Can I lose weight eating real food butter, rice etc?

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I really need to lose weight as I am now over 16 stone. I am vegetarian and I have been investigating various diets and I am not crazy about any of them really. Most are low carb or low fat or rely heavily on processesd foods, many like paleo don't really suit a veggie. I like real food, I like butter and full fat dairy, I like cheese, wholemeal bread, keifer, brown rice, pulses, avocados and nuts. The cause of my weight gain is my sweet tooth the only processed food I eat is buscuits and cakes which I eat daily, large portions, I simply eat too much and total lack of exercise.

Researching diets it seems that the best for weight loss are low carb and low fat but nutritionally these aren't always the best because we need good fats in our diet in decent quanity and full fat dairy has loads of top quality nutrition Vitamin K2 for example in cheese. Also while I am fine with limiting carbs like bread, pasta and white potatoes more than I currently do I can't really see a problem with having some quinoa or brown rice with my evening meal or eating oats for breakfast.

Yes the cookies and the cakes do have to go, I need to use portion control and get some daily exercise as well as making sure I am getting a bit more protein especially as I intend to start strength training.

Am I crazy to think I can eat real, whole food as long as I cut out the sweets, watch my calories and exercise?


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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    If you eat little enough of anything, you can lose weight.
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
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    No you are not crazy, yes you can lose weight eating all the foods you love along with a huge variety of healthy ones you can learn to love after trying the. Calories in vs. calories out. Personally I still try to eat a whole lot of "healthy" foods that are nutrient dense so I fuel my body with what it needs but I definitely still have my bacon, ice cream, wine and deep fried goodies often too just in smaller amounts.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
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    I really need to lose weight as I am now over 16 stone. I am vegetarian and I have been investigating various diets and I am not crazy about any of them really. Most are low carb or low fat or rely heavily on processesd foods, many like paleo don't really suit a veggie. I like real food, I like butter and full fat dairy, I like cheese, wholemeal bread, keifer, brown rice, pulses, avocados and nuts. The cause of my weight gain is my sweet tooth the only processed food I eat is buscuits and cakes which I eat daily, large portions, I simply eat too much and total lack of exercise.

    Researching diets it seems that the best for weight loss are low carb and low fat but nutritionally these aren't always the best because we need good fats in our diet in decent quanity and full fat dairy has loads of top quality nutrition Vitamin K2 for example in cheese. Also while I am fine with limiting carbs like bread, pasta and white potatoes more than I currently do I can't really see a problem with having some quinoa or brown rice with my evening meal or eating oats for breakfast.

    Yes the cookies and the cakes do have to go, I need to use portion control and get some daily exercise as well as making sure I am getting a bit more protein especially as I intend to start strength training.

    Am I crazy to think I can eat real, whole food as long as I cut out the sweets, watch my calories and exercise?


    You don't even need to cut out the sweets. :p
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Everything, in moderation. I haven't given up a single thing. I fit the foods I eat into my calorie goal.
  • FlyingMolly
    FlyingMolly Posts: 490 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Eating real food is the best way to lose weight, in my opinion, as long as you don't eat too much of it. It doesn't sound like you need "a diet"; you just need to commit to cutting way back on the snacks and sweets.

    Allow yourself a treat now and then, but be brutally honest with yourself about how big "a treat" is and how often "now and then" is. Weigh it on a food scale and log it in MFP and fill the rest of your diary with whatever real, whole, wonderful foods you want.

    Diets are lame. Food is what your body runs on.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Why does it have to be so extreme?
  • rachelbouc
    rachelbouc Posts: 65 Member
    edited June 2015
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    You can totally eat real food and lose weight! Even sweets! My biggest hurdle is chocolate. I still eat it, but it doesn't bother me when it's around any more. I eat cake, ice cream, and chocolate and still maintain at least a 1lb loss a week (it should be more but I have a little problem tracking everything). I had a bridal shower and a birthday party in one week. There were a lot of sweets and indulgent foods, but I came out on top. Just count calories and exercise for bonus calories. I like to go by what my math teacher in high school use to say "Keep it simple, stupid" meaning there is no magical diet that slims or magical fat burning foods.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
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    Every 2 or 3 weeks I'll have a cheat day where I eat nothing but butter and rice. It's all about maintaining a calorie deficit long-term!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    You don't even have to cut out the sweets if you don't want to. Eat the foods you currently eat and enjoy - just less of them.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    As long as you watch your portion sizes, you can eat any foods you want and lose weight. For health reasons, you want to make sure you are getting a lot of nutrient dense foods like fruits and veggies, protein (I am also veggie, so I eat a lot of beans and tofu), and enough fat, but as long as you limit (don't eliminate, just be more careful re portions) the high calorie density foods, you should lose weight just as easily as you could on any "diet".

    When I am trying to lose weight, I tend to limit portions of avocado, oils, nuts, desserts, and bread, and eat all the veggies, fruits and beans I want. That way I'm getting enough food, but I am also having some of the richer things I like, so I don't feel hungry or deprived.
  • bertobelle77
    bertobelle77 Posts: 17 Member
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    Thanks all that does help me decide. I do eat heaps of fresh veggies and fruit each day but it is the portions and extra's that are my undoing. I am open to letting myself have a treat now and again! I am sure I read chocolate is good for you so perhaps I can have some of that each week but as you say I will need to fit it into my daily calorie goal. I think nutrient dense food as in lots of vitamins and minerals as well as eating as big a variety as possible is so much better than eating low fat processed foods it will just take a bit more disapline to check portion sizes etc.

  • softblondechick
    softblondechick Posts: 1,276 Member
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    Measure everything. Get a scale, and use cups and teaspoons.

    You can eat what you want. But, you need to measure it. For example, I pour a serving of cereal, what I consider a serving....is about three servings!
  • bertobelle77
    bertobelle77 Posts: 17 Member
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    Yeah I think mesuring is something I need to do to make sure I am not cheating myself on portion size. I have a tendency to do that too, fill the bowl and think that is a normal service size when a serving is like a quarter of the bowl. I need some smaller bowls :(
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Ninkyou wrote: »
    Everything, in moderation. I haven't given up a single thing. I fit the foods I eat into my calorie goal.

    BOOM!
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
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    I haven't cut out a single food item. I've mostly ditched butter, though. I just don't care for it all that much.
  • bertobelle77
    bertobelle77 Posts: 17 Member
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    Aww I love butter, two eggs scrambled in a little butter keeps me full all day pretty much, I can skip it on toast though.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    The best thing you can do is to stop researching diets and get back to the basics. You can work out the fine details of what foods work best for you after you get your calories in order.
  • michellemanigault5
    michellemanigault5 Posts: 1 Member
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    For me , I had to make a choice. Once I did that I was successful . The Eat Clean Diet has been the ticket for me . Best of Luck to you !
    I really need to lose weight as I am now over 16 stone. I am vegetarian and I have been investigating various diets and I am not crazy about any of them really. Most are low carb or low fat or rely heavily on processesd foods, many like paleo don't really suit a veggie. I like real food, I like butter and full fat dairy, I like cheese, wholemeal bread, keifer, brown rice, pulses, avocados and nuts. The cause of my weight gain is my sweet tooth the only processed food I eat is buscuits and cakes which I eat daily, large portions, I simply eat too much and total lack of exercise.

    Researching diets it seems that the best for weight loss are low carb and low fat but nutritionally these aren't always the best because we need good fats in our diet in decent quanity and full fat dairy has loads of top quality nutrition Vitamin K2 for example in cheese. Also while I am fine with limiting carbs like bread, pasta and white potatoes more than I currently do I can't really see a problem with having some quinoa or brown rice with my evening meal or eating oats for breakfast.

    Yes the cookies and the cakes do have to go, I need to use portion control and get some daily exercise as well as making sure I am getting a bit more protein especially as I intend to start strength training.

    Am I crazy to think I can eat real, whole food as long as I cut out the sweets, watch my calories and exercise?


  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    Everything, in moderation. I haven't given up a single thing. I fit the foods I eat into my calorie goal.

    BOOM!

    ^^ This. I had no issues hitting my goal and gave up nothing.