Real food diet...is that a thing?

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  • StarBrightStarBright
    StarBrightStarBright Posts: 97 Member
    edited March 2017
    FWIW- I found that a "real food diet" (Michael Pollan style) kept me at a sustainable and healthy weight for years without trying.

    I spent my teens and early twenties inhaling "fake" diet foods and working out all of the time to maintain a weight of 135 for years - so much work to weigh 135. I gradually learned to cook from scratch and eat whole foods and while I drifted upwards a bit (to 142 (summer)-146(winter)) I kept in that range for 10 years rather effortlessly.

    After my last baby and now in my late 30s I'm finding that I need to tweak my diet (macros and smaller portions) to keep my weight in that range - BUT - I firmly believe that eating whole foods in sensible portions will help keep you satisfied while staying in a good caloric range (you do have to eat correct portion sizes though).

    *and I agree that shakes definitely do not count as real food.
  • CrazyCatLady916
    CrazyCatLady916 Posts: 29 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Sounds like the sadness diet to me. As above, calorie deficit. Everything else is just noise and personal preference.

    totally this ^^
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Using a replacement shake because currently there is chaos chasing your kids, I get that. Makes sense, I would look at potentially using a different type if you really are getting it at $50, or making your own (if feasible).

    I'd say with your activity definitely make sure you're eating all your calories, too low and you're going to feel worn out because your body is not getting enough nutrients, no matter how much grass you take. I can't see having that much to lose and at least a moderate activity level is only putting you at 1200.

    Also just remember, as mentioned, what you eat and do should be sustainable for your lifestyle, which I would imagine is awfully hard at times with having kids. As long as you continue to eat at a good, but not really large, calorie deficit you will see weight loss.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    AgidGirl wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    AgidGirl wrote: »
    !

    I eat a primarily whole foods diet, but I think 100% whole food 100% of the time is pretty unrealistic...and frankly I really enjoy our Friday night pizza nights and whatnot. Not to mention I eat quite a bit in terms of minimally processed food good like dairy, canned tomatoes, canned beans, etc. I don't eat much in the way of added sugars, but I do usually have some small something or other for desert a few days per week and I don't avoid fruit or anything like that. Also, you don't need to do meal replacement shakes...and frankly, I wouldn't consider them to be "real foods"...they are highly processed food goods.

    I also make sure I'm taking in adequate calories. In regards to your calorie targets, they are pretty aggressive and it's likely that you can eat more and still lose weight...one of the issues with aggressive deficits is fatigue and when fatigue sets in you start start to mess with the CO part of the equation...less involuntary fidgeting...less moving in general...things like that. In essence, by being so aggressive, you can actually do yourself a disservice and make weight loss harder than it need be.

    Also, you shouldn't really be aiming to be below 1200...1200 is already a substantial deficit from your maintenance level of calories.

    Thanks for your kind and thoughtful reply. Yes, I agree I will not be eating whole foods 100% all the time. But, at this step of my 'journey' I feel like I need to cutout as many as possible. I feel like if I have a cheat meal (pizza, pasta, etc) I will fall back into my old ways.

    We do benefit from controlling our environment so we don't always have easy access to foods we find particularly tempting. However, often when people deprive themselves of the things they enjoy, it can backfire because the craving builds up and when you do indulge, you have a hard time exercising self-control. Also, the weight loss phase is where we learn the portion control & moderation we will need to exercise for the rest of our lives. We can't eliminate foods to lose the weight and then expect to return to our "old ways" when we've reached our goal.

    Another vote for reconsidering the 1200 calorie goal. If you reduce your weekly weight loss goal to 1.5 lbs a week, you will likely gain several hundred calories to work with which will make the process easier in the long run and will give you room to adjust your calories downward as you lose weight and it becomes more difficult to achieve a deficit. Wish you the best! :)
  • AgidGirl
    AgidGirl Posts: 138 Member
    [/quote]

    fruit sugar and candy sugar are the same thing, just an FYI for you.

    [/quote]

    Really? I didn't think that was the case.

    Natural sugars are found in fruit as fructose and in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, as lactose.

    Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose, which is the combination of glucose and fructose. We use white and brown sugars to sweeten cakes and cookies, coffee, cereal and even fruit. Food manufacturers add chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to foods and beverages, including crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Low-fat foods are the worst offenders, as manufacturers use sugar to add flavor.
  • spilledmilk
    spilledmilk Posts: 83 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    AgidGirl wrote: »


    Really? I didn't think that was the case.

    Natural sugars are found in fruit as fructose and in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, as lactose.

    Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose, which is the combination of glucose and fructose. We use white and brown sugars to sweeten cakes and cookies, coffee, cereal and even fruit. Food manufacturers add chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to foods and beverages, including crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Low-fat foods are the worst offenders, as manufacturers use sugar to add flavor.

    But your body doesn't know that...

    If you have an intolerance to fructose or lactose, it certainly does
  • AgidGirl
    AgidGirl Posts: 138 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    AgidGirl wrote: »


    Really? I didn't think that was the case.

    Natural sugars are found in fruit as fructose and in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, as lactose.

    Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose, which is the combination of glucose and fructose. We use white and brown sugars to sweeten cakes and cookies, coffee, cereal and even fruit. Food manufacturers add chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to foods and beverages, including crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Low-fat foods are the worst offenders, as manufacturers use sugar to add flavor.

    But your body doesn't know that...

    Good point!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    amyepdx wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    amyepdx wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    AgidGirl wrote: »
    WOW, so many great replies, thank you! My takeaways so far:

    1. Eat more calories
    **I can do that!
    2. Skip the shakes
    **OK OK, I guess that is a gimmicky idea anyways

    Someone asked if I could eat this way in 50 years...I have no idea how to answer that. Right now my life is WAY busier than it probably will be in even 10 years let alone 50. I'm eating good 'wholesome' foods, I'm not sure how anyone can really knock me for that. Will I never eat a bowl of spaghetti again...heck yes I will! I'm eating fish, quinoa, ground turkey, LOTS of fruits and veggies, chicken, homemade soups...food I really enjoy but all HOMEMADE and not from ingredients I pour out of a can. I'm not perfect and I'm confident that I will from time-to-time made something that includes an ingredient or two that are processed.

    As far as cutting sugar is concerned, I'm still eating 'natural' sugars found in fruit and veggies but, I have cut out candy, soda, sugary drinks, breads (other than sprouted grain bread), etc. Again, I'm sure I will occasionally have a bagel or a sandwich on sourdough.

    Thanks for the advice, keep it coming!

    fruit sugar and candy sugar are the same thing, just an FYI for you.

    And not sure what is un-wholesome about spaghetti. Gorgeous Italian woman seem to eat it without ill effects.

    as an Italian, I endorse this statement

    I'm not gorgeous or Italian, but I have lost 94 lbs and eaten spaghetti many time!

    I had 96g of spaghetti for tea this evening... yummy!
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
    AgidGirl wrote: »
    WOW, so many great replies, thank you! My takeaways so far:

    1. Eat more calories
    **I can do that!
    2. Skip the shakes
    **OK OK, I guess that is a gimmicky idea anyways

    Someone asked if I could eat this way in 50 years...I have no idea how to answer that. Right now my life is WAY busier than it probably will be in even 10 years let alone 50. I'm eating good 'wholesome' foods, I'm not sure how anyone can really knock me for that. Will I never eat a bowl of spaghetti again...heck yes I will! I'm eating fish, quinoa, ground turkey, LOTS of fruits and veggies, chicken, homemade soups...food I really enjoy but all HOMEMADE and not from ingredients I pour out of a can. I'm not perfect and I'm confident that I will from time-to-time made something that includes an ingredient or two that are processed.

    As far as cutting sugar is concerned, I'm still eating 'natural' sugars found in fruit and veggies but, I have cut out candy, soda, sugary drinks, breads (other than sprouted grain bread), etc. Again, I'm sure I will occasionally have a bagel or a sandwich on sourdough.

    Thanks for the advice, keep it coming!

    Develop a thick skin. You need one on MFP.

  • kimkimcoleman
    kimkimcoleman Posts: 105 Member
    I tried the minimum (1200 calories) before, never lasted more than a few days before I was too hungry and ate everything! Learn from my mistakes and put in a less aggressive weight loss goal into MFP and eat more. I'm eating at least 1600 calories a day while exercising about 40 minutes a day with a desk job and I'm losing. I only have maybe 10 pounds to lose. I'm 5'6". You need to eat more or you won't be able to keep going for long. Just my experience. Everyone is different though.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited March 2017
    StarBrightStarBright wrote: »
    FWIW- I found that a "real food diet" (Michael Pollan style) kept me at a sustainable and healthy weight for years without trying.

    I spent my teens and early twenties inhaling "fake" diet foods and working out all of the time to maintain a weight of 135 for years - so much work to weigh 135. I gradually learned to cook from scratch and eat whole foods and while I drifted upwards a bit (to 142 (summer)-146(winter)) I kept in that range for 10 years rather effortlessly.

    After my last baby and now in my late 30s I'm finding that I need to tweak my diet (macros and smaller portions) to keep my weight in that range - BUT - I firmly believe that eating whole foods in sensible portions will help keep you satisfied while staying in a good caloric range (you do have to eat correct portion sizes though).

    *and I agree that shakes definitely do not count as real food.

    I eat all sorts of foods, including ones I'm sure you'd consider 'fake' diet ones, and I have absolutely no problem maintaining my weight, (maintenance range is 125lbs-130lbs), and that's without any exercise factored in (I'm also almost 40yrs old and a mom of 3 kids, go me lol). It's not work at all because I enjoy what I eat. I keep my calorie intake lined up with my weight management goals and that keeps my weight on target. Has nothing to do though, with what I'm eating/not eating and has has everything to do with calorie/portion sizes. As you said-you actually gained weight while eating a whole foods diet. It's not the food choices-it's all about the calories.

    And satiety really varies between people. I do better on a higher carb macro ratio, others do well on a lower carb one etc. You may do better with a whole foods woe, while others like myself do great when incorporating things like the BK Whopper combo I had for supper last night :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    DEBOO7 wrote: »
    real food and moderating sugar, plant protein.... this sounds like a ketogenic way of eating.

    Where on earth does that come from? Plant protein does not = ketogenic at all, avoiding processed foods is not keto (many on keto eat lots of processed stuff, many who eat mostly whole foods and minimally processed stuff -- pretty much like cwolfman said -- aren't low carb at all). Yeah, if she was really cutting out all sugar, including dairy, fruit, starchy veg, that might be low carb, but most who talk about cutting out sugar mean added sugar.

    Anyway, OP, I basically co-sign cwolfman's post. One thing that I think can help is understanding how you are overeating, and tracking for a while to understand what the issues are can be helpful. Improving nutrition and eating more satiating foods are great steps. Eating more homemade foods (if that's something you don't do much), is a good step, if it appeals to you. If sugary things are triggers or difficult to moderate, cutting way back on them for a while is a reasonable step.

    One thing I think helps is to focus what you DO want to eat more than what you don't. Be clear about what you think of as a balanced, nutrient-dense diet and figure out how to eat that way.

    I also agree that you don't need to cut calories so low or cut out a meal. Eating should still be enjoyable.

    (A shake IS processed, highly processed, which doesn't make it bad -- I sometimes use protein powder, although not on its own as I don't find just a shake a balanced meal or satisfying. The reason you are getting that reaction, in part, is the contrast between "no processed foods!" and the shake. Being processed doesn't make something evil; lots of nutrient dense foods are processed -- I'm quite fond of plain greek yogurt, smoked salmon, dried pasta made with a homemade sauce including lots of vegetables, some lean meat, and even a bit of cheese, etc.)

    Anyway, good luck. I found logging extremely educational and losing weight can actually be fun. (I'm 5'3 and lost about 90 lbs, so similar situation when starting.)
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited March 2017
    1. Two of your points in your plan include the most processed kinds of food. Focusing on whole foods is a good thing, but needlessly restricting yourself to it may or may not be for you.
    2. Likely a very bad idea. Unless you are very short, old and completely sedentary this isn't enough calories.
    3. Could be a good idea or not, depends, but in many cases not necessary.
    4. Protein shakes are generally not a good meal replacement.
    5. Might help with hunger, but not necessary.
    6. Waste of money.

    You are starting on the wrong foot. Here is an alternative list:
    1. Whole foods are good for nutrition but don't turn it into an obsession. Flexibility is a good thing.
    2. Set weight loss to 1 pound a week and see if it gives you more than 1200 calories, if it doesn't, set it to 1/2 pound a week. Log accurately and faithfully. Eat back at least some of your activity calories.
    3. Identify problem foods and experiment with strategies to deal with them. Identify foods that help you feel full and keep them around. Identify foods that make you feel happy and eat them once in awhile.
    4. Try to get protein from food, if it feels hard, have a protein shake. If convenience is the reason for wanting to do this and it doesn't leave you hungry, add other items to your protein shake to bump up the calories and broaden the nutritional profile, or have just the shake and compensate by eating more for another meal.
    5. Drink when thirsty. If you don't have good thirst signals, drink whatever arbitrary number you wish to drink but don't force yourself to drink until you gag or stress over making/not making this goal. In most cases this has little to offer for weight loss other than a very short term hunger mitigation, if any.
    6. Be very skeptical about fantastical claims and snake oil potions. If you're curious about wheatgrass, grow it yourself. We sprout and grow various seeds for easter including wheat. It's 100x cheaper.

    You are overcomplicating a simple process. It's a recipe for burnout, and in some cases undesirable health consequences. Stop spreading your energy thin on arbitrary rules and focus on what matters, and please eat more. You want to lose weight, and the best way to do that is to minimize your chances of throwing in the towel by following a sustainable diet.
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