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Can we talk about diets?


GypsyHomesteader
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I know there have been several diet threads but I want one all my own :)

 

I am overweight by about... I dunno, a lot... I am on blood pressure meds. I would like to be off my blood pressure meds. Exercise, for the most part, isn't an issue. I get out and move around a lot. I just know my diet needs work.

 

Let me preface by saying I don't want to talk about counting calories. If it was that simple I'd be much thinner.

 

I have looked and looked and there seems to be even more diets out there than the last time I looked. Which was a long time ago. Maybe when the dinosaurs roamed the earth? I digress.

 

If it matters I am a type O+ blood type. I NEED protein. Carbs kick my royal tookus and even though I know that I still manage to eat my fair share and them maybe my kids leftovers. Which yes, I know I shouldn't eat the left over and I don't always, I was using it as a funny.

 

Liquid diets I don't care for unless the liquid meal is breakfast only. I am not big on breakfast. I know it is supposed to be the most important meal of the day but that majority of recipes I see for breakfast are either eggs (which I like but jeez, a little variety please?) or sugar infested carbs. Either way if I eat in the morning it needs to be small and protein otherwise I am sluggish and sleepy. Same for lunch.

 

I am ravenous at dinner. I am almost a bottomless pit in the evening. So my diet needs to be able to either curb that or fulfill it without filling out the waistline more.

 

So what diets are out there that are sound (not gimmicks), don't cost an arm and a leg (Shakeology) and don't leave me starving (The whole eat only 1200 calories a day... not at my size sweetheart).

 

I have been looking at the Paleo but I just haven't jumped ship yet. I need a diet that kids will eat too.

 

I also live in an RV at the moment. Space is an issue. My refrisgerator is a glorified dorm fridge. It's bigger than a dorm fridge but a lot smaller than a regular fridge. I can't keep much in there. Shopping is an issue. It is 30 minutes (right now that will change in two weeks) to the store, an hour round trip. I can't go out every other day to shop. I usually go twice a week so I need to be able to stick to that.

 

So, any suggestions on what kind of diet would be good? :)

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I think you are probably on the right track with paleo style.  

 

Carbs kill me, but I can eat all the fat and protein I want and lose weight.  (That said, eating more fat and protein is an appetite suppressor for me, so I don't feel hungry all the time) I try to avoid grains in general.  Limited dairy.  Limited sugar. 

 

 

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I am ravenous at dinner. I am almost a bottomless pit in the evening.

)

What do you eat between the main meals?

Because I recognize that feeling, and know in my case it is the result of too much time between meals.

it helps if I eat something about an hour, or 1,5 hour before dinner. An apple is most times enough.

But then you have a bottom and eat less at dinner.

 

This is what I should do more often.... :blush:

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I would do Paleo or Primal. Or just start with unprocessed. 

 

I have a carb issue also and can go all day without eating and then eat the whole house all night. I found that going unprocessed I didn't really need to worry so much about carbs because I wanted meat and veggies and naturally attained a good balance. I didn't eat bread though. I made homemade tortillas or ate potatoes. Cutting out bread and limiting foods to 5 ingredients or less that I could pronounce helped me a ton and I wasn't ever starving. 

 

Edit to add:

I lost 50 pounds eating this way and exercising and went off my asthma and GERD meds. If I can kick myself in the rear to get back to it I hope to hit my goal weight and feel better! It involves a lot of cooking and shopping for fresh foods and prep. 

 

I did find when I stuck to it 100%, that I naturally cut out snacking almost entirely unless it was a fruit or a veggie because I was too sick of cooking to make anything  :lol:

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I've lost more than 25 lbs. over about 6 months by not eating wheat and drastically reducing sugar.  Even though I was far from my ideal weight, my blood pressure went into a great range and I was able to reduce my bp meds.  Then summer happened, I got careless, and started eating bread and sweets again.  I gained back "only" 7 lbs. and my bp went way up. Now I know that number on the scale really makes a difference with my blood pressure. 

 

So what worked for me was eating protein and veggies and not letting myself get too hungry before eating again.  I did eat eggs for breakfast or changed it up with a protein smoothy for breakfast. It did take 2-3 trips to the store a week to stay stocked with fresh foods.  I would suggest researching what plan you want to be on and maybe not fully implement it until you have better access to a store in a couple of weeks.  Breaking the sugar habit is the hardest thing.  My best to you.

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I haven't done this myself, so take it for what its worth, but my sister lost a fair bit of weight when she started eating a good breakfast.  Not super-surgery stuff, but some protein and good quality carbs.  I think for most people totally dropping carbs is unrealistic, its better to go for whole grains, less processed, and just smaller servings.  Something like yogurt with honey and granola and berries might be an option, or there are different ways to do eggs.  Or meat or cheese, maybe cottage cheese.

 

Anyway, she found it changed the way she ate through the whole rest of the day.

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I could have written your post. Reducing calories/moving more isn't a pathway to success for me. I tried that with Weight Watchers, and in addition to a b*tch of a leader that didn't believe me, I didn't lose weight AND I was an irritable mess. (Edited to add that the "healthy, 100% whole grain" carbs is also not a match for me.)

 

I NEED protein (O negative). I know that when I "feed" refined or grain based carbs, I NEED more carbs. But if I keep away, the craving stops. I feel great on meat/veggies. Now, nearly 50, I need to limit dairy as well to lose weight.

 

Primal is a great option. Whole 30 would be a good, very healthy, kick start. Old fashioned (but healthy) low carb would be the simplest.

 

I ordered the 21 Day Fix because I need the movement for stress reduction/endurance/increased health and I fell in love with the food storage and organizational porn. ;)

 

I'm doing a lot of Mason Jar Salads.

 

For my life, planning is key.

 

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I eat low carb. It works for me. I follow the Atkins plan. Phase 1 is very strict, but when you get past that, it's not really that difficult. Also, you have to see it as a lifestyle change and a permanent way of eating. For me it's not a diet. It's the way that I will eat for the rest of my life. :)

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Whatever you decide, I think the following changes would help most people, overweight or not:

  • Make sure to drink lots of water.
  • Eat a good breakfast with lots of protein.
  • Save most of the starchy foods for later in the day, after having had a lot of protein and veggies.
  • Focus first on adding in the protein and veggies before worrying about subtracting junk. Eventually your tastes may start to change and the junk won't interest you as much.
  • Just eat real food - whole foods without additives.
  • No soda, juice, or other sugary drinks.
  • Prepare food ahead of time for whatever meal tends to go off the rails the most often.
  • If you are in the habit of snacking in front of the TV (especially after dinner), switch to drinking herbal tea instead. It gives me the feeling of rewarding myself without any calories.
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I had lost weight on the Mayo Clinic diet.  I had the diabetic book.

 

If I remember correctly, it is eat half a plate of veggies per meal.  A quarter of your plate would be carbs and a quarter is protein. 

Brown bread/rice.  Snacks are fruits or veg only.

 

Basic clean eating.  Not that it's easy to stick to any diet.....As I know from experience...waaaahhhh!

 

I am so tempted to buy these precise portion plates:  http://www.amazon.com/Precise-Portions-Leak-Proof-Dishwasher-Metabolism/dp/B00NW4PLPK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1440720020&sr=8-2&keywords=plate+diet

 

 

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I've put myself on a diet to try to cure my fatigue and irritability and defeatism (which is working beautifully!!!) and based on my experiences so far think that one of your biggest challenges is going to be refrigerator space. When you start adding in more meat/veggies to replace the carbs you're cutting it takes up serious space in your fridge. You might want to plan on prepping everything the day you buy it so that it will fit. Chop it all up and put it in containers/ziplock bags. It will take up less space AND it will be ready when you need it. :)

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With your discription of yourself, I'd do this:

 

"Breakfast" -- one or two of: nuts, seeds, cheese, milk, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, plus maybe a fruit, and plenty of coffee/tea/water/splash (splash = various stevia-and-water options). Really hit the hydration, definitely skip on any grains, and don't bother with eggs. Avoid any MSG on the nuts. (Msny people believe that msg stimulates hunger systems.) Take an omega-3 capsule.

 

Lunch: focus on mixed veggies, either cold (there are millions of salads) or hot (stir fry, sweet potato fries), and a meat protein. Make a lot of cooked chicken, and other meats you like, then freeze in individual portion bags. Have a fruit too. No msg in salad dressing or stir fry toppings. Hydrate lots.

 

Supper: start with a cup of soup (no msg broth) while you cook. Make meat, 3 or 4 individual veggies (frozen works great) and whatever starch-sides are normal for you. This is your first starch/grain all day: enjoy it, not too much, and don't worry about it. Hydrate lots, with milk if you like it. End supper with a fruit or s fruit salad, or at least some dry fruit. Dry plums are tastier than you think, and just as good for you as they are made out to be. Avoid packaged flavoured foods that would come with msg.

 

In the evening, plan a meal. This is a good time to think "breakfast" -- make a pan of eggs with salsa or something. Have a genuine sandwich on whole grain bread. Eat a whole apple every evening with your "late meal" -- don't go to snack foods just because it's 'snack time' -- except popcorn. Popcorn rocks. Mm mm popcorn and apple slices.

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I would do Paleo or Primal. Or just start with unprocessed. 

 

I have a carb issue also and can go all day without eating and then eat the whole house all night. I found that going unprocessed I didn't really need to worry so much about carbs because I wanted meat and veggies and naturally attained a good balance. I didn't eat bread though. I made homemade tortillas or ate potatoes. Cutting out bread and limiting foods to 5 ingredients or less that I could pronounce helped me a ton and I wasn't ever starving. 

 

Edit to add:

I lost 50 pounds eating this way and exercising and went off my asthma and GERD meds. If I can kick myself in the rear to get back to it I hope to hit my goal weight and feel better! It involves a lot of cooking and shopping for fresh foods and prep. 

 

I did find when I stuck to it 100%, that I naturally cut out snacking almost entirely unless it was a fruit or a veggie because I was too sick of cooking to make anything  :lol:

 

This is pretty much what I'm doing now.  When I "diet" I really just cut out processed foods, white flour, and processed sugar.  That's it.  That leaves me with fruit, vegis, meat, whole grains.  Same as above, limited grains, limited dairy.  Only fruit or vegis or sometimes a high protein greek yogurt for a snack.  

 

Oh, I do still have coffee with flavored creamer in the morning.  It makes me too happy to give up.

 

If I combine this with exercise, I can go down to and hold at a good weight for me.  I never consider it a diet really though, just eating healthy again. 

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Be sure to also check out the dietdoctor website.  High quality dietary advise from a physician in Sweden.  I've lost a lot of weight with no hunger/suffering following this plan.  It is similar to primal/paleo in that it eliminates sugar, grains, etc. but it also emphasizes increasing the amount of healthy fats you eat.  This is what increases satiety and keeps you happy.

 

Honestly, I'm pretty upset that the standard diet advice given to Americans for many years (low fat, "healthy" grains, etc.) is so wrong and hurtful. Just start reading and you will find many rabbit trails to follow. 

 

 

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You should try trim healthy mama. I'm doing it, on week 6 and down 12 lbs after trying for a year unsuccessfully to lose weight. It basically clumps meals into S meals, satisfying higher fat meals and low carb (lots of great desserts too) and change it up with E meals, under 5 grams of fat and up to 45 carbs. They have lots of mamas who have lost over 100 lbs and none of us ever feel deprived ;)

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You might look at Fresh 20's new Mind Body Reset 20 day diet. It's no dairy, sugar or grains. Might be a good kick start while you figure out what you're going to do long term. You can get a sample day free at their website.

$99! Wowzers!

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You should try trim healthy mama. I'm doing it, on week 6 and down 12 lbs after trying for a year unsuccessfully to lose weight. It basically clumps meals into S meals, satisfying higher fat meals and low carb (lots of great desserts too) and change it up with E meals, under 5 grams of fat and up to 45 carbs. They have lots of mamas who have lost over 100 lbs and none of us ever feel deprived ;)

I also love Trim Healthy Mama. Many meals are low carb (S meals), but other meals can have come carbs (fruit, limited beans/rice, Ezekiel bread). I love the variety and it works!!!

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Be sure to also check out the dietdoctor website. High quality dietary advise from a physician in Sweden. I've lost a lot of weight with no hunger/suffering following this plan. It is similar to primal/paleo in that it eliminates sugar, grains, etc. but it also emphasizes increasing the amount of healthy fats you eat. This is what increases satiety and keeps you happy.

 

Honestly, I'm pretty upset that the standard diet advice given to Americans for many years (low fat, "healthy" grains, etc.) is so wrong and hurtful. Just start reading and you will find many rabbit trails to follow.

I'm confused by your comparison. Primal is no grain/sugar, moderate carbs, moderate protein, high healthy fat. The emphasis has always been on healthy fats for satiety. Fatty fish, healthy oils, heavy cream and butter (if you tolerate dairy), are the basis for starting meals or cooking. Add fats. To everything. Even your copious amounts of leafy greens.

 

OP, I suggest marksdailyapple if you are at all interested in Primal eating and/or intermittent fasting.

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I, and 3 friends, did trim healthy mama earlier this year. We all liked the principle of it, and I thought the no-sugar part of it was fantastic, as it really showed me what sugar does to me. None of use have continued with it - 2 switched to paleo, and one just....stopped. â€‹â€‹

 

We've now switched over to the 5:2  - and I love it. I was a bit obsessive with calorie counting on the fast days to start with, but now I'm pretty cruisy on fast days. Coffee and skim milk for breakfast, then another one mid-morning, then a soup for lunch, and then maybe a chicken stir-fry (no sauces) for dinner...or some type of fried up veggie dish.

 

What I've found is that it actually starts to break the food habits that I had - like having a biscuit with coffee, or a 2 slice sandwich for lunch etc. It actually helps me to think a bit more about my food choices on my off days. When I am making good choices on my off days, it's a relatively slow and steady weight loss. if I eat lots of rubbish on the other days, the weight stays about the same. Husband has lost 10kgs on it (but he has a pretty fast metabolism - he says he wants to lose weight, and then it feels like a week later, he's done!). I've lost about 6kgs, and still have another 6-8 to go - and I can completely see myself using this diet to get there. I don't exercise (at all - very sedentary) so I would imagine that I would probably need to work that in at some point to reach the target.

 

 

 

 

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I know I get to "cheat" because I don't ever feel hungry, but with my weight loss, hubby has also decided to lose weight and become more healthy since the beginning of Aug.  He has typical hunger issues.

 

What's worked for him to pull off 4 lbs so far (one lb per week) is to cut many carbs - very much like many have mentioned.

 

Our breakfast is usually eggs (from our own chickens - we don't get tired of them) and fried veggies mostly from our garden, but you could easily buy them, of course.  Right now we still have squash (yellow & zucchini), so we'll use that, green/red peppers, onions, and tomatoes.  We fry it in olive oil.  It's delicious and fills him up - just make sure to use enough squash.  Don't skimp on it.  There are very few calories in squash.

 

Lunch is a sandwich thin with meat or tuna - sometimes peanut butter.  If meat, with either mayo or mustard and spinach leaves for lettuce.  Sides for him are a handful of almonds and fruit (grapes, apples, pears - something).  Dessert is a bite sized Hershey Nugget with Almonds, sometimes two.  Dessert can actually be a snack a little later on rather than immediately after lunch.

 

Supper is whatever we make, but almost always a meat and veggie or two.  Last night we had salmon along with kale.  It was delicious.  His salmon portion was closer to 8oz than 4oz.  He had a good sized bowl of kale (seasoned with ham).  We even had a small bowl of ice cream each later that evening - emphasis on small, but nonetheless, tasty.  Usually we'll also have a fruit with supper and/or a second veggie, but we didn't this time.

 

He always drinks unsweetened tea or water.

 

He tells me when he's hungry during the day he gets up and goes out and does something rather than getting up and going to the fridge.  It seems to have been working.

 

He tells me he's happy with his progress.  It is important that he can avoid eating the whole bag of chocolate or almonds, of course.

 

Things that got more or less removed from his diet are potato chips, sodas, and quite a bit of pasta, potatoes, bread, & rice.  These haven't totally been removed, but mostly.  Things that have replaced them are more veggies, nuts, and larger portions of meat.

 

And we do cheat once in a while - esp when our boys were still here before they headed back to college - so he's lost all he has in spite of the cheating.  Then again, he's a male and I think they can pull off weight more quickly in general.  He's also active here on our farm and often heads out into the field with his Civil Engineering job.

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I'm confused by your comparison. Primal is no grain/sugar, moderate carbs, moderate protein, high healthy fat. The emphasis has always been on healthy fats for satiety.

 

I didn't intend to mislead with my post.  Of course, you are correct.  I do think that LCHF, the diet encouraged by Dr. Eenfeldt on dietdoctor, is very similar to paleo or primal, with an even greater emphasis on lower carb and increased fats.

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You're the third person to talk about this in 2 days. Tell me more, please.

Intermittent fasting is basically deciding how many hours in a day, or how many days a week, you will eat. No food outside those times. For instance some might eat 8 hours a day, like 10 am - 6 pm. Because of the reduced time to eat you restrict naturally a lot of snacks and food in the off hours, you feel full during the hours you eat, and you train your body/mind to realize the feeling of hunger is not an emergency. I can't speak for or against it but that's the basic principle.

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I should also mention when choosing to eat less than what one is accustomed to, friends from my lunch table who are losing weight tell me about eating just what they put on their plate and nothing more even if they are still hungry.  Then they get up and do something rather than sitting around dwelling on the feeling.  Later they find they aren't hungry anymore anyway.

 

We've pondered about a disconnect between eating and feeling full (we can eat more quickly than our brains/stomachs react).

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I should also mention when choosing to eat less than what one is accustomed to, friends from my lunch table who are losing weight tell me about eating just what they put on their plate and nothing more even if they are still hungry.  Then they get up and do something rather than sitting around dwelling on the feeling.  Later they find they aren't hungry anymore anyway.

 

We've pondered about a disconnect between eating and feeling full (we can eat more quickly than our brains/stomachs react).

 

 

This is very true.  I lost over 40 pounds last year by counting calories and it was astounding how much more I was eating than what I actually needed to eat.

 

FWIW, OP, you wouldn't start at 1200 calories by counting calories - you would go to a website and put in your current height, weight, age, and activity level, and the calculator would give you a target calorie range.  You might be at 1700 or so, more or less, depending on all the factors.  I know you weren't particularly looking for calorie counting ideas, but I just wanted to clear up a misconception.

 

Best of luck to you.  :)

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