Please tell me what I should eat!!! HELP!!!

[Just Kate]

I need to lose weight. I mean, I really have to. I am probably 25-30 lbs overweight and I have a history of diabetes in my family. Now is the time to act.

 

My problem??? Well, I read too much and just can't figure out HOW to eat healthy. I look at Weight Watchers, low-carb eating, primal, paleo, no gluten, no wheat, clean eating...I get confused and overwhelmed. I know I should probably just pick one and move forward, but I am constantly wondering if I should really be doing something else. So I really just need someone to tell me what to do. That's where the Hive comes in. :D (hopefully)

 

I am a former vegetarian who tolerates meat (I prefer it breaded or with some type of yummy sauce). I can't eat eggs (alone, they are fine in things). I love bread, pasta, and sweets. My dh is out of town a lot, so I am usually just cooking for the kids and me. Kids are PICKY!!! Night time, after putting the kids to bed, is the worst for me. I like to "reward" myself with a little something to eat, which can easily and quickly turn into a whole bag of chips. :001_huh:

 

I have tried low-carb eating, but I just felt so empty. I am wondering if I would do better if I was able to eat some rice, alternative flours, etc? Would I still lose weight?

 

Oh, and I also have a diet coke habit that I don't know if I can kick right now. I do only drink one per day though.

 

So, I need to find something, stop reading about other options, stick with it and move on! Can you help me??? :)

 

ETA: I meant to mention that I am a definite food addict. Food plays a MUCH bigger part in my life than it should (from me eating too much and using food to deal with my emotions to putting too much emphasis on my kids' picky diets).

 

One more thing...choosing a diet is kind of like choosing curriculum for me. I have trouble doing it because I keep wondering if there is something better out there!!!

Edited September 18, 2012 by mandos mom

[SailorMom]

Food. Real food ;)

I know - sorry. It can be simple though. For the most part, do not eat anything that has been processed. Eat whole grains, eat from the edges of the grocery store (i.e. veggies, dairy, meat) and not from the boxes in the middle. Stay away from sugar. Try to only use a little bit of honey instead, and get your sugar fix from things like raisins.

Only eat enough to just barely make you full. Never let your stomach feel stuffed.

Start weight training. Use soup cans and $8 resistance bands from WalMart if you can't afford weights or a gym.

That's basically it.

As for rewarding yourself - you'll have to find a non-food way to replace that - and then work your way down from rewarding yourself at all. It can be the hardest part.

:grouphug:

Food addictions are horrible. I can't imagine. I'm completely addicted to caffeine, and as benign as it may be - I can imagine how hard breaking any other addiction would be by the terrible headache I get if I am late in drinking my coffee.

I really think support helps with this - even just a friend willing to hold you accountable - willing to call you out of she/he sees you giving in.

Edited September 18, 2012 by SailorMom

[Joyofsixreboot]

What I finally did is very much like what I've done with curriculum. I pick something and QUIT LOOKING! For me the No-S diet has worked. No snacks, no sweets, no seconds except on days starting with S. It doesn't require thinking so it's for me, :tongue_smilie: Just strive for balance. Lots of veggies, lean protein you LIKE, moderation in all things. Pretty much what our great grandparents did. I also began working out which makes the whole thing work better. Kind of a synergistic thing. Oh, and drink 8 glasses of water if you can.

I don't think diet coke is great for you but 1 a day sounds reasonable. I, myself, have a coffee monkey on my back.:glare:

[Mom2pandc]

Honestly I wouldn't pick a diet. I'd start by making small changes. It sounds like if you are restricted, you're going to feel overwhelmed. Start small. In the evenings replace the snack with some fruit or veggies. And then work towards eliminating it all together. (this is a hard one for me too). For drinks during the day, drink water or flavored water. Eventually work on cutting out the diet coke. It's a habit that needs to be replaced with another habit.

After you get these things in place, start working on portion size and making better choices with your meals.

 

I use myfitnesspal to track calories and was blown away how many calories I consumed when I thought it wasn't that bad of a day.

 

As you do the above changes, try to get some more exercise in. Taking the kids for a walk, playing tag with them, whatever! (another struggle for me personally...never enough time!)

 

Don't think of it as a diet. Think of it as a lifestyle change to improve your health.

[Pawz4me]

IMO the best "diet" is one that incorporates a wide variety of healthy foods from all food groups but limits portions to reasonable amounts. I think the above poster has a very good plan -- small changes working toward making a healthy relationship with food the norm for you. And of course exercise.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Pawz4me

[JenMama]

Hi! About the nighttime eating, I've found that it helps me to add a new habit in when I'm trying to remove one, so you've got something to focus on other than a void where the bad habit was. Maybe 30 minutes on the treadmill instead of that nighttime snack. Then you'll be taking 200 calories off (for a walk, more for a jog) instead of adding any on.

 

I'm sure people will have lots of nutrition advice for you. I like Dr. Weil's Eating Well for Optimum Health. Instead of a big list of off-limits stuff, he's got a simple list that he wants you to fit in. It's a good choices more often approach. Salmon, beans, broccoli, greens, whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, olive oil, fruit. The more healthy stuff you're fitting in, the more junk falls off the menu. :001_smile:

[Durriyyah]

I was going to say largely the same thing as PP. Eat what your grandparents, or great grandparents ate. They didn't have hamburger helper, soup in a can, etc. Prepackaged food packs a LOT more calories and sodium in it than its homemade counterparts. I have some super simple meals I can make in a pinch if I need to save time instead of going to a boxed meal (tuna melts, spaghetti, for instance). I use allrecipes.com to make meal plans most weeks, and you can search for budget, quick and easy, kid-friendly, low fat, etc. You can choose meals to put on your shopping list, and then print it or email it to yourself to bring to the store. You won't end up with Doritos on your list. :) Then stick to your list. Add, of course, add things for breakfast and lunches. Snacks should largely be from the produce aisle. Grapes are a great pop-and-go replacement for chips.

 

If you have grocery delivery in your area, that can help too, because you won't wander around the store as much, being tempted by end caps and the like. Remember, different eating starts with different buying habits.

 

I would say not to follow a diet, because then it feels temporary. Make a change in how you eat and what you allow in the house. Your kids will get used to it. I heard in a documentary that you have to try something about a dozen times to build a taste for it. You will get used to it eventually, and move into new foods slowly so you don't feel like you are punishing yourself.

 

As for treating yourself, I found that 100 calorie packs are pretty nice for giving in a little, but making sure you are not going overboard. The 100 calorie packs of popcorn don't feel like a tiny amount either. This does mean you are going down the aisles with other junk food, but you could order this from Amazon if you think that would be too tempting.

 

20-30 lbs is definitely achievable! I've heard of people dropping that just from cutting out junk food and drinking more water! So, it sounds like the long road is changing the lifestyle, but it won't be a super long journey to get to a healthy weight. Best wishes to you!!

Edited September 18, 2012 by Durriyyah
typos

[Just Kate]

Honestly I wouldn't pick a diet. I'd start by making small changes. It sounds like if you are restricted, you're going to feel overwhelmed. Start small. In the evenings replace the snack with some fruit or veggies. And then work towards eliminating it all together. (this is a hard one for me too). For drinks during the day, drink water or flavored water. Eventually work on cutting out the diet coke. It's a habit that needs to be replaced with another habit.

After you get these things in place, start working on portion size and making better choices with your meals.

 

I use myfitnesspal to track calories and was blown away how many calories I consumed when I thought it wasn't that bad of a day.

 

As you do the above changes, try to get some more exercise in. Taking the kids for a walk, playing tag with them, whatever! (another struggle for me personally...never enough time!)

 

Don't think of it as a diet. Think of it as a lifestyle change to improve your health.

 

Just to clarify...I don't really want to find a "diet" (meaning something that I will do to drop weight and then go back to normal eating). I guess I used diet as a way to describe how I will be eating. I know that I need to make a life change here. But I am trying to figure out what exactly to change to.

 

I have counted calories before and just ate healthier overall. It worked great...I lost about 15 lbs and felt fabulous. Then I got tired of counting calories and it all just came back. So I know that counting calories is not for me.

 

I am just frustrated with all of the different methods out there, each proclaiming to be the best and the only way to eat. I don't know how to figure out what will work best for me.

[Parrothead]

Real food. Not to much.

 

Eat fresh or frozen produce, whole grains, lean meats (if you must ;)), healthy fats (from avocado, nuts, etc.).

 

Stay away from anything that come from a box or a can. These "food" are loaded with salt and fat in order to keep people addicted to them.

 

Instead of a bag of chips in the evening, thinly slice an apple and munch on it instead. I can get so many slices out of an apple now that it heaps on a dinner size plate. Or make a salad.

 

Oh, and the single most important thing you can do to change your eating lifestyle is to stop buying junk. Don't buy the chips. Don't buy the chicken nuggets. Don't buy the poptarts.

[fairfarmhand]

Hi! About the nighttime eating, I've found that it helps me to add a new habit in when I'm trying to remove one, so you've got something to focus on other than a void where the bad habit was. Maybe 30 minutes on the treadmill instead of that nighttime snack. Then you'll be taking 200 calories off (for a walk, more for a jog) instead of adding any on.

 

 

If you like to watch TV to unwind, you may want to find some thing to do with your hands to help you not eat. Some people Crochet. I love to embroider. Fold laundry or iron. Or you could lift weights or do pilates while watching TV. I found that I can resist temptation if I give myself a small beverage treat (I splurge on a sugar free cappuccino each night) rather than an eating thing.

 

Or if you really want the late night splurge, give up part of you supper for it. If you love ice cream, perhaps a yogurt and fruit smoothie is better. So just eat grilled chicken for supper and have the smoothie later to fill you up.

[Cammie]

I am not a cook. But strangely, thanks to Pinterest, I am becoming one! The pictures look yummy, the recipes are usually fairly easy and I am happy when we have fresh, non-box food! I also think keeping healthy quick foods in stock is super important. If there are carrots and cucumbers already chopped and waiting, I will eat them for a snack. If I am hungry and there is nothing healthy ready...I will go for the junk.

 

Drop the Diet Coke, ASAP, there is nothing good in it for you. Add lots more water, more fruits (aim for three a day), more veggies.

 

Don't think about the complex diet programs...just go with healthy whole foods, made at home.

 

Good luck!

[justLisa]

Real food. Not to much.

Eat fresh or frozen produce, whole grains, lean meats (if you must ;)), healthy fats (from avocado, nuts, etc.).

 

Stay away from anything that come from a box or a can. These "food" are loaded with salt and fat in order to keep people addicted to them.

 

Instead of a bag of chips in the evening, thinly slice an apple and munch on it instead. I can get so many slices out of an apple now that it heaps on a dinner size plate. Or make a salad.

 

Oh, and the single most important thing you can do to change your eating lifestyle is to stop buying junk. Don't buy the chips. Don't buy the chicken nuggets. Don't buy the poptarts.

Mostly plants. Michael Polan!

 

Real food is the key. I eat lower carb and have a few to lose but after I'll go back to some legumes. The only way I LOSE weight is low carb, but maintaining that is easier.

 

I have to watch carbs AND calories.

[Soror]

I think making sure you eat real foods is a great start. I think I'd be looking very, very closely at my carb/sugar consumption though with a family history of diabetes.

[Michelle in AL]

First, I'd make a plan with your health care provider and heave frequent follow up visits if you can fit this into your schedule. Why? Because pts who are followed closely for weight and exercise by their health care provider are more successful. It's part accountability and partly that they should come up with a plan that fits into your diet and lifestyle. (I'm not talking about the kind of drs who taut diet pills or weight loss schemes, just your general practitioner).

 

For diabetes prevention 2 of the most important things are increase your fiber intact and decrease simple carbs (simple sugars) while increasing your complex carbs. Also keep your fats in check. This means 10-20 % of your diet can come from fat, but only 7gms or less can come from sat fats.

Fiber is important because it will help slow down the absorption of carbs and sweep fats through and out of the digestive system.

 

If all this seems too complicated, the best can be to increase your veges. Consider replacing a meal such as lunch with a salad with low fat dressing. Increase non starchy veges with dinner. Cut out fried foods, butter, animal fats (eat white meats and fish or low fat ground beef). Cut out sweets. If you just love sweets like me, have a square of dark chocolate as a substitute.

 

Good luck to you!

Michelle

[Michelle in AL]

For great recipes try skinnytaste.com

Fabulous, healthy food.

[Greta Lea]

I used that for about 1/2 the year to help myself become aware of how much cal/fat/carbs are in what I was eating. I also began walk 45 min. to 1 hour a day at that time. Plugging in my exercise at myfitnesspal also helped me see how that was affecting my weight loss.

 

Oh, and I agree with the other poster who said, "Food. Real Food."

 

I don't eat processed foods and I went off the foods that I knew my body was reacting negatively to (allergic to wheat, soy...which is in EVERYTHING, milk products and sugar).

 

I do I have a sweet tooth, so I eat LOTS and LOTS of fruit (so does my entire family...people make comments at the grocery store about the amount of fresh fruit and veggies in my cart).

 

Developing good habits using myfitnesspal was THE key to my weightloss.

[SailorMom]

Michael Pollan rocks!!!

In Defense of Food is a wonderful book for someone trying to figure out what the heck to eat anymore.

It is really frustrating because just when you think you've figured out how to eat the way the media/news/doctors are saying is good - they change their minds!!!!

Kinda like parenting, arg.

Give up the fads and go back to basics.

[Liz CA]

Good Advice IMHO. "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon is a good educational cookbook on whole foods.

"The stop eating before you are full" part and avoiding "all you can eat" places does really work for most.

[Greta Lea]

I think that's why I liked myfitnesspal. It helped me see what I was getting *overall* from foods.

 

Once I did that for a while (6 months) I had a better handle on what I was getting from foods (might be low cal, but high carb...that kind of thing). Now that's just second nature to me. I don't "count" anything anymore. I developed new *habits* in that 6 months and just do it now.

 

I think using a short term *tool* is the key.

[wapiti]

I am probably 25-30 lbs overweight and I have a history of diabetes in my family.

...

I love bread, pasta, and sweets.

...

I have tried low-carb eating, but I just felt so empty. I am wondering if I would do better if I was able to eat some rice, alternative flours, etc? Would I still lose weight?

 

 

You have gotten some great advice re: whole, unprocessed foods, etc. IMO, the unpleasant answer is obvious - I would look again at low-carb. **There are a lot of different variations, and different styles work for different people.**

 

Alternative flours would only help if the carb content is lower - carbs are carbs. Rice flour does not sound particularly helpful, though I don't know how the amount of carbs per typical serving would compare to wheat.

 

If you felt empty the last time you tried LC, then I would do it a different way. Maybe that means more fat or more protein.

 

(For me, carbs are my downfall and I am still struggling - every time I get going, some life events come along and I fall off the wagon. If I eat too much protein and/or fat at the same time as even a moderate amount of carbs, I gain weight - for me, I need to go just below a moderate amount of carbs with more healthy fat, I think, but going only halfway doesn't seem to help me. And I hear you on the kid food - I have some majorly picky carb-eaters here, and my kids have different carb requirements than I do).

 

Eta, also, regular exercise can help with glucose/insulin issues. Consider supplementing with chelated zinc.

Edited September 18, 2012 by wapiti

[Stacia]

Eat to Live -- Dr. Fuhrman

[Soror]

I like her POV, but I found her cookbook pretty intimidating and impractical. And I'm a person who loves to cook and loves to make as much as I can homemade.

 

Not to mention a lot of the recipes are nasty.

[justLisa]

I like her POV, but I found her cookbook pretty intimidating and impractical. And I'm a person who loves to cook and loves to make as much as I can homemade.

 

Not to mention a lot of the recipes are nasty.

 

I went through my NT phase. DIdn't last long and I hated food for a while.

 

And I find it impractical to eat liver that often. It doesn't seam too natural to be able to acquire organs so often.

[AnnaM]

Start small. Kick the processed sugar habit. Swapping to natural sweeteners with a lower glycemic index (local raw honey) will do wonders for blood sugar. You may find yourself losing weight just from that. Second I would get rid of the processed veggie oils and swap to a more pure cooking oil such as coconut, lard from properly raised pigs, tallow, and so on. I would then move on to reducing and eliminating processed grains (yes, even whole wheat).

 

Do not be fooled by the low fat craze. Most low fat items supplement the flavorful fat by loading it with sugar. Fats are good for you if you are getting them from good quality sources such as raw milk, grass fed beef, pastured chicken and so on.

 

And I'll throw in that doctors are generally the worst people to ask nutritional advice of because they don't generally have a lot of education in this department despite what people assume.

:iagree: Edited September 18, 2012 by AnnaM
spelling correction

[Soror]

I went through my NT phase. DIdn't last long and I hated food for a while.

 

And I find it impractical to eat liver that often. It doesn't seam too natural to be able to acquire organs so often.

 

I don't a problem with the basic NT diet, although I think she takes WP's work and makes it into the diet she wants it to be instead of acknowledging that various cultures were healthy eating a wide variety of foods. Instead she focuses on a grain and dairy heavy diet. She pretty much ignores food intolerances and allergies and poohpoohs them away and says that it must be the sources and not the actual food. Nevermind plenty of cultures don't drink milk, only some cultures evolved eat soy, etc. Lots of fearmongering and she is much too quick to push homemade formula over bm and talks about how much healthier her kids were with it.

 

We like grassfed meat though, I prefer organic/and or local when I can, I cook almost all whole foods. I try to eat liver and fermented foods, although I should do those more than I do. I think lots of veggies, especially green ones are good for you.

[justLisa]

I don't a problem with the basic NT diet, although I think she takes WP's work and makes it into the diet she wants it to be instead of acknowledging that various cultures were healthy eating a wide variety of foods. Instead she focuses on a grain and dairy heavy diet. She pretty much ignores food intolerances and allergies and poohpoohs them away and says that it must be the sources and not the actual food. Nevermind plenty of cultures don't drink milk, only some cultures evolved eat soy, etc. Lots of fearmongering and she is much too quick to push homemade formula over bm and talks about how much healthier her kids were with it.

 

We like grassfed meat though, I prefer organic/and or local when I can, I cook almost all whole foods. I try to eat liver and fermented foods, although I should do those more than I do. I think lots of veggies, especially green ones are good for you.

 

Yeah I was surprised on the heavy grains and dairy content.

 

We do eat a lot of ferments. We have guts of steel.

[Just Kate]

You have gotten some great advice re: whole, unprocessed foods, etc. IMO, the unpleasant answer is obvious - I would look again at low-carb. **There are a lot of different variations, and different styles work for different people.**

 

Alternative flours would only help if the carb content is lower - carbs are carbs. Rice flour does not sound particularly helpful, though I don't know how the amount of carbs per typical serving would compare to wheat.

 

If you felt empty the last time you tried LC, then I would do it a different way. Maybe that means more fat or more protein.

 

(For me, carbs are my downfall and I am still struggling - every time I get going, some life events come along and I fall off the wagon. If I eat too much protein and/or fat at the same time as even a moderate amount of carbs, I gain weight - for me, I need to go just below a moderate amount of carbs with more healthy fat, I think, but going only halfway doesn't seem to help me. And I hear you on the kid food - I have some majorly picky carb-eaters here, and my kids have different carb requirements than I do).

 

Eta, also, regular exercise can help with glucose/insulin issues. Consider supplementing with chelated zinc.

 

I do have this nagging feeling that I should try low-carb again. I just don't want to! How is that for mature? :D

 

I would love the option of occasionally having a muffin or a cookie (made with almond flour?). I don't want to feel limited.

 

I probably still have more research to do. (Although I would still love for someone to just tell me what to do...information overload!!!)

 

Any other thoughts?

[justLisa]

I do have this nagging feeling that I should try low-carb again. I just don't want to! How is that for mature? :D

 

I would love the option of occasionally having a muffin or a cookie (made with almond flour?). I don't want to feel limited.

 

I probably still have more research to do. (Although I would still love for someone to just tell me what to do...information overload!!!)

 

Any other thoughts?

 

Come to the LC dark side. Where there is plenty of bacon :D

[Susan in TN]

Come to the LC dark side. Where there is plenty of bacon :D

 

Push Button, Receive Bacon :lol:

Oh, if only it were so!

[FeFe]

I need to lose 30 pounds. I tried weight watchers and it works but I DO NOT like keeping up with points. Just can't do it.

 

My focus is going to be eating "real food" only for breakfast/lunch and snacks. For dinner, I'll cook normal meals as healthy as possible but it may not be 100% natural.

 

Then I'd like to walk for at least hour 4 days a week to start.

 

That's what I'm going to try. If you want to team up for some accountability, pm me.

[Heart_Mom]

I haven't gotten to read all the replies, but if you really want to lose weight and get healthy there is a way to do it! It involves eating a scrumptious plant-based diet. Many people have reduced their cholesterol dramatically, reversed heart disease, and reversed diabetes by eating this way. The part I like the best is that I don't have to limit the amount I eat, just what I eat. It makes this way of eating doable for the long-haul.

 

This way of eating probably would have seemed extreme to me a decade ago, but my 3rd child was born with a dairy and egg allergy, so we had to cut those foods out anyway (I mean, who wants to make two separate dinners every night?). It wasn't all that much more of a stretch to cut out the meats.

 

Here's a great book on the theory behind it: The China Study http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implications/dp/1932100385

 

Here's a great video about it: Forks Over Knives http://www.amazon.com/Forks-Over-Knives-Colin-Campbell/dp/B0053ZHZI2/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_z

 

Here's a FREE website that can give you all the info you need:

Main website: http://www.drmcdougall.com/

Free program: http://www.drmcdougall.com/free.html

 

Here are two great books about eating this way, including fantastic recipes:

Engine 2 Diet

http://www.amazon.com/The-Engine-Diet-Firefighters-Save-Your-Life/dp/0446506699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347990121&sr=8-1&keywords=engine+2

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

http://www.amazon.com/Prevent-Reverse-Heart-Disease-Nutrition-Based/dp/1583333002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347990155&sr=1-1&keywords=prevent+and+reverse+heart+disease+by+caldwell+b.+esselstyn

 

(Your library may have the above-mentioned books and/or DVD.)

 

It really is possible to do this. My whole family has been eating this way for 3 years. I feel fantastic on this diet, and so does my husband (and he lost 20 lbs. and dropped his cholesterol 100 points to boot!). :001_smile:

 

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.:grouphug:

[mktkcb]

Stop overthinking everything. Just stop. Go to WW. Is it superior to the others? No, but it will give you the food choices you want, and help you to sort out your portions, and provide accountability. Move forward for pete's sake. As for specific concerns you mentioned, no reason you can't eat your meat with yummy sauce. You don't have to eat eggs. Work on portion control with whole grain bread and whole grain pasta. Cook up the pasta, put it in individual half cup baggies in the freezer, then you can easily grab it, and throw it together with your meat, veggies, and whatever yummy sauce. If you aren't opposed to artificial sweeteners (you drink diet coke..), then you can certainly indulge a tiny bit of that sweet tooth without doing much damage. My go to right now is sugar free fudgsicles :o). Ditch the chips....why not substitute low fat versions of microwave popcorn. you can munch a whole bag or 2 and not do much damage at all. Stop worrying about the diet coke. Deal with that later. Just do it. There is no reason you can't enjoy eating what you want to eat. Good grief...I still eat Costco pizza about once a week...I just count it on sparkpeople, and balance it with what I eat the rest of the day.

[justLisa]

Push Button, Receive Bacon :lol:

Oh, if only it were so!

 

I know! If vending machines had low carb foods that would be awesome. Of course maybe that is partly why low carb works. Vending machines don't have low carb foods! ;)

 

 

I would buy that vending machine :lol:

[AdventureMoms]

I know! If vending machines had low carb foods that would be awesome. Of course maybe that is partly why low carb works. Vending machines don't have low carb foods! ;)

 

Neither do most convenience stores (I don't like jerky). This is a big plus of the diet, really.

 

I tend to agree that with the history of diabetes and the cravings for high-carb food seem to point toward a low-carb diet. You say you feel "empty" is that physical (ie you feel you haven't eaten enough) or emotional (ie you feel like you are missing something)? And how long did you try it? The first week on low carb is hard and some people do not feel well as their bodies switch from carb-burning mode to fat-burning mode. Some people feel great the whole time (my dw is one of those...), but many do not. After a few weeks if you are still feeling yucky I'd be more concerned.

 

There are recipes out there for low carb baked goods of almost any kind. I'm currently on atkins-induction style 20g/day, which means even those are too carby, but as I add foods back in (after I have lost most of the weight) I look forward to being able to eat variations on my old favorites. There are some candies I can eat now (candy has no flour so it is easier to make very low carb), but I have recipes for cookies, brownies, etc. for treats later on. I expect I will be able to eat a fairly moderate amount of carbs once I've lost the weight. Also, yes, sometimes I cheat. I can't commit to never ever eating pizza from my favorite pizza place. But low-carb eating makes self-control SOOOOOO much easier for me that most days it's pretty easy to pass on all the bad foods.

 

Besides, everything is easier to resist when you can go home and eat bacon.

[Just Kate]

Neither do most convenience stores (I don't like jerky). This is a big plus of the diet, really.

 

I tend to agree that with the history of diabetes and the cravings for high-carb food seem to point toward a low-carb diet. You say you feel "empty" is that physical (ie you feel you haven't eaten enough) or emotional (ie you feel like you are missing something)? And how long did you try it? The first week on low carb is hard and some people do not feel well as their bodies switch from carb-burning mode to fat-burning mode. Some people feel great the whole time (my dw is one of those...), but many do not. After a few weeks if you are still feeling yucky I'd be more concerned.

 

There are recipes out there for low carb baked goods of almost any kind. I'm currently on atkins-induction style 20g/day, which means even those are too carby, but as I add foods back in (after I have lost most of the weight) I look forward to being able to eat variations on my old favorites. There are some candies I can eat now (candy has no flour so it is easier to make very low carb), but I have recipes for cookies, brownies, etc. for treats later on. I expect I will be able to eat a fairly moderate amount of carbs once I've lost the weight. Also, yes, sometimes I cheat. I can't commit to never ever eating pizza from my favorite pizza place. But low-carb eating makes self-control SOOOOOO much easier for me that most days it's pretty easy to pass on all the bad foods.

 

Besides, everything is easier to resist when you can go home and eat bacon.

 

I probably didn't try for long enough...maybe a week? I think my biggest problem was not having a plan in place. When I got that "empty" feeling, I didn't have any safe foods to turn toward.

[Trilliums]

I probably didn't try for long enough...maybe a week? I think my biggest problem was not having a plan in place. When I got that "empty" feeling, I didn't have any safe foods to turn toward.

 

 

I know many people say the high protein foods are more filling, but with low carb eating I definitely feel less full. I think the grainy carbs provide a different kind of full feeling (probably one associated with being more puffy and bloated--I know, real technical terms here! :)). I am trying to work on switching my internal mindset for *full*.

[Soror]

I know many people say the high protein foods are more filling, but with low carb eating I definitely feel less full. I think the grainy carbs provide a different kind of full feeling (probably one associated with being more puffy and bloated--I know, real technical terms here! :)). I am trying to work on switching my internal mindset for *full*.

 

I think the fat helps with that, it is hard to eat too much fat- when it is not with tons of carbs or heavily processed.

[4ofus]

I have the most luck with eating real food & avoiding processed carbs. Not only do I look better, but I FEEL better.

 

For me, cheats are bad news. When we made the change it was hard. For about a month. A very hard time~but during that time weight was coming off quickly enough to maintain my motivation. By the time the weight loss slowed down I felt so great there was no turning back.

 

When I 'cheat' (y'know, life & all) it takes at least a week to conquer all the cravings that are set in motion again. When I don't cheat, it's easier. Kinda easier to stay in the healthy eating mode than GET into the healthy eating mode. So, no way to sugar-coat it, the beginning is.not.easy. Once I felt in control I tested myself~For example: can I handle a square of dark chocolate? Yes. Can I handle a muffin...uh, no, GIVE ME TEN. :) So, muffins out, chocolate in. I also found in this way I can't do 'healthy' things like oatmeal, potatoes, rice...they all bring hard-to-control cravings with them. It's not worth it. I can have sweets like dried figs & dates occasionally, but I don't have the diabetes to think about.

 

 

Two tips I use~hot lemon water to start the day, without fail. A cup of green tea after each meal. Eventually these 'rituals' began to soothe me instead of food or snacks. Finally. :) If I'm up in the evenings & cravings strike, I reach for herbal tea. It forces me to slow down & I'm usually back in control by the end of the cup. The whole situation is very mental for me.

 

As for the picky kids~they learn what they live. I too have 2 young boys. I teach them the things I learn in a very casual way. We talk about healthy choices and marketing and where real food comes from. I take them to the grocery with me & the farmers market with me & they get to know "their" farmers. I invite them into the kitchen. They are encouraged to read labels. Ingredients. Portion sizes. They read the labels for items they desire then turn over the box to see the marketing slogans on the front. Do they line up???? Things that make you go hmmmm...I point out there is no need for labels on real food. I'm not trying to create eating disordered kids, I am trying to create informed consumers, and HEALTHY kids.

 

I hope something in here helps & I wish you the best of luck.

[Susan in TN]

 

Two tips I use~hot lemon water to start the day, without fail. A cup of green tea after each meal. Eventually these 'rituals' began to soothe me instead of food or snacks. Finally. :) If I'm up in the evenings & cravings strike, I reach for herbal tea. It forces me to slow down & I'm usually back in control by the end of the cup. The whole situation is very mental for me.

 

 

Eating after dinner is a big no-no for me, but when I get into the habit of snacking at night, it can be so hard. I found that a cup of hot tea really helps curb my craving for food. After a couple weeks, I don't even think about food in the evenings - though I'll still sometimes have my tea. :)

[hsingscrapper]

I'm going to echo and summarize what some of the pps have said: eat a variety of foods, stick to serving sizes, and don't deny yourself.

 

I heard somewhere that a 1 ounce piece of dark chocolate per day can help with cravings for sweets.

 

Above all else, talk to your doctor and have your thyroid and blood sugar checked. Hypothyroid can present as diabetes in terms of weight issues and constant thirst.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!!

[Liz CA]

Like with most things, I do what seems to work and disregard some things. I am not super heavy on grains but feel lots of veggies, a little rice and lots of good eggs and fish suit me best. I never drink milk but make Kefir and Kombucha. I like the Kombucha mixed with some water. Kefir I eat now and then with some berries because it's fermented and supposed to be good for the gut.

Dh is definitely a meat eater and we try to source grass-fed meat which is not too hard in our area. Oh...and we never eat organ meat.