does everybody here follow a diet?

S

sarab

Cathlete
I have tried about every diet under the sun. Everytime I do, it never works. It seems I have to make separate food at every meal, which is a pain! Like last night, I made mac n cheese and baked beans (with bacon) as side dishes. Normally, I would skip the mac and eat a tiny bit of the beans. But, I am always hungry.

So here lately, I have been eating what I cook for my family. I always eat plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, but when I am on a specific "diet" I end up gaining weight! I get too hungry at night and end up eating junk. Last night, after a hearty meal of chicken, mac n cheese, baked beans, and carrot sticks, I was stuffed! I was not hungry later either! I did not eat an snacks last night. I did not even want anything.

I have gained a little bit of weight this summer, but I like it. I have more curves and I fill out my clothes a bit better.

So, I was just wondering how many people here follow very strict diets or do you eat what you want. (I guess I am asking if you eat to get full or eat to stay thin.) I am sick of dieting or eating "special" foods, certain foods, etc. I just want to enjoy what I cook without feeling guilty or overeating.

I have found cooking much more enjoyable knowing that I am going to eat it when it is done :9

Sara
 
I don't follow a diet per se, but I try to maintain a good daily ratio of healthy carbs/fats/protein. I am not neurotic about it & I do eat other things I enjoy in moderation. I do work hard fairly hard during the week and tend to loosen up a bit on the weekends.

What kind of "diets" have you been following recently? Not all diets are actually good for you, IMO. Some will starve you and backfire your metabolism. Others can deprive you of important nutrients by going to low or cutting a group out completely. Some programs have you eating low fat but really are filled with tons of sugar. If you are gaining weight from a "diet" something isn't working right. Also, you need to keep the exercise in there right along with it. What has that been like these days?


Debbie


It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.
-Calvin & Hobbes
 
no diet, i just try to pick healthy foods. i enjoy some "sinfully" good stuff like cake,ice cream etc. if i do eat anything out of a box(rice,mac and cheese) i half the suggested serving and make sure i load up on veggies or mix it in with veggies. its hard to be "perfect" with eating but everything in moderation. i am guilty of not watching too LOL. i signed up for sparkpeople.com and keep track of my calories/fat/carbs/protien and found that event hough i was choosing healthier fats i was eating to much of them so i have to cut back on nuts and olive oil.

i new technique i am trying to is to slow down and enjoy the food. dh has taught me to train my palate for fine cooking so i try to enjoy every bite and that helps me eat slower so i feel fuller faster and leave a few bites left on my plates. thats calories i don't consume. since i am out of work, i am also doing smaller meals trhoughout the day. when i go back to work is back to 3 meals and a snack. water also helps me from overeating. fill up on water, its less likely i will be hungry for anything else.


kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

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Debbie,

I have tried low fat, low calorie, low carb, etc. Basically, I am sick of buying special foods and cooking special foods. For example, if I would make spaghetti, I would just eat the meat, while everybody else ate the noodles and garlic bread. So, (imagine this) I find myself sitting at the table screaming (in my head), I WANT GARLIC BREAD TOO!!! I was starting to feel like a crazy person!

I would gain weight because at night (aftering following a diet all day) I would be hungry and wanting to eat cookies, chips, etc.

And exercise has not been as consistent as I would like it to be, but we are really busy in the summer. I like to think I get workouts in other ways :)

In the past 2 weeks, I have "let go" of the whole diet thing and it feels so good. I feel free. I have remained a consistent weight during this time also....I am not losing or gaining. Plus, I am not hungry at night (a big problem when I am trying to lose weight).

I am done trying to lose weight. Basically, I want to exercise to stay in shape, but eat what I want (example: eat some potatoes with my steak). I want my cake and eat it too ;) (literally!)

Sara
 
I don't follow any sort of diet. I tried it once and hated it. I just eat healthy foods (mostly...) and enjoy what I eat. And like you said, I do eat to get full. I'm not very good at being hungry. ;) I usually eat dessert once a week, but sometimes I'll enjoy a bit more.

One thing I don't do is keep junk food in the house. No chips, no candy, nothing like that. And I prefer to eat whole foods, like beans, fresh veggies, etc., as opposed to foods that are already prepared.

I've found that my body knows it's own balance and what it needs. If I eat too much junk, I feel crappy. If I don't eat enough food in general, I feel crappy. And it's totally useless for me to fight my natural weight. I exercise and eat healthy, so I know I'm in good shape.
 
Yeah, Sara, you shouldn't be doing anything that leaves you feeling so darn hungry at night. Ideally, it would be great to eat smaller meals every few hours so you DO feel more satisfied. Forget all those crazy diets. Just eat a healthy combo like I said above.

Don't deprive yourself. As you realize, that is the fastest way to go nutso.

Also, I am intrigued by these "other" workouts you do. Hmmmmm. :p


Debbie


It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.
-Calvin & Hobbes
 
The answer is yes, because if I leave it up to me, I will gain weight. So I journal, I measure, and I try to make one meal that is healthy for everyone and just eat smaller portions. Eating 6 mini meals is working well for me right now. The last mini meal is a planned treat around 8pm at night. Usually fruit so I have something sweet, or a protein bar so I don't go to bed hungry.

Recently a co-worker was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. He is having the hard realization that his eating habits have now caused him to have a serious disease. He is on a very strict diet and says he is always hungry. But he says he would rather be hungry than dead. I try to think about this when making choices, because at almost 46, what I put in my mouth today can affect my health down the road.
 
Other workouts:

yard work (never ending in the summer)

taking kiddos to the park (we go there to ride bikes; I swear, forget drill max...have you ever tried to load 3 bikes in the back of an suv???? very challenging ;)

bleaching the siding on the house (I do this all by hand)

"spring" cleaning

This type of stuff I don't do in the winter. It does not leave a ton of time to fit in workouts! But, I do what I can!

Sara
 
Sara, I understand what you are feeling. I got tired quickly of making separate meals for myself and my family and watching them eat the "good" stuff. However, I have now came to a happy medium. Gone are the days of making separate meals. Nothing is off limits or forbidden to me anymore. However, I do watch my caloric intake and stay within my limits. Right now I am zigzagging my calories to lose a few pounds. I can have whatever I want, but due to the calories it may be just a little bit of the food and a lot of lower calorie veggies. I don't feel deprived anymore. Should I eat healthier, of course, but with my 2 young children, who are picky eaters, I have to make concessions and find a happy medium. Good luck trying to find yours. :)
 
Nope, no "diet" as in something you "go on" or "go off". I believe in eating healthy for life. There are only two vegetables I don't like: beets and eggplant. Otherwise, I love my veggies and eat as many as I can every day. I eat lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbs (you mentioned beans! yum!! :9). I try to avoid simple sugars and overly sweet things. In short, I just eat healthy and never think of it as a "diet". It works well for me. :D
 
I guess I should have said that I do make healthy choices with my meals. We buy meat from a local farmer, I use butter instead of margarine, and I always have a supply of fresh fruits and veggies. We don't eat all junk all the time.

Today, however, my kids and I are making choc chip cookies from scratch. But, we will also have some carrot sticks, watermelon, and fresh cherries with our meals and snacks. Plus, we drink a lot of water.

It just seems like there are soooooo many rules and I am sick of them. I no longer want to either do all low carb are all low calorie or ratio of some carb and some calorie. It was making me crazy!

Sara
 
>Nope, no "diet" as in something you "go on" or "go off". I
>believe in eating healthy for life.


Ditto that! I don't diet. I eat clean. I'm a vegetarian, but that's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I allow myself to have occasional treats, but keep my meals and snacks balanced and full of veggies and whole grains and fruits. It works for me - as long as I don't let my treats get out of control, I'm able to keep my weight down. :)
 
Thank you for all the replies!!!!

It is good to know there are others who are not strict either!

Thanks again!!!

Sara
 
Nope, I don't *diet*. I hate that word. In the past when I have tried dieting it always backfired and made me feel like I was deprived!! Especially when I tried the low fat diet (about 10 yrs ago), I was constantly starving. Now... I eat clean. I choose whole foods whenever possible & love my veggies, fruits, oatmeal, and healthy proteins. I read Tosca Reno's The Eat Clean Diet and this is basically how I eat- smaller meals w/ complex carbs & lean proteins 5 -6 times a day. I don't eat mac n cheese only because I would eat the whole box if I got started on it. :9 I do have 3 kids and am trying to teach them to make good choices too. For me, the key is to not let myself get too hungry. I fill up on veggies & higher fiber foods (Kashi cereals, oatmeal, etc) so I never feel like I'm starving. If I get to that point then watch out! }(

I did start w/ the South Beach Diet (I prefer to call it South Beach Living!) about 3 yrs ago which is what really taught me to cut out the white flours/ sugars. Those are my *evil* foods that once I get started on it's too hard to stop. I've also found ways to make things for my family and eat a portion of it or make something a little different. Like if I make tacos for them then I'll make myself a taco salad out of some meat, beans, and lots of veggies, etc. My kids eat lots of fruit and while I wish they would eat a larger variety of veggies, they do eat them too!

Anyway, long post, sorry! Oh, and I don't eat to get full or stay thin, I eat to fuel my body properly so I have the energy to work out and be a good Mom. ;-)
 
I have never been a fan of diets. When people talk about going on a diet to lose weight, I always ask them what are they going to do after they lose the weight. To me diets are temporary.

I didn't follow a diet and managed to lose 35 pounds and keep it off. In the beginning I looked at what I was eating and started reading food labels. I threw out all the junk and just started eating healthy like fruits, veggies, lean meat, whole grains, etc. IMO, you are making a lifestyle change and it has to be done in baby steps. I didn't cut out 100% of the junk that I was eating but I either ate smaller portions or found a lower fat/sugar/carb substitute. In time, most of the junk was out and I was eating so much better. I didn't count calories, grams or figured ratios of fat grams to protein grams to carbs, etc. Personally all those numbers just give me a headache. You just need to educate yourself on what is healthy and try to eat more of it, watch your portion control and allow yourself a small treat.

Don't feel like you need to follow a specific diet. Do what works for you. Good Luck!!
 
Jess, you sound like a great mom!!!

I used to do the same thing with tacos...just make a salad out of it. However, this week (we have tacos alot....all 3 of my kids love them!) I made myself one taco and stuffed it with everything and was stuffed after one!!! Before (when I would do the salad thing) I would still be hungry.

Sara
 
I was following the 6 week body makeover. Loved the results. Only prob was my family didn't like eating THAT clean. Do lately I've been following the ALLI Recipes on their site, but mostly from their recipe book. It's low fat, calories are geered toward you, ranging from 1500-1800. My whole family has loved everything I've made. And although I'm not losing as fast as I was on the 6 week body makeover I am losing about a pound a week.

So my family's happy because the meals are delicious, there are no fillers in any of the meals, whole, clean healthy food, I'm still losing weight, even without the pills:)

Just my 2 cents:):):)

Carrie

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Aww, thanks Sara! My kids love tacos too. I like to add either kidney or black beans (more fiber & protein) and also sometimes will use a high fiber tortilla or wrap if I don't make a salad out of it. I find eating more fiber fills me up. So you're a mom of 3 too! Gotta love it! :)
 
I'm not on any kind of weight-loss diet. I eat for health, not for weight loss, but it happens to keep me at a good weight. I eat what I want, as long as it's vegan, and primarily whole foods. Though when I find myself getting too far away from whole foods, I reign things back in.
 
> I am asking
>if you eat to get full or eat to stay thin.

Neither one excludes the other. If you build your meals around nutrient-rich foods that are lower in calorie density, you will both be full and be able to reach/maintain a helthy weight for you (which may or may not be 'thin.')
 
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