HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!17 Day,WeightWatchers, Fast Metabolism, DASH or WHAT?????
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Firstly, you have to want this more than you want anything else. No, really want it. So that you become slightly obsessed, and it takes over your brain to such an extent that when cake is on offer you automatically think, "Can I fit this into my calories for today? If not, do I want cake enough to have to claw back those calories at some point in the next few days?" And the answer usually - for me at least - depends on the quality of the cake.
That's the difference between staying on a plan and succeeding, and falling off and restarting (another plan) over and over again.
Most people couldn't eat keto or Paleo, or slimming world or weight watchers or Atkins for the rest of their lives. Those diets can be stuck to short term, but they restrict you. And many of us on MFP, the ones who give snarky answers, have done named diets but found that the MFP approach is easier, more fun, and more sustainable. (They get a bit frustrated when other people can't see how simple it is, and that's where the bitchiness on these boards comes from. I believe that they all mean well and want the best for you and to help you. But they get burned out on saying the same things over and over again.) It takes a little effort, but it can be educational and really sort of fun.
The oft-spouted and actually sage advice on here is that diets with a name will relieve you of a few pounds and a lot of money. In the end, the best way to eat now to lose weight is in a way that you can see yourself eating for the rest of your life. Because maintaining weight loss is actually harder than weight loss itself.
A written plan can be helpful short term, but what happens when you reach your goal? By following someone else's daily meal plan you will have learned very little about how to feed yourself the right foods to keep you at a healthy weight. You can't follow that same meal plan forever can you?
MFP is a great tool for learning how to put together your own meal plan. You can tweak it as you go along, and learn more about what foods work for you. Do carbs keep you full? Or is fat or protein the secret to stopping you getting hungry? Do apples make you ravenous? Will you lose weight if you eat back all of your exercise calories, or does half work better? What the magic number of calories that keeps you sated, but still losing weight?
It may take 2 or 3 months to figure this all out, and even then, your needs will change. But you might as well settle in for a long journey and take it slowly. You'll be more likely to get there and stay there.
How about you start just by logging what you eat now? (Use cups and spoons for fluids, and a food scale in grams for everything else.) Then you can see which foods are value for calories and you might want to eat more of, and which ones cost more calorie wise and can be worked in as treats. Learn from this to make your own meal plan. You can plan each day in advance to make it fit your calories and macros, and tweak it as you go along.
We're all individuals - nobody else's meal plan can ever work perfectly for us. So make your own. With a bit of time, effort, thought and experimentation, you totally can!
If you want a guide, here's how my day looks, and it works, and it's rarely difficult.
25% -30% of my calories are spent on snacks and treats. This could be milk in my coffee, chocolate, wine, a few slices of ham, or extra fruit in between meals. I need treats. I look for low calorie hacked recipes of things I like. (Half a thin crust frozen pizza topped with extra veg and low fat cheese is one of my favourites.) And low calorie alternatives when I can't find a hack.
I'm a volume eater. I need big platefuls of food to stop me being hungry. So about 40-60% of the food that makes up my meals (not snacks) is non-starchy fruit and vegetables. This is hugely important to me. I'm not sure at all how other people manage to not gnaw their own arms off with hunger when I see how few veggies they eat!
I've changed my macros lots of times. Still trying to find the best ratio of carb/protein/fat. It seems to be 40/30/30 though.
I plan around treats. If I know we're going to McDonald's, I'll shave a few calories off breakfast, and have salad or stir fry for dinner, and swap my fries and milkshake for salad and diet coke.
I have meals off. If I'm away for a romantic weekend, I'll have the weekend off. Sometimes I fail spectacularly. I have a history of eating disorders, and there have been one or two binges in the last 4 months. But at the next meal, or the next day, I'm back on plan. And if I screwed up, I work out how it happened and plan how to not do that in the same situation next time. This has been an important change. One blow out will not blow your whole diet. A series of blow outs will.
THIS ^^0 -
Firstly, you have to want this more than you want anything else. No, really want it. So that you become slightly obsessed, and it takes over your brain to such an extent that when cake is on offer you automatically think, "Can I fit this into my calories for today? If not, do I want cake enough to have to claw back those calories at some point in the next few days?" And the answer usually - for me at least - depends on the quality of the cake. That's the difference between staying on a plan and succeeding, and falling off and restarting (another plan) over and over again.
Most people couldn't eat keto or Paleo, or slimming world or weight watchers or Atkins for the rest of their lives. Those diets can be stuck to short term, but they restrict you. And many of us on MFP, the ones who give snarky answers, have done named diets but found that the MFP approach is easier, more fun, and more sustainable. (They get a bit frustrated when other people can't see how simple it is, and that's where the bitchiness on these boards comes from. I believe that they all mean well and want the best for you and to help you. But they get burned out on saying the same things over and over again.) It takes a little effort, but it can be educational and really sort of fun.
The oft-spouted and actually sage advice on here is that diets with a name will relieve you of a few pounds and a lot of money. In the end, the best way to eat now to lose weight is in a way that you can see yourself eating for the rest of your life. Because maintaining weight loss is actually harder than weight loss itself.
A written plan can be helpful short term, but what happens when you reach your goal? By following someone else's daily meal plan you will have learned very little about how to feed yourself the right foods to keep you at a healthy weight. You can't follow that same meal plan forever can you?
MFP is a great tool for learning how to put together your own meal plan. You can tweak it as you go along, and learn more about what foods work for you. Do carbs keep you full? Or is fat or protein the secret to stopping you getting hungry? Do apples make you ravenous? Will you lose weight if you eat back all of your exercise calories, or does half work better? What the magic number of calories that keeps you sated, but still losing weight?
It may take 2 or 3 months to figure this all out, and even then, your needs will change. But you might as well settle in for a long journey and take it slowly. You'll be more likely to get there and stay there.
How about you start just by logging what you eat now? (Use cups and spoons for fluids, and a food scale in grams for everything else.) Then you can see which foods are value for calories and you might want to eat more of, and which ones cost more calorie wise and can be worked in as treats. Learn from this to make your own meal plan. You can plan each day in advance to make it fit your calories and macros, and tweak it as you go along.
We're all individuals - nobody else's meal plan can ever work perfectly for us. So make your own. With a bit of time, effort, thought and experimentation, you totally can!
If you want a guide, here's how my day looks, and it works, and it's rarely difficult.
25% -30% of my calories are spent on snacks and treats. This could be milk in my coffee, chocolate, wine, a few slices of ham, or extra fruit in between meals. I need treats. I look for low calorie hacked recipes of things I like. (Half a thin crust frozen pizza topped with extra veg and low fat cheese is one of my favourites.) And low calorie alternatives when I can't find a hack.
I'm a volume eater. I need big platefuls of food to stop me being hungry. So about 40-60% of the food that makes up my meals (not snacks) is non-starchy fruit and vegetables. This is hugely important to me. I'm not sure at all how other people manage to not gnaw their own arms off with hunger when I see how few veggies they eat!
I've changed my macros lots of times. Still trying to find the best ratio of carb/protein/fat. It seems to be 40/30/30 though.
I plan around treats. If I know we're going to McDonald's, I'll shave a few calories off breakfast, and have salad or stir fry for dinner, and swap my fries and milkshake for salad and diet coke.
I have meals off. If I'm away for a romantic weekend, I'll have the weekend off. Sometimes I fail spectacularly. I have a history of eating disorders, and there have been one or two binges in the last 4 months. But at the next meal, or the next day, I'm back on plan. And if I screwed up, I work out how it happened and plan how to not do that in the same situation next time. This has been an important change. One blow out will not blow your whole diet. A series of blow outs will.
I really enjoyed reading this, Amazing!0 -
I have found that using MFP and tracking EVERYTHING based on calories REALLY does work. I had tried everything and I mean everything for 15 years and couldn't lose weight. Last year (Jan 2014) I was 5'3 and 268 lbs. and had spent a LOT of money on books and plans.
By doing the easiest, cheapest thing I have lost 72 lbs in 14 months.
When you are overweight there is a feeling that you need a plan and you need things to be complicated. Simplicity works.
time and patience. patience and time.0 -
You have some good responses. My diary is open and you can see what I eat. I have found that I have NO willpower to do the right thing - a tiny slice of cake turns into a huge one, a serving of chips turns into the bag.... I work with what works for me. If you are like the majority of us, you will have to spend some time repairing your relationship with food. I hope to one day be able to eat in moderation but I can't right now. Do what works for YOU. For me, trial and error has shown that eating 1200 calories means that I am going to binge until I reach a weekly average of at least 1400 calories - so make sure that you are eating enough for your body.
Honestly, I should have been losing weight for the past 3 years but I didn't because it wasn't important. Find your motivation and stick it out there. My motivation is NOT to get diabetes like my mom. I want to keep my teeth and my eyesight.... Getting bikini ready for the summer just doesn't motivate me! Find your motivation and stick with it. Oh and set reasonable goals. My first goal was to lose 10%. I am almost at that 10% and now I have to work on what my next goal is. I like 5-10 pound goals that I can accomplish!0 -
It is a lot different to try losing weight when you are in your 60s than in your 30s 0r 40s. Much damage has been done to your metabolism from the yo-yo dieting. I have done this in the past where I would lose a ton of weight and then regain it. Dieting does not work you are all correct about that. You have to change your way of life for the rest of your life. I just finished reading the Fast Metabolism Diet and I hate that it is called "diet". Maybe some of you have seen Haylie Pomroy on Dr. Oz or a number of other shows. She explains how the metabolism works and how our systems have gotten messed up. This is about repairing, not dieting. I have been doing her system for 6 days now and have lost 9 lbs. and I sure am not going hungry!! You do a carb cycle so some days you may not have the bad carbs. But it only lasts for 2 days so I have found it very doable. No counting calories is required for the 28 days of her repair but I do log my food here just so I can keep track and am surprised that with all the food I am eating, I am still under my 1560 goal most days. I know I am going on and on here, so just wanted to throw my 2 cents in and give you something to think about, mccubbe. You could find her book useful, not that I wanted to throw another book at you but I believe in this one. Good luck!!0
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Hi
You need to be very careful with diet, remember in woman body 70% is what you eat and 30% exercises
May be you have to vary your habits
@mccuubee
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not2old2move wrote: »It is a lot different to try losing weight when you are in your 60s than in your 30s 0r 40s. Much damage has been done to your metabolism from the yo-yo dieting. I have done this in the past where I would lose a ton of weight and then regain it. Dieting does not work you are all correct about that. You have to change your way of life for the rest of your life. I just finished reading the Fast Metabolism Diet and I hate that it is called "diet". Maybe some of you have seen Haylie Pomroy on Dr. Oz or a number of other shows. She explains how the metabolism works and how our systems have gotten messed up. This is about repairing, not dieting. I have been doing her system for 6 days now and have lost 9 lbs. and I sure am not going hungry!! You do a carb cycle so some days you may not have the bad carbs. But it only lasts for 2 days so I have found it very doable. No counting calories is required for the 28 days of her repair but I do log my food here just so I can keep track and am surprised that with all the food I am eating, I am still under my 1560 goal most days. I know I am going on and on here, so just wanted to throw my 2 cents in and give you something to think about, mccubbe. You could find her book useful, not that I wanted to throw another book at you but I believe in this one. Good luck!!
Sorry but this is rubbish ...it's not about repairing it's about calorie defecit
You don't need to do this
It has no basis in scientific fact
It takes a simple (well complex) biological process, adds a little twisted facts from adaptive thermogenisis and creates something somewhat palatable to buy into
If this is what psychs you up to finally take control of your food intake then fair enough
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At age 57, I lost all my weight and have kept it off for almost 3 years. The secret? Calorie counting, meticulous logging, patience, and developing an attitude of treating this as a hobby, i.e. looking for good recipes, pre-logging the day, making a game of working in treats, etc.0
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I'm an older woman too, (and in my healthy weight range, and you are also close to your healthy weight range for your height), so keep in mind that we do lose much slower than we used to. The daily fluctuations of water weight can actually mask your fat loss and be discouraging. MFP told me that at 1200 cals. a day I would lose 1/3 lb. a week, that's only 1.3 lbs. per month. At 1000 cals a day (which it does allow, contrary to popular belief here, and as long as I hit 1000 it doesn't give me the nasty "you are eating too little" message) it says I will lose 1/2 lb. a week. That means that the normal 2 or 3 lbs. of water weight fluctuations can make it look like I've gained a lb. or two in a week that I have been "perfect". If I keep in mind that it's the long term graph I have to remember, it helps with those disappointments.0
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not2old2move wrote: »It is a lot different to try losing weight when you are in your 60s than in your 30s 0r 40s. Much damage has been done to your metabolism from the yo-yo dieting. I have done this in the past where I would lose a ton of weight and then regain it. Dieting does not work you are all correct about that. You have to change your way of life for the rest of your life. I just finished reading the Fast Metabolism Diet and I hate that it is called "diet". Maybe some of you have seen Haylie Pomroy on Dr. Oz or a number of other shows. She explains how the metabolism works and how our systems have gotten messed up. This is about repairing, not dieting. I have been doing her system for 6 days now and have lost 9 lbs. and I sure am not going hungry!! You do a carb cycle so some days you may not have the bad carbs. But it only lasts for 2 days so I have found it very doable. No counting calories is required for the 28 days of her repair but I do log my food here just so I can keep track and am surprised that with all the food I am eating, I am still under my 1560 goal most days. I know I am going on and on here, so just wanted to throw my 2 cents in and give you something to think about, mccubbe. You could find her book useful, not that I wanted to throw another book at you but I believe in this one. Good luck!!
Sorry but this is rubbish ...it's not about repairing it's about calorie defecit
You don't need to do this
It has no basis in scientific fact
It takes a simple (well complex) biological process, adds a little twisted facts from adaptive thermogenisis and creates something somewhat palatable to buy into
If this is what psychs you up to finally take control of your food intake then fair enough
Cosigned.
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I agree. I did not feel restricted at all on Weight Watchers. I just can not afford it any longer.I can't speak for the rest of these "diets" but Weight Watchers is NOT restrictive at all. It's pretty much like MFP. It's a great program and you'll learn tons of lifelong eating lessons on it. However, you can do the same thing with MFP for free, and of course there are no MFP meetings either which I found tremendously helpful on WW.
Good luck to you.
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I agree. I did not feel restricted at all on Weight Watchers. I just can not afford it any longer.I can't speak for the rest of these "diets" but Weight Watchers is NOT restrictive at all. It's pretty much like MFP. It's a great program and you'll learn tons of lifelong eating lessons on it. However, you can do the same thing with MFP for free, and of course there are no MFP meetings either which I found tremendously helpful on WW.
Good luck to you.
Same here. WW taught me a lot about food, but the price tag is just too high for me.0 -
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I've tried a huge amount of 'popular diets' and none of them have been useful to me. The only thing I found to work was eating at a sensible calorie deficit and tracking/weighing my food. Sometimes stripping it back to basics is the only way. A lot of these 'popular diets' make things sound so needlessly complicated! 0
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My library of diet books is bursting off the shelves..... I am an intelligent ( in most ways but obviously not with food) 62 year old woman. I find myself getting swayed into whatever is the new idea..... Common sense tells me that I should be able to eat less and exercise more .... and BINGO, I am at goal weight. NOT HAPPENING. I am hoping for some ideas here on a plan that is nutritionally sound and not depriving me of things I love. I seem to actually need a written plan though. Please HELP!!
^This is probably why so many people would just rather stay overweight. They think this is what you have to do. I know I did for the longest time.
P.S.: I doubt OP is going to be back...
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Eating healthy whole foods will be the best way that you will keep the weight off in the long run. If you go to the extreme by eating an extremely small amount and exercising for long periods of time, as soon as you stop you will gain the weight back instantly. You have to train your metabolism to burn the meals along with good excercise the weight will come right off and stay off. Try carb cycling also as a way to shock your metabolism every now and then. Make sure your protein intake is high.
Cardio excercises is the long route to losing weight. The fatest and most effective exercises are ones with weights and High intensity interval training.
Best of luck to you!
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My library of diet books is bursting off the shelves..... I am an intelligent ( in most ways but obviously not with food) 62 year old woman. I find myself getting swayed into whatever is the new idea..... Common sense tells me that I should be able to eat less and exercise more .... and BINGO, I am at goal weight. NOT HAPPENING. I am hoping for some ideas here on a plan that is nutritionally sound and not depriving me of things I love. I seem to actually need a written plan though. Please HELP!!
With all of your diet books, what is the common theme?
Maybe you are still eating too much?
Maybe your not exercising enough?0 -
Ok tough love?! You either want to lose weight or you want to use excuses why it doesn't work.
So...why didn't weight watchers work, if you want the option to eat all the things that made you overweight? They give you the option of a meal plan for the week or you take responsibility and make your own choices.
@LuvPosh . I think that was a bit harsh especially not knowing her height and weight. Needing to lose a 10-12 extra pounds at 62 isn't the same as trying to lose 30, 40, 50+lbs at 42. I have found that the heavier you are to start with the faster and more bulk weight you lose initially. I've been on MFP for 4 days and already lost 8 lbs. It may be only water weight but 10lbs on a scale is 10lbs on the scale. I know that once I reach closer to my goal weight it may take me months to lose the last 10 lbs. Following MFP is the best advice on here. Every plan isn't for everybody. Weightwatchers alone never helped me either. I had to combine a few different plans together to find what finally allowed me to shed pounds pretty quickly. (35lbs in 3 months.) Best thing is to be patient with yourself. Sometimes just a little tweak can make all the differance. Mccubee you will find your sweet spot.
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You are so right about the difference in weight loss & age. In my 30s & 40s, when I went on a diet, or added exercise, the weight came off quick! Now I lose nothing unless I watch my eating AND exercise. The physiological reason, we are flat losing muscle as we age, muscle mass which burns more calories. So MFP is SO helpful, getting me into the mind set of "I HAVE to exercise!", I can't stay in my calories unless I do.
Good for you, misscrish & hope you find continued success!!0 -
I know I'm a little late to the party but .... The best advice to follow is to do what works for you. For every person that is different. For me it's most definitely not about calories in verse calories out. Think about what you're eating not how many calories it contains. You want to focus on boosting your metabolism. Try having a small cup of coffee before you work out or if you like spicy food throw a couple jalapeño peppers on your salad. Eat filling foods like protein. Eat protein. Eat protein. Eat protein. It fills you up and builds muscle.
Next piece of advice, work out. No don't just go to the gym and do your daily 30 mins. You need to change it up. Try lifting 3 times a week, that builds muscle and muscle burns calories! You might be "gaining" weight but you'll look leaner and you'll be able to eat more throughout your day. You need to change up your routine. Your body is VERY good at adapting. You become more and more efficient at doing that exercise, meaning you aren't burning as many calories as you once were. Try yoga one day, going for a walk another, then cycling. There's intervals you can jog and walk, you could even row. Heck you could even garden. The important thing is to change it up! Diversify the food you eat. Your body gets used to eating the same thing you need to challenge it by consuming different veggies and meats, it will have to work harder to digest them.
I hope this helps!0 -
How many times is this thread going to be revived?!
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I plan my day in calories at the beginning of my day. Then I know exactly what I can have for the day and also know my menu! This site is easy to use as long as you count everything you eat, every day. You only cheat yourself if you don't. If I want something more/special, I take a walk or whatever exercise you like. As noted above, if you eat less than you burn, you will lose. Good luck!
This right here has helped me the most. It's almost like creating your own written plan to follow. I know some people who don't do well with logging at the start of the day/week, but I also like to have a plan to stick to and this allows me to do just that!
I also have some friends at work who did WW in the past and still have all their information from it, so now they follow the WW diet without paying for the service or attending meetings.0 -
The reason MFP works for so many people is that it combines two great predictors of long term success: journalling and a support network.
WHAT you eat isn't as important as HOW MUCH. Most people start eating a little better just because they know they have to write it down.
Of course, for health reasons, you should get lots of veggies and some fruit, and choose healthy fats, like avocado, nuts, and olive oil. Fill in with some proteins, maybe some whole grains, and the occasional whatever the heck you want.
If you want it written down, try pre-journalling. Enter in what you plan to eat today (or even tomorrow). Then you will know if you are meeting your goals. Make sure to follow the plan, and to change entries whenever you do deviate from the plan.0
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