Everyone is on a "diet"

[fairchild]

:hi: Hey everyone. I'm just curious to see who has tried which fad (or not fad) diet. I'm curious to see who has succeeded, who has failed, I'm interested in homemade-diets, unorthodox diets, everything that has to do with losing weight. This could be a great opporunity to talk about the Atkins controversy!
I think we've all tried our own motley methods as well as the more syndicated ones throughout our lives. I'm only 21 and I've been exposed to many, having personally only tried one diet laid out in a book. Didn't work for me, really.
If anyone would like to comment on the South Beach Diet or the Weight Watchers point system, I'd be greatful.
So..share your experience with the great battle of the bulge!!

As a final note I'd like to say that "going on a diet" is the wrong mentality. YOur diet is your lifestyle. If you "go on" a diet, you'll have to get off at some point. Agreed?

[AngelOfDance]

my mom and sister went on weight watchers for about two weeks. I guess they really weren't that committed. They just sort of quit going to meetings. I couldn't join because I didn't weigh enough. My mom tried Atkins for a day. She had a headache by the end of the day and decided it wasn't for her. A friend of mine tried South Beach, but she has GERD (a reflux thingy. makes her puke.) and fatty foods make her sick, so she quit. I've honestly never seen any of these diets work, but nobody I've known has ever been really serious about losing weight, either.

[Artichoke47]

I'm on a lifestyle, not a diet. :p

I count points every day, using the Weight Watcher system. I never actually joined Weight Watchers, but I bought the Points Finder and the Complete Food Guide book. I had almost everything memorized within a few months of counting points, anyway, and can easily guess the points on different items based on the calories, dietary fiber, and fat.

I find the Points system to be very easy, whether you are maintaining your weight or trying to lose weight.

I think the best way to stay in shape or to have your ideal figure is to exercise regularly and do not consume too many calories, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water. You don't need the South Beach Diet book to tell you that. These companies are out to make money. I like the Weight Watcher program because it's simple and logical.

[smedley]

i thought this thread was started to point out that everyone in fact is on a diet--be it a weight loss or weight gain or weight maintenance diet, we all consume food and so are all on a diet!!!
i TOTALLY agree with what artichoke47 said tho. you do not need to spend money or have programs make you crazy if a weight loss diet is what you are looking for, and memorizing weight watchers point system makes sense.
amyway--GOOD LUCK!!!

[Thalia]

I am on weight watchers online. But actually I am on a little break due to extreme stress. It is easy they have lots of vegetarian recipies with points (but you can calculate points on your own), and it makes you aware of what you are eating. I will go back on Saturday. It definitely works. You are encouraged to exercise and to eat more if you exercise more. They want you to drink a lot of fluids, eat at least 5 veggies/fruits per day and the points are reduced for foods with lots of fiber. Many veggies have zero points.

I did it as a way to train myself out of my mindless eating habits. When I am on it, it works and I find other ways to relieve boredom and stress.

What I don't like is that the scale is the main method of tracking progress. I would prefer that you be able to track body fat percent, measurements, or even indicators of fitness like resting heart rate.
There are some people in the forums that obviously are obsessive and it bothers me. But then there are sane people. Many there are doing it as a lifestyle (there is a maintenance program, too)

[Terra]

I never did a fad diet, but when I am trying to lose Christmas weight, I eat the same things every day until I hit my goal. (Don't worry; I make sure they're nutritionally sound.) Last time, it was asparagus stir-fry with dry vermouth and soy sauce, raw garden salads with balsalmic vinegar, pasta with tofu, and a banana and a grapefruit each day.

Terra

[Formerbaboon]

I am so ashamed to say, that I did adkins for about a week a year ago. By the 7th day, I found myself eating a whole jar of peanut butter. Now I am a vegan, and happy.

[Kiz]

I never diet.

[Stephanie]

Diets don't work. I know from experience. The only way to lose weight is to change your eating habits. Eat healthier,stop eating when full,eat proper portions, choose nutritious snacks, exercise, drink plenty of water, don't turn to food for comfort-food is to nourish only!, eat smaller amounts throughout the day to keep you satisfied. If you diet and then go off eventually, you don't know how to properly eat. You go back to the same old way of eating that made you gain weight in the first place. :yes:

[BDever]

I went on the South Beach diet once, didn't do anything for me. Now I'm on a high carb diet and I've lost about 30 pounds so far lol.

[Kreeli]

i quit dieting. i listen to my body and give in to cravings when i feel like it, but conciously.

diets don't work. 90% of people on any given diet gain all the weight they lose back, often plus more, in two years. i heard on the radio the other day that the average weightloss for those dieters who do achieve "permanent" weight loss on most "fad" diets (including weight watchers, atkins, jenny craig, etc.) is SIX POUNDS.

not worth it! no thanks! :)

[Christy]

I was on Atkins for a few months several years ago, way before going veg. I felt like crap. I ate a lot of eggs, bacon, and cheese. The only fruit I could eat was blueberries because they were relatively low in carbs. Hated it.

I was on Weight Watchers and liked it. I think the point system can be good, because no single food or food group is considered "bad." You can eat the chocolate cake, but you have to budget your points for the day to do it and not go over. I think that keeping up with the food I ate and my points brought out the obsessive in me, because I got ridiculous. And then I have a habit of piling on the treatments - i.e. Weight Watchers, working out, taking a Metabolife knockoff, yoga... At one point my husband just looked at me and said, "Too much!"

ETA: Know I'm also on a lifestyle, or try to be. I try to eat lots of whole foods and limit the processed and high sigar foods. I like sweets way too much to give them up completely, and sometimes I eat too many.

[kirkjobsluder]

I'm finding myself on a low fat diet although not for weightloss reasons. I've been having some problems with my digestive system over the last year that have been really annoying and low fat helps to avoid problems. :(

[NDvegan85]

I'm done dieting. :nigel:

[clickman]

I'm done dieting. :nigel:

I'm jealous.

[NDvegan85]

I'm jealous.

Then do something about it, like eating.

Click--> :junk: <--dieting

You can do it!

[rainbowmoon]

I have kicked dieting in the ass, out of my life.
I am trying to implement lifestyle changes, and really eat to live instead of living to eat, or living to not eat, or whatever!!!

I tried a low calorie diet in the past; 1000 - 1200 calories with 30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week. Although I lost 30 pounds, I also found myself with a borderline eating disorder, overexercising, weak,...and eventually, all the obsessing about food and restricting it led me to serious binging- I went from 132 pounds to 175 pounds in 3 months. So let this be a lesson to all of you, to NOT diet, NOT restrict, but to change your lifestyle. I have become a part of the statistic that Kreeli mentioned- those who lose weight but gain it back, and then some.

[Gashlycrumb]

When I decided to be a strong, tough woman I did two things.

First, I changed my eating habits. I focus on eating plenty of fruits, veggies, grains, or beans every day and I eat when I am hungry. Eating vegan is the best thing I've done in my life. I do not count calories or fat; I do not cut carbs, oil or sugar. I tend to eat something sweet every day, but I don't go overboard. A small amount usually satisfies me. I also drink a lot of water and I do my best to avoid soda, coffee, etc.

Second, I started to be physically active almost every day. I ride my bike for transportation and I work with a modified Body for Life exercise program. FYI: I don't follow the BFL food plan. Basically each week there are 3 days of weight lifting, 3 days of cardio, and one day off. Alternate weight lifting days with cardio days. When weight lifting, I do upper body one day, lower body the next time. Here's a typical schedule: Mon, upper body weight lifting (1 hour); Tue, run (1/2 hour); Wed, lower body weight lifting (1 hr), Thur, aerobics class (45 min); Fri, upper body weight lifting; Sat, run; Sunday off, etc. The book helps you determine which muscles to work, exercises, weights, and the number reps. By sticking to the above schedule I really started seeing the tough muscles develop. If I do something really physically active (snowboarding or martial arts class), I count that as a workout and push the above schedule to the next day, but make sure I still have a day off in a week. Eg. Mon, upper body weight lifting (1 hour); Tue, run (1/2 hour); Wed, martial arts; Thur, lower body weight lifting (1 hr), Fri, martial arts; Sat, run...If I am extremely physically drained or coming down sick, I don't exercise.

The above may seem complicated, but after a while, it all starts to come naturally.

[Balabean]

When I was worried about how much I weighed I was 25 pounds heavier than I am now. I think when you feel guilty every time you eat you tend to eat crappier food.
I also did a vegetarian atkins diet once. I got down to something like 100 pounds, but although I was working out I didn't feel healthy or strong when I was on it. Better to just eat good for you food in general, and splurge in moderation.

[Linzey]

Fairchild...I don't diet at all anymore.

Naturally, I'm thin, but also - I used to have anorexia - so now I just make mini meals the night before, stash em in tupperware and then grab them before school/ work etc. I just try to eat when I'm hungry and then stop. And I let myself have treats a couple times a week...a sorbetto, a milk free bubble tea, something from the candy store etc. I'm already allergic to wheat AND vegan, so most really 'diet pitfalls' I can't eat anyway, like most chocolate, donuts, cakes, cookies...etc. Occasionally I'll have soy ice cream, but my biggest vice is heavily sweetened garbage like icing. Bleh. I never crave salty foods, so I rarely have any junky salty foods like potato chips.

Because of that, and a pretty petite frame to begin with, my weight is always pretty low anyway. There is no need for me to diet, and never was...but again, anorexia isn't a diet. It's something else entirely, so...

Now what I COULD use is more exercise. I can't get enough exercise in my day unless I DO find it fun. I find swimming fun, and maybe I'd find skateboarding fun. But walking the same route....boooooooring. I try to, like several times a week if good, do aerobics to Nine Inch Nails so I work out my arm muscles (scrawny little things) and stuff...but I don't LIKE exercising just for the sake of it.

Luckily, I love tae kwon do, so will be starting that again. I'm also a clean freak, so I do like 2 hours of chores a day, and I'm sure that counts. I also walk about 2 hours a day...I rarely use the bus if I need to run errands.

-Linz

[lewburg]

A lady I work with is on the South Beach Diet and she lost 50 lbs in the last few months. She drastically changed her eating habits though..she used to eat TERRIBLE, and now she's really determined to lose weight, so she's been eating really well. I'm proud of her..she is still very big, but at least she's on the right track. For someone very overweight, I think dieting is okay. Some people need to be on a diet for structure and motivation.
For me..personally, I think that eating well and exercise is the best way stay healthy.

[xmarkerax]

I found not eating meat, cutting back on soda, increasing exercise has put me right at the weight I want to be. This isn't a diet but a choice I made to change my eating habits. (Although I do still eat cheese 2% low fat at 50 calories a slice) I've never liked eggs before becoming a vegetarian, milk, I hate most meat but hamburgers..so it was pretty easy to convert over.

[IamJen]

I agree that sometimes a "diet" is necessary. As a person who has struggled with weight issues, I know that this is true for myself. I'm generally eating healthfully, but I need to pay attention to my calorie counts. I don't have a certain plan I follow, but it's definitely a "diet".