The only "diet" that's ever worked for me is not really a diet at all. I carry a little notebook around with me in my purse and write down everything I eat. Every bite. I try to stick with whole foods (not processed) as much as possible because they are healthier and usually pack a better nutritional punch for the calories. I don't eat much low fat/low sugar stuff mostly because I don't like it all that much and because I've done WW in the past and relied on a lot of that stuff and grew tired of it really fast.
So far today (it's still early), I've had a pear. In a few minutes, I'll probably have a Kashi TLC bar. That'll be 250 calories for breakfast. Lunch is a lean cuisine panini sandwich and apple. Dinner will most probably be grilled chicken with couscous and vegetables or a tuna melt on whole wheat w/ cucumbers.
I try to stay between 1200 and 1300 per day. I also try to do some cardio for an hour 3 or 4 times a week and do some crunches and pushups for strength training while my weight set is in storage.
You can pretty much lose weight on any diet. But, what happens when you "stop" the diet? If you go back to eating the way you used to eat, you're going to regain the weight.
I think it's very important to pick something you can do for the rest of your life. It can be a standard diet, a variation of a standard diet (where you have made changes to make it work for you long term) or something of your own invention.
I lost weight through a combination of calorie counting, exercise and eliminating as many processed foods as possible. I keep the weight off..well, exactly the same way I lost it. I still food journal, count calories, exercise and I eat whole foods (avoid most packaged foods). I just increased calories to a maintenance level..
No set diet for me - I've just been making smarter choices about what I put in my mouth, counting calories (mostly when I feel like I'm slipping), and exercising. I know I can maintain this style of eating for good, because it really doesn't do anything other than require me to think before I eat and to get off my butt a few times a week!
I guess I felt like I "needed" a diet for the stucture to start off with. I completely understand what you all are saying about it being life style changes.
I guess I am just scared that if I merely say I am going to cut back that I will fall back into bad habits because of the lack of structure.
I guess I felt like I "needed" a diet for the stucture to start off with. I completely understand what you all are saying about it being life style changes.
I guess I am just scared that if I merely say I am going to cut back that I will fall back into bad habits because of the lack of structure.
Thank you all so much for your tips!
I don't like to be bossed around. I tried Atkins a few years ago and managed to lose 9 pounds. But all that "can't have" drove me nuts and made me a crazy binger. So, I like a little more freedom.
If you feel like you need structure, maybe weight watchers would be a good choice. It's not terribly expensive, provides lots of educational materials, and requires specific targets and follow through. I lost some weight on WW, too, but didn't really buy into the "rah-rah" stuff.
Maybe it would be helpful to go to a nutritionist, where you could discuss what kind of a diet would be most compatible for your likes/dislikes? That way you could have just enough structure to get you started, but not have it be so restrictive that you wouldn't be able to maintain on it.
Of course everyone's different, but if you need structure but don't like a lot of restriction, Weight Watchers is the way to go. If you don't like all the rah-rah stuff (and I don't really either, except for the rah-rahing we do on this board), don't go to meetings and just do it on your own. That's what I do. I did it with meetings a few years ago and I'm doing better this time without the meetings.
Alternatively, you could count calories instead of points. I could never do Atkins or Fat Smash or anything else that tells me what I can't have. I guess you have to pick a restriction that you can deal with -- the amount of food or the kind of food. I'd love to eat healthy, clean, natural food all the time, but am I going to? No. It's not realistic for me and I've accepted that. Am I going to work toward making my diet healthier all the time? Of course I am. Counting WW points (or calories) enables me to spend my calories however I want and still lose weight. If I want a Reese's Cup, I'll have it -- it just means I have to cut down somewhere else during the day so I don't go over my calories. The good thing is -- you end up eating a lot healthier anyway because you want to conserve your points or calories and get more out of them than you do with junk.
Oh, and don't forget exercise. It makes a HUGE difference.
I like what someone said above, that whatever you end up doing, it's a good idea to choose something you can do for the rest of your life, otherwise when you go off of the diet, you gain the weight back.. that's why diets don't usually work (long-term anyways).
I eat three meals a day and occassional snacks, but I eat wholesome foods that are nutritious and I stay away from processed foods. Combined with exercise, it's been working for me. I really don't have any sort of structure, I've been eating whatever I want (out of my store of nutritious foods, not so much junk foods though I will have something if I'm really craving it). Maybe once I lose more weight I will have to create some structure and count calories in order to continue losing, but so far so good - calorie counting drive s me nuts! I get waaaay too obsessive.. but everyone's got their own style There are lots of ways to go about it! Good luck!
Personally, I need structure! I have done WW in the past (after the birth of my first child) and loved it, but because I can not make meetings, I don't seem to be able to follow it as well. I need that "being accountable" atmosphere that the meetings provided for me.
Because of watching Celebrity Fit Club, I thought I would give the Fat Smash Diet and try. It's day 8 of the 9 day detox and I've dropped 9 pounds. For me, the first 2 days were the hardest. Especially having to cook for my kids (that grilled chicken look very tasty last night! LOL). But knowing that I can start eating cereal, chicken, fish, beef etc. in a couple of days is reassuring.
I am doing Atkins but have modified to include extra whole grains, Oats and fruits. I've lost 94 lbs. I have reached my goal and still eat the same as I did to lose it. It was something that I could stick to. When I check my calories they usually end up about 1500 per day.
I agree 100% with glory. With me this is a new healthy way of eating and a lifestyle, not a diet. So the first thing you need to decide is what is it you do that makes you gain or maintain a high weight and what are you willing to give up permanently to change it? Sometimes the changes are slow. I know with me it has been over a year of changes, slowly and I could of lost alot more if I had just jumped quickly and cut everything but I had to give myself time to WANT to make those changes.
Start with soda. It is generally 100 calories per 8 ounces! Plus full of sugar. That was the first thing I did was switch to diet, and have regular maybe once a week. But now, I don't even bother. I usually drink crystal light or water and now I will be probably switching to green tea and water.
I decided to limit going out to eat to once a week. Sometimes i will still slip and go twice but not normally.
I switched to boneless skinless chicken breast most nites a week instead of having fatty hamburger and roast. We still have red meat once to twice a week but when i pick up hamburger meat, I get the 4% lean. The roast i am getting tri tip cause most the fat is on the outside and you can skim it off, etc. I am eating 3-4 fruits a day, in the a.m. I have those for breakfast.
Lunch is usually a slimfast and a piece of brown bread or two with a little bit of peanut butter or some tuna with low fat mayo.
I eat snacks. Around 3:00 I have a yogurt or 1 serving of honey bunches of oats or total, (No milk) For dinner 3 nites a week it is chicken breast, veggies, and rice. The other nites we still have our enchiladas or our bean & cheese burritos or our tacos but we make them with chicken now. I use mozarella when I can(lower in fat). I use cheddar cheese sparingly. I try to add "good fats", like extra virgin olive oil and avacados. If I feel like a snack at nite I will have some 94% fat free pop corn. Once a week we have blueberry muffins, once a week have the mashed potatoes. Maybe once a month is cake or pie. I also walk generally 60 minutes a day.
I hit and missed for along time with losing weight. I got from 280 down to 238 just making those changes and walking but was still struggling with portions and having bad days. The month of August hit me hard and I lost only a pound. I told myself I had to buckle down with the portions and find out what an actual portion really is! You'd be surprised! I had changed alot and was doing well but I still was eating too much. It really helped me when I decided to start counting calories, yeah its a pain in the butt sometimes but I told myself I have to be accountable for what i eat and how much of it I eat.
It's not going to help me to be good all day and to switch from gr. beef chicken then go and have two big enchiladas and two helpings of spanish rice!
Anyhow, I started counting calories and it is the best thing I have started doing since losing weight. Everything makes sense now. I know how many calories I need to maintain my weight. I know how many calories I need to lose my weight. It's all a numbers game. It is pretty sad when the only difference between a 150 lb woman and a 230 lb woman is only a few hundred calories a day.
I hear you on needing some structure. I've been a calorie-counter in the past, but I started eating way too much junk food, so even though I was within my healthy range of calories, the foods were far from healthy. Then I started doing another plan I found online that gave me set menus to follow for 11 days and then said to take 3 days off. Well, those 3 days off were out of control, so I would end up gaining back at least half of what I'd lost in the 11 days in just those 3 days
So, my new plan is to make my OWN plan. I know what my goals are, so I can tailor my plan to meet my needs. My current plan is:
1800 calories or less per day
3+ liters of water per day
at least 100g protein per day
20+ minutes of intentional exercise "most" days (trying for 4-5 days/week)
eat at least 5-6 times a day
By making my own plan, I can adjust it as needed and can even incorporate different pieces of different popular plans rather than having to just choose one plan. I try to eat more whole/nutritious foods, but I also allow some processed treats here and there. It's definitely something I can stick with forever, but with counting calories and protein, it keeps me from eating too much junk.
I cannot stand having anyone dictate to me what I can and cannot eat. Calorie couting works for me--I stay between 1200-1400 calories per day and I ditto what kateful, glory and beautifulone say about the whole or wholesome foods. I eat little or no processed foods because they are full of junk, too many calories and stuff that just plain isn't good for you. I also watch the fat content of my foods and try to get fats from good sources (fish, nuts, olive oil) rather than the icky transfats that are in processed foods. I don't watch carbs because in my opinion, an apple (which is full of carbs) is good for you, but I do try to get my carbs from healthier options.
Good luck to you. I hope you find a diet or lifestyle change that will work for you. come back for support on your journey!
Help Choosing a diet!!
I tried Atkins a few years ago and managed to lose 9 pounds. But all that "can't have" drove me nuts and made me a crazy binger. So, I like a little more freedom.
There are lots of ways to go about it! 
