I posted a while ago that I was going to start on a new challenge: Lose 40 pounds.

Yep – 40!

That’s a lot of weight to lose for me, especially since the last few years I have been packing it on instead of losing weight. I mentioned how I had gained the weight and why it was so hard for me to lose. The biggest reason being that I REALLY like food. That and I had lived a fairly sedentary lifestyle for quite a few years now.

Being parked behind a computer desk for the better part of my day did not do me any favors and then add to that my love of food and you will end up with a pretty significant weight increase.

One of my saving graces is that I am tall so the weight increase, while pretty intense doesn’t look like a TON of weight gain. However, it is taking a toll on my body for sure. I get tired more easily, don’t have the energy I once did, my knees bother me more than they should and of course my clothes are not comfortable anymore (some flat out don’t fit).

Now over the years I have tried many different ways to lose the weight: Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Weight Loss clinics and more – none of them really working. These programs, while great, didn’t work for me for one simple reason – ME! I give up. I quit. I get bored or frustrated and don’t want to do it any more!

I don’t like feeling like I have to starve myself, or feel like I don’t get to eat what I want when I want. I HATE being told what I can and can’t do – and that’s what these diets (ANY diet really) make me feel like. Like I am being told that I can’t eat what I want if I want to be able to lose weight. And so more often than not I will behave myself for weeks and then in a fit of defiance I will gorge on things that I “can’t” have – thus I failed and thus I quit. I figure ‘Well hell I already screwed myself so why not just give up.’

Told you I was a quitter.

Now after I came to terms with this fact and how it was effecting my weight loss I thought to myself there just HAS to be a way for me to do this. And there is – I am making small but measurable changes in my lifestyle. Many of which I found in this article on Health.com in their article ‘16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast‘

In today’s podcast I will review the first 8 of 16 and how I am implementing these in my life. Click the player below to listen.

Another great resource that I have found recently is this article on the site Health Ambition that offers more ideas and tips for losing weight.

Are you currently on a weight loss mission too? Do you have some great tips that have helped YOU lose weight? We would love to hear from you in the comments below AND on our Facebook page!