How I have done it so far:

Diet

My diet consists of anything that I want to eat, just portion controlled. I skip desert most of the time, unless I really really want it. I do not drink soda. It took me about one month to start seeing any sort of decent weight loss. I avoid fried food as much as possible but because I live in the south, I can't completely avoid it. I try to make smarter choices when I go out to eat, I use the Eat This Not That book when I can.

Exercise

I try to exercise five days a week and get a little additional exercise in on the weekends. I tend to burn off about 700 calories on the tredmill and then lift weights for about less than 30 minutes as hard as I can go.

Tips:

Drink more water. I know you can read it over and over again to drink more water - however it's very true. When you get hungry, drink a glass of water and in a few minutes, if you are still hungry - eat something. Drink a glass of water before you eat something.

Don't eat after 7:00 pm if you can help it. Sometimes I will come in late at night and be hungry as all get out because I haven't eaten in hours! Just make sure you don't stuff yourself, and concentrate on what you are eating, and stop when you are full.

Don't be obsessed with the scale. The scale is there to help determine your weight, but don't be obsessive over your weight - that will put unnecessary stress on yourself and cause you not to lose weight. If anything, make it a game - every Friday at the same time, weigh yourself and try to "beat the scale." Just have fun.

If you know you are not supposed to eat something and it just looks sooo yummy and you can't go without it and it's calling your name... then share it with a friend or two. You get less, you get the taste of whatever it is you are craving, and you will have fun with your friend(s).

Get support. It's very important that you get all the support you need. Ask your family for help - to throw away all of the junk food in the house and replace it with something that is healthy. Ask your friends to help you make the right food choices. Get online support from new friends... go to your favorite fast food restaurants and give them a flyer with your name and picture that says "DO NOT SERVE THIS PERSON" on it, that will get you to stop eating fast food.

When you have money for food, and you can afford to eat fast food, put that money in a savings jar. Start a little fund. If you reach your weight loss goal on the scale, use that money to buy yourself something that you have really been wanting.

Make goals for your weight loss and reward yourself with a non-food item. For women, lip gloss, nail polish, new cloths, etc. For men, knives, new wallet, flashlight, utility tool, etc. Buy one small thing for every 5lbs of weight loss - and save up a lot of money for when you reach your final goal. For example, my final goal is to lose 70lbs total and get down to 200lbs, I'm going to buy this $200 knife I have my eye set on.

That's pretty much all the advice I have right now. I know for some of you, 20lbs isn't very much- and isn't something I should really be bragging about and offering advice about, but it's just my 0.02.

Good night!