Don't want to do Atkins way of eating any more!

Links I recommend:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

The best kind of diet is the one you plan on doing the rest of your life. For me, eating low carb was too difficult to do and I had no energy to do anything. You need to eat the foods you love but eat less of them. Moderation is key. Best advice is get a food scale and start weighing everything you eat.

read this

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

You can do this!!

If you don't want to, then don't. Atkins has no more benefit than any other 'diet plan' for weight loss. There are people that do well on it, but don't feel bad if you're not. There is no magic food or plan that will make weight go away and not come back. It takes time and effort, more than most people realize. But you don't have to cut out any foods you don't want to, just cut down on the amount of them you eat.

What I would suggest is getting a good food scale and weigh EVERYTHING you eat for a week or two. It WILL be a surprise how many calories you're actually consuming, but don't let that deter you! Doing this gives you a baseline to start from, and lets you identify patterns and habits you need to change. Then, start by changing one thing. First thing I did was swap out soda for lunch for unsweet tea with equal. That cut out 200-300 calories a day just with one change. Then, start lowering the AMOUNT of things you eat. Normally eat three cookies? Take two and walk away from the plate. You're still eating something you like, just less of it. If your diet now is primarily junk food (and by that, i mean high calorie/low nutritional foods), you'll find that swapping out a couple of things for something healthier, like veggies or something, you'll actually be able to eat more in terms of bulk, which can make you feel full longer. How you do it is up to you.

That's the thing, you have to develop an eating plan that works FOR YOU. You can try many things, but if it's not a diet you're willing to make into a permanent change, then it's not going to be effective in the long term. Take low-carb diets: some people do well on them and are happy with keeping it up for the rest of their lives. I could never do that! So a low-carb diet isn't for me. I simply took what I was eating, subbing out a few things that I liked for better choices that I also liked, and started cooking dinner for myself and HSpoon more often so I could control what I was eating.

This is not a fast process. It is slower than 'diets', but more effective long term. What you're doing isn't a 'diet', but you're retraining your brain and body to what a proper portion of food is, as well as learning better eating habits that will help you stay in your target range once you get there. Make that part of your goal, not just a number on the scale. The number on the scale means nothing if you don't learn the eating habits that will help it stay there.

As for what normal diet is? It's what you want to eat. You do need some carbs, protein, fiber and other nutrients, but I don't think anyone agrees on how much is appropriate for everyone. If you want advice on making dinner, what I do is prep the main dish which is a meat of some kind, include two sides: a veggie and something with carbs. Boom, balanced dinner! It's ok to stick with the same two or three veggies if you want, as well as the same carb if you like it.

Tried it, I couldn't do it. I would crave bread/pasta so bad. I used to be so carb phobic.
Now I make sure I have carbs throughout the day. I stick to whole grains and watch portion size. I no longer crave carbs because my body is getting some. When eating pasta or rice with a meal, I stick to half a cup cooked. If I want a roll, I skip the pasta and the roll is my carb. It just works for me.!

lubalubies wrote: »

I have come to the decision that I wont lose weight by eating the Atkins way. I have picked up a stone in weight the last month. I now have 50lbs to lose! I cannot stay on Atkins for more than a few days before I "cheat". I am now so confused and just want to lose the weight. I am so sick and tired of spending all this time on diet and never seeing any results. I think I have decided to cut my calories to 1200 as suggested by MFP but due to the length of time I have been on Atkins trying to lose weight, I have forgotten what's important in a normal diet.
I would really appreciate advice on how to eat.
thanks for listening

Sure, a plan where cheating feels inevitable is not a good plan for you.

Reducing baked goods and other added sugars has been beneficial for me, and saving treats for the end of the day after dinner helps keep me on track for the rest of the day. I eat more fruit now and am currently loving local apples.

Eating more protein in relationship to carbs has also been very helpful in keeping me fuller longer.

lubalubies wrote: »

thanks for all the positive help. I am 5.6 and just turned 50. I have started to run again so hopefully that will help as well.
Today is day 2 of counting calories so here's to a great successful weight loss journey.

Awesome and best wishes!!

Good advice regarding chucking what doesn't work, becaue that opens the door to find the right dietary plan for you. I couldn't do Atkins either because I have to have my carbs for energy. Otherwise I get tired and crabby and can't run or wieght lift, after which I get more tried and crabby. Yep, low carb would not work for me either....

I suggest just eating in moderation all the foods you love.

I honestly hate anything with a title when it comes to nutrition, most aren't sustainable and the others are just bizarre. A lot of people are doing great on the "if it fits into your macros" bandwagon though. I have found it establishs the best healthy relationship with food and accurate portion sizes. When we can't have somethjng, then we MUST have it, it's the way of the world lol. You want a pop tart? Have it but adjust your calories/macronutrient intake accordingly.