Okay, the Diet Thread

[Merry]

Alright, I have suffered from a semi-busted knee cap and that can cause you not to be too active... and that further develop into a need to lose weight. And dieting is just such a pain in the neck, with all the weigh out this, do that, yah-dah-yah-dah-yah....In other words to work for me, a diet must require as little thought as possible, lol.

Here's two ideas that have not only brought my weight down, but help keep it down...

First one is like Atkins, however, it leaves out the fatty meats and allows one glass of milk each day. Works so fast you could be mistaken for a gastric by-pass patient.

Meals kind of break down like this:

Breakfast: 2 eggs
1/4 cup salsa
3 oz ham

or

8 oz of your favorite milk based breakfast shake

At lunch you have to have at least 3 oz of one of the following types of meat (3 oz is the minimum, you can eat as much as you need)
Turkey, chicken or tuna

And (not 'or') one boiled egg

Lunch Veggies-romaine lettuce, red bell pepper, mixed greens, spinach, coleslaw...you know, veggies...broccoli, cauliflower, onion.. that stuff.

optional-2 slices crumbled turkey bacon, 2 TBS salad dressing....cuz obviously, lunch is going to be of the salad variety....

...Unless you are like me and don't want to start messing with salad at work. In which case a can of low carb soup and a pre-cut sack of veggies and dip is just fine.



Dinner is a lot like lunch, except the minimum for the meat is 4 oz. You can also have shrimp or lean pork slices, turkey burgers...

Veggies stay the same.

Optionals for dinner: add fajita seasoning or a spice blend, lemon juice for flavor and 1 TBS mayo is also allowed.

Snacks...you get one: 1 boiled egg, 2 oz chicken or turkey, 1 stick string cheese.


The other thing that has also worked when I get bored of doing that is a type of fasting where three days a week you make it either a soup and salad only day or fruit only. And yes, it is the heigth of simplicity to toss four apples in a sack and be on your way.

I lost forty pounds in two months doing that one, I do it twice a week to maintain.

So I hope that helps. We all spend a lot of time at the computer, and well, it's easy to get a 'writers physique' whether you have a busted leg or not!

[tlm]

I lost forty pounds in two months doing that one, I do it twice a week to maintain.

Really! Amazing!

Yea, I'm willing to try. I wish I had heard about this at the beginning of summer, but the meals look really easy to put together. I should be able to maintain it after school starts.!thumbsup!

'writers physique'

Yea, that sounds about right.

[Merry]

Good deal! Hope it works for you, tim-tim!

[lynnmosher]

This sounds pretty good but I'm wondering what happened to the legumes and fruit? Don't you hate the word "diet"? It makes people cringe and throw up their hands. Eating properly, with less calories, is a lifestyle. I'm glad this works for you. More power to you. By the way, does this "lifestyle" have a name?

[psychoceramic]

Speaking of diets.... (by the by i like your ideas.. so i might try them.......)


i was and is on a low fat/no fat diet where i can eat all the veggies i want all the the fruit i want and also all the beans i want.....It is high in carbs but in the good carbs......so i am doing this for two month period....and i am losing weight...then i do my yearly checkup.. and bam... my triglycerides (sugar and carb level) is high!!! = : > too high for the Doctors taste... so i have to cut back on the carbs. = : >

i though that was funny.....

In Jesus,
psycho

[Merry]

By the way, does this "lifestyle" have a name?

Uh..uh...'Stuff that you eat?' :D I dunno...

[lynnmosher]

You sound as silly as me! I thought maybe the diet you listed had a name other than the Merry Diet! :D

Lynn

[Merry]

Oh, well, the Merry Diet sounds good. (Featuring appetizers by Pippin!)

[lynnmosher]

You are a silly parodist! I like that!

[kriswrite]

I've heard of the Atkins diet but with low fat stuff. Supposed to make you drop pounds like mad. But I've wondered how healthy it is. My docs tell me Atkins (the orignal) is safe as long as you don't shy away from the diet and stay on induction for a long time.

Kristina

[tlm]

Okay Merry,
I have a couple of questions.
1. I noticed that there was no mention of beef at all in your menu. Are you avoiding beef or was that an oversight. I also noticed that you mentioned tuna, but can that be substituted with other fish, like the 3 oz serving of flounder I was planning to bake for lunch. lol.

2. I have a big jar of peanut butter. Could I eat that if I don't use the serving of mayo or salad dressing (switching out 1 oil for the other)?

Other than that, I think my doctor would probably cheer my following that plan. Low sugar+starch is what he is always preaching to me. In fact, the way you posted it seemed so simple to follow that I went grocery shopping for the vegetables the day you started the thread.

[Merry]

Nope, no beef cuz of the fat content. ANd flounder would be okay. I don't know about swithching optional stuff. Never did it. If you do it and don't lose as fast that might be why. Cuz remember, peanut butter is also made with salt which makes you retain water etc...Try it and see. It might work anyway.

I'm glad you're giving it a go! I'll be praying for you!

[tlm]

Got ya.!thumbsup!

[tlm]

Hey, I am losing about a pound a day, 5 pounds since Sunday. It is pretty easy to substitute foods, so far (the different meats and so on). I haven't had any cravings for sweets or anything yet.

I am praying for self-control.

[Merry]

Cool! Glad to hear it, Tim. Is that even with subbing out the mayo for peanut butter? INquiring, peanut butter loving minds want to know!

[tlm]

I haven't eaten any peanut butter yet, but I have been eating the meats I already have in the refrigerator (after all--I am a poor starving writer), and some of that hasn't been the leanest cuts.

When I have eaten a higher fat meat, I haven't eaten any other oil (salad dressing or mayo).

[Merry]

Cool! Good to know!

[writegirl1949]

I saw this after you first posted, Merry. I was on Weight Watchers but I finally decided that paying $13 a week to receive a paperclip for every pound lost was a bit much. And while I like the program, it does take a lot of work.

I think, when I get back from my vacation, I'm going to give this a try.

One more thing ... do we get to see before and after photos? Hmmmm?:cool:

Thanks for sharing, Merry.

Blessings, Francine

[Merry]

I would do before and after...in cartoon pictures or creative smilies! Lol! If I can figure out how to run my kids digi-cam I'll get a picture of me out.

But it is good to work on getting into better shape. Just think, you'll be all set for your book tour!

[tlm]

It hasn't been hard to follow, so far.

I made some home made vegetable soup (lots of cabbage) to eat this week for my veggi servings.

[mbeachbum]

Best wishes to all who are trying this and/or other food plans! !thumbsup!

I wish I could get back into the swing of things like this but I just can't seem to do it. I've tried several times this summer without success. I think subconsciously I'm rebelling at anything that even hints at being an eating plan. :mad:

Anyway, great going Merry and TLM! :D

[Merry]

Aw, don't worry about it, mbeach. Y'know, if you just pray and make a concerted effort to eat only when you're hungry and stop when you're full, you can eat pretty much what you want and it works just as well. (Of course it's the start and the stop that gets tricky. So that's why these eating plan things are also helpful) It's all about what you need to do at the time.

[tlm]

I think subconsciously I'm rebelling at anything that even hints at being an eating plan.

I have been praying for months to have the desire to lose weight (I didn't really even want to, but knew that I was hurting my body by eating the way I was). When I read this thread, it just clicked in my mind. I know that God has given me the self-control this week because it hasn't seemed really hard, and I have already lost 8 pounds.

Usually that isn't enough for me to see any difference, clothes wise, but right now I am comfortably wearing a pair of cut-offs that cut off the circulation in my thighs last week.

Thank you Jesus!

[mbeachbum]

Yeah, Merry, my start button often gets stuck on the "on" position and my stop button sometimes disappears! :(

You and TLM have the right idea though - start with prayer. Thanks!

[tlm]

Today wasn't so good. It was a dry run for when I go back to work (next week)!

I had to run my son to the DMV to get his license reinstated, because he was faulted in an accident, etc. Anyway it was an all day thing and I had had to drink sugary drinks and even ate some sweet snack food at lunch time. I feel terrible about it, but I pray I will get back on track tomorrow and guess I need to invest in a lunch box so I will be prepared for when I go back to work.

[Merry]

Shoot,who doesn't fall 'off the wagon?' You're right, ya just get back to it next meal. Sometimes I think it would all be easier if this were something like smoking where you just don't ever smoke again. And I know, to quit smoking is very difficult, not down playing that. But on the other hand it isn't available to say, "Hey, today I give up eating!"

It's a hunt for balance. God will get you there.

[P.K.mama]

The diet sounds great. Eggs in the morning are an important part of a diet. My Doc. says it gets your metabolism going. My problem is I've been trying to loose about 15 pounds for the last year and a half. I'm getting frustrated, for the past three years I've probably eat in two or two and a half days what you have for one and I still can't loose any. When I began my diet the first thing I did was cut out pop. I lost about 7 pound right away but since then nothing. Any suggestions?

[tlm]

It seems with this one that low carbohydrates is a big key, not just no sugar, no anything that turns into sugar in the body.

For me, the real challenge might be when I go back to work. The rush and distraction of the job may cause me to ignore what I know is important. I pray that is not the case. I think God wants me around awhile to finish my writing. I need to be more healthy. I am at that place in my life (and have been for about a year) where I can tell that my weight is preventing me from being as active as I should be. I would love to take a mission trip this Christmas and need to lose at least 20 more pounds to feel comfortable about taking the van ride to Mexico.

Maybe we should take a pact to pray for each other for the self control we need so we can be the best possible witnesses. I don't mean that my weight keeps me from being a good Christian. I mean that I turned down a mission trip last year because I feared getting a blood clot from being cramped in a van for too many hours.

[Fine-Writer]

Atkins works for me too, but not so fast. I learned that - for me, the thing that really works is "Zero" carbs. That means mostly fish, some turkey, a little chicken, and some cheese. With zero carbs and all the protein you can eat you lose more than a total fast. Your body goes into Keytosis and throws off fat without having to burn it. I lost 25 lbs. in a month. Have to watch it though. Heavy protein is hard on the kidneys. Thus no beef.

[Merry]

Tim-Sounds good! It would be great to have you go to Mexico!

Fine- Is that why the no beef thing? i never knew.

[tlm]

I have been searching for a variety of veggies so I don't get tired of that part of the diet. This one was on my Yahoo Mail. It looks good. I can make it the night before so I can have it for lunch at school. I can go light on the feta cheese, too.
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/themagicalmeltingpot/210/summer-salad-hold-the-lettuce

[writegirl1949]

I've decided to try this EATING PLAN (note, not a diet) lol.

I was wondering how everyone was doing on this. Any suggestions, etc?

Blessings, Francine

[Merry]

Mmm...Tim! That salad sounds great!

Well, writegirl, it does help me keep my weight down. After my last knee injury I used it to take off forty pounds I gained from sitting still a whole lot. I'm not on it now, though. But it does seem to work very well.

[tlm]

I haven't done as well as Merry. When school started it became a little more difficult to plan my meals, but I am still trying. I have lost 11 pounds so far, but I usually put on a few pounds when school starts so I think losing is pretty good.