your diet wisdom.. let's share

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Along the way I've made my own realizations about losing weight. Here are mine.. I wonder what yours are. Maybe we can learn from each others insights.


1. How I lose the weight is how I will have to maintain my weight.

2. I live like I'm already on maintenance…because after doing the math…this is about how much i'll need to eat and exercise to maintain my goal weight. It has made losing so much easier to look at it that way.

3. I FINALLY understand that under eating and over exercising is counter productive to fat loss. All it does is eat muscle and slow my metabolism further, making regaining a promise.
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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    It pays to try new foods. I like some and can grow accustomed to tolerating some. More variety is a good thing.

    If I eat pasta, white rice or white bread, I will want more very soon.

    Fruit hits the spot when craving sugary treats.

    I do crazy things that will not help me lose weight...but maybe it's part of the mindset that helps me lose so, whatever. Can't hurt.

    Water is best.

    Exercise is as good for the soul as it is for the body.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Go to your local library and check out some respected diet books and read them. Notice a lot of the same info is in all of them. And a lot of what you read online isn't in any of them. Believe the authorities.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Go to your local library and check out some respected diet books and read them. Notice a lot of the same info is in all of them. And a lot of what you read online isn't in any of them. Believe the authorities.

    This brings up an interesting point in that there's ALSO a lot of diet books that are written by so called "authorities" that are also full of bad information.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    Along the way I've made my own realizations about losing weight. Here are mine.. I wonder what yours are. Maybe we can learn from each others insights.


    1. How I lose the weight is how I will have to maintain my weight.

    2. I live like I'm already on maintenance…because after doing the math…this is about how much i'll need to eat and exercise to maintain my goal weight. It has made losing so much easier to look at it that way.

    3. I FINALLY understand that under eating and over exercising is counter productive to fat loss. All it does is eat muscle and slow my metabolism further, making regaining a promise.

    YESSS to the bolded. Sure, eating very little and lots of exercising may make the scale move down very fast. However, there's a VERY good chance (yep, we've seen and read it here very often from members) that someone will NOT like what they see in the mirror when weight goal is reached.

    Move a little more and eat a little less than you previously did, that is the "magic pill" for getting fit, looking better, and feeling good.

    Oh, and finding a means of strength training that you like and can fit into your lifestyle is vital, IMO, and start it NOW (there's no day like today, right). Your muscles don't really care if it's barbells and dumbbells, exercise machines, or kettle bells, or some resistance bands or your own body weight (calisthenics, push ups, etc.). Pick one (or try out some, if you're not sure) and work it!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Go to your local library and check out some respected diet books and read them. Notice a lot of the same info is in all of them. And a lot of what you read online isn't in any of them. Believe the authorities.

    This brings up an interesting point in that there's ALSO a lot of diet books that are written by so called "authorities" that are also full of bad information.
    True. That's why I think the overlap is the incontrovertible stuff. And why I said 'respected' ones. I would exclude Tim Ferriss, for example. :tongue:
  • Dkaykay
    Dkaykay Posts: 10 Member
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    3. I FINALLY understand that under eating and over exercising is counter productive to fat loss. All it does is eat muscle and slow my metabolism further, making regaining a promise.

    Such an important thought! And good for me to hear as I'm just getting started again and over-anxious!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I'm thinking about the OP but I'm having a hard time being concise =)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Keep it Simple
  • rownan
    rownan Posts: 2 Member
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    Everybody isn't the same, but I feel better and do better on a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet than I did on low calorie-low fat. 2/3 of my fat grams are vegetable, so I'm not chowing down on piles of cheese and meat. I eat a lot of nuts and olive oil or tahini salad dressings. Meat/chicken/fish is dwarfed on my dinner plate by veggies; for example, 5 oz grilled steak with 2 cups mashed cauliflower and 1 cup garlic-sauteed spinach; 5 oz chicken or salmon teryaki with 3 cups stir fried bok choy, pea pods, and mushrooms; 5 oz chicken piccata with lots of mushrooms & parsley over 1/2 cup quinoa with 2 cups broccoli; minestre--Italian peasant stew of cabbage, sausage, white beans, onion, garlic, and fennel bulb--all cooked in chicken broth; clam sauce and romano cheese over zoodles--aka zucchguini with clam sauce ;-)

    I'm eating more veggies on this diet than when I was almost vegan! Because vegetables have replaced carbs, which used to constitute most of my diet. (This week is odd because we're traveling, and I left our bag of veggie stix & cheese in the first hotel--not used to checking the fridge before we check out!) Lunch or supper, whichever is the lighter meal, is usually salad or soup. I love bean soup, but instead of my former servings of 2-3 cups(!), I am content with 1 cup. And yes, I measure and weigh.

    Some days would be vegan save for my usual dessert of 4 oz plain kefir, 1 tbsp chia seeds, a few raspberries and a smidgeon of stevia. I've only lost a few pounds so far, but I can already fit into 1 size smaller clothes.

    PS--I had no idea I was eating much too little salt until I started tracking in MFP. My dizziness, which doctors couldn't figure out, has gone away since adding salt, a little more calories, and more fat to my diet.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Go to your local library and check out some respected diet books and read them. Notice a lot of the same info is in all of them. And a lot of what you read online isn't in any of them. Believe the authorities.

    This brings up an interesting point in that there's ALSO a lot of diet books that are written by so called "authorities" that are also full of bad information.
    True. That's why I think the overlap is the incontrovertible stuff. And why I said 'respected' ones. I would exclude Tim Ferriss, for example. :tongue:
    Heh. I'd exclude Tim Ferriss too. And I'm mad at him for stealing my term and ruining it with his silly fad (slow carb).
    I agree: there's a lot of value in reading some respected diet and nutrition books. And yes, you'll see a LOT of overlap in the good ones. And a lot of that info seems very sound.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Eat (real) food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
  • ThePhoenixIsRising
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    Dietary fats are not evil! Food is not evil!

    Having goals other than scale loss is important!
  • Chickaboo2014
    Chickaboo2014 Posts: 136 Member
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    Along the way I've made my own realizations about losing weight. Here are mine.. I wonder what yours are. Maybe we can learn from each others insights.


    1. How I lose the weight is how I will have to maintain my weight.

    2. I live like I'm already on maintenance…because after doing the math…this is about how much i'll need to eat and exercise to maintain my goal weight. It has made losing so much easier to look at it that way.

    3. I FINALLY understand that under eating and over exercising is counter productive to fat loss. All it does is eat muscle and slow my metabolism further, making regaining a promise.


    YESSS to the bolded. Sure, eating very little and lots of exercising may make the scale move down very fast. However, there's a VERY good chance (yep, we've seen and read it here very often from members) that someone will NOT like what they see in the mirror when weight goal is reached.

    Move a little more and eat a little less than you previously did, that is the "magic pill" for getting fit, looking better, and feeling good.

    Oh, and finding a means of strength training that you like and can fit into your lifestyle is vital, IMO, and start it NOW (there's no day like today, right). Your muscles don't really care if it's barbells and dumbbells, exercise machines, or kettle bells, or some resistance bands or your own body weight (calisthenics, push ups, etc.). Pick one (or try out some, if you're not sure) and work it!



    I am in total agreement with both bolded statements. It's seems ridiculously easy to lose weight once you figure both of these things out. People who don't eat enough and cry and complain because they can't lose weight, break my heart. EAT dammit and get off your *kitten* and move. And if you really want success and be happy with your body, lift something up and set it back down a few times. Repeat. The End.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
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    If you have a lot of weight to lose, be prepared for a long haul with lots of ups and downs. Some weeks the scale cooperates, some weeks it doesn't. I'm learning not to get too emotional by what that little plastic and metal box says.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Slumps are all but guaranteed. Just keep recognizing any problems you run into and solving them and you will reach your goal

    MFP app rocks! Is there anything it can't do - nope. It even made me a ham sandwich once

    Just about any question you could ever think to ask about diet and exercise has been asked and answered on MFP. Searching is your friend. I say this not to complain about repeat posts, but you could easily read five or six topics on your one question and really come out feeling informed. I use google rather than the MFP search. Like, "how often do you exercise site:MyFitnessPal.com" (without quotes).
  • kkimpel
    kkimpel Posts: 303 Member
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    Eat (real) food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

    This gets a huge THUMBS up from me .. except I add dairy and meat .. Shopping the edges of the grocery store. I cut out sugar, dropped alcohol to a few times a week and I don't eat bread or cereal and crackers. I will add things back in when I reach my goal weight. I keep Carbs low and protein and fat higher

    Up until last May, I was yoyoing around (AGAIN) but concentrating on WHAT I was eating helped a lot. I have lost almost 40 lbs in the last 5 months and cleaning up what I am eating, eating less of it, walking faithfully

    Basically, there's no placebo .. eat less, eat well, move your body
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Options
    Eat (real) food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

    This gets a huge THUMBS up from me .. except I add dairy and meat .. Shopping the edges of the grocery store. I cut out sugar, dropped alcohol to a few times a week and I don't eat bread or cereal and crackers. I will add things back in when I reach my goal weight. I keep Carbs low and protein and fat higher

    Up until last May, I was yoyoing around (AGAIN) but concentrating on WHAT I was eating helped a lot. I have lost almost 40 lbs in the last 5 months and cleaning up what I am eating, eating less of it, walking faithfully

    Basically, there's no placebo .. eat less, eat well, move your body
    I add meat and dairy too. I try to eat MOSTLY plants.
    But yes, I definitely try to shop the perimeter and eat real, whole foods as much as possible. I don't keep carbs low, because of all the plants, but I do keep an eye on starches.
  • Pspetal
    Pspetal Posts: 426 Member
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    Eat whatever you want and eat like you usually do and try to maintain some caloric deficit per day either through diet or exercise. Don't change meals and meal routines drastically and switch to foods you think are healthy and stop eating the food you generally eat and enjoy. You'll just want to go back sooner or later. This is what worked for me
  • keefmac
    keefmac Posts: 313 Member
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    Rome wasn't built in a day!.
  • TheSatinPumpkin
    TheSatinPumpkin Posts: 948 Member
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    go to thrift stores so you don't spend on a lot of $$ on a whole new wardrobe while still in progress.