I’m having conflicted thoughts and could use some help. I was doing Atkins for the last 3 weeks…but then, I was talking with a friend the other day and she said “Oh yeah! I did that. Lost a bunch of weight on it. It really works.†Sounds great right? Well, she’s gained all the weight back plus some (sound familiar) so that’s NOT great. I can’t do Atkins forever because let’s face it – I LOVE PASTA! I LOVE bread! And all carbs aren’t bad…right? So I started looking online and OMG there are so many differing opinions on what is healthy it is overwhelming! Everything I look up has an equally compelling argument for the reverse… “Eggs are a great source of protein†vs “Avoid eggs to lower your cholesterol†as one example…not to mention good fats vs. bad fats…good carbs vs bad carbs… should I restrict my intake of carbs or fats or both? Is counting calories *really* the best way to lose weight or can that cause food obsessions?!?
I’m overwhelmed… and embarrassed. How did this happen? I’m 34 years old. How is it that I can’t answer one simple question “What should I eat?!†How can I lead my children into healthier lives if I don’t know where to even start. Ok, momma always told me that when you don’t know where to start, try the beginning so here goes:
Step one: Get rid of the idea that a “diet†works… I’ve tried them all and they DON’T … not forever anyway. As soon as you go “off†them you gain back all so I need to focus all of my efforts on CHANGING my diet – not going on one. Then, as if a sign from above, I see on twitter the following: “ bookieboo Could Diet Soda be making you GAIN WEIGHT instead of losing it? http://ning.it/dxC7rS #mamavation†HOLY COW! Talk about perfect timing..
Step two: Forget about putting “diet foods†in my body. Diet soda, diet dressing, diet ice cream, the word diet is a sign that it is NOT what I need… apparently, so are the words “Reduced fat†and “Low Fat†and “Fat free†because when they take the fats out, they replace them with sugar, salt, chemicals… Arent’ there a million PSA’s out there about NOT eating chemicals and chemicals being toxic to your health? Why am I still ingesting them?!
Ok, so I’ve figured out a few things NOT to eat and let’s face it, we can’t go crazy and throw EVERYTHING out of the freezer and pantry in one fell swoop – that’s another recipe for disaster… and impractical! I mean I love the idea of eating real food.. preservative free goodness… but that is NOT practical right now, but I can make better choices!
I’d love to hear from anyone else who might be in the same boat what you are doing differently… OH! And I found an awesome recipe for a whole grain bread that looks BEYOND yummy and I’m going to try it this weekend! I’ll let you know how it turns out!
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I don’t believe in diet plans or diet pills or diet drinks. This is most likely why I am still overweight. I haven’t figured out the food part of my journey either. If you have some super information let me know! I’ve made small changes like wheat bread instead of white, lots more water, I’m a freak for homemade fruit smoothies and I don’t eat fast food any more. I wish these things were enough.
The rule of thumb that has always made the most sense to me is that if you are removing or drastically reducing an entire food group (ie carbs, fat, protein), it’s a quick fix, not a long term fix.
The best eating plan I have been on is eating clean. I still enjoy food, just different versions of it (dark chocolate instead of milk, whole grain or quinoa pasta instead of white). The less modified, the better. It’s a hard transition to make because it really alters your way of thinking and you definitely have to plan ahead because you’re using a lot more fresh ingredients but I lost almost all my baby weight just by eating clean. The nice thing is that you’re not sacrificing taste, your actually enhancing it with wonderful fresh food.
I lost 40 lbs 5 years ago doing Atkins. Since then, I have eaten like crap and I’ve gained about 20 lbs back because I have a desk job and eat like crap (not to mention all the lovely snacks involved with the desk job). Unfortunately, I haven’t found a plan yet that consists of just french fries and ice cream. If I could eat those daily and be my ideal weight, I could very easily follow that plan.
If you follow Atkins correctly, at the end you are basically eating a lower fat lower carb diet – which is the way we should all be eating. As you go through the phases you slowly up your carbs, add in more and more types of food, and lower your fat intake.
My father lost 70lbs years ago. He was prediabetic and freaked out because he didn’t want to take insulin. He has gained back about 15lbs because he doesn’t always eat properly, but all his cholesterol levels are great and he is no longer considered pre-diabetic.
For me (and my father) it is much easier to stick with a low carb plan, at least in the beginning, then to be stuck with salads and empty carbs (a la a low fat diet). Personally, I also find eating low carb to be much easier than eating low fat when I go to restaurants. My husband and I go out to eat a lot and places like to hide fat in food (it makes stuff taste better).
This comment is all over the place. But what I’m trying to say is: You have to figure out what works for you. Good luck!
Yep – there is so not a magic way of doing this, and yes, it’s easy to lose a lot of weight but the real trick is in keeping it off. High protein diets like Atkins do take weight off quickly, but everyone I know who has done that diet has gained more back. Also, it’s bad for your organs!!
And look at the diet version of something and compare to the full fat version. 20 more ingredients we can’t pronounce or define. The idea, for me at least, is to eat a fairly healthy diet with good carbs (oatmeal, whole grain pasta, whole grain breads) and veggies and fruits, lean protein if you eat meat. It might mean that you don’t lose 5 pounds a week, but it will mean that you will lose and be healthy, losing fat only and keeping it off because it’s a sustainable change in diet. Han g in there!!
Been there, done that. I don’t know what changed for me, but I finally realized that “going on a diet” wasn’t going to be 1) life-long change or 2) a good example for my DD. I’d done Atkins and South Beach in recent years. Atkins isn’t sustainable for me either (total carb lover). Plus you have to really try hard to get adequate fiber since meat and dairy do not have fiber. Major constipation issues for me! No thanks. And South Beach recommends so many convenience foods that I am now avoiding.
Yes, make baby steps in your diet. Two changes a week and you’ll find that you can sustain them. They’ll become habits.
You can do it, girl!!
Definitely get the “diet” mentality out of your head. My first suggestions is eat food as close to its natural state as possible. Fresh is best frozen second. Also w/ grains, go for whole grain pasta vs enriched flour, if they have to put the good stuff back into the grain then they have processed it too much. I like to think “KISS” (keep it simple stupid– not you directly) when I think of food. Less processed =simple (ok maybe that is me). Just think about all the beautiful food you do get to eat, eat a rainbow! 🙂 and for get about the stuff you don’t want to eat, and your body will be glad you forgot all the bad stuff, I promise.