My brain is frazled. Here are my stats start weight - 202lbs, current weight 186lbs, goal weight 126lbs. I have lost 16lbs in 6 weeks.
I'am trying to incorporate more protein in my diet as I realise I'am still eating to much sugar and getting hungry as a result. For example im swapping my mid afternoon snack of a weight watchers snack bar to 1/2 tin of tuna. A couple of guys at the gym today were telling me how bad carbs are, not to eat bread, not to eat them after six. I mean surely its healtheir to eat a salad or some fruit instead of a piece of meat. I know protein fills you up more which is good but for goodness sake now im being told to cut out tomatos because they contain to many carbs.
Is it really going to hinder my weight loss if i have some rice with my evening dinner?
What ever happened to eating more fruit and veg and moving more to lose weight. Im sick of carb and calorie counting all the time and then I get told to cut out bread and I can only have one piece of fruit a day. It sounds ridiculous.
People have opinions. All sorts of them. No matter what you choose to do, other people will tell you that you should be doing it some other way.
And that's usually a good thing. The more opinions we're exposed to, the more opportunities we have to learn and find what works for us.
You're not obligated to follow everyone or anyone else's suggestions or opinions, whether it's on how to take care of pets, children, plants, or yourself.
People are sharing what works or makes sense to them. They might be full of BS, or they might have truly found something effective for them. They may not realize that there is no one-size-fits-all weight loss/fitness method.
You ask:
What ever happened to eating more fruit and veg and moving more to lose weight?
The answer is - that suggestion/opinion is alive and well, and it's no more a one-size-fits-all answer than is the low-carb rhetoric.
For most of my life, I've tried this strategy, and without some sort of portion-limiting I just end up fitter, but no slimmer. Eating more fruits and vegetables and moving more didn't help me lose weight, because the more I moved, the hungrier I got. And even when I ate only "healthy" food and a lot more veggies and fruit, it wasn't enough to compensate for the extra hunger. I have stalled weight loss even on a fruit-only, and fruit/veg only diet (I've even stalled on Atkins Induction).
I've never been a junk-food junkie. I've been dieting and trying to eat healthy for 41 of my 46 years, but I've never found a non-counting method that worked in the long term. But, that's me, not necessarily you.
It was extremely hard for me to accept that I have to limit carbs much more drastically than I've ever considered "healthy." When my doctor suggested low-carb (saying it seems to work better for folks with insulin resistance, as I have), I was skeptical - especially when he warned me not to go "too low" but admitted he had no clue what was too low.
So, I started experimenting. I use an exchange plan, because I love exchange plans. They're not the only way to "count" of course, there's also straight calorie counting, Weight Watcher's point counting, carb counting (which also didn't work for me, because I'd compensate with protein and fat calories).
I'm sure some people think I'm a low-carb zealot, because I'm so happy with the results I've been seeing (compared to the 30 years prior, when I thought all calories were equal). I think some people have more difficulty with carbs than others.
When people give me advice that I know doesn't apply to me, I usually smile and thank them, and maybe share my own opinion, if I feel like defending it - otherwise I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I realize they're telling me what works for them, and sometimes they're so excited about it that they don't realize it may not be the best plan for EVERYONE.
I might tell them my experience with what they're suggesting (because most of the time, I have tried their approach), or I might keep my opinions to myself.
I'm learning that so much of what we've all been taught about weight loss, doesn't work for everyone. As a result, we're going to hear a lot of opinions that don't apply to us. It's still very important for us to share those opinions though, because it gives people more to work with, if what they've tried hasn't worked.
I wish I had been exposed to more low-carb opinions and options at a younger age. No one was advocating "low-carb but not too low" so despite being quite intelligent I never considered the "low, but not too-low" option until I heard it from my doctor. However his admission of not knowing what was too low, was also a necessary piece of the puzzle for me, otherwise I would likely have given up when I didn't see the results I wanted. Instead, I'e learned to continue to tweak my plan until I find what works best for me - and the acknowledgment that what works today might not work forever.
I lost 70 pounds without cutting carbs. I didn't even really count calories for most of that. I slowly cut out fast food and ate smaller meals more often. All I did for the smaller meals was move to a small plate and not go back for seconds. I did exercise and I think that helped boost my metabolism so I could eat enough to not feel like I was hungry all the time and still lose weight. Now the point I am at I do count calories and I lowered my carbs but nothing extreme. And I eat some better carbs than I used to like whole grain bread. I eat rice sometimes but a serving worth, instead of the pile of not knowing how much it was like before. I could not live without tomatoes!!! I eat very balanced. I think for me I would maybe lose a bit faster if I cut more carbs out but then when I was done losing would probably want them back.
But for some eating lower carb makes them feel better. Its all in what works for you! Take all the advice you get and then tailor it to fit what makes you feel like you can keep going without feeling too deprived or crazy.
I think you can make a distinction between limiting carbs (because of the sugar spikes you mentioned) and doing a super zealous low carb diet as the guys in your gym were suggesting. Veggies are GREAT and have lots of other things in them as well as carbs. They also don't cause the sugar spike that refined carbs do (like bread, and for me, fruit.) Also, they are good for you and make your body happy.
For me, I like to make sure I get plenty of protein and plenty of veggies and a good amount of healthy fat. I feel best when I eat like that. When I get really serious about losing weight, I cut down on the starchy carbs like rice, potatoes, bread, etc that I often enjoy along with my protein and veggies.
But really, there are just 3 things to worry about (IMO):
1. Protein. It helps you to feel full and satisfied, and it helps you to minimize muscle loss as you lose weight.
2. Calories. For weight loss, calories are the most important thing. You can cut them from any or all food groups, but they need to be below maintenance for you to lose weight.
3. Sugar spikes/hunger from too many processed/refined carbs. If getting too many calories from bread and other refined carbs makes you hungry (as it does me), then it is sensible to limit them. For this reason and for my money, this means that veggie carbs are fully ok and desirable.
A couple of guys at the gym today were telling me how bad carbs are, not to eat bread, not to eat them after six.
This is what is known as "Bro-logic".
In case you didn't see it I'll repeat what I said in another thread to you...
I've been where you're at. The best advice I can give you is to just chill out and try to relax.
The fundamentals make up over 80% of your results. I get that everyone is looking for the BEST way but if you just eat at a deficit, get enough sleep, exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes and have a diet primarily comprised of whole foods you're going to get to your goal.
Thanks guys that's really helped. I'm just going to keep doing what im doing but up my protein and cut out my evening snack and also replace the weight watchers snack with tuna. I also must drink more water. Thanks for your help everyone and congrats on all your weightloss so far.
I think I told you yesterday or the day before, I lost most of my weight eating lots and lots of fruit - up to 4-5 pieces of fruit a day.
I also told you that there was likely nothing wrong with eating grains from time to time, but that if you were finding yourself hungry, you might consider choosing more protein- and fiber-rich snacks over relatively nutrient-empty snacks like toast and diet pudding.
I never said you shouldn't eat fruit or that you couldn't eat rice with dinner on pain of failure at weight loss. All I said was that I, personally, me, carter, find that between spending 150 calories on a demure little half a cup of rice, or spending them on a huge pile of flavorful vegetables sauteed in a little olive oil, I prefer the latter almost every time.
John is right - take deep breaths. You aren't doing anything wrong. It's good to think about ways to tweak and improve your plan, but it's not good to drive yourself into a panic trying to do things absolutely perfect. And it's not good to take anyone and everyone's opinion, no matter how unreasonable it sounds, as absolute gospel truth that you must follow or you will never lose so much as an ounce.
The "no carbs after 6" thing sounds to me more like a tactic - that is, a rule one imposes on oneself as a way of achieving portion control - rather than a scientifically-based rule about what works for weight loss. If it doesn't sound reasonable to you, don't do it.
When people give me advice that I know doesn't apply to me, I usually smile and thank them, and maybe share my own opinion, if I feel like defending it - otherwise I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I realize they're telling me what works for them, and sometimes they're so excited about it that they don't realize it may not be the best plan for EVERYONE.
Very true. I've found that some people who disagree will often get angry and argumentative when you don't follow their particular diet instead of saying "well, that doesn't work for me." Like you, I have to just turn them off and move on.
The real truth is different things work for different folks.....It may take awhile to figure out what works for YOU without following any specific plan or advice from just one or two individuals....Now I am a PASTA fanatic--BUT typically I steer clear of it because I don't get the results I want eating pasta or a LOT of rice--BOTH are pretty much fat-free....but I DO eat carbs--I started making ALL my sandwhiches in tortillas over bread(I LOVE tuna salad wraps!)--I make tortilla pizzas on the low carb tortillas...I put a few tablespoons of rice on my 7 layer burritos. I DO eat friut--but it is usually 1/2 cup of fresh fruit in a yougurt--not the pre-packed processed fruit in the sugary syrup. and a VERY common breakfast for me is a poached egg, 2 slices of Low fat bacon and 1/2 a piece of toast...
And a WHOLE cup of diced tomatos has only 7 carbs--and a whole medium tomato has only 5 carbs.
Is it really going to hinder my weight loss if i have some rice with my evening dinner?
Absolutely not. Supposedly some people are carb sensitive, which means they react to carbs with larger-than-normal blood glucose spikes and ensuing crashes. But if you have a normal insulin response this shouldn't be a problem. I ate a high-carb diet all throughout my 55-pound weight loss and continue to eat high carb now (about 300 mg or 1,200 calories in carbs per day, 60% of my total requirements). It has no effect whatsoever on my ability to lose or maintain.
Every year something else is the bad guy. The key question is: are carbs the bad guy for YOU? Do they give you symptoms? Do they make you feel lethargic? Do they impede your weight loss? If not, there's no earthly reason to give them up, as far as I'm concerned.
I feel as though I generally do better energy wise and hunger wise on a higher protein diet, but I also don't really limit my carbs other than what fits into my caloric restriction. I just feel bloated if I eat a lot of breads and processed foods with high carb content. should you eliminate fruit and veg? No, unless you're convicted to for some reason. You sound like you're doing wonderfully already
Last edited by fatferretfanatic; 06-27-2012 at 08:31 PM.
Don't take nutritional advice from dudes at the gym.
Bwahahaha, this is my new #1 rule for life!! Lifting advice, SURE. Nutritional advice? NEVER.
Pay attention to YOUR body. This is your journey, nobody elses. I'm on the no grain train because I don't like how I feel when *I* eat them. That's a rule I made for myself, because of that. I know it doesn't apply to *everyone*. Just keep tweaking your plan until you find a balance between feeling great, staying sane, and losing the weight you want to lose.
Hi Skinnypie, I totally get that all this can be frustrating. However, in order to get different results you do need to take different actions. Taking out the bread and rice (other processed food as well) from my diet and focusing on protein and healthy fats (avocado, coconut are examples) for energy has helped me lose and maintain a healthy weight. A way of eating called the paleo diet has helped me big time to eliminate process foods (even those that say "low-fat") and just sticking to natural whole foods like meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Do a google such on the paleo diet and check it out for yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Hope this helps....best luck to you reaching your health goals.
I think you just need to keep on exploring and tweaking your diet according to your own terms. Ignore the bro science, maybe just ask them for opinions on lifts, and keep going.
You're already doing fine! You're losing weight and exploring your eating habits. What works for you will quite often be different than what works for everyone else.
For me I found I couldn't function on low carb—so I stopped. I'm much happier and have more energy. I eat mostly whole foods, lift heavy things, do light cardio and I'm happy. This works for me so I'm sticking to it.
carbs blah blah blah my head is gonig to explode
