No carbs

Hello, I'm struggling with which diet or healthy eating plan to follow. I lost 13 lbs back in may for my sins graduation but slowly gained it back since then. My niece n nephew have lost weight not eating pasta n breads n sugar. I'm trying to do the same but find that I'm over eating in proteins nuts and seeds. Basically I'm doing the Atkins plan. It's hard and I don't think it's working for me. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get motivated and what healthy eating plan to follow?

Replies

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I like the "eat under your caloric deficit" plan myself, better known as common sense. You don't need a diet plan to lose weight. Just eat the foods you like, log them, and only eat as many calories as you need. Start by logging everything, and weighing your food using a food scale.

    Adding some exercise every day makes it easier to stay in a deficit. Pick something you enjoy enough to keep doing.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Another vote for "stick to your calorie deficit goal".

    You basically just need to track your calories, eating the foods you want to eat.
  • katmix
    katmix Posts: 296 Member
    I don't know much/anything about Atkins... Sounds a bit like my niece who is paleo and doing fabulously, but is way too strict for me. I do "low" carbs (20%) and higher fats and protein. It IS a different way of life (I LIKE carbs! They call to me, make all sorts of promises to me, and dance on my tongue!) I've had to make tough choices (what I can live with, can't live with) and find that some foods are just going to have to be had every once in awhile. i.e., I can't just eat two slices of pizza-but can eat (WILL eat) half a pizza without blinking. Keeping foods that I'm easily sabotaged by-out of my house, is the best policy for me.

    A big surprise for me last night...went with a galfriend to Olive Garden. Who knew that their Chicken Piccata tastes amazing, and didn't come with Olive Garden carbs/calories?

    You may/will have to do a bit of work upfront to find foods that you like and will eat that fit within your chosen macros, but I don't think I could do a NO-carbs plan. That would stretch, even me... ;-D

    PS. If you log everything faithfully (weighed and measured) before you eat it, you don't ever have to go over your macros, as you can choose to only eat what fits.
  • gower1790
    gower1790 Posts: 14 Member
    I like to look up healthy meals on youtube, liezyl jayne's channel has some recipes that I really liked. There are carbs, like rice and oatmeal, but they're complex carbs that keep you fuller longer because they break down slowly. I like to eat a small carb and protein filled snack/meal before working out, and it gives me the energy I need to finish it.

    I also followed Lucy Windham-Read's july challenge on youtube. She does all the exercises with you in real time, and it's a lot of 4-6 mintue exercises that you can repeat if you want to. The moves are all really simple, and you hardly repeat any move twice so there are a lot of combinations you could work with. It combines some hiit and bodyweight exercises, and has modifications for moves if they are too difficult/bad knees etc. I've really seen an improvement on my strength, and tone in my arms and legs. There's also longer workouts, the longest I've done was 16 minutes and I was dying lol. But there are sitting workouts for people in wheelchairs and such, and indoor walking/toning ones that I really like. They can all be done in your living room. Hope you check them out.

    My 4 year old tries to do them with me. They really are for everyone!

  • dadsafrantic
    dadsafrantic Posts: 186 Member
    calorie deficit. i like intermittent fasting as well. if you measure what you eat and stick to eating under your budget i say you will look at carbs differently. they can be a huge waste of counted calories. eliminate box food and fast food completely. make everything from scratch. know your food and you won't need any diet at all.

    you might try getting up and moving around too. it's really that simple. you might find you feel so good you actually start exercising. it's hard to say where feeling good can take you.
  • johnriii
    johnriii Posts: 18 Member
    Another calorie deficit guy here. 1800 or less, drink lots of water and use common sense. I haven't gone over 1400 calories yet, and I'm using my fitbit to keep me moving as much as a person with two jobs can! Going high protein helps with the appetite issues.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
    Me too. Keto or Atkins is too restrictive for me. I love carbs including healthy ones, like sweet potato, quinoa, ect. And these are not allowed. I used to keto, and now much happier just counting calories.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    johnriii wrote: »
    Another calorie deficit guy here. 1800 or less, drink lots of water and use common sense. I haven't gone over 1400 calories yet, and I'm using my fitbit to keep me moving as much as a person with two jobs can! Going high protein helps with the appetite issues.

    If 1800 is the amount mfp recommended to you for weight loss based on your stats/activity level, this is the amount you should be eating every day. It has a deficit calculated in to it. It is not an amount to stay under.... 1400 cals is very low for a man, and will lead to health issues. Please eat more.