Which diet???

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I need to loose around 3-4 stones or 60 pounds befor summer.
Was told to try Atkins (or no carbs) as this will assist in a fast slim down, no I am told that his is not true, really need to loose this weight befor my summer holiday.
I have a10 month old baby and so most of my weight is around my middle.
Please send your advice.
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Replies

  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
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    no diet needed... just count the calories and eat less than maintenance levels.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Eat what you usually eat. Just eat less of it. You don't need to do Atkins or low carb, or any manufactured diet. Count calories, and stay in a deficit, you will lose weight.

    60lbs might not be achievable by summer, but you could probably get a long way by then. Good luck!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    60 pounds in about 20 weeks is a very aggressive goal. You can't achieve that with a diet. Most people can lose up to 2 pounds per week through dieting, but to achieve the additional calorie deficit required, you will need to focus on exercise.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    You don't need to eat any specific way and a lot of people have discovered that's why they have gained and lost through the years. They go on a "diet" with a set weight goal and once they reach that they revert to their old eating habits and gain back the lost weight plus more.

    Track what you normally eat right now to get a sense of how much you truly are eating. It can be incredibly eye-opening! Weigh and measure hose foods. Don't just eyeball the spoonful of peanut butter-weigh it! Then look to what foods are super high in calories and lacking in good nutrition, cut back on those things. Notice I said cut back-not cut out! That gives you an eating plan that is sustainable. You aren't cutting out something you love for the rest of your life. I LOVE cookies but I can inhale an entire box so I get one cookie at the grocery store and I'm happy.

    Many people have great success and can sustain a low carb eating plan. I personally am not one of them but I won't knock it. I've tried it in the past and lost weight but I'm not willing to give up pasta, bread, sweets, etc forever.

    You may not lose that much weight by summer but you can lose a fair bit. Exercise is helpful (particularly lifting weights) to retain what muscle you do have and make you look better even if the scale doesn't reflect the number you want.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    First of all, setting more realistic expectations will help. 60 pounds in 20 weeks is going to be very difficult to do, if not impossible, without severely restricting yourself and possibly causing health problems. Better to focus on healthier eating and being more active so you can stick around longer for your little one. 20-30 pounds is a much more reasonable goal.

    Doing low carb (not NO carb, that's unhealthy) can help you to lose weight quickly but you need to do some research, find a plan and stick to it. If you do Atkins, get the book or sign up to the website and read all of the information. If you're honest with yourself and know you won't put the effort in, don't do it. The problem with these types of plans is that if you don't follow them, you will regain the weight quickly...trust me. Been there, done that.

    There are no quick fixes or miracles. Don't waste your money on pills or shakes or whatever else someone is trying to convince you to buy. Set a reasonable calorie goal, log your food as accurately and consistently as you can and get some activity in.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    no diet needed... just count the calories and eat less than maintenance levels.

    ?? Isn't that a definition of diet?

    OP the best diet is the one that doesn't make you miserable. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit certain foods, then just eat foods that keep you most satisfied while keeping you at a calorie deficit. Making yourself miserable is more likely to lead to failure.
  • katya_be
    katya_be Posts: 227 Member
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    no diet needed... just count the calories and eat less than maintenance levels.

    ?? Isn't that a definition of diet?

    OP the best diet is the one that doesn't make you miserable. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit certain foods, then just eat foods that keep you most satisfied while keeping you at a calorie deficit. Making yourself miserable is more likely to lead to failure.

    THIS ^ I still wouldn't call it a diet.. I hate that term! Whenever someone says " oh you can't eat that because you are on that diet" I get frustrated.. I eat it all, but watch how much I eat :) Good luck! I started losing weight when my daughter was 10 months old. I lost 25 pounds last year and looking to lose 10 more this year
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
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    no diet needed... just count the calories and eat less than maintenance levels.

    ?? Isn't that a definition of diet?

    OP the best diet is the one that doesn't make you miserable. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit certain foods, then just eat foods that keep you most satisfied while keeping you at a calorie deficit. Making yourself miserable is more likely to lead to failure.

    no, a diet by society definitions means I am having to do something ridiculous which I don't... I eat ice cream if I want and I will have wine also.. not some fad book that tells me not to eat bread :) so no that is NOT the definition of diet by the way it is meant in the question...
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    no diet needed... just count the calories and eat less than maintenance levels.

    ?? Isn't that a definition of diet?

    OP the best diet is the one that doesn't make you miserable. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit certain foods, then just eat foods that keep you most satisfied while keeping you at a calorie deficit. Making yourself miserable is more likely to lead to failure.

    no, a diet by society definitions means I am having to do something ridiculous which I don't... I eat ice cream if I want and I will have wine also.. not some fad book that tells me not to eat bread :) so no that is NOT the definition of diet by the way it is meant in the question...

    I dunno to me a diet is restricting ones intake, so by rights a deficit is still a diet no matter what you eat.

    OP - any and all diets will work - they all have to follow the CICO rule because science.

    Find one you are most likely going to adhere and enjoy
  • lucas_riggs
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    The calorie restriction diet.
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
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    No diet suggestion just change your life style and add some activity. It can be a slow process but it is worth it in the end.

    Good luck!
  • chantyc1
    chantyc1 Posts: 137 Member
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    Thanks guys will try it out.
  • xxquzme
    xxquzme Posts: 157 Member
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    Really you just have to find a caloric restriction that works best for you. Call it what you want either atkins or whatever but in the end it will still be a caloric restriction. Diets are just paths and rules to get you there. Good luck with it. Most if not all of us are on the same path as you.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I am not a big fan of what I call "fad" diets (South Beach, Atkins, grapefruit, paleo, cabbage soup, etc.) They all have aspects that (to me) aren't realistic for me to maintain long term.

    I would suggest meeting with a nutritionist on a monthly basis until you can get comfortable with making adjustments to your food plan that are livable.

    Here are things that have helped me lost 75 pounds:
    • Focus on protein, the fats/carbs will take care of themselves (a nutritionist told me that, and I've found that to be pretty accurate).
    • Increase your fiber intake
    • Drink 8 glasses of water a day
    • Obvious things like grilled chicken is better than fried chicken, baked potatoes with a dab of butter are better than French fries.
    • Choose your carb's wisely. If I'm going out to a burger place, I'll ask myself if I'd rather have the bun, or fries, or a baked potato. Don't be afraid to order a burger without the bun.
    • Don't be afraid to ask the Chinese place to make your chicken dish without the breading that sometimes comes on the chicken (like general tso's chicken). I've done this at 3-4 restaurants from PF Chang's to locally owned restaurants, and they haven't batted an eye at the request.

    Also make sure to watch your salt intake.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Eat what you always have, only in moderation. Being in a deficit, will result in weight loss.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I've lost 60 lbs by using myfitnesspal to track my food and exercise. It has taken me 344 days- approx 11 months.
  • lhafer12
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    A diet is strictly defined as the sum of food you take in. When looking to lose weight, people often look for the way of eating that will make them lose the fastest. This is a big mistake for most people. When trying to lose weight, you should focus on making an etire lifestyle change. You became the weight you were by the way you were eating and amount of activity. To lose weight and be successful in weight loss, you simply have to change your current diet to something you can stick to for the rest of your life that will be healthier and better for you. Increasing physical activity also helps to burn more calories a day so that you can still allow yourself some little pleasures of food that enjoy that may not be the best for you.

    Basically, no one diet is the answer for everyone. Losing weight is all about what you are willing to and can do. Most of all, it's about motivating yourself and sticking to it long term. Denying yourself certain foods will only make it so that, when you do have those foods after a long period of time, you will most likely overindulge and a lot of the hard work you put in will be ruined.
  • Rhino_Comics
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    Don't think about going on a diet. Just think about it as tweaking your nutrition. I have been following the "Get Fit, Lean and Keep Your Day Job" program since March 2014 (www.getfitlean.com or search Amazon for it). I am 50 years old and I went from weighing around 190 to 155, and have kept the weight off by following the GFL nutrition plan. It is a great combination of a low carb, high protein nutrition program coupled with sensible plans for cardio and resistance training. I have two friends who got on it after they saw my success and both has lost more than 20 pounds and they're only a couple months in. Good luck!
  • chantyc1
    chantyc1 Posts: 137 Member
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    Thanks guys great advice
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I will echo all the advice you've already received... track your intake and then look for ways to scale back portions so that you're eating the foods you currently like, but creating a caloric deficit for yourself. If you put yourself in a situation where you start a fad diet to lose weight, what happens once the weight comes off? If you follow the advice to stick to the way you do eat, but learn proper portioning and create habits where you're used to tracking what you eat or using some sort of way to monitor your intake, you'll be learning healthy habits for the rest of your life.