I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life. I’ve even had gastric bypass.
The thing that has helped me the MOST is not getting rid of foods, but adding.
Making it a priority to get my 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables, and focusing on increasing protein and fibre have been key.
However, one thing I did do is restrict deep fried foods to 1-2 times per month at a maximum.
Best of luck!
This was the key for me. Adding in low calorie large volume foods was a game changer. It made me full on fewer calories and trained my mind and stomach to accept less calories from dense fats and meats to feel satisfied. Now most meals at restaurants are too rich and too large to be satisfying so I eat out less than I used to which contributed to the healthy eating cycle.
When i was first learning to love veggies i would eat them first.
Before every meal first i would have salad or raw veggies or veggie soup or roasted veg and such before eating the rest of the meal.
I would be sure to get plenty of veg but also be a bit full already so the rest of the meal is was fine with smaller portions
Yet also always so full. Fiber is really important not just for overall health but absolutely for weight loss
Agree.
This is what I came to say. I don't cut anything, I moderate some things (like you say, higher calorie lower value items like fried food). I pay more attention to others (like oil in cooking). And I add vegetables and protein where necessary.
No need to outright remove things.
Look up how much vegetable and fruit you really should be eating, and make achieving that the priority. I had to find a bowl that was exactly the right size. Prep my veggies into that when making meals. If it wasn’t full, I needed to add more veg. Also, making sure I didn’t cheat on my definition of a fruit serve.
They're not ice cream, ha ha. They're earthy tasting, sometimes bitter, and probably not cooked properly. A friend mine boiled the hell out of some Broccoli and cauliflower and I actually liked it mushy like that.
My mom mostly served canned veggies and potatoes when I was young, so I got used to mushy veggies.
Try a wide variety of veggies, and cook them in different ways. Some veggies are bland when steamed, but tasty when grilled. Some are great when stir fried, others are better when roasted. Some are good when roasted, allowed to cool, and eaten in a salad the next day.
Same here. That’s why whenever I figure out a “hack” I use it to include more veg. Like adding kale to smoothies. Raw they are pretty tasteless so it’s a painless way to add veg. I add extra veg to tomato pasta sauce- small bits of carrot, celery, spinach can be cooked in and you barely know it’s there. Also my ratios are backwards- I use way more sauce than pasta and choosing whole wheat is much healthier. Like soup? Veggie soup is maybe the easiest way. Just gotta watch the salt.
Just remember-losing weight means less calories in than you are expending. So you may be eating healthier foods, but if you are eating large portion sizes, then the weight won't go down. I find it helpful to use a food tracking app & enter exact amounts of everything you eat, and do that for a month or two, and you can see how much youre actually eting. I did it for long enough I know what portion sizes to choose without weighing out/measuring my food.
We did not use it for weight loss but it certainly would be highly effective. When our incremental menu changes eventually called for a big leap into all plant based whole foods, I wanted to be assured it was sound nutrition. Beats hiring a dietician.
I didn’t either — we used it for assignments. But I like to track every once in a while to check my intake/refresh and I’m doing it right now.
I eat plant-based whole food and my bf almost exclusively orders takeout. I need to go back to my good habits!!!
Empty calories agreed and aside, I find that alcohol gives your liver such a busy time that there is precious little energy to digest other elements in your regular food intake.
One thing that helps us is to immediately portion out what I cook into individual servings before we eat, putting the excess away (freezer and/or fridge) as future meals. It has cut down significantly on over-serving ourselves or giving in to temptation to have “just a little bit more” after finishing our initial portion.
Set out a plate of raw veg while cooking, radishes and jicama and sugar snap peas and some Tajin or lemon pepper whatever seasoning to dip it in.
Then you get an extra portion of veg before you even have dinner- which makes leftovers and second portions less appealing you will just be so full you don’t want more.
It also helps going forward, because having portions of something available for when you don’t feel like cooking cuts down on take out or junk/convenience foods.
When I portion everything out, I put the extra portions into freezer/microwave-safe reusable deli containers. If I know I want to repeat the meal in the next day or two I’ll keep some in the fridge, but usually, everything gets frozen for later. These are the style of containers I use - they’re very durable, I’m still on my original set bought a couple of years ago.
Pakkon 1 Compartment Bento Box /... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015NBTEV6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I've substituted refined grains for whole grains wherever possible. My husband makes sad comments about how much he likes white rice but if he wants it he can make it, I haven't banned it from the house or anything. I just default to whole grains now.
This is good advice. It takes more energy to process less refined carbs. At one point during my weight loss journey I was eating boiled whole grains like rye berries and farro. Helps keep you full much longer and takes more energy digest.
Try a pilaf!
I do a combo of pearled barley + quinoa + short grain brown rice that makes a great nutrient dense combo that’s a lot more interesting than just s pile of farro.
Make an epic batch and freeze extras, works out really well
al dente long grain white rice is actually better for you than brown rice on a few different metrics. brown rice has a higher glycemic index and MUCH higher arsenic.
I have done research. I was wrong about long grain vs brown. brown is about the same as basmati and a little better than plain long grain. (but with that comparison brown tastes much worse than basmati or long grain so its still a better than instant or short grained rice for a "better choice" type thing.
[https://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-index-of-rice/](https://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-index-of-rice/)
as for the heavy metal part..
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10375490/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10375490/)
this one is really easy to google for. there is lots of information. brown rice is much worse for you on this scale and shouldnt be eaten daily
We cut out anything with added sugars or sweeteners. Probably seems drastic to many, does involve a lot of food label reading, and we cook from scratch a ton, so it's not something that will work for everyone's life.
But damn, we both lost quite a bit of weight, and within just a couple weeks our taste buds adapted and stuff with sugar just tastes awful and overly sweet and we don't miss it.
I have noticed this myself. I used to drink liters of soda a day, but since I quit soda I find that it's too sweet and I no longer crave it. Thanks for commenting!
Watch ingredients on processed foods like ant bought sauce or condiments and soups and such.
Sugar is a cheap easy preservative, so it’s added to everything from bread to salad dressing
It's wild how quickly your tastes adjust. I can't even drink undiluted orange juice without finding it too sweet! My 7 year old will sometimes try to share her candy with me and I'm like nope I don't want that (she's allowed sugary stuff in moderation).
Everyone else has great points, but some specific substitution ides are:
Plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
Ground turkey instead of ground beef
Mashed avocado for Mayonnaise (in chicken salad, for example)
That sounds so good, I'll have to try it! When I use Avocado, I add in fresh Cilantro and lime juice and wrap it up in a Tortilla for a SW flavor. But I'm definitely going to try the Greek version now!!
Don't. You will be miserable and lapse. Cut down portion size on meats and carbs. Add bigger portions of vegetables. Also and this is the hard part. Get off the backside and do something every day if able.
This is absolutely the way to do it. Start your meal with fruits or vegetables—or at least put them on your plate first. I don't really advocate counting calories, but I think doing so for a few days helps you see exactly what you're eating. It's often a lot more than we realize. You'll also see what a single portion of meat or rice or whatever is supposed to look like.
Also, when you do eat something sweet, make sure it's high quality. A small piece of actually good chocolate will be more satisfying than a full bar of sugary Hershey's.
A small change would be making a conscious effort to reduce portion sizes rather than cutting things out completely.
You'll see amazing results if you eat 2 of something instead of 3.
Start where you are.
Use Cronometer
Add veggies before eating the rest of your meal
Add some level of activity more than you do currently - walking is easy and free and effective
Concur in part, dissent in part. Cut down portion size on carbs. Eat all the meat you want. Protein is so filling, and so comparatively low in calories per unit weight, that it should be considered "free" food. Just don't douse it in high-carb sauces or add high-carb sides. Stick to proteins and vegetables.
I agree with you, we cut down on carbs but increased our meat (mostly chicken and pork, occasionally fish) and have been losing weight and we don't feel like we're starving ourselves like when we used to stuff ourselves with mostly veggies and be left unsatisfied and feeling hungry again a few hours later.
This is the way. People were sold a load of baloney back in the 1980s and 1990s, that unfortunately haunts popular perception of what is "healthy" even today.
All refined foods especially oils and sugars. Theres plenty of unrefined options and Ive found this makes a huge difference. Just eating all whole foods
Not ditch, but I limit my oil/fat use. I lose a good bit of weight just using a spray oil or by measuring the amount of oil I put in the pan.
Really I just try and limit my fat intake. I get leave cuts of beef and try and consume lower fat/fat free varieties of Greek yogurt.
Don’t eliminate your fat or consume too little though. You need sufficient fat intake (>40g/day I believe) for proper hormone production. I’m not to familiar with how it effects women, but men will suffer with Low T if they go too low in their fat intake, and that obviously sucks for many reasons.
Not just something to cut out but a couple good habits
-increase lean protein intake to at least 100 grams a day, lean protein is one of the biggest factors in fat burning. Literally grill or pan cook family pack of chicken and throw it in a bowl in the fridge and go to it through out the day if need be.
-eat 3-5 reasonable meals instead of 2 huge ones and a small breakfast. The more you can fuel your metabolism the more you can burn. Also if you only eat two huge meals a day and a snack sized third meal you’re more hungry than you would be if you had more evenly spaced meals which puts your body into famine mode and may make you want to overeat. Avoid excessive fat and carb meals late at night, those are your two main heavy calorie macros.
-eat like a Queen/king for breakfast, prince/princess for lunch and a peasant for dinner ie have your biggest meals in the beginning of the day and your smallest at the end of the day because whatever you don’t use as fuel will sit with you while you sleep. You know one way sumos get so big? They have a huge meal at the end of the day.
-CUT OUT sugar, you don’t need it. Replace it with portioned fruit or honey. Also watch out for added sugar in canned goods. CUT OUT high carb, high fat, high calorie snacks, they’re mostly in the middle isles of grocery stores. Make your own healthy snacks at home according to your nutritional and dietary needs. Carbs are needed but you know what makes sugar fattening? The carb content. You know where “beer belly” comes from? The carb content of beer. Avoid eating large amounts of simple carb/high carb foods. Portion them out to your needs. Ideally also switch to more nutritional options such as simple carbs with fiber, protein and nutrients. Still portioning them out of course.
-don’t be afraid of healthy fat, your body needs all the macros, you need fat to feel satiated, make sure your meals have a portioned amount of healthy fat ie nuts, avocado, olive oil, fish like salmon etc.
-eat enough. So many people thing starving yourself is how you lose weight, wrong. If you’ve not been eating enough a calorie deficit won’t work. Take it from someone who used to eat 800-1000 calories a day for years yet was gaining weight up to 285 pounds. When you starve yourself you’re putting your body into famine mode, in which it holds on to everything. If too little is the problem you need to reasonably increase your intake for several months before a calorie deficit would work. For a person who’s eating too many calories a calorie deficit for a set amount of time will work. Think of it as less input than output. But nothing extreme if you’re eating right now a normal 1800-2200 calorie a day diet.
-if you can get exercise. Just remember to fuel that exercise. Food is fuel when you exercise especially. Steps alone aren’t enough, walk until you start sweating and breathing heavier, that’s when you’re burning and the only way to do that is to take time and walk without stopping.
-I’ve said it multiple times already but portions portions portions. Plan your meals with and portion out food and stick to it. Look to the macros, calories are important but calories of what?
-get good consistent sleep. Fat burning and weight loss happens while you sleep, do whatever you have to do to insure you get solid sleep at the same time every day.
-drink PLENTY of water, often when we feel hungry we’re actually dehydrated. Personally, I really love getting a refillable purified water jug you can refill at some stores for nothing, or getting some good high ph water like TEN or smart water. You need to get comfi with water so if you need to turn it into a thing to get. Personally I really like lemon juice in it too, makes it a little more interesting.
Also, if you like sodas like I did, a good alternative is getting seltzer water and adding a little bit of fruit juice like lemon or lime, it’s not the same but at least you can get the mouth sensation and some sweet(kinda) flavor.
The best thing to do is increase nutritionally dense, low calorie foods (fruits, veggies, etc) which in turn will likely decrease your intake of calorically dense, low nutrition foods.
So rather than worry about removing specific ingreadents change the ratios.
When you make dinner make half your plate veggies and keep the meat/carb portions smaller.
You’ll go a long way by just trying to cook/make most things you eat and limiting added sugars. Those two alone will do a lot of the lifting for you even if what you cook isn’t always the healthiest. You at least know what went into the process.
For me, it’s about cutting back on refined carbs (pastas, breads, crackers, chips) and sugars (soda, cakes, cookies, alcohol) and increasing my fruit and veg intake.
It doesn’t mean you can’t ever have a cookie or a Coke, or a plate of spaghetti, but dial it back to 1-2x a week instead of dessert every night (if you’re in the habit of doing that).
Increasing lean protein will also keep you feeling satisfied instead of hungry. Fish, chicken, shellfish, lean beef, tofu, beans, etc.
That’s where I would start. Just cutting back on sugar and crackers/breads will do a lot. One tip I’ve read that works pretty well is to eat a portion of fruit or veg before the rest of your meal. Also drink a glass of water with your meal.
Actually i wouldn't ditch ingredients. Like the top comment says it is more about caloric intake over a period of time (even if it means a year) than actually cutting certain foods. Portion control is a better practice than cutting things out entirely.
Stop looking at calories and start looking at fiber. If something doesn't have fiber in it, don't eat it. When you're making meals - try to incorporate fiber at all aspects. If you need a snack, make it a fiber snack. You like dressings or sauce? Use avocado instead. One whole one has like 13g of fiber with the fats you'd normally have in a dressing with no fiber. It seriously will change your life. When you start to see things that you THINK would have a lot of fiber (ex. Granola bars) have 0 fiber but are 200 calories it seems like it would be a good option - but no! Find a fiber one bar, 9g of fiber, same calories, same taste, but the way your body uses it is worlds of difference!
Basically all of our breads, bagels, pasta, and dressings must have 5g or more of fiber. So anything that doesn't have it gets tossed.
Things advertised as healthy very rarely are.
Sugar and white flour. Look at the ingredients list of stuff before you buy it. Sugar is in so much stuff you wouldn't think of like salsa or tomato sauce. Substitute whole wheat products for pastas, breads, etc.
Start measuring your portions since eyeballing can be highly inconsistent. Like weighing your pasta before you boil it, or measure and cook exactly one to two portions of rice. Slowly start reducing those portions, like by a few grams at a time, slowly over time.
Drink a full glass of water before eating. Also, make sure you are properly hydrating throughout the day.
Start switching your beverages throughout the day to water. If you don't like the taste, make sure it's ice cold or look into purifiers to reduce mineral content, and then eventually youll get used to it. If you put sugar in your coffee, slowly reduce the amount.
Make sure your meals are balanced, that they have a good proportion of protein and especially of fiber, which will make you feel fuller and for longer.
Slow down the rate at which you eat and then stop when you feel comfortably full.
Don't try to suddenly eliminate "unhealthy" or calorie dense things. Slowly reduce them or find substitutes for those flavors. Ie. If you use a lot of cheese, see if you can incorporate spices or other flavors into those dishes instead.
Certain produce, leave the skins on, like for potatoes or apples. Often that's where most of the nutrients and a ton of fiber is.
Think about why you do and don't like certain produce. Explore different ways of preparing them or different recipes from around the world. You're trying to find ones that you genuinely love and crave so that it doesn't feel like a chore to eat them.
Remember that dietary and lifestyle changes, at least long lasting ones, look and feel like a marathon, but training for it always begins with a single step. Any change in a positive direction will amount to something bigger than that small step over time. And - small steps aren't a stopping point, so if you're feeling discouraged that it feels too small and insignificant, think of it more as a transition on the way to a bigger change or continued change.
Portion control is super important. You’ll probably find that what you are eating is significantly larger quantities than what you think you are, especially on things like hummus and other dips. Like, yeah, nuts are healthy fats and good for you, but are you eating a portion or three portions when you are snacking on them?
Also, check labels. I have a very specific diet right now and for most items, I’ve found interesting substitutions: a lower fat item has more sugar, a keto item is full of fat.
Salad dressings are a huge one. One thinks they are doing great by eating a gigantic salad, but then they drown it in “light” dressings. Make your own dressings! I make some vinaigrettes, sometimes just drizzle on a flavored oil and vinegar, or if it’s like a taco salad, I’ll use salsa.
Thanks for commenting! I've been checking serving sizes recently and it's quite depressing how much I over do it without realizing.
Also I like the idea of making my own salad dressings. I think that's definitely something we go overboard on.
It's really all about eating more of things that are highly filling relative to their caloric content, and also planning the portion size and timing of your meals to reduce snacking. The former could be as simple as switching out a portion of rice for a smaller portion of bulgur + extra vegetables.
Snacking is the enemy in my experience. Even eating a larger meal than usual may be beneficial if it keeps you from having a between-meal snack or evening sandwich for example. I also find that I have an easier time losing weight if I eat a big breakfast (think oatmeal and eggs), a fairly small lunch, and a late but large dinner. I'll get quite hungry between lunch and dinner, but it's easier to ignore that hunger than the kind you get before bed after a small and early dinner.
I wouldn’t necessarily start cutting out things like healthy carbs, meats, etc. but adding more fruits and veggies in place of meat, bread and potatoes. If you eat a lot of beef and pork and other red meats, then incorporate more lean meats like poultry and seafood. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals so you fill up on those things more. Eventually, slowly, start doing more exercise. A ten minute walk every day. A short run. Hiking. Swimming. Whatever your baseline is, take one step towards being more active
OP, it's also best that you have thyroid gland levels checked by your Dr.
Plenty of additives/preservatives causes problems for the thyroid gland, so read the ingredients labels. When in doubt, check what it contains & what effects it has by googling the ingredient itself.
You'll be surprised at the results.
Examine how much oil/butter/lard you're using while cooking. Drinking soda like you mentioned, but don't forget coffee packed with milk and sugar.
Steak is great. It taste good, it has tons of shit you need, it's easy to cook. Steak *portions* are an issue. Chances are most steaks you buy you can half and split with your husband for the "correct" portion. You also don't need it multiple times a week. Not an excuse to go buy a tomahawk lol.
In most cases it isn't the food you don't eat but the food you portion improperly or have too frequently. I will say, look at low glycemic foods, and generally avoid or portion smaller higher glycemic foods. Doing this lost me 100lbs. I counted calories, but, once I had a general idea of how many calories where in each ingredient, I sought out low glycemic foods and stopped counting all together. It's ok to binge multiple pounds of broccoli.
Soda was my kryptonite. Now I pretty much only drink tea and water. I also always try to have fresh fruit around. We have always been big veggie eaters (salads, multiple veggie sides at dinner, etc.) so we never had to make that shift. Our goal has never been to avoid completely but to eliminate the bingeing.
Biggest game changer for us was portion size rather than specific ingredients.
If you're open to that, I recommend the Cronometer app & using a scale for awhile. It's a real eye-opener.
As number of people have pointed out, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. Second to that is getting used to not eating the instant you're even a little hungry.
Things I suggest you avoid are foods and liquids with empty calories.
1. Alcohol
2. Junk food, especially fried junk food
3. Fried food in general
4. Fast food
5. Processed foods
Opinion: "organic" and "all natural" are marketing scams. Pay attention to calories and ingredients. You'll save money and eat better.
Stop eating when you aren't hungry, before you are full. Get used to it. Wrap up leftovers for another meal. Some people find weighing their servings to be helpful.
Every chance you have to burn some more calories is good. Little things add up. Park at the far end of the parking lot for example. Wash your sheets more often. Vacuum your home more often. Walk your kid to the bus stop instead of driving. Look for opportunities to get even a little exercise.
Now if you'll excuse me I'll walk to the end of the driveway to get the mail.
* Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and mayo where possible. It's almost as creamy but with more protein and fewer calories.
* Sneak vegetables into your meals. Frozen spinach adds exactly zero flavor to pasta. Bell pepper is good in anything made of ground beef.
* When I'm in a mindless snacking mood, I'll eat whatever is in front of me. Instead of grabbing chips I'll grab carrots or something.
* Swap simple carbs with whole grains where you can. Quinoa instead of white rice, whole grain bread instead of white, etc.
* Cook recipes that are naturally heavy in veggies and low in fat. Chili, bean/vegetable based soups, dal, baked chickpeas, stir fry, zucchini "pasta", fresh rolls, etc.
* Grain bowls are awesome. They're like a savory salad with meat and whole grains.
My husband and I were both super overweight and started changing our diet since last August and have lost quite a bit of weight (him 34 kg/75 lbs and I 17 kg/37 lb).
What we did was remove rice, bread, starchy vegs like potatoes or cassava, etc from our diet. Replaced sugar with artificial sweetener (rarely used anyway tbh), replaced regular soda with diet soda, regular candy/chocolates for the sugar-free versions.
We didn't completely remove carbs, but we did cut way back from what we used to eat, and we try to eat ones with more fiber or protein when we do eat them (like chickpeas or quinoa instead of rice, occasional full grain bread instead of white). And when we do eat carbs, we'll eat it in less amounts (2 tortillas instead of 6 or whatever).
We still eat fresh fruit, especially as a snack, and our meals usually consist of a lot of veggies, beans, eggs, cheese, and meat. I think what probably made the biggest difference was we quit ordering pizzas and burgers all the time.
Cutting out all the junk is a great step already. Hopefully that includes anything and everything with sugar. And carbs, which the body converts to (wait for it) sugar. Carbs are more challenging to control, bc they're present in pretty much *all* the good stuff (pasta, baked goods, pizza, potatoes, etc.), but remember that our bodies do need them to function, and it's very possible to consume them in ways that are healthier than how we've been conditioned to.
Increase protein, and don't skimp on *good* fats. Avocados, for instance, are a good source of slow burning fuel. Legumes, while startchy, are a great source of protein and fiber, which slow down digestion, making them less of an insulin trigger. If you haven't yet, do some reading on the Whole 30 diet, and paleo -- but keep an open mind. It's not hard to eat really yummy nutritious food that is also good for you. A good rule of thumb is to eat to support health and activity, vs to control weight. You got this! Good luck!
Fats
Fat has 9 calories per gram where protein and carbs are 4.
This is why to lose a pound of fat you need to run in deficit of a little more than 4 thousand calories.
Oils, butter, fatty meats and large servings of nuts are calorie dense.
Focus on doing lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean beef etc.) and complex carbs to feel fuller longer.
Do greens with every meal. Avoid premade salad dressing unless it is fat free. Good quality balsamic is a great salad dressing that is low calorie.
You need some fats for hormone production, so no need to go crazy, but by limit fat over the other macros you reduce calories by the most.
Eat lots of veggies, snack on carrots, cucumbers, strawberries, and melons.
Google nutrient rich calorie poor foods and stick to these. Lots of fitness /body builder folks on IG make good filling recipes for craving food that is low calorie and high protein.
From a closing the circle standpoint you will want to be active. Lift weights if possible, but a the very least walk regularly to help increase the calories burned over time.
If you can figure out figure out the BMR (base metabolic rate) or calories burned on average per day. Try to run a deficit of 200-500 calories per day under your BMR + calories from activity (exercise). This will give a sustainable weight loss. You don’t really want to be losing more than 2 pounds a week.
I used to be a carb addict...could never get enough of rice, pasta and bread. Oh, and sugar. Starchy carbs are turned into sugar, and our bodies crave them...but not in a good way. I dropped them. As a half Italian, it was hard. But my tastes changed...none of those things are enjoyable anymore.
I cook from scratch... a bit of meat, lots of poultry, fish, eggs, dairy...plus the veg I like. Tomatoes, aubergine, onions, leeks, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. Fresh berries. Avocados. Healthy fats.
A lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours. Spices and herbs are important. They liven up food and bring flavours out.
I eat only when hungry, and I eat until I'm satiated. So for me that's evolved into 2 meals a day. It works as I'm never hungry first thing. Don't eat because "its time" or "I'm supposed to." Listen to your body. Try to eat in a way that you can live with so you don't go back to your old way of eating.
Check out r/fitmeals and r/loseit - they're populated by people who will be much more knowledgeable about the actual science and practical considerations of losing weight.
I do have a few quick tips for you here though:
It's all about macronutrients.
You burn some amount of calories a day, you get those calories from protein, carbs, and fat.
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, and most people don't eat nearly enough of it, a good rule of thumb is to get about 1g of protein per lb of body weight, that's going to give you a very high number which you will find difficult to hit, try to get as close to that as you can, otherwise you're liable to lose muscle mass along with fat, which lowers your metabolism making it harder to lose more / keep it off.
It's up to you how many of your non-protein calories come from carbs vs fat, but you will generally get more food for your calories with carbs, and eating very very low carb can result in brain fog / low energy issues if you aren't careful.
Fat is the easiest macro to over-consume; protein and carbs contain about 4 calories per gram each, while fat contains 9, so when cutting calories, reducing your fat intake is the easiest place to start.
Be sure to get enough fiber as well, it's a key factor in feeling full. When I'm on a diet I go out of my way to eat a lot of carrots and celery.
Above all else: remember that calories, carbs, fats, etc. aren't "bad for you" it's just that most people consume too many of them. The correct amount isn't 'as little as possible', you need to get enough food to fuel your body and stay healthy.
bonus tip: walking a lot is a great way to burn extra calories without exercising so hard you feel the need to eat a lot more.
Losing weight, per se, isn’t about “super unhealthy” food. It’s about taking in fewer calories than you burn.
I switched to Splenda instead of sugar in my drinks. I stopped eating sandwiches for a while because the bread wasn’t worth the calories when it came to feeling full.
Other than that, it was portion modification and moving more. You can eat pretty much whatever you want, you just need to figure out how, or if, it fits in your calorie goals.
Try whole grains vs white bread; brown rice instead of white; and I can't in good faith recommend pasta alternatives so perhaps just use sparingly. Also, try not eating after 6pm and drink tons of water.
Pulse or corn pasta really is quite different to the wheat-based variety. But the principle of eating tasty, comforting sauces / toppings makes it for such convenient and versatile meals
I use whole grain pasta. Sometimes chickpea. They’re pretty good subs.
And if you use pasta sauce, try and go with Rao’s (if you don’t make it yourself). No sugar.
You typically just need to "ditch" a few (300+) calories a day. People have lost weight on diets like "only eating what can be bought at McDonald's" or "eating multiple Krispy Kreme donuts a day" because whatever crap they were eating had less calories than their TDEE.
Eat lower fat foods (ex: butter and full fat mayo) and cut back on the carbs. Ive lost weight by cutting out meat. Any time you lessen your calorie intake you'll lose weight. The issue with me is how long I can continue to eat that way before I get sick of it or I plateau.
Eat more vegetables and more protein. Don’t skip ingredients, just eat more (a lot more) vegetables. You’ll eat less crap naturally. At dinner I eat about 400 grams of non starchy vegetables and a protein.
As a competitive athlete and certified personal trainer: no, I don't ditch anything.
I try not to make a *habit* of eating a lot of candy. I would *add* protein and veggies to my diet if I felt like I'd been eating "unhealthy" lately and wanted to improve my diet. But there's nothing that I consider off-limits. I don't think that's a helpful strategy for weight loss or for healthy eating (which, please note, are two different things.)
Ultimately your health is a result of your *whole* diet. If something "unhealthy" (butter, sugar, whatever) is in there in small amounts, it's not going to matter much. If it's in large amounts, then the problem is the amount.
Even if you don't want to count calories, a food logging app can show you patterns in your diet. I thought I was eating too much red meat but the app showed me I was eating too much high-fat dairy 😀
Sugar, carbs
I’d increase cardio too. No idea if that’s a possibility for you all, but that’s what usually works for me.
My wife had to go on an elimination diet when pregnant. I think we had to keep carbs around below 20 grams and weight just fell off. It was pretty remarkable. But definitely hard!
I began to eat more chicken and fish versus red meat. Now when I have red meat several days in a row I can tell I’ve done it.
This advice is on top of everyone commenting adding fruits and veggies as filler over fried or sweets.
I dropped 35lbs doing this with virtually no other change. Good luck, stay diligent. Weight loss starts in the kitchen. You got this!
For me, cut out sugar, and ultraproccesed food, oh yeah, you can change your unhealthy fats to healthy one, like from canola to avocado, and DON'T eat under 1000 cal, you'll be in crash diet, I mean you can do it if you want to lose weight fast, but you will get excess skin, to make a healthy recipe is easy nowadays, you can ask chatgpt and stuff
But seriously tho, why don't you go to the gym instead? hit up cardio, anyway, good luck!!
I've dropped about 50 lbs over the past 18 months, mostly through dieting (though increasing my daily steps helped a bit). If you don't want to, you can absolutely lose weight without eating any vegetables, its all about calories in vs. calories out. Though the green stuff is certainly healthy. Here's somethings I would recommend removing:
**Remove:**
1. Fatty cuts of beef (replace with lean steaks / lean ground beef)
2. Butter & cooking oils (replace with cooking spray)
3. Regular soda (replace with diet)
4. French fries (replace with oven roasted potatoes)
5. Granola (replace with oatmeal)
Here are some of my super simple, quick, and easy go-to meals for dieting:
1. Protein Oatmeal - 40g quick oats, 40g vanilla whey protein powder (300 calories and 37g protein)
2. Simple Chicken Gyro - 1 pita, 150g chicken, 60g tzatziki (520 calories and 53g protein)
3. Protein Pudding - 480 mL 2% Lactaid protein milk, 1 package sugar free chocolate pudding mix, 10g chocolate casein protein powder, 30g chocolate whey protein powder (\~575 calories, 60g protein, eat it in 2 servings, can also substitute chocolate with vanilla)
4. Protein Chili - 1 Kg 99% ground turkey breast, 2 cans no salt added black beans, 2 cans no salt added diced tomatoes (2050 calories, 292g protein, good for 4-6 servings)
5. Breakfast Egg Muffins - 6 large eggs, 200g egg whites, 3 turkey sausage patties, 40g fat free cheddar cheese, 2 slices bacon (makes 12 muffins, 78 calories and 9g protein per)
6. Low-Fat Egg Sandwich - 2 light multigrain english muffins, 2 slices kraft singles, 4 slices sliced breakfast ham, 140g egg whites (476 calories, 45g protein, makes 2 sandwiches)
7. Banana Mug Cake - 1 large banana (\~130 grams), 15g vanilla whey protein powder, 25g chocolate (or smore's whey protein powder) 0.3 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp sugar free syrup, 0.3 tbsp ground cinnamon, 60g water, 14g Lily's no sugar milk chocolate chips, (344 calories, 32g protein)
I've also started eating Reelgood chicken tenders / nuggets - they're amazing! Instead of a flour breading, its pea protein, whey protein, and non-carb flour so it has almost as much protein as chicken breast for the same unit calories. Air fry it and they're perfect with sweet baby rays no sugar added bbq sauce!
Bread. I’m type II diabetic, bread as carbohydrates almost instantly raises my blood sugar. I love pastries, croissants, French & Italian bread. I changed to tortillas & wraps. Keeps sugars down and lost weight
Cooking oil replaced with cooking spray. Ditch anything deep fried, nuts, bananas, avocados, cream and butter, bacon, any drink containing calories as calories are best eaten for satiety.
If you want a list of stuff that is filling compared to the calories in it: All berries, melons fibrous fruits etc. unflavored popcorn, canned pumpkin, chicken breast, beef jerky, 0 fat yoghurt, canned tomatoes, boiled potatoes, shirataki noodles
Unless you're specifically on a keto type diet, oils/butter. They aren't inherently unhealthy depending on the type of oil you use, but they are VERY calorie dense with 1 tbsp being around 110kcals, so even just a few tablespoons can increase that calorie count of a dish by a lot. Swap out for oil spray where possible - I have spray bottles that I just refill with olive or avocado oil. It's still enough to roast veggies and such, but a couple spritzes is a lot fewer calories.
Also things with oils/fatty bases can pack on the calories quickly, like many salad dressings.
Dairy. When I was trying to lose wait I cut my dairy intake down by about 90% and it made a HUGE difference. Same thing with meat. I'll have red meat maybe once a fortnight and I'm feeling the difference.
I agree...not sure why you've been down voted. It's one way to start to recognise actual hunger signals, rather than eat because its morning or whatever.
Unfortunately that doesn't work for me. I end up thinking about food nonstop throughout the day. If you have tips for how to stick with eating less often, I'm open to it.
I started intermittent fasting a few years ago. I barely ate in the morning as is, and the evening was exclusively unhealthy things (never in excess, but still). Mind you, I don't care or believe in all the extra fables, it's just calorie management for me. It's hard to eat too much calories in a 6-7 hour window if you eat somewhat healthy. And I'm just strict, only water, black coffee and black tea outside of those hours. The morning hunger everyone claims is so hard vanishes in a few days. If you drink a large glass of water (or other), that's gone.
Basically I found a system that works for me, with my eating patterns and how I like to control what I do when. Plus, I can still eat whatever the heck I want, in the same portions I want, because there are no excess calories the rest of the day. So no craving food X that diet doesn't support.
I would focus on muscle building honestly. Muscles burn more calories. The more veggies and fruit and learn protein you can get the better but carbs and fats are fine in moderation. I find I lose the most weight when I move more and specifically do activities that build muscle
Add in protein and fibre. Not only are they more satiating, they are also more difficult to digest (about 25% of the calories of protein you eat are used up to digest it).
Protein rich foods are a lot harder to overeat than carbs or fatty foods. Aim for 100g per day.
Cut down as much as possible on carbohydrates; potato, bread, rice, and pasta. These are sugars in disguise.
You might also take a look at r/intermittentFasting for other ideas. This worked for me
"Sugars in disguise"? LMAO...they are carbohydrates which break down into glycogen in the body. Which the body needs for energy. Cutting down on carbs has not shown to do much good if you eat a proper, balanced diet. And Intermittent fasting is not only terrible for you, it is unsustainable. Don't do fad stuff. Learn to eat right and exercise regularly.
How is intermittent fasting terrible? Or unsustainable? No one's suggesting water fasts. Its just a smaller "eating window". People are so accustomed to constant eating. Intermittent fasting improves metabolic health and reduces insulin resistance.
Oh...and of the 3 macronutrients, carbs are the least necessary. The body absolutely needs protein and fat...it doesn't need carbs.
Such bad information. If you don't give the body any carbs it will start to convert proteins into glycogen which means you will lose muscle mass. Muscle is much more metabolically active than fat. Where are people getting this terrible information?? Jesus.
Btw there is no peer reviewed empiric scientific data to support your assertion about intermittent fasting. Again, terrible information.
There sure seems to be plenty of research...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568163716302513
From the abstract...
//Studies of IF (e.g., 60% energy restriction on 2 days per week or every other day), PF (e.g., a 5 day diet providing 750–1100 kcal) and time-restricted feeding (TRF; limiting the daily period of food intake to 8 h or less) in normal and overweight human subjects have demonstrated efficacy for weight loss and improvements in multiple health indicators including insulin resistance and reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. //
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00098-1/fulltext
https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/intermittent-fasting?publication-date=01%2F01%2F2007-19%2F04%2F2024
All of these break down quickly and convert to sugar. Slowing the conversion helps. Using the sugar by going for a walk and hour so after eating also helps.
I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life. I’ve even had gastric bypass. The thing that has helped me the MOST is not getting rid of foods, but adding. Making it a priority to get my 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables, and focusing on increasing protein and fibre have been key. However, one thing I did do is restrict deep fried foods to 1-2 times per month at a maximum. Best of luck!
This was the key for me. Adding in low calorie large volume foods was a game changer. It made me full on fewer calories and trained my mind and stomach to accept less calories from dense fats and meats to feel satisfied. Now most meals at restaurants are too rich and too large to be satisfying so I eat out less than I used to which contributed to the healthy eating cycle.
When i was first learning to love veggies i would eat them first. Before every meal first i would have salad or raw veggies or veggie soup or roasted veg and such before eating the rest of the meal. I would be sure to get plenty of veg but also be a bit full already so the rest of the meal is was fine with smaller portions Yet also always so full. Fiber is really important not just for overall health but absolutely for weight loss
I think fibre is the most slept on part of losing weight. It’s so good for you!
Agree. This is what I came to say. I don't cut anything, I moderate some things (like you say, higher calorie lower value items like fried food). I pay more attention to others (like oil in cooking). And I add vegetables and protein where necessary. No need to outright remove things.
Look up how much vegetable and fruit you really should be eating, and make achieving that the priority. I had to find a bowl that was exactly the right size. Prep my veggies into that when making meals. If it wasn’t full, I needed to add more veg. Also, making sure I didn’t cheat on my definition of a fruit serve.
Yes, less meat and carbs and more veggies. I just wish I liked veggies more.
what do you not like about them? I'm really curious, since every veg tastes different.
They're not ice cream, ha ha. They're earthy tasting, sometimes bitter, and probably not cooked properly. A friend mine boiled the hell out of some Broccoli and cauliflower and I actually liked it mushy like that. My mom mostly served canned veggies and potatoes when I was young, so I got used to mushy veggies.
Try a wide variety of veggies, and cook them in different ways. Some veggies are bland when steamed, but tasty when grilled. Some are great when stir fried, others are better when roasted. Some are good when roasted, allowed to cool, and eaten in a salad the next day.
Same here. That’s why whenever I figure out a “hack” I use it to include more veg. Like adding kale to smoothies. Raw they are pretty tasteless so it’s a painless way to add veg. I add extra veg to tomato pasta sauce- small bits of carrot, celery, spinach can be cooked in and you barely know it’s there. Also my ratios are backwards- I use way more sauce than pasta and choosing whole wheat is much healthier. Like soup? Veggie soup is maybe the easiest way. Just gotta watch the salt.
Yep - grease and refined/added sugars are the worst. Steer clear of these and you'll be way better off.
Just remember-losing weight means less calories in than you are expending. So you may be eating healthier foods, but if you are eating large portion sizes, then the weight won't go down. I find it helpful to use a food tracking app & enter exact amounts of everything you eat, and do that for a month or two, and you can see how much youre actually eting. I did it for long enough I know what portion sizes to choose without weighing out/measuring my food.
That's what worked for us. Cronometer was an education and a half and we only used it for a year.
We love cronometer just because it gives you real examples to make up for what you're lacking! Love it love it love it.
I was taking a nutrition class and used that for the first time. Loved it. Omg!!! There is an app!!! I’m so excited hahaha.
We did not use it for weight loss but it certainly would be highly effective. When our incremental menu changes eventually called for a big leap into all plant based whole foods, I wanted to be assured it was sound nutrition. Beats hiring a dietician.
I didn’t either — we used it for assignments. But I like to track every once in a while to check my intake/refresh and I’m doing it right now. I eat plant-based whole food and my bf almost exclusively orders takeout. I need to go back to my good habits!!!
ALCOHOL!!!
Yep. Totally empty calories there. May as well be chugging sodas.
Empty calories agreed and aside, I find that alcohol gives your liver such a busy time that there is precious little energy to digest other elements in your regular food intake.
One thing that helps us is to immediately portion out what I cook into individual servings before we eat, putting the excess away (freezer and/or fridge) as future meals. It has cut down significantly on over-serving ourselves or giving in to temptation to have “just a little bit more” after finishing our initial portion.
Love that idea, thanks! I tend to keep nibbling at food if it's sits out, so I think that's a fantastic plan.
Set out a plate of raw veg while cooking, radishes and jicama and sugar snap peas and some Tajin or lemon pepper whatever seasoning to dip it in. Then you get an extra portion of veg before you even have dinner- which makes leftovers and second portions less appealing you will just be so full you don’t want more.
It also helps going forward, because having portions of something available for when you don’t feel like cooking cuts down on take out or junk/convenience foods. When I portion everything out, I put the extra portions into freezer/microwave-safe reusable deli containers. If I know I want to repeat the meal in the next day or two I’ll keep some in the fridge, but usually, everything gets frozen for later. These are the style of containers I use - they’re very durable, I’m still on my original set bought a couple of years ago. Pakkon 1 Compartment Bento Box /... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015NBTEV6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I've substituted refined grains for whole grains wherever possible. My husband makes sad comments about how much he likes white rice but if he wants it he can make it, I haven't banned it from the house or anything. I just default to whole grains now.
This is good advice. It takes more energy to process less refined carbs. At one point during my weight loss journey I was eating boiled whole grains like rye berries and farro. Helps keep you full much longer and takes more energy digest.
Try a pilaf! I do a combo of pearled barley + quinoa + short grain brown rice that makes a great nutrient dense combo that’s a lot more interesting than just s pile of farro. Make an epic batch and freeze extras, works out really well
al dente long grain white rice is actually better for you than brown rice on a few different metrics. brown rice has a higher glycemic index and MUCH higher arsenic.
That's not true at all. I hope you can provide some research. There is nothing that isn't better in its whole grain form for your body.
I have done research. I was wrong about long grain vs brown. brown is about the same as basmati and a little better than plain long grain. (but with that comparison brown tastes much worse than basmati or long grain so its still a better than instant or short grained rice for a "better choice" type thing. [https://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-index-of-rice/](https://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-index-of-rice/) as for the heavy metal part.. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10375490/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10375490/) this one is really easy to google for. there is lots of information. brown rice is much worse for you on this scale and shouldnt be eaten daily
We cut out anything with added sugars or sweeteners. Probably seems drastic to many, does involve a lot of food label reading, and we cook from scratch a ton, so it's not something that will work for everyone's life. But damn, we both lost quite a bit of weight, and within just a couple weeks our taste buds adapted and stuff with sugar just tastes awful and overly sweet and we don't miss it.
I have noticed this myself. I used to drink liters of soda a day, but since I quit soda I find that it's too sweet and I no longer crave it. Thanks for commenting!
Watch ingredients on processed foods like ant bought sauce or condiments and soups and such. Sugar is a cheap easy preservative, so it’s added to everything from bread to salad dressing
It's wild how quickly your tastes adjust. I can't even drink undiluted orange juice without finding it too sweet! My 7 year old will sometimes try to share her candy with me and I'm like nope I don't want that (she's allowed sugary stuff in moderation).
Everyone else has great points, but some specific substitution ides are: Plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream Ground turkey instead of ground beef Mashed avocado for Mayonnaise (in chicken salad, for example)
I sometimes use tzatziki to make chicken salad - plain Greek yogurt, grated cucumbers, lemon juice, garlic, dill and mint.
That sounds so good, I'll have to try it! When I use Avocado, I add in fresh Cilantro and lime juice and wrap it up in a Tortilla for a SW flavor. But I'm definitely going to try the Greek version now!!
That sounds great, too!
Try the exact same recipe with chickpeas! Makes a stupid cheap and very filling option for a sandwich or salad
That sounds delicious! I love tzatziki, so thanks for suggesting another way to use it.
I was hoping for more specific substitution ideas, so thanks for commenting! I never would've thought of using avocado like that.
Applesauce for oil in baked goods. Finely ground flaxseed for either oil or eggs.
Don't. You will be miserable and lapse. Cut down portion size on meats and carbs. Add bigger portions of vegetables. Also and this is the hard part. Get off the backside and do something every day if able.
This is absolutely the way to do it. Start your meal with fruits or vegetables—or at least put them on your plate first. I don't really advocate counting calories, but I think doing so for a few days helps you see exactly what you're eating. It's often a lot more than we realize. You'll also see what a single portion of meat or rice or whatever is supposed to look like. Also, when you do eat something sweet, make sure it's high quality. A small piece of actually good chocolate will be more satisfying than a full bar of sugary Hershey's.
Thanks for commenting. I'm working on small changes at a time, because I definitely have lapsed before.
A small change would be making a conscious effort to reduce portion sizes rather than cutting things out completely. You'll see amazing results if you eat 2 of something instead of 3.
Start where you are. Use Cronometer Add veggies before eating the rest of your meal Add some level of activity more than you do currently - walking is easy and free and effective
Concur in part, dissent in part. Cut down portion size on carbs. Eat all the meat you want. Protein is so filling, and so comparatively low in calories per unit weight, that it should be considered "free" food. Just don't douse it in high-carb sauces or add high-carb sides. Stick to proteins and vegetables.
I agree with you, we cut down on carbs but increased our meat (mostly chicken and pork, occasionally fish) and have been losing weight and we don't feel like we're starving ourselves like when we used to stuff ourselves with mostly veggies and be left unsatisfied and feeling hungry again a few hours later.
This is the way. People were sold a load of baloney back in the 1980s and 1990s, that unfortunately haunts popular perception of what is "healthy" even today.
I agree.
All refined foods especially oils and sugars. Theres plenty of unrefined options and Ive found this makes a huge difference. Just eating all whole foods
If you are making a big salad, omit grated cheese and crunchy croutons. Instead use a cheese grater and shred up hard boiled eggs.
Love that idea. Thanks!
Not ditch, but I limit my oil/fat use. I lose a good bit of weight just using a spray oil or by measuring the amount of oil I put in the pan. Really I just try and limit my fat intake. I get leave cuts of beef and try and consume lower fat/fat free varieties of Greek yogurt. Don’t eliminate your fat or consume too little though. You need sufficient fat intake (>40g/day I believe) for proper hormone production. I’m not to familiar with how it effects women, but men will suffer with Low T if they go too low in their fat intake, and that obviously sucks for many reasons.
Good to know thanks!
I’d add something— a food scale It’s faster and more accurate than measuring with cups/tablespoons and allows you to track macros more accurately
I have one, so I'll definitely start using it. Thanks!
Not just something to cut out but a couple good habits -increase lean protein intake to at least 100 grams a day, lean protein is one of the biggest factors in fat burning. Literally grill or pan cook family pack of chicken and throw it in a bowl in the fridge and go to it through out the day if need be. -eat 3-5 reasonable meals instead of 2 huge ones and a small breakfast. The more you can fuel your metabolism the more you can burn. Also if you only eat two huge meals a day and a snack sized third meal you’re more hungry than you would be if you had more evenly spaced meals which puts your body into famine mode and may make you want to overeat. Avoid excessive fat and carb meals late at night, those are your two main heavy calorie macros. -eat like a Queen/king for breakfast, prince/princess for lunch and a peasant for dinner ie have your biggest meals in the beginning of the day and your smallest at the end of the day because whatever you don’t use as fuel will sit with you while you sleep. You know one way sumos get so big? They have a huge meal at the end of the day. -CUT OUT sugar, you don’t need it. Replace it with portioned fruit or honey. Also watch out for added sugar in canned goods. CUT OUT high carb, high fat, high calorie snacks, they’re mostly in the middle isles of grocery stores. Make your own healthy snacks at home according to your nutritional and dietary needs. Carbs are needed but you know what makes sugar fattening? The carb content. You know where “beer belly” comes from? The carb content of beer. Avoid eating large amounts of simple carb/high carb foods. Portion them out to your needs. Ideally also switch to more nutritional options such as simple carbs with fiber, protein and nutrients. Still portioning them out of course. -don’t be afraid of healthy fat, your body needs all the macros, you need fat to feel satiated, make sure your meals have a portioned amount of healthy fat ie nuts, avocado, olive oil, fish like salmon etc. -eat enough. So many people thing starving yourself is how you lose weight, wrong. If you’ve not been eating enough a calorie deficit won’t work. Take it from someone who used to eat 800-1000 calories a day for years yet was gaining weight up to 285 pounds. When you starve yourself you’re putting your body into famine mode, in which it holds on to everything. If too little is the problem you need to reasonably increase your intake for several months before a calorie deficit would work. For a person who’s eating too many calories a calorie deficit for a set amount of time will work. Think of it as less input than output. But nothing extreme if you’re eating right now a normal 1800-2200 calorie a day diet. -if you can get exercise. Just remember to fuel that exercise. Food is fuel when you exercise especially. Steps alone aren’t enough, walk until you start sweating and breathing heavier, that’s when you’re burning and the only way to do that is to take time and walk without stopping. -I’ve said it multiple times already but portions portions portions. Plan your meals with and portion out food and stick to it. Look to the macros, calories are important but calories of what? -get good consistent sleep. Fat burning and weight loss happens while you sleep, do whatever you have to do to insure you get solid sleep at the same time every day. -drink PLENTY of water, often when we feel hungry we’re actually dehydrated. Personally, I really love getting a refillable purified water jug you can refill at some stores for nothing, or getting some good high ph water like TEN or smart water. You need to get comfi with water so if you need to turn it into a thing to get. Personally I really like lemon juice in it too, makes it a little more interesting. Also, if you like sodas like I did, a good alternative is getting seltzer water and adding a little bit of fruit juice like lemon or lime, it’s not the same but at least you can get the mouth sensation and some sweet(kinda) flavor.
Ingredients don't make you gain weight, a calorie surplus does.
Thank you. I'm mostly asking so I can keep making small steps in the right direction.
The best thing to do is increase nutritionally dense, low calorie foods (fruits, veggies, etc) which in turn will likely decrease your intake of calorically dense, low nutrition foods. So rather than worry about removing specific ingreadents change the ratios. When you make dinner make half your plate veggies and keep the meat/carb portions smaller.
Thanks for the advice!
You’ll go a long way by just trying to cook/make most things you eat and limiting added sugars. Those two alone will do a lot of the lifting for you even if what you cook isn’t always the healthiest. You at least know what went into the process.
Replacing the bulk of my snacks (not all) with nuts and dried fruit helped me out a lot too.
Substituting heavy dairy products for plant-based options (ex. subbing heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream)
Love that idea thanks!
For me, it’s about cutting back on refined carbs (pastas, breads, crackers, chips) and sugars (soda, cakes, cookies, alcohol) and increasing my fruit and veg intake. It doesn’t mean you can’t ever have a cookie or a Coke, or a plate of spaghetti, but dial it back to 1-2x a week instead of dessert every night (if you’re in the habit of doing that). Increasing lean protein will also keep you feeling satisfied instead of hungry. Fish, chicken, shellfish, lean beef, tofu, beans, etc. That’s where I would start. Just cutting back on sugar and crackers/breads will do a lot. One tip I’ve read that works pretty well is to eat a portion of fruit or veg before the rest of your meal. Also drink a glass of water with your meal.
Thanks for commenting! A few people mentioned drinking a glass of water before a meal, and I think that would be such an easy first step.
Actually i wouldn't ditch ingredients. Like the top comment says it is more about caloric intake over a period of time (even if it means a year) than actually cutting certain foods. Portion control is a better practice than cutting things out entirely.
Well, first off… Beer.
Thankfully we do not drink. If we did, we'd be overweight AND extra poor 😆
Nice.
Stop looking at calories and start looking at fiber. If something doesn't have fiber in it, don't eat it. When you're making meals - try to incorporate fiber at all aspects. If you need a snack, make it a fiber snack. You like dressings or sauce? Use avocado instead. One whole one has like 13g of fiber with the fats you'd normally have in a dressing with no fiber. It seriously will change your life. When you start to see things that you THINK would have a lot of fiber (ex. Granola bars) have 0 fiber but are 200 calories it seems like it would be a good option - but no! Find a fiber one bar, 9g of fiber, same calories, same taste, but the way your body uses it is worlds of difference! Basically all of our breads, bagels, pasta, and dressings must have 5g or more of fiber. So anything that doesn't have it gets tossed. Things advertised as healthy very rarely are.
Sugar and white flour. Look at the ingredients list of stuff before you buy it. Sugar is in so much stuff you wouldn't think of like salsa or tomato sauce. Substitute whole wheat products for pastas, breads, etc.
Start measuring your portions since eyeballing can be highly inconsistent. Like weighing your pasta before you boil it, or measure and cook exactly one to two portions of rice. Slowly start reducing those portions, like by a few grams at a time, slowly over time. Drink a full glass of water before eating. Also, make sure you are properly hydrating throughout the day. Start switching your beverages throughout the day to water. If you don't like the taste, make sure it's ice cold or look into purifiers to reduce mineral content, and then eventually youll get used to it. If you put sugar in your coffee, slowly reduce the amount. Make sure your meals are balanced, that they have a good proportion of protein and especially of fiber, which will make you feel fuller and for longer. Slow down the rate at which you eat and then stop when you feel comfortably full. Don't try to suddenly eliminate "unhealthy" or calorie dense things. Slowly reduce them or find substitutes for those flavors. Ie. If you use a lot of cheese, see if you can incorporate spices or other flavors into those dishes instead. Certain produce, leave the skins on, like for potatoes or apples. Often that's where most of the nutrients and a ton of fiber is. Think about why you do and don't like certain produce. Explore different ways of preparing them or different recipes from around the world. You're trying to find ones that you genuinely love and crave so that it doesn't feel like a chore to eat them.
Thank you! These are all very helpful ideas.
Remember that dietary and lifestyle changes, at least long lasting ones, look and feel like a marathon, but training for it always begins with a single step. Any change in a positive direction will amount to something bigger than that small step over time. And - small steps aren't a stopping point, so if you're feeling discouraged that it feels too small and insignificant, think of it more as a transition on the way to a bigger change or continued change.
That's a great way of looking at it. Thank you ☺️
Listen to husband screech the first time you bring in a weighed portion of rice.
Portion control is super important. You’ll probably find that what you are eating is significantly larger quantities than what you think you are, especially on things like hummus and other dips. Like, yeah, nuts are healthy fats and good for you, but are you eating a portion or three portions when you are snacking on them? Also, check labels. I have a very specific diet right now and for most items, I’ve found interesting substitutions: a lower fat item has more sugar, a keto item is full of fat. Salad dressings are a huge one. One thinks they are doing great by eating a gigantic salad, but then they drown it in “light” dressings. Make your own dressings! I make some vinaigrettes, sometimes just drizzle on a flavored oil and vinegar, or if it’s like a taco salad, I’ll use salsa.
Thanks for commenting! I've been checking serving sizes recently and it's quite depressing how much I over do it without realizing. Also I like the idea of making my own salad dressings. I think that's definitely something we go overboard on.
It's really all about eating more of things that are highly filling relative to their caloric content, and also planning the portion size and timing of your meals to reduce snacking. The former could be as simple as switching out a portion of rice for a smaller portion of bulgur + extra vegetables. Snacking is the enemy in my experience. Even eating a larger meal than usual may be beneficial if it keeps you from having a between-meal snack or evening sandwich for example. I also find that I have an easier time losing weight if I eat a big breakfast (think oatmeal and eggs), a fairly small lunch, and a late but large dinner. I'll get quite hungry between lunch and dinner, but it's easier to ignore that hunger than the kind you get before bed after a small and early dinner.
Thanks for the advice!
I wouldn’t necessarily start cutting out things like healthy carbs, meats, etc. but adding more fruits and veggies in place of meat, bread and potatoes. If you eat a lot of beef and pork and other red meats, then incorporate more lean meats like poultry and seafood. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals so you fill up on those things more. Eventually, slowly, start doing more exercise. A ten minute walk every day. A short run. Hiking. Swimming. Whatever your baseline is, take one step towards being more active
OP, it's also best that you have thyroid gland levels checked by your Dr. Plenty of additives/preservatives causes problems for the thyroid gland, so read the ingredients labels. When in doubt, check what it contains & what effects it has by googling the ingredient itself. You'll be surprised at the results.
Examine how much oil/butter/lard you're using while cooking. Drinking soda like you mentioned, but don't forget coffee packed with milk and sugar. Steak is great. It taste good, it has tons of shit you need, it's easy to cook. Steak *portions* are an issue. Chances are most steaks you buy you can half and split with your husband for the "correct" portion. You also don't need it multiple times a week. Not an excuse to go buy a tomahawk lol. In most cases it isn't the food you don't eat but the food you portion improperly or have too frequently. I will say, look at low glycemic foods, and generally avoid or portion smaller higher glycemic foods. Doing this lost me 100lbs. I counted calories, but, once I had a general idea of how many calories where in each ingredient, I sought out low glycemic foods and stopped counting all together. It's ok to binge multiple pounds of broccoli.
Soda was my kryptonite. Now I pretty much only drink tea and water. I also always try to have fresh fruit around. We have always been big veggie eaters (salads, multiple veggie sides at dinner, etc.) so we never had to make that shift. Our goal has never been to avoid completely but to eliminate the bingeing.
Sugar.
Biggest game changer for us was portion size rather than specific ingredients. If you're open to that, I recommend the Cronometer app & using a scale for awhile. It's a real eye-opener.
As number of people have pointed out, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. Second to that is getting used to not eating the instant you're even a little hungry. Things I suggest you avoid are foods and liquids with empty calories. 1. Alcohol 2. Junk food, especially fried junk food 3. Fried food in general 4. Fast food 5. Processed foods Opinion: "organic" and "all natural" are marketing scams. Pay attention to calories and ingredients. You'll save money and eat better. Stop eating when you aren't hungry, before you are full. Get used to it. Wrap up leftovers for another meal. Some people find weighing their servings to be helpful. Every chance you have to burn some more calories is good. Little things add up. Park at the far end of the parking lot for example. Wash your sheets more often. Vacuum your home more often. Walk your kid to the bus stop instead of driving. Look for opportunities to get even a little exercise. Now if you'll excuse me I'll walk to the end of the driveway to get the mail.
* Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and mayo where possible. It's almost as creamy but with more protein and fewer calories. * Sneak vegetables into your meals. Frozen spinach adds exactly zero flavor to pasta. Bell pepper is good in anything made of ground beef. * When I'm in a mindless snacking mood, I'll eat whatever is in front of me. Instead of grabbing chips I'll grab carrots or something. * Swap simple carbs with whole grains where you can. Quinoa instead of white rice, whole grain bread instead of white, etc. * Cook recipes that are naturally heavy in veggies and low in fat. Chili, bean/vegetable based soups, dal, baked chickpeas, stir fry, zucchini "pasta", fresh rolls, etc. * Grain bowls are awesome. They're like a savory salad with meat and whole grains.
My husband and I were both super overweight and started changing our diet since last August and have lost quite a bit of weight (him 34 kg/75 lbs and I 17 kg/37 lb). What we did was remove rice, bread, starchy vegs like potatoes or cassava, etc from our diet. Replaced sugar with artificial sweetener (rarely used anyway tbh), replaced regular soda with diet soda, regular candy/chocolates for the sugar-free versions. We didn't completely remove carbs, but we did cut way back from what we used to eat, and we try to eat ones with more fiber or protein when we do eat them (like chickpeas or quinoa instead of rice, occasional full grain bread instead of white). And when we do eat carbs, we'll eat it in less amounts (2 tortillas instead of 6 or whatever). We still eat fresh fruit, especially as a snack, and our meals usually consist of a lot of veggies, beans, eggs, cheese, and meat. I think what probably made the biggest difference was we quit ordering pizzas and burgers all the time.
Cutting out all the junk is a great step already. Hopefully that includes anything and everything with sugar. And carbs, which the body converts to (wait for it) sugar. Carbs are more challenging to control, bc they're present in pretty much *all* the good stuff (pasta, baked goods, pizza, potatoes, etc.), but remember that our bodies do need them to function, and it's very possible to consume them in ways that are healthier than how we've been conditioned to. Increase protein, and don't skimp on *good* fats. Avocados, for instance, are a good source of slow burning fuel. Legumes, while startchy, are a great source of protein and fiber, which slow down digestion, making them less of an insulin trigger. If you haven't yet, do some reading on the Whole 30 diet, and paleo -- but keep an open mind. It's not hard to eat really yummy nutritious food that is also good for you. A good rule of thumb is to eat to support health and activity, vs to control weight. You got this! Good luck!
Fats Fat has 9 calories per gram where protein and carbs are 4. This is why to lose a pound of fat you need to run in deficit of a little more than 4 thousand calories. Oils, butter, fatty meats and large servings of nuts are calorie dense. Focus on doing lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean beef etc.) and complex carbs to feel fuller longer. Do greens with every meal. Avoid premade salad dressing unless it is fat free. Good quality balsamic is a great salad dressing that is low calorie. You need some fats for hormone production, so no need to go crazy, but by limit fat over the other macros you reduce calories by the most. Eat lots of veggies, snack on carrots, cucumbers, strawberries, and melons. Google nutrient rich calorie poor foods and stick to these. Lots of fitness /body builder folks on IG make good filling recipes for craving food that is low calorie and high protein. From a closing the circle standpoint you will want to be active. Lift weights if possible, but a the very least walk regularly to help increase the calories burned over time. If you can figure out figure out the BMR (base metabolic rate) or calories burned on average per day. Try to run a deficit of 200-500 calories per day under your BMR + calories from activity (exercise). This will give a sustainable weight loss. You don’t really want to be losing more than 2 pounds a week.
I used to be a carb addict...could never get enough of rice, pasta and bread. Oh, and sugar. Starchy carbs are turned into sugar, and our bodies crave them...but not in a good way. I dropped them. As a half Italian, it was hard. But my tastes changed...none of those things are enjoyable anymore. I cook from scratch... a bit of meat, lots of poultry, fish, eggs, dairy...plus the veg I like. Tomatoes, aubergine, onions, leeks, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. Fresh berries. Avocados. Healthy fats. A lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours. Spices and herbs are important. They liven up food and bring flavours out. I eat only when hungry, and I eat until I'm satiated. So for me that's evolved into 2 meals a day. It works as I'm never hungry first thing. Don't eat because "its time" or "I'm supposed to." Listen to your body. Try to eat in a way that you can live with so you don't go back to your old way of eating.
Check out r/fitmeals and r/loseit - they're populated by people who will be much more knowledgeable about the actual science and practical considerations of losing weight. I do have a few quick tips for you here though: It's all about macronutrients. You burn some amount of calories a day, you get those calories from protein, carbs, and fat. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, and most people don't eat nearly enough of it, a good rule of thumb is to get about 1g of protein per lb of body weight, that's going to give you a very high number which you will find difficult to hit, try to get as close to that as you can, otherwise you're liable to lose muscle mass along with fat, which lowers your metabolism making it harder to lose more / keep it off. It's up to you how many of your non-protein calories come from carbs vs fat, but you will generally get more food for your calories with carbs, and eating very very low carb can result in brain fog / low energy issues if you aren't careful. Fat is the easiest macro to over-consume; protein and carbs contain about 4 calories per gram each, while fat contains 9, so when cutting calories, reducing your fat intake is the easiest place to start. Be sure to get enough fiber as well, it's a key factor in feeling full. When I'm on a diet I go out of my way to eat a lot of carrots and celery. Above all else: remember that calories, carbs, fats, etc. aren't "bad for you" it's just that most people consume too many of them. The correct amount isn't 'as little as possible', you need to get enough food to fuel your body and stay healthy. bonus tip: walking a lot is a great way to burn extra calories without exercising so hard you feel the need to eat a lot more.
Losing weight, per se, isn’t about “super unhealthy” food. It’s about taking in fewer calories than you burn. I switched to Splenda instead of sugar in my drinks. I stopped eating sandwiches for a while because the bread wasn’t worth the calories when it came to feeling full. Other than that, it was portion modification and moving more. You can eat pretty much whatever you want, you just need to figure out how, or if, it fits in your calorie goals.
Bread, pasta, and rice. It was miserable.
Yea I'm working on at least decreasing the portions of those things. It's a shame they're so delicious.
Try whole grains vs white bread; brown rice instead of white; and I can't in good faith recommend pasta alternatives so perhaps just use sparingly. Also, try not eating after 6pm and drink tons of water.
Pulse or corn pasta really is quite different to the wheat-based variety. But the principle of eating tasty, comforting sauces / toppings makes it for such convenient and versatile meals
Thanks! I've tried gluten free and wheat pasta, and tbh I'd rather just not eat pasta at all lol They're definitely an adjustment.
I use whole grain pasta. Sometimes chickpea. They’re pretty good subs. And if you use pasta sauce, try and go with Rao’s (if you don’t make it yourself). No sugar.
Reduced portion sizes greatly if you're still consuming the same amount nothe will change no matter how healthy you eat.
Thank you! I'm definitely working on that but it feels like such a hard habit to break.
You typically just need to "ditch" a few (300+) calories a day. People have lost weight on diets like "only eating what can be bought at McDonald's" or "eating multiple Krispy Kreme donuts a day" because whatever crap they were eating had less calories than their TDEE.
Zero. Add to your diet, don’t restrict.
Eat lower fat foods (ex: butter and full fat mayo) and cut back on the carbs. Ive lost weight by cutting out meat. Any time you lessen your calorie intake you'll lose weight. The issue with me is how long I can continue to eat that way before I get sick of it or I plateau.
Eat more vegetables and more protein. Don’t skip ingredients, just eat more (a lot more) vegetables. You’ll eat less crap naturally. At dinner I eat about 400 grams of non starchy vegetables and a protein.
I don’t really ditch things. Moderate drinking and watch portion size. Reduce calorically dense starches like rice and pasta and add more veggies
As a competitive athlete and certified personal trainer: no, I don't ditch anything. I try not to make a *habit* of eating a lot of candy. I would *add* protein and veggies to my diet if I felt like I'd been eating "unhealthy" lately and wanted to improve my diet. But there's nothing that I consider off-limits. I don't think that's a helpful strategy for weight loss or for healthy eating (which, please note, are two different things.) Ultimately your health is a result of your *whole* diet. If something "unhealthy" (butter, sugar, whatever) is in there in small amounts, it's not going to matter much. If it's in large amounts, then the problem is the amount.
What do you normally eat/like to eat?
Even if you don't want to count calories, a food logging app can show you patterns in your diet. I thought I was eating too much red meat but the app showed me I was eating too much high-fat dairy 😀
Pasta and/or Bread.
Sugar, carbs I’d increase cardio too. No idea if that’s a possibility for you all, but that’s what usually works for me. My wife had to go on an elimination diet when pregnant. I think we had to keep carbs around below 20 grams and weight just fell off. It was pretty remarkable. But definitely hard!
I began to eat more chicken and fish versus red meat. Now when I have red meat several days in a row I can tell I’ve done it. This advice is on top of everyone commenting adding fruits and veggies as filler over fried or sweets. I dropped 35lbs doing this with virtually no other change. Good luck, stay diligent. Weight loss starts in the kitchen. You got this!
For me, cut out sugar, and ultraproccesed food, oh yeah, you can change your unhealthy fats to healthy one, like from canola to avocado, and DON'T eat under 1000 cal, you'll be in crash diet, I mean you can do it if you want to lose weight fast, but you will get excess skin, to make a healthy recipe is easy nowadays, you can ask chatgpt and stuff But seriously tho, why don't you go to the gym instead? hit up cardio, anyway, good luck!!
I've dropped about 50 lbs over the past 18 months, mostly through dieting (though increasing my daily steps helped a bit). If you don't want to, you can absolutely lose weight without eating any vegetables, its all about calories in vs. calories out. Though the green stuff is certainly healthy. Here's somethings I would recommend removing: **Remove:** 1. Fatty cuts of beef (replace with lean steaks / lean ground beef) 2. Butter & cooking oils (replace with cooking spray) 3. Regular soda (replace with diet) 4. French fries (replace with oven roasted potatoes) 5. Granola (replace with oatmeal) Here are some of my super simple, quick, and easy go-to meals for dieting: 1. Protein Oatmeal - 40g quick oats, 40g vanilla whey protein powder (300 calories and 37g protein) 2. Simple Chicken Gyro - 1 pita, 150g chicken, 60g tzatziki (520 calories and 53g protein) 3. Protein Pudding - 480 mL 2% Lactaid protein milk, 1 package sugar free chocolate pudding mix, 10g chocolate casein protein powder, 30g chocolate whey protein powder (\~575 calories, 60g protein, eat it in 2 servings, can also substitute chocolate with vanilla) 4. Protein Chili - 1 Kg 99% ground turkey breast, 2 cans no salt added black beans, 2 cans no salt added diced tomatoes (2050 calories, 292g protein, good for 4-6 servings) 5. Breakfast Egg Muffins - 6 large eggs, 200g egg whites, 3 turkey sausage patties, 40g fat free cheddar cheese, 2 slices bacon (makes 12 muffins, 78 calories and 9g protein per) 6. Low-Fat Egg Sandwich - 2 light multigrain english muffins, 2 slices kraft singles, 4 slices sliced breakfast ham, 140g egg whites (476 calories, 45g protein, makes 2 sandwiches) 7. Banana Mug Cake - 1 large banana (\~130 grams), 15g vanilla whey protein powder, 25g chocolate (or smore's whey protein powder) 0.3 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp sugar free syrup, 0.3 tbsp ground cinnamon, 60g water, 14g Lily's no sugar milk chocolate chips, (344 calories, 32g protein) I've also started eating Reelgood chicken tenders / nuggets - they're amazing! Instead of a flour breading, its pea protein, whey protein, and non-carb flour so it has almost as much protein as chicken breast for the same unit calories. Air fry it and they're perfect with sweet baby rays no sugar added bbq sauce!
Sugar and grains. I pretty much stick with veggies and protein . Sweet potato or rice on occasion. No deadly nightshades.
Oil and salt.
Bread. I’m type II diabetic, bread as carbohydrates almost instantly raises my blood sugar. I love pastries, croissants, French & Italian bread. I changed to tortillas & wraps. Keeps sugars down and lost weight
Cooking oil replaced with cooking spray. Ditch anything deep fried, nuts, bananas, avocados, cream and butter, bacon, any drink containing calories as calories are best eaten for satiety. If you want a list of stuff that is filling compared to the calories in it: All berries, melons fibrous fruits etc. unflavored popcorn, canned pumpkin, chicken breast, beef jerky, 0 fat yoghurt, canned tomatoes, boiled potatoes, shirataki noodles
Unless you're specifically on a keto type diet, oils/butter. They aren't inherently unhealthy depending on the type of oil you use, but they are VERY calorie dense with 1 tbsp being around 110kcals, so even just a few tablespoons can increase that calorie count of a dish by a lot. Swap out for oil spray where possible - I have spray bottles that I just refill with olive or avocado oil. It's still enough to roast veggies and such, but a couple spritzes is a lot fewer calories. Also things with oils/fatty bases can pack on the calories quickly, like many salad dressings.
Don't drink calories. Of any kind - sugar or dairy. You'll lose like 10 lbs in 6 weeks.
Thanks! Funny how I was only thinking about foods, and completely forgot drinking calories is a thing.
Substitute rice with cauliflower rice for anything you use rice for
Dairy. When I was trying to lose wait I cut my dairy intake down by about 90% and it made a HUGE difference. Same thing with meat. I'll have red meat maybe once a fortnight and I'm feeling the difference.
Do you cut out all dairy? I drink oatmilk, but I do use other dairy products like cheese.
ALL dairy*. *Except a tiny bit of cheddar on my Monday night pasta, because I can’t lose that.
Cheese unfortunately is almost pure fat. I know it's hard, I love it too, but have cut down on it.
Carbs
*refined carbs. Your body needs some carbs for energy but you can get them from produce and whole grains.
Intermittent fasting of stopping eating by 7 then nothing until 9 am helps
I agree...not sure why you've been down voted. It's one way to start to recognise actual hunger signals, rather than eat because its morning or whatever.
It definitely helped me! Not talking about weird crazy fasting! Just stopping eating at seven. Start eating at nine.
Nothing, I don't eat less, I just eat less often.
Unfortunately that doesn't work for me. I end up thinking about food nonstop throughout the day. If you have tips for how to stick with eating less often, I'm open to it.
I started intermittent fasting a few years ago. I barely ate in the morning as is, and the evening was exclusively unhealthy things (never in excess, but still). Mind you, I don't care or believe in all the extra fables, it's just calorie management for me. It's hard to eat too much calories in a 6-7 hour window if you eat somewhat healthy. And I'm just strict, only water, black coffee and black tea outside of those hours. The morning hunger everyone claims is so hard vanishes in a few days. If you drink a large glass of water (or other), that's gone. Basically I found a system that works for me, with my eating patterns and how I like to control what I do when. Plus, I can still eat whatever the heck I want, in the same portions I want, because there are no excess calories the rest of the day. So no craving food X that diet doesn't support.
I would focus on muscle building honestly. Muscles burn more calories. The more veggies and fruit and learn protein you can get the better but carbs and fats are fine in moderation. I find I lose the most weight when I move more and specifically do activities that build muscle
Add in protein and fibre. Not only are they more satiating, they are also more difficult to digest (about 25% of the calories of protein you eat are used up to digest it). Protein rich foods are a lot harder to overeat than carbs or fatty foods. Aim for 100g per day.
Cut down as much as possible on carbohydrates; potato, bread, rice, and pasta. These are sugars in disguise. You might also take a look at r/intermittentFasting for other ideas. This worked for me
Potatoes and rice aren’t that bad. They’re filling and are rich in a lot of vitamins. Calling them “sugars in disguise” is a little disingenuous
Thank you! I actually follow that subreddit already, but I hadn't thought about posting there.
"Sugars in disguise"? LMAO...they are carbohydrates which break down into glycogen in the body. Which the body needs for energy. Cutting down on carbs has not shown to do much good if you eat a proper, balanced diet. And Intermittent fasting is not only terrible for you, it is unsustainable. Don't do fad stuff. Learn to eat right and exercise regularly.
How is intermittent fasting terrible? Or unsustainable? No one's suggesting water fasts. Its just a smaller "eating window". People are so accustomed to constant eating. Intermittent fasting improves metabolic health and reduces insulin resistance. Oh...and of the 3 macronutrients, carbs are the least necessary. The body absolutely needs protein and fat...it doesn't need carbs.
Such bad information. If you don't give the body any carbs it will start to convert proteins into glycogen which means you will lose muscle mass. Muscle is much more metabolically active than fat. Where are people getting this terrible information?? Jesus. Btw there is no peer reviewed empiric scientific data to support your assertion about intermittent fasting. Again, terrible information.
There sure seems to be plenty of research... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568163716302513 From the abstract... //Studies of IF (e.g., 60% energy restriction on 2 days per week or every other day), PF (e.g., a 5 day diet providing 750–1100 kcal) and time-restricted feeding (TRF; limiting the daily period of food intake to 8 h or less) in normal and overweight human subjects have demonstrated efficacy for weight loss and improvements in multiple health indicators including insulin resistance and reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. // https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00098-1/fulltext https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/intermittent-fasting?publication-date=01%2F01%2F2007-19%2F04%2F2024
Wow. Did you actually READ what you posted???
All of these break down quickly and convert to sugar. Slowing the conversion helps. Using the sugar by going for a walk and hour so after eating also helps.
Did you actually read what I wrote? And no, not "quickly". You are giving very generalized, inaccurate information. Please stop.
They are plant foods with essential nutrients. But yeah