So done with dieting.

leighkay123
leighkay123 Posts: 5 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been involved with every plan under the sun for years, but now I am done with dieting. After losing weight and gaining it back AGAIN (Keto this time), I need to find a way to establish a sustainable way to live so I'm at peace with food and my body. I have done Zone, Keto, Paleo, but it always falls flat somehow in the end. Anyone else as exhausted with the rollercoaster as I am?

Replies

  • TheBeachgod
    TheBeachgod Posts: 825 Member
    Dieting sucks.

    I no longer eat however much of whatever I want, whenever I want, but I haven't made anything off limits. I weigh everything because I'm still not good at eyeballing portions. I don't consider that a diet, though.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    ^^ That.

    Don't do 'diets' - the very word conjures up thoughts of restriction, deprivation and misery. Learn healthy eating habits, learn to control your portion sizes, and eat the things you like rather than what you think you 'should' be eating. Nothing needs to be off-limits unless you really can't control yourself around that thing. (Pringles are banned from my house!)

    It might take time - I've only been doing this for three weeks and still have a lot to learn (and like TheBeachgod I can't guess at portion sizes so I have to weigh them), but I'm losing weight AND learning new habits that should help me to keep it off this time. :)

    You can do this - just stop thinking of it as a diet and don't expect overnight results. Good luck!
  • leighkay123
    leighkay123 Posts: 5 Member
    I got this book Intuitive Eating that is supposed to help me learn to eat like a human - understanding what my body needs and following instinct. It's just so tough being immersed in a culture of non-food and sugar!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    stop dieting and make a lifestyle change…

    Set MFP for one pound per week weight loss and eat to that number
    get a food scale and weigh all solids
    use correct MFP database entries
    find a form of exercise that you like and do it
    realize that no foods are off limits, just stay within your calorie targets and get adequate nutrition …

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    stop dieting and make a lifestyle change…

    Set MFP for one pound per week weight loss and eat to that number
    get a food scale and weigh all solids
    use correct MFP database entries
    find a form of exercise that you like and do it
    realize that no foods are off limits, just stay within your calorie targets and get adequate nutrition …

    This/ end thread
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    How about eating slowly?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    stop dieting and make a lifestyle change…

    Set MFP for one pound per week weight loss and eat to that number
    get a food scale and weigh all solids
    use correct MFP database entries
    find a form of exercise that you like and do it
    realize that no foods are off limits, just stay within your calorie targets and get adequate nutrition …

    All of this
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    stop dieting and make a lifestyle change…

    Set MFP for one pound per week weight loss and eat to that number
    get a food scale and weigh all solids
    use correct MFP database entries
    find a form of exercise that you like and do it
    realize that no foods are off limits, just stay within your calorie targets and get adequate nutrition …

    ^^ Doing all this made losing weight easy and non-stressful for me.
  • briggsykim
    briggsykim Posts: 75 Member
    leighkay123 wrote: »
    I have been involved with every plan under the sun for years, but now I am done with dieting. After losing weight and gaining it back AGAIN (Keto this time), I need to find a way to establish a sustainable way to live so I'm at peace with food and my body. I have done Zone, Keto, Paleo, but it always falls flat somehow in the end. Anyone else as exhausted with the rollercoaster as I am?

    Omg me too. But I have to lose this weight I gained while I was off dieting.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Stop saying "Diet" for starters.
  • andrasita30
    andrasita30 Posts: 24 Member
    leighkay123 wrote: »
    I have been involved with every plan under the sun for years, but now I am done with dieting. After losing weight and gaining it back AGAIN (Keto this time), I need to find a way to establish a sustainable way to live so I'm at peace with food and my body. I have done Zone, Keto, Paleo, but it always falls flat somehow in the end. Anyone else as exhausted with the rollercoaster as I am?

    Try intermittent fasting, be on a calorie deficit, 20-30 minutes walking or light jogging at least 3 times a week. You'll see ☺
  • GsKiki
    GsKiki Posts: 392 Member
    Don't do diets. If you want long lasting results you need to change your lifestyle. Aim to be healthier and fitter. Eat in moderation, move, and enjoy life!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,597 Member
    Here's what I did ...

    I entered my information into MFP
    I set my goal at a 0.5 kg/week loss
    MFP gave me a maximum calorie amount.
    I stuck to that maximum calorie amount by weighing all my food and recording all the calories I consume.
    I determined that if I had limited calories, I was going to eat only foods I like.
    So I spent some time, over several days, thoroughly browsing through the local grocery stores and markets finding low cal, delicious food.
    Exercise burns calories too, which gives me more calories to eat.
    I enter my exercise calories realistically (in other words, low ... I do not burn 1000 calories cycling for an hour, but more realistically, I might burn 400)
    I aim to eat about half my exercise back ... or a bit more on days when I put in a lot of exercise. On those days, I need the fuel.

    And I have successfully lost 26 kg.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    You want results. You'll figure out an approach to dieting and a diet that works for you. Good luck.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Are you open to calorie counting? How many lbs do you have to lose? You don't need a special diet. Just eat what you like according to the calories MFP gives you and you'll lose weight
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,156 Member
    I don't diet. I do watch my portion sizes though. Really if you put your goals into the mfp app and follow the calorie guide you can lose weight. So far I'm down 27 pounds. I'm not done yet, but I really feel like I will be able to sustain this. I haven't made anything off limits. I just eat smaller portions than before. And sometimes I skip certain things but not because I can't have them. I skip them because I don't want to waste calories on foods that don't fill me up and I'm more mindful about not eating when I'm not hungry.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
    Go lurk on the Maintenance Discussion Group. Nearly everyone there has achieved their goals doing what most of the people on this thread recommend: stop "dieting", eat anything you want but count calories using MPF and keep within your range for a very moderate (do-able) rate of loss, get some exercise and (very importantly) be patient.

    There are a gazillon people on MPF who share your opinion - you are not alone, so learn from the successful ones.
  • Stanley1903
    Stanley1903 Posts: 73 Member
    I have lost nearly 26 pounds, and I haven't made any foods off limits. I personally avoid any food with added trans fat (everything with trans fat besides beef), and I try to avoid extremely high sugar intake. But seriously, I've had ice cream, pizza, chips, soda, cookies... Not in huge amounts, but I have let myself eat these things. I have eaten a serving, of what I wanted at a given time, no limiting to a few tiny bites.

    Most days I eat things like fat free Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, peas, beans, broccoli, fish, rice, chicken, while eggs, oatmeal, low fat cheese, peanut butter, carrots, celery, pineapple, berries, bananas, herbal or black tea, and tons of water. It's an exercise in self control and balance.

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