It all comes down to will power or self control, doesn't it? I quit struggling with weight when I realized that I am not good at moderation when it comes to choosing my foods and calories. I would always choose what tasted good, not what was good for me.

So, for what it's worth, here is my "2 cents worth." I decided years ago that I would not drink any calories (no beer/alcohol, no juice, no regular soft drinks, etc.), the sole exception being skim milk in my morning coffee. I also decided that I would eat no meat other than seafood (cholesterol dropped from 200's to a consistent 130 combined). I eat no candy, no baked goods, no pasta (except when I go back to Steubenville and eat at Naples/DaPepinos), no pizza, no bread (except flat bread in Greece or Turkey), and no snacks or processed foods. I have used the fact that I am a creature of habit to shape my eating habits. I now eat Greek non-fat yogurt with fresh fruit and rolled/steel cut oats for breakfast (every day), and fish, salad (fresh vegetables only) and 1/2 baked potato (2-3 x's a week) for dinner. If I want a snack it is only fresh fruit. With my personality, I am unable to stick with the old adage of "everything in moderation." If I didn't eliminate certain food groups I would not moderate my intake.

Other than walking and hiking I didn't do much in the way of exercise until this past May, but was able to maintain my weight at 200-205 pounds at my height of 6' 2 1/2". When I started biking again in May, my muscles have increased, but my weight has slowly dropped. I am now at 177-178 when I weigh in every morning. I am 63, and I haven't felt this good since my 30's. I average 175-200 miles per week cycling, and I am now running 3 miles every other day. (The bad news is: 1. that most of my clothes no longer fit, which is an expensive problem since I haven't yet retired, and I often need to wear a suit; 2. I keep looking at expensive new bikes and equipment.)

I do not change my eating habits during the holidays. After a few years my family and friends got used to it. I don't think that everyone should do what I do...what I do think is that everyone needs to understand themselves, and then have the will power (and moderation if they have that ability) to stick to an eating lifestyle that they choose and can maintain. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for someone else.