Well, I'm a 50's baby.  I grew up in the era where you always cleaned your plate because of all those starving children overseas.  We had those wonderful treats like dairy queen, Bob's Big Boy hamburgers, and the corner drug store with the soda fountain counter.  Even though I was a tremendous TomBoy riding bikes and playing soft ball, base ball etc. I was always a big girl.  I weighed 145 lbs in 5th grade.  My parents always had difficulty finding clothes for me and shoes that would keep me walking straight.  My health has always been good thank goodness.  So I have tried alot of diets that are probably the same ones you have tried and failed on also.   When I was about 41 yrs old I went on the Optifast Plan for 9 months and lost 135 lbs.  Geez I was finally thin...for all of a minute....  Actually I kept most of the weight off for about 2 years then of course I gained it all back plus more.  I tried the  FenFen diet until the pulled the meds off the shelf....  I had refused to consider gastric bypass surgery for several years.  I had a coworker who had it done a few years back.  I still wasn't ready to hear details.  After retiring to Arizona in 2005, I realized I wasn't going to have any life because I couldn't move around, I couldn't fly anywhere and I had a hard time breathing...   I finally had to accept the fact that I had only one option.  I started researching the process in February 2006.  So far I haven't regreted my decision.