by S.J. Watson

Created on: April 19, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2008

I am a person who hates diets! I feel trapped and cheated if I have to follow a specific diet plan. One bad day on a traditional diet, and I want to throw in the towel and toss my diet out the window!
Last spring, after looking at some pictures of myself, I decided that I needed to lose some weight. Because I hate traditional diets, I wanted a system that was easy to follow, did not involve counting calories or carbohydrates, and was very successful!

So, by comparing a whole lot of different diet plans and programs, I came up with a diet plan that was very successful for not only me, but my husband as well. Both of us lost 30 pounds in 5 months - and were able to keep the weight off! This system is more about changing HABITS than following a certain program.

1. Motivation
What is motivating you to lose weight? Are you trying to drop a few pounds to fit into that dress for your cousin's wedding? Maybe you saw some old "skinny pictures" of yourself and you want to look like that again. If it is a photo that is motivating you, tape it to the door of your refrigerator so you are reminded of your goal every time you open that door! It is very important that you have a motivating factor in your journey of weight loss if you are going to be successful!

2. Set reasonable goals.
Set small goals for yourself - they can be weekly goals or monthly goals, but make sure they are reasonable, very attainable goals! Most people lose about 1-2 pounds a week, maybe more, maybe less. You are not going to lose 10 pounds a week! If you set your goals too high and cannot reach them, you will be very disappointed and you'll probably give up! Just remember, you are not going to lose any weight if you give up, so keep it reasonable!

3. The eating plan: Moderation, portion control, and healthy choices!
In my humble opinion, any diet that forbids you to eat any one thing, whether it is carbohydrates, fat, dairy or meat, is NOT a healthy diet! Yes, you should eat more fruits and vegetables than fatty foods or high-carb foods, but you should not cut any one of these things completely out of your diet. You must learn to control your portions and make healthier choices when you sit down to eat. Moderation is the key!

Here are a few tips for healthy eating:
- Put your dinner on a salad plate instead of a dinner plate for better portion control.
- Use olive oil or coconut oil in place of vegetable (or any other) oil.
- Choose the healthier whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas.
- Use a salad plate instead

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