Can someone recommend a plan?

[groovia]

I'm so overwhelmed. I'm not sure which eating plan to follow. In the past, I've been minorly successful with WW, but I get burnt out pretty easily tracking, and I end up obsessing over points. Plus, I end up eating processed crap all day long, but I can still lose.

I just spent the past 6 weeks low-carbing with no results at all. I think my metabolism must be incredibly slow, because even though I did not eat excessively, the scale did not move. It seems calories matter for me, so I do not want to worry about tracking carbs if I have to track calories. I will say that the low-carb lifestyle helps me stay in control and I am very satisfied eating that way, more or less. I definitely have blood sugar issues that respond well to low-carbing, and I know I really need to pay attention to the glycemic index to keep my hunger/munchies at bay.

I've also been making a huge effort to eat whole foods, and find that low-fat and fat-free products, are nothing but frankenfoods. Primal/paleo really speaks to me, but calories are going to trump all.

So, is there any point going back to WW? Is there a low cal/whole foods kind of group?

[LisaLou]

Hi! Sounds like you're leaning towards a low cal/calorie counting diet. Can you move in that direction and put your food focus towards whole foods? I use myfitnesspal to track my calorie intake and it also lets me know my carbs. So if you're wanting to monitor your carbs as well, that would be a good way to do that.

I've also been successful with WW, until I stopped. lol I'm hoping that calorie counting will be more successful and something I can use as a lifetime. I did find with WW I would eat a lot of processed foods. "This is only 2 points!!"

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Welcome to the forum!

Lisa

[SophieCormier]

I don't know if you ever tried this before but I'm doing the Fat Smash Diet by Dr Ian Smith. This is my 10th day and I lost a total of 4.8 lbs. It's tough in the beginning but it gets easier and when you finish, you really change your lifestyle. It's an inexpensive book. I think I bought mine on Amazon. You don't count calories/carbs. You just follow the list in the book. I think it's an easy diet and I'm really loving it. Good luck in whatever plan you follow!

[Munchy]

I do weight watchers or calorie counting and eat whole foods. It's possible to combine plans to find the right one for you. Calorie counting/whole food/low carb sounds like it would be perfect for you. It's probably similar to how I eat, although I do eat limited grains.

ETA: I do think that many of the low cal foods are frankenfoods, but there is a good selection of some of them that aren't too bad. For example, skim milk is just milk that is skimmed of fats. Other low fat dairy can be made from low/nonfat milk such as cheese and yogurt and doesn't always have additional preservatives or chemicals.
Ezekiel (food for life) is a great low cal, whole grain, natural option for many bread products.

[groovia]

I was just at the grocery store, and the low fat dairy wasn't too much different calorically from full fat dairy, so yay. I'm sticking with full-fat.

I guess I will just have to wing it for now and enter everything into fit day. I have 3 small children, so I'm exhausted and can barely think straight. I have no time or desire to analyze everything. But I know my body needs low carb.

[Violet73]

If you haven't lost on low carb then maybe you are eating hidden carbs? If you want, come on over to the Atkins board here and post your menu where some of the experts can help you tweak it (even people just following general low carb and not Atkins post there)

[kidjng]

I follow WW. It works for me b/c I don't like counting calories and if I see a food item on another plan like ediets or Atkins that I don't really like I give up instead of finding a substitute. With WW I really can eat anything I want - as long as I pay for it with points.

You might want to consider focusing on lean proteins and vegetables to fill you up instead of processed foods. See what that does for you. Getting creative with vegetables is a learning process but tasty once you get the hang of it.

Following WW a huge bowl of salad with all kinds of tasty vegetables plus 2 tablespoons of most vinaigrettes is just 3 points. Lots more filling than processed foods. Add an ounce or two of low fat cheese and that adds only one or two more points.

Progresso soups are endorsed by WW and are low in points and very filling too.

[startingoveragain]

I have been having a very difficult time figuring everything out too. Like you Groovia, I'm interested in clean whole organic foods & high nutrients, but my problem is I don't have the mental fortitude right now to monitor the cals/points for the long haul. I can completely relate to how you are feeling with being overwhelmed and exhausted, being a single mom with three small children myself. Right now it sounds like you need something that requires very little mental energy and yet be able to achieve substantial results.

I've been looking into the IP diet lately. It's not exactly a whole food plan like you were wanting, but it does seem great for blood sugar regulation (it's low carb which I love because I get moody when my blood sugar levels aren't consistently steady). I was thinking I'd go on it to loose all my weight (you loose quickly), follow their four phases, then take everything I've learned from the IP diet and join WW to maintain (so I don't start overeating again).

Here is a file I found informative about metabolic states and how IP works:
beautyfullspa.ca/idealprotein.pdf

And since exercise isn't a factor in loosing weight on IP, I was thinking I'd then start training in walk/jog when I join WW, which may also help maintain.

Also, on the IP diet you need to take omega 3 oils, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and there is lots of greens to eat (organic meat and veges if you want), but also 'treats' to look forward to - so important for us run down mom's!

One of the down sides of the program is the cost, but I've read that if you buy your own supplements elsewhere you do save some money.

Has anyone tried the IP diet and then successfully weaned into a whole food type diet on WW?

I think it may work for me because I can't think too much about what I'm doing right now, and I get discouraged very easily if there are no results.

Well here's hoping for the best!

[joyful retiree]

Have you considered The Insulin Resistance Diet? I have found linking carbs with sufficient protein a huge help in keeping my appetite under control.

[groovia]

Nope, no hidden carbs. Tracked on Fit Day. And I posted at Atkins Diet Bulletin Board. I even cut out snacking on nuts and cheese.

I will investigate the other plans mentioned. I am still very drawn to paleo/primal, so I suspect weight would eventually come off, albeit rather slowly. I'm thinking I may try Whole 30 for October.

[groovia]

Originally Posted by kidjng

I follow WW. It works for me b/c I don't like counting calories and if I see a food item on another plan like ediets or Atkins that I don't really like I give up instead of finding a substitute. With WW I really can eat anything I want - as long as I pay for it with points.

You might want to consider focusing on lean proteins and vegetables to fill you up instead of processed foods. See what that does for you. Getting creative with vegetables is a learning process but tasty once you get the hang of it.

Following WW a huge bowl of salad with all kinds of tasty vegetables plus 2 tablespoons of most vinaigrettes is just 3 points. Lots more filling than processed foods. Add an ounce or two of low fat cheese and that adds only one or two more points.

Progresso soups are endorsed by WW and are low in points and very filling too.

I'm not sure how counting points is easier than counting calories. That doesn't really make sense to me.

And canned soup is a processed food.