Weight loss- what diet rules

FoodC

Some of you want to lose weight. What trick do you use? What diet rules? Does anyone of you use a nutritionist's help?
Do you guys have your own nutrition rules or maybe some of you considering about go to nutritionist?

bladespin

Use My Fitness Pal app to track your calories, aim for about 20% below your requirement. Do a bit of exercise to help it along.

Simple as that really, no great secret but the bit that trips many up is underestimating how many calories they really consume and trying too hard at the start making it a chore when it doesn’t have to be.

rolling boh

Cut down on snacks ie biscuits sweets etc eat a good bit of fruit and veg watch portion sizes find time to be active .Worked for me lost 2 stone over a few months still have some treats but really just tidied up my diet and now it's the norm for me .I think many are surprised the calories in a lot of snacks combined with inactive lifestyle results in weight gain quite quickly.

Macy0161

It's calories in v calories out. The method for achieving that is very individual. Calorie counting, intermittent fasting, low carb etc etc for weight loss are just methods of maintaining a deficit. People can be quite passionate about their method, claiming additional reasons for success above and beyond calories in v calories out, but with limited/ sketchy/ dodgy scientific evidence.

Getting away from it being "a diet", into a change of diet is what will make it sustainable imo.

What worked for me was calorie counting, I estimating my TDEE, and worked to a 500 calorie deficit from food. I also then tried to "earn" 500 calories from exercise. If I was doing it again, I'd work to a percentage based deficit (15%). I probably under-fuelled my training too, once I'd got into that space, rather than just exercising. I went from over 120kg to maintaining around 70kg, over 5+ years with several targets, and maintenance periods along the way (achievable targets, then went maintenance for a while, and then set a new target).

Starting off it was really just portion control, but my diet has changed massively over the years through gradual changes, which I think has made it sustainable. I still track, and while I did have misgivings about carrying on, I've subsequently discovered that the evidence is that the biggest thing people who lose substantial weight and keep it off do, compared to those that lose the weight and put it back on, is to carry on keeping a food diary.

I only discovered him very late on, but Scott Baptie/ Foodforfitness.co.uk is very good imo on science based, sustainable advice. He has a good book, and his high protein handbook e-recipe books are great.

FoodC

Yeah it is really good to know how to eat.
When I work with my patients I prepare indywidual meal plan for their needs, but for myself I use my intuition which isn't always clever, but I still eat healthy
Anyway, there is some people who really need a nutritionist's advice and I am glad those people can find this help

jaykhunter

FoodC wrote: »

Some of you want to lose weight. What trick do you use? What diet rules? Does anyone of you use a nutritionist's help?

I've lost 9 stone since last April (300 -> 175lbs) no tricks - eating healthily, smart substitutions. Like 1 calorie oil spray instead of real oil while frying. Coke zero instead of full sugar coke. Fat free yogurt instead of Muller corners. Really reeling in the bread (2 slices of wholemeal or gluten-free bread per day max). Cooking for myself instead of pre-packaged foods (so I know exactly what's in it). Tons of fruit (not avocado) as it's quite filling and full of water and fibre (oranges stop me eating chocolate or crisps because they're so sweet).

I'd echo Macy's excellent advice that how you can get to 'taking in less calories than you burn off' is very individual - Americans are wild for Keto and IF. Others do straight up CICO but I finally found success with a weight loss group (Slimming World) - I love the group dynamic and turning weight loss into a social thing, getting invested in other people's journeys and getting their tips and recommendations I wouldn't find otherwise. I have as many plates of dinner as I want but I changed the ratios - roughly half vegetables, ¼ meat, ¼ carb. Flavour them with stock pots, spices, herbs.

It's worth noting that 70-80% of weight loss is via what you eat. Just going about your day is where the bulk of your calories are burned! So you don't need to exercise (although it's great for you for clearing the head, fitness and losing inches) but it's not great for weight loss - it'll make u hungrier and you might feel u deserve a treat, and blowing the couple hundred calories you burned... so I would recommend sorting your fridge first. You can't outrun your fork is so very true!

Whatever ya choose, make it something you can do for the long term. The aim is to create a roster of meals you're happy to eat regularly, so you can go on autopilot. Best of luck!

JH_raheny

The only diet that works is the one you can stick to, it is that simple really.
For some it is about only putting half the amount on the plate for a few months, others do better cutting out sugar/carbs/fat..... Alcohol.... Big sinner :-)
And don't deny yourself some of the sinful stuff, have a pig day every week or fortnight.

silverharp

find a way of eating to satiety , if you are always hungry willpower will fade. Dont demonize fat especially saturated and by implication look for low fat everything, you are missing out on foods that can increase satiety levels. ive had day where i eat a croissant with a good dollop of butter for breakfast and not think about food til dinner. Dont bet against the French, they know their food

Patsy167

The diet that is easiest to follow in the long run is your best bet. Long term adherence is the key to sustaining your goals. When I start overthinking things, I always go back to the famous 8 words - "Eat real food, mainly plants, not too much"

GeetarPick

I wouldn't be keen on veg when presented to me however I love soup. So put your 5 a day with a meat accompaniment into a soup and boom you are sorted.

Highly recommend the instant pot for soup. Just bung all in, hit the soup setting and you're good to go. The IP also retains all of the vitamins and minerals you need.

silverharp

GeetarPick wrote: »

I wouldn't be keen on veg when presented to me however I love soup. So put your 5 a day with a meat accompaniment into a soup and boom you are sorted.

Highly recommend the instant pot for soup. Just bung all in, hit the soup setting and you're good to go. The IP also retains all of the vitamins and minerals you need.

5 a day was just a marketing campaign for Californian farmers back in the 80's that somehow got legs. it should be fairly down the list of dietary rules that need to be followed

Alf Veedersane

GeetarPick wrote: »

Highly recommend the instant pot for soup. Just bung all in, hit the soup setting and you're good to go. The IP also retains all of the vitamins and minerals you need.

Probably does them well enough but soup just needs a pot and the pot will retain everything unless you've confused a pot and a colander

GeetarPick

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Probably does them well enough but soup just needs a pot and the pot will retain everything unless you've confused a pot and a colander

Hey listen anything I can bung into and leave is better than any pot mister.

Alf Veedersane

GeetarPick wrote: »

Hey listen anything I can bung into and leave is better than any pot mister.

No disrespect to the instant pot. Just pitch at more than soup! :pac:

_DMac_

Someone above said myfitnesspal app. I will add one more thing. Buy a small scale's for food and weight out proper portions for a few weeks. Track all your food intake with myfitnesspal. I dropped 15kg in 2 months just from eating proper adult portions. My issue was I was constantly eating what I taught was an adult portion but when I weighed them out I realised was eating 2-3 adult portions for nearly all my meals and no amount of training could burn if off.

GeetarPick

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

No disrespect to the instant pot. Just pitch at more than soup! :pac:

I'll stick with my easily made stir fries for variance thank you.