Diet tips that helped me to lose over 85 pounds.

[jenluckenbach]

First I'd like to say that this is a lifestyle change. Not something that you do just to lose some wieght and go back to what you've been doing. NO....it doesn't work that way. I gained myself up to a size 24 doing that. I learned to eat right and am down to a size 12 and have been for over 2 years.

1) prepare to use sheer willpower. After a while it will become second nature, but not at first.

2) Always choose no-fat or low fat alternatives for fattening foods.
......ex) fat free mayonaise, skim or 1 % milk, 97% fat free ground beef...etc.

3) THINK FIBER! (whole grain)
......ex) whole wheat bread (and check your label. They WILL try to fool you. Not all wheat bread is WHOLE wheat bread), Brown rice instead of white rice and cereals with fiber not just sugar

4) Eat your vegetables!!!!! very important. Believe it or not it is the innocent veggie on your plate that fills you up. I found this out buy trial and error.

5) Eat fruit too. and not the kind packed in sugary syrup either.

6) Don't drink your calories. Read that bottle of soda or fruit drink to see how many calories you could cut out just by choosing diet soda or sugar free drink mixes.

7) Bulk up a sandwich.
......ex) a typical sandwich for me: Whole wheat bread, 1 slice fat free cheese, a few slices of low fat cold cuts (like healthy choice), a layer of raw spinach (which is much more nutritious that lettuce)and a layer of sprouts (broccoli sprouts are PACKED with vitamins!)
A sandwich like this (vs one with just meat ansd cheese) will really fill you up

8) Don't fry. Bake, broil or roast.

9) Chose lean meats, poultry or fish (if you eat meat)


As I remember more of the things that helped me I will gladly post them and feel free to ask specific questions. I am NOT an expert, but I am living proof that it can be done. Best of luck to those who need to try this.

[NoahsMommy]

Because I have to continously watch what I eat, I can attest to Jen's tips above. I eat like this every day.

My only suggestion would be to stay away from anything claiming to be the low-fat version....only because it takes a whole lot of chemicals to make it that way. This is just my preferance...I'm kind of wierd when it comes to additives. (Actually, my food sensitivity test proved that I have adverse reactions to them.)

If you like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia or Chocolate Brownie, they make a frozen yogurt version that is amazing and less than half the fat.

Great advice on the fiber thing...fiber fills you up and is so healthy for most people.

[popcornbird]

85 pounds?!?!?!

If I lost that much, I would be no more!

LOL! Thanks for the tips! We do eat a pretty low-fat diet, but I have to admit, while we always have both whole wheat and white bread in the house, I almost always go for the white bread. My mom tries to get me to EAT the whole wheat, but I love white. I guess I'll have to sacrifice it for a while and eat the whole wheat. I don't eat much red meat or rice. I prefer a tortilla type of bread we make at home which is 80% whole wheat and chicken. I do eat lots of veggies these days, but by force. I like cooked veggies but not raw. As a child, I would always take the salad out of my plate. I hated it. Now I'm in my teens and I guess I realize that I NEED those veggies. LOL I don't eat a lot. Sometimes when my parents are out and no one reminds me to eat, I forget to eat breakfast AND lunch. I know, not good, but that's me. I forget about eating. I'll try to improve my diet and increase my exercise. Thanks!

What about exercise? Did you workout a lot or you just changed your diet and lifestyle?

Oh and BTW, I tried drinking 1% milk and nonfat (which my mom drinks) but it just disgusts me. I looks like white water. I go with 2%.

[anna_66]

Mark had to change his eating habits because he had high cholestrol (sp?), and we did the exact same thing you did! I went from a size 13 down to a size 5, but now I've leveled off at a 7. And I'm happy with that, it's just I need to tone up, exercise This is the thing I hate the most!

They also say fiber helps you loose weight, so eat as much as you can. And don't forget, drink lots and lots of water!!!

[Nomilynn]

For a lot of people the carbs are the killer. They break down into sugar, which translates to fat! They also make you feel really sluggish and tired. However, carbs are my favourite also! So taking the whole wheat route is the best option

Oh Pops.. I used to drink 2% milk but now I feel like I am drinking a glass of cream when I drink it!!!! UGH!! When I was diagnosed with diabetes, the docs told me - cut out 2%!!!! they wanted me to go straight to skim, but I couldn't do it. I eventually got used to 1%, then when I moved in with a friend, I got used to skim. Now I can't bear to drink anything in else, not even on cereal!! I do use 2% for baking though.

I've just joined a gym, and even after only two workouts, I feel a difference. The first day my heart was going crazy, but today I was much more able to keep it in target range. Exercise, when you are able to do it, really does help!!! That's something I've tried to avoid all my life, but I'm already feeling better!

[slick]

Oh boy....do I ever need to lose weight. However as the saying goes, it's not what you are eating....it's what's eating you and if you don't feel good about yourself inside, all the dieting in the world isn't going to help. It's just something I'm working on.

[tatsxxx11]

Speaking as a nurse, I say GOOD FOR YOU, Jen!!! Those are good tips not only for those looking to lose weight, but looking to choose a healthy lifestyle! For those who don't need to lose wt. or may even need to gain wt. like myself, greater volumes of healthier foods is the way to go! You deserve a BIG round of applause, Jen!! Good for you! Noah's Mommy, great advice!

And might I add:

7-9 servings of fruits and veggies...That's right! But, a serving is only about 1/2 cp! 1 8oz glass of OJ is "two servings" of fruit! A nice sized mixed salad at dinner is around 3 servings; maybe 4!

25 Gms. of fiber. And don't be fooled by "wheat bread vs. white." Most "whole wheat" breads have no more nutrional value, or GMs. of fiber, than white. Look for a lot of the Peppridge Farms breads like Country Oat and Nine Grain, and Branola. A whopping 3 Gms.per slice! One medium sized bowl of Post Raisin Bran and you're 1/3 of the way there for the day. And beans, beans, beans! Throw em in your salad!

Lo fat, no fat does NOT mean low calorie! Don't over indulge!

[Soledad]

Tats,

What do you think of the Atkins Diet?

[AmberLee]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11
Lo fat, no fat does mean low calorie! Don't over indulge!

Sandra -- I think there's a typo in your last sentence! Don't you mean "does not (or not necessarily?) mean low calorie"?

At least that's the impression I get from a lot of food labels. Drat the manufacturers!

[Rachel]

Jen, I agree with everything you have said. The only thing I would add, which helps me, is to plan ahead what you are going to eat at a given meal. Don't wait until you get hungry and then decide. If you have your mind prepared for a certain thing to eat, you are more likely to follow through. The one thing you mentioned that I have not been able to switch to is the brown rice, but I totally agree about the 100% whole wheat. We buy the Butternut variety at Sam's Club. It is tasty but two slices will really fill you up. Sometimes only half a sandwich is enough.

My noon meal is generally a salad. I am very curious what other people put in their salads. This is what I have in mine.

Baby spinach, or Romaine, or Red leaf lettuce
Green onions
baby carrots, cut up
sliced radishes
Tomatoes
sliced mushrooms
sliced almonds
and if I have one, slices of avacado
Fat free Western dressing

[tatsxxx11]

Good for healthy, younger people wishing to loose a few extra pounds...BUT, I've done a lot of researching, spoken with cardiologist, nephrologist friends, etc. and it is just NOT the diet to choose for those who have a real weight issue rooted in a lifetime of poor eating habits. You do lose the wt., and quickly! And if you're ready to adopt a completely new approach to eating after you've lost the wt., i.e, keeping the calories down, uping the fruits and veggies, exercising, etc. great. But few take that route, return to their old eating habits and the pounds return...just as fast! The diet is not only inherently, incredibly, high in fat and cholesterol, as well, the physiological impact is to put the person in a false diabetic state...ketoacidosis. People actually test their urine with Ketodiastix to see if they're "purple." As a nurse, this makes my hair curl!! It puts a tremendous strain on the kidneys. There is a lot of debate in the medical community re: the negative impact of this diet. But, when one can achieve the same desired effect, losing wt., while at the same learning healthy, lifelong eating habits, I feel that's the preferred way to go. As with most "fad" diets, there's a hook that lures you in. With Atkins, it's the idea of eating as much as you want of mayo, butter, eggs, cheese, meat!!! But I have heard from friends that it isn't long before the patina wears off and the dieter, sick of eggs without the toast, prime rib without the baked potato, begins craving fruits, veg's, pasta, etc. It's always what you can't have that you want! The most successful dieter I ever met was a woman who just slowly cut back on her portions. She didn't deny herself anything, just cut back. It was a slow, almost imperceptable loss. But over the period of a year she lost over 50lbs., had totally revamped her approach to food and has kept the wt. off for 5 yrs. now! People wonder why the French, whose cuisine/daily diet includes cheeses, rich sauces, great breads, etc. do not suffer the high rate of obesity/heart disease seen in other western countries!!! Well, they don't eat half a wheel of a cheese at a sitting. They indulge in and enjoy their favorite foods, but not in the volume as some other cultures. Personally, I love the mediterranean based diets...Greek, Middle Eastern, etc. SO full of flavor, veggies, fruits, tasty meats in smaller portions, salads, nuts and legumes...As the ancient Greeks said, "Everything in moderation!" I think that's the way to go. Don't deny yourself, just cut back. And exercise!!! Even if it's a short walk in the morning and evening to start! It all adds up! And Soledad, I made your banana bread last night! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think this is the thread to tell you how much I ate!! It was wonderful! Thanks so much for the recipe!

[tatsxxx11]

Thanks Pauline!!! Wishful thinking???? I stand CORRECTED!!!

[Soledad]

"And Soledad, I made your banana bread last night! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yay! I was hoping someone would. I made it a couple of days ago, and let's just say there's not a crumb left.

[tatsxxx11]

And why WOULD there be???? Ok, keep em coming Soledad...! More recipes, that is! Only for special occasions, of course! (Like when I'm hungry and wanting something yummy!) I am going to have the last piece right NOW! Thanks, friend!

[AmberLee]

Wow, there are some great ideas here.

One tip that helped me (several diets ago) is rather than put dressing or syrup (low cal of course) on your salad/breakfast is to have a little bowl and dip a forkful in at a time. It coats the item rather than drench the item and you get all the flavor much fewer calories. (Well, that sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.... )

Writing down everything I eat BEFORE I eat helps me a lot too.

Thanks for the tips, all! Keep 'em coming.

Note: I was on the Atkins diet in the 70s and lost a lot of weight, but it was hard on my health and I gained it all back plus when I was off the diet. Just as Sandra stated... I have higher hopes for the Weight Watchers regime.