People diet for different reasons, but in my opinion, the most important reason for exercising and diets are to extend lives and improve the quality of life. 

I exercise a lot.  I try to do some exercise daily, but it depends on my mood and the time of year.  Around spring and summer, there are running events I like to participate in, so I am practically training this time of year.  I'm intentionally trying to shed pounds and keep it off.  Through fall and winter, I'm mostly trying to just maintain my weight without gaining too much, but I always add a winter coat.

Different approaches work for different people.  Find out what works for you, but try these things...

1)drink lots of water.  How much?  Well, I have water with me all day long.  I'm not guzzling all day long, but my water bottles hold about 20 ounces and I drink that about every couple hours.  So I may drink about a gallon a day.

2)no coffee.  OH MY GOD, NO COFFEE???   give me a break.  Coffee is an acquired taste and it didn't take me long to realize I had no interest in adapting my taste buds.  On top of the gross taste, the caffeine speeds up your heart, leaving you susceptible to heart attacks or strokes, not to mention high blood pressure and other serious ailments that could render you helpless or sleepy for infinity.  In my opinion, a morning wakeup call isn't worth the risks equipped in that little mug.  If you think it's cool to shorten your life by being trendy, then drink all that latte crap you want.  I'd just assume someone dump it over your head.  

Here's a healthy alternative for a nice morning kick...

Try a good nights sleep and drink water in the morning. Have a bowl of cereal or toast with peanut butter on it.  Anything like that will give you energy the natural way.  Some carbs and/or protein.  Maybe try a morning jog.  You'll be surprised how many people love getting the blood flowing this way... energizes you in ways you never knew. 

3)avoid soda, minimal chips, try to minimize chocolate (especially in the evening). 

Soda has carbonation which eats away at your insides.  It has caffeine and many unnatural additives that your body just doesn't need.  Many diabetics are pop drinkers.  Many get addicted to pepsi and coke, and have a hard time without it, but I haven't had any soda for probably 5 or more years... I lost count.  It's water water water for me.  Lemonade too.  I love minute maid lemonade.   Orange juice as well.  gatorade.  There are a ton of substitutes.  Hell, drink koolaid. Some of those are sugary substitutes, but every bit counts.  You're cutting out carbonation and caffeine by switching from soda to koolaid.  

Chips are a waste.  Anything that colors your fingers when you eat is just not right, whether that's BBQ wings, cheetos, or whatever.  The more snack crap you have around the house, the more you're going to be tempted to sit around and munch on that crap.  They're calories you don't need.

Chocolate has caffeine, not to mention calories... not good to have in the evenings within a couple hours of going to bed.  

If you cut out soda and caffeine, you may find yourself sleeping more sound.  If you cut out chips and garbage like that, you may lose some weight.

4)you hear it over and over again and many don't want to, but exercise.  You need self motivation to continue exercising.  If you can, get a friend who wants to workout with you, then  motivate each other.  I don't like memberships at clubs because I think they're a waste of money when I can jog for free, but I do think if you pay for a membership, you're that much more likely to go to the club and workout, so pay the money... that may be motivation in itself to keep you going.

Take your workouts slow, even absorb advice, email me and ask... I can customize a workout for you based on your experience.  I've had a personal trainer in the past and I've worked as one for many friends.  I have a routine that works pretty good for me and I've already lost about 15 lbs since January.  I'm in pretty good running shape and I'm energetic.  

Don't expect results overnight, but expect to be a new person if you do everything I say.

More to come.