01134BOB's Journal, 18 Aug 20

I am doing well on just counting calories in and out (staying below the number of calories I burn a day), and trying to maximize protein within that parameter as much as possible, as I find that protein makes me feel more full and is helpful to my muscles staying strong! Other than that no restrictions - this has inspired me to make a lot of low calorie, high protein versions of craveable foods which feels sustainable to me!  

AWESOME! Thank you for sharing! 

i do well on counting calories i just eat real food steak chicken pork eggs burgers i just cut back on the food not on quality no sode ever haven't in 20 years no alcohol ever no sweets or desserts till sunday dinner then i have a treat.plenty of veggies high fiber and an apple a day 

I agree with these folks. No special, organized diet for me, but once I started tracking my calories I slowly figured out what works for me over the long term. I realized that innocent snacking (like the handful of nuts every day) was killing me (10 lbs worth of calories a year!), I cut out sugary drinks (including juices), I very rarely eat processed, fried, or fast food, and I cut way back on desserts and bakery items. Once I limited or significantly cut back on these items, managing my calorie intake became a lot easier. My last hangup is alcohol, but given current times that's a work in progress for sure. At least there's some decent low-cal beer options nowadays! The last think I'll say is to remember that this is a marathon not a sprint and it's all about daily averages over time. No one day will make or break you! But a bad month will set you back. Good luck! 

I'm pretty vocal about diets not working. Lifestyle changes do. A really great place to start is counting calories, because it will help you reset that switch in your brain that makes you choose to overeat. 

I have just listened to a book called How Not To Diet by Dr Greger. It is available in print as well. The audio is a bit annoying as the author is not an expert reader however I managed all 20 hours! Based on all the different scientific studies all over the world and over the last few decades. Highly interesting and do-able. I have had good success since I have begun incorporating his suggestions. 

Ps something I do is to make sure I have a low calorie version or a small quantity of whatever I usually crave at home easily available and I eat it whenever I actually crave it. E.g. Tortilla low cal pizza fixings/ a quick saved dominos order of thin crust light cheese medium on my phone when I crave pizza, I buy a small pack of single serving wrapped dark chocolate bites to keep at home, etc. Keeps me from feeling deprived but makes it easy to choose a version that works with calorie counting!  

Oh - and just an example of how we each need to figure out what works for us, my father lost 70 lbs and feels great. What worked for him was a diet of about 100 calories for breakfast (coffee and a piece of fruit); about 300 calories for lunch (mostly Progresso soup) and then about 800 - 1,000 calories for dinner including a small dessert. I know - it probably won't work for everyone, but he loves sitting down to a good dinner and he didn't want to give it up. So that's what worked for him. So perhaps the best approach is to keep an open mind and not be afraid to readjust as things progress to keep your spirit and energy up as you limit your caloric intake. (Sorry for the multiple long posts. Hope it helps!) 

How Not to Diet is a GREAT book! 

Don't "diet". Watching calories and macros is all you need to do. Make it easy and pick foods you enjoy eating that nutritious. Kiesha Endrice Personal Trainer 

Try carb cycling. 

After many trials, error, research and prayer, I have come up with a high protein/veggies, low cal. diet with intermittent fasting for myself. I call it my New lifestyle. I eat all my caloric intake with 3 hrs on most days but not more than 6 hrs once a week. My body is fasting and using stored fat for energy the majority of the 24h day. On my "cheat" day I eat more carbs. I weighed 182lbs, BMI 33.7 (with a totally sedentary lifestyle, rising BP and glycemic index, joint pain and loosing mobility range and wardrobe choices at 50yo). I started by loosing 1.5 lbs a week to loosing about 2.5 per week. I am now "Moving". I now do pilates before getting out of my pj's, and walk in the cool evenings. I started doing dancing videos regularly. I "Treat" myself to daily tasty choices I enjoy and can keep eating. I love salads so I eat that every day charged with protein I love-meat, seafood, eggs. I love coffee so when I drink that I make it a keto coffee with protein powder for cream n sweetner.I love desserts so I have one sugarfree serving after dinner. I love chocolate n wine. I save these for "Cheat" days but I don't go overboard. Discipline is key for achievement in any field... 1 weekend "Cheat" day helps to give me respite and renewed determination to persevere. Loosing weight is truly a FEAT for some of us that have struggled for years. I keep "Feat" reminders of my goal-pictures on my fridge, a goal-sized bathing suit on my bedroom wall and plan celebration trips for milestones. With my Feat vision, Treat week n Cheat day, this approach doesn't feel unbearable. Excercise is hard to start but I do what I enjoy so I will keep it up. Biking is next for me! It is a NEW Lifestyle we are acquiring and it is a long term race. Paced n Steady are the winners. May Jesus bless your journey! 

I do calories in, calories out (CICO), added some exercise that I actually enjoy doing, biking, swimming, etc...and there are not any forbidden foods, just small portions of things that are higher in calories....I find it totally sustainable, good luck on your journey whatever you choose!  

I do IF with calorie cycling. Higher calories one day and low next. Never eat when dark outside 

CICO... 

Every body is different and what works for some will not work for others. We are also individuals at the mercy of our hormones and what works one month may not work the next month. I'm 78 and 5 feet tall, and have been diabetic for more than 20 years. I have dieted all my life, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. The way of eating that seems easiest for me to maintain is the Keto/Intermittent Fasting combination. It helps the diabetes. From an A!c of 10.5 on June 18 this year, using IF/Keto, I reduced my A1c to 6.5 by August 1. The weight changed more slowly, just a drop of 10 pounds, but generally down a pound a week. I seldom get hungry following a 5/19 eating/fasting interval. Sugar cravings are relatively non-existent, mostly only when social eating can't be avoided. Exercise in some form helps maintain the WOE and increases strength. Beginning in June I started walking each evening, barely able to go much further than a block. Each evening I added just a little further, even if it was only 10 feet. Now I can walk 1.2 miles and could go further if the heat and humidity was not so intense as it has been this summer. Of all the many diets I have tried over my lifetime, Keto/IF is definitely my choice for results and ability to maintain. 

In the end I think you must eat fewer calories than you burn ever day - a calorie deficit will create weight loss. You could look up basal metabolic rate and use calculations to determine what you burn at rest...but it also is easy to just calorie count going down until the scale moves down. 

I'm really loving all the different comments. Great advise, and some new things for me to look into. I actually don't know what carb cycling is, but thanks to google, I will in a moment. I'll also need to look into that book "How Not to Diet". I'm always up for a good book. Thank you everyone for commenting, it is greatly appreciated. 

Figure out a plan that fits your and your family's life. One you can stick with for life with adaptions  

My advice is trial by error. Myself, intermittent fasting fits right into my schedule so that's easy for me. A balanced diet seems to be the most sustainable, keeping starchy carbs to the lower end of the spectrum though... Interesting to note: Since I met my fiancé 4 years ago, he has been losing weight and gaining it all back in a vicious cycle over and over, every time clocking in heavier. He came up with an idea; now, he's having half a chicken or chicken strips (Nando's) roast veg and spinach every night. He's been doing this since 8 July, has been losing between 0,5-1,2kgs a week and this is the longest he has stuck to something.Ever. He found something sustainable that works for him.