OBJECTIVE: Intentional weight loss is recommended for those with type 2 diabetes, but the strategies patients attempt and their effectiveness for weight management are unknown. In this investigation we describe intentional weight loss strategies used and those related to BMI in a diverse sample of overweight participants with type 2 diabetes at enrollment in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) clinical trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of baseline weight loss strategies, including self-weighing frequency, eating patterns, and weight control practices, reported in 3,063 women and 2,082 men aged 45-74 years with BMI > or =25 kg/m(2). RESULTS: Less than half (41.4%) of participants self-weighed > or =1/week. Participants ate breakfast 6.0 +/- 1.8 days/week, ate 5.0 +/- 3.1 meals/snacks per day, and ate 1.9 +/- 2.7 fast food meals/week. The three most common weight control practices (increasing fruits and vegetables, cutting out sweets, and eating less high-carbohydrate foods) were reported by approximately 60% of participants for > or =20 weeks over the previous year. Adjusted models showed that self-weighing less than once per week (B = 0.83), more fast food meals consumed per week (B = 0.14), and fewer breakfast meals consumed per week (B = -0.19) were associated (P < 0.05) with a higher BMI (R(2) = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Regular self-weighing and breakfast consumption, along with infrequent consumption of fast food, were related to lower BMI in the Look AHEAD study population.