I've posted in the lounge about my struggles to lose my baby weight after this last baby (she's 3.5!). I'm finally successful at dropping some weight though I'm only part way on the journey. Here's what I'm doing.

First, I bought a scale. I needed to be able to track what was happening.

Second, I'm using MFP.

Third, I'm following the principle of intermittent fasting. This has been the greatest thing. I don't eat until 11:30 every day and after dinner, around 6:00, that's it, only tea. It helps me TONS and although sometimes I'm hungry in the morning, I find it easier to eat nothing than to try to think about what is good to eat and all the psychology behind the food I'm eating.

Fourth, the first thing I eat every day is vegetables. As many as I can. All I need for the day, actually. I eat a giant salad filled with raw veggies. I feel like then no matter what I eat during the day I've set the tone properly.

Fifth, with the rest of my calories I'm eating food that I really enjoy. I've been tweaking things. Some foods simply aren't tasty enough relative to how many calories they consume. When I find a food that I really enjoy eating and it makes me feel good and I feel full after and I have plenty of calories left over, that is winning for me.

Sixth, i'm not giving up any particular category of food. Even dessert. If I know I'm going to have dessert then I eat less during the day and save room for it. This is huge for me. I feel like I could eat like this everyday for the rest of my life. I don't feel like I'm on a diet. I feel like I'm just eating right for my body.

Seventh, this is not a positive thing, per se, but I'm drinking a protein drink per day. I worry that I'm consuming chemicals in this frankenfood and eventually I hope to move over to a more nutritious source of protein but for now it is easy and they make me feel really good.

I'm still working on the exercise piece of this. I really should just get up at 6:00 to exercise but I haven't been doing it. I tried the fitness blender videos recommended by somebody on this site and I do love them. I don't love doing them early because I go to bed too late. I also can't do them during the day without my littlest one climbing all over me and night isn't really ideal either. I need to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Now that I feel like the eating part is making sense, I feel like I can work on exercise next.

Any, I really think the key to losing weight for all of us over age 40 is to realize that we need to start eating in a way we can follow for the rest of our lives. Our metabolism won't be getting better any time soon. Then we need to figure out if we are more comfortable eating sensibly and watching portions, or doing something like whole 30 or low carb, or counting calories or intermittent fasting. I think that dieting is so individual because not only are bodies highly individual as to what food and exercise feels best, but every personality is different too.

I have 25 pounds to go before I'm back to my ideal. That's kind of hard to type. But even having lost five pounds I feel better. I also feel like I'm in control.