I'm not sure what diet is best.

sylviakristine87
sylviakristine87 Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hi! I'm sylvia, I'm 19 and 245 currently but my goal is 175. I was wondering if you all possibly know about any diets that aren't too expensive( I'm living on my own) and this may be a dumb question but are there certain diets that help support better mental health and sleep? I have major depressive disorder, anxiety, and insomnia and was wondering if maybe there were diets and exercises that might help me with some of that

Replies

  • rianneonamission
    rianneonamission Posts: 854 Member
    Don't diet. Track your food and work with what you like to eat after you've calculated your TDEE and set a deficit versus that (not too big).

    In terms of diet for your MH: There are foods which are supposed to affect your mental wellbeing and sleeping patterns. Rather than being on a full blown diet, read up on those foods (the ones to consume and those you should avoid) and slowly build them in (or try to reduce them) within your calorie limit. That way a diet becomes manageable and sustainable.

    Foods good and bad for Anxiety.]
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    I tried 3 different diets to lose 75 pounds in 18 months...only one worked permanently. What I tried, in order, follows:
    1. Atkins - Low Carb - Weight fell off - about 30 pounds. But I missed spaghetti, rice, carbs badly soooo
    2. Weight Watchers - Low Fat - still lost weight - about 15-20 pounds - but I missed the WW forbidden foods and it was expensive soooo
    3. MFP and diet/exercise - lost the last of the weight and have kept it off for years.
    Diet/exercise is sustainable for a lifetime IMHO - diets with omissions of particular items like carbs, fat, etc. are not sustainable for a lifetime (for most people - there are always exceptions).

    The equation is simple:
    Calories in less than calories out = weight loss.
    All ^^^this^^^ requires is portion control, a nice food scale, and eating right.
  • JustRobby1
    JustRobby1 Posts: 674 Member
    The one whose net result produces a caloric deficit.
  • AskMorphis
    AskMorphis Posts: 155 Member
    The best diet is the one you will never stop doing.

    It depends on your food budget, on what you like to eat, how much you like to eat. There are two major components to lose weight efficiently and for good.

    1) you have to be in a caloric deficit. Burn more calories than you're eating. To do that, you have to know what your TDEE is. You can compute it on the internet, MFP does that for you when you enter the info, and with time, you'll understand how your body works more and be able to adjust it if needed.
    Then, accurate data is king : log everything precisely, with a scale. You'll learn quickly that it's really easy to make mistakes if you don't, and then to think you're on a deficit while you are not.

    2) You also have to be consistent. Not only during the time you're losing weight, but also afterwards, so that you keep being the same weight. If you go back to eat the way you're eating right now, you will gain everything back. Losing weight if changing your lifestyle, it's a commitment.
    That's why it's important to chose a diet that is not only efficient as far as calories are concerned, but that is also fit for you, that you like and you're ready to use for the rest of your life. Don't be to restrictive, and don't be to impatient. It's a life long change, if it takes a few years to get to your goal, it's nothing compared to the rest. Not only that, but the quickest you want to see results, the more likely you're doing something not sustainable.

    Every diet you'll hear about may be fitted for you, maybe not : it's up to you, experiment, see what you prefer.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    You don't need a specific "diet," just eat high nutrient low calorie foods and stick to your calorie allowance. Lean meats, moderate amt of carbs like half a potato, and plenty of vegetables. In general my doctor says approximately 1/4 of your plate is protein, 1/4 is carbs, and half is vegetables. I treat fruit as dessert.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    For the insomnia, there are guided sleep meditations for free on youtube. A cup of chamomile tea is a mild sedative. Do both nightly.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
    Diets don't work, not for long term results. Mainly because diets are by nature, temporary. You have to actually change your lifestyle. Eat healthy at a calorie deficit (pure calorie deficit works, but 1000 calories a day of soda and nothing else is not sustainable as you'd end up with severe malnutrition) and the weight will come off. The second reason diets don't work is that they are very restrictive; sets you up for binging. Just eat what you normally eat, decrease the high calorie/low nutrional foods and increase the low calorie/high nutrition foods while remaining in a deficit.

    If you find yourself constantly hungry: 1. Reevaluate your rate of loss, go slower so you can eat a little more and not be hungry all the time. 2. Go for a brisk walk, an extra 200 calorie allowance can make a huge difference in your hunger.
  • StephenAshRTG
    StephenAshRTG Posts: 16 Member
    sylviakristine87 wrote: »
    Hi! I'm sylvia, I'm 19 and 245 currently but my goal is 175. I was wondering if you all possibly know about any diets that aren't too expensive( I'm living on my own) and this may be a dumb question but are there certain diets that help support better mental health and sleep? I have major depressive disorder, anxiety, and insomnia and was wondering if maybe there were diets and exercises that might help me with some of that

    The best diet is one that you will stick to. Getting to a weight that you are comfortable is hard enough but keeping it Off can be even harder if you have chosen a diet that's not sustainable with your lifestyle and you revert back to old ways. Do yourself a favor and pick a diet that allows you can transition it into a long term health protocol.

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