Do you follow a certain diet or do you just track calories?

I remember hearing about a woman who found a daily meal plan that worked for her (in WW with a leader I knew, but it really wouldn't matter which plan). She ate the exact same things every day for an entire year. Lost all the weight she wanted. But at the end of the year, she still had no idea how to eat for the rest of her life to maintain. She gained it all back in less than a year.

That had to be the most boring year ever.

I agree... there's no way I could have done it! I don't remember exactly what she ate each day, but it was pretty dull and didn't sound all that healthy to me. And to have that much effort go to waste... how sad.
There are so many options that would have been almost as "simple" and more maintainable. If she needed a routine, she could have at least had 7 different daily menus or more, and then rotated them. That would have also made it possible to have a "standard" shopping list.

I just eat real food.

This!

Also, it's probably not a good idea to go on a diet that you can't maintain for LIFE. Your example looks reasonable, but just stay within your calorie goals and remember that food is fuel for your body and your workouts!

Since I started my weightloss journey I have followed two different "diets"

1. Low Carb/High Protein
2. Ashy Bines Clean Eating Plan: Basically low carb, no diary, no processed food, no sweetners etc.

I have hit a point where I am binging every other day and always thinking about food. I think it is because I feel so deprived. I have dropped 3 dress sizes and although I would like to lose some more weight, it is no longer my major goal over overall fitness and health.

I also feel that I have formed an unhealthy relationship with food, and view things as either "good"or "bad". For instance, I really want to eat oats for breakfast but they fall under "bad"as they are carbs, so instead I eat egg whites with spinach and onion and sometimes tomato but tomatoes have high sugar so only sometimes. It is such an unhealthy mindset and I am really worn down.

I'm thinking about just eating what I want, but tracking my calories to make sure i'm eating the right amount.

Example:
Baked blueberry and apple oats
Protein shake (if hungry)
Rye sandwich with tuna, lettuce, carrot and onion with light mayo.
0% Chobani
Quest protein bar (no sugar/sugar alcohols)
Peanut chicken skewers with sweet potato and steamed greens


That is just under my calorie goal + I will be exercising. I am really nervous about eating intuitvely and what I want.. I don't know why I have such issues with food. Am I the only one?

I just track calories and do my best to eat a balanced diet most days. I find that simply being aware of the calories I'm consuming puts me in a position to make smart choices. I might be the only one around like this, but I simply don't understand the whole low carb / no carb thing that is going on and consider it a fad.

Now, please take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. I'm no doctor or nutritionist....I'm just looking at this with some common sense. The binge urges are your body or mind screaming out to tell you something. First, good for you for listening. My recommendation is to eat at a maintenance level for a couple of weeks to settle your body out (set a 0 lb per week goal on MFP). Keep exercising, and eat back a good % of your exercise calories. You want your body and mind to feel as though your body is getting enough fuel. After those first couple weeks, then set a moderate weight loss goal like 1 lb per week. You could go straight for the 2 lb per week, but your body is currently bouncing from one shock to another and you need to relieve some of that stress. As I said, I'm no medical professional (I'm an engineer) but this is my "makes sense to me" suggestion for the situation you're in.

Since I started my weightloss journey I have followed two different "diets"

1. Low Carb/High Protein
2. Ashy Bines Clean Eating Plan: Basically low carb, no diary, no processed food, no sweetners etc.

I have hit a point where I am binging every other day and always thinking about food. I think it is because I feel so deprived. I have dropped 3 dress sizes and although I would like to lose some more weight, it is no longer my major goal over overall fitness and health.

I also feel that I have formed an unhealthy relationship with food, and view things as either "good"or "bad". For instance, I really want to eat oats for breakfast but they fall under "bad"as they are carbs, so instead I eat egg whites with spinach and onion and sometimes tomato but tomatoes have high sugar so only sometimes. It is such an unhealthy mindset and I am really worn down.

I'm thinking about just eating what I want, but tracking my calories to make sure i'm eating the right amount.

Example:
Baked blueberry and apple oats
Protein shake (if hungry)
Rye sandwich with tuna, lettuce, carrot and onion with light mayo.
0% Chobani
Quest protein bar (no sugar/sugar alcohols)
Peanut chicken skewers with sweet potato and steamed greens


That is just under my calorie goal + I will be exercising. I am really nervous about eating intuitvely and what I want.. I don't know why I have such issues with food. Am I the only one?

I follow different diets all the time, just for a variety of foods...but it looks like your proposed menu would be okay

I do not follow any off the shelf program of either diet or exercise, but for what it's worth, here is what I do for both.
Diet
I strive toward the ideal of lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, low fat dairy, nuts and whole grains.
I set calories to 3000 to account for my activity level, exercises and other variables, and am losing a half a pound per week.
Out of the 76 lb total weight loss, half of that resulted from a 2200 calorie diet, reflecting a deficit to affect a 2 lb per week weight loss, and my last 20 lbs were at 2500 where I lost 1lb weekly. After reaching my goals, I reset, then lowered my weekly loss expectation to a half a pound. Again, I have my daily calories set at 3000.
Exercise
In general I do 90 minutes of cardio with 30 minutes of resistance 6 days a week.
I rest resistance Tuesday and cardio every 10 days or so.
My resistance is lower weights but high reps, then heavy every 3rd workout.
And I split my body into 3 muscle groups:
1. Legs
2. Chest- triceps - shoulders
3. Arms - back
I do a lot of weird things for cardio like military march, MMA type training,
dancing, floor rolls, squat thrust intervals and the good ole jumping jack.
And I jog, swim, play tennis, fast walk and bike.

Lost 76lbs and nearly 20% body fat - it works for me.

I track calories, so I can eat what ever I want but I have guide lines that are not restrictions but must haves, daily.
yogurt
5 servings of fruits or vegetables.
whole grains
all 4 food groups.
water
excersise. every day at least 30 minutes...doesn't have to be together. On days I work its 3x10min

I eat what I want, and work it into my calories.

^^ THIS

I actually started my diet in the fall, and before I started I did a DNA test. It was a mouth swab that I mailed to the company, and they then send you the results, their thinking that there are 3 body types: 1. a fat burner (one who does better on a low fat diet). 2. A carb restricter (low or healthy carbs, and healthy protiens). 3. a balanced food diet (calorie counter).

My results came back as the carb restricter. The test also told me that with moderate intensity workouts I would lose weight and if stay consistent, my chances are good of keeping it off.

So I started eating good carbs vs. bad carbs. And started working out for an average of 60 minutes 3X per week. Sometimes more.

Started seeing results, for the first time in 10 years of diets. It seems as I have gotten older (age 42) and work over-night shifts my ability to lose just isn's as easy.

Down 30 lbs since October. This summer has been rough due to different schedule with kids, etc. Just started tracking calories yesterday as I think it will help me stay on top of things better, and hopefully lose faster than 0.5 lbs per week.

The DNA test really gave me the boost and will power to start the much needed diet. Evem though my big sister laughed at me and said I wasted my money. HA! I say Who's Laughing Now! I feel great and feel so empowered to work out with weights (light) and do cardio.

Good Luck with however you do it!

I have and do ONLY track calories. I don't deprive myself and I don't cut out food groups. I also don't pressure myself to work out if I don't feel like exercising. I had to design this for long, long lifestyle changes. It's been a learning process and I have now found my 'happy place'.

You can design MFP for what suits your personality/prefernces and lifestyle, it will be personal so go with what suits you within your calorie allowance.

Best of luck xxxxx From coming out the other side, I would highly recommend MFP for weight loss. xxxx

I tend to eat what I fancy and track calories, I do try to plan at least a day ahead but that's not too hard as I sort of rotate around my kitchen staples. Everything is open so feel free to look, though I warn you it's not prefect by any stretch of the imagination :laugh: