Has anyone had success following a Low Calorie Diet?

[kiraryker]

I was on atkins and lost 40lbs - well needless to say a stressful year and I've gained it all back and just don't have the desire to go that route again.

 

The idea of eating anything (Cereal) especially scares me since my brain is Atkins - protein/fat wired so counting calories and being able to eat the no no foods on atkins scares me.

 

So just wondering if anyone has tried this route and had success??

 

Thanks

[Boo2]

I've lost 70 pounds the old fashioned way - by counting calories. I've managed to keep it off for 7 years now. I still watch everything I eat and work out 4 to 5 times/week.

[pkrchkr]

I've lost 20 since the 21 of Sept 2009. Down 8 waist sizes and am very comfortable.My Doctor gave this Deck and I follow it like the bible( sorry). It teaches me what a serving size is VS what I thought it was. 2 1/2 1st week 3 the next and 3 the following then one a week after that.I eat chocolate everynight and have a skinny latte at my favorite Starbucks every Sunday and stilleat the bosses wife's lovly backing and lose weight. The key to this lifestyle change is eating 6-8 small meals a day and making smart choices.. like eating protien with fruit, high fibre foods that keep you fuller longer. Yes counting the calories is a pain but think of it as counting 100 calories that you won't have to count once you realize what a 3 oz peice of fish looks like a few weeks from your start..you can do this...you can really..

[Gottacruise3]

Nutrisystem really works. Counting calories is very impotant, along with excersize. So far 51lbs. I can't begin to tell you how good I feel.

[kiraryker]

Wow great jobs everyone!! Like I said I had been following atkins so this counting calories is really new to me.

 

The eating small meals all day - what do you consider a small meal?? Do you stay within a calorie range for each meal? Are there certain food groups you stay in?

 

It has been hard just because it is so new and reading all the labels is also new.

 

Any pointers would be helpful

[pkrchkr]

Wow great jobs everyone!! Like I said I had been following atkins so this counting calories is really new to me.

 

The eating small meals all day - what do you consider a small meal?? Do you stay within a calorie range for each meal? Are there certain food groups you stay in?

 

It has been hard just because it is so new and reading all the labels is also new.

 

Any pointers would be helpful

A small meal is 1/2 c of multi grain cereal with 1c of LF milk.I eat agave splet cakes for a snack( high fibre high protien and tastes better the a bland rice cake)I have to eat 1400 cal a day which can be tough since I am full almost the whole day.I eat only unrefined foods.. it keep the glycemic index steady. not peaks and valley.. cravings or urges to binge eat.Eat your fruit with protein( nuts). The last thing I eat before bed is a all bran chew granola bar with chocolate or 3 oz of chocolate.. yes chocolate:eek:.. you can do this.. it sounds more complicated then it is.. go to deck plan dot ca and check it out. I got the deck from my doctor and it works for me..

[melaniausa]

I think most diet plans have the same concepts. I find eating 6-8 small meals is the way to go. What works for me during the day are small snacks like: a yogurt, high fiber english muffin or bread product that is similar, cottage cheese, 10 high fiber crackers, sugar free pudding etc... I eat a lot of veggies and also eat half a cup of fruit or apple, pear etc a couple of times a day... I eat protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner and that helps with hunger. Serving sizes are very important, I think these diet plans show you what an actual serving size is. Once you become more familiar with reading product labels and servings sizes you will do fine. It does take time but this concept does work.

[snorkelman]

Atkins and other keto diets are notorious for people falling off and gaining back all the weight. The reason always comes back to severe dietary prohibitions. Any diet where you are banned from ever eating a certain food, will risk that yo-yo effect.

 

It all comes back to calories in vs. calories out. Many people just need to realize that they need to accept the fact that they have no clue how many calories they are putting in their body. Some foolish people drink the sports drinks, thinking it is helping them, when the reality is that they are not exercising anywhere near the intensity of duration where replacing electrolytes is needed, and they are just adding a bunch of calories from the dextrose or other carb source in the drink.

 

Counting calories is a great place to start. However, there is a diet called Body For Life where you do not count any calories, you just use eyeball estimates where you eat 6 small meals a day and each meal contains a protein the size of your palm (minus fingers) and a carb the size of your fist.

[kiraryker]

I agree - on atkins (and I am in no way bashing that plan - it worked but I just couldn't stick with it once my weight was off) anyway on atkins I could eat till I was full - no carb items that is - so I really have no idea what actual serving sizes are.

 

I still find myself very careful when it comes to fruit or dairy as I totally avoided them while on atkins so the idea that I can eat that stuff still has to sink in but I'm just worried that I messed up my metabolism and eating low calorie or following a program such as nutrisystem will back fire and I'll gain more weight.

 

I am also a scale junkie so I was used to seeing results daily - I know I need to realize that I'm not going to have a loss everyday and not let it send me into a "tizzy"

 

I just would like to find something I can lose my weight on and stick to

[Gathina]

Every diet, no matter what kind, has calorie and portion control.

 

Even if you take everything you eat now and cut the amount in half, the good and the bad, that is still calorie and porition control.

[uziel5000]

I was on atkins and lost 40lbs - well needless to say a stressful year and I've gained it all back and just don't have the desire to go that route again.

 

The idea of eating anything (Cereal) especially scares me since my brain is Atkins - protein/fat wired so counting calories and being able to eat the no no foods on atkins scares me.

 

So just wondering if anyone has tried this route and had success??

 

Thanks

 

I'm not sure you are aware of this but the Atkins diet IS a reduced calorie diet.

 

By definition, all weight-loss programs are calorie-counting programs because the ONLY way to losse weight is to consume less calories than what your body expends. There is simply no other way, whether you are actually counting them or not.

 

While you might not be "counting" the calories on Atkins, the severe restriction of a certain macronutrient (in this case carbs) narrows your choices in what you can eat. If you ate a steak, salad and french fries and then went on Atkins and now eat the steak and salad only, you just reduced your calories. The sensation of fullness that protein gives your body does the rest.

 

The reason you fell "off the wagon" is because any type of program that asks you to completely give up a certain thing -and in the case of Atkins this thing is a pretty important one- odds are you are likely to crave it to the point where you just go nuts and end up overcompensating.

 

Extremes on both ends can be bad. Balance is the key. A sensible approach with a little bit of everything is the key with a calorie deficit that doesn't trigger your body's starvation response.

 

I have lost over 42 pounds so far eating a balanced amount of carbs, proteins and fats(good fats). I have rice, potatoes, veggies and all sorts of proteins like beef, chicken, fish etc. I even splurge a little on special moments so I don't go nuts because I can't have some cheesecake.

[uziel5000]

I agree - on atkins (and I am in no way bashing that plan - it worked but I just couldn't stick with it once my weight was off) anyway on atkins I could eat till I was full - no carb items that is - so I really have no idea what actual serving sizes are.

 

I still find myself very careful when it comes to fruit or dairy as I totally avoided them while on atkins so the idea that I can eat that stuff still has to sink in but I'm just worried that I messed up my metabolism and eating low calorie or following a program such as nutrisystem will back fire and I'll gain more weight.

 

I am also a scale junkie so I was used to seeing results daily - I know I need to realize that I'm not going to have a loss everyday and not let it send me into a "tizzy"

 

I just would like to find something I can lose my weight on and stick to

 

 

Its funny you mentioned that Atkins "worked" because in principal, all diets work!

 

Think about it: Every single weight loss program out there has, at some point or another "worked for someone. Otherwise they woudnt be selling them all over. The problem with most of them is not that they are effective or not, the problem is they are diets! LOL By definition they are temporary, finite things. People get "on them", lose the weight, then go back to living their normal lives. Of course we gain the weight back. We get overweight because our everyday diet is bad. That is what we have to change, permanently. Eating "right" for a couple of months or even years is nor gonna fix the problem.

[desperatehousewife]

Hi...

If you go to Sparkpeople dot com you will find a wealth of information and more success stories than you could read in a week!That site is very inspiring.

It is free and you will be able to track not only your food, but fitness and weight as well.There are millions of people on there ( literally) that will help you, articles, recipes and any info you need. Check it out!

 

You need to retrain your way of thinking as you said..this will help you immensly!

Good luck:D

[cerabella]

There are a plethora of 'diets' that work, as someone else stated...the important thing is to follow the plan.

 

Atkins is in no way a 'no carb' diet, & if you never had fruit or dairy, I would say you weren't really on Atkins, as per the book, there are strategic phases or levels where you incorporate additional carbs ...fruit & dairy being among them!

 

But, congrats on your previous weight loss, & hope you can find some way of eating (WOE) that suits you! :)

[Gathina]

A big mistake is that people don't change their mindset..they think one day they can go back to their old eating habits..but the reality is you can't. Mindfulnes is the whole approach. The way I've always lost weight is alot of exercise, portion control, watch the fat, carbs, etc. Even if you exercise a lot like I do it still isn't a license to keep your old eating habits. I think people try to make diets work "their way" and balk at having to make changes in their overall eating habits. You'd be suprised how some of your "favorite" foods will taste AWFUL after you haven't had them for awhile.

 

Like I said..if you take all the foods you like now, even the bad ones, and eat the right portion size and stop at that, you'd probably still lose weight.

[shootr]

My .02:

 

Started calorie counting Sept. '09 to lose 50 by March '10. (So far hit 43 so we're on track)

 

I'm M/44/6'0" and try to stick to 1200/1500 calories/day with 4 workouts + walking each week.

 

I drive all day and meet/greet customers, so here's what I've done (successfully)

 

Lot's of those Buddig lunch meat packs (100 Cal. ea) easy to keep track of. Apples and oranges and lot's of V8, because besides a salad, can't do veggies very well.

 

Lot's of rice cakes, a fiber bar, 100 cal yogurt, big BIG salads with the lunchmeat, a handfull of crushed nacho Doritoes for crunch, maybe a boiled egg.

 

Also, marinate and grill up a bunch of chicken breasts each weekend, take one for lunch or put in the salad.

 

It can be done, yes, and I cheat once a week, but moderately, and I plan for it so it's not at night - right after a major workout.

 

But now it's just how I eat and I won't worry if I go on a cruise and gain 10, I know I can get it off in a month and it wasn't a change in my new habits that would lead me to gain any back permanently.

 

Also, if it ain't in the house, I can't eat it - so just get the good stuff and leave the rest on the shelf. Even Circle K has stuff to get by on on roadtrips or if others are junking out.

 

Hang tough - you'll get there.

[Gathina]

You reminded me of something else...planning..you have to plan to succeed. It does take time and planning to eat right...like planning what to buy, maybe forcing yourself to cook, bring lunches, planning your lunch, etc. but it's still a matter of priority. Everyone is busy. People can plan to watch their favorite TV show or go get their nails done, you have to adopt the same mindset with eating, I think. IMO if you don't take the time then it's easy to give into impulse. I guess everyone wants instant eveything, whether it's food or results..LOL

 

My .02:

 

Started calorie counting Sept. '09 to lose 50 by March '10. (So far hit 43 so we're on track)

 

I'm M/44/6'0" and try to stick to 1200/1500 calories/day with 4 workouts + walking each week.

 

I drive all day and meet/greet customers, so here's what I've done (successfully)

 

Lot's of those Buddig lunch meat packs (100 Cal. ea) easy to keep track of. Apples and oranges and lot's of V8, because besides a salad, can't do veggies very well.

 

Lot's of rice cakes, a fiber bar, 100 cal yogurt, big BIG salads with the lunchmeat, a handfull of crushed nacho Doritoes for crunch, maybe a boiled egg.

 

Also, marinate and grill up a bunch of chicken breasts each weekend, take one for lunch or put in the salad.

 

It can be done, yes, and I cheat once a week, but moderately, and I plan for it so it's not at night - right after a major workout.

 

But now it's just how I eat and I won't worry if I go on a cruise and gain 10, I know I can get it off in a month and it wasn't a change in my new habits that would lead me to gain any back permanently.

 

Also, if it ain't in the house, I can't eat it - so just get the good stuff and leave the rest on the shelf. Even Circle K has stuff to get by on on roadtrips or if others are junking out.

 

Hang tough - you'll get there.

[kiraryker]

I do know about the planning with Atkins all my meals were pre-made - I would have a fridge full of meat & boiled eggs to eat for the week. It is just shifting my mind set to have to actually count the calories I put in my mouth vs. just avoiding carbs.

 

I also have to get out of the poor me mood - when I lost the 40lbs I told myself never again - well I must not have listened cause here I am again. And I'm hoping going low cal will be easier to stick with for life - So I can actually tell portion sizes and est. calories just by looking at something. My portion sizing is still outa wack.

 

I did it once so I just have to believe I can do it again but maybe for the last time.:o

[lovetotravel10]

I am trying to lose weight before our cruise next month. Actually DH and I both are! We're doing great so far - reduced calories and increased exercise. We have been using an awesome website that helps us keep track of our calories consumed and burned. It's part of Lance Armstrong's livestrong website. You put in your personnal info like weight/age/goals/etc. and it helps you keep track individually. It's very easy to navigate. I've lost 5 pounds since I started paying attention to what I'm eating and keeping track of my calorie intake, in just 2 weeks! :)

 

http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/

[Nebr.cruiser]

I concur with the poster who mentioned SparkPeople.com. It is a great website that focuses on healthy weight loss and fitness and has a plethora of ideas, hints, inspiration, help, eating plans, etc.

 

I've done the Atkins/low carb diets too and I do lose rather easily on them, but it always comes back because I simply can't sustain this type of eating for long.

 

On Spark they will help you set up a sensible diet plan that will take off weight in a healthy way. It's not meant to be a quick fix, because usually those kind of diets don't work in the long run. They want you to lose weight slowly and steadily and do not recommend any diet with less than 1200 calories a day for a woman, which is the mininum most people need in order to meet their basic nutrient requirements.

 

Most people end up with a range of 1200-1550 calories a day. If you are a man, a lot bigger, or much, much more active, you'll have more calories. This should result in a 1-2 lb. loss per week.

 

They also have healthy lifestyle, fitness, recipe, calorie counter, etc. areas as well as lots of support.

[hazeleyez3]

I have to agree with others that are saying its about a total lifestyle change.

 

My husband and I started going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and really started to pay attention to the portions we were eating. We got some of the Biggest Loser Cookbooks for some suggestions of meals and also got ourselves a food scale. We have replaced any dessert type dishes with healthier options. One of my favorites has ended up being a couple hot apple slices with a little bit of cinammon and a small scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt.

 

My husband loves to cook so he has started creating some new dishes that we actually love.

 

 

In the last couple months my husband has lost 20lbs. I have lost 10.