Over the last three years, I have shed 70 pounds; the last 30 to 40 pounds that I still need to shed are the most difficult. I weighed 242 pounds at a height of 5'5". The first thing I did was to educate myself. I've accomplished this by absolutely removing all fast food and all commercially processed food from my diet, including "spreads" (all items containing trans fats, in any amount -- items like these "spreads" can contain up to 0.5mg of trans fat/hydrogenated oil per serving, and still claim to be "trans fat free". Extra-virgin olive oil is absolutely the best "spread" to use. Sparing use of butter supplies you with modest amounts of calcium and vitamin A.) Trans fats/hydrogenated oils cannot be properly metabolized by your body; fats in the body are an integral part of cell wall synthesis, and trans fats are shaped in such a way that, when they are used in cell wall synthesis, they do not form smooth bonds, and the cell becomes "leaky". I eat nothing sweet except for raw or stewed fruits; if I use a sweetener, I prefer maple syrup, which contains roughly the same potassium/ magnesium and trace metal content as sea salt (I avoid all "empty" calories like the plague!) I stay away from all corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened foods -- the vast majority of which are highly processed foods. Your body does not recognize high fructose corn syrup as a sugar, cannot properly metabolize it, and tends to store it immediately as fat; because of this, immediataly after eating foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup, you tend to feel hungry all over again, because the stuff isn't metabolized like any other sugar for the production of instant energy. Naturally, I cut back on the number of calories I would eat in a day. Also, I've found that standing up when I work (easy to do, since I work in a laboratory,) gives me better muscle tone in the large muscles of my legs, and I can work out for longer periods of time because of that. I have developed active outdoor interests (hiking, archery, cross-country skiing, foraging for wild foods) -- things I'd always wanted to do. I decided to embark on my weight-loss regimen for that reason; my weight was holding me back from having a richer life. Whole, nourishing foods without industrial additives; a broad range of interesting exercise; and perhaps most importantly, a sense of intrinsic self-worth regardless of my body size or shape or the perceptions of others (my wonderful husband helped with this! Try to find someone to encourage and inspire you with love -- that's incredibly important,) has kept the weight off, not for months, but for years. Even if the last thirty or so take the rest of my life, I know I'm already much healthier (I feel about twenty years younger!) and that I can make lifestyle changes because I cherish and value myself, regardless of size, shape, or media culture. Published: October 06 ::

I spent my life trying to lose weight. I tried everything, even an operation of the stomach. Nothing worked except for OA: Overeaters Anonymous. I have lost all my weight, and it's not coming back. For me, food is an addiction, and I need to work through a 12-step group. It's an incredible program that changed my life. There are meetings all over the world. Good luck. Published: September 10 ::