I see a lot of people saying "I started with XYZ plan and NOW I'm doing ABC"

I'm one of them.

May 2006 I started South Beach Diet. It works. I lost 70 pounds and I stalled. NOT because the plan failed me but because I failed the plan. I was still eating GREAT food, however I was eating enough great food to sustain the Ravens during training. So i was stalled.

Along the way I had 'modified" South Beach. I added corn on the cob as a once in a while treat, I had watermelon in the summer, I ate dried peaches as a fruit. I had white rice with my take out chinese food. Minor things really.

In August 2008 I added Weight Watchers Points counting to what is basically a healthy food diet. and I'm losing again.


So my plan is not really just South Beach nor is it just Weight Watchers as I combine the two and eat pretty much the same foods I was eating I just eat them in smaller amounts.

anyone else find their plan has "morphed" into a true lifestyle.

I started with calorie counting, and am still counting calories (though estimating mostly), but have cut out most processed foods most of the time.

I am calorie counting, so I haven't altered my basic approach. But I have altered the focus of those calories and I eat more healthy fats and place a stricter limit on the starchy foods since I started in January. I also did calorie counting decades ago -- the foods I ate then bear little resemblance to the foods I eat now.

I started with Protein Power, then switched to Atkins. Both worked very very well and I still use some of their theory. But Im now working weight watchers.

I'm not sure which to choose really. I picked "modified my original plan" as I guess it's closest.

I started out with straight calorie counting and not really paying attention to WHAT I ate, as long as I stayed within my range.

As I researched and learned more about nutrition, exercise, weights, etc., I changed everything about what I was doing: adding weight lifting to my exercise, focusing on building strength as much as losing weight, adding a lot more protein to my diet, eating cleaner, cutting out HFCS and refined sugars, etc. A lot of the changes I made to my diet and exercise also dovetailed with wanting to be more environmentally responsible and trying to minimize my carbon footprint. So not only do I eat cleaner, I try to eat more local foods. I try to eat seasonally rather than picking veggies and fruits that are flown in from across the world. I buy organic free-range eggs now. I make my own yogurt. I try to buy meat that has been raised and slaughtered responsibly, etc.

I still count calories, but with a lot more awareness and understanding of what I'm doing to and with my body.

So really the short version of it is that I haven't just modified my plan, but I've modified my life.

Probably more than you wanted to know.

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no it's what I wanted to know exactly.

it's why it works for you! mine is eating totally differently, shopping differently, thinking differently....

I started with South Beach Diet about 5 years ago, then modified South Beach Diet, then kind of did my own thing in a variety of ways for a while (multiple years). I always kept SBD principles in my head though. Then got frustrated and tried some things including Eat to Live, which I didn't keep at but I did keep the vegan portion. I tried Weight Watchers, which worked for me until the binge monster came. Then I tried South Beach Diet again but my CSA was against me with lots of fruit and starchy veggies. Then I went back to doing my own thing and was doing decently until I increased my exercise. I've kicked and screamed for years avoiding calorie counting but that is where I'm at now. I knew it would come down to this some day. I also consulted with a nutritionist about my specific goals and she gave me some good guidelines, although many things I already knew.

I started calorie counting, but now I'm kinda doing calorie shifting. Instead of holding at 1300-1400, I aim for 1100-1800 and balance it out by the week's end. I also eat as much "super foods" a day as possible and *try* to keep my protein, carbs, sodium, fat, etc in check on a daily basis. I try for 40/30/30 every day.

I started on WW, did Flex, then Core. After I got stuck forever I went on Nutrisystem to get going again. Gradually switched back to my own foods and now do calorie counting following a moderate carb/protein/fat combo. Kind of like the Zone, but not so strict.
It's officially my own way of eating, and I am quite happy with it

I started out with a whole foods approach and calorie counting. Then a month ago I became vegetarian. I also felt a need to try a bunch of new recipes for a change. All of that turned into ... confession time ... I haven't counted calories for a month now. And I've been having more fat (mainly in the form of more OO and nuts and seeds), and a few (not a lot) more little sweets and snacks. So I really want to know what my calories and macros are doing. But I've been too lazy to do it with all the new recipes. I do of course have a general idea. But I don't really know .

But I'm definitely still all about the whole foods approach.

Yes, but I'm planning to change soon. I started with the Flat Belly Diet because I have read the science and used it already to lose some belly fat, plus it was Mediterranean foods. One thing that made it easy was the website picks menus for you with a wide range of limitations. I selected gluten and dairy free with no pork, and was very pleased. I'm planning to change to Paleo (because I can eat everything on that one, plus)... no calorie counting! And may add Zone while using Paleo later, if I need a little more help with the weight loss (good portion and insulin response control). There, who knew??? LOL I hadn't even blogged that yet!

I started purely calorie counting. It wasn't too long (maybe 2 weeks?) before I realized the benefits of volumetrics, and not long after that before I started eliminating refined carbs and started upping the protein levels.

As time went on and I got into weight lifting and heavy exercise I added more protein and fat, further restricting junk carbs, nearly mimicking the bodybuilder guys diet at my gym.

So modified original plan I do suppose. The core is still calorie counting, just with a twist.

WW Flex until menopausal, then switch to South Beach. Best way of eating for me I've ever been on.

Yes. My plan is simple. eat good and excersie daily.

Great question, Nessa! Like most of you my food plan has evolved as my lifestyle has evolved. I started out calorie counting but still eating the Standard American Diet. Chef Boyardee was acceptable if it fit into my calories. I realized quickly that I could eat MORE food if I made better choices, so it morphed a bit to Volumetrics. Then I started weight training and my eyes were opened to the importance of protein for this new lifestyle. So I started eating mini meals with protein, but still including volumetric principles. That's pretty much where I am now, but I have also incorporated a lot of Whole Food principles....my proteins are still key to my plan, my carbs are whole grain, and I eat plenty of fruits and veggies. I pay attention to my fats and choose heart healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and walnuts. I am paying attention to serving size, but not really calorie counting per se. I get my servings of proteins, veggies, fruits, fats, and carbs and I am maintaining. Processed food is very very rare for me these days.