Thank you all for your comments ... it really is simple, less / better food more exercise. Struggling to put it any simpler ... yet obesity is now considered an epidemic and its increasing.

I appreciate the candour of the commments and found the GI News link very helpful.

Thanks mjpb for your bravery - I've also fluctuated but am now approaching a BMI of 25. Not even related to diet, purely exercise.

PeopleAgainstLiveExports ... I am unsure of what the centre is? I've looked at your website and don't beleive I know Antje? Have we spoken about this separately?

Anyway, thank you all for your comments and for really affirming the "common sense" to weight loss.

Anorexia vs Obesity:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/anorexia-obesity.html

Corrie
Oh, are you not the Corri that was on a current affair? fantasic
Sorry we thought that was you.
Best wishes anyway.
Chers

lasting weight loss is about getting in touch with your body hunger levels and body signals. how often do we eat when we're bored/stressed, or because it's there or keep eating because it tastes good? or because its holidays or a party? eating when you aren't hungry is a huge cause of being overweight.

Once we deal with the underlying issues and get back to eating mostly when we are hungry then we will become our ideal weight. i know because i have been obsessed with my weight since i was a teenager. i have researched over the last 6 yrs how to lose weight without dieting and have developed a way to lose weight and keep it off for life.

i have lost 2 dress sizes and have maintained this weight for 2 yrs, and it has honestly been the easiest way to lose weight that i have tried (and i have tried everything!)in fact it doesn't matter what i do now i stay the same and thats because i'm in touch with my body signals. I now help other people achieve their healthiest weight and keep it off through my business Naturally Slim (currently no website but you can email natslim@dodo.com.au for more information) there is so much more to it than just exercise and healthy eating!

Natslim, thanks for your comments. Though I agree with you about body signals and understanding the emotional side of eating ... I'm less in agreeance to the need for anymore than the basic principles of healthy eating and regular exercise.

Supplements, pills and other products play their part for those that aren't prepared to adhere to the basic principle (healthy eating and regular exercise), but I don't believe they are necessary.

slimming pills and other products are not the long term answer and i wouldn't advise them at all.

I do agree the bottom line is healthy eating and exercise but why do so many people lose weight on diets, healthy eating or exercise programs and then put all their weight back on after a while? because a)the programs are too restrictive and people can't sustain it and b)they are'nt figuring out why they're eating the way they are - the weight is the symptom, the reasons behind our eating habits are the cause. once you deal with the cause - the symptoms become easy. ie once we figure why we eat when we aren't hungry then we are more easily able to make the necessary changes. then we'll be eating healthy food because we choose to rather than because it's what where supposed to eat or what we're told to eat.

how often do hear people say "i can't have that" / "oh it's the holidays/weekend, i'll be good again on monday" / "i'll just have this and i'll start again tommorrow"? or how often do we eat everything on our plate regardless of how hungry we were? or eating while watching tv - we often eat a lot more than we really feel like. or eat something "naughty" and then think right i better have a proper healthy lunch to get back on track and really we're probably not hungry at that time - but because we aren't listening to our body we eat and our bodies can't metabolise it properly and goes to our waists

tbc