I'm lost - Favorite diet/nutrition book?

[Anonymous]

Here's your chance to evangelize! Any recent nutrition book (or plan) you would recommend--ideally something pretty balanced, without complicated restrictions and covering new research. I have 20 lbs to lose and need some sort of "organizing principle" since I am just sort of aimlessly snacking on somewhat healthier foods at this point... I can cook so I don't think I need detailed recipes, though fine if they are included, more just some guidelines and ideas.

[Anonymous]

Beck Diet Book for mental part - works with any plan

[Anonymous]

Age? Sex?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's your chance to evangelize! Any recent nutrition book (or plan) you would recommend--ideally something pretty balanced, without complicated restrictions and covering new research. I have 20 lbs to lose and need some sort of "organizing principle" since I am just sort of aimlessly snacking on somewhat healthier foods at this point... I can cook so I don't think I need detailed recipes, though fine if they are included, more just some guidelines and ideas.

Honestly, you probably just need to use one of the logging apps. I use My Fitness Pal. That will help you get a better handle of how much/how many calories you are eating—regardless of healthy/unhealthy—and for me at least it helps me mentally not eat too much of foods I would rather not log. E.g., I am fine with logging a square of dark chocolate, but I really don’t want to log a whole bar.

The various apps also provide insight on approximate caloric intake/deficits you will need to reach your goal weight.

I like MFP as it has a decent database of foods so logging doesn’t take much time. Most of the apps will sync with your watch or mobile device to track your exercise, but while that is useful information, you may find it best to stick with the caloric recommendation without taking into account the calories burned by excercising, especially since you are only looking to lose 20 lbs. But if you are not exercising regularly, you will be amazed at how great the combo of weight loss and any increase in exercise makes you feel!

[Anonymous]

You don't need a book. There are a ton of podcasts out there with real, common sense advice being offered by doctors and trained/skilled/educated nutritionists.

Don't overcomplicate what is actually a pretty simple process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a book. There are a ton of podcasts out there with real, common sense advice being offered by doctors and trained/skilled/educated nutritionists.

Don't overcomplicate what is actually a pretty simple process.

Which podcasts would you recommend?

[Anonymous]

Here are the rules.

Low to no added sugar
As little that comes in a bag or box with an ingredient label as possible
Lots of vegetables
Good fruit
Fish as much as possible rather than meat

And the corollaries:
Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry
Get exercise every day
Visit your doctor regularly for screening

That’s basically it.

[Anonymous]

One more. Whole grains only except rare occasions.

[Anonymous]

My favorite is still French Women Don’t Get Fat. A focus on pleasure without the nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Try to add things, instead of focusing on restricting. Add two big servings of vegetables to your plate before any other food. Drink a lot of water (I chug a glass every odd number hour of the day). Eat two good sized plates of food a day, maybe one snack sized plate if needed , but no snacks. You will feel hungry sometimes right before meals. Hunger means you are losing weight! It’s not fun but it is pretty simple.

Don’t worry about adding exercise yet, focus on your diet for a few months. Lifelong fitness means small changes over time. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a book. There are a ton of podcasts out there with real, common sense advice being offered by doctors and trained/skilled/educated nutritionists.

Don't overcomplicate what is actually a pretty simple process.

Which podcasts would you recommend?

Weight loss for busy physicians (not just for doctors).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is still French Women Don’t Get Fat. A focus on pleasure without the nonsense.

Agree with this. The author also started intermittent fasting after having her 4th kid and made some YouTube videos about her diet successes. If you are a normal white woman looking to lose a bit of weight with basic lifestyle changes, I would just do what she did. It works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a book. There are a ton of podcasts out there with real, common sense advice being offered by doctors and trained/skilled/educated nutritionists.

Don't overcomplicate what is actually a pretty simple process.

Which podcasts would you recommend?

Weight loss for busy physicians (not just for doctors).

Thanks for the suggestions, OP here. I've just started on the podcast (and I'd seen a rec for her work elsewhere so the advice is converging!), and began on her "battling confusion" episode. Which basically said you should not overtheorize dieting and you should not let planning/confusion be a means of procrastination, which fair enough, is what all of you guys are telling me too

That said, I do think a little food guidance is helpful if only to counter my inevitable decision fatigue and failure to plan that returns me to the cycle of: putting off thinking about meals --> not having anything healthy/nutritious at hand --> eating something crappy --> OR not eating anything (and then hating the diet and wanting to quit).

(I'm 5' 9", mid-40s, up to 175lbs post-pandemic, highest ever. So goal is 155 lbs. (Fighting weight is really more like 145, but I have fallen in quite a rut so trying to make goals manageable.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a book. There are a ton of podcasts out there with real, common sense advice being offered by doctors and trained/skilled/educated nutritionists.

Don't overcomplicate what is actually a pretty simple process.

Which podcasts would you recommend?

This is PP. Here are the health/nutrition related podcasts I look forward to and listen to throughout every week while driving, cleaning the house, working out:
1) The Doctor's Farmacy - Dr. Mark Hyman is brilliant. His episodes are heavily related to using food as medicine hence the "F" in Farmacy
2) The Model Health Show - has nothing to do with models
3) Ask the Health Expert - what I like about her episodes is that they're on the shorter side and offer practical advice and knowledge
4) The Genius Life

the rest of my podcasts are either related to topics on skin/beauty or reality tv