Wow Suz you hardly look like the same person! Great to see your hard work pay off !

***************
@Astrid: So much info here! I think it goes to show that there are 'many roads up the mountain'

What matters is to find the best way of eating/life (not diet!) that keeps you healthy and happy.

Thanks for the link, Dianthus. Not sure if that would be something for me, but that's a personal thing. I'm a bit leery of scales in general, mostly because I experienced compulsive weighing in other people in the past.

Thanks for chiming in again, Suz! I would think about it if I could be sure about keeping my work all through the next year, but unfortunately that's not the case. That could mean a lot less per month from one month to the next. It could be problematic if I have the set 100$ expense in this case. The scholarships look interesting, but these were for last summer, or not? Do you know if they have ones for next year again? I understand why it would be helpful to do this, habits are the hardest to change on your own and it doesn't work any other way in the long run.

Anne, no problem! I didn't know about that either.

Laurinda, you're right. There are probably as many ways as there are people! I agree that diets are not the way to go - I've never been on a diet in my whole life and I don't plan to start now.

Thank you Laurinda, Rae, Anne, and all! The best part is that after the first little while, it was actually fun. I hated exercise at first but eventually learned to enjoy it, something I never thought I would say.

Agree with Laurinda, Astrid. The most important thing it to find a way that becomes a way of life, not a deprivation or a burden.

Hi Astrid!

Four years ago I went from 67kg to 55kg (I'm 1.64). Then I lost 3kg through the next year. I am now at 52kg (give or take some grams). Yes, I went from almost overweight to almost underweight. See, I am a bit extreme.

Jokes aside, it just happened to me. I had a flu (nothing terrible, just three days of weakness and sickness) and during that short period of time I started hating food. I was just not hungry. At all. Found it disgusting. It had never happened to me before (not a lof of experience with the flu!) so it was a bit strange for me. I didn't even crave for chocolate. So when I finally went back to eating normal, I found that I could do with less junk food. Also, I had already lost about 2kg during the flu (for real) so I was a bit happy that I was finally starting to lose some weight.

My diet changed, but I think my metabolism changed as well. I had always been a super skinny kid and what was strange was the fact that I had turned out to be chubby. After all this time I think that the natural thing for me was to be thin -as I am now. But still, I do have some clues about how to lose/maintain weight:

- Everything you've been told so far is good, BUT:

* I don't think you need to be that strict. After all, you are already a thin woman. Maybe not as thin as you would like, granted, but thin nevertheless. I don't think you need to lose weight for health reasons (from what I see in the picture) and you don't sound like an irresponsible overeating coach-potato. So,

* This might as well be your new body. And maybe you have to accept it the way it is, since your are healthy anyways.

* If you still want to lose some, I frankly recommend eating healthy and less calories than what you burn. It is that simple. If you eat little but burn even less, you are still overeating for your lifestyle and metabolism. Some people are 'lucky' that they can eat without gaining weight because they burn it all (and some actually struggle to gain weight). Others are less lucky and gain weight eating very little (a member of my family suffers from this). It sucks but I guess it's not as bad as suffering from diabetes or many other illnesses. I would try to see how your body and your parent's work in that sense. Maybe you are still overeating for your body and metabolism.

* Be careful with scales since they can lead to obsessive and eating disorders. Almost been there and it's bad. And wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially not young overachieving women.

FWIW, This is my Before & After picture. To be honest, I don't think I look that different (at least in photos).

Thank you so much for your post, Irene! I love the way you play devil's advocat. I think you look nice in both pictures. The first one is actually 'me', I'm weighing about the same and am just a bit shorter than you. I agree that it might be different for me. The weight I have at the moment is stable and I don't have a problem with maintaining it. I gained that weight in a very short time, lost a bit again last fall (when I started to increase my exercise hours) and am now fairly stable. There's always a little up and down of course, but not much. And I like my body and I'm alright with my weight. A lot of that has to do with me discovering my style and learning to dress for fun. If the weight loss doesn't happen it won't drag me down or anything. As long as I manage to stay reasonably fit...

I had a similar experience to your flu story when I was fifteen and had pneumonia. My temperature was very high for a week and I couldn't eat anything because I didn't tolerate the antibiotics. I lost 7 kg in that week! I was happy to get them back afterwards though, I was quite thin then to begin with. I also was never chubby as a child or teen, this was the first time I gained so much weight.

I'm going to look into all of the things mentioned, but I'm going to do it slowly. I think the most important thing is slowly changing some habits (such as me maybe still overeating), but I won't start with something radical. I actually agree about the scales, I've also had experiences with that (not myself, but people close to me). I actually didn't own scales at all before I wanted to go on holiday some time ago and bought some to control the weight of my luggage. I think it's more important to feel good and fit and you can always keep an eye on the general development when you look at the way your clothes fit you.

Hi again Astrid, just adding to what Irene said. I agree with her on many points, especially the one about not using the scale too much. I HAVE been down that road, many years ago, and it leads to a downward ratcheting weight and anorexia. I was a perfectionistic, high-achieving young woman -- textbook case. There's nothing wrong with owning a scale, or weighing yourself from time to time, as long as you can keep yourself from getting to focused on it. But you seem like a sensible young woman, and there's lots of good advice here to follow.

One thing I will mention: being, as I am, an ex-anorexic gal, I am very aware of size/weight in other people. (1) You are not overweight, and (2) it is quite common for slender children to bulk up somewhat in adolescence and early twenties, and then lean out again naturally into their thirties. It's one of the patterns I've noticed.

Also, I've learned that body image and attractiveness is largely a state of mind, and all that stuff about how just being healthy is what's important -- the stuff I thought was horseshit in my teens -- really is true.

Thanks Elisabeth! Yes, I agree about not using the scale too much. I do weigh myself from time to time, but not too often. Maybe once or twice a month. I agree that it's best to do this in moderation - and like you said in your first post, just paying attention is enough. I do think keeping track with charts is something I wouldn't want to do either. And I totally agree with you about body image and attractiveness being largely a state of mind. I feel way more attractive at the moment than I did three years ago, even though I have 20lbs more. And it's mostly because I have fun with dressing and fashion! I also have more self-confidence and that shows, I get hit on way more often now when I'm out with friends.

Hey Astrid,

I just wanted to weigh in as well, although you've gotten so many people's excellent advice!

I'm one of those ex-anorexic girls too ... and I used to weigh in at a dripping wet 115 lbs no matter what I ate when I was healthy - but then I started to do more exercise and walk, and those stupid muscles, brought me up to about 125 lbs. This means, I can actually walk the length of the mall without needing to sit down; I didn't need a cane to help me through a parking lot ... I don't really know how my parents put up with all of that!

I still struggle a lot with body issues, but I don't really beat myself up over what I eat. I have realized that skipping meals is terrible (even w hen I am really busy). I find the biggest lifestyle changes for me include moving to where I'd have to walk about 3-4 km a day back and forth to work and to buy a good jacket so I can do it in the winter as well. I also carry a water bottle as often as I can, and I drink about 6-7 cups of water a day. If I know I'm going to have a fatty meal, I try to have a small snack before hand that is healthy and to have a glass of water or a warm tea.

I'm envious of your self-confidence and the way that you look so fabulous and cute when you dress! In real life, I don't really have much confidence and would really like to live through you!

Hi, Astrid,

I don't diet, but I do basically follow Tosca Reno's "Eat Clean" diet plan, which is a lifestyle, not a real diet.

Also, I am a huge believer in weight training for women. For me, there is no substitute. I started when I was 19, and I'm 47 now. If you start now, you are young enough to have a real impact on building bone and your lifelong health. Building muscle also does incredible things for metabolism. I do Zumba for cardio and home videos for weight training, mostly "The Firm" videos.

Here's a summary of the Eat Clean plan:

Clean Eating Definition

Eat 4 to 6 times a day- 3 meals and 1-3 small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This keeps your body energized and burning calories efficiently all day long.

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day- (preferably from a reusable canteen, not plastic; we're friends of the environment here!).

Get label savvy-Clean foods contain just 1 or 2 ingredients. Any product with a long ingredient list is man-made and not considered clean.

Avoid processed and refined foods- such as white flour, sugar, bread and pasta. Enjoy complex carbs such as whole grains instead.

Know thy enemies- Steer clear of anything high in saturated and trans fats, anything fried or anything high in sugar.

Shop with a conscience- Consume humanely raised and local meats.

Consume healthy fats- (essential fatty acids, or EFAs) every day.

Learn about portion sizes- and work toward eating within them.

Reduce your carbon footprint- Eat produce that is seasonal and local. It is less taxing on your wallet and our environment.

Slow down and savor- Never rush through a meal. Food tastes best when savored. Enjoy every bite.

Take it to go- Pack a cooler for work or outings so you always have clean eats on the go.

Make it a family affair- food is a social glue that should be shared with loved ones when possible.

Here's some more info on Tosca Reno's plan:

http://www.eatcleandiet.com/

http://www.toscareno.com/

Astrid, one more thing (I can really get my yak on when it comes to health and fitness!) --

The Tone It Up site has a lot of great free exercise videos and recipes. They do sell a nutrition plan, but there's tons and tons of free info on there that's really good:

http://www.toneitup.com/

Astrid, I haven't read all the posts, but I thought I would chime in with what has worked for me. I've lost more than 70 pounds over the last few years, and am having no trouble keeping it off, and even continuing downward.

My challenges were that I have chronic fatigue, and rather mangled shoulders, so doing a lot of exercise or any significant weight training was out of the question. The normal techniques weren't going to work too well for me. I couldn't cut back too far on calories, nor could I work out.

First, I concentrates on learning how to have a happy, healthy relationship with food. Real food. No chemical substitutes. I started avoiding processed foods (little did I realize what an incredibly good decision that was) and eating as close to natural as possible. And I looked for lots of fun things to eat. There was no way I was going to feel deprived for the rest of my life!

I also knew that the famine mechanism kicks in after three weeks. If you're living on reduced calories, after three weeks your metabolism slows down, as your body gets the message that you're experiencing a famine. Not only that, it will fight actively to pack the weight back on afterwards - a long time afterwards! - to provide a literal safety cushion for the next famine. So I short-circuited the whole mechanism by quitting after three weeks. I'm no good at long-term discipline anyway. I would have to be careful for a couple of weeks, and convince my body that the new weight was the new status quo. Then I would relax for a while and just eat to maintain that new weight. Then I would start over with cutting back on my food.

As for exercise, the best fat-burning one is walking, or anything else that elevates your heart rate just a little bit. Your body has time to dig into the fat stores to replenish the blood sugars - exactly what it is designed to do - which it can't do with more intense workouts. Walking I could do, although for a while it was just a little. But I did what I could and it helped.

So for a couple of years I went through a three-month cycle of cut back, consolidate, relax, losing about 8 pounds each time. Then life hit and it slowed to only one pound a month for a year. Then I discovered the principles that Laurinda and others have mentioned, and I've been losing two pounds a month ever since, eating no grains, plenty of good fats and lots of veggies. My health is steadily improving, I almost never feel hungry, and I am gradually incorporating more kinds of exercise into my life. And it's so nice not to be stressing about the weight coming back on. By cutting back intermittently, for not too long (now it's just a few days at a time, but more often), by eating joyfully, by cutting processed foods, refined sugars, and grain products, I've found a way of living and eating that makes it fun, rather than depressing.

Here's a picture of me around my maximum weight to give you an idea of the difference it can make.

FWIW, I never was a junk food junkie. Most of my weight was put on in times of stress and fatigue and pregnancies. Moving to better eating habits was not that difficult an adjustment.

Thanks Lyn, Alicat and JR! Even more great info, I'm going to go back to it. Thanks for the links, Alicat. JR, what you said about loosing and maintaining weight is similar to what Jonesy mentioned, it makes sense to me.

Just wanted to add another recommendation for the precision nutrition system - after reading their website for over a year, both my husband and I I used their personal training (online coaching program, not lean eating) for several months while preparing for our wedding. We had very different goals (he wanted to gain weight/muscle and I wanted to improve my body composition) and we both made great progress and learned a lot.

They have a great scientific backing for all of their recommendations and I really appreciated all of the resources they had online.

And I don't work for them but I'm not at all surprised that someone as competent and helpful as Suz does!

I'm a grazer. My doctor really really hates that. To always be digesting and having insulin running through your body, she just doesn't approve.

Rachylou - really? Okay... I've always been taught that grazing is always better than eating big meals at a time. I don't want to doubt your doctor ... I am a grazer too. *nibbling mushrooms as I type*

Yes. Well, it's interesting, Lyn. On the one hand, it can help keep your blood sugar level. On the other hand, too much insulin is hard on the vascular system. To keep your body always digesting, constantly producing insulin... well, you're putting a lot of miles on the car without necessarily going anywhere so to speak.

So, one half dozen or the other.

I'd always thought that different bodies are suited to different eating styles -- i.e. some of us are meant to be grazers, and some are equipped to handle larger, more spaced-out meals. I noticed with my kids: even as an infant, my daughter would regularly down a 9 oz. bottle of milk without spitting any up, and would not need feeding again for hours. My son, at the same age, couldn't manage much more than 5 oz., and consequently would be hungry again sooner. They both grew at about the same rate, and resemble each other greatly in most respects. They seem to have continued their early eating habits into childhood. My son eats a little at a time, but often. My daughter can put away bigger amount in one sitting.

I personally prefer big meals. If I nibble all the time, I never really feel full, and it's psychologically unsatisfying for me. Plus, my teeth don't need a constant onslaught of sugar (which most foods contain), and I have occasional tmj trouble so I figure it's better if my jaw is resting between meals. And also, my gut seems equipped to handle big meals. I do leave little bowls of nuts around the house, and I'll snack on those between coming home and having dinner, but other than that I'd rather have the meals than snacks.

Thanks for chiming in, N-Marie!

I'm also a grazer and my sister is too (we were always hanging around the fridge a home, LOL), but my two brothers are not. One of them can go a long time between meals and he has always been a very slow eater. In the past we all had to remain seated until everybody had finished the meal, but when he started eating with us this rule was suspended - then it was more question on who would keep him company.

I'm trying to keep it to a minimum, but I can't just eat only at mealtimes, I would die!