[letthethingirlout]

I am new to this site....enjoying all your thoughts, stories, advice.....so here's my question: i feel like i have tried everything.....lost then gained back, typical for "diets" , what helped you guys pick a plan that you can do for life?? to lose and keep it off?.......Atkins helped me lose the quickest and the most amount of weight in the past...but I still craved the carbs that they say you eventually should lose/diminish the cravings for. Tempted to try again since it did work the best. (short term result)....any suggestions?

or comments on why a plan works for you? thanks ......a lot for your time/help. so many plans work....... if you can stick to it.....but how to know which you can stick to?........can you guys help me pick a plan>? im already worried this carrot has too many carbs.....lol

[Lovely]

!

Before I started Weight Watchers, I didn't know anything about nutrition or portion sizes. I began using the points, and I found it easy and informational.

In the beginning it was just learning how much food was enough for me. As I read further through the materials it's more than just amounts, it's the kinds of foods I choose to eat that are important. Choosing more whole grains and fruits & vegetables has made a huge difference.

And of course their famous "Move More" slogan. I liked that because it wasn't just "Go work out for 60 minutes a day, 5 days a week." It was a way for me to ease into exercising (which I have NEVER purposefully done in my entire life) without feeling intimidated or frustrated. I began with brisk 10 minute walks, and am now on the Treadmill 30 minutes for at least 3 days a week, the Elliptical for about 10 minutes, and using a Yoga DVD about twice a week.

But most importantly, the weekly weigh-ins & group meetings following. I am independent person about most things in my life, but I have failed when it came to my health & weight so many times I knew I couldn't do it alone. The group meetings were instrumental in keeping me accountable & upbeat. Hearing everyone's exciting news & frustrations kept me grounded, and has kept me focused. Just like the support & information on this very website. (Yeah meetings & this website, I love the groups THAT much!)


The best thing you can do for yourself when choosing a plan you wish to follow for the rest of your life is to "Know Thyself". You will find information about a ton of plans on this site, and perhaps an already existing plan is the choice for you. Or you may, after reading through each one, decide that you know what'll work for you best and create your own healthy diet. (Many people do that here, too!)

I will say that if you know you can't live without carbs then perhaps lower carb plans are not for you. Even if they give you the best short term results, it's the long-term ones that we're all being graded on

Best of luck to you! No matter what you choose you can & will succeed and we're all here to support you through it!!!! ~

[Azure]

I think that the key to picking a weight loss plan is: What works for your body, and what is sustainable for you over the course of your life?

The Atkins plan eventually adds in lots of vegetables, some fruit and some L.C. products up to a point, but you'll never be having Pizza Hut on a regular basis. Can you live your life without sandwiches, rolls with dinner, and desserts like Oreos? Are these sorts foods the things that cause you to binge or trigger binges?

For me, Atkins made the most sense. I've only ever been able to lose on a Low Carb diet, and Atkins has a very specific plan in the book to transition from Induction to Maintenance, in 4 steps. Refined carbs trigger me to overeat and binge, they always will. So, I chose a diet that leaves me feeling physically satisfied and eliminates the foods that cause me problems. It works for me.

That said, I know other people who do perfectly well on Weight Watchers or just good old fashioned calorie-counting. They find that it works for them. My mom tried Atkins when I first did and she was hungry all the time and felt like crap--the diet makes me feel energized and satisfied...so what worked for my body didn't work for hers.

So, I'd encourage you to go with what you know works for you. If you haven't tried anything besides Low Carb, maybe you should try a more moderate approach like South Beach or The Zone? Or something more high carb, low fat, like a lot of calorie counting plans or Weight Watchers. It's really up to you I wish you the best of luck finding the best plan for you and your body.

[srmb60]

I'm a nurse so everything I already knew about nutrition, diabetes, energy, weight reduction or enhancement ... involved calorie counts. That's what I went with.
I've tweaked as I've moved along. Sometimes my lunchbag looks low carb, GI, low fat ... It didn't really matter what I called it, as long as I ate less and moved more.

[bargoo]

It certainly is O.K. to experiment until you find what works for you. I have done many different diets aand they all work with varying success but I found the easiest for me is calorie counting.

[GatorgalstuckinGA]

Some people have had great success with different plans. You need to find what works for you and what you will be able to stick with PERMANANTLY. I have done both Weight watchers and calorie counting. Currently calorie counting is working for me. But i also did like WW when i was on it. I just found due to schedule and finances, calorie counting works best for me. But if you need nutritional advice..i suggest starting with WW and going to meetings. Going to meetings really do help you understand it better. Good luck.

[letthethingirlout]

you guys are awesome!! Thank you for all your advice.....Im a nurse too...(so the nutrition part was not the problem) the questions to ask myself was the problem........I never realized that I took so much time in caring for my patient's needs ( and of course my family's needs) I never took a minute for myself to investigate the foods that make me feel good or feel energized......I know what tasted good, or was easy to eat on a busy schedule.....but that did not end up what made my body feel good an hour or two later....now I am taking the time to listen to my body....after I eat certain foods, rather than how I feel while eating them (ie.comfort foods)..... I realize i choose food for comfort, taste, texture.......rather than how it affects my body afterwards.....so thanks guys......!