So many diets—which to choose?

by

I love your site and find you quite encouraging for the active life.  I too love to workout, so my question for you is in relation to the energy to keep that active life going.
Unfortunately, I am prone to reading nutrition articles and then thinking “that is for me”!

Years ago, as a college athlete, I went all Atkins.  While I was really trim I did not have energy.  Most people around me hated me for being so cranky!

In the past few years I keep thinking in order to be healthy (avoid cancer??) I need to be a vegetarian/vegan.  Well, that leaves me completely unsatisfied and flabbier.

I have started a little food journal and weight tracking as a tool to see how my energy and weight fluctuate with certain foods.

The question for you is this: Do you struggle to change your eating habits because of what others say? Or are you comfortable because you found what **works for you**?

Oh that I possessed all the answers to this question (insert joke here about my ass, a television couch & appearing on Oprah if I did).

I can, however, add my .02 and share my own experience for what it’s worth (you? please to chime in below!)

Once upon a time, when I was in college & had happily gained the freshwoman forty due to a steady diet of crap sugared cereals, pizza & beer, I decided it was time to change my ways.

I was always exhausted.

I couldnt think clearly when it came time to study (please to see aforementioned exhaustednessment).

I lacked any kind of motivation *including* interest in going out at night (!).

None of my pants fit.  NONE.  While I’d happily taken to wearing my jeans unbuttoned with large tees over top (& Im not joking about the happily—but thats a different post) I thought it might be nice to at least have the OPTION of tucking even if I never seized the tuck’ertunity.

I was entirely wholly & utterly sluggish.

I decided it was time for a diet (old definition here. not the current ‘a diet is merely a food plan. A way of eating.”  I was thinking short-term lose weight return to old habits later.).

I cant recall exactly how I formulated this food plan (Im confident I wasnt mature enough to consult any professionals), but I ate only fruits & veggies and pretty quickly lost most of my college-added fluff.

Until I regained it.

Pretty soon I grew tired of my lack of complex carbs, protein or good fat (go figure huh?) not to mention I grew *hungry* and I returned to a steady stream of Captain Crunch, delivered Dominios, & Old Milwaukee’s Best Light.

At the time I didnt give this much thought.

I really didnt care that Id regained the weight (again that’s a post for a different day) & merrily returned to my old ways.

Later, however, when I was ready to recommit and *really* get healthy I reflected upon this experience and realized something:

I DID NEED TO TRY OUT DIFFERENT WAYS OF EATING AS, ONLY THEN, WOULD I FIND WHAT WORKED FOR ME.

And try on I did.

I tried Susan Powter’s way (consumed lots & lots of fat-free stuff from potatoes to snackwells) and found that I succeeded…in becoming a slightly smaller, definitely weaker, & really really dimplysoft version of my original self.

I tried Atkins (consumed a lot of LEAN protein & mainly veggies with a few fruits tossed in occasionally) & found I succeeded…in feeling AWESOME for about 4.5 minutes.  Then I realized I couldn’t think straight and was really, really freakin tired.

I tried listening to my body (consumed more protein than many would suggest, lots of complex carbohydrates, more processed carbs than some are ok with, plenty of good fats, volumes of veggies & foutains of fruit, & less wine than most studies recommend) & found I succeeded.

Period.

I felt energetic.

I felt lighter & less bloated (& less rashy itchy. My skin doesnt love the highly processed stuff).

I could think clearly.

I slept fantastically.

I listened to my body because I knew intuitively (rimshot?) that what worked for friends or clients simply wasnt going to 100% work for me.

I have many friends who possess BOUNDLESS energy and are total vegans.  Not me.

I have many friends who posess BOUNDLESS energy and are 100% Atkins eaters. Not me.

This, oh emailer, is your key:

I have started a little food journal and weight tracking as a tool to see how my energy and weight fluctuate with certain foods.

I’d encourage you, in fact, to focus a bit  more on the former than on the latter.

You mention wanting energy to maintain your active lifestyle.  Through journaling and then taking the time to reread and decipher what works best for YOUR BODY you will find the key to that energy.

And, methinks, once you discover THAT you’ll realize the weight has fallen into place as well.

I know that it did for me.

and you all?

How did you know which diet/eating plan/way of life/whatevs was the right one for you? Was it an ah ha! moment or did you slowly make changes until you found what worked?

And, if you are still finding your way on this bumpy healthy living path, what approaches are you using to figure out what meshes best with *your* body?

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. For me it was just about eliminating the stuff I knew I shouldn’t be eating (I think if we are all intellectually honest with ourselves we all know which stuff this is), eating cleaner (more fruit, veg’ lean meat and fish), less alcohol (although still enjoy my red wine) and watching the portion sizes.

  2. I tried listening to my body (consumed more protein than many would suggest, lots of complex carbohydrates, more processed carbs than some are ok with, plenty of good fats, volumes of veggies & fountains of fruit, & less wine than most studies recommend) & found I succeeded.

    That’s exactly what has worked for me! I tried Atikins many years ago, and I was cranky and tired and when I stopped it, the weight came back with a vengeance. I tried Weight Watcher’s and found myself hungry all the time and feeling weak. Slimming World, which is pretty much the eating you described above, has been working for me. It feels like eating naturally.

    I haven’t eaten fast food in almost two years, and I haven’t missed it. On other plans, I always craved and missed it. I enjoy eating healthy. When I get “the munchies,” I grab fruit. My theory is that I can’t really eat too much fruit and vegetables, so I help myself to them. I eat whole grains, but limit them some. I definitely eat more of them than a lot of “diets” allow. I have ditched most processed food, although I still allow myself the very occasional chocolate bar, just because I like them. 🙂 I love my lean meats and healthy fats. 🙂

  3. I had around 30 pounds to lose for the first time in 10th grade. My mother watched my ‘dieting’ like a hawk. That was how I found that moderation with an emphasis on high whole grain fiber and fruits and vegetables works best for me. I think I tried to cut out fat. But with my mother insisting that I consume a modest portion of her main course at dinner, I’m pretty sure I was at a moderate fat intake.

    Happily I can maintain this lifestyle for years and years. I just need to find a way through catastrophes!

  4. I completely agree! I went on the zone diet in college and was irritable! And tired all the time! Once I realized that I can have pasta a couple of times a week with veggies and meat once in a while and still be slender, that was the golden ticket. Although I probably consume more than the average person does on a given day (I’m an endurance athlete), I eat to fuel. I know that 12 cookies are not going to help me run faster, and they certainly aren’t going to make me feel like doing anything other than a nap. 2-3 are okay maybe paired with some milk. Everything in moderation!

  5. I had totally forgotten my SUsan Powter days too.
    Remember when every thing fat free was ok in larg quantites??

    Great post, Miz.
    I am finally eating intuitively as well.

  6. Oh and do you have photo proof of these “no pants fitting” days lOL
    I can not even envision them.

  7. I have mentioned this to you before but I am a complete vegan with boundles energy as you say.

    I also believe that we all shoudl eat less meat as it would reduce our carbon footprint and create a healthier society.
    Would you do a meatfree one day a week to start Miz?

  8. Intuitive eating, mindful eating, attuned eating — whatever you call it — works best for me. And to successfully do that, it required for me (and does for many others) to say that nothing is off limits. *I* get to decide. That removed all the worry/guilt about eating and left it up to me to figure out what made me feel best (and oh, yeah, made me reach and stay at a healthy weight).

    Recently I’ve found it’s taken me to *very* healthy eating, e.g., grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, organic fruits/veggies, gluten free because that’s what makes me feel best physically and mentally. The mentally part has more to do with being conscious about how we are impacting our world. I’m with Bea about eating less meat although I do love it. Well, love fish much more than meat, but it’s still animal food. But I’m all about eating plenty of vegetarian meals. Beans can’t be beat.

  9. I saw in your interview yesterday (I think it was there?) you lost forty pounds almost 20 years ago and have not regarin it.

    Was that though intuitive eating?
    Can you help me figure out where to even start?

  10. I have been on Atkins, WW, vegan, veg, no sugar, high fat, dairy…and INSANITY.

    I am simply listening to my body.

    That’s it.

    When people say listening to their body, it’s about shutting down old patterns and listening to your body. It’s REALLY F-ING HARD and highly rewarding. It’s like climbing the highest mountain in the world. And so far, there have been base camps of success. Moments of falling down, tears, injury, giving up. BUT this time I am getting to the top.

    M

  11. I would love to hear your thoughts on intuitive eating too.
    What I struggle with is that I can not listen to experts if it doesn’t work for me.

    I fall into the trap of reading something or hearing someone interviewed and thinking that THAT IS WHAT I NEED TO DO.

    I like your concept of being the expert of your own body I just am not there yet and do not htink I will ever be.

  12. YES YES YES.
    I hear what you are saying (asking) about intuitive eating and would love to share my experiences (yada yada yada DIZCLAIMER HERE. all my experiences and may not translate well to others :)).

    We are going to record a podcast soon (the next one. new podcast coming 4.5) all about this and you have our wheels turning with regards to perhaps a little intuitive eating experiment with DG and me!

  13. Listening to my body has been the best for me as well. I am still fine tuning, if you will, especially with the carbs/protein thing but know that I surely feel my best when I have eaten a ton of veggies and I do mean a ton. The more veggies I eat, the better I feel. Who knew? 😀

  14. Miz! I love this post. I have been struggling for years with my weight – ever since I gained MY freshwoman forty. WW works for me, but I feel deprived all the time, and that leads me to sneak and occasionally binge, ugh.

    I want to investigate this a little more. After all, how can listening to my body be wrong? (unless it’s telling me to eat 3 brownies or something)

  15. Love this conversation.
    I am trying to help my girlfriend with this right now.
    I wonder if you found, Carla, that it is easier for men than women to eat intuitively?
    Or do we intuitively crave frewer sweets etc.?

    My girlfriend is struggling with sugar cravings.

  16. As you mentioned, it’s all about individualization and paying attention to ow our bodies feel and respond. Some do great with an Atkins-esque approach-others, not so much. Depends again on training type and amount. Diets (diet in the sense of taking in less calories than you expend) DO work-maybe just not the same one for everybody.

  17. I think this is so important! I always tell my clients that there is a process of trial and error to find what works for you.

  18. For me, it’s clean eating that works – eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. Nothing processed, no refined sugars or preservatives and no booze. My friend jokes that I only eat things that “have a mommy or grow in the ground”
    I eat clean 90% of the time and find that I sleep better, have more energy for my workouts, and my complexion, nail and hair all look fabulous. I’m not bloated and I feel lean.
    I am a total sugar junkee and it was VERY hard for me to adjust to this lifestyle. but once those toxins are gone from my system, so are the cravings. It’s liberating!
    To me, it just makes sense.

  19. Honestly, my diet changes depending on the situation I am put in and well, what I can psychologically handle at the time. Sometimes I can do an extremely strict diet for rapid weight loss. Sometimes I can only handle a minor calorie deficit. Sometimes I need to just loosen up and not be strict at all.

    It really depends on so many factors. Knowing what you can handle given the circumstances is the key for making sure you can make successful adaptations to your diet throughout life.

  21. and it took me a WHILE too, Ron. As mentioned above lots of trial and error but first, for me, it was trusting myself enough to LET GO and try and error.

  22. It took us a long time to figure everything out – what works for our bodies. Even being twins we have seen differences in how feel with our workouts and our eats. It is very interesting. Though we did a process of elimination to get where we are today 🙂 and Love it! We are much more happier and pleased with our workouts and everything else. It just takes time to find something that you truly love doing everyday 🙂 We love being active so that was never the hard part, it was just finding a routing and type of exercise that gave us the best results that took the longest.

  23. I’ve tried everything. Atkins made me ANGRY. Slimfast made me so hungry I was miserable. Alli… well, it scared me too much and I never took it. The Hollywood Juice Diet made me pass out in the public library.

    For me, what works is Weight Watchers. i have done it enough that I can figure out the points in my head, so it’s easy. It gives me a way to track everything, and it encourages me to eat more fruits and veggies to get more food for less points. I probably do eat more processed foods than a lot of people would recommend, but it works for my lifestyle and I am seeing the results I want…

    Ideally, I would move on to intuitive eating in my maintenance phase.

  24. The “eat real food, mostly plants” thing works well for me, as well as avoiding dairy and grains.

    How did I discover this? Years and years of trial and error.

  25. I’d like to be able to listen to my body and lose weight, but my body keeps saying things like “ROOTBEER” and “TACO DORITOS”. My mind tells me a variety of whole and natural foods. Honestly? I trust my mind a lot more than I trust my flabby hips right now.

    Yes, I’ve tried a lot of stuff and learned that “diets” don’t work… change of diet does.

  26. I tried a lot of stuff in my day, too, Miz. I finally saw the light with adding more protein and more veggies and carbs around my workouts. Body fat dropped and energy gained. I will never be the same!

  27. Although it is often said that we each must find our own way, finding someone else’s way that works for you seems alright also. That said when it comes to a diet plan, a combination of low fat, portion control, and exercise always works!

  28. Although it is often said that we each must find our own way, finding someone else’s way that works for you seems alright also.

    YES YES YES Dr J!! You are entirely correct. I simply believe we are the experts of our own bodies and should listen.

    Someone above (cant see on handheld) mentioned wanting to transition to INTUITIVE from WW at some point down the road and that made me think exactly what you said in your comment:

    for him/her WW may be exactly what she’d do INTUITIVELY.

    for him/her the WW ‘plan’ might be EXACTLY what her body is telling her works best.

    intuitively.

  29. The reason I like, and believe I succeeded with Weight Watchers because what works for me is “everything in moderation” and the important focus on portion sizes. Nothing was off limits. I still enjoy old favorites every once in awhile like pizza, sesame chicken, and chocolate. My eating has changed SO MUCH since I started losing weight on WW though. At first my diet was very heavy in convenience foods like frozen meals and 100 calorie packs. Now the majority of my diet is whole foods – fruits & veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and lowfat dairy. With the occassional treats thrown in of course!

  30. It’s baby steps for me. What seemed like “intuitive” eating for me a year ago consisted of me feeling like I needed 8 items at the drive through. I had to really restrict what I ate for a long time.

    Even now as I’m trying to s l o w l y add foods back to my diet (or at least in larger quantities) I find that my compulsion tends to outweigh my intuitiveness. I have to be really careful with how I eat.

    That being said I am sticking with a REAL nutrition plan that includes a good blend of carbs/proteins/fats and not just some fad diet.

  31. I lost 35 pounds last year eating more grains and smaller meals. However, I still struggle with sugar cravings and a strong addiction to diet coke.
    I’m with Fab Kate, often times my body says “taco bell” but I know enough to know that that happens when I’m tired.
    I’m at my goal weight. I exercise enough. It’s the energy I struggle with. I am a zombie by 9 p.m. and drag myself out of bed at 5.

  32. It is so about finding what works for you & a balance too. And keep in mind that this may change over time with your body changes, age changes & life changes. Keep listening to the bod! Great post Carla!

  33. I think that even when we find the right way of eating that works for us individually, that still CHANGES as we grow and as our lifestyles change.

    When I was in Cambodia last year, I ate meat every day and felt great.

    When I went 100% vegan last September, again, I felt great.

    When I lived in Spain for three months and ate a VERY high fat diet (olive oil doused in everything/dark chocolate at every meal), AGAIN, I felt great.

    That’s because of where I was in my life- it changes, and I adapted to suit my body’s needs.

    Now, I really enjoy being mostly-vegan with the flexibility of choosing vegetarian or meat options whenever I feel like it. But you’re right: the main thing is to simply LISTEN to our bodies.

    Loved this post.

  34. For me it’s all about how my body feels. I’m not very good with cutting entire food groups out, so I just eat when I’m hungry, stick to whole foods and try to eat as healthfully as possible without counting calories or restricting myself. I generally feel it when I go overboard and can rein myself in. It’s all about balance for me.

  36. I lived on Atkins for 2 years and did really well. I kept the 27 pounds off for that period of time and felt great (no lack of energy for me). But slowly I came to realize that it was not a realistic diet to live on forever.

    I fell off of it and gain 90 pounds in 2 years.

    Then I discovered the diet for me: a balanced diet of the proper portions of lean protein, veggies, fruit, and complex carbs.

    Now if only I could stay on track.

  37. Thank you. I think if we exercise a lot and eat healthy (i.e. listening to our bodies) – you’re right. We would be fit and light. I think I just allow my mind to step in for my body sometimes and I confuse the two. Just last night – I thought my body said pizza…I was wrong!

  38. Trial and error has helped me determine how my body reacts to foods – for my son, eliminating dairy has resolved a number of issues for him. I’ve also eliminated dairy, and my problems are gone, too. Protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats are the way to go, for me!

  39. I started by counting calories. I could eat what I wanted as long as it fit in my calorie count. But I still felt sluggish.

    I slowly started adding more real foods and less processed stuff. It helped with the energy. I still count calories (well now points for WW) but it’s what I eat that is key. And I have Severe IBS so I have to balance with that.

    It’s all about balancing what my body can handle. Not too many carbs, plenty of fruits and veggies a only a little meat.

  40. lovelovelove how the theme in your comments is FINDING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and that so many of you have embraced the trial & error idea fearlessly.

  41. This happened to me with Atkins:

    I tried Atkins & found I succeeded…in feeling AWESOME for about 4.5 minutes. Then I realized I couldn’t think straight and was really, really freakin tired.

    I was continually exhausted and it all threw me into a carbohydrate frenzy and binge like no other.

    Now I am willing to trial and error but never ever if a food plan tells me to cut out any entire grouping like carbs.

    Interesting post!

  42. This is the second time I’ve been able to stick to a new lifestyle for a longer period of time. In both cases, it was eating sensibly while tracking calories in/out for a deficit. The first lifestyle failed for more mental reasons than process. This time, I’m better armed for the mental aspects of the new lifestyle.

  43. Great post.

    My own personal battle/journey has had me on so many diets that I have seriously lost count. It’s a lot.

    My happy place came when I stopped worrying so much about being perfect on any diet. I eat healthy foods *most* of the time. And when I indulge in something I enjoy it and don’t feel guilty.

    Cutting out as many processed things as possible is important. But at the same time I enjoy putting together a pizza from time to time or eating a cadbury creme egg. Balance. 🙂

    A new “rule” that I’ve set for myself: if I am going out to eat or to a dinner and it’s going to be an occasion where I can say in the future, “Remember that time we…….” then I will allow for indulgence. But if it’s just an ordinary dinner that I will not rememer with fondness in the future then I eat like a dieting saint. No guilt, no worries.

  44. Indeed, one size does not fit all. Finding what works is scary and difficult. The thing I feared the most, fat, is what helped kick my weight loss back into gear. Now I aim for 30% fat a day–healthful fat, such as almonds, olive oil, etc. Upped my protein, my fat, reduced my carbs and that, knock on wood, is what is working for me.

  45. p.s. It’s really funny, but my hubby feels his best when he eats the Atkins way. Everyone is so different.

  46. I don’t know as the learning how to eat ever ends. My eating has gone through quite an evolution over the years, but what I really found was that I was trying *other* people’s or companies plans and expecting my body to accept that as mine. What really needed to happen was for me to pick and choose different things from different programs and tailor an eating style that works for me.

    That ended up being higher protein, whole grains, lots of fruits, healthy fats and exercise – with treats along the way.

  47. Excellent topic and post, Miz! I so agree with the approach you are recomending. I don’t get nearly the amount of people asking me for help as you do, but I have had a few and I always give them the same advice: do what works for you. It is the individual plan that will make the individual successful!

  48. I couldn’t agree more with this advice. Everyone is unique — but we could all benefit by removing overly processed food from our diets. That’s more than half the battle for most people. I find that I do best when I eat “real” food (cooking for myself, not getting the “convenience” boxed food), and try to put more veggies in my diet. Especially dark green veggies.

  50. My first ‘diet’ was weight watchers. But, I didn’t like that some fruits & veggies had a bad label. I thought that silly. They’re always a better choice over crap. Why should I be cautious of a 20 calorie bit of tomato?

    So, like you, I did what made sense to me. I eat what makes me feel good and on. Less and less processed stuff. Organic stuff. Stuff that feeds my body and my mind. And Cohosh. Keeps a gal in her 40’s sane. Honest.

  52. After trying WW, Atkins and every magazine diet ever published, I finally went the DIY way and figured out a way I could eat foods I liked and shed the weight. It’s also still a work in progress, even though I’m in maintenance. Always room to improve.

  53. What worked for me to lose has seemed to stop – I’m maintaining GREAT, but I guess I need to figure something else out if I want to keep losing.

  54. I know Ive mentioned this to you before Shelley but maybe just really shake thing up with the food?
    Same calories even but mixed different through your day.
    Same calories even but ALL NEW FOODS.
    Cycle calories perhaps?
    I find I do that a LOT intuitively. Ill eat a lotlotlot for a few days and feel like my metabolism is “sparked” but that increase in fuel. And other days Im just not as hungry.

    FOR ME shaking things up by way of not eating too too UBER CLEAN for too long (hello junkfoodatmovies!) helps as well.

    It seems to shake up my system and RESTART fat burning.

    For me.
    Dizclaimer 🙂
    all that…

  55. Yes, this is definitely a process, and I’m still learning. And, Ooooo! Miz, your comment on #30 really resonated with me, especially since IE has been quite the hot topic around the boards recently:

    “for him/her WW may be exactly what she’d do INTUITIVELY.

    for him/her the WW ‘plan’ might be EXACTLY what her body is telling her works best.

    intuitively.”

    I tailor my eating more or less to my health goals: controlled blood glucose levels, healthy cholesterol numbers, and balance/enjoying life. I haven’t formally “forbidden” anything, but there are some things (like Diet Coke, fast food hamburgers) that aren’t my “go to” item anymore or that I’ve lost my taste for. I do best with moderate amounts of carb (mostly through vegetables, a little through fruit, dairy, and grains) and higher amounts of healthy fats and protein. I also aim for 30 grams of fiber a day. My “what” is actually pretty good; my “how much” is where there’s a disconnect between body and mind; I’m still working on that.

    I really like Kelly’s (#45) rule about eating out and indulging: “Remember the time we…” is going to be my new guideline, too. In a way it has been for dessert items already.

  56. Oh I could so have written this letter! I feel like I’m always changing my food style based on others’ recommendations. Most of the time it makes me unhappy and fat. Occassionally I stumble across something worthwhile and slooooowly but (hopefully) surely, I’m finding what works for me. Now – if I could stop judging myself in the process we’d be all set. (You and your happy unbuttoned jeans is the coolest thing I’ve read all day. Someday I will possess that kind of equanimity!)

  58. What can I say…another awesome post! Still trying to work out what works for me….I know the processed thing makes me feel very ugk! McD’s tastes so good (to me) when I eat it and than 1/2 hour later I feel like crap..just not worth it anymore for me…clean eating I know is the way to go!

  59. Thank you, thank you for writing this post! I agree that it has to be a trial and error thing. There is not 1 single plan for everyone.
    I think my issue is that I have had the weight loss diet mentality and right now I am trying to combine it with needing extra fuel for workouts. A very complicated place for me.
    I am going to try the journal again though I had not thought of the energy level tracking.
    I just cannot even picture you fluffy AT ALL!
    😉

  60. This is a fun subject because I have been testing stuff for years on my clients. I have completely avoided nutrition and just worked out my clients to death. I have restricted my clients and have had similar results with both. I think the key is with nutrition is to start out thinking what can I add to my eating plan that will help me feel better.

    With the attitude of adding good things to your diet you learn how to control hunger and cravings. Overall the article is correct people need to reconnect with themselves and start listening to how food makes them feel and what their bodies need. At the end of the day we know what our bodies need lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and good fats.

  61. My food journal has been a God send. In the past I’ve been able to lose weight by just watching portion sizes and the food I am eating but with 50+ pounds to lose, I knew I needed to do something else. So, I started with Jenny Craig, it was a great jumpstart for my weight loss and helped me to understand that I wasn’t eating nearly enough and see what true portion sizes looked like. I have since transitioned to cooking my own food and use sparkpeople.com to monitor my intake of food, carbs, protein etc. Now when I eat I am more conscious of what needs to be on my plate so even if I don’t follow the “plan” I do pretty well.

    I think over time I will be able to just do this on my own but right now journaling is working best for me!

  62. I think the susan powter esque no fat program is the reason I became morbidly obese. I have added more healthy fats, try to eat lots of fruits and veggies, lean proteins and limit the alcohol. Oh yeah, I exercise every day now too. I am now technically “obese” and hope to become “overweight” within the year. I think it is all about finding what works for the individual. I am down about 70 pounds from my highest weight and have at least another 70 to get to goal weight. I think I will be overweight in about 50 pounds. Oh my! It all sounds so complicated. It sure is a process…

  63. Awesome post and advice.
    I, too, grew overweight trying to follow and figure out what everyone else “said” I should do.
    Now I am stuck and overweight and struggling to find my hunger and a plan.

    🙁

  64. Before I get to the overall reaction to this post, I would be remiss not to say SOMEthing about you drinking Old Miluakee’s Best Light. Oh man.

    But I’m right there with you right now. I’m journalling and doing some weights and measures, though really what I’m doing is paying attention. trying to listen. A sure sign for me that something is amiss with how I’m eating is that I can’t concentrate to read. Hey, maybe that’s what happened with my exam on Tuesday . . . maybe I should go back in my journal and see what I ate that day?

  65. I did the no-fat, but not really nutritious plan years ago. Now I’m on the whole foods only way of life and feeling great. Lots of energy, no more mid-afternoon naps necessary. It’s all good.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.

  66. I’m late to this (see my post about floodwaters rising) but I’m glad I was. It was so nice to read your post and then everyone’s ideas! I too would love to transition to intuitive eating but I know for a fact it’s fear of weight gain (which equals fear of failure) that holds me back. I’m afraid I’d eat M&Ms for days and Never. Stop. I know the world wouldn’t come to an end, but my thighs might.

  67. and you might helen.
    hell I know I ate CRAP FOR WEEKS.
    until I didnt.
    until my intuitivenessment (the technical term :)) kicked in and I tapped into my inner true hunger.
    finally.
    and permanently.

    post and podcast coming.

    xo xo

  68. Still working on this. I know atkins/lo carb does NOT work for me (I’m just not a fan of enough types of meat and hate eggs so its the same chicken salad OVER and OVER until I would just rather not eat at all). I know strict vegetarianism does NOT work for me (I just can’t understand how to feel full enough without SOME meat). The holy grail of keeping myself feeling good and healthy? I wish I could share, but at least I’m fairly close. I can maintain weight just fine without much attention, but losing? It’s like chipping away at a block of ice with a toothpick.

    I could go on and on but I’ll save that lengthy diatribe for a blog post, tee hee.

  69. After more than 25 years (yikes!) of sports & fitness, trial & error, I basically know what works for me, but still have to keep in check those outside influences that happen almost on a daily basis, especially with kids around. Seems there’s always a b-day to go to, or event where there’s a bombardment of cake & fatty finger foods. If I can keep that in check , I’m good to go & basically eat similar to yourself. Your food journal advice is the best advice ever, and sometimes a shock if you’ve never done one! Thanks for the reminder of the value of journaling.

  70. I think for me it was all about balance and portion control. My diet was cutting down portions. I eat way more veggies. I’m cutting out dairy products (because for me it makes me bloated). I eat a good healthy breakfast. I allow my sweet tooth to munch on something good. But for me it’s about balance. I could never be a vegetarian/vegan. I love meat! I actually think God made meat for us to eat. It’s great for me because I lift weights. Great post! Loved it 🙂

  71. I think my intuitive eating control is broken. It just wants gooey chocolatey things 🙂 I had to reign in the child within and stick to a calorie controlled diet. I feel better if I eat mostly fruits and veggies, protiens, only good carbs and a little fat. I did take what worked for me from a lot of different books and plans. Does that count as intuitive eating? I’ve lost 133 pounds and am constantly fighting the inner child to keep it off.

  72. Well, I’m late to comment, but I loved this post and all the conversation around it. I am finding my way around intuitive eating. Working on defining what I mean when I use that word.

    What has worked for me has been a very long process. But I think one thing that has really helped has been my willingness to be open to new things–new foods and new food combos. Since I have been willing to try new things I have learned that there are a lot of really great tasting foods out there that I never would have tried before. This has given me a large arsenal of great foods and meals to choose from.

  73. In two years I gained close to 60lbs simply because of a horrible diet and little time for exercise. Once I broke 215 I knew it was time for a change. Over the last 4 years I have tried many different diets/ exercise programs, all with mixed results. My favorite of the diets was the Abs diet from Men’s Health. I got to eat foods I enjoyed and they gave me step by step directions to make quick meals that tasted great and were loaded with good fats, protein and good carbs. The Abs diet exercise program was great for a while but got boring. For the past few months I’ve found boot camp style workouts through Ideal Shape to be more to my liking. Every workout is different and I have seen amazing results! So in agreement with many others when it comes to diet and exercise what truly matters is what works for you!

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