What to avoid on a diet

cityruss wrote: »

Avoid people.

Lol!!
Op, I personally avoid buying a large box of anything such as chips/ cookies. I love the single serving items better. This way I don't find myself grabbing the full bag and over-eating.

Avoid restricting yourself too much.

My food selection increased when I started with MFP. There's so much great variety out there!

You can eat anything as long as your total calories stay under your goal. If your goal is 1600 calories, you can eat that fastfood cheesburger, fries, and a soda, but then you'd have to eat nothing else all day. So here are some things I've found helpful, with the caveat that you shouldn't put anything completely off limits; learn how to work the treats or desserts into your plan that you want the most.

1. Sodas/drinks with calories - if you can stick to water (or calorie-free bevarages) it makes it a lot earier to stick to your calorie goal. A big enough soda can have a whole (small) meal's worth of calories, so weigh out whether you'd rather have a soda or a big filling snack.
2. At restaurants, meaty/low carb items are usually the lowest calorie options. Get the small steak or grilled chicken instead of a sandwich or wrap. (When you cook things yourself, you can find ways to make carbs that are higher in fiber and lower in carbs than restaurant foods.)
3. Substitutions are your friend! I really like homemade burritos, and I switched tortilla brands from one that was 140 calories each to one that was 50. I also switched from sour cream to fat free greek yogurt and switched from full fat to nonfat cheese. I also switched out high calorie desserts for Halo Top ice cream (Halo Top is a staple if you're counting calories but love ice cream.)

Read the label on everything. Over time, you'll learn what works for you and what doesn't. Everyone likes different things and finds different things filling, so my best advice is to do some experimenting.

kristinutvols wrote: »

I'm new to this diet thing and don't know much about it and was wondering what are the things to avoid while trying to diet and getting healthy?

I don't avoid specific things. But I do learn along the way that some foods are so caloric that they are out of my reach most of the time. That's when I decide if a food is worth the calories.

My list of foods that are worth it......and your list of foods that are worth it will be two different lists. This site is a great learning tool, because losing weight is just the first step.

Log your regular foods.....watch your portions. Then tweak your choices along the way. Protein, fiber & fat are filling. The combination is a little different for everyone. So experiment if you are hungry. I start the day off with protein (Greek yogurt).....then I add some Fiber One and chopped nuts. Gives me all three filling components.

robert2339 wrote: »

Avoid not exercising.
Avoid soda.
Avoid foods high in fat
Avoid fast food.
Avoid fried foods
Avoid bread (or limit it)
Avoid getting discouraged.
Avoid Lean Cuisine and frozen meals like it.

@robert2339

I completely understand about avoiding not exercising and avoiding getting discouraged but please explain why anyone would avoid soda, foods high in fat, fast foods, fried foods, bread, and frozen meals.

I don't avoid anything but when i was starting out I did avoid fast food and other typically demonized food. You don't NEED to of course, but learning how to budget your day calorically speaking can take time. get comfortable with your staples and then you'll know what you can and can not fit into your day to keep you satisfied and hit macros.

OP - others have already provided you some great information. Losing weight comes down to creating a calorie deficit. How you do that, is largely up to the individual. When I started on MFP, I realized that if I was cutting things out, I would likely not stick with it. Instead, I looked at what I could add to my lifestyle, in order to become healthier. More exercise, more lean protein, more vegetables, more whole grains, more sleep... by focusing on what to add, and logging accurately, I realized I could still allow room for all the foods I loved, in moderation - because filling my day up first with the healthy foods, and exercising to gain some additional calories in my day, meant that I still had room for a glass of wine, or a small serving of gelato, some oreos, or pizza once a week with my family.

Additionally, since you are new here, I strongly encourage you to read the stickied most helpful forum posts at the top of the getting started section. This is a great collection about a number of topics:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1

robert2339 wrote: »

Avoid not exercising.
Avoid soda.
Avoid foods high in fat
Avoid fast food.
Avoid fried foods
Avoid bread (or limit it)
Avoid getting discouraged.
Avoid Lean Cuisine and frozen meals like it.

Um, no.

I drink diet soda and lose weight. If I want to fit in regular soda (I think it's a waste)....then I will do so.

Plenty of people eat high fat diets and lose weight. Avocados and nuts are high in healthy fats....should we avoid those too?

Fast food - some people eliminate, some people eat this in moderation......we all make choices for losing weight AND keeping it off. Elimination diets don't teach me anything for maintenance. You might have better luck though.

Fried foods - I kind of agree. I don't eliminate but this is far and few between for me.

Avoid bread!? - Nope, not happening. I'm not allergic or have any sensitivity to wheat. This is a lifestyle change...not something I will give up forever.

Frozen meals can be a good starting point. They can also be a last minute, I have no groceries type thing. They have their place for many people. Sure we can strive to make our own frozen meals, but LC makes a yummy chicken alfredo. I toss in some steamed broccoli (never enough veggies).....and lunch is served.

Unrealistic expectations ie you will not lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks
Being too harsh on yourself or others

Avoid an all or nothing mentality, and avoid believing that you have to do this PERFECTLY, and that if you have one crappy day then you might as well give up and stuff your face.

Avoid negative people, who dont lift you to your goals, but drag you down to self doubt.

Avoid being made to feel like you are damaged somehow, and that you are wrong to try to improve your health and how you feel about yourself.

Avoid the saboteurs, who want to see you fail.

Avoid restrictions, because the key to success is finding a way of eating that gets you to your goals and that you can sustain for the rest of your life.

Avoid losing money on gimmicks and lose weight fast crap, because thats all it is - crap.

Avoid comparing yourself to others - you are unique and this is your journey and yours alone.

Avoid impatience - if you are being honest with yourself and doing all the things that will move you to your goals, it WILL work, you just have to be patient.

Avoid giving up - even on your worst day, you can recover and start again.

Avoid perfection. It isn't possible.

Avoid self doubt.

Avoid negative talk.

Avoid negative people.

Avoid taking on too much at one time - identify 10 bad behaviors and write them down. Cross off 9 and work on the one remaining - replacing this bad behavior with a good behavior.

Avoid identifying food and good or bad.

Avoid diets. Eat the foods you love in moderation, just build behaviors that encourage eating at deficit and eventually...maintenance.