Most are missing the point

snakegoddess_3

I've been on this site for 3 weeks now and it has literally changed everything about my eating habits, I'm losing weigt and while I'm not where I want to be I am happy that I am making an effort to change myself. I read various topics and over all I think some of you are missing the basic point so I'm going to line things up and see if it helps. Just remember guys this is my opinion and how I view things.

1. Portion control/snacking - yep this is an evil thing for most of us because we want to sit infront of the tv and before you know it the whole bag of chips are half way gone. It's easier to get things out of a vending machine than to take the effort to make yourself a bag of a days worth of good foods you can have. Get all your junk foods out of the house and leave yourself the good stuff. I have done this and it works, can't have it if it's not there and then your not tempted. When it says 9 crackers in a serving, make a baggie that has 9 crackers.

2. Diet soda vs water - ok guys this is a no brainer here. Your body loves and needs water and there's no way around it. Find something that makes you drink the water. For me I keep a 64 oz mug of water filled and on my desk, sometimes I have to make myself drink it. Diet soda ok not really good for you even though it says 0 calories. I had to break myself of the good old Dr. Pepper and made the move to diet. Since I didn't really like it I didn't drink much of it and went to the water. Now I allow myself 1 coke zero, better than most diet drinks out there but I just can't wake up and drink water for some reason. Baby steps here. Slowly make the change over to water. I say it's ok to have the diet drink of your choice but as long as you make it once a day, not in exchange of water by any means.

3. Junk Days- I and most people out there are a big fan of these. I think it's important to give yourself a day where you can be guilt free of having the stuff you like. This way you won't go crazy during the week when your being good. If I didn't allow myself this day I wouldn't be on a diet/life change thing, I would be over 500 lbs. I love food and not all of it's good for me. I get my fix and then move on and I stay on track.

4. When your with friends - I see a lot of people that freak out when they go out to eat or go over to a friends house for a bbq. When you go to a restaurant try to pick the healthiest thing but realize you might go over your calories, so do an extra workout before so you can squeeze it into your daily alotment. Most important thing is ENJOY the time with your friends. If there is going to be nothing you can eat healthy on make it you junk day but go have fun and get right back on track the next day. How often to you spend time with your friends or what not? For me it's like every 2 weeks or better so I think it's ok to go have fun, it's not all the time. Relax people.

5. Don't get discouraged - I had to go 2 weeks before I saw weight comming off even thought I could tell my cloths were fitting better. We hold onto water sometimes. Maybe on your junk day you had lots of sodium and you weighted yourself the next. Be honest with yourself if your doing everything, staying on track with your calories, working out then hold on to that faith that your doing everything you should be and you will see results soon. I get discouraged easily so this is one I had big problems with. Weight once a week, same day, same time.

Unfortunately there is no miricle pill out there if there was I think I would have found it and you have to figure out what works for you. I actually have to make the effort the day before and make all my food and take it to work. It looks like I went grocery shopping when I walk in but it's been working. I say have that sub sandwhich as long as it's within your calories or on your junk day. When you have something you haven't had in a while by all means savor it but get back on track even when you fall off. Ok that's my rant..hehe...good luck!

Oh and one more thing, I forgot to add you will be hungry! Just drink your water and get through those 2 to 3 hours till your next snack. I am hungry all the time, it's something that our bodies have to adjust to since we keep feeding it until we pop.

nab22

Yes everyone should read #2.

Looks like you've learned a lot in 3 weeks, and it sounds like you've really embraced the lifestyle change! Good luck to you

Lleldiranne

I agree. May I add one more?
-Make this a change you can live with long term. If you diet really heavily, exercise like crazy, and then when the weight goes off, you go back to your previous habits, you'll get right back to where you were before (usually plus a few lbs). If you need to go more slowly to make sure that you can maintain these eating and exercise habits, go slowly. Although most people will be able to add 300 or so calories back into their diets when they reach their goal, you need to be focusing on making the changes permanent.

jamaka1

well said, i think so many ppl miss the point that this is life and you do make changes but u dont stop living. thank you, enjoy the site & good luck.

Jenn070608

What a WONDERFUL post. I agree with you 100%. I have used all the tips you listed the last 5 months and last Thursday morning (I only get on the scale once a week, Thursday mornings) not only met, but exceeded my goal weight by 1 lb. I did not deprive myself of any food I might crave, just made sure it was occasional. I stayed on track with my cals and allowed myself to enjoy family/friend gatherings without guilt. I have lost 28 lbs and feel great!

Thank you for the post and reminder to others.

cmriverside

Good sound advice.



Keep preachin, sistah - that's what we do!!


I'll add:

Move more. You don't have to run a mile or lift weights your first week. You don't have to do P90X or 30-Day-Shred before the end of the month.

Just add more movement. Take the stairs. Park further away. Walk to the store if you can. Walk after meals for 10 minutes. It all adds up and gets you in the habit to look for ways to add exercise.

TheKitsune6

Meh, I disagree with #2. Yeah, we absolutely have to get enough water but long term studies show that diet soda doesn't have any serious negative side effects unless (and this only affects a small population) you are already sensitive to it and it affects you short term as well. A lot of people like to say it's bad for you, but they can't even tell you how exactly it affects your body the way they think it does or why. If I'm drinking ten glasses of water a day I'm not going to feel guilty about having a diet pepsi.

Otherwise yeah, I agree

angelworm

I totally agree with the portion control thing. The nice thing about the site is you can kind of plan your meals and snacks for the day because you can edit your day. We *should* be hungry about every 3 hours. And if we're behaving ourselves, we will tend to eat throughout the day with smaller meals and decent snacks.

There's also the important point about what you're eating for a snack. Those 100 calorie packages are a rip off. You get two bites and you've already consumed 100 calories, and you want another one. It's much better (and much more satisfying) to have carrot sticks or a small apple because you're consuming more food and less calories (or the same amount of calories.)

Basically, when you shop for groceries, stay out of the middle of the grocery store and only shop on the perimeter. Fresh Produce, Lean Meats, Lean Dairy, and nuts instead of chips -- these will be your friends.

You'll be surprised how much food you *can* consume when you take out the boxes and cans.

pauljsolie

I agree and #2 IS THE KEY. There is so much research on artificial sweeteners out there and how they actually cause an increased craving for sweets not to mention a whole host of health problems. I don't know why people still drink diet sodas. It was hard to wean myself off the diet Mt. Dew but I think it was the single most worst thing I was ingesting, all the while being told it was good for me. The only sweetener I use is Stevia and that is very seldom. The experts say Stevia is OK, but that's what they said about aspartame as well so who knows what will come out in the future. Stop eating processed foods and read the labels. That's what I did and have had great success with losing pounds, I sleep better and have way more energy. Just my 2 cents. Good luck to all in your journey.

Lleldiranne

Lot of debate about #2. Just wanted to point out:
1- It's not the sugar about soda that's the worst part (or the artificial sweetener). Carbonic acid can dissolve limestone (this is how Wind Cave was formed, in SD), and that's basically calcium - what the enamel of our teeth are made of. The other acid (phosphoric?) is no better for us. And all the other stuff in soda, too.
2- Most serious and professional athletes don't drink soda. It reduces their performance. That should say something.

I'm not saying that we should never have any soda at all. But moderation is essential. I see people go through 2 or 3 cups from the convenience store in a day - the 44 oz cups! Or a whole 12 pack in a day. That is certainly not good for your body! But having a soda or two at a party, or when you go out to dinner, is not going to kill you or your diet. And you'll feel better when you aren't drinking as much of the stuff!

Pandorian

The experts say Stevia is OK, but that's what they said about aspartame as well so who knows what will come out in the future.

At least I can grow Stevia in my garden, you can't do that with aspartame or the other chemically created sweeteners.

As long as you're using natural Stevia ie what you find at a (I meant HEALTH FOOD) store rather than the truvia / purevia versions made by coke and pepsi at your grocery store.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/180927-truvia-and-purevia-leave-it-on-the-grocery-store-shelf

TourThePast

Oh and one more thing, I forgot to add you will be hungry!

Not necessarily, there will be people who find that a healthy diet is enough to leave them feeling full, and not hungry.

Currently I'm averaging 1300 calories a day, doing strength training 3 times a week and running three times a week. So far I've been hungry only a couple of times and that's once when I was busy and didn't eat my dinner on time, and the other day when I was behind at work and ended up grabbing junk food for lunch.

Yes some people may feel hungry, some people might think they do, but it won't be like that for everyone.

pauljsolie

The experts say Stevia is OK, but that's what they said about aspartame as well so who knows what will come out in the future.

At least I can grow Stevia in my garden, you can't do that with aspartame or the other chemically created sweeteners.

As long as you're using natural Stevia ie what you find at a grocery store rather than the truvia / purevia versions made by coke and pepsi

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/180927-truvia-and-purevia-leave-it-on-the-grocery-store-shelf

Thanks for the info and the link Pandorian, I thought the Truvia label read too much like a chemistry lab experiment. Tossing that stuff out now.

Pandorian

there's others, if your Stevia product claims to measure "cup for cup" just like sugar then it has something in it as a bulking agent, the one I looked at the other night was dextrose I believe in the packets so you were mainly using dextrose as your sweetener (bulking agents to make it the same volume as real sugar) and I want to say maltodextrin for the other one that is like a 5lb bag of sugar.
If you want Stevia shouldn't you get real Stevia?

hbrekkaas

Well said!

I especially agree with whoever said ti needs to be a long term change, not just a short term one untli the weight is gone. I am always a bit shocked at people who are cutting out all sugar, dairy, carbs, etc. because its not realistic to carry on throught out the rest of their lives (for most people, I'm sure some people can) When those thigns are put back into the diet, they will have to start all over in learning how to balance it all with everything else.

snakegoddess_3

I was told Stevia was the best sweetener out there but you have to make sure it's the natural one, and that was by a doctor. Just like to add a bit of protein to every meal will also help take the weight off.

All I was trying to get at with the soda thing was that things are ok in moderation.

Bakkasan

On #2. If you are #300 and eating a medically controlled 1800cal diet and 30 min of exercise a day 4 days a week while only drinking diet soda and you don't lose weight, call me. Until then, I will enjoy my diet sodas in moderation.

Grokette

there's others, if your Stevia product claims to measure "cup for cup" just like sugar then it has something in it as a bulking agent, the one I looked at the other night was dextrose I believe in the packets so you were mainly using dextrose as your sweetener (bulking agents to make it the same volume as real sugar) and I want to say maltodextrin for the other one that is like a 5lb bag of sugar.
If you want Stevia shouldn't you get real Stevia?

Amen.

Grokette

On #2. If you are #300 and eating a medically controlled 1800cal diet and 30 min of exercise a day 4 days a week while only drinking diet soda and you don't lose weight, call me. Until then, I will enjoy my diet sodas in moderation.

Studies regarding diet soda and artificial sweetener consumption and weight gain, not weight loss............

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=4271246&page=1

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/04/earlyshow/contributors/emilysenay/main2330142.shtml

http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2010/01/03/three-reasons-to-rethink-that-diet-coke-youre-about-to-drink/

http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2009/02/diet_soda.php

paulhood

2- Most serious and professional athletes don't drink soda. It reduces their performance. That should say something.

You are probably right here, but I thought it was so funny when those coca-cola commercials came up in my mind especially during the Olympics as they are a MAJOR sponsor. Then again, so is McDonalds and every other "bad for you" food product. How does that happen? How can the greatest athletes in the world be sponsored by some of the worst for you foods/drinks? Remember back in the 70's and 80's all the beer commercials during football? Geeesh. Hey, even Mean Joe Greene drank Coke. He gave that little kid his jersey too! That did really happen right? It wasn't just a commercial? Someone caught that on their cell phone? Oh, they didn't have cell phones (with a video camera anyway) back then.

Okay, I'm done with my totally off topic post. Just thought it was funny!

Let me throw one last thing in. Here's a study for you. I researched it myself and found that EVERYONE who eats or drinks anything with sugar in it will die. Additionally and totally contradictory, EVERYONE who has never eaten sugar will die.

pauljsolie

Thanks for the artificial sweetener links Grokette. paulhood, you kill me LOL.

Jennkidz

Seems there's a lot of opinions on the diet pop/soda vs. water. Here's what I was taught. Remember it's been a few years since I was in college, so the details are a little fuzzy but. . . the general idea is still there. Pop/soda contains an acid (yeah, the one that cleans the old batteries in the car). That acid "block" something in your metabolism (told ya it's been a few years), the result. . . you can drink all the pop/soda you want, it's NOT going to help with the weight loss other than not adding to the calories. Where water, does not block your metabolism, and hence, will aid to your weight loss.

Also, water - can be translated into anything NOT carbonated. Juice, coffee, sugar free koolaid (which is what I drink, I like the flavor). . . anything. But - watch out for carbonated water . . .

I do like my vanilla coke zero - and since I rarely drink coffee, this is my caffeine to keep me awake during the night (night nurse) but I try to get my water in as much as possible.

Hope this helps