't bad for you if you eat the right ones. I eat a ton of fruit as snacks and veggies with lunch and dinner. I always keep mangoes in the house. You can peel and slice one in 5 minutes and they are a delicious snack. Only 135 calories for a whole mango. If you don't want to peel and slice fruit, then get some pre-sliced fruit from the store. It's better than nothing.

Cook dinner so that there are leftovers. I make sure to cook 4 servings every night so that I can have leftovers from lunch the next day. I keep costs down and control my calories better when I can plan ahead on my food diary.

I exercise at least 30 minutes a day and try to burn at least 200 calories a day. It doesn't seem that impressive, but 200 calories will give you enough wiggle room should you want to indulge in an extra healthy snack or something during the day.

I hope that this helps you. It's hard to sort through all of the information on the internet. My food diary is public and I welcome you to look at it. It's pretty boring, but I mean... I do eat things I want and I do go over every now and then. The key is to look at the big picture. Going over by a few hundred calories one day won't derail you. Remember: 3500 calories is a pound. If you only eat 500 extra calories one day, you can't possibly gain any noticeable weight. Let it go and move on to the next day. Make smart choices tomorrow.

Good luck in your weight loss journey.

I find i'm having the same problem. I mean I get all my fruits and veggies needed for the day, workout 4-5 times a week, drink about 3 water bottles and eat good meals but I always find something is "missing" and i'm never satisfied I get very antsy.