So just curious -- what plan are most of you on?

On a scale of one to ten -- one being not at all and ten being right on the nose -- can you answer the following.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
3. My diet is well known.
4. I made my own diet up for myself.
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
8. I am still struggling to get it right.
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)

1. My diet is food-restrictive. NO
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.) YES
3. My diet is well known. YES, IT'S CALLED EATING
4. I made my own diet up for myself. YES
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes. IF ANYONE ASKS I'M HAPPY TO SAY I'M EATING BETTER, OTHERWISE I COULD GIVE A S**T ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE - NO ONE CARES LOL
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes. YES AND NO. I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes. YES
8. I am still struggling to get it right. YES
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with. YES
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

So just curious -- what plan are most of you on?

On a scale of one to ten -- one being not at all and ten being right on the nose -- can you answer the following.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.

Well it's calorie restrictive, so therefore in a sense it's kinda restrictive. (Restrictive is good by the way. ) I CHOOSE to restrict certain foods majority of the time, all right large majority of the time. So maybe I'd give it a 7.5

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)

10

3. My diet is well known.

Well it is my own plan, but it IS calorie counting, which has been around forever. So let's say we give it a 8.

4. I made my own diet up for myself.

Yes and no. I incorporated my favorite foods, my likes and dislikes. My "scheduele". But then again it's that well known calorie counting thing going on, combined with mostly whole foods. So let's give it a 7.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.

At this point whoever knew me before said lifestyle change pretty much knows for sure that SOMETHING has changed with me. There's just no way around that. A 3, maybe?

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.

10 I'm the cook, nuf' said .

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.

1,000,000,000,000 nah - make that INFINITY


8. I am still struggling to get it right.

Well I've gotten it "right". Meaning I know EXACTLY what to do. But there are still days that it's a struggle to actually DO what needs to be done. And I suspect there always will be. Maybe a 4 or a 3 or a who knows what?

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.

10+

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)

10++++

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
Nope, not in the least.
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
YEP
3. My diet is well known.
Calorie-counting, not a commercial plan, so I guess in a way, yes.
4. I made my own diet up for myself.
Yeah
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
I tell everyone who needs to know, like friends struggling with weight loss and those that may not know they're tempting me with goodies Everyone close to me is aware. I've pretty much told EVERYONE. (I talk alot).
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
It's just me and my husband, and yes, he's getting healthier, too!
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
Yes!!! It's great!
8. I am still struggling to get it right.
Not really. (Struggling is when I'm bingeing uncontrollably!!)
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
I was, but now I'm having to adjust my calories and up the exercise. (I'm "happy" that I'm eating according to a healthier plan, which I certainly wasn't doing before!)
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)
Yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!! What a blessing this place has been in helping me do this! I've never "met" such amazingly supportive and helpful people.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
Yes. When I changed my life in July 2004, I gave up: fast food, sugary soda, packaged baked goods, most fried foods, foods in cream-based sauces, most candy. I severely limit the following: alcohol, desserts, ice cream, cold cereal, the occasional piece of fine dark chocolate, cheese (mostly because it hurts my stomach these days. I honestly do not miss these foods at all - switching to whole foods eliminated most of my crazy food cravings.

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
Absolutely. My plan is basically whole foods + calorie counting. It is flexible, allowing occasional treats. I understand that I will occasionally eat offplan, I just have to immediately get back on plan. I have been maintaining my weight within 5 lbs for over 2.5 years and it has included holidays, vacations, 5 course dinners and extremely fancy restaurants (with course by course wine pairings!).

3. My diet is well known.
No.

4. I made my own diet up for myself.
Yes. In my opinion the only diet that will work for a particular individual is a diet that is created by that individual. I am the only one who knows I can live without fast food but I can't live without an occasional glass of red wine. I am the only one that knows I can eat baby carrots/red pepper strips/grape tomatoes and sugar snap peas for a snack every day but I need to split dessert in a restaurant once a week with friends.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
Ha. No. All of my family, friends, coworkers know about my "super food diet." I lost nearly 75 lbs and people ask all the time how I did it.

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
N/A

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
Some days are better than others I am very good about my "NO'S" but I succumb to temptation occasionally (ate a surprise piece of baklava today, heh). But hey - I am human, it will happen. I made my healthy dinner for tonight and MOVED ON.

8. I am still struggling to get it right.
No. I feel very comfortable with my new healthy way of eating. I do have the occasional "oh wow, you really ate a lot of cheese and crackers at the company meeting" but I accept that I will occasionally eat offplan. I try to make 90% of my choices GOOD choices.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
I lost the first 55 lbs in about 7 months. It took me another 9 months to lose the last 15 lbs. Overall, I was very happy with the rate of loss and my eventual end weight.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.- No 10
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)- yes! 10
3. My diet is well known. a huh! 8
4. I made my own diet up for myself. yes, with much research 10
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes. yes. I am somewhat private about this in my personal life. 10
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes. just my immediate family. 10
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes. I'm getting there! 8
8. I am still struggling to get it right. no 10
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with. yes 9
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there) yes 10

Oooo funness!

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
7...I've just switched to lighter foods and lesser quantities. Still good quality though!

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
10...I can eat what I want so long as I (A) keep count and (B) don't go buck wild.

3. My diet is well known.
10...just counting calories; its seems to be very common.

4. I made my own diet up for myself.
10...Like I said I just eat smarter now.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
5...I don't walk around with a sandwich board advterising that I'm trying to lose weight. But my husband, both sides of the family and the friends we spend time with (dinners...eek!) know.

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
10...right now its just the hubby and I (no kids). He's on board and eating healthier with me.

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
8...I still have yucky days where I slip, but overall I'm doing alright. I can stay up alone now, whereas I used to have to either go to bed or risk gorging when the hubby went to sleep!

8. I am still struggling to get it right.
8...I need to work on getting off my butt and exercising. I'm so lazy!

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
3...according to the math I did when I set my first mini-goal, I should be down almost 10 pounds, not 6!

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)
10+++ 3FC's the source is my inspiration. I heart all of you guys!

My diet is food-restrictive. Well I haven't eaten poultry or red meat for years
but my diet allows me to eat anything as long as it is good for me.
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.) Yes, I think so, salads are almost everywhere.
3. My diet is well known. It is not really a diet, it is just eating healthy( what alot of experts are saying).
4. I made my own diet up for myself. yes
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes. yes
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes. yes
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes. yes
8. I am still struggling to get it right. no
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with. yes
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there) yes

Great question and interesting answers!

1. My diet is food-restrictive.

Absolutely. I'm not sure how we can lose weight if we don't restrict food? I restrict both the kinds of food I eat and the quantities.

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)

Sure, because I'm a calorie counter and everything has calories, so can be counted.

3. My diet is well known.

Who hasn't heard of calories and calorie counting?

4. I made my own diet up for myself.

Pretty much. Even though I'm a calorie counter, I don't consider all foods to be equal. Also, I hate being told what to eat. So I eat what I like within limited calories and certain parameters of lean protein, good carbs, and good fats, in the ratios that work best of me. I choose not to eat about 95% of what's considered to be "food".

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.

Why? I'm proud of what I eat and my lifestyle changes. I'm proud of who I am today. And I've reached the point in my life where I don't give a fig about what anyone else thinks.

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.

DS lost 70 pounds and DD lost 55 pounds, so as a family we've lost 247 pounds. But they eat and exercise very much their own ways, which is often different than my way.

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.

Absolutely. It doesn't kill you to be hungry and it's a lot easier to say no to the first cookie than the second. Unfortunately, I'm not a moderate person so my way of dealing with temptations is to stay far, far away.

8. I am still struggling to get it right.

I know exactly what to do, but actually doing it is still tough at times.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.

I'm maintaining (5+ years at goal) but I'd really like to lose five more pounds and that's just as s-l-o-w as can be.

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)

It's been a part of my life for ten years now!

I love this thread . . .

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
Guess that depends on what "food-restrictive" means to you. It's restrictive in the sense that I'm eating less and controlling some of my choices fairly strictly. It's non-restrictive in the sense that nothing is totally off-limits.

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
Absolutely. This is a life-style change.

3. My diet is well known.
Sort of Yes, but mostly No

4. I made my own diet up for myself.
Mostly Yes. Kind of a cross pollination of CDA (Canadian Diabetes Association) guidelines with aspects of Volumetrics and good old Calorie Counting thrown in.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
Not a biggie. If they ask, I tell . . . If they don't, I don't.

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
My immediate family is ME

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
I think I was always "able to handle temptations" but I just didn't do it - now I do it (most of the time, anyway ).

8. I am still struggling to get it right.
I expect I will be "struggling" to "keep it right" for the rest of my life.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
Well . . . no . . . I'd like it to be faster (wouldn't we all); but I am happy just to be losing at all.

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

1. My diet is food-restrictive.

Nope!

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)

Of course!

3. My diet is well known.

Well, I would imagine it is.

4. I made my own diet up for myself.

Sort of? I don't like calling it a diet though. I just call it "eating healthier" I count calories and cut out all the snacks that I used to eat DAILY but other than that..it's just normal eating healthier. I can't take credit for making it up

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.

The only people that need to know is my immediate family whom I live with

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.

My stick skinny husband enjoys eating my food...and then the rest of the families dinner..if that counts haha

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.

Definitely. I just think about the scale and how I don't want to be this way forever.

8. I am still struggling to get it right.

Well of course, I will probably always struggle..no one is perfect.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.

It's only the beginning but yea I'm happy with it!

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)

OF COURSE! I don't know what I would do without 3FC!

My "diet" has evolved so much in the past couple years.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
Probably an 8 - When I first started losing weight, I just starting improving my eating and I started losing weight. As I lost more weight, my eating plan evolved and became more restrictive but all the restrictions are really my own.

2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
9 - The only reason this isn't a 10 is because sometimes I voluntarily go off plan a couple times per year. Mostly when I go visit my family and get to eat food that I don't normally eat. I don't generally have difficulties fitting in normal situations though with my eating plan.

3. My diet is well known.
3 - My eating plan contains components of many weight loss principles but it has really been my own evolution.

4. I made my own diet up for myself.
7 - Yes and no. I've used lots of components from various influences but it isn't a cookie cutter and it wasn't something I just came up with out of the blue.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
7 - I really don't mention it but others do ask and I'll tell them how I've lost weight. I will also mention what things I try to do. DH knows what I'm doing though.

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
8 - Again, yes and no. DH eats things I don't eat but both of us try to eat fairly healthy. I also reduced both of our portions in eating. DH has a higher metabolism though so he really needs to eat a bit more than I do and also he doesn't need to lose weight.

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
10 - Definitely. When I eat junk, I want junk. When I eat healthier, I want to eat healthier.

8. I am still struggling to get it right.
3 - I'm not sure struggling is the right word but I do try to keep improving my eating plan as I lose weight. Also sometimes it is difficult to get the amount of exercise that I want to get.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
9 - I am pretty happy with the rate at which I lose weight. Even when I don't lose weight, I am happy with my overall eating plan.

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)
10 - Of course

Great thread! I'm going to forgo the number scale and just respond to the statements.

1. My diet is food-restrictive.
Not in the least. I'm taking this to mean specific foods, not calories. Obviously I restrict the total number of calories.
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.)
Yes, because it's not food-restrictive!
3. My diet is well known.
I guess, because I count Weight Watchers points. I don't follow their plan exactly -- I just count points instead of calories because it's handy and it accounts for fat and fiber.
4. I made my own diet up for myself.
Yes, in the sense that I've taken the WW plan and tweaked it a bit.
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes.
No, I'm ok with talking about it. I wasn't as much at first, because I worried about being able to stick with it, but I've been pretty open all along.
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes.
It's just me and the husband, and he eats pretty healthily anyway. He takes part more in the exercise part because he gives me running advice.
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes.
Absolutely.
8. I am still struggling to get it right.
I'm definitely not struggling, because my weight loss has been consistent for nearly a year. I do tweak things sometimes, but I've pretty much been doing the same thing and getting reliable results for quite a while now, so I'd say I've got it right.
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with.
Yes, it's been a pretty consistent 1-2 pounds a week for almost a year.
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there)
Of course!!!

1. My diet is food-restrictive. Yes, but if it wasn't, I would have a bigger body!
2. My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.) Yes
3. My diet is well known. Yes, low-fat, calorie-counting, and exercise!
4. I made my own diet up for myself. Yes, pretty much actually.
5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes. Doesn't bother me, hubby is on Atkins!
6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes. Yes, they have no choice since I cook, though my kids still get their treats because they don't have any weight issues
7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes. Yes, suprisingly!
8. I am still struggling to get it right. Not really, I struggle more with figuring out what to have within my calorie range than I struggle with the total amount of calories I can have.
9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with. Sure, why not. I'd prefer more, but I know that isn't reasonable!
10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there) Yes

1. My diet is food-restrictive. 5 I pretty much eat whatever I want to.

2.My diet will work in variable situations for the rest of my life (holidays, parties, etc.) 9 Yea since I don't strictly forbid myself anything, how could it go wrong? HAHA

3. My diet is well known. 10 Calorie counting is number 1!!

4. I made my own diet up for myself. 8 I stole calorie counting and made it my own.

5. I try not to let others know that I am making these lifestyle changes. 2 Who cares if they know?

6. My whole family is taking part in aspects of my lifestyle changes. 6 One aunt to the point of annoyance because she thinks she knows everything about dieting and I am TOTALLY doing it wrong.

7. I am better able to handle temptations since I began my changes. 7 Not quite...

8. I am still struggling to get it right. 7 Somedays more than others.

9. I am losing weight at a rate I am happy with. 9 I am sure we all wish it could be overnight...but of course I am happy with the way things are going.

10. I love 3FC (just had to stick that in there) over 9000000000