# Fad diets



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I have been watching what I eat (for the most part) and I've been doing very light excersize with no results. (maintaining). I do know that excersize is key and I'm sure this will sound like an excuse but by the time I get home from work and do my chores I'm already approaching 8pm. I know I could probably do some excersize at that point but by then I just want to sit down for a minute.

I'm trying to at least walk 30 minutes a day and hope to do that mon-friday starting next week. Until then...

I was thinking about maybe the Southwest Beach diet. Any thoughts?

I have about 20 lbs to lose to reach a "happy" weight for me. I've been stagnent for about a year now....

Help please? Suggestions.... advice.....

PS - I'm a bad bad bad bread eater and I know that is one thing I need to cut back on....


----------



## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

You could try Atkins. They cut out a lot of carbs which is where a lot of people go wrong with their diets and tend to over indulge themselves.

My mom ate fruits, veggies and meats for about a week and lost 5 pounds. She didn't stick with it, but you don't feel hungry all the time because of the protein.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think I can do that one. I hate fish and I'm a really picky veggie eater....and I hate cheese...


----------



## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

LoL, There's always chicken and pork. And some red meats. I hate fish too. It's disgusting. Bleck!

Carbs are my downfall. I LOVE pasta.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

NO ATKINS, it puts you in ketosis, which is not good energywise. You want to lose weight, you know the exercise part, at least 30-45 mins, 20 mins of that has to be elevated heartrate, like gargling your heart. Eating, that is simple, all of your food is protein & unprocessed carbs, meaning the carbs are in the form of whole grains. No sugar or white flour. Red meat only once a week. And eat more proteins than carbs, a high carb diet is for long distance runners. In a month of doing this you will lose close to 20 lbs and have incredible muscle tone.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

So what kind of book or guide could I get that breaks it down in simple farmgirl terms? 

I'm thinking hardboiled eggs for breakfast... can I have cereal for lunch or is that a bad carb?


----------



## Gillian (Aug 2, 2008)

Count your calories and properly track what you eat and how much you exercise. I use myfitnesspal.com and it's great. I use it to maintain and keep from losing more weight (long story, I have stomach issues), but a friend uses it for weightloss and has lost 30lbs by tracking on there.

It's free and easy and can calculate the calories and nutritional info in pretty much everything you eat.


----------



## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Get on www.mypyramid.gov ....It can design a food program for you. It actually worked for me, even though I didnt actually want to lose I just wanted to get healthier. 

On that note, if I ehar of you going on the HCG 500 Calorie diet, I will come hunt you down. That is basically a crash diet and it'll kill you if you're not careful. A lot of people swear by it but fail to realize that it is NOT healthy and the hormone injections do NOTHING, plus the low calorie intake you would probably faint if you got any excersize at all (So no horses) and ontop of that you can and will gain all the weight back after you resume normal eating habits.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If you trying to lose weight, until you reach your goal, just have the eggwhite. Cereal, if it's a whole grain, is great, but more protein, like veggies & fruit which you must eat everyday, than whole grains, they are a carb.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Omigosh! 500 calorie diet? Holy starvation batman!!!!


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Well... just from these posts I think I'm seeing alot of my issues. I usually do slimfast for breakfast and my favorite lunch is egg salad on white bread. (with chips). I geuss I'll either stick to the slim fast or do the eggs... minus the yolk. Sad now...

Salads don't generally fill me up... What if I did like a yogurt and a banana for lunch? Or like I don't know.... Carrot sticks?


----------



## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

farmpony84 said:


> Omigosh! 500 calorie diet? Holy starvation batman!!!!


Seriously. And you would not BELIEVE how many people fall for it. Not only are you only consuming 500 calories a day, but the actual "hcg diet" also requires use of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadatropin which is really only supposed to exist significantly in the body during pregnancy. And of course, what's better than a whole bunch of fatigued women starving themselves? A whole bunch of fatigued women starving themselves while also taking a hormone that will make them have mood swings and attitude problems like a pregnant woman too. Ontop of that, the "idea" behind the hormone is so that the body will burn through calories _faster. _So yay, you're actually getting less than 500 calories a day in the theory of the diet!


----------



## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

farmpony84 said:


> Well... just from these posts I think I'm seeing alot of my issues. I usually do slimfast for breakfast and my favorite lunch is egg salad on white bread. (with chips). I geuss I'll either stick to the slim fast or do the eggs... minus the yolk. Sad now...
> 
> Salads don't generally fill me up... What if I did like a yogurt and a banana for lunch? Or like I don't know.... Carrot sticks?


Salads with lots of protein - like a big cup of tuna salad, or chicken salad, or chicken breast - will fill you up and be healthy. Cottage cheese is only like 5 grams carbs per serving, and it's chock full of protein. Very filling. With a 1/2 cup of canned fruit added to cottage cheese (drain fruit of all syrup) you have a great side dish with tons of protein for about 20 grams carbs. 

Watch out for SlimFast - It's the carbs and the artificial sweeteners that will cause problems. You want higher protein and lower carb choices. Actually. if you like eggs, you can't go wrong with eggs. Boiled, scrambled, fried, poached, egg salad, etc. A little cheese, or chopped tomatoes, or salsa, or lean meat or veggies scrambled in there will jazz it up so you don't get as tired of eggs. Egg yolks have more calories than whites, but whole eggs are are also more filling and more nutritious. You need a little healthy fat in your meal plan -- without some fats, you won't feel satisfied. 

Peanut butter with your banana is a good choice also - peanut butter is kind of sweet but low carb, so it helps make you feel like you've had sweets. One piece of bread is 15 grams carbs, generally, but not very filling. I think crackers go further, maybe it's the crunch - so to use my carbs wisely I would choose whole grain bread or whole grain crackers Yogurt (nonfat) is only about 16 grams per 6 oz - compared to regular yogurt which can be as much sugar as a Coke, really! Carrots and celery and any kind of veggie sticks are relatively low carb (green beans and broccoli and cabbage and celery are practicaly NO carbs) and you can dip in regular ranch dressing (not low fat, it's full of carbs). Also, if you like Mexican meals, go with taco sald or crisp tacos - just read the labels. Use lean hamburger or chicken, add salsa and the veggies you like, and cautiously use the taco shells - Tiara brand is only 4 grams carbs per crispy shell! So you can eat 5 tacos!!!! (compared to 26 for a single white flour tortilla). 

A great snack is 1/4 cup peanuts or almonds or pistachios. Protein again, but few carbs. They have fat (good fats) so have a heavier load of calories than some foods, but a serving of almonds every day gives you a lot of good nutrition. 

So, you have lots of great choices, you just need to find a few that you LOVE and can pull out of the frig or cabinet when you're hungry! That way you'll never be starving and you'll have more success with staying on your meal plan. 

Use the South Beach diet book, or the Adkins "Protein Power" book, or Dr. Eades' book on carbs and protein, any of which will give you lots of good ideas for simple changes you can make. I lost 40 pounds in less than 6 months just by counting my carbs (under 50 per day at first, and maintaining on around 100). I was never hungry, ate like a horse, and all my labs were great. 

Good luck!


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Sorry to tell you this, peanut butter & banana is super loaded in calories. No peanut butter at all, bananas only when you reach your goal weight. 200 calories in a bananas, good for you but not until you work for it.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Atkins is crap for building muscle, puts you into ketosis, sure the burn the fat, but you want toned & fit. Thin ain't in, it's healthy & good looking.


----------



## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

I eat a high protein diet, limit my processed foods and carbs. I don't limit fresh veggies, but watch high calorie fruits. Kashi if you want cereal, the Kashi go lean is awesome. 
Remember small portions, meat the size of your heal of your hand, don't over do dressing on salad, or nuts etc. 
Craving a snack get a sugar free fudge bar, low cal, low sugar nonfat and damned satisfying. 
I ate myself to 334 lbs, had surgery to get back to 145 and now have to control control and be smart to keep myself this way. 
My goal is:80. 80. 80
80 protein grams a day
80 oz water a day
80 minutes exercise a day

And. . Soda is the devil, throw it out.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I love Kashi Go Lean, have you tried their puffed whole wheat, I luv it!!


----------



## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

You can try weight watchers - I was on the old system a while back and lost nearly 30 pounds. I liked it personally, but there are pros and cons that i've heard of. Not really sure how the 'new points system' works though.


----------



## Pineapples (Jan 22, 2012)

If you're the type of person who can look at greens without drowning them in dressing, maybe try a wrap? A giant handful of spinach is crazy healthy for you, pretty filling, tastes good, and makes a great bed for things like chicken and tomatoes and cucumbers and the like. You can have fun making different themed wraps (I like greek and salsa, myself), and they DO have good choices in tortillas these days. Somehow, a wrap always managed to fill me up much more than a salad. I guess it's the tortilla?

Fiber! Lean protein and not too many carbs, good fats and lots of green things is the best, but fiber is very important. Fiber, for lack of any more tactful way of putting it, cleans...you know. Many people don't get nearly enough of it, and that's not so good for you. When I first started my eating change, my mother made the mistake of telling me that for every gram of fiber you eat, it negates a gram of fat...I held that over her head for months, haha! Not sure if that's true, but it makes sense in my head, even if I don't abuse the notion like I teased.

I buy the 'old fashioned' oatmeal, and make a smallish bowl a few times a week for breakfast. A little goes a long way! Load it up with strawberries when they're in season with a little bit of each of the usual fixin's (light on the butter and brown sugar, for me) and a splash of 2% (any lower and it's kind of hinky as to what they've done to it) milk or whatever soy milk or whatnot you like, and you've got an awesome breakfast -- or lunch, really. Or dinner. I like me some oatmeal. 

Egg yolks are good for you. Peanut butter is good for you. Avacados are, too, and so are olives and mmm, almonds. Maybe not a pint of tin roof sundae, but I mean, really; you know that right?  *g* The key is moderation. Eating a cup of PB is soooo not good unless you're going to do the iditarod, but a tablespoon or two of the natural not-too-sweetened kind is great. Eating an egg with breakfast is much better than coco puffs, but eating half a quiche with bacon and ham and sausage and cheese -- well, not so much.  Fad diets WILL help you lose weight, in most cases. They're great for it, a lot of the time. But when your body evens out and catches up to what's going on, it just puts the weight right back on you, and sets you up for a pattern. Which is nooo bueno.

Try whole wheat bread. Make sure the fat is lower than the fiber. If you don't like the flavor, try Whitewheat. It's really yummy, when I want a treat. Whole wheat bagels get sweet and delicious when they're toasted! And there are these things called sandwich thins that have flax seeds that I really liked, too. Then again, I've been trying to avoid processed foods -- that's just me, though. Kind of sad I'm not doing slimfast any more, they were yummy!

What kinds of veggies do you LIKE? Veggies are amazing for you. Is there a reason you're picky with them, and can you get around it? I'm sorry for the rambling, but even if I don't always listen to my inner psycho health nut, I like to share it.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I love bananas... 

I love peanut butter...

Veggies I like are tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, squash (cooked at a resturaunt) - does anyone know how to cook squash? Potatoes (I know bad), is rice a veggie? corn, fresh green beans...

I can actually eat a salad with salt and pepper and be happy. I did by a rasberry vinagerette dressing but I haven't tried it yet.

I had no idea wraps were so bad. I really love bread, would a thomas muffin be bad?

I did buy a bunch of those weight wacher meals from the frozen aisle but I havn't tried them yet. They are pasta though?

I had slimfast for breakfast this morning but starting tomorrow I'll do the egg. Is bacon ok?

I haven't gone down for lunch yet. Read through this thread and now I must be strong!


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

FP, lots of fruits: apples, pears, plums (NO bananas & grapes). Those will burn the calories while keeping you "full". Carrots, tomatos, cucumbers, cabbage, squashes are as healthy as it comes (NO to potato). Meat and whole grain food are good choices (big NO to cakes, chips, ice cream, donuts, and alike). And of course #1 diet always is _how much_ you eat. :wink:


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

so... I just had the nastiest turkey on wheat I ever had...  I had it grilled... should have had it cold...


----------



## Gillian (Aug 2, 2008)

I strongly disagree with cutting out any one food, or food group as a whole. If you deny yourself certain things you will only crave them more. Eat what you want IN MODERATION. You like bananas? Eat them. But count those calories. Maybe only have one once a week, or twice a week. But NEVER cut things out entirely. Not healthy at all, and a terrible motivator. If you can have a banana, or hell, even a cheeseburger every once in a while you will be much happier and less bitter towards dieting.

Coming from someone who lost 30lbs with that mindset. I count the calories in what I eat, track calories burned when I exercise, (chores count!), and ate what I wanted in moderation. 30lbs gone in less than a year.


----------



## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

I'm probably not going to be MUCH help, but I needed to lose about 10# of fat and build muscle tone while doing it so I started eating a high protein diet while eating less of the bad stuff, but not cutting it out completely. It kept me going working at the barn all day (what a luxury! Didn't even have to work out!) and in about a month I was in the best shape of my life! Once I reached my goal, I continued the high protein thing while at work and started to eat whatever once I got home, then watching what I eat a little more on days that I don't work.

On the "thin is not in" comment, that is true! I've been doing all of this in hopes of getting signed by a modeling agency in the next few weeks. If you go to an agency looking emaciated, they'll turn you away as soon as they see it! There was some VS girl though that would stop eating 48 hours before any live appearance, then stop drinking anything, even water the day of!!! I can't BELIEVE how she gets away with that crap or even how she does it! I've gone without food for a day (usually sick  ) but never water too! O_O Ugh so bad for you... So no, fad diets are not good. lol


----------

