Just about 5 years ago I was up to 300lbs.  I was sick and tired of who I saw in the mirror.  I decided enough was enough and it was time for a change.  Of course I hit the gym quite a bit, but diet was the biggest contributing factor to success in the long run.  I found that a good balanced diet with as few variations as possible was the easiest thing to do.  For me, the less I had to figure out what I was going to eat, the better.  As of today, I am down to 175 lbs.  Falling off the wagon happens sometimes but its so easy to hop right back on!