Time to Lose Weight... UGH!!!

I need to lose weight!  No if-and's - or but's about it, I need to lose weight!  Most people start on weight loss programs at the beginning of the year, and yes, I suppose the middle of February is still the beginning of the year - it was a New Year's resolution - that I think I make every year....

MOOOOO!!!

But I'm not getting any younger, and if I don't take the bull by the horn (or in my case the cow by the utters) it will only get worse. Problem for me is - I hate diet programs, and no matter how they try to name it - lifestyle changes, weightloss training - blah-blah-blah- they are nothing more than diets.  Every program tells you what you can and cannot eat.  Problem is, each one tells me that I can't have what I want - like cream for my coffee, I'm sorry, I HATE the taste of black coffee no matter what flavor it is!  Or some say no dairy products; I tend to like yogurt in the morning, or milk in my cereal.  Some say more protein, others say less. "No eggs!"  I kinda like my eggs... "more eggs!"  Ok, I'm not going to eat eggs all day long! I guess I could do like my dad did years ago and put vinegar in everything he ate - EVERYTHING!!!  No, bleh - that was rather gross!!!

Now, I'm not a big candy or sweets eater. I can pass that donut from Krispy Kremes, or Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. People at my office have candy bowls at their desks and I can pass them by all day and all week long. But surely there is a something better that can make me happy.  Okay, let me be honest... for starters I know I can cut down on the amounts that I eat. Of course it's real fun trying to measure my food. (that's meant to be sarcasm) 

Think an image like this on my plate will
 cause me to eat less?

There is the concept of eyeing how much food I put on my plate.  Here's a thought, what if I put the food on the plate, eye it, and take off about 30% of it?  I wonder if that would work?  Then I can also start eating on smaller plates.  I've heard that buffet plates, or salad plates is a good way to limit your food because of their smaller size. It just looks like my plate is full.  It's more like a psyching myself tool.  I think this might work.

Okay, Bloggousphere - let me just put this out there.  IF any of you know of a way to lose weight without officially doing a "diet", please let me know!  Please tell me what has worked for you in the past, and if you were able to keep the weight off.  I'd really like to know what works for you.  I know exercise has to be a huge part of the program, and that I am doing - and need it add to it.  But there has to be more.  So I'm asking for your help.  Please forward any comments to me. I will read them all and will take them all under consideration.

As always!