Like a fair number of people, I say that I have a weight problem, but in fact I have an eating problem. I eat far too much and the wrong foods. I know what I should eat, and how much I should eat, but fact is that I don't like to stick to it.
Anything in moderation is nice if you can stick to it, but if I buy a packet of Jaffa Cakes, they are normally all gone in one sitting :(
Anyway, enough rambling. David51058 mentions below that diets work if you stick to them. On the basis that he is talking about calories controlled diets (Weight watchers etc) then I would totally agree - but the word diet is in itself a very temporary word. Most people diet to lose weight but then have a hard job keeping it off as they revert to their previous eating habits.
If you are serious about losing weight AND KEEPING IT OFF, then I suggest that you stop using the word diet. Change the bad habits that you have gotten into, and stop thinking about things in time scales.
Me - I have lost 1 1/2 stone since Christmas and I have a way to go yet (currently 15st 8 and 6ft, 1). I eat lots of bad food (fry up this morning) but I have started doing a lot of running - I have the London Marathon in 2 weeks time - but importantly, I am already thinking of what exercises I will do after wards - a friend lost 2 stone on his training to do the marathon but gained 4 stone after as he stopped his exercise but kept eating more food.....
I think the word "diet" need to be reassociated with it's original meaning too (i.e. what you eat) - rather than a commodity (which is what it is currently).
Thanks Pixi - and I hate people who can eat anything :(
AB Editor - well put
A lot of friends will see me and ask how I have lost so much weight. I tell them that i will tell them a secret - eat less - exercise more :-D (and yes, I don't have many friends any more!!!)
The key has always been to find a healthy lifestyle you can adopt willingly.
But my experience is that monitoring what you do & eat is the only way I found to stop portions and stuff drifting toward the too large, or too often state.