Diet recommendations???

evanblove

This is a good place to start:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

ctalimenti

Try to avoid the high cal junk food. The first line of defense is keeping it out of the house.

Increase your protein and fiber. This will keep you full longer.

Reduce the bready stuff, noodles, cakes, pies, candy, soda.

Eat eggs, beans, meat, vegetables, fruits. Make homemade dishes. Make chilli or soups like split pea. If you eat out, cut down on it.

You'll be able to fit more healthy foods in your day if you cut down on the junk food/processed foods. Try to treat your intake like a budget. Spend wisely.

Replace high cal with lower cal. Drink light beer, replace cow's milk with 30 cal unsweetened almond milk. Watch your portions. Make it a permanent lifestyle change.

When you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I bored?

View food as nutrition, not a boredom alleviator or friend. It's seriously not your friend if it's making you fat.

Fight back!

dangerousdumpling

I've found that the best way to enjoy the best of both worlds (eat junk but not crave it) is to eat about 100g of protein per day. The protein with a healthy amount of fat seems to keep the hungries and cravings away and I can usually fit in a treat if I want it.

Yes to weight lifting. You'll get a smaller you by cutting calories. You'll get a smaller, better shaped, and firmer you by lifting weights.

1200 calories is hard to stick to. When I tried it I was constantly fatigued and had headaches. 1300 and 1400 were no better for me. 1500 and I go to bed hungry. So you can see that some trial and error is involved in finding out what works for you. If you find that you don't feel well just eat a bit more. Don't let the hunger, fatigue, or whatever cause you to give up. Just add more food to your calorie allowance until you find a happy balance of losing while not suffering. You don't have to starve to lose weight.

kbf2107

I'm currently doing Dr. Ian's 6-Week SHRED program (http://www.amazon.com/Shred-Revolutionary-Weeks-Inches-Sizes/dp/1250038278/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676380&sr=8-1). I was a little hesitant at first, mainly because I'm skeptical of "fad diets," but a family member of mine SWEARS by Dr. Ian, and she actually has more trouble sticking to eating plans than most. I'm on my second week of the program and it really is great. Although it's designed so that you don't have to count calories, I still log everything I eat into MFP. I rarely eat more than 1300-1400 calories per day AND I never, ever, ever feel hungry. In fact, the plan has you eating so often, you feel like you're eating too much! It's also super flexible and allows you to cut out certain components of your meals if you feel like you don't need/want to eat that much. All in all, it's super do-able and I've felt great ever since I started it. I think it's also really good at training you in how to eat properly for weight loss/maintenance so that you don't gain everything you lost once you're finished with the program. You can even repeat it (the program is cyclical) or just repeat certain parts of it once you're finished with the entire 6-Week cycle. I highly recommend it. Good luck on your journey!

LishieFruit89

Try to avoid the high cal junk food. The first line of defense is keeping it out of the house.

Increase your protein and fiber. This will keep you full longer.

Reduce the bready stuff, noodles, cakes, pies, candy, soda.

Eat eggs, beans, meat, vegetables, fruits. Make homemade dishes. Make chilli or soups like split pea. If you eat out, cut down on it.

You'll be able to fit more healthy foods in your day if you cut down on the junk food/processed foods. Try to treat your intake like a budget. Spend wisely.

Replace high cal with lower cal. Drink light beer, replace cow's milk with 30 cal unsweetened almond milk. Watch your portions. Make it a permanent lifestyle change.

When you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I bored?

View food as nutrition, not a boredom alleviator or friend. It's seriously not your friend if it's making you fat.

Fight back!

There is NOTHING wrong with drinking regular beer or dairy milk.
I don't drink but I've been told that light beer tastes like urine.
And plenty of people have had success drinking craft beer and full fat dairy milk.

You are more likely to succeed if you continue consuming the foods/drinks you enjoy.
Everything in moderation.

MagicalLeopleurodon

1. Learn your TDEE
2. Eat abput 200 calories below that.
3. Avoid any diet with a name or price.

Francl27

I think you need to change your view about 'dieting' if you want it to be successful long term. So, pick a reasonable goal of 1 lb a week (8-10 lbs a month is absolutely not reasonable unless you have 100+ lbs to lose), and eat what you want in moderation within your calories, make sure you eat enough protein so you don't lose too much lean mass (30% protein ideally) and that's it.

Crash diets and unreasonable goals are the reason why people give up or gain all the weight back. The amount of food you eat now to lose weight will probably be the amount of food you'll have to eat later to maintain your weight... so just start learning moderation and healthy portion control now.

The cravings? I'm guessing for most people who got overweight by overeating and because they love food, they never go away. You just have to learn to deal with them and learn moderation.

lauren3101

1. Start the weight lifting now. It's the best way to maintain as much LBM as possible. Strength training is like your muscles reminding your body that they are still needed, and telling it to concentrate on the fat instead.

2. Don't set a deadline. It's good to have goals, but large and unrealistic goals like that one will only make you miserable if you don't hit it. Trust me, I learnt that the hard way.

3. You can almost certainly eat more than 1200 calories. Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013?hl=road+map+2013

4. Don't cut anything out or label anything as inherently 'bad' food, it won't work. Portion control and IIFYM.

ctalimenti

Try to avoid the high cal junk food. The first line of defense is keeping it out of the house.

Increase your protein and fiber. This will keep you full longer.

Reduce the bready stuff, noodles, cakes, pies, candy, soda.

Eat eggs, beans, meat, vegetables, fruits. Make homemade dishes. Make chilli or soups like split pea. If you eat out, cut down on it.

You'll be able to fit more healthy foods in your day if you cut down on the junk food/processed foods. Try to treat your intake like a budget. Spend wisely.

Replace high cal with lower cal. Drink light beer, replace cow's milk with 30 cal unsweetened almond milk. Watch your portions. Make it a permanent lifestyle change.

When you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I bored?

View food as nutrition, not a boredom alleviator or friend. It's seriously not your friend if it's making you fat.

Fight back!

There is NOTHING wrong with drinking regular beer or dairy milk.
I don't drink but I've been told that light beer tastes like urine.
And plenty of people have had success drinking craft beer and full fat dairy milk.

You are more likely to succeed if you continue consuming the foods/drinks you enjoy.
Everything in moderation.

Depends upon how many beers you want....or how much milk you drink.

LishieFruit89

Try to avoid the high cal junk food. The first line of defense is keeping it out of the house.

Increase your protein and fiber. This will keep you full longer.

Reduce the bready stuff, noodles, cakes, pies, candy, soda.

Eat eggs, beans, meat, vegetables, fruits. Make homemade dishes. Make chilli or soups like split pea. If you eat out, cut down on it.

You'll be able to fit more healthy foods in your day if you cut down on the junk food/processed foods. Try to treat your intake like a budget. Spend wisely.

Replace high cal with lower cal. Drink light beer, replace cow's milk with 30 cal unsweetened almond milk. Watch your portions. Make it a permanent lifestyle change.

When you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I bored?

View food as nutrition, not a boredom alleviator or friend. It's seriously not your friend if it's making you fat.

Fight back!

There is NOTHING wrong with drinking regular beer or dairy milk.
I don't drink but I've been told that light beer tastes like urine.
And plenty of people have had success drinking craft beer and full fat dairy milk.

You are more likely to succeed if you continue consuming the foods/drinks you enjoy.
Everything in moderation.

Depends upon how many beers you want....or how much milk you drink.

Note I said moderation.
IIFYM.

obmckenzie

My mom lost about 47 lbs in 4 months, and if she stays on her current rate she'll probably be about 60-70lbs down at 6 months. She's basically doing keto (which I've just started) with no cardio but some weight training. My goal is to be 60lbs lighter by August.

I would really look into Keto for your goal, I'd also look into weight training. It's very, very helpful for WL.

ctalimenti

Try to avoid the high cal junk food. The first line of defense is keeping it out of the house.

Increase your protein and fiber. This will keep you full longer.

Reduce the bready stuff, noodles, cakes, pies, candy, soda.

Eat eggs, beans, meat, vegetables, fruits. Make homemade dishes. Make chilli or soups like split pea. If you eat out, cut down on it.

You'll be able to fit more healthy foods in your day if you cut down on the junk food/processed foods. Try to treat your intake like a budget. Spend wisely.

Replace high cal with lower cal. Drink light beer, replace cow's milk with 30 cal unsweetened almond milk. Watch your portions. Make it a permanent lifestyle change.

When you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I bored?

View food as nutrition, not a boredom alleviator or friend. It's seriously not your friend if it's making you fat.

Fight back!

There is NOTHING wrong with drinking regular beer or dairy milk.
I don't drink but I've been told that light beer tastes like urine.
And plenty of people have had success drinking craft beer and full fat dairy milk.

You are more likely to succeed if you continue consuming the foods/drinks you enjoy.
Everything in moderation.

Depends upon how many beers you want....or how much milk you drink.

Note I said moderation.
IIFYM.

Well, the OP wrote this and she's asking what has worked for others. I wrote what has worked for me. Also, the older you get, the more strategies you learn to keep the weight off....

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!

I just joined and desperately want to get on the right track. I have a hefty goal of losing 60 pounds in 6 months. Not going to be pleasant!

The MFP recommends eating 1200 calories a day. My question is what is the best approach to eat those 1200? I'm assuming avoiding junk and processed foods but does anyone know or can recommend an approach to eating these 1200 calories that has worked for you I'd really appreciate it!

nomeejerome

Edit: Post removed

sales pitch is sales pitch.

mckelly5

pounds lost are pounds lost.

nomeejerome

pounds lost are pounds lost.

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kinzieplatt

eat clean, count your calories, everything in moderation, and use MFP

LishieFruit89

Edit: Post removed

Strong 1st post.

Also against forum rules.

DebbieLyn63

Wow that's awesome!

I guess those fad diets are pretty crappy only I found the Weight Watchers plan which does allow for you to eat crappy stuff (cookies, cakes, etc.) just enabled me to still crave those foods. I'd really like to overcome these cravings for crap once and for all because I feel that my hormonal ups and downs throughout the month coincide with craving and eating crap.

What do you guys think about this whole ALKALINE approach to eating?

Don't know anything about the Alkaline approach, but as to eating 'healthier' foods as opposed to 'crap' foods. That depends on the individual. There are many people who can include nothing but fast foods and junk in their diet and lose weight be healthy. They are usually young and very active!
Some people have medical issues, i.e. blood sugar problems, HBP, insulin resistance, autoimmune disorders, hormone imbalances, etc, that find that eating a certain way, or keeping their macros, (protein, fat, carb percentages) in a certain way, or even eliminating certain foods completely, work better for their body.

Very few people have Celiac disease, but many more have a poor reaction to the gluten in wheat. It can cause all kinds of symptoms, and many have found that by eliminating gluten, those symptoms disappear.

Some people are diabetic and must limit their carbs to control their blood sugar. Many more are borderline,or are insulin resistant, and have problems effectively using the sugar in their diets. This can cause weight loss to be slower, as well as other problems. These people need to limit their starchy carb and sugar intake as well.

Some people with autoimmune disorders, or hormone imbalances have found relief by following the Paleo plan, or Atkins plan, which is lower carb, but higher fat. I personally have found that grains and processed sugars cause worsening of inflammation in my body, and cutting back drastically on my starches and sugars makes a huge difference in my pain levels. Less pain means more activity, which means better weight loss results.

And some people have trigger foods. Eating junk carbs make them crave more carbs, which results in going over their calorie limit for the day. Some people can have one donut or one serving of chips, etc, and fit it into their day. Others cannot do that yet, and may never be able to control the portion of certain foods. For those people, certain foods may have to be eliminated completely, at least for awhile.

Try different plans to see what works best for YOU. Something that you can keep with until you reach your goal weight, then transition over to maintenance. You may find something works for a while, then you need to switch to something different.
It often comes down to trial and error.

Losing the weight can be difficult, but keeping it off is the crucial part.

fitphoenix22

Losing 10 pounds per month is a pretty lofty goal. Let's do the math...

1 month = (roughly) 4 weeks
10 pounds/4 weeks = 2.5 pounds weight loss per week
1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories.
3,500 x 2.5 pound goal = 8,750 calorie deficit requirement per week
8,750 calorie deficit / 7 days in the week = 1,250 calorie deficit per DAY

Your minimum calorie intake should be no less than 1200 calories to keep your metabolism from shutting down and going into "starvation mode" where it stores fat. Unless your body requires 2,500 calories per day to maintain your current weight, it's going to be damn near impossible to meet a 1250 calorie deficit each day. Good luck doing that for 6 months.

This is why crash diets are just that... they crash and burn.

Eat less. Move more. Stick with it. Be patient. DON'T QUIT

twixlepennie

Edit: Post removed

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