advice on diet plans?

  • I've been taking a pretty shot-in-the-dark approach to dieting so far. Mainly I rely on lean-cuisine meals and things I know are healthy, like bananas and yogurt and salad.
    But I was wondering, for those with experience, is it easier on a meal plan? Is there a particular meal plan that has really worked for you?
    Some information about me, I'm 18, 194 lbs looking to loose about seventy pounds (six gone so far, yay!), not very educated on where to get the best sources of good fats, proteins, carbs, etc.
    I'm just looking for a little guidance or a nudge in the right direction. If any of you have found a diet plan that works really well for you and you can fill me in or direct me to more information, I would so very much appreciate it.

    Thanks!
  • I discovered that by eating every 3 hours I am losing weight. I started on Jan 1st and have lost 20 pounds. I don't count calories or anything. I did cut out regular sodas and now I drink about 4 cups of hot tea each day. By eating every 3 hours I no longer have cravings and I don't binge eat at night anymore. I don't have any restricted food items either. I have tried many diets in the past and this is no doubt the best "diet" I have ever done. It's really an eating lifestyle and I plan to do it for the rest of my life. I enjoy eating 5 meals a day and am satisfied. Who would have ever thought that you could eat more often to lose weight? Maybe this is something you could look into as there are many benefits to meal timing.
  • I am kindof new to all of this stuff but I have found counting calories really really helpful. You learn correct portions and alot about what carbs, proteins, etc... too. It does take some time and effort but I find it so helpful to sticking on track.

    You can go to sparkpeople.com and then put in all your info (height, weight, goal weight, etc..) and they will tell you how many calories and how many of a ton of other nutrients you can track as well. They even have a meal plan you can follow, edit, or make your own. I prefer to make my own because I am picky lol but it is helpful.

    Alot of people use the dailyplate as well.