# Have You Found a Diet that Works???



## RAYT721 (Jul 18, 2004)

There are so many fad diets out there. My wife and I have been on a Weight Watchers diet for about a month now. She's lost 24 pounds and I've lost 8.5. I am not following the diet as religiously as my wife but I am noticing that just the lower fat, lower calorie, etc. ingredients that we are using is helping to reduce the calories of the meals. The new "points" system that Weight Watchers uses is so much easier to follow that it used to be. I was thinking that we'd be drinking water and eating rice cakes when she first suggested the diet but that's not the case at all. We are experimenting with some excellent recipes that are quite tasty and quite filling. Of course losing weight isn't based solely on diet. We have both had to adapt a little bit more exercise in our lifestyle. I did want you to know that it WW plan IS working for us but was wondering if any of you may have found diets that work for you??? /rayt721


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## Raine (Jul 18, 2004)

WW worked for us.  We just can't stick to it for the rest of lives.


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## grammadee (Sep 5, 2004)

Just found your question, there is a web site MyFoodDiary.com that is as close to perfection as can be.  Check it out, you won't be sorry.

Good luck,
Grammadee


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## ChefMerito (Sep 9, 2004)

My mom did the Atkins diet, ie no carbs diet.  And she lost a lot of weight.  But with any diet, remember to exercise regularly! My Mom did and she is happier than ever.

-ChefMerito


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## grammadee (Sep 9, 2004)

Isn't Atkins the diet Prez Clinton was just on?

Grammadee{(^..^)}


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## htc (Sep 10, 2004)

I found South Beach and love it.  Eating habits and lifestlye changed and happier.


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## Otter (Sep 16, 2004)

I lost 50 pounds easily on low fat, but gained it all back rapidly (satisfied my craving for bacon and cheeseburgers). I lost 50 pounds easily on low carb, but gained it all back (satisfied my craving for bagels, muffins and cereal). A couple years ago, I decided that I was going to eat whatever I wanted - only in more moderate proportions. I took off the 50 pounds again (reached my recommended weight) and have kept it off for over a year and a half. Basically I slowly reduced my portion size (and caloric intake), but eat the variety I need to feel satisfied. It's simple to me: eat more calories than your body metabolism burns and you will gain weight, eat less and you will lose weight - but people don't want to hear that - they want a gimmick.


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## Alix (Sep 16, 2004)

Otter, that is what I believe too. Although I am trying to get healthy by doing more exercise. As you can see from the number of posts I make each day...motivation can be an issue for me! LOL. Seriously though, I have a friend who is a dietician/nutritionist and she says that you NEED every food group to maintain a healthy body and the only way to lose weight and be healthy the whole time is to lower caloric intake and up exercise. Good for you on the 50lbs thing BTW, lots of work went into that I bet.


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## mudbug (Sep 16, 2004)

I agree with Otter and Alix.  Since July I have lost 10 pounds by exercising more (walking and Tai Chi), drinking at least four bottles of water a day, but otherwise just trying to eat a balanced diet.  I even have a glass of wine (OK, two) while fixing dinner.  Counting points, carbs, calories, yada yada is too complicated for me.  This may not work for those with diabetes and other medical conditions where you have to be more vigilant.


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## Otter (Sep 17, 2004)

What I found is that if I ate something that I didn't like just because it filled a dietary criteria I wasn't satisfied and wound up eating what I did want later. The net result was that I wound up consuming more than I would have if I had just eaten what I wanted in the first place. This week I've had beer, wine, bagels, french fries, cereal, bread, cheeseburgers, prime rib, salami, cheese, rocky road ice cream and a variety of other foods that people would consider diet busters depending on which hula hoop diet they are on. I prepare reasonable portions at home and never leave a restaurant without a full doggy bag.


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## Audeo (Sep 17, 2004)

Okay.  You kids have finally hit upon a subject near and dear to my heart.  And what I have to say on the subject of diets, in general, is not widely appreciated, but it is certainly widely proven in clinical circles.  Just ask your own doctor!

Beyond our individual genetic predisposition toward weight (were your parents, grandparents heavy or thin?), whether or not a person gains or loses weight is very simple.  It all hinges upon using up more calories than you consume.  Period.  The leading causes of death in the US today -- stroke, heart disease, diabetes -- are directly attributable to *what we eat, how little* (if any) * we exercise*, and *the levels of stress* in our daily lives.  Lasting weight loss requires the same thing as creating a healthier retirement:  a lifestyle change!

I wholly agree that we, as a culture, consume way too many carbohydrates.  But I'm going to be honest and tell you that "Low-Carb" diets wreak more harm than you can imagine upon your cardiovascular system, and for a diabetic is the absolute kiss of crisis.  The idea of throwing your body voluntarily into a state of ketosis scares the dickens out of me!  And I know the effects firsthand -- I help my patients cope with the consequences every day.

Let me also add here that I have never had a patient with problems caused by the Weight-Watchers Diet.  To me, it is a very sensible approach and I'm all for it.

Unfortunately, it seems we Yanks have a cultural need for a "quick fix."  This "need" is so deeply ingrained into our society, we have become easy prey by savvy marketers.  Trust me, there is NO quick fix to weight loss!

Boys and girls, please do yourselves (and selfishly to me) a favor:  accept your genetic predispositions to size and weight...give up on being skinny at the age of 45 (unless you have a genetic predisposition to same) and just go get HEALTHY!

Eat more fruits and vegetables!  Lay off so many starches!  Cut down on the amounts of saturated fats you consume!  Remember that too much of anything is no longer a good thing and cut down on the amount of food you eat!  And MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, get your royal laurels up-- at any point in the day -- and get your heart revving!  Go for a long, FAST walk; pull out the bicycle and terrorize the neighborhood kids; pump some weight using cans from your pantry...but GET ACTIVE!!!!!

Please forgive the diatribe.  And understand that I have an increasingly vested interest in your health -- I love it here, and all of you is why!


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## mudbug (Sep 17, 2004)

Audeo said:
			
		

> Okay.  You kids have finally hit upon a subject near and dear to my heart.  And what I have to say on the subject of diets, in general, is not widely appreciated, but it is certainly widely proven in clinical circles.  Just ask your own doctor!
> 
> Beyond our individual genetic predisposition toward weight (were your parents, grandparents heavy or thin?), whether or not a person gains or loses weight is very simple.  It all hinges upon using up more calories than you consume.  Period.  The leading causes of death in the US today -- stroke, heart disease, diabetes -- are directly attributable to *what we eat, how little* (if any) * we exercise*, and *the levels of stress* in our daily lives.  Lasting weight loss requires the same thing as creating a healthier retirement:  a lifestyle change!
> 
> ...



Well said, as usual, Audeo.  Sensible and eloquent.


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## Otter (Sep 20, 2004)

Don't want to be confrontational, but I think that inside every fat person there is a thin person struggling to get out. If weight is genetic, why is the the percentage of fat/obese increasing every year? To me, it's simple - people are eating more, much more, every year. I'm to the point where I can't even go to a buffet any more - I used to like them because I could get a good sampling of a variety of foods - but now the customers make it  look like a slop tank at a hog farm.


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## Audeo (Sep 21, 2004)

Otter, I don't find you confrontational at all!  Furthermore, I find you 100% correct.  Genetics don't decide wholly whether a person will be obese or not, but they most certainly do determine whether or not a person will struggle with weight gain or loss throughout their life.

Obesity has climbed in such epidemic proportions during the last 20 years in our American population that the condition is now qualified as a disease by the Center for Disease Control.  Why?  Because of the tragic health consequences:  high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type-2 diabetes, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, gout, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, some types of cancer (endometrial, breast, prostate, colon), complications in pregnancy (gestational diabetes, hypertension and pre-eclampsia, as well as operative delivery complications), poor female reproductive health (menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation), bladder control problems, and on and on and on.  All of these conditions, while they certain occur in the population on their own, have been identified as the direct result of obesity and are increasing at a frightening rate among Americans, especially...and in direct proportion to the increase in obesity.

I completely agree with you when you said "inside every fat person there is a thin person struggling to get out."  Our society has done everything in its marketing power to demand that.  We are raised on the belief that skinny is beautiful...supported by thousands of daily visuals of near emaciated models with shiny muscles.  Heck, tons of research performed among HR folk over the years have shown that obese people are even perceived in our society as being lazy and dismotivated -- and that is absolutely the most insidious and downright STUPID thing I can imagine.  

No one, down deep, truly wants to be obese.  Yet, reversing obesity is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult tasks on the planet, as well as one of the most important.  We humans seek the quick fix, hence the multi-billion dollar market of dieting fads that range widely in effectiveness and additional health consequences.  Precious few work, and those that do are more likely the result of a managed nutrition plan coupled with exercise.

In my perfect world, I would have people focus NOT on losing weight, but upon creating a healthier lifestyle, through which weight loss would ultimately come.  Beyond pulling up to a dinner table with healthier menus of more fruits, vegetables and grains than fried meats and fat-laden sauces, I want people to recognize that we are a very sedentary society spent behind a desk for the most part and that regular exercise (which in one generation back was a requirement in living our lives) is critical to the health of our bodies. 

"If weight is genetic, why is the percentage of fat/obese increasing every year?"  The ability to become obese is genetically-determined.  The reason why obesity is increasing is two-fold (oversimplified, but true):

1.  What we eat (fast food and highly imbalanced diets); and

2.  How little, if any, we exercise.

And there is a third critical element to the dilema.  Getting healthy, as well as achieving a LASTING weight loss, requires a lifestyle change.  And that ain't easy, nor is it remotely pleasant to argue with yourself constantly.  As the saying goes, "Old habits die hard."  Indeed.  And that is why most people choose to ignore subtle symptoms and keep plugging away in their difficult, complicated and fast-paced, busy lives until a crisis occurs (heart attack, stroke, etc.).  At that point, faced with the undeniable fact of mortality, people are finally motivated to change.  

Good heavens, forgive the verbosity.  And may I also add that these are my personal opinions only and certainly not of this board, that so generously has allowed me the opportunity to share same.


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## masteraznchefjr (Sep 21, 2004)

my dad calls this the rice diet. You eat whole grain rice or something like that and eat "rabbit food" and lots of kim chi. I have no clue how he did it. he probably ran a lot too lol. he went from a triple chin sumo to like 120lbs skinny asian.


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## pancake (Sep 21, 2004)

masteraznchefjr said:
			
		

> my dad calls this the rice diet. You eat whole grain rice or something like that and eat "rabbit food" and lots of kim chi. I have no clue how he did it. he probably ran a lot too lol. he went from a triple chin sumo to like 120lbs skinny asian.



This sounds great ! why the rabbit though?


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## middie (Sep 21, 2004)

"rabbit food"  probably meaning lots of lettuce and carrots


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## SierraCook (Sep 22, 2004)

I just recently, since May, I have lost 35 pounds.  What I have done is reduced my portion sizes, I only eat when I am hungry, cut out or reduced the amounts of junk food that I eat, and have been exercising more.  I stop eating before I get full.  Remember it is not a crime to leave food on your plate or take it home for leftovers.  I must say that I feel better than I have felt in years.  I have lost 2 pants sizes.  It is wonderful.

SC


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## aruzinsky (Oct 14, 2004)

Audeo said:
			
		

> Okay.  You kids have finally hit upon a subject near and dear to my heart.  And what I have to say on the subject of diets, in general, is not widely appreciated, but it is certainly widely proven in clinical circles.  Just ask your own doctor!
> 
> Beyond our individual genetic predisposition toward weight (were your parents, grandparents heavy or thin?), whether or not a person gains or loses weight is very simple.  It all hinges upon using up more calories than you consume.  Period.  The leading causes of death in the US today -- stroke, heart disease, diabetes -- are directly attributable to *what we eat, how little* (if any) * we exercise*, and *the levels of stress* in our daily lives.  Lasting weight loss requires the same thing as creating a healthier retirement:  a lifestyle change!
> 
> ...



All that talk and you never said "weight loss diet."  Here is a cheap weight gain diet that I guarantee will work on any non-diabetic.  Eat at least 5 lbs. of mashed potatoes every day.


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## kansasgirl (Oct 14, 2004)

I myself have lost 80 pounds and have kept it off for 4+ years.  My husband has lost 125+. I can only offer the things that worked for us. I did not follow a 'diet', but rather a lifestyle change.

1.Eat as many whole foods as possible. If it comes in a box or a can, opt out of it. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats such as olive, flax, pumpkin, and canola oils.
2.Limit the amount of refined carbs. Generally 'white' carbs (breads, muffins, rice, potatoes) are the worst offenders. Opt for dark breads, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
3.Get to know the glycemic index. Go to mendosa.com. Lots of valuable info for everyone, including diabetics.
4.Get as much exercise as possible. People complain they don't have the time. Make the time. It does not have to be a 45 min workout everyday. Try parking the car at the far end of the parking lot and walking in to the store. Take the dog for a walk. Play with your kids in the yard. Dance to great music. Do something to get the heart and the mind moving.

Losing weight takes effort. It is not easy to get started, but the rewards are endless.


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## debthecook (Oct 15, 2004)

I gravitate between size 10 and size 12 and have enough clothes for both. If the 12 gets tight......I do the model thing. OJ for breakfast. Vitamin pill. Order a sandwhich and eat half.  Eat half of everything. Order a piece of cake and take 2 bites. SALADS SALADS SALADS.  NO BOOZE. ITS NOT EASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Your stomach shrinks down if you give it a week, until the next great holiday meal.


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## beerco (Oct 18, 2004)

*I second Audeo's comments*

It definitely takes a lifestyle change to do it.  Eat less, exercise more and things will work.  I personally went from 201lbs down to 165 with a body fat %-age of around 11.  I'm currently up to 12% (170lbs) and found an interesting website in my quest to hit 10% which I think could help most people.

www.fitday.com

This is a free online calorie intake/expenditure counter.  As Audeo alluded to, it can really be boiled down to calories in vs calories out.  when calories out > calories in, you lose weight.  This website helps you plan a diet which will work.

Like most foodies, I love to eat.  The only time I'm not thinking about my next meal is about 10 minutes after my last meal (even then I'm often thinking about the next one).  However, I've managed to find a hobby (bike racing) which allows me to eat 3~4000 cal /day and still either hold or lose weight.

Good luck!


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## GaArt (Nov 1, 2004)

I did a modified Sugar Busters.. Lost 20 lbs.. I have gained about 4 back, but I've been way off the diet. 

I eat alot. Just no flour, sugar or white potato.. I did eat a little sugar and a little potato. But cut it with Splenda/Sugar or Yam/potato. 
If I ate bread, I ate half of what I wanted and open face sandwiches. 
But like I said lately I've been cramming .. only I think I might be allergic to wheat. So I am experimenting with various flours. 
I made a banana spice cake with rice, soy, and tapioca flour that is de lish ous... Warm for breakfast. 

But I really need to get back on the diet. I want to lose another 30 lbs and I'll be happy. 

I ate all kinds of fruit including dried apricots and prunes, No raisins. 
I ate meat, cheese, and veggies. Salad, sweet potatoes ( baked, sliced and fried in pnut butter... yum). Of course no chips, popcorn. Tried to stay away  from bananas, corn and carrots. But I think carrots are too good for you to stay too far away from.  
Oh and lots of nuts. Esp. Almonds.


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## tutu (Jan 3, 2005)

*diet that works*

I did the" fit for life" diet from feb 1999- may 1999. I lost about 40 pounds and have kept it off for the past 6 yrs.   Buy the Fit for life book by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond.  It works like no other diet.  Strict diet but well worth it.  My whole life has changed since losing the weight.


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