Chronicle of the Horse Fitness

Join

Which diet method are you using?

Duckz1
Duckz1 Posts: 145 Member
edited November 9 in Social Groups
Low carb? Paleo? Calorie counting? Weight watchers?

I've done Atkins before with great success when I followed it to the letter. I once lost 10 lbs in a month, and I'm not a huge person to start with. Obviously that didn't last or I wouldn't be here :-P Calorie counting has worked for me too. It's such a pain though, and the results weren't as dramatic as Atkins. Why yes, I would like some cheese with that whine :)

Please share your experiences!

Replies

  • hsmithway
    hsmithway Posts: 191
    I know, it stinks to have to think about every bite of food you take!

    Personally, I have to keep some kind of food journal. Otherwise I'll be really absentminded and I'll do things like delude myself into thinking I haven't eaten lunch yet and then eating a second lunch :P So if I use something like MFP to log my foods, that makes counting calories easy.

    And while I don't exactly aim for low-carb, I try to plan my day to include lots of vegetables and lean protein, add in a few fruits, and then there's really not much space leftover for things like bread or pasta.

    And I have picked up a few things from Medifast. Generally I'm not a fan of packaged foods, but I'm only eating around 1200 calories a day, so sometimes it's hard to squeeze in everything I need. They're high protein and vitamin-fortified, so if I'm feeling lazy or uninspired it's a quick and easy option for me.

    When I was younger I could count calories, eat 1800 cals/day, and the weight would just fall off, but these days I'm not so lucky!
  • KCoyoteco
    KCoyoteco Posts: 51
    medifast - ish diet. That means I do some what I thought were well-thought-out cheats. Maybe I'll drop the modifications and just do it by the book. Well, never by the book as I simply can't do the 5 plus 1 and can really only fit in 4 plus 1.
  • emawalton
    emawalton Posts: 12
    I'm on a low carb diet of sorts and trying to avoid processed/sugary foods. Mostly I'm working on portion control and eating only when I'm hungry. I tend to eat way more than I should or eat just because it's "time" for a meal. I found that a lot of times I was eating out of habit and not because I was actually hungry! I've been surprised at how I don't get hungry as soon after eating high protein meals versus high carb meals. Much more satisfying :)
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I have done Nutrisystem, Weight Watcher, Atkins, South Beach, LA Weight Loss....you get the picture.

    What finally worked for me was keeping a food journal and exercising. I have not removed anything from my diet. I still eat sugar, rice, meat, and whatever else I feel like eating. What I have done is learned to watch my portions and "earn" some extras with cardio and strength training at least 5 days a week. I aim for a net calorie intake of 1,600 per day with an absolute minimum net of 1,200.
  • spacehorse79
    spacehorse79 Posts: 7 Member
    I am with skylark. If I try to take something away, it will just make my inner self rebel even more. I am just counting and am much more aware of what I am putting in. Also trying to make a bigger effort at getting on the elliptical at night and getting off the chair I am attached to for 10 hours a day during my breaks.
  • SophinMaine
    SophinMaine Posts: 48 Member
    Right now I am just counting calories. MFP put me at 1200 calories a day and it's hard to stay under, even with exercise! I am not willing to "drop" anything from my menu "just because". I am all for moderation and portion control. My weaknesses are fresh bread (aaaahhh!), Brussels cookies (that's it, I'm NOT buying those anymore!) and Haribo bears. Oh and chocolate, but chocolate is healthy.
    Right?
    lol
    That said, I've been hovering at the same weight for 2-3 weeks, give or take a pound or 2. So I know I have to up my exercise...I'll try that first, and if that doesn't work I will go easy-er on the fresh bread...*sigh*
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    Right now I am just counting calories. MFP put me at 1200 calories a day and it's hard to stay under, even with exercise! I am not willing to "drop" anything from my menu "just because". I am all for moderation and portion control. My weaknesses are fresh bread (aaaahhh!), Brussels cookies (that's it, I'm NOT buying those anymore!) and Haribo bears. Oh and chocolate, but chocolate is healthy.
    Right?
    lol
    That said, I've been hovering at the same weight for 2-3 weeks, give or take a pound or 2. So I know I have to up my exercise...I'll try that first, and if that doesn't work I will go easy-er on the fresh bread...*sigh*

    1200 is the MINIMUM you should be aiming for and for most people that is way too low a number. I think the red numbers if you go over your allowance is really a bad thing as it panics people into thinking they've been bad. Under goal is BAD!

    I highly recommend going to http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ to figure out your BMR and daily calorie allowance, then setting your MFP limits accordingly.

    I have my MPF calorie allowance set at 1,600 per day and I try to eat at least half of what I "earn" by exercising.
  • bluemooncowgirl
    bluemooncowgirl Posts: 15
    I've done Weight Watchers and it worked when I was younger (late 20s/early 30s). It's a FABULOUS program, but it no longer works for me.

    So far using MFP has been a very positive experience. Like some others have said, I need to keep a journal to hold myself accountable. I also like the fact I can watch calories as well as nutrition, because at the end of the day, nutrition is more important to me. I have a daily calorie count of 1300 and change, but I find I do better if I hover somewhere around 1450. My metabolism must be stoked or it dies. Kinda like an old tractor....

    Exercise AT LEAST 3 times a week for 30 minutes is also an important component because I have a desk job during the week. I have a barn job on the weekends and that keeps me moving when I would probably be at home eating and watching TV!
  • bluemooncowgirl
    bluemooncowgirl Posts: 15
    Oh... I also "cheat" one day a week because it works better for me. It may take longer to reach my weight loss goal, but I will reach it with my sanity fully intact!:drinker:
  • hsmithway
    hsmithway Posts: 191
    Oh... I also "cheat" one day a week because it works better for me. It may take longer to reach my weight loss goal, but I will reach it with my sanity fully intact!:drinker:

    Personally I go overboard if I give myself a weekly cheat day, but I absolutely give myself permission to spurge a little on special occasions like birthdays.

    So much of this is trial and error, figuring out what works for you, and what doesn't!
  • Duckz1
    Duckz1 Posts: 145 Member
    Lots of good stuff here! There's no one size fits all diet unfortunately, just lots of trial and error. I have a serious issue with overeating, particularly with carbs. So I don't think carbs are necessarily "evil" and making me fat, its just my unhealthy relationship with them that's causing problems. If I just tell myself I can't have carbs, then I can't binge on them. So.... that's what I'm back to doing now. Lots of meat, lots of veggies, and I will absolutely not binge on either of those food groups.

    Does anyone have experience with Paleo diet? I'm reading one of the books now out of curiosity. Like most diet books, I find it too full of pseudo science and come-to-Jesus language. But... no doubt people lose weight on it! Thoughts?
This discussion has been closed.

Categories