Diets everywhere!

[Longhorn]

I'm so confused! Here are just a few of the diets I've done:

Weight Watchers
South Beach Diet
Medifast
Slimfast
Atkins
The Set Point Diet

I've lost weight on all of them, some more than others, but none of them translated into something I could do for life. That's probably my failure not the diet, but I'd love to hear what your assessments are of the pros and cons of the various diets.

For example, I think the South Beach Diet is really a good one except it involves more prep time than I am willing to do. I never bought (and threw away) so much produce in my life! Maybe I should take another look at it, though. :shrug:

Anxiously awaiting your opinions! :D

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. Of those listed, from my own personal experience,

Weight Watchers worked the best. It doesn't require any special food or preparation. You can pretty much eat whatever you want, just sensibly.
I've heard the South Beach diet was alright. I never trusted Atkins, though.

[Longhorn]

8. I think I'll find out when the WW meetings are in my area.

Since I'm a lifetime member, I don't have to pay a joining fee, nor do I have to pay if I miss classes. I could at least go long enough to get all of the materials. Thanks!

[ikojo]

10. See if you can get a WW group started at work.

We are doing that where I work. It costs $144 for 12 and the meetings will cover the whole summer. If I cannot make a meeting at work for whatever reason, I can catch a more local meeting. The meetings at work are held during the lunch period.

I am going to try it.

[Violet_Crumble]

27. I use WW recipes...

I'm not really overweight now but I've got a WW recipe book that I got back when I was a few kilos overweight and their recipes are really excellent. I've been to a few WW meetings and lost my excess weight quickly and they're worth joining for anyone looking for something to try...

What I'd warn everyone to be wary of is Sureslim. I joined, paid hundreds of dollars and got nothing. I asked for a refund or even a partial one and they refused. All they're interested in is getting peoples money...


Violet...

[lavenderdiva]

28. Violet_Crumble...

I LOVE your username!!!! I grew up in Melbourne, and then moved to Sale, approx. 130 miles from there!! Violet Crumbles were one of my absolute favorite treats, along with Cadbury Chocolates!! I now live in Houston, Texas, and there are two grocery stores here that carry those treats in their import aisles. So I have to be careful to AVOID them!

How's Australia these days? I think of visiting, but am afraid its changed soo much since the late 70's, when I was last there, that I might go thru shock or something, were I to see it as it is now. Such sweet, fond memories of so many places and things. The Dandenong Mountains were favorite haunts, and my first time having Sasparilla! I could go on and on....

[Violet_Crumble]

29. Thanks!

I love Violet Crumbles and fought a one-woman campaign to have the work lolly cabinet stocked with them instead of Crunchies...

You should visit. I've only been to Melbourne once, so I can't speak for there, and I don't really notice things changing here in Canberra, but I just came back from a holiday on the Sunshine Coast after not being there since I was a little kid. It had changed, but it was still such a fantastic place, and if I could, I'd move there for good...

Cheers...

Violet...

[lavenderdiva]

2. Yep! I've done a lot of those same diets...

except for Medifast and The Set Point Diet... done all the rest though! I felt the exact same way about atkins. I threw away so much produce, and felt so guilty about doing so.

This time around, I am taking bits of the ones that worked for me, and putting it into something that I know I can manage. I really liked an Atkins breakfast, and found it curbed my appetite throughout the day, if I started with that. I'm doing Lean Cuisine for lunch, along with an apple, as that is easy, portable (if I'm working), and satisfying. Dinner is something more akin to South Beach/Atkins. The Atkins shakes are good for snacks, or when the urge to eat something sweet attacks.

I've done Weight Watchers too and found that it was a lot of measuring and weighing, and a lot of points, etc. I lost weight extremely slowly on it, sometimes 1/4lb per week or less. While I was going in the right direction, that sort of weight loss over a long period of time, really sank my enthusiasm about the program. Some weeks, I wouldn't lose anything at all, and the weekly fees got to be outrageous. $11/week, last I heard. I just couldn't afford it anymore.

[Longhorn]

9. Yes, when I worked for WW, I was a weigher.

I always felt bad when folks didn't lose or lost just a little. I didn't like having to take their money! Of course, they say that if you lose quickly, you'll gain it back quickly, and that's what happened with me. I hope to be more patient this time!

[Mrs_Beastman]

20. I agree

WW has worked three times for me and is the only diet I felt I wasn't doing some crazy fad diet that would hurt me in the long run.

I have heard of TOPS, which is basically the same structure as WW, but the rates are better. I may do that or Mr B and I may just do WW on our own...we have all the materials.

[Lisa0825]

3. Yes, South Beach involves a lot of prep time....

but honestly, that's what makes it healthy. It involves less manufactured foods. Fresh foods are much healthier for you, they do take more effort to prepare.

[Rainbowreflect]

4. I had good luck with Weight Watchers.

I lost almost 70 lbs although I stopped going & have gain some of it back. But I am working on getting back on track. I have a friend that lost over 100 lbs with Weight Watchers & other friends who lost as well.

I am afraid of the Atkins because a few people I know who did lose weight on it also became very moody while on Atkins. One person's whole personality seemed to change.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. The first time I lost weight

I just did low fat. If 30% of the calories came from fat, I could eat a little of it. If 20% of the calories came from fat, I could have more. If 10% or less came from fat, it was all mine. Everyone get out of my way. That, along with walking worked really well for me. I started putting on a little weight & went back to eating low fat. This time it didn't work. Who knows why. Maybe I wasn't careful enough. My husband really wanted to lose some weight & his doctor told him he had to. All our friends were going on the Atkins & I thought it would be easier for him. It worked really, really well & is pretty easy-no thinking involved. My hair fell out in hunks. Now we're just trying to limit the bad carbs & stick with that & walk together. We go up the a state park. It's a perfect 2 mile loop. But we need to get back to doing it consistently.

I do recommend the low fat though. One thing to watch out for is that some of the low fat yogurt, sherbet, etc is loaded w/sugar, corn fructose etc. Those can kill a diet no matter how low fat the food is.

best

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. I've really found that diets don't work...If you can go on one, then you

can come off it. So I decided to do what I can live with. I eat sensibly, watch the fat and calories by myself, lots of veggies and fruits, and keep the desserts to a minimum. I also work out, and this makes a huge difference for me.

Also, what I've read is that losing weight is a matter of eating less and exercising more. So that's what I'm trying to do...It's simple, but not easy.

[Beware the Beast Man]

11. That's what makes WW so good, IMO.

It's not so much a diet as it is a plan for eating sensibly. While you should always eat well-balanced meals, WW gives you the option of having that occasional cookie or slice of pizza, as long as you have the points to spare.

[redacted]

13. Agreed, you need todo something you can stick to 4ever most diets are bad.

[Mrs_Beastman]

7. here you go

Weight Watchers 3x...lost 40 the first time 70 the second time and 10 the third time.

Cabbage soup diet...ugh!

slim fast...about 20

Just exercise 90 min a day...lost 40ish

speed..from a 'doctor', lost 20 before my family had an intervention!

Xenical...about 50

On edit: the Cleveland Clinic Diet...I will never eat Bacon again after that!

And of course I have gained it all back and at my highest weight ever.I know I could lose it again.The problem is keeping it off.

Right now, I'm actually doing the Weight Down Diet...which is basically overeater's anonymous with a Christian glint(I do give pseudo-right wing nut-job Christians alot of jabbing in the lounge, but deep down, I'm a Catholic). Just eat when your stomach growls and stop when not(easier said than done, of course) and joining the YMCA with Mr B.

Finally....

Hi, everyone...I can't wait to hear other's stories...let's face it, there is alot of humor to be found in this daily struggle to resist candy bars and eat 5 servings of fruit and veggies(ketchup is a veggie..right?!)

[Beware the Beast Man]

12. When I found out the "Cleveland Clinic Diet" was a hoax,

I made her stop. I did some research, and found out that it was also billed as the "Mayo Clinic" diet, and there was absolutely no conclusive evidence that it actually worked. Basically, I heard nothing but bad news about it.

[saracat]

14. I am an Atkins believer. It does work and isn't a fad.

People are distracted by both the induction phase of the diet and the junk perpetrated by the foundation since Atkins death. You eat plently of veggies and lots of protien! I eat eggs and meat chicken and fish. I also eat diet jello and whipped cream. Lots of salads! Basically, I eliminate anything with flour and sugar! I think I can do this for life! But I am a slow and weird loser. I can lose nothing for what seems like months and then whoosh! It all goes at once! I have been averaging maybe a pound a week. I wish it was faster but heck, I am lucky it is leaving at all! I have another twenty pounds to lose and am hoping to have them gone by August. I am walking and excercising in my pool for now!
I just dodged several bullets that I was fearful of. My birthday and a dinner with Wes Clark. I managed both without going of my diet, or way of life. I am really proud of that!
There are so many political things that involve food! It really is hard to say no! My new trick is to have a to go box brought and I bring it home to DH! How does everyone else cope? And best wishes to everyone for continued progress whatever your method!

[lavenderdiva]

15. Hey, saracat!

How long have you been doing Atkins and how much have you lost so far? It sounds like it is a program that is really working for you, and is easy enough to manage with your lifestyle. I have tried it (off-and-on) several times in the last year. I haven't been able to sustain staying on the program past 3-4 weeks. I just get so hungry for bread or potatoes, etc, that I go off. Also, I kinda get into a rut of making the same few things all the time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that I get bored. How do you work around this?

Congratulations on staying on plan thru your birthday and your dinner with Wes Clark! That's amazing! How did you work around your birthday cake? Or did you have one? I would feel so much pressure during such an important dinner, such as your dinner with Mr. Clark, that is remarkable that you put yourself first, and reminded yourself of what was important to YOU! Fantastic!

I must say, that when I was doing Atkins, I felt the best I've felt of being on any weight loss program. Not edgy or nervous or thinking about food all the time. And I did have some weight loss. It was the 'variety factor', that I mentioned above, that was my 'falling off' point.

[saracat]

16. Well, I find myself being a bit creative.

I don't eat eggs all the time for breakfast . I frequently have ham or turkey slices rolled over an ounce of cream cheese! I eat a lot of different pot roasts and serve them with sour cream! There are a lot of veggies you can incorporate into main meals such as red and yellow and green peppers.You can also use onion and tomato! I made leftover chicken the other day reheated in sour cream with the peppers! it was wonderful. You can make all kinds of cream and butter sauces too. I also like grilled steak with mushrooms and bleu cheese! I also like stuffed peppers and I make lettuce wraps using my sandwich stuff as filling for lunch! I also eat a lot to tuna, salmon and chicken salad! Eating out, I just try to be careful. I was taken to Olive Garden for my Birthday by some friends and just ignored the appetizers and ordered salmon and broccoli! I used my carbs on two glasses of white wine! (BTW wine now makes me ill so one must be careful with it!) For dinner parties, I eat some protein before I go and just eat what I can. If it is a restaurant, I have them box up what I can't eat!
For my birthday, I researched what restaurants have lo card and found Ruby Tuesday and TGIF Friday's. I had an Atkins cheesecake at TGIF. It was delicious.DH couldn't tell the difference and neither could I .I just have to keep finding different things and there are lots out there. I try not to fall into the trap of the "Atkins bars and such. That can cause you to stall. If you are doing Atkins properly, by the book, a lot of your "potato" cravings should stop. Drink water or have some brie or cream chees. That helps me stop cravings.Good luck to us both. I have lost 15 pounds so far and have twenty to go!I I statrted at the end of April so I lose about 5 pounds a month.

[lavenderdiva]

17. those are some great tips....

Thanks for sharing them! I will definitely try some of them, and don't know why I didn't think of them before! I do drink the Atkins' chocolate shake when I am feeling hungry late at night, or I am hungry for something choclate/sweet. They are great, and at only 1carb per can, I can have it and not feel guilty. They stave off any cravings and keep me on track. I don't like the bars or anything. I bought some of the mixes, but honestly haven't used them, as I prefer to just use 'real' ingredients. The canned shakes are the only things I consistently use.

I guess I was doing something wrong to have the potato and bread cravings. I did enjoy being able to have sauces with my dinners, and cheese was a good snack. I really like your idea of cream cheese on the turkey. Also, I did miss having milk. I just love a glass of cold milk. I would have cream in my coffee, but that wasn't quite the same. However, I did notice that after awhile of not having milk, my system felt much 'cleaner'? I definitely felt different NOT having milk. Better, in fact, but I still love milk!

Thanks for sharing some great ideas!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

18. I had really good luck with Atkins,

and you're right; a lot of people get stuck in the intro stage & think that that is what it's all about. There is tons to eat on Atkins. In the maintenance state you can even eat a little potato..

The reason I quit was that my hair fell out in HUNKS. It was funny, I kept thinking to myself, Bald or fat? Bald or fat? Which would I rather be?

Now, hubby & I have tried to limit the bad carbs: flour, sugar, etc.


BTW what does DH stand for? It's probably the only acronym I can't figure out. Dear hubby? Dork hubby? Damned hubby? Da hubster?

best

[lavenderdiva]

19. LOL!!

DH = Dear Hubbie, I believe, but, depending on what mood he has put you in, could be any of the acronyms you mentioned!!

I must say I have never heard of one's hair falling out on Atkins! That is very scary! Its good that you are limiting your carbs, but in a way that is working for you...

[Longhorn]

21. I agree that Atkins isn't a fad.

I blame the media and those who don't actually read the book. Atkins never said you should pile your plate high with bacon, steak, and cheese every meal, but whenever they would do a feature on Atkins on the news, that's the kind of meal they would always show. I wonder if anyone could even lose weight eating like that all the time!

I read the entire book, twice, and it made perfect sense to me. South Beach is just a variation of Atkins, and I get the same impression about The Zone. But Atkins first came up with these ideas in the 70s!

I lost about 50 pounds on Atkins the first time I did it but when I tried it again in later years, it didn't seem to work any more. I've heard of others who have said the same thing. Makes me think my body does not like being tricked! ;)

[saracat]

22. There is something called"the golden moment" that makes Atkins most

effective for quick weight loss the first time you do it. If you lost weight the first time and try again to take it off the loss is slower for many people. I have NEVER lost quickly on Atkins . I think I shot my moment with Dr. Stillman's diet in high school! That diet was the precursor to Atkins but is really restrictive. Only "lean " meats, eggs, skim cottage cheese, and few veggies. Lots of water. Nothing else. Still works though but not very pleasant.

[MemphisTiger]

23. Try Body-for-Life

it's a great program that I lost 30lbs on. Also, it doesn't completely cut out food groups so it's sustainable for life. Also, it stresses workouts cardio and weights. Second to that, Weight Watchers isn't bad if you use common sense, like don't eat all your points in one meal.

[VelmaD]

24. I don't know if you know my story so I'll post it again...

I have lost over 135 pounds...took about 2 years to lose most of it and I'm still working on the last 10-15 I need to lose to be my "ideal" weight. But the way I did it was changing my lifestyle. I started slow so I wouldn't overwhelm myself. Cut out colas. Changed from mayo to mustard. Got rid of all the snack foods and replaced them with fruits and cheese and low-cal snacks. Started exercising...again started slow and built up. Even switched to low-carb bread because it is also low in calories.

The real key for me has been control of the calories I consume each day. I try to stay under 1200 per day. Usually closer to 1000. That sounds low but you'd be amazed how much you can actually eat when it's fruits and veggies and lower cal meats.

The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories every day than you consume. Find a way to do that that you can live with and you're home free. But the "right" way varies for every person.

Anyway, I went from a size 22 and over 275 pounds...down into a size 6 for the first time this week. :)

[2Design]

25. what an inspiration you are

I would be happy getting into size 12 or 14 again.

Just takes starting -

[lavenderdiva]

26. did you keep a food diary?

did you keep any sort of daily diary at all, to record your food intake, emotions or anything? If so, did you find it helpful?

I am blown away by your success and sticktuitiveness! Big, big, big congratulations to you on your fabulous success!

How did you deal with having not-so-good days and getting back on track? Was there a particular motivation that allowed you to stay on track for such an extended period of time, and thru the loss of so many pounds? I have to lose approx. 90lbs, and that just is so daunting to me. Any advice you could share would be most welcome!

ps. were ther any particular food groups that you avoided other than colas? was your diet low carb, or low fat, or what?