Congratulations on your weight loss. Mr. Dutchess struggled with his weight all his life and was always overweight. At 40 his sugar was elevated and that did it for him. I came home as he was typing in a diet in the computer. I got into cooking, he took it seriously and he lost 100 lbs. which remains off 10 years later. I'm pretty proud of the guy!
Good for him. The hardest part of it all is realizing that you're in it for (in my case) eight months, and that's if you DON'T fall off the wagon. My diet was not based on any books or anything, it was more of a 'set a few rules, shave calories here and there, and take the stairs instead of the elevator' approach. I drink diet soda. I'd skip a meal some days, so that I could have a more satisfying dinner. I haven't ordered takeout food since October of last year (the now-ex-wife moving out helped a lot -- she was my excuse to binge). I began doing at least pushups and crunches every day. I rode the exercise bike a few times a week. I weighed myself every day, and didn't let it faze me if the scale went up -- I knew it was just water weight. Slowly but surely the weight came off. When I got to my goal of 165 I still wasn't satisfied, and it went up to 170 after my vacation. I just resumed the diet as though I'd never stopped, and now I'm at 158, and I could stop here. I think I might try for 155.
In a way though, the dieting is the easy part. Learning to eat 'normally' will be more of a challenge. I've either eaten like a pig or eaten while on a diet. Normal will feel like a bit of a binge after a 1400-1600 calorie intake per day. I'm working my way up to 2200-2300, slowly.
Yeah, it was hard. But it got much easier once I decided that failure was not an option. When I went shopping, I walked right on by the snack section. That alone was a big help.
But I must confess, what kept me on the diet for CERTAIN was falling in love with an Australian girl in mid-February, and knowing I'd be taking my vacation down there in mid-April. I wanted to be at my goal weight by then. And I made it to 162, three pounds under my goal of 165. Whatever it takes to motivate you, do it (within the law, of course). Sorry I'm so verbose tonight, I'm on edge because said Australian girlfriend is coming up for a three-month stay, departing Australia June 21. And her visa hasn't arrived yet (long story). I'm just antsy, so forgive me if I take it out in my long replies. Not knowing if the love of your life will make it into the country is kind of nerve-wracking, to say the least.