HELP!!! So many diets..I dont know what to do..my head hurts just thinking about it!!!

M

Momtoaaa

Active Member
Hi guys...heres my story, I am 5'4 and I weigh 135. I am absolutely the heaviest I have ever been...I never really lost the weight after the third child. I have done toooooooooooo much research on diets...Atkins, WW, Body for Life...I am going crazy here, they all contradict each other!! Please advice me, I just want to lose 10-15 pounds. After my 2nd child I got back down to 116, but I am happy at 120. I love the Weight Watchers approach, but then you read about Atkins and it becomes a sin to have ANY carbs and I feel like if I have it I will balloon up!!! Thanks Thanks Thanks for any advice....I am mainly a lurker, but feel like I know you guys:) Jennifer
 
I'm sorry, I'd love to help you but I'm the LAST person to give advice on this issue! I know exactly what you mean about feeling like your head is going to explode from all the differing approaches! Carbs are bad, no you NEED carbs, fat is bad, no fat keeps you full, more protein, less protein, calories count, calories don't count....blah blah blah. I've had a 3 year ongoing problem with this to the point where I'm going to see a counselor about it now I've become so obsessed and disordered. Probably most people will tellyou to try one and see if it works because what works for one person won't work for another. If you're like me though you don't have the patience for that. I mean, come on! Summer is what, 3 months away? I'll be checking this thread to see what answers you get! Good luck in your search! :)
 
Unfortunately, I can't help either. All I can tell you is that you have to listen to YOUR body. Everyone loses weight differently. Just as there are people that can eat whatever they want & get away with it, there are those that can diet by cutting back on one thing & lose 30 lbs no sweat!

I do know a lot of people that do Atkins & they eat LOTS of salads & vegis. So, I don't think Atkins means no carbs at all, ever.

Good luck in your quest, it's one we all struggle with.
 
Jennifer,
I know what you mean. I tried Adkins and felt horrible not eating many carbs. My friend on the other hand, loves it and is doing great with it. I did Body For Life last year and had great results. I also have a friend who did WW and looks great now. I believe all of these diets will work. But what I would do if I was you is look over the diet plans and see what you think YOU are more likely to stick to and live with. I hope that helps.

Kelly
 
The thing with "a diet" is you have to pick something that you can stick to for the rest of your life.It isn't just about losing the unwanted weight and then eatinglike you always did.But of course you know that.
A couple of my friends were doing WW a few yrs ago.Actually, it was before I knew them.They don't do WW now but I think it becomes a part of you and they kept their weight off.Another lady I work with did WW for a few monthes, she lost 26 lbs.Then when Christmas came she let her diet go, she never got back on track and she looks like she has gained it ALL back to me.But then she sits down and eats a bag of chips and a bar everyday.
I am trying BFL now. I tried BFL before and then my friend had her WW book so I looked up everything that I had eaten one day, wrote down the points, added it up and sure enough I was in the point range that they would recommend for me.Go figure!
Personnally, I wouldn't recommend Atkins diet.I think it is unhealthy and you will only gain your weight back when you start eating carbs again.I to know people who did that and then gained thier weight back.I think that is how my husband stays so slim though.He LOVES meat.He doesn't eat many carbs, not intentionally,but he is a meat eater.
Anyway, you have to pick what is best for you.Just make sure that it is healthy and something you can stick to from here on in
Good luck,
Lori
 
Hi Jennifer,

I don't post much here, mainly lurk, but thought I'd jump in as this is such a hot issue right now. I don't believe in diets anymore. My theory is everything in moderation. I don't own a scale - the numbers really don't mean much IMHO. What I did to lose the last 10 after my son was WW for 6 weeks. I always ate the max number of points or more as per my extra activity points. I dropped the weight I wanted to, went back to eating a regular well balanced diet with treats when I want them and I'm happy. I'd like to lose some excess body fat to show off my Cathe aquired muscles :D , but I will NEVER give up ice cream or chocolate or homemade bread or anything else I like - just everything within reason, and I try not to overeat. Hope that helps,

Beth
 
I know, there are too many choices and that's why the diet industry makes billions a year. If you read about a diet and think, "gee, that's no fun" or "how can I not eat carbs?" then you probably won't stick to it.

The thing that's good about WW is it's more balanced, but not super structured. They don't tell you what to eat- you get to choose that- but you can't go and eat 3 donuts and a burger and stay within your points range. So you learn moderation. Plus, it encourages exercise.

Carbs are not bad! If you do anything, limit sugar and starchy carbs like white bread. But whole grains are definately not unhealthy! Of course you'll lose weight if you give up carbs, but that doesn't make sense unless your sole concern is to lose weight. Plus, once you eat carbs, you'll gain the weight right back. Can you imagine not eating a sundae or pretzels or a cookie for the rest of your life??

Another thing is to try to limit saturated fat since foods with sat fat are foods you usually shouldn't be eating, like cheesesteaks, fries, donuts, etc. This is more of a health concern, but you'll lose weight at the same time!

good luck
 
RE: HELP!!! So many diets..I dont know what to do..my ...

Jennifer,
Losing weight is not that hard in theory. You simply have to find out how many calories you need to eat to maintain your body. Then you eat that many calories. If you want to lose weight you gradually lower your calories until you get to the point where you start to lose. Consistency is the key. And it takes time.

There are different things that impact how many calories your body burns up in a day. It can depend on how much muscle mass you have and how active you are during the day. So you need to first find out how much lean body mass you have and then figure out how many calories you should be taking in. You can do this in a number of ways. You can find lots of good info at the abcbodybuilding.com website on how to figure out how many calories you should be eating a day.

Fitday is a great tool for tracking how much you are eat.

The trick to finding the right way to eat is to figure out how you can manage to survive on the amount of calories your body needs. Different diets work for different people because they allow them to control their eating. If you can control how many calories you eat you will lose weight if that is your goal. If starchy carbs make you binge or eat out of control then find a diet that restricts starchy carbs. If high protein/low carb seems to make you eat uncontrollably then it is not the right diet for you. Find out what triggers you to eat incorrectly and then adapt your diet to fit you for your lifetime. Not every diet works for everybody.

Good luck! You can do it, you just have to figure out what will work for you. Track your food, read up on how many calories you need and figure out how much exercise you need.
 
I have tried many diets over the years, especially WW and all their incarnations (food exchanges, fat'n'fiber, points, etc...). When it was all said & done, I really needed to "get real" with the calories again. Points are a good way to analyze calories, but it seems so inconsistant to me. I joined Fitday.com last month and I totally love it. There is no right or wrong ways to eat, it just keeps track of food, exercise, nutrition, etc. It also logs into what your metabolism is for your weight & height, so you can compare what you're eating vs. what your burning. Give them a try, it is a free website.
 
Jennifer - I wish I could help you... but unfortunately am right there with ya' girlfriend. I have been so frustrated with all the fads and have had no success the past couple months.

I like LoriHart just started BFL this week too. I figure it is something I can stick to, makes sense and have a great friend who just won one of the competitive sections and recv'd $25,000! Real people do win those things. I did it a few years ago right after my kid was born and dropped about 20 lbs and didn't even make it the whole 12 weeks due to going too crazy on the free day. This time I am not going to go wild on the free day! I am also not going to cut down on carbs as much. Because last time I gained it all back. Mr. Dr. said it was because my carbs were way too low. This time I am trying to stick to a diet I can live with for LIfE!

I agree with the other posters in that it is all in moderation. I like the BodyRX book in regard to the guidelines in eating. I am doing BFL but using the BodyRX guidelines when it comes to choosing the types of foods.

You'll find that there are a ton of BFL approved recipes that include ingredients that are not even in the BFL book itself. So, don't get discouraged by one single book, article etc. Take what you think will work for you from what you learn and try it. If it doesn't work change it up. I think the key is the right combo, cut down the sugars, white breads.

Good luck!
 
I totally agree with Beth about everything in moderation. The only thing I really do try to avoid is fast food but I will have it occasionally (just not a lot of it). Pizza is a tough one for me (I reeeaaally love it) but I'll only have it once in a while too. At a restaurant, I'll order what I want but only eat half and take the rest home. It is working wonders and I don't have to deprive myself ever. I'm seeing such great results eating like this and doing my workouts.

Danielle

:D
 
Diet Tip!

Hi, I'm new to the Forum but about a year ago I discovered the best diet plan! Its called Scan Diet, you can buy it at GNC or online at Drugstore.com. It is soy based (plus lots of fiber) meal replacement (shakes, & bars if you prefer), fruits, veggies and lots and lots of water. The first time I tried it last year, I lost 10 lbs. the first week, 15 lbs. in one month (on the Attack plan). I maintained that weight loss until I had surgery, and couldn't exercise:( Then I gained back like 7 lbs. but just lost it again. You can find out more at Scandiet.com. Go to the "Bulletin Board" sign in as any name you chose and read the posts, ask questions. It's a pretty healthy plan and WORKS!
I've gone from a size 10 to a 6 in just about a month. My goal is a 4. Check it out and see if it's right for you.
 
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