I find it interesting that you mention the Cinnamon capsules. I just started taking vitamins (after a long period away from them) yesterday... I am taking a multivitamin, iron pill, D3 (for bone health) and cinnamon!

I agree with your thoughts on sugar and wheat... two dangers of the American diet. We overuse them and over process them.

Thank you for your post... I will PM you for more info. Thanks!

Speaking of sugars, I heard on the news this morning that fructose contributes to obesity by telling your brain you're still hungry. (I think I have that sort of correct.) So I looked up foods with fructose and found a good list. The article says you should limit fructose to 50 grams a day. I was distressed at how much fructose is in raisins, because that's one of my favorite snacks.

Here's the list:
http://shannonclark.hubpages.com/hub/High-Fructose-Foods

I would be interested in a study that compared sucrose, glucose and fructose when cinnamon is also taken. Cinnamon does amazing things to regulate sugar in your body:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/298346-the-benefits-of-ceylon-cinnamon/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19159947?dopt=Citation

http://correct-weight-loss.net/2011/08/16/cinnamon-for-weight-loss/

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=newtip&dbid=31

The diet I am currently on is considered dangerous by some and tends to stir up controversy when I talk about it. However, it works for me because I get quick results. Plus my doctor was very impressed by my results and approved the plan to begin with. I've lost 41.2 so far and am still going strong. This particular plan also works well for me because it's retraining me on accurate portion sizes, it is mostly made up of lean protein, fresh vegetables and fruit, and it has also eliminated the sugar and carb addiction that I had. I've also eliminated half of the prescription medications I was on, so that's been a bonus! I would like to be at my goal by this summer, which is very doable!

Good luck to everyone that is also looking at 2013 to be "The Year of Health"!!

Chugging water actually doesnt help--it overloads your system with water and throws your stuff off balance and then your kidneys have to work extra to flush it out without getting the benefit of it. Best thing is to drink a few ounces at a time throughout the day at a pace that gets you at least 64 ounces daily.

My best trick is keeping a water tumbler with a straw at my desk. Sounds stupid, but I find it easier to drink moe often with I have the handly little straw to suck on. For my size tumbler, 3 fills is my daily dose.

Bed Bath & Beyond sells a heavy plastic cup with a lid that screws on and a heavy plastic straw. The cup holds 16 ounces of water. I find it handy to keep this near me during the day to sip on here and there. For me as well, it is easier to sip water through a straw rather than drinking from a water bottle.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/9237...-2go-clear.html

The human body is an amazing machine folks. It can adapt to almost any stress we put on it if it has the right fuel and is maintained properly. Unfortunately, our own minds are frequently its biggest enemy.
There are a thousand tricks, menomics, gadgets, gizmos and yes (ick) diets. There is a tremendous amount of science out there and a ton of hocum.
The bottom line is simply this, eat a balanced diet. Dump the refined sugar and include water. Add to this a regular and consistant exercise routine and you will lose unwanted fat and be healthier.
Somebody comes up with a "new" plan/diet/gadget/book what ever every year and most of it is [self-censored]. The science is usually fuzzy and the logic is questionable. If it is extreme, it is probably bad. If you exclude anything from your diet that is in the basic food pyramid we all saw when we were 12 years old, its probably bad. If you eat only meat, its probably bad, if you exclude everything that is blue or poka-dotted from your diet, its proabably bad.
I am all for things that get you excited about losing weight and/or fitness, but keep in mind that when it comes down to the bottom line (no pun intended), It is about each of us taking ownership of our own health and our own bodies. If we are out of shape, it is because we did it to ourselves and the only way to fix it is to take ownerhip of the problem.
There is an upside to taking the blame though. As you lose weight and get more fit, you get to take ownership of that too. And that is pretty damn cool!
I am so very happy that each of you is excited about making an improvement in your lives! There is not one of us that cannot be better!

The main stumbling block for me was the physical addiction to processed wheat and sugar. I would try "sensible" diets only to feel weak, starving, with headaches and sometimes dizziness. If I ate some cookies or chips or cake, I would feel immediately better. My fear was that I was pre-diabetic and the cinnamon and coconut oil alleviated that physical dependence on sugar. My "diet" focuses on lean protein, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and essentially fatty acids. My "snacks" now consist of almonds, walnuts or fruit such as an apple, orange, blueberries or raspberries. For grain I will have steel-cut oatmeal or sprouted grain bread but the "old" food pyramid does seem to focus a bit too much on grain - at least for me.

I can't argue with the results in that I have the energy level that I had 30 years ago and the scale and clothing sizes are a testament in themselves.

I use and LOVE this app as well!! It is the only thing that has helped me shed those unwanted pounds.

Ate about half the dinner I normally would have last night. I was probably full, but certainly not stuffed (which is where I would have stopped before). I sat back and watched my husband and son keep eating and for now, that was ok.

I also did some crunches on the exercise ball. Not nearly the exercise I was hoping to do, but then I reminded myself it is still more than nothing.

I was taught as a child to clean my plate. I can remember a few nights where I was not allowed to leave the table, and sat there long after everyone else was done, picking at my peas or lima beans. As a result, I have a hard time stopping when I've had enough. I feel compelled to eat it. This is a habit I've been working on breaking.

Me too MyBrain! And what was worse was the plates started at my dad's spot and he filled everyone's plate. I was such a picky eater, so I sat at the table until bedtime many nights.

I am trying very hard no to do this with my daughter.

I love all these suggestions and wished I'd had some of them during our weightloss competition at work last fall! I did however lose 20 pounds in a few months by just getting active again and cutting out pop, most candy, and eating more fruits and veggies. I drink at least 4 bottles of water a day and have at least one with a green tea bag in it for flavor.

I sit all day in my compliance job so getting active was a huge part of my weightloss and how I've been able to keep it off and lose more. I also emptied my "snack drawer" to remove temptation. My husband has now started walking with me and we joined a local community center to help us stay motivated during the winter months. I never thought I'd hear myself say that I love to workout but I DO!! (also the comments from envious co-workers don't hurt either. )

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!! It's time to be Lean in 2013!

Ditto to the plate-cleaning issue. Still one I deal with, and now I feel compelled to clean the Mrs.'s plate as well! (She eats in a meal what I eat in a couple of bites, but puts as much on a plate as I do...)

Working on smaller portions, making less, and making sure the food isn't on the table. It really does make a difference if it stays in dishes in the kitchen and you have to return for leftovers. A lot easier to say no to food that isn't staring you in the face and begging to be consumed!

We are all good Americans. Which means more is better and we clean out plates. How do people rate a restaurant? By how good the food is and how big the servings are! "We have the biggest burger in town", "We have the biggest steak in the country!".
We have contests to see who can eat the most, we have a tv show to see if someone can eat the biggest whatever. We are a country obsessed with food and the only one to have the audacity to have both excess food and an obesity problem! We are, as a nation, fat and lazy. So it is no wonder that it is a common problem.
But you people all stand above the average in some fashion or another! I have met many of you and you are not the average schmo's! You have excelled in so many area's and are natural leaders. Lead in this one too. you really never know how many lives you touch when you set the lead of a healthy life.
Healthy, not nutty.

Another way to shrink your portion sizes is to use smaller plates! I use the kids' old small melamine plates (you know the ones with all the cartoon characters). They are half the size of normal dinner plates. I find that I can clean my plate, AND fell full, but not stuffed.

I use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. It makes my meal look larger but I'm still sticking to small portion sizes.

God bless the US of A!

Do you do the cooking? If so, when you start preparing the meal, drink a full glass (16 ounce) glass of water while you are cooking. That way, when you're ready to eat, you're already registering that your stomach is somewhat full. Also, if you eat a few carrots, celery sticks, pieces of broccoli at the same time, you'll find you eat far less too! Finally, even if you feel hungry after you eat what you know is an appropriate portion, give yourself 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that you have eaten before you decide whether to dig in for seconds.

Finally, start your day off with PROTEIN! Whether it is an egg, a piece of ham, a bagel with peanut butter instead of cream cheese, etc. you'll find throughout the day that you eat less.

There is another way of looking at those huge portions - especially if you are dining out. Let's say the steak dinner cost $28. If you eat half and take the rest home, you can have the rest for dinner the next night, and voila - your steak dinner was only $14 for each serving! Not only that, but you don't have to cook the next night!

My Scottish/Jewish heritage always appreciates a bargain - and my inner Erma Bombeck appreciates having 2 nights off from cooking!

^^^what she said!

I do this alot- and it's even better when someone else is paying!

If you have a rushed schedule in the morning, I have found Zing Bars make a great way to start the day:

http://www.zingbars.com/flavors-and-types/

They are gluten and soy free, do not contain corn or corn-syrup, have a good deal of protein and have a low-glycemic index.

The bars are very dense so eat them slowly along with a hot beverage. Because of my schedule, I often have one of these in the car along with my travel cup of coffee as I am on my way to a work site. These are also great to take with you for out-of-town assignments so you can avoid most the fast food breakfast items (other than coffee!)

Had such a horrible headache last night... could that be due to the lack of Coke since Jan 1? Maybe, and that's ok!