Whats the best diet?

**angelbow20** · 01-11-2007, 09:54 PM

Ok im going on a diet, it was my new years resolution, but the problem is I dont know how to diet, or in other words what foods are good to eat when dieting.... any ideas on foods? meals? snacks? etc... I eat alot of lettuce and lunch meat but I dont know if thats actually good for diets? please help give me ideas!!!!

**jackmilliesmom** · 01-12-2007, 03:52 AM

ok thing is do you actually need to diet and if so go to a weight watchers meeting I have been going and so far have lost 7lbs in two weeks which I would consider good and this week I have lost 2lbs so in total in 3 weeks I have lost 9lbs and I eat very healthy and still get to have my snacks with my points count. I also have the support of the rest of the club and you get honoured when you lose 7lbs with a silver 7 and a coloured stone when you have lost 14lbs its nice to get a reward no matter how small and the support is great and you get great recipe ideas.

Originally Posted by angelbow20

Ok im going on a diet, it was my new years resolution, but the problem is I dont know how to diet, or in other words what foods are good to eat when dieting.... any ideas on foods? meals? snacks? etc... I eat alot of lettuce and lunch meat but I dont know if thats actually good for diets? please help give me ideas!!!!

**Pawsitive Thinking** · 01-12-2007, 04:03 AM

Make sure you drink lots of water - you often mistake feeling hungry for being thirsty. Snack on fruit, nuts etc. Increase your exercise doing simple things like taking the stairs, walking one block further than usual...

Do not weigh yourself more than once a week! and try to make it fun not torture - good luck

**joycenalex** · 01-12-2007, 08:47 AM

drinking 48 to 64 ounces of water is important, it helps keep you hydrated and full feeling longer. i weigh and measure my food portions for my meals. last night i weighed a four ounce portion of meatloaf, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1/3 c green beans and 1/2c milk. this am i had 1/2 bran flake cereal, 1/2 milk and 1/2 sliced banana, around 11, i'll have a dannon yogurt. dinner left overs were planned for lunch today. i also plan out my meals and therefore grocery shopping a week at a time and i tape the planned menu to the kitchen cabinet, so i know what i'm eating each day, if i "dashboard dine" , i.e. stop at a fast food place, i'll choose something not healthy for me. i know if i do 3 meals, a snack and drink my water i feel better and healthier.

**Logan** · 01-12-2007, 09:49 AM

I think Weight Watchers is probably the easiest and most sensible diet plan out there, right now, if you need to join a program. Best of luck to you!

**jackmilliesmom** · 01-12-2007, 09:50 AM

Thats pretty much what weight watchers is but with my snack if i feel like a biscuit i can have one so long as I point it but I like it because I can have a bit of everything and my points per day is 24 so I have plenty and if I do not eat them all I can have a little extra tomorrow if I want to but I never do.

Originally Posted by joycenalex

drinking 48 to 64 ounces of water is important, it helps keep you hydrated and full feeling longer. i weigh and measure my food portions for my meals. last night i weighed a four ounce portion of meatloaf, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1/3 c green beans and 1/2c milk. this am i had 1/2 bran flake cereal, 1/2 milk and 1/2 sliced banana, around 11, i'll have a dannon yogurt. dinner left overs were planned for lunch today. i also plan out my meals and therefore grocery shopping a week at a time and i tape the planned menu to the kitchen cabinet, so i know what i'm eating each day, if i "dashboard dine" , i.e. stop at a fast food place, i'll choose something not healthy for me. i know if i do 3 meals, a snack and drink my water i feel better and healthier.

**Lobodeb** · 01-12-2007, 10:11 AM

If you go to this website, they will give you a suggested diet plan for free. I plan on starting mine on Monday.

Weight watchers worked for me, but I found the meetings difficult to go to given my work schedule. (excuses, excuses)

**catlover4ever** · 01-12-2007, 10:21 AM

I also recommend Weight Watchers. I joined last week and I lost 3.8 in one week, I know a lot of that is "water weight" but WW give you a choice of doing a Core Plan or a Flex Plan. I do the Flex and I just make sure that whatever I eat I track how many points it is.....I also exercise at least 30 minutes a day, sometimes more if I have the time.

I have also found that if you have a friend that can do the same program with you can help. I feel like I have to be held responsible to someone other than myself and my good friend and neighbor is doing the program with me and we both support each other in the good times and the bad ones.

**elizabethann** · 01-12-2007, 11:56 AM

Has anybody read You on a Diet?

Just curious what you think of it.

Good luck on your diet.

**catland** · 01-12-2007, 12:18 PM

Even if you don't want to join weightwatchers themselves, some of their principals will go a long way.

As already mentioned - drink the water
Keep a log of what you eat. This can be a real eye opener - expecially if you tend to snack between meals.
Choose whole grains.
Eat fruits and vegetables.
Cut back on fried foods.
Have the occasional treat so that you don't feel deprived - just keep the portion size more under control.
Learn about portion size - we've become so "supersized" that we forget what a real meal should look like.

Don't try to lose a bunch of weight in a short time. 1-2 pounds a week is more than enough.

**Uabassoon** · 01-12-2007, 12:44 PM

I also love weight watchers, I lost 50 lbs on the program about 2 years ago. I've gained a small about back (7 lbs) but mostly I've done a great job of keeping the majority of it off because it helped me to understand how much I eat and how to limit myself. My partner just started so I've been doing it as well to support her and make it easier. In a week and a half I'm already down 4 lbs, so I'm almost back to my lightest weight.

**Flatcoatluver** · 01-12-2007, 12:50 PM

I did weight watchers four years ago, but I didn't stick with the plan. I am starting weight watchers again. I am tired of feeling fat and lazy.

**mruffruff** · 01-12-2007, 03:28 PM

I've been doing what Catland suggests and I've lost 30 lbs since July 4th.

I've always done the menu thing like Joycenalex, mostly so I'd know what to buy at the grocery store. Now I know how many calories I'm eating for lunch and dinner, so I also know when I can have a treat.

The big eye opener for me was how small a 'portion' of something looked. Now I can have a large portion, but I have to double the calorie count. Sometimes I'd rather have a smaller portion and use the calories for a treat instead. I keep my daily calories to 1200. Drink a lot of water, but I don't believe there should be a set amount. Some days you need more than others. And all liquids count. When I eat out, I guess at the count and adjust somewhere during that day or the next. I don't need to cheat, because I'm not depriving myself of foods I like, just limiting the quantities.

The hard part is planning. I have several meals that I always cook, so I have the calorie count for the entire meal on my menu.

**Catlady711** · 01-12-2007, 09:08 PM

Actually a DIET is only a short term solution to a weight problem. The best and long term solution is a LIFESTYLE change.

What has worked for me in the past (although it's alot of work)...

Find out how many calories you are supposed to have for your height/build/health, check with your doctor if you're not sure.

Write down EVERYTHING you eat or drink that has calories in it, from that 5 calorie piece of gum, to the 20 calorie bottle of propel water. It's amazing how simple little things add up in a day. Keep your total at or just under your target calorie level.

Don't cut calories too low, it's counter productive, your metabolism will just slow down to accomodate the lack of calories, and in the end you can't eat little enough to continue losing or even to maintain your weight.

Drink PLENTY of water, get your rest, and keep active. Hunger/cravings are often signs of lack of water, being tired, or bored.

It's not so much what you eat, but how much. Although you can sure eat alot more if you're eating healthy things like a whole bowl ful of veggies vs. those 5 hershey kisses. lol When you deny yourself your fav foods you are setting yourself up for failure/cravings. Moderation is the key.

These are things a person can do for life, not just to lose those 10 lbs, or to look good in a swimsuit, and then go right back to eating as before.

Good luck

**Giselle** · 01-13-2007, 01:14 AM

Agreed with CatLady. I don't like diets very much because if you want to keep the weight off, you're going to need to change your lifestyle. You're going to stop going to certain restaurants. You're going to venture into new sections in the supermarket. You're going to start cooking different recipes.

As was mentioned before, the key to losing weight is watching your calorie intake. Calories = energy = what you need to live. Figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and work from there. If you live a VERY sedentive lifestyle, you take your weight, add a 0 to the end and add your original weight. For example, if you're 135 pounds: 1350+135= 1485 calories/day. This is only the bare requirement for living. However, your age and weight will be a factor, so I would suggest using the USDA's website's calculator as a *guideline*.

Keep in mind, 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat. That's a lot of calories to lose. However, if you're suggested to consume 2500 calories a day, you can cut back to 2000 calories (either by eating 2000 calories or by burning off 500 calories) each day. By the end of the week, you will have lost 1 pound (500 calories lost each day will = 3500). Sounds simple enough, right? The hard part is sticking with it. All I can say is, everything in moderation and EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE!