Ladies,

I don't know what the rules are for diets that have worked, etc. Are we able to tell what has/is working for us?

You certainly may! We just asked that you please buy advertising from Dotsie (IF you are the one selling stuff) to help keep this a free site for everyone.

But we all talk freely here about what works and what doesn't, just like Chatty has shared this amazing diet she's on now. So feel free!

Eat healthy and less, exercise more. There, I wrote the book on how to lose weight and keep it off.

I don't know why we just don't do the obvious. We (the general population) still continue to look for miracle weight loss cures and we already know the answer.

Simple huh?

There's a gal at my gym who quit smoking several months ago and has been gaining weight. She's driving me nuts trying to come up with different plans to lose weight......not that I care what she does but every time she comes up with a new plan she insists that it's the ONLY thing that's going to work. I go to the gym 5 or 6 mornings per week and I work hard at staying in shape........weight-lifting 4 days per week, cardio several times a week (somedays I do both a cardio class like step-aerobics and a weight-lifting class) Pilates, etc. I was gone(vacation) all last week, and at jury duty the beginning of this week, so I hadn't seen this gal in a while..........and her greeting to me yesterday after not seeing me for a week and a half was to tell me that she's now decided to take spinning classes 5 mornings per week.........and I thought to myself, well, we'll see how long that lasts! If she'd put as much effort into eating right (and maybe consuming less alcohol, according to her they're big partiers on the weekends) as she does into figuring out her next weight loss scheme she'd probably wouldn't have gained the weight in the first place!! I love my weight-lifting and yesterday she tried to convince me it wasn't doing anything for me. She also talked about going to another gym to take different classes. She needs to take a look at how much effort she puts into the exercise she's already doing (not much!) She's constantly looking for the easy out........let me tell you ladies, there isn't one........not when it comes to weight loss...........been there and done that.

And I also wanted to say, that I have nothing against reading books like Chatty recommended when she started this thread.........I'm all for it, whatever works. I've read a few diet books myself and plan on looking for that one,too.

Somebody asked about Alli. I've seen the ads, read about it in magazines, looked it up online. It is supposed to help you lose weight, but they talk a lot about the commitment you must be willing to make,still suggest that you exercise, and also state that if you eat off your plan, whatever it is (I'm assuming low-fat or low-carb or a combiantion of them both) you can have side effects. I'd be interested in talking to anyone who has tried Alli and hearing what they had to say about it.

Oh, and as for what worked for me for successful weight loss...........the old Susan Powter "Stop The Insanity" which was basically eating the way the Heart Association recommends.........no more than 30% fat in anything. Weight loss is all about what works for YOU and this worked for me and continues to do so.

I have to be accountable to someone--anyone, if I'm going to diet. That's why I use Jenny Craig. It works for me and the food is good.

Alli: A friend uses it. You have to watch what you eat...low fat foods...which is a good way to lose weight anyway. It only assists you with additional weight loss. It isn't a lose weight fast pill.

"Oily discharge" would keep me on a low fat plan!

I think Pauls Lightening Up diet is similar to Susan Powter's Stop The Insanity. I have that book around here somewhere and am going to check that out.

As far as that Alli, on Oprah her doctor guest says it is dangerous and gives one slimey and loose, verrrry loose bowels. The kind you have to stay home because of. Whatever works for whoever, is the best plan for them.

Personally, I am sick to death having to diet at all, but sicker od being a fatty. Then besides dieting I have to eat foods good gor blood pressure and diabetes. If you think thats fun, let me just say that the one food thats good for one thing, is bad for the other, and so on, and so on. I use to do Jenny Craig and it was great but I can't afford the food, since I have to foot the bills alone...Oh poop!!!

I am curious about Jenny Craig. Does the food have a high salt content?

It's pretty high in sodium so if you have high blood pressure that might be a problem but then, if you lose weight your blood pressure should go down.

It's portion controlled and I just eat what my little diet list says to eat that day. Some days I can't eat it all. I'm not a big dessert eater and usually skip that.

Plus, I have to be accountable to my counselor and that really helps. I already feel better...not so bloated.

Dianne, do you ever feel hungry? A counselor is a good idea.

I have never felt hungry on the plan. It works really well for me. I go for my first weigh-in tomorrow so we'll see if it's working as well as I think it is! No-actually, I can already see a difference in my gut.