Which way to go with diet

domestic_goddess37

Hello first post. I have about 170 lbs to lose, my question is should I do keto or calorie count? I cant exercise because I messed my knee up and I'm on crutches. Never had any success losing weight except for the 5 weeks on keto, lost 20 lbs. I just dont know if I can do it for the long haul. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

katiesmom_99

Honestly, only you can answer that question. Does keto fit into your daily life on a long term basis? You did it for 5 weeks. Why did you give it up? Would you be happy giving up certain fruits and vegetables? Can you see yourself eating a variety of foods in moderation and within a set number of calories?

Go with whatever plan will be sustainable FOR YOU. Eating should be a way of life, not just eating toward a goal.

ljmorgi

domestic_goddess37 wrote: »

Hello first post. I have about 170 lbs to lose, my question is should I do keto or calorie count? I cant exercise because I messed my knee up and I'm on crutches. Never had any success losing weight except for the 5 weeks on keto, lost 20 lbs. I just dont know if I can do it for the long haul. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Losing weight happens when you take in fewer calories than you expend, so whichever way helps you accomplish that.

MollyJE19

I did some PT recently and was told there are lots of exercises one can do sitting down. That surprised me, so I googled it and there are apparently lots of things you can do from a chair. Maybe you could do a search and do the ones you can and modify the ones that use the legs.

Losing weight is just a matter of eating fewer calories than you use. Whatever keeps you satisfied and not overeating every day is what will work for you. I tried Keto once and was miserable and went back to a widely varied diet. But I have a friend who lost 100 lbs. in a year on Keto and is thriving. The only way you'll know what you can stick with is to start experimenting and paying attention to the signals your body sends you.

neugebauer52

I have tried x - amount of diets, they don't work. Changing to a healthier lifestyle is the answer for me. Started on 170 kg - 375 pounds, after 460 days with MFP I have lost 36 kg - 80 pounds and still lots more to go. Originally I also thought that I "can't do this, that or another".... But guess what? Water aerobics takes all my weight away, so I can do it. I can sit on a chair and move my arms and shoulders lifting some very light weights. I can sit on that bicycle for hands / arms and it works. If you want to put your mind to it, you will find some simple exercises you can do as well. Just stick to MFP and ask for advise if ever needed - the members out there are very, very helpful to guide you along. Otherwise just listen to yourself and use common sense. I see my GP every 6 months and also have some blood tests done. Let's go for it!

LyndaBSS

I researched keto and I knew I couldn't do it as a sustainable lifestyle. I now eat pescatarian.

Figure out which foods you can't live without, incorporate them into your food diary at a calorie deficit. Voila!

TeaBea

Weight loss is calories in vs. calories out. You could gain weight eating keto if you ate more calories than maintenance. People generally eat lower calories with keto because often favorite foods are off limits.

Just find a way to take in fewer calories on a regular basis. Perhaps add more veggies (or other high volume low calorie foods). Measure portions of favorite foods and log those. This is a great learning tool. Figure out what favorite foods fit into your "calorie budget" and which foods don't. Make a diet that fits YOUR eating habits.

Weight loss is just the first step. Figure out what changes you are willing to make permanently. The get started stickies are a great place to start.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

csplatt

I'm going to parrot what others have already said -- diets won't work if ultimately you are still eating more calories each day than you burn. Sometimes it's surprising how little we actually need OR surprising how much we are actually eating without knowing. I weight everything on a digital food scale now - my raw protein before I cook it, my peanut butter (no more scooping with a tablespoon), my bowl of raspberries, my roasted sweet potatoes. And I log it all into MFP.

Also, understanding how many calories you actually need in a day is very important. I do NOT need 2000 calories each day. I don't get a lot of movement at work during the day, so I truly maintain my weight at 1600 calories per day.

I think you can make great progress without worrying about exercise at first. Just get used to controlling the number of calories you are eating.

Emmapatterson1729

Agree with others, if you couldn't stick with Keto before, that probably will not work as a long term (for life) eating plan for you.

Tracking food and calories and setting realistic goals work.

Agree with other commenters, exercise is not a necessity for weight loss when starting a calorie deficit.

But like another said, there are exercises one can do sitting in the living chair watching a tv show.

Might sound silly, but when my knee is bothering me, I have two cans of veggies (15.9 oz each) I use as hand weights and do some arms, shoulders, and pecs exercising, and some in-chair ab crossovers while watching my favorite shows.

Good luck.