I struggled with weight all my life and even gained weight on Atkins, despite test strip saying I was doing it right. I was, but no matter our wishes, consuming too many calories means too much weight. That's science. When I got desperate enough, I found Overeaters Anonymous, a non-profit program. Yup, I had to admit that I ate too much and was powerless to stop. I'd restrict and lose a few pounds, reward myself with goodies. Up and down, up and down. Before OA, if I was happy - I ate to celebrate; if I was sad, frustrated, angry - I ate to feel better. But it was never worked. I ended up feeling shamed. When I found OA, I found that I have an actual disease - Compulsive Eating Disorder. My brain/thinking was not my friend. OA gave me people who understood how I felt, a sponsor to talk to regularly, meetings that discussed the solution and so on. Have you ever met someone who got sober in AA? Well OA works the same for food disorders and has plenty of people who have found a healthy weight without dieting. It takes more calories to weigh more, so eating the amount of food that will maintain my healthy weight meant I lost down to it and stay here as long as I follow the healthy meal plan every day. But I didn't do it alone and I have never felt deprived. At 5' 1" I am keeping off 85 pounds for 13 years now but that feels like just a side effect of what the program did for me. I am grateful every day for OA. If it were too easy, nobody would need it. If it were too hard, nobody would do it. But it is just right, and life becomes happily livable with some extra work and without extra food. It also gratefully works with professionals who help with weight loss. Look up OA.org