diet confusion

I have struggled to loose weight for some time. I hear low carb is the way to lose. I hear high fat low carb is what I should do. Then I am told that the simple approach of eat less calories than you burn. I am just so confused. I have hypothyroid so I struggle anyway. I work an office job and I walk about 20 minutes during lunch. In the mornings a few times a week I will do strength training for about 30 minutes and then when I come home I stay active doing things in my flower beds or around the house. I am always getting over 8,000 steps in a day.

I have tried low carb, gluten free, high fat/low carb, heart healthy diets. Nothing seems to get the weight to come off.
What is the right thing to do?

Replies

pinggolfer96

A calorie deficit.
No macro ratio causes weight loss. Energy/ calorie restriction/ deficits do. Eat less or burn more to illicit an energy restricting from your maintenances. Really isn’t all that difficult on paper, just doing it!

ladyhusker39

These "diets" are just various ways you can go about eating less than your body uses. All weight loss comes down to a simple formula of calories in being less than calories out OVER TIME.

Stop getting bogged down in the various "diets" and focus on understanding the fundamentals first. Eat the way you eat now and find ways to eat a little less until you're in a comfortable, reasonable and sustainable deficit. Then work little by little on making simple improvements in your nutrition for your health.

It's simple, but it's not always easy. If you continue to make it complicated you'll keep struggling.

Good luck and let us know how you're coming along. This is a fantastic place to learn sensible weight loss and most importantly long term maintenance, which is the real goal after all.

All the best.

kshama2001

I do find it helpful to eat slightly less carbs, as I do find more protein more filling, but in general I'm happy just eating less and moving more. I chafe under the restrictions of named diets.

Are you using a food scale to measure your food? That was a game changer for me!

alsunrise

I'm in the same situation... I think it really comes down to calories on vs calories out. The hard part is sticking with it day after day.

LushFix

Technically yes, calories in, calories out is what actually matters for weight loss.

You could eat your daily calorie allowance in candy and chocolate and would still lose weight..
You would also be hungry, lethargic and likely eventually malnourished.

I prefer and feel my best with a high carb and lower fat “diet” ( I did some intuitive eating/ listening to my body and trial and error to figure this out) —When I say high carb I mean whole grains, fruits and veggies.

You could try eating a well balanced diet, but don’t deprive yourself of the foods you love. Play around and see what keeps you on track and within your calorie goals.

Leannep2201

I have PCOS, and was told it’s difficult to lose weight with this condition. Well, that hasn’t been the case for me.

All I did to lose the weight I have lost so far (27kg to date, more to go though!) was eat at a calorie deficit. Entered my stats into MFP, got a calorie goal, started logging (including weighing and measuring all my food), and the weight came off.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always, but not as hard as I thought it would be, considering all the times I’ve tried- and failed- to lose weight in the past. Once I got the hang of logging and hitting my calorie goal each day though, it got easier.

It can be done!

cheryldumais

Honestly what you should do is find a program or way of eating that you can maintain permanently. I am hypothyroid and there are several of us here who have lost and continue to maintain. Personally I was not able to stick with a Keto lifestyle but lowering my calories and slowly changing the foods I eat worked for me. My exercise has been daily walking. I honestly believe that the best program for each person is the one that they can live with. Take your time to lose and learn what you need to know along the way. Don't expect to lose your excess pounds overnight and be patient. Almost anyone can lose weight but maintaining it is the trick. To do that you need to find changes you can live with permanently and accept that you can't ever go back to what you used to think of as "normal". Good luck.

amlelas68

I would find whatever plan that you like and think you can do daily and be consistence regardless of what the scale is telling you. Also, taking measurements and go by how your clothes are fitting. Don't look at it as diet -look at it as new way of eating and getting healthy. When I changed my mindset everything fell into place I am down 48 pounds and 16 inches now. But I did not do this overnight, I have been working at this faithfully since Jan. When I have a bad day I just get back on and keep going. You got this.

AnnPT77

This is what I did to lose 50+ pounds at age 59-60 (while hypothyroid), just with the mistakes and false starts left out:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm

Still at a healthy weight 2+ years later, too, eating the same way.