what diet plan has worked for you?
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need2belean wrote: »Macro counting and not eating back my workout calories 90% of the time has been the only thing that has worked for me in the long run. The only problem I see having in the future is I hate not knowing how much protein/carbs/fat I'm getting in a day which is why I log. I'm worried if I ever stop logging, that I won't get enough protein/carbs in to keep me going with my progress. That's why I haven't stopped logging except on vacation.
With just plain ol' calorie counting, I wasn't getting all the necessary nutrients as I should have been, and when I lost weight, I lost muscle more than anything.
how do you know that you were losing muscle more than anything? and when you count macros you are counting calories too as the macros add up to your calorie count. or at least they should,
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for me I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. right now Im trying to maintain my weight to start recomping. but when I lost I ate all the same things I eat now just less.3
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There's no magic my friend. I'm 60 years old and did all the "diets" as they came out. I did Bernstein, Stillman, Pritiken, Atkins, HCG, had a lapband (big mistake), Weight Watchers, US ski team diet..... etc. I have now lost 104 pounds on my own low calorie diet and feel like I can LIVE with this diet. That is the key. Find something you can do for life and take your time to lose. It won't come off overnight but it will STAY off if you continue to log and move. Eat less and move more. Be patient and log everything you eat. Good luck.14
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »need2belean wrote: »Macro counting and not eating back my workout calories 90% of the time has been the only thing that has worked for me in the long run. The only problem I see having in the future is I hate not knowing how much protein/carbs/fat I'm getting in a day which is why I log. I'm worried if I ever stop logging, that I won't get enough protein/carbs in to keep me going with my progress. That's why I haven't stopped logging except on vacation.
With just plain ol' calorie counting, I wasn't getting all the necessary nutrients as I should have been, and when I lost weight, I lost muscle more than anything.
how do you know that you were losing muscle more than anything? and when you count macros you are counting calories too as the macros add up to your calorie count. or at least they should,
Because when you are in a calorie deficit, unless you eat enough protein to maintain muscle mass, you lose muscle mass. I was solely counting calories and didn't care what my protein intake was. I was eating pretty much just carbs and fat. I do understand counting macros means counting calories to an extent. But, sometimes, the app doesn't accurately count macros. They count the calories in the food (for example, halo top macros don't add up to the calories. or extreme wellness wrap macros don't add up to the calories listed on the package). The OP did ask what worked for us, so counting macros instead of counting calories only is what worked for me.2 -
Tracking my calories!
And eating what I want, as long as it fits into my calorie goal I don't care what I eat! Haha4 -
OliveGirl128 wrote: »I am very much a believer in gut flora as helping or hindering weight loss. And the best current evidence suggests fewer processed foods and a very, very high fiber diet. I consume 30 grams of fiber a day.
My breakfast smoothies have 13 grams of fiber. I made a buffalo tempeh salad with ranch dressing for dinner last night. Delicious, satisfying on every level. And 10 grams of fiber.
http://www.newsweek.com/weight-loss-enemy-within-414483
30g of fiber really isn't that much? I hit between 40g-50g of fiber a day and it hasn't done anything magical for me....what's a high fiber diet supposed to accomplish?
Agreed that I wouldn't think of 30 g as very high, but apparently more fiber (related to lots of unprocessed plant foods and more specifically beans and whole grains) tends to result in a more diverse gut biome and specifically some bacteria that correlate with those from populations with healthier diets. But there's a lot we don't know yet: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/magazine/say-hello-to-the-100-trillion-bacteria-that-make-up-your-microbiome.html
I tend to think that more whole plant foods is generally good, and that tends to mean more fiber, but I don't focus on fiber for itself. (I might if it made a huge difference in how full I am, but it does not.)2 -
I have had success on a no/low-carb diet losing bulk weight (70+ lbs), a high protein diet to transition from remaining fat to lean muscle, and then tracking cals/protein/carbs/fats for ongoing maintenance/slight loss. I know everyone will say that nothing matters but to count calories, but you asked what worked for me, not what the predominant thinking is.6
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Flexible dieting worked for me... to lose, maintain, gain.
What didn't work, being non-flexible... more to gain, I was being so strict and spinning my wheels.5 -
I've lost 90 pounds counting calories, eating an appropriate amount to achieve my goals. It helps me to pay attention to my macros to maximize satiety. I find when I do that, compliance to my calorie limit is easier. I eat a low fat, high carb diet with a protein goal around 100 grams a day and seem to do best keeping cravings at bay eating that way.
What has not worked for me in the past? You name it, I tried it. Low carb, paleo, raw vegan, food combining, Nutri-System, Sugar Busters. The one thing all my past efforts had in common is that during all of them I was passing the buck for my weight issues onto the food itself instead of taking personal responsibility for my choices AND the methods used to lose weight separated me in some way from how they were supposed to work for the weight to drop. I really didn't learn anything sustainable from them.
Coming here to MFP and reading the forums has taught me so much.3 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I've lost 90 pounds counting calories, eating an appropriate amount to achieve my goals. It helps me to pay attention to my macros to maximize satiety. I find when I do that, compliance to my calorie limit is easier. I eat a low fat, high carb diet with a protein goal around 100 grams a day and seem to do best keeping cravings at bay eating that way.
What has not worked for me in the past? You name it, I tried it. Low carb, paleo, raw vegan, food combining, Nutri-System, Sugar Busters. The one thing all my past efforts had in common is that during all of them I was passing the buck for my weight issues onto the food itself instead of taking personal responsibility for my choices AND the methods used to lose weight separated me in some way from how they were supposed to work for the weight to drop. I really didn't learn anything sustainable from them.
Coming here to MFP and reading the forums has taught me so much.
You mean to tell me I can't quick fix my bad habits! And eating less than I burn actually works!?
I don't believe it; I'll try paleo keto nero cider vinegar only eating at the tide has come in 30 day fix. That's the true way to results... look at opera she did it.
You'd be amazed at how simple it is but how hard we fight against the fact of eat less than you burn; and eat lots of protein.5 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »OliveGirl128 wrote: »I am very much a believer in gut flora as helping or hindering weight loss. And the best current evidence suggests fewer processed foods and a very, very high fiber diet. I consume 30 grams of fiber a day.
My breakfast smoothies have 13 grams of fiber. I made a buffalo tempeh salad with ranch dressing for dinner last night. Delicious, satisfying on every level. And 10 grams of fiber.
http://www.newsweek.com/weight-loss-enemy-within-414483
30g of fiber really isn't that much? I hit between 40g-50g of fiber a day and it hasn't done anything magical for me....what's a high fiber diet supposed to accomplish?
Agreed that I wouldn't think of 30 g as very high, but apparently more fiber (related to lots of unprocessed plant foods and more specifically beans and whole grains) tends to result in a more diverse gut biome and specifically some bacteria that correlate with those from populations with healthier diets. But there's a lot we don't know yet: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/magazine/say-hello-to-the-100-trillion-bacteria-that-make-up-your-microbiome.html
I tend to think that more whole plant foods is generally good, and that tends to mean more fiber, but I don't focus on fiber for itself. (I might if it made a huge difference in how full I am, but it does not.)
Huh, I learned something new today!0 -
counting calories, preplanning and prelogging meals, weighing food when i can and measuring when i can't, drinking 8-10 cups of water throughout the day, eating three meals and two snacks with protein each time.1
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Wow. Didnt expect this many responses. Honestly, thanks for the feedback everyone. It is great to hear everyones experience with what they have done or are doing right now to achieve their fitness goals.
Now just to be clear this post was simply made out of curiosity towards other peoples stories. It wasn't a post for me to pick and choose a diet.
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This isn't a diet in the way you're talking about but I've never been good at restricting food groups. I know it's popular but I enjoy such a wide variety of foods that I've never been able to do it for long.0
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What worked ...
I entered my details into MFP.
I chose sedentary as my activity level.
I chose to lose 0.5 kg/week.
MFP gave me 1250 calories.
I exercise every day, and thus get more calories of which I ate about half back.
And then, I went to the grocery stores and markets around and had a really good look at what was available. I found all sorts of delicious options that fit within my calories! My diet went from the same ol' same ol' every day to something a lot more varied and interesting.
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I counted calories using the food diary and the food database. I also used https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list to get truthfully accurate information about foods available in the U.S.A.
I used this community resource to learn.
Among things I learned here after I started counting calories are: Protein is very important. Fat is very necessary.
Honesty is precious. Accuracy is paramount.
I was already inclined to value honesty, but in the context of counting your calories, it's everything.
By the way, I've lost as of this morning 105 lb in 18 months.
Before I decided to undertake the work of exercising and losing weight, I had been aware with disquiet that I was consuming 1 lb of bologna, 1 lb of cheese, a box of crackers and a loaf of bread every week. It was a habit. It was a bad habit. It was a habit I've gotten away from. I've not bought bologna in 18 months. There's nothing wrong with bologna, it's just that I'm not again going to fall into that habit.5 -
16:8 works for me.
I'm never hungry in the morning anyway, and I've always followed the "no eating after 7" rule. I've lost over 100 pounds doing this. Don't get me wrong, it's not magic. I still cut out most junk, no sodas or sugary drinks unless planned and the calories counted, always count every calorie, exercise... But, with 16:8 I feel satisfied on less food and having eating times and routine is great!
My mother has lost 30 pounds doing this but her eating time is actually from 7am-3pm because she is never hungry at night, also she is old and goes to bed at 6.4 -
I don't follow any diet plan. I eat the foods I like in quantities that fit my calorie and macro goals, focusing primarily on nutrient-dense items but always leaving room for treats. I've found that cutting certain foods out eventually led me to binge on them.
You always have awesome answers!0 -
Well, let's see. I've been at this for years and I've tried quite a few things.
I started out knowing that it's all about calories but I had been diagnosed with prediabetes and was put on a VLCD to lose 5% of my weight. Weight loss went fast because I was super morbidly obese but it was hell. I would never do it again.
I hopped right into the ketogenic diet due to my diagnosis. It did not work for me and made me miserable in more than one way and I didn't lose as much as I was hoping to lose, so that was it.
After that I decided, since keto is not a good fit for me I need to obsess about every morsel of food and make sure if it's a carb that it's a "slow carb", have 100% of my intake from what I perceived to be healthy foods, zero added sugar, severely limiting fruits...etc. I started getting kooky in the head and had to put an end to it before I turned into "one of those people".
I started eating a balanced diabetic-friendly diet paying attention to meal composition but not obsessing, while trying to keep my carbs under 150. I was still a bit wanting because I love my carbs, and having a limit on them made me a little uncomfortable even though that was something I could reasonably sustain. I kept at it and it was leaps and bounds better than my previous ventures.
As I lost weight my blood sugar returned to normal and I no longer needed to control my carbs, so I did away with the limit on carbs and just started eating whatever I wanted within calories. I still test my blood sugar after a carby meal once or twice a month to make sure I'm doing fine, and thankfully I haven't had issues since.
With the focus on carbs gone I started getting interested in protein. I tried a high protein diet, then a moderately high protein diet, both were too stressful due to my food preferences. I settled on a number that is higher that the general recommendations but lower than what many aim for (1g per 1 kg of goal weight as a minimum but often aim for 1.2 or more). I found it much less stressful and very sustainable.
Along the way I discovered the every other day diet and got curious about it. Tried it, and it was brilliant. I got bored with it after a while but I didn't chuck it away. I keep coming back to it, modified, every now and then.
I'm an easily bored person, so what I settled at in the end and what is working like a charm is switching among several strategies that worked for me whenever I'm bored with the existing one. From a perpetual calories bank, to a weekly budget, to incorporating fasts in some way, to time restricted feeding, to good old daily calorie restriction, to zigzagging. I fluctuate between purposeful weight loss, weight maintenance and weight gain. Depending on my mood and circumstances my weight loss plan can be high deficit, moderate deficit, low deficit, or flexible deficit. I also have situation-specific strategies to fall back on whenever needed. Basically what works for me is just to eat what I want and do what I want without allowing myself to lose control or be overwhelmed by what my daily life throws at me.2 -
I used to keto, but it was not sustainable for me because I am much happier eating carbs. I am currently doing OMAD, with some days doing a IF 18:6. Really enjoy OMAD because it allows me to eat huge amounts of food at once (anything I want). It makes me feel like I am not on a restrictive diet because it makes me full and satisfied. I can enjoy sweets and desserts.1
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I am very much a believer in gut flora as helping or hindering weight loss. And the best current evidence suggests fewer processed foods and a very, very high fiber diet. I consume 30 grams of fiber a day.
My breakfast smoothies have 13 grams of fiber. I made a buffalo tempeh salad with ranch dressing for dinner last night. Delicious, satisfying on every level. And 10 grams of fiber.
http://www.newsweek.com/weight-loss-enemy-within-414483
Then you won't like what I'm about to tell you. My current daily fiber intake without even trying or supplementing is 50-60 grams. My fiber intake when I was super morbidly obese, 125 lbs ago, was 80-100 grams simply because I ate more food. I probably have a boatload of diversity in my gut with 35 years of favorable food preferences, but this hasn't prevented me from clocking north of 300 pounds. Plants are good for several reasons, but they won't prevent weight gain or cause weight loss beyond what calories dictate.10 -
Every "diet" I have ever been on, I ended up failing. I had to change my lifestyle. I stopped depriving myself of what I wanted and focused on what I needed. I need a certain amount of protien, fat, cabs, veggies, fruits. I worked on finding the foods that would bring me to the level I needed, then switched stuff around for lower calorie/more nutritionally dense to stay in a caloie deficit. Then I started working out, 6 days a week. Every day I would do 30 min of cardio, every other day incorporate weights.
Diets don't work because they are temporary, you have to change your lifestyle for it to be permanent.1 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
belly fat is not lost from cutting sugar down or out,its lost in a deficit and comes off where it wants.so if you lost quicker in the stomach area then its due to your genetics.Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »)I try and limit my added sugar. I find I have more energy and lost more belly fat when I limited my added sugar. It involves a lot of label reading but I think it is worth it. I don't bother counting natural sugars.
Keep in mind though, these worked for me, I am sure we are very different people with different goals and it is all about finding what works for you!
I wish I could pick and choose where I lost fat. I'd still have a C cup and my thighs would be slimmer. But, nope, body decided where to pull fat from and I have no say in that.0 -
I find the definitions and usage of words so interesting. Popular [has a range of meanings that I didn't know about, according to Wiktionary, but I already knew it] can mean both common and desirable. Cutting out food groups is a common dieting method, but that doesn't make it desirable. Some people thrive on low carb, but many more suffer on low carb.ladyhusker39 wrote: »This isn't a diet in the way you're talking about but I've never been good at restricting food groups. I know it's popular but I enjoy such a wide variety of foods that I've never been able to do it for long.0 -
Everyone thinks that it's cheating but I have been doing Jenny Craig for the last 5 months or so, along with tracking calories, and have lost 16 kilos which I never would have managed on my own. For me the weekly one on one weigh ins keep me accountable and striving for my goal.1
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holliemaybe wrote: »Everyone thinks that it's cheating but I have been doing Jenny Craig for the last 5 months or so, along with tracking calories, and have lost 16 kilos which I never would have managed on my own. For me the weekly one on one weigh ins keep me accountable and striving for my goal.
I don't see anyone who thinks it's cheating, but most people agree that it's not necessary. If it helps you, good for you, but it's not required to be successful. Big difference.2 -
After experimenting and tweaking what diet I chose, I now am keeping calories within 1350 and watching my sugars, fats and sodium. That seems to work for me. I make most of my food, rarely eat out, that keeps me from being tempted and eating food that I don't know whats in it, and that's about it. I'm doing well on this. I don't demonize any foods, but some foods I choose not to eat because it will be too tempting. but dang if I want a peanut butter sandwich I will work it into my day's macros. I also keep careful track on MFP and weighing and measuring, since eyeballing/guessing portions have done me wrong. I also do not starve and eat if I'm hungry. if I happen to go over a little bit of calories for the day, I don't fret, I just record the food and begin the next day. I also keep stress out of my life and that helps a whole lot.
I also do not eat 'diet food" or anything that is going to not taste good. I also try to eat a variety of foods.1 -
I lost most of my weight on the older Weight Watchers plans. Granted they were good for teaching me portion control and what a balanced sensible meal looked like. They also taught me the value of adding fruits and veggies to every meal. But this new one is pretty restrictive and doesn't work well with my hypoglycemia. If I'm out of points veggies won't cut it, I'd pass out. I need food. I'm also a sucker for seasonal, novelty, or limited edition foods. Sometimes I need a taste of the new and special to keep me happy, and calorie counting plus portion control does that.0
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Mark_Joseph wrote: »I just want some insight or information about what diet has worked for you? What did you do? How did you it And if you were able to lose weight or gain? In contrast you can also talk about what didn't work for your or provide reasons why "x diet" didn't do so well for you and etc.
Many diets have helped me lose weight......low carb, rotation diet (something like 5:2 nowadays), old Weight Watchers style "exchanges" and counting calories.
If you are just asking about weight loss.....all of these worked for me. I'm good at temporary "projects."
However maintenance is a life long goal, not a temporary "project." Pick something that helps you with both steps. The diet, and what comes after. For me this is counting calories (CICO) because it helps me figure out what I'm doing wrong.2 -
Counting calories while hitting my macros... Also portion control0
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