Sick of being overweight - diet alone is not cutting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I thought that is a good thing? Or are all carbs bad?

It's good from a nutrient perspective but not a weight loss perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I thought that is a good thing? Or are all carbs bad?

Broccoli and a banana are not the same thing. Eat a lot of fruit that isn't berries and you get a lot of sugar. Eat a lot of corn and white potatoes and your body gets a similar surge of blood sugar.

Do you eat a lot of lettuce of different kinds, plus other green, red, orange, and yellow vegetables, plus cauliflower? All good.

This is clarifying. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Get rid of the granola (loaded with calories), steel cut oats and brown rice. Too much starch and carbs. You need more protein. How about a green smoothie with unsweetened almond milk and an egg for breakfast? And no processed sugar, no candy bars. Just cut them completely out. Have a piece of dark chocolate instead, a small piece.

Steel cut oats and brown rice are fine...you just need to avoid the "white" carbs. You need some level of carbs especially if you are building muscle. Obviously don't make them your primary calorie source, but a serving of brown rice to go with your chicken is perfectly fine. Keep protein intake to about double your carb intake and you should be fine.

I disagree. Once her system is hormonally balanced and not insulin resistant, she can add a sensible amount of rice a day and it doesn't even need to be brown. For now she's looking to make the weight loss happen, and would welcome diminished cravings and no hunger, I assume. She can get plenty plenty of carbs from really healthy vegetables. Rice every other day with one meal should be fine but at this stage rice twice a day not good.

It doesn't have to be twice a day, but daily is fine...and brown carbs are better than white processed carbs because they have a lower glycemic index so it takes your body longer to convert them into sugar. I don't think OP is diabetic...or did she mention that earlier?

She's not diabetic (or at least she didn't say she was) but if she's like almost all other Americans with a weight issue, her hormones are out of wack. It's why a heavy friend can eat fewer calories than a trim one can and still not lose weight or even gain weight.

The goal in eating high quality plant carbs (so very little grains, white potatoes, corn, etc) and a higher amount of protein is to turn on her body's natural hormonal balance again so that eating food charges her metabolism, causes fat burning instead of fat storing (which is one problem with sugar and white carbs), releases the hormones that cause feeling full instead of the horomone signals of "eat, eat, eat". The truth about rice is that white rice and brown rice aren't too different in this regard if you only have a 3/4 cup with a meal several times a week. That's a much better "cheat" for her now than bread or all of the other white/brown carbs she's eating.

With a working metabolism and a high quality diet, you can have rice daily without returning to a hormonal imbalance. Some people can have a sandwich with bread once a day instead of rice but not everyone, and not me.

So cut out all grains, even the good ones? ("Good")? I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I recently went from being vegetarian to being vegan, so here's what I'm thinking an improved menu would look like:

Breakfast: Green smoothie (leafy vegetables, celery, fruit, almond milk, add ground flaxseed)

Lunch: Salad with almonds and evoo-based dressing. Or roasted root vegetables, a green vegetable, and beans.

Dinner: Vegetables and lentils. Fruit for dessert.

Still only drink herbal and green tea, sparkling and still water. (I don't drink coffee or alcohol.) Based on your responses, I'm giving up the processed carbs completely! Cutting out any (processed) sweets seems important. But is not easy!

I've just started an eight week beginner's running program. And will head to the gym to learn some lifting moves from DH.

I think I'm especially bummed because pre-pregnancy I was never, ever overweight and ate and drank what I liked. I was active, but not much more than I am now. I've never had to lose weight before, and it is harder than I ever thought it would be!

Thanks for all your responses and support!

Add some protein powder to your morning smoothie, and some kind of protein (garbanzos, another kind of bean) to your lunch salad. Nuts don't have *that* much protein, even though they have that reputation. You definitely need more protein.

I'm the PP recommending you lift: how qualified is your husband to teach you? Just because he lifts doesn't mean he can teach it, and you really don't want to jump into Olympic lifting. Most people can't even squat correctly, let alone do a clean.

He's a certified Olympic weightlifting coach, on top of participating in Olympic weightlifting competitions. He's going to show me some strength training moves, not Olympic moves.

Thanks for the recommendation regarding beans! I guess I was thinking the nuts would provide both fat and protein, but maybe I'll just have a handful along with the salad.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for the recommendations. I'm feeling very encouraged!

[Anonymous]

Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

[Anonymous]

NP here- are you doing ideal protein through a clinic? Seems whatever the food is can't be ordered online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

[Anonymous]

Yesterday for brunch I had:

Eggbeaters (60 cal cup) scrambled with 1/4 cup sliced jarred mushrooms (10 cal) and 1/8 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (55 cal). With 1 cup grape tomatoes (30 cal) and a turkey sausage patty (50 cal). Total of 205 calories.

It was a filling brunch that didn't seem low cal. But it was and it stuck with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

Agree. It is truly disturbing to me that people actually recommend these "diets." Barely eat and don't exercise, you'll be too weak! Great advice.

[Anonymous]

800 calories a day sounds awful. I would never choose to treat myself so terribly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

Agree. It is truly disturbing to me that people actually recommend these "diets." Barely eat and don't exercise, you'll be too weak! Great advice.

You reduce calories down low when you are already fairly sedentary. Once some of the weight comes off and exercise feels better - then you up the calories a bit as you exercise more.

I know that the slow and steady approach is touted as the best way to lose weight. But it can also be a painfully slow and frustrating approach. I would never suggest an 800 calorie diet long term. But if you are talking about getting your weight loss jump started it is not a bad approach. In fact, it's pretty much what gastric bypass does to you. At least when you restrict calories willingly you haven't forever surgically altered your body in a permanent way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

Agree. It is truly disturbing to me that people actually recommend these "diets." Barely eat and don't exercise, you'll be too weak! Great advice.

You reduce calories down low when you are already fairly sedentary. Once some of the weight comes off and exercise feels better - then you up the calories a bit as you exercise more.

I know that the slow and steady approach is touted as the best way to lose weight. But it can also be a painfully slow and frustrating approach. I would never suggest an 800 calorie diet long term. But if you are talking about getting your weight loss jump started it is not a bad approach. In fact, it's pretty much what gastric bypass does to you. At least when you restrict calories willingly you haven't forever surgically altered your body in a permanent way.

But it's pretty much guaranteed to fail. You need the muscle to burn the fat. The scale results look great because you are letting your muscles waste away. Slow and steady usually means you keep the muscle but drop the fat (or you don't lose too much muscle). I just wish people would change their perspectives a bit. Why not go for a walk for a half hour a day and start to make changes that you can live with? Yo yo dieting is really unhealthy, and companies like ideal protein and nutrisystem know that they will have lots of repeat business.

Switch the focus to adding muscle and the weight will come off and you won't hate your body anymore. Please stop punishing yourself. Eating 800 calories a day is terrible for you, especially ehen that 800 calories is mostly processed stuff. Spend a few months making a few positive lifestyle changes and you will actually get to keep the rewards. Being overweight is not some state of emergency that has to be fixed RIGHT NOW. If you are sedentary, that is what needs to be fixed ASAP. Not your weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

Agree. It is truly disturbing to me that people actually recommend these "diets." Barely eat and don't exercise, you'll be too weak! Great advice.

You reduce calories down low when you are already fairly sedentary. Once some of the weight comes off and exercise feels better - then you up the calories a bit as you exercise more.

I know that the slow and steady approach is touted as the best way to lose weight. But it can also be a painfully slow and frustrating approach. I would never suggest an 800 calorie diet long term. But if you are talking about getting your weight loss jump started it is not a bad approach. In fact, it's pretty much what gastric bypass does to you. At least when you restrict calories willingly you haven't forever surgically altered your body in a permanent way.

But it's pretty much guaranteed to fail. You need the muscle to burn the fat. The scale results look great because you are letting your muscles waste away. Slow and steady usually means you keep the muscle but drop the fat (or you don't lose too much muscle). I just wish people would change their perspectives a bit. Why not go for a walk for a half hour a day and start to make changes that you can live with? Yo yo dieting is really unhealthy, and companies like ideal protein and nutrisystem know that they will have lots of repeat business.

Switch the focus to adding muscle and the weight will come off and you won't hate your body anymore. Please stop punishing yourself. Eating 800 calories a day is terrible for you, especially ehen that 800 calories is mostly processed stuff. Spend a few months making a few positive lifestyle changes and you will actually get to keep the rewards. Being overweight is not some state of emergency that has to be fixed RIGHT NOW. If you are sedentary, that is what needs to be fixed ASAP. Not your weight.

Well, let's agree to disagree. I'm guessing the ones who say it's unhealthy have never been over 200+ pounds before - that's unhealthy. I've exercised heavily my entire life, and it never did much for me. I do this program under a doctor's care and get weighed every week with those high tech machines that weigh muscle too. Of the 50 pounds I've lost, only 5 pounds have been muscle. When I'm down to the weight I should be at, then I'll start exercising more and build up the little bit of muscle I've lost. By not going overboard on the exercising, it does not eat your muscle b/c of the high protein count. You can walk, do some weight lifting, but nothing that gets you out of breath. If you go to that level, it does start eating your muscle. I'll take this diet over gastric bypass any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the Ideal Protein Diet and try that. 800 cals per day and no more than 40 g carbs a day. You also need to take supplements. Works better than anything I have ever tried in many years. And you will NOT be hungry (although you may get tired of certain veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.). Not cheap but highly effective. No alcohol. Also limited exercise (walking okay) because the calorie intake is so low. When you reach your target weight you shift to a higher level of calories and carbs and can have alcohol again.

+1. I'm in my 40's and have tried every diet out there, plus exercising 1-2 hours a day. The only thing that worked quickly and well is Ideal Protein. It's been a lifesaver. I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months. I've still got a ways to go, but I easily drop 2-3 pounds a week (more the first month). It's nice not to beat myself up exercising and still losing wait. I'll never try another diet again - although hopefully I won't have to!!

By stripping your body of muscle mass with an unsustainable diet, I can guarantee you that you will be dieting again.

Purposely eating 800 calories a day is disordered eating. You don't have to go to the extreme with exercise - exercise is not a punishment for being overweight. I could never do a diet like that because my workouts would suffer and no weight loss is worth that.

Agree. It is truly disturbing to me that people actually recommend these "diets." Barely eat and don't exercise, you'll be too weak! Great advice.

You reduce calories down low when you are already fairly sedentary. Once some of the weight comes off and exercise feels better - then you up the calories a bit as you exercise more.

I know that the slow and steady approach is touted as the best way to lose weight. But it can also be a painfully slow and frustrating approach. I would never suggest an 800 calorie diet long term. But if you are talking about getting your weight loss jump started it is not a bad approach. In fact, it's pretty much what gastric bypass does to you. At least when you restrict calories willingly you haven't forever surgically altered your body in a permanent way.

But it's pretty much guaranteed to fail. You need the muscle to burn the fat. The scale results look great because you are letting your muscles waste away. Slow and steady usually means you keep the muscle but drop the fat (or you don't lose too much muscle). I just wish people would change their perspectives a bit. Why not go for a walk for a half hour a day and start to make changes that you can live with? Yo yo dieting is really unhealthy, and companies like ideal protein and nutrisystem know that they will have lots of repeat business.

Switch the focus to adding muscle and the weight will come off and you won't hate your body anymore. Please stop punishing yourself. Eating 800 calories a day is terrible for you, especially ehen that 800 calories is mostly processed stuff. Spend a few months making a few positive lifestyle changes and you will actually get to keep the rewards. Being overweight is not some state of emergency that has to be fixed RIGHT NOW. If you are sedentary, that is what needs to be fixed ASAP. Not your weight.

Well, let's agree to disagree. I'm guessing the ones who say it's unhealthy have never been over 200+ pounds before - that's unhealthy. I've exercised heavily my entire life, and it never did much for me. I do this program under a doctor's care and get weighed every week with those high tech machines that weigh muscle too. Of the 50 pounds I've lost, only 5 pounds have been muscle. When I'm down to the weight I should be at, then I'll start exercising more and build up the little bit of muscle I've lost. By not going overboard on the exercising, it does not eat your muscle b/c of the high protein count. You can walk, do some weight lifting, but nothing that gets you out of breath. If you go to that level, it does start eating your muscle. I'll take this diet over gastric bypass any day.

You're wrong. I was 240 pounds with 40% body fat. Over two years got myself down to 25% body fat. It wasn't fast but now I have a good lifestyle and I can eat a lot. I think I ate 600 calories for breakfast yesterday.

Exercise is never bad for you, and never will be, even if the reason for holding back on the exercise is to lose weight. I am going to guess that the doctor is associated with ideal protein and is not using a body pod or dexa scanner. I hope that you are the exception and that you are able to keep it off.