Dietary changes

[PrincessFiona]

Anyone making changes to their diet in 2015? I'm sort of mulling over how I can eat a healthier diet but still be satisfied. I'm a real meat and potatoes kind of gal ... darnit. I have failed at so many "diets" that I'm really stuck with what "normal eating" actually is.

Kris

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Dietary changes

I'm a big weight watchers proponent. It helped me lose almost 70lbs and keep most of it off for the past 4 years. I'm up 16 lbs from where I was and back on WW again. I cook a lot of cookinglight recipes that fit within the plan. I also track on myfitnesspal.

ETA I also struggle with "normal eating" but I do feel like weight watchers really helps me with that (portioning, building in treats, etc). I'm happy to give more details of my experience if you're interested.

[poky]

I've been tracking on myfitnesspal on and off (mostly on) since August; mostly, it made me realize how many more calories I was eating than I needed to/should, and mostly just for comfort rather than hunger. I cut my breakfasts and lunches down so I could eat decent dinners and still have some calories left over for dessert. At the first of the year I started doing at least a LITTLE exercise every day, which gives me a little more wiggle room with the food.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

I've been tracking on myfitnesspal on and off (mostly on) since August; mostly, it made me realize how many more calories I was eating than I needed to/should, and mostly just for comfort rather than hunger. I cut down my breakfasts and lunches down so I could eat decent dinners and still have some calories left over for dessert. At the first of the year I started doing at least a LITTLE exercise every day, which gives me a little more wiggle room with the food.

You've been doing so awesome, btw!

[PrincessFiona]

I'd love to hear more about your WW experience. To me, this seems like a more balanced approach. I'll never give up my potatoes, so maybe I should embrace them and figure out how to have a nice lifetyle diet.

Kris

[spotty_dog]

I have to say that the Vegan Before 6 plan is still basically doing it for me. I bend the rules constantly, but knowing that there are supposed to be rules helps to keep me in check, you know? Microwave nachos for a snack = no way Jose, but a couple of thin slices of artisanal cheese on a nice quality cracker? Worth it. Nothing at dinner is off-limits but I'm conscious to take big portions of veggies and to eat my meat entree slowly and stop early...serving myself just 1 chicken thigh and sometimes giving part of it to the kids when they want seconds, instead of starting with two because "protein is filling". White rice, potatoes, regular pasta also get the "start with less and eat slowly" treatment. Also, if I have a totally carnivorous or cheesy-heavy lunch, I might skip the meat at dinner. That kind of thing.

I was definitely slacking at it for the past few weeks, but for the new year I'm trying to get back on the wagon. I'm also back to my "30 active minutes" goal on Fitbit, and reducing my alcohol a bit.

We just heard a thing on NPR about how sugar is worse for your heart than salt and could be more addicting than cocaine. O_o Makes me want to be crazy vigilant for added sugars in packaged products and taking it easy on the desserts! https://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/01/...ealth-research

[ladymoreta]

I did well on Weight Watchers the first time around - lost about 20 lbs. I've also done well with South Beach, but that's probably not what you're looking for. I think the running theme that's worked for me with both of those is meal planning. When I'm following them, I plan my meals and my snacks throughout the day. When I'm not following them, I may graze all day long. Or I may not eat much throughout the day and way overeat at supper.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

WW is too expensive for me (I was doing WW online in the past) so I'm going to do MyFitnessPal. But I have to download the newest update for iOS first before it'll let me re-download it. Blah.

I never paid for it...I just use an online calculator and myfitnesspal. Totally doable without a real membership (read: I'm cheap).

I can post my resources etc. on here if more than one person wants them (tomorrow on a computer). Otherwise, I'll just send Kris a private message (since it's longish).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ladymoreta]

I only did WW online. Never went to any meetings.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Sorry it's so long:

To lose weight, I do WW 6 days a week - the 7th day I take as a free day (this is not how the regular plan goes, I have also given the regular plan below with the links).

I use the old weight watchers because you can easily do the math in your head (vs the new system which is way too complex -- plus, on the new system, you get unlimited fruit which would be very dangerous for me). There are calculators online that will tell you how to do the old system (and the new system); I've posted the links I use below.

WW works best for me because I can still eat anything I wanted (including eating out), I just had to limit portions and account for my food. I record everything I eat online, except my free day (although I don't think it's necessarily bad to record your off day to help you be conscious of what you're actually consuming. They have also done small studies that have indicated that writing down or keeping a photo journal of your food can help with satiety).

I usually try to limit refined sugar and eat at least a little protein with every meal (not necessary on the plan but it helps with my cravings and satiety). Every week I take one day off and eat whatever I want (usually to the point that I'm sick and can't wait to eat healthy again &#128563. I don't keep any food I can't resist around the house. Whatever I eat on my free day that has leftovers is frozen or given/thrown away.

For me it's fluid. Sometimes I have great willpower (first 6 months of 2014) and sometimes I really struggle (most of the last 6 months of 2014). My weight still fluctuates if I'm not being conscientious of my diet (I have a tendency to eat nonstop out of boredom) but it goes back to normal surprisingly quickly on WW when I start keeping track of points again. I am a firm believer that your body gets comfortable at a weight and will stick there for a while until you force it one way or the other (which can be good when you go on vacation and eat crap for a week)!

I think weight watchers makes it easier to power through those plateaus because it's not overly restrictive (like other diets I've tried (I'm looking at you south beach! I love you when I have an event coming up where I want to look great in a dress, but otherwise, you slay me))! For me, I tend to lose steadily and then camp out at a weight for a week or two (or even gain a pound or two before it will drop again).

In terms of exercise, it helps me - but I can lose the same amount of weight through weight watchers without it (obviously it's different if you're doing high intensity, that WILL make you lose a lot faster but it's hard for me to keep it up). Moderate exercise helps me with toning (I just look better) and also seems to act as a bit of an appetite suppressant (heavy exercise will just make me feel like I'm starving all the time though). Plus, if I do it in the morning, I don't want to eat unhealthy later because I feel like I'm undoing my good workout results.

The first 40lbs or so that I lost I did without exercising; the rest was with exercise (as my weightloss slows--and it does as you become smaller). Now I usually do it because I feel better, whether walking/jogging, recumbent bike or yoga. I think making diet changes and then exercise changes a week or two later (or vice versa) makes things a bit easier...doing it all at once is challenging (at least for me)! I also use a fitness band to track my steps which helps remind me to get up and walk around at work or not sit on the sofa all day when it's cold out! 😉

Finally, it is 1,000 times easier when your spouse/family is onboard; however, it's totally doable on your own too. If anyone has questions or just wants to be diet buddies, please don't hesitate to email or message me - it's definitely easier with support. I'm also on myfitnesspal if you end up using it to track food/exercise. Also, have a HUGE number of lower calorie recipes on Pinterest if you're interested (mostly cooking light but a few others too)! The great thing is that the vast majority of these don't taste diet (mainly because they're not, they just try using less of the high fat ingredients and portion control), so your family will eat/enjoy them even if not following (and they can always take a bigger portion of need be). I try to delete the ones that we've tried and hated. If you want to be really accurate in calculating calories, get a food scale and weigh out/divide the ingredients/portions by weight - we do this and package them individually for lunches or future dinners.

There are definitely days I struggle but once you get into a groove, it's not bad at all! Especially if you have a day off!

Here is the link for calculating your daily points allowance:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4871046_calc...ts.html#page=0 - you can either do my method of following those points 6-days a week with one free day OR the original program says that you get your daily points allowance (7-days a week) plus 35 extra points per week (can be consumed any time - so 5 extra points a day, all in one day, etc.)

Here's the calculator for a food's point value (to use the old program that I've outlined above, use the one labeled "previous"):

http://www.calculatorcat.com/free_ca...lculator.phtml

On the fly you can just go with: every 50 calories = 1 point; 12g of fat = 1 point; 4g of fiber = -1 point (but only the first 4g of fiber count).

So a food that is 150calories/6g of fat/2g of fiber would have 3 points (3 points + .5 points -.5 points).

Hope that helps get anyone who is interested started!

[PrincessFiona]

Wow. Thanks.

Kris

[Auspicious]

That's a great post.

1. Does MFP allow you to track ww points, or just calories? How do you track ww on MFP?

2. How can we find you on Pinterest? I'm interested. I think you posted a few recipe links quite a while ago that I tried and liked, if I'm remembering right.


(I'm currently taking another run at my health, tracking calories with Lose It again. Vaguely wondering if I should be considering trying WW or MFP instead.)

[poky]

That's a great post.

1. Does MFP allow you to track ww points, or just calories? How do you track ww on MFP?

2. How can we find you on Pinterest? I'm interested. I think you posted a few recipe links quite a while ago that I tried and liked, if I'm remembering right.


(I'm currently taking another run at my health, tracking calories with Lose It again. Vaguely wondering if I should be considering trying WW or MFP instead.)

You scan barcodes or search and enter foods (recent and frequent foods stay easy to find to re-use), and you can put in your own "recipes", too (I use that for common dinners that we throw together so I don't have to add all the ingredients every time, or guess based on someone else's entered version of the same food that's probably different).

There appears to be a greasemonkey script available that will translate the food you entered into ww points in a browser, but it's not built in, and you won't see ww points on the phone app: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ints-free.html

And here's someone who compared WW to MFP (I don't think she's right about the scanning in MFP; I've found it to be REALLY good, and it DOES let me enter the food if it doesn't find the barcode):
http://www.itssarahsstory.com/#!Fitn...C-DC99E5724F09

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Dietary changes

1. Does MFP allow you to track ww points, or just calories? How do you track ww on MFP?

MFP just tracks calories - I put the points values in the notes section in my diary.

2. How can we find you on Pinterest? I'm interested. I think you posted a few recipe links quite a while ago that I tried and liked, if I'm remembering right.

My username is bellybuttonane on Pinterest.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

You scan barcodes or search and enter foods (recent and frequent foods stay easy to find to re-use), and you can put in your own "recipes", too (I use that for common dinners that we throw together so I don't have to add all the ingredients every time, or guess based on someone else's entered version of the same food that's probably different).

I love using the barcodes to do my recipes...just scan and add to the recipe...does all the calculating work for you!