For the longest time I always thought I could get away with quick fixes to lose weight. I tried drinking Slimfast, taking Hydroxicut or Xenadrine. I even tried one of those HCG diets where I sent off a blood sample to be analyzed for them to tell me what I could, and could not eat, in order to lose weight. The HCG diet was the most effective at the time, but I was miserable the entire time. It was very time consuming to weigh all of my food and cut out so many items, just because they weren't on the "approved" list. I had cravings for everything, especially bread and chocolate. Once I lost 60 pounds and went back to eating normal foods again, I put everything I lost and additional weight right back on.
I had to find a way to change my lifestyle in a way I could live with, instead of just a fad diet. Then a coworker and I agreed to implement our own plan. We would start with small steps to ensure it was a feasible option. The last thing I wanted to do was begin a plan that is so strict that I am doomed for failure. We took a step by step approach and allowed for a month of time between any new fitness rules. We've been going at it for the past 2 1/2 months now and I've lost 19 pounds so far. Every month brings a new challenge to face, but it becomes a habit after the end of the second week.
Here is our plan if you are interested: