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The ideal diet - are we there yet?

kommodevaran
kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
edited December 1 in Debate Club
Or are we happy to eat well enough, knowing that we don't get extra food karma points for eating more broccoli when we've already eaten our broccoli today?

And should we lose another pound? Get rid of that flab that nobody else can see?

I'm finally happy with my weight and with my diet. I feel that I eat optimally - enough of everything but not too much of anything. I eat what I like, and I like what I eat. My normal diet makes me feel good. But one day here and there eating whatever will not ruin my efforts. Too many years spent striving for the strict but vague ideal way of eating, and thinking I could be a little thinner. Always feeling a little guilty, and never good enough. I feel so liberated now, and it feels strange. Partly because I haven't made any drastic changes; in many ways, I eat like I've always eaten, but at the same time I've adjusted lots of little details, have a better structure to my eating and moving, and above all - my habits and attitudes towards food and eating are dramatically altered.

I would like to hear from others who have struggled, and still struggle or have stopped struggling, please :smile:

Replies

  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    I've found I do really well on 25/45/30 protein/carbs/fat diet overall. And, even though it's relatively high protein, if I space out the protein intake to 40g max every few hours I don't get the dreaded toxic gas.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I don't understand what you're asking? Have I found a diet that works for me? I guess how I eat is ideal for me, but not for everyone. I don't get all my macros and micros every day. I don't get to eat to satisfaction any longer, but to enough that I don't go mental. I continually fight with myself to not eat certain foods or certain amounts of foods.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    I'm with @zyxst - I have found the ideal way for me to eat. I don't expect it would work for everyone - about 60/25/15 f/p/c. I'm at a place where I can trust my hunger cues enough to go long periods without logging a thing, I can eat to satiety (heck many days I struggle to get enough calories - never in a million years thought I'd have *that* problem, but it sure is a nice problem to have!), I have enough flexibility and variety that I'm not bored (or a drag to be around), and I find the food I eat to be beyond delicious. Yup. I'd say I have a pretty ideal diet. Having gotten to my ideal weight, and maintained that for years is kinda like a bonus :)
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
    I like keto with the occasional beer. I love my imperfect body, but I know I should switch from running to heavy lifting (after my half-marathon in July!)

    For me, being able to have a slender appearance without needing to go lower is a win. I am still tracking my intake, but I am not trying to lower my calories or beating myself up over food "failures." It's not that I have good days and bad days with food, they are all good days because I am loving myself. I am neither eating nor starving to solve emotional issues.

    I have a mostly healthy relationship with food ATM and I think my diet plays a huge role in that. (Not almonds. I eat almonds past the point of satiation so must limit my intake per month. Plus I'm allergic to raw almonds so it's stupid of me to eat them anyway, but I am a fool in love!)
    For me, this is the ideal. Your results may vary.
  • Lisa_Ookoo
    Lisa_Ookoo Posts: 134 Member
    It took about 3-4 months of tweaking my diet to figure it out so that I don't go hungry, I get enough protein, I satisfy my love for ice cream, and I don't hate myself if I go over my calorie budget for that day.
  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    Happy with my body, but have not quite found a diet I find ideal. I have a big issues with getting enough protein and not getting cravings or annoyed at my food.

    Not sure why this is in this forum,though.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    I'm happy to eat "well enough". Trying to eat perfectly ended with me having a disordered relationship with food. Now I enjoy everything and fuel my body without the dreaded "good food, bad food dichotomy".
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    qkv2kv2ugqwb.jpg

    There are quite a few solutions to the problem of how to eat. Choose a path, stick to it, if the path doesn't work, adjust. Thinking that there can only be one solution is to fail to read the wall in front of you.

    Nice. I was just thinking about the rock climbing analogy yesterday. Do you climb? I was once a novice climber, but I haven't done it in a while. Anyways, I always found it interesting how two people would find two totally different paths to ascend a route. It's a great analogy for many life lessons.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    moe0303 wrote: »
    Nice. I was just thinking about the rock climbing analogy yesterday. Do you climb? I was once a novice climber, but I haven't done it in a while. Anyways, I always found it interesting how two people would find two totally different paths to ascend a route. It's a great analogy for many life lessons.

    Yep. It's something I enjoy with two of my daughters (the two others just don't enjoy it much), mostly an indoor novice but now have some travel goals which means I need to step up my game in the next year.

    There are poor paths, for sure, but probably the way up can vary a little or a lot. I was thinking about sub-optimal solutions to problems and the word "problems" triggered my thinking about "climbing problems" we practice.
  • paulgads82
    paulgads82 Posts: 256 Member
    edited May 2016
    My ideal diet takes into consideration my mental health too, so it's not 100% "health" foods. To me, having that chocolate bar or whatever is just as important as downing that beetroot juice. Basically though I think I've just about hit the perfect diet, lots of fruit and veg, not too much red meat and some healthy fats, with occasional treats. I don't overthink it.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    My ideal diet is the moderation diet, same as you, I eat what I like and I like what I eat. 6 days a week I stay away from fatty foods, fried foods, alcohol, etc., and stick to whole foods, lean meats, vegetables and fruits, but one day a week I eat what I want (in moderation). I have a few drinks, I have a couple pieces of pizza if I want it. I have done this for over 12 years and haven't been 5 pounds less or more. I maintain my fitness, not only for vanity, but also for health. If everyone could get the moderation mindset, it would be much easier.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Interesting question. My diet has changed quite a bit throughout my life, yet I've always been healthy. I was actually quite a bit thinner when my diet was less 'ideal' by nutrition standards. But I was young and thought being thin was important for beauty and healthy and enjoyed being the hot one in the group.

    Now, I know that being thing doesn't make me better or make sex better or make my man want me more or make everyone envy me or any of those silly things I thought when I was young. Now I worry more about strength and health and aging.

    Is my diet ideal? I don't know but it's good enough to keep me healthy and happy. What more should I ask of a diet?
  • trollerskates
    trollerskates Posts: 87 Member
    Every person is so different there is no such thing. How many of you have tried a bunch of diets and failed then found that one that works real good. Those other ones werent junk, they just didnt jive with who you are. So you really didnt fail. You just hadnt found whats good for you yet
  • mlsh1969
    mlsh1969 Posts: 138 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Or are we happy to eat well enough, knowing that we don't get extra food karma points for eating more broccoli when we've already eaten our broccoli today?

    And should we lose another pound? Get rid of that flab that nobody else can see?

    I'm finally happy with my weight and with my diet. I feel that I eat optimally - enough of everything but not too much of anything. I eat what I like, and I like what I eat. My normal diet makes me feel good. But one day here and there eating whatever will not ruin my efforts. Too many years spent striving for the strict but vague ideal way of eating, and thinking I could be a little thinner. Always feeling a little guilty, and never good enough. I feel so liberated now, and it feels strange. Partly because I haven't made any drastic changes; in many ways, I eat like I've always eaten, but at the same time I've adjusted lots of little details, have a better structure to my eating and moving, and above all - my habits and attitudes towards food and eating are dramatically altered.

    I would like to hear from others who have struggled, and still struggle or have stopped struggling, please :smile:

    Excellent viewpoint, l agree.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited October 2016
    To me-the 'ideal' diet is one you can personally stick with for the many years of maintenance that follows the short weight loss phase. Losing weight doesn't mean anything if you can't keep it off, and that's where most people fail. What that looks like will vary between people, but for me it's been continuing to eat all the foods I like, in calorie moderation. This has been my ideal diet and it's one that I've used for years now with great success :)
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    qkv2kv2ugqwb.jpg

    There are quite a few solutions to the problem of how to eat. Choose a path, stick to it, if the path doesn't work, adjust. Thinking that there can only be one solution is to fail to read the wall in front of you.

    One can only see one's own path, until one get's to the summit and discovers that there were many paths taken by others that led to the same peak.
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