My secret weapons for weight loss.

I don't know how you can go completely vegetarian. I commend you for that. I grew up on a farm, and we always had meat for meals. I don't think I could go without it. I try to eat more fish and chicken, and less beef, but to give up meat completely would be very hard for me. My weight loss tip is simply to eat only when you are actually hungry, and then only enough to be satisfied. Most of the time we think we are hungry, it is only because the food looks good. That is called head hunger. Actual hunger you can feel in your stomach. I've read that the human adult stomach holds about a quart. When we eat more than that, the stomach stores the rest as fat cells (which we don't like because they don't look good on us.) However, when our stomach growls, it means it needs some nourishment for the body and if it doesn't find food in the stomach it begins using the stored fat cells for nourishment (which is good, because then they go away.) You'll notice the stomach will growl for a few minutes, then quit for 45-50 minutes, or about once an hour. If you can get through that cycle a time or two before you eat, you know you are actually hungry and you have used up some stored fat cells. Then when you eat, eat only enough to be satisfied (when the stomach is actually full - about 1 quart). Then it won't have to store any as fat cells and you feel good (and you are losing weight). Remember, if you want dessert, just cut back on the amount of the main course you eat and you'll have room for dessert without overfilling the stomach. You can eat a small snack when your stomach is growling without hurting anything. Just make is small. And be sure to sip on water or diet drinks during the day. Our stomach needs fluids to digest food. I did this with a support group class a few years ago and lost 30 pounds in less then 6 months. And I've done a good job of keeping it off too. It is great because I can eat the foods I like. I just have to quit before I get over full. It is simple!

I eat a lot of chicken and fish myself with mixed vegtables or salads. It has helped me to lose weight before I am at it again myself this summer. My problem is staying away from soda. I need to drink more water.

Salads actually don't do that for me. Mostly because salads are used to help you digest your food, you don't stay full as long. I would have to say my biggest tips would be. 1. Get a weight loss buddy. It is so much easier to keep focused on your goals and your eating habits when you have someone to share your joys and down falls of dieting with. Before I got pregnant I was doing that through www.buddyslim.com - such a wonderful group of people. 2. Eat SMALL meals 5 - 6 times a day and be sure to keep bad cards down, good carbs up. Eat lots of protein(base the amount on your weight and activity level, there are websites online to help with that) 3. Exercise, but start out very very slow. If you over work yourself you feel like crap the next day and use that as an excuse to skip it, that turns into the next day, day after that, etc. Then you lose motivation. Even if you feel like you aren't doing anything, just do a little. Maybe three times a day - you can build your time up when you feel you are ready. Also the changes in your food will start changing your energy level as well. Those are my best three tips I suppose. I have dieted off and on through out my life. I was able to lose weight before doing the whole 1200 cal, 20g fat a day diet and exercising my butt off daily. I was miserable, and hungry all the time. I tried this before I was pregnant and I was so happy, had so much energy, I was never hungry but ate because I needed to, not because I wanted to. I have to say it was a wonderful feeling, just have to give it a little time to get used to the changes. *hugs* to all who are reading beautyqueens post to get the tips. Stay strong and remember you CAN live life without stuffing your mouth.