What's the best way to lose weight?

[SnoLeopard]

For me HARD work paid off, Exercised several times a week(still do most of the time), didn't change my diet at all (read I refused to stop eating pasta and bread) and just started portion control. I do drink green tea at least twice a day and I start my mornings off with warm water with honey and lemon. This helped me lose 20lbs. I also had a friend who we were accountable to each other and would send "sweat equity" pics to each other if we couldn't work out together!

[Harlequin]

Weight loss can so easily become an obsession. I have counted calories every day since I was a teenager. I am thin, but it is a constant battle.

[Banannie]

So far I've been eating healthy unprocessed foods (sans rice, I think?), with one cheat day and I've lost five pounds in a week.

A lot of chicken, fish, fresh veggies, berries and white rice. No sweets, no dairy and I get my carbs from the rice.
Having 4 cups of green tea instead of coffee.

Been walking for an hour first thing in the morning, as well as doing push ups/sit ups whenever I remember to throughout the day.

[JaimeLannister]

Definitely, definitely make sure you put on some lean body mass. I know women think "I don't want to look like some freak?" But unless you use steroids or have EXTREME genetics then that will not happen. Most often people lose body mass when on a diet, and muscle uses up quite a bit more calories than fat does pound for poud.

As far as diet: don't cut TOO low. And keep proteins high, then healthy fats, then lastly in importance complex (check the glycemic index). The only time simple carbs should be used is prior to an intense weight training sessions (dextrose+whey about 20-30 minutes before working out and more immediately after. For a workout routine:

Pull:
3 warm up sets progressively getting heavier, then 8,5,3 reps for each workout set, either straight leg deadlifts or deadlifts.
1 warm-up set, then 8,5,3 again- bent over rows
pull-ups if you can do them
8,8,5 Curls

Push
3 warm up set, 8,5,3 Overhead Press (unless you wanted to train for powerlifting which it doesn't sound like you do)
1 warm up set, 8,5,3 narrow grip bench
a triceps specifc exercise
neck work (not for looks or weight loss but to protect your neck throughout life against injury)

Legs
3 warm up sets, 8,5,3 squats
a hamstring specific exercise
core work

Now I hear people saying "this is a mans workout!" but building muscle will help with weight loss (anarobic exercise increases metabolism for 48 hours, aerobics for only a few hours). Also, it will protect against osteoporosis later in life.

Also you can add aerobics, such as HIIT (high intensity interval training) or GPP (general physical preparedness.

I would have gone more in depth but my household is hectic right now, let me know if you want more info (I was a powerlifter witha 500lb approx. bench, 600 lb squat, and 650lb deadlift before being injured

[Cath]

Thanks for your advices everyone! Starting this week, I will try adding exercise to my schedule. It's been almost 3 weeks now and I have lost almost 10 pounds. I'm halfway there. I am hoping to achieve my goal by Christmas and try to maintain it during the Holidays (this is going to be hard).

I am eating a lot more healthy now, and had one cheat day last week and it feels good! I haven't eaten any desserts and such for the past 3 weeks and I don't feel like crying, which is a good thing I suppose. Not eating sugary stuff is less hard than I thought. I am glad it's going that way.

I also downloaded some home workout applications on my iPhone and will start using them asap. I like how you guys gave me advices for exercise and will be trying those things out in the next few days!