DIETING.......(BLECH!!)

naughtoj

naughtoj

Cathlete
Ok, lately I am all about veggies, veggies, veggies. Leafy greens and some more leafy greens, blah, blah.

Almost every diet program advocates veggies as a great, low calorie way to "fill up". Yeah, I admit it. Ok, everyone says it is the secret to health and weight loss.


But, excuse me....I might be able to fool my brain by chowing on romaine and cucumbers all day, but Helllooooo!!! where are the calories coming from??


Some of you know I am trying to very loosely adhere to Dr. Fuhrmans "Eat to Live" diet. So far, I am eating so many veggies that I am going to puke. Yeah, I am not really wanting much food (for awhile) but WATCH OUT come, oh, 5pm because I am the biggest irritible bitch ever! Hubby even said, "I hate it when you diet". And it is true! I feel dizzy, weak, overall yucky, I go to bed hungry, and it doesn't make a damn difference that I am eating 9 pounds of veggies a day. Helllloo....I am still hungry!!!!


I love how Dr. Fuhrman says simply that if you exercise you need to eat even more green veggies. I cannot do it! I can't seem to get enough in me to fill my calorie requirments. Apparantly, I am not eating nearly enough, because this is NOT pretty. Lunch today and yesterday was my big salad...a whopping 11.5 cups. No dressing, just vinegar, a cucumber, some tomatoes, some garbanzo beans, and three peppers.. Uggghh. I still have 2 peppers, 5 cups of salad, and a whole lot of cooked veggies to still eat (that will no doubt end up being eaten)

The sheer quantity of vegetables this diet requires is really laughable. It might be how we were "meant" to eat, but who can really do it? I may be eating more than the required amount of green leafies right now, and it I would settle for never eating another one again. LOL!

..........and, it is DAY TWO.:) On the positive side, I am down 2 pounds...but why is calorie restriction so hard for me mentally AND physically?

Any sympathy and/or can you relate?
 
Janice -- I have read the book and can't get past that it is seriously low in calories. I love salads, vegies and fruit and have a hard time meeting the quota. Are you doing the vegetarian part of his eating plan? I'm not a big meat eater but I do need some range-free chicken breast and turkey breast a couple times a week. Try adding some chicken breast with your noon meal. Or have a whole grain along with the beans you are now eating. Don't drive yourself crazy.....variety is the spice of life! Or could it be that it is only day 2 and you need to give yourself time to adjust? I know I do best on a balanced way of eating. No processed food, whole foods with an occasional desert.

I know I wasn't much help but know I would be where you are if I followed this plan to a tee. Good luck! ;-)
 
Janice, I don't think I can be much help. Give it time it's only day 2. Can you juice any of these vegetable creations? You can always make soup, a large pot, broth, and tons of veggies. And if you puree you could change the scenary of your soup. Good luck changing your diet it is hard but I heard it's worth it. I'll send thoughts of sympathy and patience to your DH.
 
Of course I can relate....as I am on the same diet! The first week was very hard and I know what you are going thru. I would maybe decrease the vegeys a bit and add more fruit. You also need to find a dressing you like. I would never attempt to eat a salad without dressing!! Look for Spectrum Naturals in the store, there are many kinds and are acceptable. Don't add "some garbanzo beans"....add a whole cup and try some different beans. I love Pinto right now...:)...and Red Kidney are good also. I know I am not eating the amount of vegeys Dr Fuhrman says too, but I try and make it up with fruit. There are also great soup recipes in his book. Yes it is only day 2....diets can suck but if you stick with it you will soon be craving the good food and not the bad....try and give it some time...:)...Carole
 
Janice,

You definitely get my sympathy. I'm only on Ch. 3 of the book so I have not started the diet yet, but I keep wondering what I'm going to do about all the veggies.... I mean, I eat salads often enough but I am a picky eater so there aren't a lot of veggies that I actually like.
Anyway, at least you lost 2 lbs... that has to be motivating!! ;-)

Bianca
 
Hi Janice,

Everyone is probably going to want to slap me, but IMHO, if you are fed up with this already, ditch it. Not altogether- just cut down on the veggies. We all know the importance of veggies and their great nutritional benefits, but, if you don't like eating heap fulls each day, don't do it. I'm a vegetarian, and I don't like many vegetables. I eat tons of fruits, but I'm lucky if I get in two servings of veggies per day.

Eating clean and well is a great way to lose weight, become healthier, and assist in reshaping your body. When it comes down to losing weight though, it's mostly about the calories. You could eat only a 1200 cal pint of Ben & Jerry's every day and lose weight. Obviously, I'm not suggesting that is a good way to go about it. If you feel yucky and frustrated eating this many veggies, modify it so it works for you!

Gina :)
 
Am giving a standing ovation to Gina for an exceptionally sane answer.

Janice, ditch the DIE-t and start trusting your own body to tell you what IT needs each day. Given how balanced your exercise program has usually appeared as you've described it, your body will be your guide.

A-Jock
 
Three cheers for Gina and Aquajock!

Everything in M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N... veggies included. Remember it is calories in versus calories out bottom line.

Of course healthy chioces are better your organs, bones, skin and musles etc., but if you go over board you will soon abandon the whole kit-and-kaboodle because it is too unrealistice to live by long term.
 
Yeah, me and diets don't go very well together either.For one thing,you need to pick something that you can live with for the rest of your life.Its only day 2(probably day 3 now) and you are not happy.I know for a fact that I wouldn't be able to do the Atkins or South Beach Diet,never mind eating and breathing it for the rest of me life.With any diet, you cannot every resort back to your old eating habits.
This is probably why I have wanted to ditch 5-10 lbs forever.BUT I don't want to restrict anything.I don't eat unhealthy,I don't drink (very often:) ),so I know that everything is within reason.So why would I go on a diet that I know I can't live on? I would torture myself for weeks, but then...without a doubt my normal eating patterns would surface.
I am probably not much help either.And Kudos for trying, but you are clearly unhappy,and so is DH:eek: :) I know what it is like to eat to many salads and I could careless if I ever see a piece of lettuce again. I agree with A-Jock.I don't know anything about this diet, and I am sure it works great for others.I know people who can eat veggies all day long.
Good Luck with whatever you decide.
Lori:)
 
How the hell are you going to build muscle with no REAL protein. I eat lots more veggies and salads than the average person, but I always add chicken to my salads and low fat cheese to my veggies.
By the way, I eat 1 lb of vegetables for dinner every evening. Love the stuff.:7


By the way, I feel sorry for your hubby. You really sound pissed off
x(
 
Have to agree with Gina here.

I couldn't eat salad with just vinegar on it. What's the point? Make a nice dressing with olive oil and you will actually be doing your body a favour. Olive oil contains good fats and your brain and joints need healthy fats.

Also: it is a fallacy that eating lots of vegetables equates to eating lots of salad. There's zip nutritional value in lettuce of any kind. You could eat an eggplant parmesan and that would be an interesting way of getting your 6 servings a day. Get a receipe book, ditch the prescribed diet, and do veggies the culinary way. It will result in greater enjoyment of the food that does you good.

You can't sustain a high intensity fitness plan on salad every day. You are feeling so crabby and bitchy because your brain is being starved of carbohydrates. Yes I know fruit and veggies are also carbs but you need some bread, pasta or rice in there. Otherwise, you will feel a total bitch, you'll hate life, so will your husband and you'll never get through Imax 2!!

I have stacks of sympathy for you, but I can't relate because I never diet. I'm so over that whole scene, after 15 years of eating disorders. Now, I eat what I want, I eat to fuel my workouts and my brain, and bread is a staple of my daily diet. if I don't eat lots of it, I become the bitch you describe!!! So, I guess I do relate on that level!!

Do yourself a favour: go browse a cooking shop and get yourself a really good vegetarian cookbook. Start bringing back the pleasure of food. Remember: after a tough Cathe workout, you deserve a reward, not punishment!!!!

Wishing you luck,

Clare:)
 
Hi Janice,

I'll continue the "ditch the diet" mantra that others have posted here.

If you're feeling "dizzy, weak, overall yucky" then there is something seriously wrong with this eating plan. From what you've written above, it sounds WAY too restrictive. I can't imagine that this is helping your workouts any.

From previous posts you've made lately, it sounds like you're in a rut and really searching for some kind of drastic change (sorry if I'm reading too deep, but that's the vibe I got). My first recommendation would be what others have suggested - balance, moderation, and listening to your body.

If that's hard for you to do right now (listening to your body can be hard if haven't done it in a while), then maybe you might want to see a nutritionist and have him/her map out an eating plan that's right for YOU and YOUR goals, as opposed to just following something in a book that's probably not tailored for anybody.

Now at least put some REAL dressing on that salad for goodness sake!!! I recommend Annie's Naturals, YUM! :9

Take care.
 
You are all sooooo right. Ajock, Gina, I couldn't have put it better myself. Luckily, I am a sensible lady and have decided this extreme route is not only unpalatable, but unnecessary as well for my current situation. I am not dying from high cholesterol. I think my issue with my LDL's being higher than I wanted it almost exclusively from cheese...too many grilled cheese sandwiches and too many lazy night with cheese and crackers for dinner. But that doesn't mean the rest of my diet was unhealthy. If I cut down on the cheese, that alone would probably produce the result I am hoping for (less LDL). Plus, I have started eating those steel cut oats, which I really like!! Aside from them exploding every time I cook them in the micro, I really prefer them to the instant stuff!!

Gina..you are right about the pint of ice cream. If I just cut out the chocolate-ice cream-sweet treats I have approx 3 times per week, I would probably lose. It is funny though, when you go on these diets, it really shows you how much you really need to eat to feel good!

And Clare, lettuce really is one of the most nutritious foods around. It is not calorically rich, but it is correct to say that for its caloric cost, it is very nutritionally dense. Not iceberg, but the green leafy kinds, yes. But, 11.5 cups is not really necessary.....3 would do, twice a day.:)

Thank you all for the sympathy and basically telling me something you know I already knew!:)

Oh, and I did break down lastnight at the store and ate a peice of fried chicken for dinner. To my suprise I was still down a half pound more this AM! (I know I am soooooo stupid getting on the scale everyday!):)
 
See, even a 3cup romaine lettuce salad has this:
Amount Per 3 cup, romaine
Calories 16.2
Calories from Fat 1.89


Total Fat 0.21g 0%



Saturated Fat 0.0441g 0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0972g


Monounsaturated Fat 0.0054g


Cholesterol 0mg 0%


Sodium 22.5mg 1%

--
Potassium 307.2mg 9%


Total Carbohydrate 3.13g 1%


Dietary Fiber 2.64g 11%

Protein 1.37g 3%


Alcohol 0g


Vitamin A 52 % Vitamin C 27 %


Calcium 6 % Iron 5 %


Vitamin D 0 % Vitamin E 2 %


Thiamin 4 % Riboflavin 4 %

Niacin 2 % Folate 29 %


Vitamin B-6 3 % Vitamin B-12 0 %

Phosphorus 4 % Magnesium 4 %

Zinc 3 % Copper 6 %


That is all from Fitday.com..
 
Since you asked, I have to say, I don't believe in "diets". Everytime I have ever been overweight in my life it was because of some diet. As soon as I try to restrict myself, I wind up feeling deprived and overeating. Whereas if I just try to make healthy choices and eat things that are good for me that I like, my weight never gets too far out of control. So, yes, I totally sympathize and relate and think you should ditch the diet. Particularly because if you eat more veggies than you want, you may start to dislike veggies, which would be an awful result. I say listen to your appetite, don't try to override it. Sorry, but you asked.
-Nancy
 
I personally don't believe in dieting, but I do believe in making positive, permanent changes to ones eating habits.

Adding more veggies and fruits is a very positive move.

I would take Fuhrman's basic plan, maybe cut back on the veggies in it, if that's a problem, add in some protein sources like tofu, tempeh, seitan, quinoa (a grain that is a complete protein), and more beans. Add a bit of olive oil (but not a lot).

Then, I think, it would be more palatable as well as easier to continue with.

I agree that iceberg lettuce is the nutritional equivalent of eating paper! But Romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, almost anything but iceberg, especially the darker ones, are very nutritious.

I've seen salad bars where the "decoration" (kale) is much more nutritious than the salad offerings (including iceberg lettuce). I would have grabbed the kale if I'd been sure it had been washed!
 
Hi Janice! Please stick w/this new diet your on. First of all, please understand that 11.5 cups of ONLY cucumbers/tomatoes/lettuce/beans & peppers isn't really a sufficient enough salad (at least in my eyes anyway). Try looking at your list & you'll be surprised that you need to incorporate beets (which are very high in fiber), radishes, artichoke hearts, avocado (for some fat), etc. You need to incorporate far more veggies into one salad. This way it'll pack a wallop. You'd be surprised just how FULL you'll be after eating this. Also make the salad colorful & by all means do try some different dressings. I know for a fact that I could NEVER eat a salad w/just a raspberry vinagrette (blech!).

Keep at it I know you can DO THIS!!! HTH, Kathy:D

PS: You've already gotten some terrific advice but I'll just add to say that when you put more veggies into the salad (high fiber ones) you eat LESS instead of more & yes you can only eat 1-2 salads a day if you prefer.
 
So, what does your salad look like Kathy (please provide quantities)??? No matter what it is going to be somewhat inpalatable for me since I like my salad with feta and bacon bits, which clearly I cannot have on a diet where such huge quantities of salad are required.

I am kinda the same as Nancy. Small changes seem so much easier and really are all I need. The "drama" of the diet has got to go!:)

And, I have never really dieted in my life that I can think of longer than a few days, so this uncomfortableness is horrid for me!:)
 
Hi Janice! If you want your feta cheese & turkey bacon bits by all means put it in the salad (just in moderation though-don't overdo it)!!!Ha! My salads are small (I eat 5 meals a day but only 1 salad a day) so I just eyeball it; I have no idea how many calories I'm taking in. I can't live my life portioning everything out. I certainly don't have a 11.5 cup salad though! Oh that's a lot!:D But my salads contain: romaine lettuce/cherry tomatoes/carrots/radishes/artichoke hearts/avocado/red cabbage/protein of my choice (either beans/chicken/turkey/tuna). I eat fish every single day (salmon/halibut/scallops/tilapia) in order to get my Omega3 fatty acids. You already know what I eat because I outlined it for you on another thread. You know the one that had you chomping at the arm?Ha!

Did you take my suggestion from another thread we had? I suggested for you to eat either oatmeal or omeletes for breakfast for 1 week; then try eating a large salad for lunch also incorporating the breakfasts for the 2nd week & then doing the same for the 3rd week incorporating veggies with a protein for dinner. Have you tried this? Also if your body craves pasta by all means have it. But try eating either the spelt kind or quinoa (loaded w/protein & you'll be full w/out being bloated). If your body craves rice eat the more enriched kind: brown rice/bulgur/quinoa/couscous. I hope I've helped some. Kathy:D :7
 
Okay, I have kept out of the diet threads because I follow no specific diet and can offer no advice. I eat very healthy but I like to have a few cookies, a steak, bake potato with sour cream now and then. Low fat, high fat I don't care. MEAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! Do I eat a steak every day? No. I believe in moderation not deprivation. I have never been overweight. I maintain the same weight no matter what I eat all year long. I weigh myself about twice a year. Personally I think all these books and diets are crazy! We are an educated group of people, we know eating sensibly is important, so why stress yourself out over how much of this and how much of that? I would be miserable if I had to give up my Sweet and Salty Chex Mix. By the way tonight I am having grilled salmon with long grain rice, (Oh no, the rice is processed! I won't die tomorrow because of it),and spinach salad. I plan to have leftover birthday cake too.:7

Bottom line, like most everyone elses comments, don't let yourself be miserable and hungry. Your body is telling you something. Just eliminate the junkfood. I understand people have food addictions and other issues, I'm not belittling that, but I bet that's not the case for you. Eat and enjoy Janice!:D
 
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