Tell me it's possible without any special diet? :(

13

Replies

  • AverageAngel
    AverageAngel Posts: 123 Member
    You are, what you eat. Just remember that. ;):flowerforyou:
  • browncurlz3
    browncurlz3 Posts: 48
    Of course it's possible. There is no name for the "eat right and exercise" diet. You need to consume fewer calories than you currently are (I went from 1800 a day to 1500 and am seeing changes. Your goal calorie intake will be different.)

    But it also matters what foods those calories are coming from. Keep the greasy fats, sugar-loaded stuff to a minimum (note I ddin't say stop eating all of it...that's unrealistic). Eat a small thing of McDonald's french fries if you want, but have a (grilled) chicken salad with it. Have some ice cream, but just a scoop and eat it slow. Don't get the 1,200 calorie milkshake.

    It is not easy, but you didn't put the weight on overnight, so don't expect to lose it overnight. Stay POSITIVE.

    I'm rooting for you!
  • patsnyder89
    patsnyder89 Posts: 93
    There are no special secrets and never will be. It just takes time and track ur progress
  • rm7161
    rm7161 Posts: 505
    I am doing nothing special. Move more, eat less, log every calorie.

    I have to adjust a little bit so MFP doesn't overestimate calories burned on my exercise, I make sure I eat enough protein, eat enough vegetables, and make sure I never go over goal on carbs plus get enough dietary calcium (this usually comes in the form of nonfat yogurt, which helps me stay on goal for protein and calcium in one go without piling on calories)

    Drink enough water.

    Anybody can do it. I have watched over four inches disappear off my waist since the summer. The changes in my body are pretty dramatic, especially since I started some resistance weight training. It looks like I have lost more than I actually have on the scale, pretty sure that is due to firming up while losing weight.

    I will strongly second buying a kitchen scale to measure your portions accurately. That really helped more than anything to keep the eating on track. Now I can squeeze a little healthy dessert in so I don't crave the sweets while dieting.
  • SopranogirlCa
    SopranogirlCa Posts: 188 Member
    Get ready for it.... diets don't work!!! If they did, we would all be skinny (not healthy, but skinny). The key here is to eat right and exercise. I am not saying it's easy, I am just saying that it is simple.
  • Ladyiianae
    Ladyiianae Posts: 271 Member
    No special diets, no magic pill. I'm eating a little less, weighing and measuring my portions, exercising and living life. You can do it!
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
    I workout cause I like to eat wait scrach that..................... I love food I'm a cook so I like shopping for food working with food and most of all eating food

    I also like being fit.......... lifting heavy and run for hours

    diet is a dirty four letter word
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    It's absolutely possible, even necessary, to avoid "special diets." Reduce your calorie intake, increase your calorie burn. Keep track on MFP. As you lose weight and feel healthier, make more adjustments. It really is that simple.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    I didn't need a "book diet" to lose over 90 pounds and haven't needed one to maintain, either. All I did was finally focus on eating for health, calorie balance, and exercise.
  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
    I am feeling a little discouraged; it seems everywhere there are new and "amazing" diets that help others lose weight so quickly:

    - Atkins
    - Keto (pretty much the same)
    - Paleo (Okay, another similar one)
    - South Beach
    - Jenny Craig

    yada yada....

    Please tell me there are people out there who have lost their weigh by just watching their foods, eating a little less, and exercising??! *sigh*

    I don't know if I can keep up with technical diet rules. :/

    ive never tried any special diet. i try to exercise often, eat healthy and stay away from the sweets as much as possible (but sometimes you just gotta have it).

    best advice i can give you is keep moving, the more you move the more you burn :)

    good luck
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I don't do well with being told what to do (call it a problem with authority) so when I'm on a "diet plan" all I can think about are the foods I'm not supposed to have. What works much better for me is to just count calories and try to hit my macros. But if I want chocolate, I'll have some. I do find that certain foods are more satisfying and so I'll try to go with those most of the time. Example: potatoes. I LOVE red potatoes, but there are a lot of calories in them and they don't keep me full very long. So most of the time I eat sweet potatoes instead, but if I am really wanting red potatoes I just go ahead and have them, and give up something else that day to make room.

    I think for a lot of people the best approach is to make small changes over time instead of overhauling your entire diet in one sitting.
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
    Not only is it possible, but it's better for you. I did Nutrisystem once and lost all the weight I wanted. And... gained it all back in no time. Because it wasn't a lifestyle change. Now I eat what I want in moderation, exercise 5-6 days a week (strength and cardio), feel great, and now that I've lost the weight (again) have found it incredibly easy to maintain and I'm not 1) driving myself crazy by trying to follow an exact plan or 2) spending a ton of money to eat processed foods.
  • Shell_7609
    Shell_7609 Posts: 786 Member
    I pretty much eat what I want, just watch portion sizes, and try to be more active. The only I've truely given up is pop, once I started tracking & realized that a 20oz bottle is close to 300 calories, I realized how much I could have eaten if I hadn't drank that pop
  • klamarius
    klamarius Posts: 33
    In my opinion, the best way to lose weight is to watch what you eat! Gradually add in whole grains, fruits and veggies. I say gradually because if you try to overhaul your diet and immediately eat healthy, it will backfire. Been there, done that!! The first time I lost weight, I cut out EVERYTHING! No sweets, no pizza, none of my favorite foods, even in moderation. When I finally got a taste of those foods, it was OVER! Pretty much went on an eating spree and gained the majority of my weight back. The diets that you mentioned work - for some people. For me, it's all about logging my food into mfp and working out. Don't get discouraged. The majority of people I know who have lost weight have done so gradually and steadily, with minor setbacks here and there. Everyone struggles at some point. It's just a matter of picking yourself up and continuing on.
    Good luck! I hope you find what works for you!! :smile:
  • blueak
    blueak Posts: 2 Member
    It's so possible! I've lost weight with this super secret formula I've developed...it's called...paying attention! You don't need to cut everything you love, you just need to educate yourself about what you're putting into your body. Being on MFP already gives you an advantage, as you can easily find out the calorie content of your food. Smile, you're on your way!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I just watched my food and eat a healthy diet and lost 21 pounds in 22 weeks.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    I've lost 20 pounds in a short period of time. No gimmicks. Just restricting calories, and moving more. And I don't even eat clean. I still drink soda (just not a lot, and beer. I'm getting ready to switch up my diet a little, to accommodate lifting weights. But the only thing that means is I need to eat more, and make sure I'm getting enough protein.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    You definitely don't need any "special" diet plan to make this work. I lost 42 lbs eating normal food and working hard. You CAN do this. :smile:

    What you do need is patience, lots of hard work, and a strong desire to live better.
  • kittyr77
    kittyr77 Posts: 419 Member
    No fad diets for me. Overall calorie restriction and balanced macros. I even allow myself the odd small piece of chocolate or a cookie as a treat. Plenty of veg and protein too.
  • taylorwaylor
    taylorwaylor Posts: 417 Member
    all the people that ive talked to on here are eatinging "normal" food... those are just fad diets! dont even waste your time on those because youll gain all the weight back once you stop following them. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is eating clean and healthy, and exersizing. :)
  • RitaSantoss
    RitaSantoss Posts: 986 Member
    Honestly I'm not into any special diet, I just try my best at eating healthy and doing exercise. I don't even go to a nutricionist. I used to but I didn't feel like it worked and felt like it was something that 'I had to do' insted of 'wanting to do it'. So I would advise you to just do something you're confortable doing :)
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    Most of us here don't follow a diet of any kind, just healthy eating, watching portions, exercising and drinking water. Just make it a lifestyle change that you can follow the rest of your life!
  • sariannach
    sariannach Posts: 32
    Heck yes. Lost 20lbs since the beginning of the summer, from watching my food intake and slowly figuring out how much I actually need to be eating (with a lot of help from MFP forumites!). I don't actually exercise--which probably accounts for my fairly steady ~33% body fat in spite of weight loss. I'm sure there will come a point when I will have to suck it up and start exercising, though. I'm waiting for that particular plateau, though, as the less strain I put on my knees the likelier I will stick with it. :)
  • tracyhall63
    tracyhall63 Posts: 84 Member
    Nothing special. Count and track, make good choices, more whole foods, less processed food and keep moving!!
  • thomasxaviersayles
    thomasxaviersayles Posts: 47
    Here is what I have done to lose approximately 2 lbs per week and 2 points off my blood pressure each week. I eliminated all bread, no processed foods, no soda pop, almost no alcohol (one glass of wine weekly), no sugar, no foods with added sugar, no caffeine (I like sugar in my coffee), and then I ate only fish, hormone free meats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables along with lots of water all day long. Then I incorporated a cardio/weight lifting schedule into my daily routine of at least four days per week at a minimum 60-90 minutes. don't expect to lose the 28.5 pounds in one or two months, what I do have as a goal is a life time behavior of physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness and overall quality of life improvement. I am very fortunate to have professional trainers available who help. Additionally, with the weight loss is an increase of lean muscle mass of at least five percent. from my previous high. It can be done and anyone can do it. I also recommend watching the film I have posted a link to help you decide not to eat GMO foods. http://geneticroulettemovie.com/
    If nothing else this will scare the hell out of you when it comes to eating this poison and I mean that literally. I hope that you take encouragement from all those posting here. If you need help, ask for it is available and people care about your success.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    I've also not cut anything out, just cut down and added exercise into my life. Lost around 60lb. Good luck!x
  • Heather1899
    Heather1899 Posts: 179 Member
    When I first started all I was doing was counting calories and exercising, and drinking water-no soda. Over time though, I have improved my diet, added better foods and limited less good ones. Now...nothing is really off limits for me. If I want something I have it, I just eat lighter to keep calories in range the rest of the day...but yea just counting calories worked for me.
    I started at 312 and am down to 180ish and I don't eat "perfect"
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    I can't keep up with those plans. They are so temporary. I found an average daily diet that worked for me (banana, yoplait lite, nuts, apple with peanut butter, protein shake, turkey and crackers, grapes, roasted and raw veggies) - those things I got into a routine of eating throughout the day. Then at dinner time I'd eat whatever my faimly was eating but calculate my portion and calories through the Recipe section on the site. Worked fine. I quit eating out and just got simple.
  • tashaa1992
    tashaa1992 Posts: 658 Member
    Diets are short term, lifestyle changes are sustainable. It's calories in vs calories out, but make sure you are eating enough to fuel your workouts.
  • TinaBaily
    TinaBaily Posts: 792 Member
    I am feeling a little discouraged; it seems everywhere there are new and "amazing" diets that help others lose weight so quickly:

    - Atkins
    - Keto (pretty much the same)
    - Paleo (Okay, another similar one)
    - South Beach
    - Jenny Craig

    yada yada....

    Please tell me there are people out there who have lost their weigh by just watching their foods, eating a little less, and exercising??! *sigh*

    I don't know if I can keep up with technical diet rules. :/

    See my ticker below? I've only been counting calories, staying at or under the recommended amount for me as suggested by this site, and exercising 6 days a week. I started using this site in April. I haven't stopped eating anything in particular, but I have been focusing more on making sure I eat plenty of higher fiber foods. That has given an unexpected bonus: NO MORE CRAVINGS for bad stuff!

    Best of luck to you as you undertake your journey to a healthier, lighter you!

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