Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. Your responses really help me stay committed.

Here are my guidelines:
1) "Visualize the journey" - see above. It gives me ongoing perspective and really helps put me quickly back on track when I falter.
2) "Liar Liar" - be honest with myself. Many of my past attempts have failed because I cheated on myself. Log everything that goes in my mouth - everyday.
3) "Me" - this for me. Give myself permission to be selfish when it comes to my health and fitness. I am always the guy that does anything for everyone else. I deserve this.
4) "Old dog, new tricks" - never stop learning and sharing my knowledge. Use MFP's community daily to find help and make sure to give back at least as much as others give me.
5) "Keep it simple" - don't complicate the process by doing unnecessary tasks. They will drive me crazy and make me fail. Example, I've learned that I am very good at estimating portion sizes, so I just spot check with the scale and measuring cups. As long as I keep hitting goals, that's the big picture.
6) "Small steps with patience" - Pick a best place to start and then see where I am after a month. Make adjustments one at time and then give it 2-4 weeks. It's "my plan".
7) "Don't panic" - the scale is just an instrument, it's not the enemy, it doesn't have anything against me. If it's not showing what I expect, give it more time and then re-evaluate what I'm doing and adjust if needed. It took me many years to get where I am, it isn't going to change overnight.
8) "Commitment" - step on the scale every morning to remind myself of my commitment to make each day a positive step forward - log my weigh-in on MFP once a week to get the big picture.
9) "Roll with it" - I can't predict what challenges are ahead, just do the best I can when then arise. Pre-plan and log ahead of time whenever I know I will be in a difficult environment, like going to a restaurant, get-together, or during a holiday.
10) "LIVE" - I'm in control, do not deprive myself of the things I enjoy. Most things I want to eat can be managed with pre-planning and portion control. A few will just need to wait until I'm at my goal and on maintenance.

We are all coming from different places, with different needs and likes. I had at least 120lbs to lose and a handful of medical issues I'm dealing with. Don't let anyone tell you what should be right for you.
My guidelines are working for me, they may not be right for everyone. Feel free to take these and modify them so they work for you.

bibliocephalus wrote: »

Really good stuff here, thanks BRaye. I tend to be pretty obsessive in terms of my diet. Due to being so rigid, I have never been able to maintain a fitness plan longer than a month or so, I have always been too extreme in my goals and expectations. This time is different for me, as I have my own versions of 5,7 and 10 that I use-- it has made a big difference this time around.

I can be very obsessive too and drove my family, especially my wife, crazy when on past diets. This time is different for me too. It really is helpful that my wife, daughter and son are all on MFP. Interestingly, we each have a different approach in certain areas, but it is working for all of us. In the 4.5 months since we started we have combined to lose over 180lbs, that's like losing a whole person - crazy.

I got somewhat derailed at the end of the year due to a combination of losing my Mom, a back injury, and the holidays. Picking ourselves up after life interferes with our goals is so important to our long-term health and fitness.
I had added 3 pounds back on and taken my first step backwards since I started last July. I had to forgive myself, refocus, and start again. Some may say, "only 3 pounds", but for me it was 3 pounds that I had conquered and now had to tackle a second time. My 120 lbs loss goal was just made to be 123 and I was mad at myself. Many of us have these emotions arise as we battle through our weight loss and deal with the roller-coaster of life. We are constantly reminded that we have only limited control and life will often throw obstacles in our path that can change our course.
The most important thing we can do is make sure to start each day fresh, make the most of that day, and don't weigh ourselves down by choosing to carry along some baggage from yesterday.
Today at my weigh-in, I hit a new low weight of 253 and have now lost 72 pounds. I am re-energized, back on course and headed back up those stairs to reach the stars.

I'm now at 90 pounds lost, in Stage 3 on the third step an on my way to that attic window.
Each of these steps take longer as my weight loss slows down, but I have a ton more energy and feel so much better than this time last year. Consistency and stubbornness are my two best allies!