Smallerize Me
July 31, 2013 11:44 AM Subscribe
Seeking recommendations for a diet book with lots of sample meal plans & recipes, some flexibility in food, inclusion of some carbs, and not a crazy amount of planning.
I've really been struggling to lose the baby weight over the last year. My life is super hectic, I get a good amount of exercise but my sleeping and eating patterns are erratic. I've tried vaguely dieting with the intention to "just eat better" but I think I do best with a fairly strict meal plan so I don't inadvertently snack and dessert my way into more calories than I should.
I tried the Fast Metabolism Diet a few months ago. I liked: that it had sample meal plans and recipes, that I was rarely hungry because the eating intervals were closely spaced, that I could eat lots of "real" foods. I disliked: that the approved foods changed every few days, so a meal I made one day couldn't be eaten in the next few days. It required way too much cooking every day, and my fridge/freezer space is extremely limited so cooking in advance or freezing portions for the next week isn't a realistic option. There were also 2 days a week of no carbs and although I do eat some meat (mostly chicken) eating that much meat and egg whites grossed me out. I eventually gave up because it was taking too much time and planning and started feeling like a part-time job.
SO. I would love suggestions for other diet books to look into. I'm not opposed to websites as well, but I really want something that's a PLAN, laid out for me, as opposed to a collection of low-calorie recipes on some website or whatever. I don't want to have to spend a lot of time culling recipes and planning -- I'd love to just be told what to do and what to eat. As I mentioned I do eat some meat, but I prefer my diet to be not heavily meat-based, so very low carb diets are not for me--I need fruits and grains, at least for some meals!
So, if you've followed a diet book that you enjoyed and would recommend, please let me know!
I did see this previous question and am planning on looking into the websites and books mentioned.
I've really been struggling to lose the baby weight over the last year. My life is super hectic, I get a good amount of exercise but my sleeping and eating patterns are erratic. I've tried vaguely dieting with the intention to "just eat better" but I think I do best with a fairly strict meal plan so I don't inadvertently snack and dessert my way into more calories than I should.
I tried the Fast Metabolism Diet a few months ago. I liked: that it had sample meal plans and recipes, that I was rarely hungry because the eating intervals were closely spaced, that I could eat lots of "real" foods. I disliked: that the approved foods changed every few days, so a meal I made one day couldn't be eaten in the next few days. It required way too much cooking every day, and my fridge/freezer space is extremely limited so cooking in advance or freezing portions for the next week isn't a realistic option. There were also 2 days a week of no carbs and although I do eat some meat (mostly chicken) eating that much meat and egg whites grossed me out. I eventually gave up because it was taking too much time and planning and started feeling like a part-time job.
SO. I would love suggestions for other diet books to look into. I'm not opposed to websites as well, but I really want something that's a PLAN, laid out for me, as opposed to a collection of low-calorie recipes on some website or whatever. I don't want to have to spend a lot of time culling recipes and planning -- I'd love to just be told what to do and what to eat. As I mentioned I do eat some meat, but I prefer my diet to be not heavily meat-based, so very low carb diets are not for me--I need fruits and grains, at least for some meals!
So, if you've followed a diet book that you enjoyed and would recommend, please let me know!
I did see this previous question and am planning on looking into the websites and books mentioned.
Have a look at Food Matters, by Mark Bittman. I love him to pieces. He wrote my favorite cookbook of all time, and I've been a faithful adherent ever since.
He also wrote a follow on to Food Matters, called The Food Matters Cookbook. But start by reading the narrative in Food Matters.
posted by janey47 at 11:52 AM on July 31, 2013
He also wrote a follow on to Food Matters, called The Food Matters Cookbook. But start by reading the narrative in Food Matters.
posted by janey47 at 11:52 AM on July 31, 2013
Second vote for Food Matters and VB6. I'm having good luck with them so far.
posted by skycrashesdown at 12:37 PM on July 31, 2013
posted by skycrashesdown at 12:37 PM on July 31, 2013
Also, memail me if you'd like the diet I went on. The bonus: very easy; the drawback: very repetitive. But effective. I lost about 2.5 pounds per week.
posted by janey47 at 1:11 PM on July 31, 2013
posted by janey47 at 1:11 PM on July 31, 2013
Hi Bella,
I'm Carole from CommonSenseLiving.com
hmmm, mine is one of those websites with hundreds of healthy recipes. There is also a lot of weight loss info there too. See the menu bar at the top.
Here's the thing - you can't live the rest of your life on a diet. You need to eat better most of the time. A bad day here and there won't kill you if you eat healthier most of the time. That choice is up to you, but living on diets is not good for you, and no fun.
I also like Food Matters - in short doses. I personally wouldn't want to live that way all of the time.
(I'm a size 2 at 57 yrs. old)
posted by Carole at 8:37 PM on July 31, 2013
I'm Carole from CommonSenseLiving.com
hmmm, mine is one of those websites with hundreds of healthy recipes. There is also a lot of weight loss info there too. See the menu bar at the top.
Here's the thing - you can't live the rest of your life on a diet. You need to eat better most of the time. A bad day here and there won't kill you if you eat healthier most of the time. That choice is up to you, but living on diets is not good for you, and no fun.
I also like Food Matters - in short doses. I personally wouldn't want to live that way all of the time.
(I'm a size 2 at 57 yrs. old)
posted by Carole at 8:37 PM on July 31, 2013
Honestly, so many of these diets are just begging people to put the weight back on because you can't follow them for any reasonable length of time. They fail because they don't teach you the wrong thing - that you can only lose or maintain weight by doing this one thing.
One of the most pernicious elements of the whole diet industry is the whole idea of eliminating food groups or following some crazy strict - arbitrary or proprietary - plan in order to lose weight. The underlying idea for so many of them is, basically, to train people to like food less by making food boring and repetitive, and to make the craziness of the plan and the whole "YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS TO THE LETTER" a means of enforcing willpower and regime compliance.
Sign up to myfitnesspal. Exercise - even if it means a brisk walk - for 30 minutes a day. Follow a sensible calorie controlled diet by finding low fat recipes that fit within your calorie quota. You don't need *a* special book with *a* special system. You need recipes you'd actually like to eat that are lo cal but still offer you a balanced diet with a range of food groups - meat, fish, vegetables, some dairy, and carbs.
The plan is the calorie count and the calorie count only. The goal is to come in just under that calorie count while eating sensibly and healthily and not having to make extraordinary lifestyle changes you can't sustain.
You don't need to eliminate carbs or dairy or any other food group. Moderate them, certainly. But there is no special, long term secret to losing weight other than eating fewer calories than you burn. More specifically, what most people need is how to train themselves on what the right portion size is to lose or maintain weight. They also need to learn to exercise regularly, because dieting without exercise risks losing muscle mass. Weight is important, but healthy is more important.
More generally, try to avoid snacking (because high sugar/fat foods detract from what you can eat at mealtimes), moderate your alcohol intake and don't set yourself silly goals that leave you starving.
But most importantly, if you actually like food - which is true for most people who are overweight - then the key is long term compliance and that almost never comes from a specific diet regime but through learning how to eat well at the calorie levels that match your weight, gender, age and lifestyle, and how to adapt those calorie goals to the circumstances you have so you make as few compromises as possible. Compliance is key. Losing weight is a long haul. If you are, for example, 20lb overweight then that's 10 weeks at a sensible 2lb per week goal. For the many people who are more than that then you're talking 3+ months of dieting. To sustain that you have to make compliance the defining feature of the weight loss plan.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:45 AM on August 1, 2013
One of the most pernicious elements of the whole diet industry is the whole idea of eliminating food groups or following some crazy strict - arbitrary or proprietary - plan in order to lose weight. The underlying idea for so many of them is, basically, to train people to like food less by making food boring and repetitive, and to make the craziness of the plan and the whole "YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS TO THE LETTER" a means of enforcing willpower and regime compliance.
Sign up to myfitnesspal. Exercise - even if it means a brisk walk - for 30 minutes a day. Follow a sensible calorie controlled diet by finding low fat recipes that fit within your calorie quota. You don't need *a* special book with *a* special system. You need recipes you'd actually like to eat that are lo cal but still offer you a balanced diet with a range of food groups - meat, fish, vegetables, some dairy, and carbs.
The plan is the calorie count and the calorie count only. The goal is to come in just under that calorie count while eating sensibly and healthily and not having to make extraordinary lifestyle changes you can't sustain.
You don't need to eliminate carbs or dairy or any other food group. Moderate them, certainly. But there is no special, long term secret to losing weight other than eating fewer calories than you burn. More specifically, what most people need is how to train themselves on what the right portion size is to lose or maintain weight. They also need to learn to exercise regularly, because dieting without exercise risks losing muscle mass. Weight is important, but healthy is more important.
More generally, try to avoid snacking (because high sugar/fat foods detract from what you can eat at mealtimes), moderate your alcohol intake and don't set yourself silly goals that leave you starving.
But most importantly, if you actually like food - which is true for most people who are overweight - then the key is long term compliance and that almost never comes from a specific diet regime but through learning how to eat well at the calorie levels that match your weight, gender, age and lifestyle, and how to adapt those calorie goals to the circumstances you have so you make as few compromises as possible. Compliance is key. Losing weight is a long haul. If you are, for example, 20lb overweight then that's 10 weeks at a sensible 2lb per week goal. For the many people who are more than that then you're talking 3+ months of dieting. To sustain that you have to make compliance the defining feature of the weight loss plan.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:45 AM on August 1, 2013
Weight Watchers? It's more of a plan than a book, but they put out tons of cookbooks with the point values of each recipe. Just buy a book or two that appeals to you, and work out whatever combination of meals you like that adds up to the number of points you have. It gives you total flexibility in food, you can eat carbs, and you don't have to do a lot of planning.
posted by payoto at 8:44 AM on August 1, 2013
posted by payoto at 8:44 AM on August 1, 2013
It sounds like the No-S Diet would be a good place to start for you. It's structured in that the rules are "No Snacks, Seconds, or Sweets, except for days that start with an 'S'" (Saturdays, Sundays, "Special Days" like your birthday). There is flexibility in the food (eat what you want, except sweets during the week), and the only planning is sticking with the No-S on weekdays. It's a great way to start with portion control. Check out the testimonials. For me, the 'no seconds' and 'no sweets' was very helpful.
You might also check out the 5-2 Fast Diet. You eat normally for 5 days a week, and for 2 days you "fast" (more of a calorie restriction - 500 calories each day for a woman). I've been doing this for three months and have lost 5 pounds without really changing anything. I know it doesn't sound like much, BUT I've visually lost weight and don't have blood sugar issues like I did before (e.g. getting lightheaded if I didn't eat every couple hours). Also, I do martial arts, so on days I train and fast, I will eat some additional calories (300?) to account for the calories spent in exercise.
The 5-2 requires some planning (deciding which days of the week to 'fast' - I do it Mondays and Thursdays), but again, no restrictions on what foods to eat. Although I will say that as someone with a sweet tooth, I am now far less interested in sweets, and pay more attention to eating Good Food since doing this diet.
FWIW, both of these 'diets' aren't really diets. They are lifestyles, and I can see myself continuing with either of them long term.
Of course I hadn't considered combining the two until I wrote this reply. Hmmm.
posted by sazanka at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2013
You might also check out the 5-2 Fast Diet. You eat normally for 5 days a week, and for 2 days you "fast" (more of a calorie restriction - 500 calories each day for a woman). I've been doing this for three months and have lost 5 pounds without really changing anything. I know it doesn't sound like much, BUT I've visually lost weight and don't have blood sugar issues like I did before (e.g. getting lightheaded if I didn't eat every couple hours). Also, I do martial arts, so on days I train and fast, I will eat some additional calories (300?) to account for the calories spent in exercise.
The 5-2 requires some planning (deciding which days of the week to 'fast' - I do it Mondays and Thursdays), but again, no restrictions on what foods to eat. Although I will say that as someone with a sweet tooth, I am now far less interested in sweets, and pay more attention to eating Good Food since doing this diet.
FWIW, both of these 'diets' aren't really diets. They are lifestyles, and I can see myself continuing with either of them long term.
Of course I hadn't considered combining the two until I wrote this reply. Hmmm.
posted by sazanka at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2013
Oh, and there is now available "The FastDiet Cookbook: 150 Delicious, Calorie-Controlled Meals to Make Your Fasting Days Easy" if you are looking for recipes to accompany the 5-2 Fast Diet. I haven't used the book, but it should have all the information you would need for 5-2. And I forgot to mention: this diet has also lowered our monthly food bill, as a nice bonus.
posted by sazanka at 9:41 AM on August 1, 2013
posted by sazanka at 9:41 AM on August 1, 2013
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