For a couple of years, no matter what I did, I could not lose one. single. pound. Not one! Now... what seemed to jump start my metabolism is clearly not something everyone can do. I had an opportunity to go to JAPAN. I did a 12 hour flight each direction. I had a 12 hour time change each direction. And, in Japan, I did not do what my co-travellers did and migrate toward the "American food". I ate Japanese food -- lots of seafood, miso, rice (half cup at a time) and seaweed. I am HOOKED. I also started using my phone to clock my steps and aim to do 10,000 steps per day. That was easy in Japan as a tourist! The other big change was a serious reduction in snacking. I came home to a 5 pound loss! I thought, "ok, this won't last." Since home I have tried to approximate that way of eating and have to really push to do the 10,000 steps. If I go to an exercise class I'm ok with 5,000. I am more prone to snacking again, but try to stick to a handful of seeds or something. I still expected that five pounds to be some kind of fluke from lots of perspiring in humid Japan or something. Nope. It's still off and I've lost 3 more. So... protein and veggies, lots of movement and eat stuff you don't normally eat. Challenge that system! Also, on a happy note, this is the first time I have ever had weight coming off without feeling like I'm starving and deprived all the time. I'm no fitness guru. I'm just amazed!