Vegan? Vegetarian? Paleo? High Carb?

christinehetz80

Just curious on what food lifestyle choices people on here have and why? What reasons made people choose their specific nutritional plan and why they feel it benefits them. Was the transition hard? How long they've been doing it? And can I peek at your diaries? Just working on getting more ideas and I don't think I ever see myself going vegan/vegetarian or raw or paleo. I'm open to implementing certain things though.

I personally try to just eat as clean as possible as minimally processed as possible and organic if I can, with a wide array of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, lean meats, and slow digesting carbs with a side of chocolate.

neanderthin

I personally believe in the field/farm to fork philosophy.

stronglikebull

i try to keep my carbs under 100 (generally net carbs, but i really aim for under 100 total carbs), my protein around 100, and eat enough fat to keep things lubricated. ideally, i'd like to follow a much more paleo type diet, but as a student i can only do so much. i'm getting pretty steady results with my current approach. i could never do vegan or raw. i like meat too much.

personally, i am carb sensitive and i think it has a lot to do with my hypothyroid. i try to get a good amount of fiber and get a good amount of roughage in the form of greens and berries. this week's diary isn't the best example because i've been relying on protein shakes for quick food as i'm busy with school but you're more than welcome to take a look!

iysys

i'm of the stay out of the aisles at the market philosophy.

waldo56

I personally think this whole eating clean thing is a bunch of hooey. A mild form of orthorexia.

It really isn't all that hard. Eat less junk food, severely reduce/eliminate the snacking habit, remove most liquid calories, never go through a drive through, and save eating out for special occasions only (quit being lazy and grocery shop/cook). Do those things plus exercise and eating enough calories will be a much bigger problem than eating too many.

sapalee

It sounds like you're writing a research paper...

What reasons made people choose their specific nutritional plan and why they feel it benefits them.
My brother had been doing Paleo/primal for a few years with great results, I started CrossFit, read Robb Wolff's Paleo Solution, did the 30 day challenge, and love how much better I feel, just brought some dairy back in after the initial 30 days. Experimenting with percentages has given me 40-45% fat, 30-35% carb, and 25% protein.

Was the transition hard?
Surprisingly not, the cravings for sweets and processed carbs went away within the first week, pop back up when I have a "cheat" meal. Eating protein at breakfast was the hardest thing, I just can't handle the suggested leftover dinner for breakfast, but eggs or greek yogurt work for me now. I know longer have afternoon fatigue.

How long they've been doing it?
Feb of this year

And can I peek at your diaries?
Yep, it's public. I'm not 100% strict, I don't know anyone that is, but I try, some days are more successful than others. I'd say 90% paleo/primal.

"I personally try to just eat as clean as possible as minimally processed as possible and organic if I can, with a wide array of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, lean meats, and slow digesting carbs with a side of chocolate. "

Sounds like you've got it figured out, we're essentially doing the same thing.

erickirb

Balanced diet, combined with strength training and moderate amount of cardio.

marieautumn

i personally believe in the paleo lifestyle which is either grass fed, or lean meats and veggies and natural fats.

cmacvet

I'm pescatarian - just fish, no shellfish (allergy). I free-lanced my initial weight loss with just this philosophy:
1. set a goal
2. only eat if you're hungry - not by the clock
3.. stop eating when you're not hungry - that is actually just a few bites
4.. select foods wisely - no sweets for me - my downfall
5. and ALWAYS REMEMBER... "it's not going to disappear off the face of the earth" when you're tempted to cheat.

I lost 10.5 lbs in 2.5 weeks, and was rarely hungry because of the small nibbling. Nice loss, but too much. Now that I'm actually counting calories here, I'm allowed more food and will hopefully lose my couple of pounds left more gradually. It's all a mind-set.

Carol

christinehetz80

It sounds like you're writing a research paper...

haha Interesting you would say that considering or looking into a nutritional based field career change, but I am also intrigued cause I subscribe to the method of what works for some doesn't always for others and cause I love food and I'm slightly nosy, but a whole lot curious!

Josteyn

Eat Less.


Move More.


Result, weight loss and body toning.


Simples.

kleverkira

I'm "flexitarian" as much as I hate that word. I eat meat-free 90% of the time, but sometimes I really want some animal protein, in which case I'll eat some. I've been doing that for about 2 years now, and it's a good balance for me.

carld256

Low-fat vegan here, well almost vegan. It's hard to avoid milk or eggs sneaking in somewhere. It's working really well for me.

andreacord

Rarely eat junk food. Eat when I'm hungry-ish .. to a certain extent. Limit processed carbs (but I might murder someone without oatmeal or bread). Good protein sources. That is all.

bradthemedic

I was a vegetarian for years, but recently I haven't been able to get in enough calories to sustain myself. I am not a big fan of nuts and they aren't too dense (that I find) so meat has been sneaking into my diet... and recently very heavily. Due to IBS though it needs to go away so I am working on transitioning back out of it.

athensguy

I try to base my diet choices on research.

I try to keep saturated fat low, sodium low, fiber high, protein at least 10% of calories, and avoid HFCS.

I try to eat foods that offer benefits beyond their macros such as grapefruit, tomatoes and spinach.

I drink some alcohol just about every day.

I exercise quite a bit.

I'm not always successful at following those guidelines, but I think my diet is working for me so far.

callmeBAM

I personally think this whole eating clean thing is a bunch of hooey. A mild form of orthorexia.

Way to start out the attack posts so soon. Why not just STFU instead of being critical about things you don't even understand.

christinehetz80

Eat Less.


Move More.


Result, weight loss and body toning.


Simples.

Not really specifically going for a body fat/weight loss or suggestions for me personally just curious what works for other people and how it benefits them. More specifically than just overall weight loss. For example, I noticed when I cleaned up my diet and went higher protein I wasn't as hungry as I was before. I also noticed that my skin cleared and my nails seem stronger, etc. I attribute that more to the micronutrients that I'm getting from the whole foods. Yes weight loss has been awesome, but sometimes its more than just that. When the scale isn't moving you have to remember the other things that are benefiting from your lifestyle choices. More energy, etc.

mrpurdy

I tried keeping my macros at 40-30-30 (40% carbs, 30% protein, & 30% fat), but that didn't work for me after I started NROLFW. I had to increase my carb intake to @ 50% in order to have enough energy!

Do whatever works best for you.

littlelily613

I am vegetarian. I was vegan for a few months when I first returned to vegetarianism after a few-year hiatus. That is my ideal, but it is just not easy to do right now. I was not getting enough protein, so now I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I don't want to cause harm to animals, particularly those in the slaughter houses and factory farms, so I won't eat them. I only eat free-run or free-range eggs. Dairy for me right now, unfortunately, is just dairy. I don't drink glasses of milk, but I do eat cheese and yogurt. Someday I wish to give them up, but it won't be today.

christinehetz80

I personally believe in the field/farm to fork philosophy.

I've been researching this more and love the philosophy and trying to implement it a lot more. Its harder...I live in suburbia, but I'll take what I can get and I feel this is something worth seeking out. I'm considering gardening, raising chickens, and looking into a co-op for fruits/veggies and local farms for beef/pork/chicken etc.

jedibunny

Raised vegetarian, made changes to include more protein and fewer carbs earlier this year. I know I'm deficient in some things like iron and B12 (and therefore get tired easily), which I now take supplements to aid with, and I'm constantly seeking new sources of protein.

jching29

I pretty much eat whatever seems right at the time, but I've severely limited my added sugars intake. I cook using less oil, exercise when I have the time, and eat when I'm hungry. I fill up mostly on large amounts of low-calorie vegetables (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spinach, etc) and garnish with meats (chicken, lean beef, fish) and fats (avocado, oils, etc.) It's been pretty easy, and I can eat less while staying fuller, longer. I've loved it, so far

I also maintain that having days every now and then (not scheduled ones, because that's baloney) are good for you. Eating some buffalo wings when you've been good for two weeks straight is only going to strengthen your resolve to lose weight.

UponThisRock

I'm in the camp that tries to piss all those camps off with my diet

kecarlto

I am living a paleo lifestyle and feel the best I have in years. I had been following the dietary exchange for about 1 year (lots of fruits and veggies, low "healthy" carbs, lean protein and low fat dairy) and did have some success but stopped losing weight and started to feel tired all the time.

After switching to paleo about 30 days ago, my energy is steady, I'm always satisfied, sleep better, wake up more easily, have clearer skin...the list goes on and on. AND the weight has started coming off! I'm 15 lbs lighter than I was 30 days ago without restricting my cal intake. It was a pretty easy switch for me as I was already very low grain and sugar.

My diary is open (at least I think it is)

christinehetz80

I am living a paleo lifestyle and feel the best I have in years. I had been following the dietary exchange for about 1 year (lots of fruits and veggies, low "healthy" carbs, lean protein and low fat dairy) and did have some success but stopped losing weight and started to feel tired all the time.

After switching to paleo about 30 days ago, my energy is steady, I'm always satisfied, sleep better, wake up more easily, have clearer skin...the list goes on and on. AND the weight has started coming off! I'm 15 lbs lighter than I was 30 days ago without restricting my cal intake. It was a pretty easy switch for me as I was already very low grain and sugar.

My diary is open (at least I think it is)

Love the info! Thank you I'll peek at your diary!

lporter229

I am gluten-free. I have Crohn's disease and read numerous account from people with Crohn's who had success with a GF diet. Family and friends kept suggesting I try it and I was at a point where I was willing to try anything. I felt I could not discredit it if I hadn't tried it. I fully expected it to be a waste of my time. But it turns out I was wrong. It has made a huge difference in my digestion and over all physical well-being.

That said, it has been EXTREMELY challenging and I would not recommend it to everyone. I often think of slowly phasing gluten product back into my diet, but I remember how poorly I felt before and I become scared. I do not want to go back there. From what I understand, many people with Crohn's go through periods of tolerance/intolerance with gluten (just like we go through periods of activity/remission), so who knows. The thought of never eating a real pizza again is kind of depressing. Then again, so is the thought of returning to the pain and suffering. Right now I will just play it by ear and I feel good so I don't want to change anything.

victoria4321

I eat pretty much everything except for grains and potatoes just cause I don't like them all that much anyway. If someone else cooked it I'd probably eat it as to not be rude. I don't eat much dairy aside from raw butter and if I get coffee from a coffee place I'll put milk and sugar in it. I eat ice cream also. If I didn't buy it then I'll eat the regular dairy one and when I buy it I get the coconut milk kind. I try to aim to keep my macros at 40/30/30 but I tend to go over on fat and not meet all the protein often.

There wasn't much of a transition aside from me being lazy. When I cook I find grains and starches take the longest to cook. Since they're flavorless on their own and I don't care too much for them anyway, I just don't even bother with it. I couldn't just eat plain rice or potatoes without a lot of sauce or something on it. Same with oatmeal except I'd need tons of sugar, butter and milk to even enjoy it. I find I can get all my carbs from fruits and veggies anyway.

kecarlto

I'm in the camp that tries to piss all those camps off with my diet

Haha! Just peeked at your diary - and your statement is so true. You lift?

noirnatural

I am a Vegetarian, I lost my taste for meat and meat products...Its been about six years and the transition was easy because I have always loved vegetables and fruits,

terminatorsmom

I just started paleo 5 days ago and Im amazed on what it has done for me so far.
Im not hungry at all.
the first few days were a killer with my body getting adjusted to no caffine and Im sure from all the junk thats in the processed foods.
The only thing I have found is I have to add sea salt to some foods ONLY because my blood pressure is already low. Working out hard and loosing alot of sodium but other than that I feel awesome and Ive lost 6 lbs since I started.