So I'm trying to come up with a new weight loss plan, since the one I used in the past has stopped working. Have any of you done Volumetrics? It sounds like the most promising thing I've seen, because I hate feeling hungry, I like eating large portions, and I don't do well with eliminating foods. I'm thinking maybe if I did that I could eat 1200 calories/day without feeling hungry all day.
Hmm... I have read about volumetrics, and I guess it is the same principle I use with some of my snacks. A few weekends ago we made popcorn with a small amount of oil because we got lots more volume of popcorn for the same calories as the other snack items we were considering. I guess the question is will you feel more full on the higher volume food? Looks like an interesting plan, you could always give it a try for a few weeks to see if it works. I personally don't like eliminating foods, either, so a plan that doesn't make me do that gets points in my book.
I checked the books out of the library and read them. It is pretty straightforward and I found that it was pretty close to what I was doing anyway, counting calories but still eating enough to be full and satisfied. I scanned in a bunch of their recipes but I haven't really tried a lot of them.
They talk a lot about eating foods that contain a lot of water (fruits, vegetables, soups), a lot of fiber, and a good amount of protein. It's very common sense stuff.
So why on earth would you be eating only 1200 calories?
I think it's good to fill up on good foods like vegetables, to get enough fiber, and so on--but there could be another reason you're hungry on that few calories...
Jessica- after intense events like a marathon, hundred mile bike ride, and the Avon 3-Day walk (60 miles over 3 days), I NEVER lost and usually gained a bit. Don't be too hard on your body, it has been stressed. Congrats!
I'm starting to rethink using artificial sweetener. It seems to set off my sweet tooth and I've heard of studies that indicate that it has the same effect on the brain as sugar.
I've had several sugar binges recently triggered by aspartame sweetened products. Suddenly the aspartame in my tea seems intensely sweet too.
I've tried Splenda with the same results. Now I'm thinking about giving Stevia (made from plant leaves) a try. Anyone have any experience with it? Or is there a thread I can read?
Dagmar -There are a few threads on it, I'll see if I can find them for you when I get to work. I use Stevia a good bit, the brand I have is the fiber enhanced TruLeaf. If you get this one, make sure you are stirring your beverage while you add the Stevia, then continue to stir for about 30 seconds. It can get a little bitter if you add too much, I think the serving on mine is 1/4 tsp or 1/2 of a packet. I like it - tastes great, doesn't have any weird side effects for me. Splenda makes me pretty sick - headaches, nausea, rash. There is a vanilla flavored stevia liquid out there that I've heard of people using, but I don't know it personally.
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 04-21-2009 at 07:15 AM.
Reason: ETA - obviously still asleep, looking at my grammar
Dagmar, I'm coming to that conclusion too. Even though I drank diet sodas and used artificial sweeteners when I was successfully losing weight, it seems like they do make me hungrier. I still use a few products with Splenda (SF jam, diet cocoa) but have cut out diet soda completely for the past few months and don't miss it.
But wouldn't stevia have the same effect on the body as the other sweeteners? I think the studies indicate that ingesting sweet foods sets our bodies up to expect an influx of calories and when it doesn't, we get hungry in response. I'm sure that's an oversimplification, but it seems that a sweetener without calories might trigger the same physical reaction, whether it's derived from a plant or synthesized.
My goal is to get 100% away from any kind of added sweetener, whether it's sugar or a substitute. Don't know if I can do it though!
Dagmar, I'm coming to that conclusion too. Even though I drank diet sodas and used artificial sweeteners when I was successfully losing weight, it seems like they do make me hungrier. I still use a few products with Splenda (SF jam, diet cocoa) but have cut out diet soda completely for the past few months and don't miss it.
But wouldn't stevia have the same effect on the body as the other sweeteners? I think the studies indicate that ingesting sweet foods sets our bodies up to expect an influx of calories and when it doesn't, we get hungry in response. I'm sure that's an oversimplification, but it seems that a sweetener without calories might trigger the same physical reaction, whether it's derived from a plant or synthesized.
My goal is to get 100% away from any kind of added sweetener, whether it's sugar or a substitute. Don't know if I can do it though!
I have the same eventual goal as you Meg, except I can't drink tea without some sort of sweetener - have tried.
I'm again trying to cut down on the diet soda (my eternal struggle with diet Pepsi is legend at the featherweights group) and on other overly sweet things. I'm going to use the stevia as a stepping stone from the oversweet Splenda to whatever I end up using. I'm going to eventually make my own iced tea to replace the soda (I need some sort of summer caffeine delivery vehicle other than regular tea) and I want a bit of sweetener in it.
I have to do things gradually. My body gets really stressed when I just stop giving it something it's wired to accept. And then I binge eat.
I think I've just outlined my spring health project here. Been kicking it around in my brain and now it's out!
Jay, a while ago I tried returning to my original plan of 1400-1600 cals/day to try to lose and it wasn't working. That's why I think I need to eat closer to 1200 in order to actually lose weight. I haven't been trying to lose recently because of the triathlon, but now that it's over I find myself 20lbs over my goal weight and I've been steadily gaining for a year. It's time for a change!
I picked up the Volumetrics eating plan book yesterday on my way home. It's got a couple chapters explaining the idea then the rest of the book is recipes. I do love my cookbooks! I started calculating calories/gram for the foods I eat regularly and it's already pretty eye-opening. My breakfast cereal may be high-fiber and have whole grains, but it's got 190 cals for just 59 grams.
Anyway I think I'm going to give it a shot. I'm going to spend this week putting together a coordinated food/exercise plan, then next week I'm going to put my nose to the grindstone. I signed up for a bootcamp class that's once a week in May and I'm going to pick up NRLW again too, then on the other days probably do running intervals or the occasional swim intervals. I'm also thinking of signing up for another triathlon and trying to decide whether I want to do it in July or August, and then whether I want to do the one that's in a park or the one that's downtown.
Metabolism, you suck! It's time to get revved up!!!
Ack! I think I need to go back to Canada! I'm visiting my fiance in NC and, as usual, I'm getting sucked into the huge array of "diet" products that we don't have at home-- fat free Reddi-Whip, fat free Pringles, lower-cal Klondike bars, diet Mountain Dew, and the list goes on! I KNOW that just 'cause something is low-cal doesn't mean it's good for me, especially since I inevitably eat way more "because I can". Gotta turn off the part of my brain that's telling me to indulge!
I exercised last night and this morning. Feel much better today. I have been on a pretty vile mood the last week or so, and it looking at my Daily Plate last night I realized I have exercised a lot less over the last ten days than normal, took three days off in a row over Easter weekend, then no formal exercise from Fri-Sun this weekend, missed a couple of week days here and there. I've been thinking about it, and I've been feeling symptoms similar to when I came off the antidepressants I had been taking for five years back in 2005. Is it possible to have an 'addiction' to the exercise effect? I know it generates endorphins, activates other chemicals in your brain, etc. I'm wondering if I have been evil for two weeks because of the absence of those chemicals. I feel much better today after exercising last night and this morning.
Jessica - good luck with Volumetrics!
Meg - I don't find that Stevia makes me hungrier, but I consume it so seldom these days I might just not notice. I typically put one 1 tsp of raw sugar in my coffee and tea and just accept those calories.
Dagmar - I made a Rosemary Lemonade with Stevia that was pretty good, and added a nice variety to my drink selection.
Dagmar and Meg~my doctor wants me to stay away from any sweetener, artificial or natural. It's part of that book he touts (Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution). I agree that diet soft drinks do tend to make me want to eat, but I think it's due to the aftertaste of the product.
Jessica~keep us informed on how the volumetrics works for you. And good luck!
I had a good day yesterday. I must have been retaining water because I sure spent a lot of time in the bathroom! This morning, my scale showed a 1.5 pound loss. I KNOW it is just water. I can't pinpoint what would have caused the retention.
Oh. Does anyone have an idea on how to tell if a mango is ripe? I just have no clue!
Anyone tried Stevia?
struggle with diet Pepsi is legend at the featherweights group) and on other overly sweet things. I'm going to use the stevia as a stepping stone from the oversweet Splenda to whatever I end up using. I'm going to eventually make my own iced tea to replace the soda (I need some sort of summer caffeine delivery vehicle other than regular tea) and I want a bit of sweetener in it.
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