Diet plan VS just eating healthy

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  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited October 2018
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    I count calories. When things are going well and I'm in a good groove, I can eyeball and approximate close enough to stay on track without having to actually weight/count/log everything. Other times, I have to weight/count/log everything.

    Aside from that, everything else is variable based on my preferences, training, schedule, etc.



    But to the original post... what do you mean by "fall off the wagon"?

    Not every day is going to be perfect. You're going to have bad weeks. That's part of the long term process - it's not failure. Giving up is failure. Accepting that there will be ebbs and flows is, for many, a huge win.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    Named diets never worked well for me long term. These days, I just keep an eye on my calories, protein & fiber (as this helps me be full), and iron (I'm anemic.)
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    pinuplove wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Caralarma wrote: »
    thats the difference between calorie counting and being on a 'diet plan'- with calorie counting you can't really ever 'fall off the wagon' because there are no food restrictions. eat within your range and if you go over, make up for it the next day.

    Of course you can fall off the wagon. It's called not logging and eating over your maintenance. Or even logging and eating over maintenance.

    Did it last summer. Gained weight as well.

    Sshhh just call it a diet break! Or bulking :lol:

    Bulking is NOTwhere your pants get tighter....

    It was a combination of being tired of logging, scale deciding it didn't want to work, enjoying vacation in July and then too much smoke in August to run. But I fell off and am back on and lost most of it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I've never had much luck following a pre-set diet plan. I just eat a variety of foods that I enjoy, make sure I'm meeting my nutritional needs, and stay within my calorie goal.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I've never had much luck following a pre-set diet plan. I just eat a variety of foods that I enjoy, make sure I'm meeting my nutritional needs, and stay within my calorie goal.

    Yep.
  • belleflop
    belleflop Posts: 154 Member
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    F the wagon, give me a jetski! Call everything a diet, defuse the word to mean nothing. I'm on a all carrot cake diet. You herd of that all candy diet?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Portion control is your friend.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    pinuplove wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Caralarma wrote: »
    thats the difference between calorie counting and being on a 'diet plan'- with calorie counting you can't really ever 'fall off the wagon' because there are no food restrictions. eat within your range and if you go over, make up for it the next day.

    Of course you can fall off the wagon. It's called not logging and eating over your maintenance. Or even logging and eating over maintenance.

    Did it last summer. Gained weight as well.

    Sshhh just call it a diet break! Or bulking :lol:

    Bulking is NOTwhere your pants get tighter....

    It was a combination of being tired of logging, scale deciding it didn't want to work, enjoying vacation in July and then too much smoke in August to run. But I fell off and am back on and lost most of it.

    For me it always is, especially in the glutes and quads :)
  • bikecheryl
    bikecheryl Posts: 1,432 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    If you fall off the wagon, doesn't that mean it didn't work?

    I didn't do either. I just logged my food and hit my calorie goal. Sure, I did make some small changes over time as I learned from my food log, but I just tried to eat a varied diet and hit my calories goal.

    It's as simple..... and as hard..... as this!!!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I don't consider myself to follow a named diet. When someone tells me what I should eat in a day, or how much, I tend to want to stop. Diets that give you a menu don't last long for me.

    That being said, my diet can be described as keto or mostly carnivore. I eat very few carbs due to health issues. The only foods that are 100% off limits are foods that hurt me, like gluten because I am a celiac, or regular soda because I was developing insulin resistance.

    I eat the foods that work best for me, and not something that someone else told me to eat. I am guessing that others may say that I follow a diet plan because I can label my diet, but I'm of the opinion that most diets can be labelled such as vegetarian, Mediterranean based, WFPB, IIFYM, low carb, low fat, everything in moderation, etc. Just because a diet can be described does not mean one is following a diet plan, IMO.
  • rockyhi512
    rockyhi512 Posts: 42 Member
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    I personally like to stay on a plan. It gives me structure and focus. This summer I went off plan and tried to just eat healthy. Didn't work for me. I started to slip and gained weight. Thank god it was only 9 pounds, but it has been a pain to get off. So I am now on Day 3 of my plan. I am using an older version of the Curves Diet, that has a realistic menu ie frozen dinners, cheerios, bacon, porkchops etc. Foods that don't cost extra and can be found in ta normal home. I wont be sticking to the plan 100% more likely 80%, but I have a guideline of what type of foods to eat and what I should prepare. I also keep an eye on my caloric intake making sure it does not exceed 1800. With this combination and exercise I think my 9 lbs should be off in the next week or so and i will continue to work on my weight loss goals.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
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    I eat within my caloric maximum and get my minimal amount of protein (while loosely monitoring sugar and sodium) - otherwise, I have no "plan" that involves specific foods.
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
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    Healthier options and moderation assisted me in losing 72lbs in just over 10 months. Right now I am eating Keto strickly for unexplained inflammation and joint pain that the drs couldn't figure out and this way of eating has eliminated both.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited October 2018
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    I ate foods I enjoyed within the context of a reasonably balanced, nutritious diet, and stuck to my calorie goals. Works the exact same for maintenance, except I eat a bit more of them.

    Calories are what matter - I could easily gain all kinds of weight eating "healthy" foods if I didn't mind my calorie intake.

    ^^ this!

    I was one who was gaining on “healthy” foods. Healthy foods can be quite calorific!

    pinuplove wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Caralarma wrote: »
    thats the difference between calorie counting and being on a 'diet plan'- with calorie counting you can't really ever 'fall off the wagon' because there are no food restrictions. eat within your range and if you go over, make up for it the next day.

    Of course you can fall off the wagon. It's called not logging and eating over your maintenance. Or even logging and eating over maintenance.

    Did it last summer. Gained weight as well.

    Sshhh just call it a diet break! Or bulking :lol:

    :laugh:
    :drinker:
  • MammaC66
    MammaC66 Posts: 135 Member
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    To lose weight I count calories and move more. To be healthy I eat a Mediterranean diet that my husband's cardiologist recommended, and which includes lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats with occasional indulgences. I find that eating healthy, nutritious foods makes it easier to stay within my calorie range.

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