Diet Plan

[Norma_Angel]

What is the best diet plan that is currently being offered? Also, what type of foods should i avoid if I am trying to lose 15 pounds within the next 2 months? I’ve heard that lean meats promote weight lose. Is this true? Does anyone know of the following websites and if they are actually any good. Currently I'm exercising 3 times daily and eating 4 lite meals a day.

healthychoicesfitness.com/

choosemyplate.gov/

heart.org/en/healthy-living...

[Biomet]

Dear Norma_Angel, Welcome to Health Unlocked. As you have recognised there are many diet plans ‘out there’ and it is a question of what fits into your style of living and your family arrangements.

You may have heard the nutrition people talk about having a selection of 5 fruit and veg each day. Whilst that may be achievable for some it is not always an achievable goal for busy people but maybe something to include in your daily pattern of life.

Be encouraged though, there are many people in this forum who are better able to advise you on the why’s and wherefores of the answer to the question you are seeking.

I do hope that you reach your goal in your weight loss journey. 🙂

[Norma_Angel in reply to Biomet]

Thank you very much Biomet. I do appreciate the encouragement.

[Cooper27 Administrator]

Best diet plan is a complicated question, as we're all different and have different needs.

A few things to consider are:

15lbs is quite a steep loss over 2 months (nearly 2lbs a week), which can be difficult if you're near your ideal BMI. It's also potentially going to be an unsustainable diet , i.e. one you will struggle to follow long term. This risks the weight coming back again when you reach your goal.

If you exercise, you will gain some muscle weight that may offset fat loss, so it's worth taking measurements.

In terms of the scales, a keto diet will drop the weight quickly. Carbohydrates bind water, so when we cut them out, we lose that water weight quite quickly, followed by fat loss. The only issue is, if at the end of 2 months, you up your carbs to normal, the water weight portion of your weight loss will come back quite quickly too, so it would need a longer term commitment to LCHF to keep it off.

[Norma_Angel in reply to Cooper27]

My husband has told me the same thing as far as the amount of weight that I am trying lose in that time. But yes, I'm definitely looking into the Ketogenic diet. Thank you.

[TheMoaningViolet]

Hi Norma_Angel, avoid all processed food, sugar and reduce consumption of grains and fruit as much as possible. Eat healthy fats, protein, berries and lots of vegetables. I would make one of the 3 main meals very small and would try not to eat in the 12-hour period (between dinner and breakfast). I find it easier to implement one new habit at a time instead of changing the way I eat overnight. I wish you success; your goal is ambitious but attainable.

[Norma_Angel in reply to TheMoaningViolet]

Thank you very much, Violet. I will definitely implement some of the actions that you have recommended.

[AnnieW55]

The best diet is a way of life not just for the loss period 😀. You need to pick one that suits your lifestyle so that the weight doesn’t just go back on when you go back to normal eating. You can’t really go back to normal eating or you will be looking to lose it again - most of us have been there, I know I have. For me L(owish)C/HF was the way to go. Eight years on and maintaining with changed taste buds - it’s great to look at a cake as a work of art with no desire to eat it.

On the exercise front, every time you exercise you create micro tears in your muscles . These repair themselves and hold onto fluid whilst doing so, so the scales won’t show much loss and is another reason people get disappointed with their rate of loss. This repair phase makes muscles stronger and is why you shouldn’t do the same exercise every day but do different ones involving different muscles or have rest days.

[Norma_Angel in reply to AnnieW55]

I didn't know that about the muscle retention of water after exercising. But that may be part of my problem, I do a lot of the same exercises and barely alternate with new ones. I'll try that. Thank you so much.

[Penel]

Hi Norma

I’ve had a look at the websites in your post. The advice on cutting out highly processed foods, making your own meals as much as possible, and eating the rainbow are certainly very good ideas. If this way of eating is not what you are doing at the moment, then changing to this would hopefully make you healthier and may help you lose weight.

As others have said, four meals a day is not usually a good idea, as your body needs a break from food. Likewise, exercising three times a day may do you more harm than good.

Eating lean meat will not promote weight loss. We need fat in our diet to keep us in good health. If you are going to cut out anything, cut out sugary foods and drink.

[Norma_Angel in reply to Penel]

Yes, I am certainly aiming for a much healthier diet to include more greens, fruits, and less fatty meats. Its just hard when you have a house full of might lovers and who love to eat foods with a lot of carbs and junk food. Its definitely a daunting task, lol. But thank you for the advice, Penel.

[Penel in reply to Norma_Angel]

Good luck, Norma. Hopefully your family will understand and support you in what you are doing.

If you are going to cut down on carbs it’s not a good idea to cut down on fat as well, or you are likely to end up feeling hungry. Don’t go for ‘low fat’ options.

[san_ray70 in reply to Norma_Angel]

I have no kids at home, but my husband likes biscuits and chocolate and ice cream and cakes. I buy low fat versions for me and try not to eat his, I am tempted and if I can not resist I have a small piece of chocolate. It is no fun resisting all the time, but it is worth it. I have lost 2st in 9 months.

[Want2BHappy3]

Diets don’t Work...Sorry 😞🙏

[Fran182716 Prediabetic in reply to Want2BHappy3]

I’d agree that fad or fashionable diets rarely work long term and they aren’t usually healthy. It is possible however to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way by eating nutritious food but slightly less than you burn, whether that’s by calorie counting, managing macros, or portion sizes. I lost 2 stone last year doing just that without any sacrifice of good nutrition and have maintained that loss other than a tiny 2lb lockdown “blip”.

Norma_Angel you need to experiment to find the crossover where food gives you the nutrition you need, is enjoyable, satiates you, and gives you enough energy but still allows you lose lose weight. For me that is cutting out almost all added sugars, small portions of high fibre carbohydrates, small portions of full fat dairy, sufficient protein (I’m vegetarian) and plenty of salad/veg.

Good luck 😀

[Norma_Angel in reply to Fran182716]

Thank you Fran for the advice. I've tried dieting for some time now and just can't seem to get it quite right. Then again, my husband is a huge fan of pasta, ughh! Makes it even harder.

[Ianc2]

What sort of exercise do you do ?

[Norma_Angel in reply to Ianc2]

I mainly just do a lot of cardio. Running and bicycling.

[Ianc2]

Sounds good . If you can marry up calories out with a deficit on the calories incoming in you should be able to crack it.

[Norma_Angel]

Yeah and Ketogenic is really something that I've been looking into. Just so many different options when it comes to meal plans and different services. Guess I just have to educate myself a bit more. The sites I listed initially were about Ketogenic diet plans. Just not to sure on what I should be looking for; quality meals with decent portion sizes, or quality meals with lesser portions.