I have been researching different plans that I feel offer a healthy approaches to weight loss.
I love the idea of eating intuitively, but unfortunately for me, I just maintain my weight doing that. Which is good in one respect because someday, maybe, I’ll be able to eat intuitively once I reach my goal.
I’ve been trying to find a chart that tells me how many servings of which food groups I should eat and why. I don’t want anything TOO restrictive, but I know that I do need something to jump start my weight loss and my motivation again, so a little restriction may be necessary.
I started thinking about the South Beach Diet for a few reasons. First, I know that you don’t have to count calories, points, or anything for that matter. Remember when I followed the Simply Filling plan on WW? I liked that freedom. I am thinking maybe the South Beach Diet is similar. And the fact that you have the freedom goes hand in hand with learning habits needed for intuitive eating.
Way, way back, when I was a devastated teenager trying to get a hold of my weight and self confidence, my Mom made an appointment with a doctor for me. This doctor was a little overweight herself and understood where I came from. She never once made me feel like some of these doctors have made me feel today. But she recommended the South Beach Diet. For whatever reason, I never ended up following it, but it stands out in my mind as a plan that a doctor recommended to me.
I have also mentioned, numerous times, how I want to eat more “clean” foods. I am regularly improving and making small changes, but I’m not quite there yet. The South Beach Diet seems to incorporate fresh and healthy foods.
I am a little apprehensive about the first two weeks. Can I give up fruits for two whole weeks? Milk? All starches and carbs? I like to think that I could but I know how difficult that it would be for me. And what do you do if you have to attend an event where you can’t control the food you’re being served? But I know this might also be good practice for exercising my control. If I felt a little more in control, I know that would motivate me.
As you know, I have always practiced “everything in moderation”. The problem is, I haven’t been practicing moderation lately. I have come to the conclusion that I genuinely hit a plateau, A LONG TIME AGO, lost my motivation because of it, and have ended up where I am today. I KNOW that I’m not giving 100% right now. So I am searching for the plan, the knowledge, and the tools so that I can put my 100% into something that’s really going to work for me this time, something that will pull me through the wall that I hit.
I did contact a registered dietician and I am going to meet with her after the 4th sometime. So there’s a step. She says she has worked with people in my situation before who have lost a lot of weight and stalled. Maybe she will have some kind of nutritional plan that I can follow. I just need all of the pieces of the puzzle. Like I said in my post yesterday, I need to know what to eat. How much to eat. This seems so simple, but after finding so many different opinions in my own research, I am lost. I want an expert to help me, IN PERSON.
I still plan on meeting with a personal trainer but I am kind of waiting until our swimming lessons are done at the YMCA so that hubby can continue swimming lessons at the new location while I do my personal training. Did I mention that the new location has a swimming pool?! I have a newfound love for swimming and will definitely take advantage of that with such a cheap membership!! I have successfully learned three strokes in three lessons. We have two more lessons and I hope to learn two more! If there are two more? Probably are… 
You need to find something that works for you. Trying a new eating plan and maybe some new workouts (though it sounds you're happy with swimming) will probably be just what your body needs to kick start back into weight loss mode. Good luck with whatever you choose!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the plan! Sometimes I find I eat too much when I'm eating intuitively too so I have to go back to calorie counting for a few days just to wrap my head around a real portion size.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
Don't forget that what you WERE doing actually did work for you and you have come a long way. Now it's just time for something different to continue. You are determined. I'm sure you will find a way to keep it going.
ReplyDeleteI recently went back to a low carb - slow carb style lifestyle, and while it's great and doing wonders for me over all, it is tricky at first.
ReplyDeleteI do promise you, the first two weeks are the hardest, but if you give it your all, it's worth it. They say you only get one real detox shot, to lose all the water weight at once (I lost 8 pounds in two weeks) and to kick the cravings. If you screw up the first time, your body doesn't react the same way again. I'm not sure how true it is, but there are lots and lots of people who believe that.
The big focus is just on eating less processed foods (obviously) and I avoid white foods. If I do have some pasta or bread, it's ideally a whole grain or alternative grain. This has helped tremendously with my energy and my headaches. Before, when I was eating higher sugar items, that surge of sugar in my system took me on a high, and I always crashed. Now I know why.
If you decide to do it, remember to set up your fist two weeks replanned ideally (yes the entire two weeks), don't bother going out to eat, and don't have picnics or business trips during that time. Just give yourself time to eatting mindfully and not cheat yourself out of a good thing. To start I made snack bags of portions of nuts, veggies and snacks so that I never had to think if I walked into the kitchen, I just could grab and leave.
The diet post op is basically a low carb diet. I will tell you that after a couple of weeks, your cravings all but disappear. If I never knew that sugar and carbs make you crave sugar and carbs, I know it now. The first 2 weeks are stringent but doable. Just make sure it's something you can live with.
ReplyDeleteThe diet post op is basically a low carb diet. I will tell you that after a couple of weeks, your cravings all but disappear. If I never knew that sugar and carbs make you crave sugar and carbs, I know it now. The first 2 weeks are stringent but doable. Just make sure it's something you can live with.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was important to choose a way of eating that I could be happy with for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I've tried this diet and that diet and I always lost weight. The problem always was that when I went back to eating the high calorie things I wanted, I gained all the weight back and more.
You will do just fine for the first two weeks. The first few days will be hellish, and you'll want bread like crazy, but once it's out of your system, you'll be amazed at how quickly the number goes down! Good luck to you, honey. You've come a long way and have already done something that most people never do!
ReplyDeleteGood Luck Alissa. I'm sure the change will do wonders for your motivation. Look forward to reading how you do!!! Take care.
ReplyDeleteSometimes switching up your diet can be the best thing to get through a rough spot. And...congrats on being able to maintain with intuitive eating. I've lost almost as much as you (77 pounds) and probably have 30-40 more to go...maintaining is what scares me. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI have always struggled with my weight too. I loose some but when I gain it back it is always way more than I lost!! It is so fustrating. I have lost 60 pounds since last September and still going. I completely changed my diet. I made it a lifestyle change not a DIET!!! That is the most important part of loosing weight! I made it part of my everyday life and never call it a diet. Lets face it, it is so hard to go on a DIET!! It is for me. So now I eat oatmeal for breakfast with a banana. I change up the flavors of the oatmeal. I eat tuna with wheat crackers for lunch and Monday-Friday I eat Special K ceral for dinner. I also eat a variety of Special K cereal so I don't get bored. I eat healthy on the weekends and avoid any fast food restaurants at all times. As far as excercise I do 10 miles on Elliptical before work and 10 miles after work and jog 1 mile on the treadmill everyday. Not too bad at all. I also take vitamins to keep me healthy. Good luck!! I hope this helps a little!! I am down to my last 20 pounds to be at my goal weight!!!
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