I decided to join OA! Now it's choosing a food plan with OA...

[seabiscuit]

So I have decided to rejoin OA, really excited about it! I think it will help me achieve my goals. I have contacted someone to see if they are a available sponsor but I need a food plan.

I have been given food plans before but it has been awhile and I think I could benefit from seeing someone about this. I am debating going back to a nurse practitioner who has nutritional experience and helped me develop a food plan before. The only thing I didn't like about meeting with her is I felt it was a bit restrictive. I will be visiting her office (well she shares an office with my doctor so I will be seeing my doctor this Monday) and I can talk to my doctor about this. Her visits are covered by my insurance. I also contacted a nutritionist/registered dietitian who is more expensive and would be spending more time with me and I am interested in her too. I'm really not sure. I think that the nurse practitioner has more experience in some ways but the dietitian does in others. I also could look around at different RDs to compare.

What do you think, what has been your experiences, good, bad, indifferent?

[PearlNorth]

Hi, about food plans and my experience:

It took me to many tries to count to finally realize that diet don't work. I hear that all the time. So last January I made a life style change that included a food plan. So I recommend your own personal plan based on your own health issues. Here is my new life style that with tweeks I hope to do the rest of my life.

1. Keep a food diary. This helps me be honest with myself.
It also shows me why my progress may be slow or on target.
2. Count calories. Currently I eat 1500 per day spread out in 5 meals. This will fluctuate as time goes by. My trainer says not to eat under 1200 because i will burn muscle when exercising instead of fat.
3. Eat low fat and low carb. Eating low carb has gotten me off my diabetes meds.
4. Exercise 3 to 5 days per week. My exercises are geared to not hurt my knees and feet cause of arthritus.
5. I weigh everyday. This isn't for everyone. I don't let the scale bother me because it is natural for it to go up and diwn a few pounds daily. I use it as a guide for progress only.

So thats my personalized plan. So i recommend you find your own way. It can be as simple as 3 to 5 meals per day.

Good luck.

[RedHeadLongLegs]

I started back to OA right after Thanksgiving. I just decided that I would only eat 3 meals a day. It was the snacking several times a day that got out of hand for me. I couldn't handle the extra eating and couldn't stop. I have read lots of good things on the OA website talking about 3 square meals, one day at a time.
I am also counting calories on the Fitday website. It is a lot easier to stop myself when I have reached 2000 calories. For now, I can lose weight at that but I know in the future, I will have to cut back to less calories.
So far, it has worked for me!

[swtgila]

I am still trying to choose a food plan too. I began OA Nov. 19, 2011. I have a sponsor. I am making progress. I have just learned all the bad stuff about hfcs and am vowing to say off it. But, that is a challenge, b/c I am finding everything has it in it. I think my food plan will be 5 small meals a day, and keep it under 180 carbs. (for now, I may reduce the carbs later). I've been reading a some books and this seems to be the way to go. I am determined to find the right food plan now. I wasn't before. I tried some others but none worked for me. I realize I am me, and my body reacts differently to some foods than other's bodies. The food diary is a great idea...knowing what foods trigger me, basically telling me which ones are green lights, yellow lights, and red ones. I love the OA program. It is a life saver!

[Sheila7]

I love OA and do a phone meeting every day. I am on the 90 day plan and have 33 days of abstinence. I know 90 day OA is not for everyone and many people benefit greatly from regular OA. the 90 day plan is no sugar, flour or nutrasweet. It is amazing how I have absolutely NO cravings anymore!