[natenkayliesmom]

Hey all! I woke up this morning with the realization that something has got to give. My weight is at an all time non-pregnancy high. My health is suffering. And I don't know what to do to get it down.

I walk everyday & still there has been no budge in this bulge. I want to be able to stick to a plan but one that will work. Right now, it's so hard to decide on a plan because of other family circumstances. My daughter was just recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease which means that she cannot have any products with wheat, rye, barley or oats. So, that would make you think that I could do low carb no problem. But, my son is a very picky eater & will not eat a lot of meat and/or veggies. So I have to buy certain things that only he will eat.

I could do low carb, I guess since typing all this out made it obvious to me that either way, I'm going to have to cook two meals for supper. But I would like a low carb plan where I could still have fruit. Is there a such thing?

Help!

[gingerjen]

Hi,
I know how you feel not knowing which eating plan to chose. Each one has its pros and cons. I just decided that if I am going to have to make a change that will last the rest of my life that I am going to do it my way. I am doing low carb, don't necessarily count my carbs, I just stay away from the carbs that go straight to our hips. I am also watching my calories and fat. I am just kinda mixing the plans together and it really seems to be working for me. I love my fruit and veggies so I eat them. All I can say is experiment and see what works best for you, that is what I did. Good luck.
Jen

[LaDean]

your idea is great. mix plans and come up with one for you. that is what i do alot. was on atkins. reached goal. now i want a change. so mostly eating what i want but less and smaller portions. get the measure cups out till you know what a cup is and all. i sat it out on the cubboard till i knew. then you have to work off what goes in. so do some of that. it will make you lose. get off the sugar. oh my that is a change in itself. you will feel so good. you can do it. good luck to both of you. LaDean

[aphil]

I think you need to take some time and research some different plans. Yes, there is a low carb plan that lets you have fruit-it is the South Beach plan. It is different than Atkins. Atkins really limits ALL carbs...and lets you have pretty much all meats, and all fats. (Even bacon and butter-which I think are unhealthy for you.)

The South Beach plan eliminates "bad carbs" or simple carbohydrates such as sugar, white/refined flour and bread products-BUT-it encourages you to eat meats that are lean (not bacon!) such as chicken breast, fish, and very lean cuts of beef...and to eat HEALTHY fats such as nuts and olive oil-rather than butter and grease. Cheese is fat free/low fat...which on Atkins it is full fat. It also incorporates dairy, which is pretty limited on Atkins as well. I think it is the best lower carb plan out there personally. You do a 2 week induction with very limited carbs-but after that you incorporate complex carbs-such as WHOLE GRAIN bread/cereals/pasta in small servings, and fruits back into your diet. You are just avoiding the simple carbs, and bad fats.

Have you checked out your local health food stores? You mentioned that your daughter cannot have wheat, rye, barley, and oats. In health food stores, and in health food sections of some good grocery stores that have them-they have foods meant for people avoiding certain things, or with certain food allergies. The health food section of my store has pastas that are not made from wheat-but pastas that are made from rice flour, corn flour, etc. and breads snacks and things made without wheat, etc. You should check out those areas and see what you can find. If you just want to eat a regular low fat, low calorie diet-you can do that and still make things such as pasta for BOTH of your children. There are a LOT of things out there-just check the health food sections out.
You can incorporate your daughter's condition in with a regular low calorie diet without going low carb. Just limit your calorie intake each day-and avoid junk. Eat the lean meats, fruit, veggies, and good carbs. If you want a carb with dinner-make baked potatoes, or look for some of the products I mentioned in the health food section. Experiment and there are things that you can find that the whole family can eat. Rice is another option for a carb that the whole family can eat. (You didn't mention her not being able to eat rice.) You don't have to go low carb just because she can't tolerate to 3-4 things.
I currently eat between 1300-1800 calories per day, and have done well.
Good luck,
Aphil

[AmyMCGS]

I'm right there with you on having a hard time deciding which plan to use. I read the Zone diet book about three weeks ago.... then I read South Beach... and now I finally think that WW is the way to go for me. It suits my lifestyle better.

The last time I lost weight I was on the 90/10 diet, which is 90% healthy foods and 10% fun-- basically it's a calorie-counting program. That was a great book and very realistic. I just got tired of counting all the calories and eventually got out of the habit.

I'm still not positive that any one plan is the one for me, but, now I'm really leaning towards doing WW at home on my own. I'm awaiting an eBay auction to end- hopefully I will have won a cheap starter kit.

In the meantime, I've been cutting down my portions, snacking less, and exercising more.