So I have a question...

The best way is eat only when you are hungry.  When you are going to the fridge - get a glass of water/tea instead and see if that satisfies you.  If not, then get a snack.  Many times we snack due to bordom or thirst and not true hunger.
 
Then when you do eat - chew slowly.  Enjoy every bite.  Try to chew each bite at least 20 times and put the fork down between each bite.  If you do this you will be amazed at how much quicker you feel full.  Also try to leave a little on your plate.  Get out of the mind set that you have to finish every bite.  Its hard, but once you learn to listen to your body the lbs will come off at a healthy rate.  Another trick is to use smaller plates.  Instead of big dinner plates, try using the smaller "salad" plates.  I almost always eat off a salad plate now. 

do not eat bread and butter= 5lbs a month
drink lots of water through out the day and a glass ful before meals.
 
snack on fruit.    Celery uses more calories to eat than it provides
 
popcorn is a no calorie food  if you do not add salt or butter.
 
 

[quote=SecondChance]

do not eat bread and butter= 5lbs a month


 
Might work for a guy but I lost 0 lbs when I quit eating bread & butter.  Reminds me of those cartoon weight loss commercials...

ok when I get home I will post a pic if i can figure it out... but I am supposed to weigh 130 to 140 lb but me personally would look so stupid... I just did an online BMI and I rated 36.66...[:'(][]  which means I am obese but I don't look it... can someone explain this stuff to me....? I am sooo confused.....[:@] [>:]
Liz

BMI - an eternal frustration for me.  Go by how you feel & look.  BMI is just an number - a "guideline" - a guideline that can change depending on what the current though is.  In addition, any extra muscle you have will skew the numbers.  It also does not take into account body type.
 
When I was in high school and running cross country, lifting weights and looked good in a bikini - my BMI was still on the high side for my current weight/height. 
 
Its been that way since the change in 1999 to match the "international" accepted numbers.  Under the old system if I lose 5 more pounds I will be in the "health weight" range and would have been smack in the middle of the healthy range back in HS.  Under the new system I won't be a "healthy weight" until I lose over 25 more lbs.  I believe the old system is much more inline with my body type. 

The BMI and all those other #'s do not take into account frame size or general build at all (examp. wide shoulders or hips).  They are just a bunch of numbers.

I have found that I am a convience eater.  If it is quick to grab (cookies) I do when I am hungry.  So what I do is each Sunday night I spend about an hour cutting up lettuce for salads, carrots, celery, melon for snacks.  I then put it in quick and easy to grab containers so I am ready when I need something.

Do an HONEST food journal for a few days and see just what you are eating when, also note if you are stressed of overtired at certain times.

Drink more water, keeps you fuller and is just plain healthy.
I also stop eating after 7:00 at night, only have water and I dropped 5lbs. doing just that alone.
Try to increase excercise, and it can be as simple as going for a 15 min. walk once a day.

I am in a weight loss group at work right now and we all are supporting each other and sharing ideas and that works great.  If you have someone to support you that helps even more.

Just to clarify - in 1999 they changed the "healthy weight" BMI from 27.8 down to a BMI 25.  While a 36.6 would still be considered high under the old system - you wouldn't have as far to go.
 
However, I really suggest focusing more on baby steps.  Smaller short-term goals.  Even 10 lbs will make you feel healther. 

Good for you for wanting to be healthier!!
 
I have 3 girls and I'm trying to teach them to be healthy eaters and stay slim.  So far, so good.  Our tactics are:
 
1.  Monitor portions-look at the serving size on that bag of chips, box of crackers, ice cream or whatever, put that amount in a bowl and put the rest away.
 
2.  Do not consider certain foods taboo-that just sets you up for cravings, stick to portion control.
 
3.  Eat your 5-9 servings of fruit or veggies a day and when you serve yourself a meal, 1/2 your plate should be fruit or vegetables.
 
4.  A portion of meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards, not much huh?!!  A serving of carbohydrates (rice, bread, etc) is about the size of a tennis ball.  You get to where you can eyeball food and know how much you should have.
 
5.  Veggies are FREE!!  You can eat as much as you want.  Get some fat-free ranch or some dip and go to it!!
 
6.  Move as much as you can.  Get a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day.
 
7.  Space out your food.  Eat your lunch, but save your chips or cookies for when that mid-afternoon snacking urge hits.
 
Goodluck, you can do it and make it a life change

Deprive yourself.  Sorry, but that's how I feel.  I know I have to drag my butt around a mile and a half course at a run, albeit a slow run....   I don't want to feel like I'm dying.  I do deprive myself but you know what?  I survive.   There are a LOT of things more important to me than eating so I eat to live.  I don't even BUY chips or packaged cookies - why would I?  I only buy packages that I'd be okay eating all in one sitting.  (that doesn't mean a box of single serving bags of oreos - that would be gone in about 45 minutes under MY nose!)  I NEVER go to the junk machine.  If I'm hungry before bed I just think about how good breakfast is going to taste when I wake up.  THEN if I eat a  mountain of spaghetti or a HUGE plate of pancakes or a whole pint of ice cream in a sitting I'm perfectly okay with that.  Plus, I try to enjoy walking from a far away&nbsparking spot.  I set goals like getting a certain amount of work done before lunch and I work as hard as I can.  Everything you do burns calories so, as danastark (the mom of the year) says, keep moving, be active.  Live life vigorously.  Your health... your body will thank you! 
(please insert soapbox smilie here)

Unfortunately depriving yourself usually leads to binges later. 

Binges?  That's why you only buy a size that you'd be okay with eating all in one sitting.  AND you just don't buy the really bad stuff.  When all you have to binge on is baby carrots, it ain't such a bad thing.  Sorta takes the wind out of the ol' binging sail.  I used to binge and purge a little.  Not for me.  I learned to love myself and that was a huge reason for being self destructive in many of my habits.  Don't get me wrong, I really don't eat that well right now but I do okay. 
OH one of the things that I find safe is the packages of sugar free instant pudding!  2 cups of milk and LOTS of flavors for VERY few calories!!!

I have a friend that is 6ft and around 280lbs. She started a Blood Type diet. Got a book that tells you what foods are good for your blood type. I thought it sounded kinda wacky, but she's lost 40lbs so far and she's still losing. She's happy with the foods she's eating and she's already very active, but now she has way more energy.

I'm about 5'6" and my good weight is 130lbs. I've been down to 115lbs and looked like crap. Around 140 I start getting the chipmunk cheeks [] .

Get yourself healthy and in better shape to prevent injury, to live a long life and to more enjoy your horses. Eat 1-1-1 (one ounce of dark chocolate, one ounce of fresh walnuts, one glass of red wine daily) and 2-2-2 (2 servings of fresh vegis, 2 of fresh fruit and get 2 sources of fat free calcium). Drink 100 ounces of spring water a day, get a whole house water filter. Change over to Sea-salt. Take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar every morning to keep your body alkaline (cancer and disease can not grow in an alkaline body). Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Get a good air cleaner and do daily deep breathing exercises, get outside in the fresh air and sunshine for at least 1/2 hour every day. Get away from high fat food, processed foods, fast food, can or boxed food, sugar or artificial sweeteners, soda and don't eat anything if you can't read all the ingredients and know exactly what is in it. Clean all vegis and fruits thoroughly, buy organic, buy ocean caught fish, not farm raised, buy fresh meat and raw milk, not packed or processed. Eat only natural carbs (potatoes, rice, oats) bake/broil or steam everything. Get 8 hours of sleep, reduce stress/risk (reduce commuting by car pooling, tight schedules, cell phone use in the car, watch or read the news only once a day or better yet once a week. Do one hour of walking, yoga or weight training every day and it will make you strong, lean, you'll look great and get wonderful complements from friends, coworkers and loved ones and the horse work will be easier and more enjoyable.

[quote=hunterseat]

Binges?  That's why you only buy a size that you'd be okay with eating all in one sitting.  AND you just don't buy the really bad stuff.  When all you have to binge on is baby carrots, it ain't such a bad thing.  Sorta takes the wind out of the ol' binging sail.  I used to binge and purge a little.  Not for me.  I learned to love myself and that was a huge reason for being self destructive in many of my habits.  Don't get me wrong, I really don't eat that well right now but I do okay. 
OH one of the things that I find safe is the packages of sugar free instant pudding!  2 cups of milk and LOTS of flavors for VERY few calories!!!


Thing is - I lost 20 lbs when I stopped trying to restrict what I ate.  Instead I focused on how I ate.  Eat slowly - put the fork down between each bite.  Focus on the food - not TV or other distracting things.  Enjoy it.  Guess what?  You get full faster, you actually enjoy what you eat & many times you find you really don't like some of the crap you used to eat once you slow down to taste it.  Chew a fry 20 times - other than the initial salt kick - its really icky.  And I never ever feel deprived. 
 
I don't know, but for whatever reason, I quit eating this way, but thankfully didn't put back on the 20 I lost.  I started again a couple weeks ago and have already dropped weight again - despite homemade baked banana bread, brownies, and what ever other junk is usually sitting around here. 
 
Plus - she said she was on a budget.  Pre-packaged small servings of things really cost.