"Non-Diet" diets
 

I know there are a thousand and one diets out there, everything from WW to SouthBeach to Grapefruit Diet to you-name-it. Personally, I think whatever diet works for you is the way to go, for each individual person.

But what I'm interested to know is how many of us are actually ON a "diet" vs. how many of us are just "eating healthy & exercising daily"? Or simply watching calorie intake? Portion sizes? Just "eating when I'm hungry & stopping when I'm full" ?

I ask because I swear I've been on/off diets since I was a kid. I was able to keep my weight at the "impossible skinny" level when I was a teenager. But since womanhood actually hit, I've been fighting it left & right. Lose it, gain it, lose it, gain it. I have gotten to the point where I no longer care to diet another day in my life. I don't want to give up my favorite foods, and I don't want to eat things that are yucky to me, no matter how good they are for me. During this "journey" I have learned to like foods that I used to not like, & I have given up plenty of foods that I used to love because I simply can no longer stand them (Doritos come to mind! ick! Used to love'm, now I hate'm!)

I decided a while back that I would jumpstart my "diet" with SouthBeach, and I did lose 18 pounds but have been plateaued for about 2 months now. I am no longer doing SouthBeach. I want to just pay attention to what my body is telling me, and eat when I'm hungry & stop before I am stuffed - so that I am pleasantly full. I know I eat very well most of the time, but sometimes I want a vending machine bag of Peanut M&Ms instead of a handful of grapes. Sometimes I want a soda instead of water.

And sometimes I want a HUGE plate of veggies and baked chicken as opposed to cheesy pizza.... and luckily, that's MOST of the time for me.

In other words, I'm tired of all this dieting & I wonder if I no longer let it be the focus of my existence if maybe I'll lose weight by simply just being a human being.

I count calories... but I don't eat 'diet food'.. I eat what I love, and I love yummy food! Counting calories just helps me stay accountable with ingredients and portion size. I don't really say no to anything, I just work around it if I really want something. 'Diets' never worked for me in the past, but this does.

I count calories which is much easier if you eat plain, whole, natural foods. Fat has enormous amounts of calories without any nutrition, so I guess I eat low fat-ish.
One refined carb leads to another and another etc etc etc ... so I guess I kinda low carb-ish.
Eating a little bowl of all bran makes me feel nice and full, so I guess I kinda high fiber too.
The nurse practitioner who did my physical wants me to watch my salt intake, I guess I low salt it too.
Sometimes, I just want what I want ... but I count the calories and take my lumps.
It's been a journey of discovery and I call it .... 'how I eat'.

I count calories and watch my protein & fiber intake. I also exercise almost every day.
For me, I could be eating all the foods I used to eat, but I am much fuller and happier and tend not to overeat if I stick to healthier alternatives or just different choices in general, because those foods are the ones that have the most protein & fiber, have the most bulk for calorie amount (volume I guess), and I am just learning to like them better.

The only organized diet I ever tried was signing up for ediets years ago. They gave me an eating plan, and though I tried to follow it, I just simply didn't eat the foods they told me or I didn't have anything like it in my house and I was much younger (in high school) so I not only had less discipline but I didn't have the opportunity to go grocery shopping and buy those certain foods.
For whatever reason, the idea of restricting foods does not fly with me. Though I restrict myself a bit, I guess, by choosing a healthier choice over what I'd consider junk food, if I REALLY wanted that junk food, I would have a portion controlled amount. If I were on a plan, I am sure that they would tell me to do either exactly what I did, or just not have it no matter what.

I guess it is a game of guess and check... figuring out what works for you and only you!

I wouldn't say I'm on a "diet" but I definitely don't just eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full - I don't have much of an "off switch" and can easily eat when I'm not hungry. I do enjoy healthy foods, but I would always want a brownie or a scone or french fries, pizza or nachos. When I "listened" to my body and ate what it wanted - I ended up weighing 200 lbs.

Now, I try to listen to my brain and eat what is good for me. My lifestyle includes a lot of planning, calorie estimating, lunch packing and food journaling. It's not a diet per se, but it is very structured and personalized - to my own triggers/weaknesses.

For me, personally, I don't ever want to drink soda or eat peanut M&Ms again or eat fast food again. These are my personal choices and I don't consider it a diet. I made these choices because these are "trigger" foods for me, I don't want a handful of M&Ms, I want a 1 lb bag, eating 1 M&M (just an example, it is the same for hershey's miniatures or Oreos or thin mint girl scout cookies), I immediately want more and more and more.

I do enjoy grapes (just continuing on the examples above), so I have to make sure I plan for grapes (or raspberries or a nectarine or a mango) and have it on hand!!!

So, I guess I am a restrictor but it works for me. When I don't eat the trigger foods, I don't binge and I don't feel bad about myself. I have fewer cravings. Overall, when I eat healthy, I feel better about me. I went so many years just hating myself that it is a blissful relief not to feel a need to beat myself up all the time. I don't feel restricted, I feel set free. I was a prisoner of my "sugar monster" for so long!!

I posted a lot (and edited like twice!) I hope I didn't come off sounding judgemental or weird, I firmly agree with a previous poster that weight loss/maintenance is very personal and individualized, what works for one person would probably not work for another person.

Right now, I'm on a moderate protein intake diet (balancing the complex carbs with some protein) because I'd like to make that more intuitively routine. I am trying to hit the gym more frequently during the week for the summer bathing suit season (I really don't need a six-pack, but it'd be nice to be really toned). I watch what I eat all the time, so it's one of those "life-choice" things. I guess I'm not really dieing afterall!

Oh I wouldn't call what I'm doing a "diet". I'm definitely in it for the long haul and it's more then a diet to me. It IS a lifestyle.

I don't eat yucky food. I never would have lasted this long if that were the case. I really and truly love, love, love all the foods that I am currently eating. I count calories because I absolutely HAVE TO. I MUST set limits for myself. I suspect that I will being counting these suckers for the remainder of my life. But to me it's worth it. Very much so in fact. It doesn't matter if I get tired of it - I'm still doing it. It's what works for me. The alternative is no longer an option for me. I will not go back to my old life. "Watching" myself and "trying" to eat healthy just didn't work for me. Although I love the healthy stuff, I also love the ummm, not so healthy stuff. I need the accountability of calorie counting, I need to eat healthy foods, not junk, so again, tired of it all or not tired - I'm sticking with it.

Beach Patrol, you bring up a really good question. What does "diet" mean? Does it mean following a program devised by someone else, or a company--like Weight Watchers, South Beach, Atkins, Sugar Busters, Jenny Craig... or does it mean any program that leads to weight loss--self devised or otherwise?

I usually use the term "weight loss program" myself, because the word "diet" has so many negative connotations. One gets images of nothing but egg whites and "rabbit food." :p

I found by trial and error that I could not just trust myself to make good choices without some guidelines to follow and follow strictly. After all, following my own desires was how I gained weight in the first place. And the second, and... so on.

So, I became a calorie counter. I don't have many "forbidden" foods, but I do have some on my list that I have to avoid just because there is too big a calorie hit and also because they make me want to eat uncontrollably. One of these foods is ice cream. Another is corn chips, especially the cheesy ones. And there are a couple of others. I don't mean that I never eat those while losing weight, but I don't keep them in the house.

(And Beach Patrol, no way would I eat a package of M&Ms from a vending machine while trying to lose weight, no matter how much I might "want" them! ;) The calorie hit is just too big, and there's too much sugar involved. A measly 1/4 cup of peanut M&Ms has 220 cals! That's like, lunch! :yikes:)

I figure out how many calories I can eat, and how much exercise I need to do, to lose at a certain rate. It doesn't always work out that way, but I keep going in the right direction. I also try to remain aware of balance--get vegetables, fruits. And in the last month I've also paid more attention to the percentages of proteins/fats/carbs I eat. I seem to need more proteins than I was getting.

Am I tired? Yes! Man o man am I tired! I am looking forward to reaching my short-term goal and starting maintenance by the end of this month. :carrot:

Do I expect that I'll have to watch what I eat and account for it somehow, forever? Yes! I've tried doing it the other way, and if I don't watch, I gain. This is just the laws of physics as they apply to my body.

Fortunately, I now know HOW to eat... so it's no longer quite so difficult.

That said, what works for me or doesn't work for me may not be the same for someone else. It's OK to try different things and see what happens.

Cheers!
Jay

I totally agree! It's so easy to get caught up in all the details of "dieting" that it becomes an obsession. The thought of going on a "diet" makes me want to go bury my face in the nearest quart of ice cream. That being said, there has got to be a way to balance the things your mind wants and the foods your body needs. I guess it's easier to not crave things when your body is getting the nutrition it needs, but sometimes you just want a cookie.

For me, the hard part is stopping after one serving of something unhealthy. I tend to pig out once I've given in to a craving. What's just one more, right? Hehe. I'm trying to take my new healthful approach one day at a time, do what I can when I feel it's doable (adding veggies, drinking water), and know that every step I take towards developing good eating habits is a step towards a healthier me. Some days this works, other days I eat like crap and feel like throwing in the towel. It's all a balancing act, right?

I count calories, but eat whatever I like within the range. And sometimes I go over and it's not a big deal. Yesterday I ate a ton of bad foods because I was bored and because I was eating emotionally, so those are things I'm trying to work, but that's not really a "diet" but it's about as close as I can get to one.

I'm more of a practice moderation kinda girl.

I would love to get away from the meticulous calorie counting and start intuitively eating, but I'm afraid of gaining. Especially when I'm drinking my calories (which is something I'm trying to stop).

Recently I've been giving myself the weekends "off", as far as entering every little thing into fitday and I've been holding steady. So I'm attempting to ease into it, I think, for me, that's the only way I can sustain long-term if I learn the whole "intuitive eating" thing and really learn to listen to my body.

Other than that just learning what my trigger foods are (brownies) and lots and lots of exercising and weight training.

Like everyone else has said it's a highly personal thing, lots of trial and error until you find what works for you.

I count calories , watching carbs and sodium. I refuse to spend another cent for someone to tell me what to eat.

I know that definately this is how I want to eat for the rest of my life, and I try not to look at it as a diet because when I do then I feel too pressured to lose weight consistently, and I'd rather just be happy, healthy, and content than stressed over weight. That being said, I do count calories, and I do make sure that I get some sort of intentional exercise everyday. Whether it's just a walk outside with the dogs, or if I'm weight training. I love how living this way makes me feel, and I'm hoping that as time goes on... I won't need to count calories anymore because I'll just know what's good for me and what's not.

I, too, don't follow a specific diet other than calorie counting. Indirectly I limit my fats & refined carbs, since that gives me less food for the caloric bang. But other than that nothing's really off-limits.

I count calories, which I guess isn't really a formal diet. But I'm pretty restrictive in terms of how many calories I eat and there are a lot of foods that are off limits right now because I can't fit them into my calorie range. I also measure or weigh almost everything I eat; plan out exactly what I will eat, including snacks, every day; and keep a record of it all. Finally, sometimes I will focus on trying to increase certain elements in my diet. Right now I'm trying to increase protein and reduce carbs.

So while I'm not on any specific "diet," I do still spend a lot of time planning what I will eat and keeping track of it all. I expect to continue doing this for the long-term, if not the rest of my life (well, until I'm 80--then all bets are off and I'm eating whatever I want :D ).

I do not follow a structured diet. I tried Atkin's once...it lasted for 2 weeks. Now I'm taking a different approach. When I first got serious about losing weight (a little over a year ago) I meticulously counted every calorie that went into my mouth. I don't really count calories anymore, at least not like I used to. I keep an estimate in my head throughout the day but I no longer log everything on the computer. I've changed my outlook and philosophy in general. I'm not "going on a diet to lose weight," I am instead "making smart lifestyle choices to be healthy," which, given my current weight, inevitably allows me to lose :)

I pretty much follow South Beach Diet. To me DIET means what I eat. My kid in college is on the Mac and Cheese and Ramen Diet.... it's just what he eats.... he's thin....

my philosophy however is that I eat whole foods, in large enough quantities to fuel me and satisfy me, I eat a variety of foods so i'm not bored. I exercise and I drink my water. This is now my life.

and yes on special occasions, I indulge. but i get right back on. to me that's the key...

eat healthy
drink your water
get some exercise
follow the plan you choose 80-90%

I don't count calories or weigh food. I talk about what I have done as a "Lifestyle Change". I basically changed what/when I eat and how much I move.

I eat three meals and three snacks a day, and that is basically the ONLY time I eat. If I tell myself that these are my 'eating' times, then I don't pick at food at other times. The only exception to this is perhaps when my hormones are messed up (ovulation and TOM) and then I may nibble on some nuts or something to stave off cravings.

I eat as 'clean' as possible, with as little processed food as possible. I had problems with my bladder a few years ago, which caffeine aggravated, so I stopped having coffee (I drank a LOT of iced coffee) and chocolate. I could probably go back to eating those now, but I choose not to, because I figure I have gone without them for so long (about 5 years or more) so why eat them now. Other foods I choose not to eat because they will upset my stomach, such as fatty takeaway foods.

All this said, I still eat a LOT of food, but it is mostly whole grains, vegetables and fruit, with smaller amounts (but still plenty) of protein than I used to eat. I certainly don't starve by any means.

I also exercise 5 or 6 days a week, for 40 to 80 minutes, depending on time allowance and energy. Hormone fluctuations seem to affect my energy levels as well, so I sometimes relax a little on the exercise a couple of times a month.

This has worked for me, but I know other people need something more structured. I have spent a LOT of time reading about our body and nutrition and I feel that this has made a huge difference in how I see food now.

Take care all,

Zelma

I essentially count calories and exercise as well. I don't document any of it, it's basically just being more aware of the calories I'm consuming. I haven't restricted anything (the only thing I consciously, deliberately had to turn my head away from at the store was Pringles cuz I used to eat those often). Some foods I just haven't had the yearning for (haven't set foot in McDonald's in over 6 months, probably longer). Other things I found lo-cal substitutes or alternatives for. Other things I use portion control. If I go over my preferred range of calories (usually if I have to go to some work-related thing), it's not by much so I keep it in perspective. I don't binge. And since my "main" meals are generally small anyway, that allows me some snacks throughout...sometimes it's fruit, sometimes it's salty snacks, depends what I'm in the mood for. I've basically come up with a plan, if you even want to call it that, that suits me and that I can live with and continue with.

I eat a plant-based diet (vegan) because this is a lifestyle choice and not related to my desire and efforts towards losing weight (although it IS related to health).

I eat really high fiber with lots of veggies and fruits (more veggies than fruits, really) because I know this is healthiest and keeps me satisfied.

I count (or at least monitor) calories because I intend to burn off at least 80 pounds of fat that does not serve me. I know it may take a year or two to get there. I am coming to terms with this and enjoying my life now, through the process.

I drink mostly water and allow myself an occasional coffee or tea or sparkling water and juice blend.

I exercise more and more and like how it makes me feel. I intend to keep it up!

That's my plan and I do my best to look at it as a life long way of being!

:carrot:

I count calories and try to get alot of fiber but other then that eat almost anything. I buy diet dinners and desserts for lunch and for snacks.

I would like to do intuitive eating, but I've actually had a hard time eating enough both times I've tried it. I'm going to try again when I reach goal, but if that doesn't work, then WW Core is what I'll do. You get basically unlimited whole foods (but eating only until satisfied, not stuffed) and 63 extra points to spend on other stuff (35 for non-maintenance). Don't ask me why, but it's a little easier to get my calories in that way.

Right now, though, I'm on WW Flex. I go back and forth between Flex and Core when I get bored, but usually flex is easier for me unless I'm having a lot of unnecessary cravings. I love WW because it taught me how to bulk up my meals for very little calories (...er... points) and I now know what is worth sacrificing extra points for and what isn't. Also, having done this for so long (just not continuously :dz:), it's just easier for me to think in terms of points rather than calories.

my daughter and son-in-law are doing Weight Watchers. She has lost about 9 pounds and he 34. Back before hubby retired, I did Weight Watchers, but it is so expensive. Even then I counted calories cause that was what I was used to.

I participate in a formal program right now (first formal weight loss program I've ever done!) but I do not consider it a diet. There is so much flexibility with the foods I eat on it; I make my own informed choices; I do have treat meals occasionally and get right back to the healthier foods and the foods my body like s better..
I chose to do this formal plan at this stage for several reasons..basically I have tried to lost weight many times in the past on my own, and I was always missing something..so what I wanted was accountability, personal responsibility, ans some momentum so I can make this a good HABIT that I can stick to forever. When I first started , I was kind of preoccupied with the price (I am frugal) but the longer I am on it, the more I realized, this is not a race. If I need the accountability and the personal coach aspect right now, I DESERVE IT. my body deserves it. And, I need to stack things in my favor as much as possibile to make the plan successful for me. I have been eating the "other" way for 30 years so it's going to take more than 2 months for the "new way"- tho I love it , to firmly stick as a habit. It's now a routine, but not a habit yet.
I have learned so much and I thought I already knew it all, lol ..then why wasn't I losing weight? I believed what some of those diet books were telling me..well for me they were incorrect. I now know how important it is for me to eat 5 times a day, even if I am not hungry. My metabolism has gone up so much it is not even funny. I know now that carbs aren't eveil and fruits are nothing to fear. I have sometimes 4 servings of fruit a day and still lose weight! Its not all about the carb grams (for me).

I am so excited becasue this is the first time in my life where I am happy with myself, not trying to rush, enjoying the process..and most importnantly. not white knuckling it, or feeling deprived. and I know that I can do this for life..every day i eat foods I enjoy very much.

This is me exactly. I've tried Intuitive Eating at least twice in my life, and I always ended up treating it like a diet. I'd obsess with whether I was hungry or not, whether I'd had enough, etc. I've read all the IE books, but they just don't work for me. I finally had to face the fact that, as much as I would like it to be otherwise, I need some outside parameters to lose weight. The easiest parameter for me is calorie counting. If I don't have some sort of outside parameter to regulate my eating, I could easily gain 50-60 lbs. in a year (it's happened before).

With all that said, I'd recommend a book called French Women Don't Get Fat. It's a good balance between eating for enjoyment and eating intuitively. I ultimately couldn't make it work longterm, but I don't think I gave it enough of a chance. Anyway, it's a good book.[/B]

A lot of interesting responses here! It seems that "calorie counting" is the clear winner (in this particular section, anyway.) That's pretty much what I've been doing since I got off SouthBeach, and I lost 10 pounds that way. I lost 8 pounds on Phase I of SouthBeach, & 10 pounds counting calories, for a total of 18lb loss. But even tho I was "counting calories", I was still pretty much doing SouthBeach. And I still believe the reason I can't get off this blasted plateau is because I cannot exercise like my body is used to exercising. I've been swimming lately (a little; remember - I can't do any major movements because of my 2 herniated disks) and riding my bike a little. I'm also doing some stretches (yoga type; not too major) & I do FEEL BETTER, but the weight isn't budging. I've examined & re-examined my diet. I'm averaging 1200-1400 calories per day, which is right where I'm supposed to be. Most of my calories come from veggies (usually raw, because I love salads) and lean meats (fish, turkey, chicken.) I drink around 128 oz water a day, and I love water - so that's never a problem. Sometimes, tho, I feel like having tea, or a can of soda. But it's not every day - maybe 2-3 times per week. For snacks, I usually eat fruit or nuts (specifically almonds). Just every once in a while, I crave a little VM food (vending machine) - but it's most definitely not every day.

What I'm saying is that I know I'm not fooling myself about my intake of food. I enter everything into FitDay, except my weekend foods (that's because I rarely touch the computer on weekends, LOL) and I don't deviate much from my weekly calorie counting.

I've been stressed a lot lately (renovating the house, etc.).... and I've read so much about what stress can do to your body that I think I should have a disease named after me... e-gads!...... I'm actually surprised I haven't gained any weight, because all the time our kitchen has been torn up, we have had to eat out a lot. But I've been choosing good & yummy healthy meals (grilled salmon, salads, etc.)

I think I'm just in a "diet slump." Maybe I should re-start the SouthBeach diet at Phase I & just get on with it. (Rant/Vent over! Thanks for listening!)

Interesting discussion. There is an IE thread here now on its 5th section. Each has about 400 posts. After 30 yr of dieting I just try to eat less according to hunger and we just got an eliptical that I am really enjoying.

I am on the "You: On a Diet" eating plan. I need structure to succeed. One day I am sure I will be able to just eat without consulting the book, but since I am adding in new foods, I like to try out the recipes they have. Plus I exercise 30 mins everyday and do strength training every other day for 20 mins. It's working for me. I did SBD in '05 and I cheated so bad but still managed to lose 40 pounds. But I gained it all back because I hadn't made a lifestyle change. This diet is allowing me to change the way I eat and think about foods, so I am all for it!

That is the way to think shy moment.

My lifestyle change is to eat as many whole foods as I can eventually converting the family and everything in the house to whole foods. Eating out can be exempt mostly cause we eat half our eating out stuff as basically whole foods.

I plan on the whole foods, lots of natural fruits and veggies and count the calories but be relaxed on the veggies. Before the last few weeks I would eat veggies like 2 servings and one of those would be lettuce...not exactly healthy!

I am gonna try to get my calories between 1200 for a low (on a good day where I am not so hungry) to 1800 ( on the munchie munchie days). I figure the variance will keep my body guessing and fuel me on days I get lots of exercise (my other new lifestyle change :) )

I started out by reading Small Changes big results, by Ellie Krieger. She has lists of foods which she suggests you eat "usually", "sometimes" and "rarely". I am mostly choosing foods from her usually list because I have been on lots of diets and am sick to death of counting calories, although I know the calorie counts of most things.

I try to fill my smaller sized plate with 1/4 (or less)meat, 1/4 starch and 1/2(usually more) of veggies and salad. In fact the salad is in addition. I allow myself lots of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion with a fresh fruit juice dressing. Again no counting anything.

I read some other book that I didn't like except for the suggestion to give up one thing that I had a problem with. I agreed with myself to give up butter/margerine, granola bars, and peanut butter. Butter is not a problem for me except I was using it mindlessly, so I decided to try not using it. Granola bars are a high calorie bad habit and sort of a trigger to eat more because they are "good for me". NOT. Peanut butter is also something I cannot stop eating, once I start. I believe I have had one tsp of butter, 2 or three granola bars and a few teaspoons of PB since January when I sarted this. I feel good about this.

I have been eating what I call "real food" or "eating clean" I think someone else mentioned. Lots of veggies, lots of fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes - cooked, measured into 1/2 C portions and frozen. Just toss them in my lunch or nuke for supper.

I have been buying bagged lettuce, ready prepared baby carrots and celery. A bit more expensive, but worth it for nights when I get home tired and am tempted not to make a salad.

What I wish for myself is to improve my eating habits over time, so that I can eat intuitively. I won't be intuitively eating peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches, because I won't want it any more. Ya think?

I am not lovin' this routine yet, but I am not too hungry and am doing ok.

As a lifetime WW'er, I pretty much use that as my guideline for portion control. But other than that, I'm not really on a "diet" per se.

I know I like to eat clean, whole foods. I don't eat a lot of "treats" because frankly, if it doesn't have some sort of value for my body, I don't generally want it. I'm not perfect and I still enjoy a pizza now and then (oh and my wine :) ). BUT... you won't see me skimping out of things that are better for my body to fit in a bowl of ice cream! (I have found that with eating whole foods, eating "clean", I don't really crave that stuff anyway!).

Calorie Counting would drive me nuts. I have a lot of respect for you ladies who do it!

I'm not on a diet. ;) Everytime people ask me that (because evidently, I've lost some weight and they notice it), I answer no. I pay attention to calories regularly enough, though, especially when I know I have foods that can quickly add up--brown rice is healthy, but 150g of it raw would still make a lot, hehe; on the other hand, I don't really count calories for vegetables like green beans, lettuce, etc. because I know they're quite light and it's not *them* that will throw me off the wagon anyway. I try to eat more whole foods and more protein, and generally in a more healthy way, but that's basically all.

A couple of years ago, I used to follow the Montignac plan (cf. Sugar Busters) but even though I now still pay attention to the glycemic index in foods, his way of combining foods was annoying in the long run. If I want to eat quinoa for lunch and veggies/meat for dinner, I want to be able to do it, it's already hard enough as it is for a student to put more money into whole foods than in ramen cups. That was basically the only 'diet' I've ever followed. And I still agree with the GI stuff, by the way, it has become more of a reflex or a habit than something annoying to do.

Still, in my eyes, it's not a diet. It's eating better in general. Losing weight is one of the good side-effects. That's something even 'naturally lean people' could benefit of, so...

Beach Patrol, I have a suspicion that those weekends are doing you in. ;) Basically eating controlled all week and then eating more freely on weekends is a form of maintenance--but not weight loss, usually. Just a thought!

Jay

I read somewhere recently that if one keeps to a good "diet" 90% of the year that that is "good enough". So if you take 365 days a year, the remaining 10% comes to 36 days of the year. That's enough for an occasional treat on birthdays, holidays, parties and the very occasional slip up. It was pointed out that that's not even enough for 1 day of every weekend of the year to eat poorly. Something to think about.

Definitely something to consider.

I know that lately I've been eating just whenever/whatever. The renovation of our house is just CRAZY, & quite stressful. I pretty much don't care what I eat as long as I get to eat something. Sometimes I don't get to eat until 9:00 or later at night. :o I think that's a major component right there. I need "structure" for weight loss to occur, and right now, I basically have NONE.

But I haven't GAINED any weight... so I'm looking on the bright side. :)

I was a WW-er but eventually it just got to the point when I was keeping points and calories at the same time (although its practically the same to be honest). I now just count calories but I'm not meticulous about it because if I was I loose focus and motivation and become lazy. The way I do it now is I weigh my portions and count calories but I rarely measure my oil intake or diet cokes, or things like nuts... I "guesstimate" the above, but everything else I am very meticulous. On average I loose approx 2 pounds a day and it seems to be working for me - I wouldn't call it a Diet to myself, but if I speak to other people I say "I'm on a diet" ... but then here I would say its a "lifestyle change" simply because I don't think other people understand what I mean lol.

Wow. Thanks for doing the math! I've heard of the 90% thing on a couple of other posts and it rang true but I didn't think of it in terms of days--I was thinking in terms of meals. If we eat 21 meals per week, two of them can be off plan without causing a problem. That gives you a meal a day on the weekend (actually, I'm closer to an 80-85% eater as I have 3 meals a week that are not necessarily on plan). But I like your 10% of the days just as well although I rarely have an off day (just an off meal).

I'll also chime in on the calorie counting. I also try to watch my fat intake (bad fats for the most part). I absolutely HATE having to follow a diet that says to eat a particular thing at a particular time. I cringe just thinking about it!

I have been on so many diets in my life that I know they don't work for me. This time, I am eating the same foods I always eat, but I am using portion control and calorie counting to keep me in line. I'm hoping this will facilitate maintaining as I won't have an "old-way" of eating to go back to.

a VERY good way to explain this robin! thanks for that,.

Intuitive eating is what got me fat. I intuitively eat waaaaay more than my body needs. Like Glory, I seem to have no "off switch".

Strict portion control, attention to macro and micronutrient profiles, counting and weighing, getting rid of processed foods and high sugar foods are how I lost the weight in the first place and how I've maintained. I started 5 years and eleven months ago, and not much has changed. The exercise has increased.

Cheat meals and treats keep me in maintenance mode- 90% is good enough for maintenance for me, but to lose I have to do better than that. I'm never really sure what a percent means. Calories? Time? Wow, I can do a world of damage in 15 minutes out of the week.

Glory really said it for me, too. But I was a prisoner of the just plain old FOOD monster.

Now if I eat off plan, I don't feel well, I don't sleep well if at all, and my clothes don't fit pretty much instantly.

Mel

I'm at the point where you are. "I'm tired of dieting!!"

I'm tired of dieting because it's an obsessive thing for me. I think about it night and day, and if I go over my calorie limit I feel like a failure. My emotions are wrapped up in my weight, and I compulsively change my plans often.

So I've stopped coming on this site as much, and I'm not dieting anymore. But I'm losing weight.

For me I get to 242 and then get really excited and end up binging a few days. It yo-yo's. If I were eating a certain way for awhile I'd be past there.

Counting calories doesn't work for me because when I'm aware of the calories I use my perfectionist mindset towards it. When I put it down to 1500 or so calories I feel I could be doing better. When I put it to 1200 I'm hungry.

I felt trapped in the middle of contructed diets and all of that, which has kind of taken over my life. All I think of it diet, diet, diet.

I don't have hobbies anymore and it drives me insane.

So I just said, "I'm not going to diet anymore." Or calorie count. I guess it's just not my thing.

I made 3 rules that I've been finding sticking to is easy, and I eat much less when I do it this way, even if I were calorie counting.

"Eat from the food pyramid, eat when hungry, stop when satisfied."

It's what kids are taught in school about food habits. I've had to ask my dad to buy more healthy foods, but that's about all the struggle I've come to. When I need more variety I can look up recipes.

I eat less during the day, I'm not suffering from hunger, and my portions are much smaller because when I make something I only use one portion of each ingredient and if I have more than one portion I put the rest away for later.

I'm just doing the habits that I've never done in my life that are really common sense. I'm sure once in awhile I can have a treat, but it's gonna be one portion of that.

I'm the kind of person who abuses the rules when I have them, so I just created a very flexible and straight forward plan.

Of course I'm losing weight, but I know I'll keep losing with this.

I also feel that because I'm not counting calories I have to make even better choices for myself to make sure I'm losing weight.

And I feel infinitely better because now I don't have to worry about anything, which means I'm not gonna get up and binge.