Confused about diets

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mountainrun73
mountainrun73 Posts: 155 Member
in Getting Started
Hi all, I am new here. I have never really struggled with weight until the past few years. I finally decided to get serious on Friday, when an older man at the gym asked if I was pregnant. I was dealing with IBS-related bloating, but I had to admit that I have gained weight around my middle. I am about 20lbs over my ideal weight - which I maintained, plus or minus 5 lbs, until I was about 36. My BMI is in the normal range, but since I am pretty small-framed, the extra weight on my belly is making me unable to zip even my "fat" pants.

I've read a lot about various types of diets, vegan, vegetarian, paleo/primal, gluten-free, etc. But I am confused as to what is healthiest! I have a history of heart disease and high blood pressure in my family, and am in the prehypertensive stage with my own blood pressure. Cholesterol is fine. What works? What's healthy? Advice?

Replies

  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    My advice, forget about the specialty diets, the severly complicate weight loss when it really can be a pretty simple process. Set up your goals in MFP and get a calorie goal to give you an appropriate deficit:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Since you mentioned IBS, you might benefit from seeing if specific types of foods set you off worse and try to minimize those, but just for personal comfort, not for weight loss reasons.

    If you don't exercise then start, you can probably get your blood pressure normal and maintain that through exercise.
  • Fit_Fox88
    Fit_Fox88 Posts: 410 Member
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    ^^ This. Eat what you want, in smaller portions, and make sure it fits into your calories. Leaving out certain food groups doesn't work.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    I agree with both of the above! The more complicated things are in the beginning, the less likely you are to stick with your new way of eating. Learn about weighing, measuring, portion control, and exercise first. Then, if you decide you want a "specialty diet" later on, you'll be better prepared to tackle it and stick with it.

    Good luck!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    What they said... However, considering your medical conditions, it might be best for you to talk to your doctor and/or a registered dietician about which food choces would be right for you.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
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    hat's to be confused, diets are temporary in nature and generally do not work.

    read or watch Forks Over Knives and Hungry for Change.

    I call it a "lifestyle Change", because it's changing the way we look at food for life not just 10 weeks or whatever.
  • carliaimac
    carliaimac Posts: 11
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    I'm doing 5:2. Its working for me, my portions are naturally becoming smaller and I am much, much more aware of what I'm eating. Going from being a binge eater to someone who can actually tell themselves that no they dont need that is huge for me. I dont think theres a one size fits all with diets, everyone has one that works for them but I do think that thinking of it as a way of life, rather than a short term fix is a good starting point. Good luck.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ^ That's a great getting started guide.

    With regards to your health issues, speak to your doctor about whether they think you should limit any food groups, i.e. because you IBS is triggered by certain foods.
  • Luv2eatSweets
    Luv2eatSweets Posts: 221 Member
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    I have Crohn's disease so the most important thing to do will be to log all of your foods. If you suffer on a regular basis with flare ups, logging your foods will be a very important tool to zero in on the foods that will give you any "poop bombs"This will help you figure out the foods that are triggering your IBS. If you are on any meds keep up with them until your doc says otherwise. Log and weigh your foods is all I can suggest. Good luck to you.



    Oh yeah and calorie deficit:laugh:
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,771 Member
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    The key to my 50+lb weight loss has been to eat a little bit less (500cals/day) of the food I normally eat and move a little more. That has resulted in a steady 3lbs/month weight loss for me. And more than that, it has been relatively easy and stress free - no worries about what I "can" or "can't" eat.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    What has worked for me:

    Eating less, making better choices, moving more.
    It really can be that simple.

    I still eat junk food on occasion, I don't cut carbs, and I DO eat packaged foods sometimes.

    BUT I try to make my snacks all fruits/veggies because the snacking is what kills my mojo.

    Check out my diary from this past week if you want. :smile:
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    You really don't need any special diet at all. Eat what you want, but eat less. Get a food scale, weigh and measure everything and log it. Eat at a deficit, and you'll lose weight. It really doesn't need to be hard. You can do it and still enjoy the foods you love
  • Luv2eatSweets
    Luv2eatSweets Posts: 221 Member
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    You really don't need any special diet at all. Eat what you want, but eat less. Get a food scale, weigh and measure everything and log it. Eat at a deficit, and you'll lose weight. It really doesn't need to be hard. You can do it and still enjoy the foods you love

    This is true. But with IBS, it for the most part won't allow you to eat foods you love. Some of those foods the OP is eating are attributing to her symptoms.

    *contributing :)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    As pretty much everyone else has said, start out simple. Start keeping your food and activity diary and figure out your calorie allowance.

    Talk to your doctor about what you should be eating for your IBS.

    I ate a lot of junk and found that just focusing on eating real food and not processed crap cut a ton of calories out of my eating plan. It is so easy to lose track when you are just ripping stuff out of the cellophane and zapping it in the microwave (or pulling up to the drive-through). There are so many quick and easy not even "recipes", just ways to throw a few ingredients into a bowl or a pan together to make something yummy, that you can find online, and here in the forums.

    Good luck!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Don't do any "diet". Eat at a deficit. That's all.
  • mountainrun73
    mountainrun73 Posts: 155 Member
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    Thanks for the advice! I've been trying to figure out what triggers IBS symptoms, and it seems to be when I go on a carb binge (lots of pasta and garlic bread). But not always. I've never tracked my food religiously before, so that is part of why I signed up here for MFP.
    Also, I exercise. It's my antidepressant. My problem is consistency. For example, I ran a half marathon in March and lost about 8lbs during training. After, I got lazy and very inconsistent with exercise so put the pounds back on. Again, I think tracking my exercise will help.

    I will order a food scale today - I've never used one, and seems like it'll help me to dial in my portions.

    :smile:

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