Cohens - working so far - it is very strict though and no exercise. I have seen alot of people with fantastic results on it. :) im down 3 jeans sizes so far. :) been on it 6 weeks. (with 10 days of "off plan" due to critical health issues with my oldest munchkin)....

Originally Posted by kaplods:
Of the 85 lbs I've lost so far, it hasn't been on one plan or program, but on several. My food plan is constantly evolving (like me).

The only constant has been deciding never to give up, and to never allow myself to think that my effort isn't worth it - not even when the weight loss is stalling or I don't like the food plan I'm on (then it's time to change the plan, not give up).

I've also abolished some dieting traditions and rituals I've followed all of my life such as those regarding:

1. Off-plan eating

If you eat something off plan, you have permission - heck you have the obligation to eat as much as you can until you can start fresh tomorrow morning (unless it's Thursday or later, then the rule is to eat as much as possible all weekend in order to start fresh on Monday morning). If the off-plan eating occurs after Thanksgiving - then the rule is to eat as much possible for the rest of the year until January 1.


2. Changing plans

If you decide that the current weight loss plan is not for you, you must take a "vacation" from dieting until you decide which plan is. This extent and length of this vacation at minimum will follow the same rules as off-plan eating above. However to really do it right - you must gain back ALL of the weight you lost on the "wrong" plan. Until you are at your highest weight (you earn extra points if you wait until you weigh at least 10 lbs more than your previous highest weight) before starting the new and improved plan.


3. Exercise

Exercise should always be extremely intense and difficult, or it should not be attempted at all. If when you're done, you don't feel like you're about to drop dead of a stroke or heart attack - you didn't do it right. DO NOT MOVE unless you are willing to exercise at this intensity. If it's fun - you're also not doing it right. As with off-plan eating, when you fail to meet your exercise goals on any day, you must refrain from exercising or any unnecessary movement until the following Monday or January 1 if the plan violation occurs in November (if there is snow on the ground, it is also acceptable to postpone exercising until the first day of Spring or when there is no trace of snow on the grown, whichever is the latter).



Of course those are stupid rituals, but I also know I'm not the only person to have followed them, or similarly destructive ones.

I don't think my food plan is responsible for my success "this time." I think that diets I followed in the past would have been and could have been as successful if it weren't for all of the ways I shot myself in the foot. Most of the habits were those I learned from other people. I saw how dieting "is done" and I followed the role models I had.

Learning to break out of the sterotype was a challenge. Learning to think differently, act differently, BE different. It was harder than I would have ever guessed (being that I had so little trouble being different in other ways).

I absolutely love this post....

Eating Low Volume, High Caloric Food, Little Activity Makes Us Gain Weight
 

There are no miracles out there. We gain weight by eating the wrong items and lack of activity. It does not mean that a person needs to starve themselves. I believe in the more is better program of HMR. I can eat a ton (within reason people) of fruits and vegetables and not gain weight. It is that little bag of chips that has 2000 or more calories (just guessing) and I still feel hungry food that makes me gain my weight. I certainly do not know everything. But when I am eating better I want to be out in public, walking, strutting my stuff. I feel good about me because I am being good to me. I drink the shakes to fill in for those times when I need to feel full, need calories, but do not have the ability to eat sensibly. Last night before going to bed I had a double. TWO HUNDRED MEASLY CALORIES and I was satisfied, take that you SNICKERS BAR.

Originally Posted by dorothy52:
There are no miracles out there. We gain weight by eating the wrong items and lack of activity. It does not mean that a person needs to starve themselves. I believe in the more is better program of HMR. I can eat a ton (within reason people) of fruits and vegetables and not gain weight. It is that little bag of chips that has 2000 or more calories (just guessing) and I still feel hungry food that makes me gain my weight. I certainly do not know everything. But when I am eating better I want to be out in public, walking, strutting my stuff. I feel good about me because I am being good to me. I drink the shakes to fill in for those times when I need to feel full, need calories, but do not have the ability to eat sensibly. Last night before going to bed I had a double. TWO HUNDRED MEASLY CALORIES and I was satisfied, take that you SNICKERS BAR.

I love your thoughts on this so much to where I can't do anything but smile. :hug::carrot:

All of these plans pretty much have the same thing in common - eat less, move more. It is often just a matter of finding foods/eating plans you like. That being said, eliminating food groups or depriving yourself is setting you up for failure. Count calories, measure food, and work out for long term (free!) success.

Primal Blueprint lifestyle - good quality meats (grass fed), eggs, lots of organic vegetables and some fruit, healthy fats, seeds and nuts here and there, exercise and activity, good sleep, some sunshine when I can, and some play and balance in life.

No grains or sugars.

I adhere as closely as I can, I've lost weight, and I feel really good.

Counting calories with a Mediterranean diet flair. I eat fish at least 2x a week, red meat once a week or less, have a minimum of 3 no-meat days a week, and make room for olive oil or nuts (or both) daily. Slow but steady progress, which is fine by me.