Diets?

nanabanana06

So, I'm going to be seeing a nutritionist here soon about losing weight. Apparently I'm a wee bit too fat (who would of thunk that). I've upped my exercise, but I struggle with food. I'm trying to cut down and do smaller portions. However, someone said something about going gluten free to reduce belly fat. I'm a carb fiend, so that could be a big issue. This got me thinking of things like the Paleo diet. I know this has worked really well for my SIL. Can someone enlighten me on it? I think doing a big switch and restricting what I eat for a prolonged period of time will be the only thing that helps. I know SO won't get on board, but something needs to change.

stoneycakes

DH and I did a slightly modified version of this a couple years ago.  We still ate limited dairy and beans.  DH lost like 30 lbs in a little over a month without even trying.  I like this cookbook a lot:

https://www.amazon.com/Primal-Blueprint-Cookbook-Grain-Free-Gluten-Free-ebook/dp/B004I8VGXA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1397843512&sr=8-4&keywords=primal+diet

nanabanana06

Thanks Stoney. I giggled a little bit at the 'Grain free, Gluten free' thing. It reminds me of the labels on dog food. :P

stoneycakes

I'm not gonna lie though, I'm hungry like 1 1/2 hours after I eat a primal dinner.  I was hungry A LOT.  I do have a pretty fast metabolism and DH didn't complain of hunger, but that was my experience.

ETA: I lost like 5-10 lbs. But I cheated a little, too, because I worked in a bakery.

unaveragejane

May I piggyback on this and ask if this is something feasible to start while pregnant and later BFing? I'd love to not pack on pounds this time like I did last time, and I know it will be hard for me to start a diet with a NB and a toddler.

stoneycakes

unaveragejane said:

May I piggyback on this and ask if this is something feasible to start while pregnant and later BFing? I'd love to not pack on pounds this time like I did last time, and I know it will be hard for me to start a diet with a NB and a toddler.

I think @TJ1979 has some experience with this?

nanabanana06

I just love food. I love cooking, baking, and eating. I try to tone it down and it just creates a craving. I am almost thinking that putting myself on a strict diet might really help. I don't eat a lot if I actually eat throughout the day. I would really love to just not be fat anymore. I can deal with chubby, just not fat. My current mind of dieting is a huge fail. I don't know how to eat all that healthy.

YellowLily2013

I don't really have advice because I'm border line anorexic. I just had to get that off my chest.

ElleBeeDub

I know https://slimpalate.com/ and https://paleomg.com/ both have really awesome paleo recipes if you decide that's how you're going to go. I'm with Stringy in that I've adopted a clean/whole food approach. I started hard-core meal planning at the beginning of the year, and it's really enabled me to control what I'm putting in my body. When we don't eat out or just cook a frozen pizza for dinner because I don't know what to cook, it's really cut out a chunk of the crap in my diet. It also helps that I'm a little insane about what G eats. I want so much for him to grow up in a house that has a healthy relationship with food (I didn't) that I've become very intentional about what we eat.

@YellowLily2013 my mom struggles with anorexia (sometimes full-blown and sometimes borderline), and I know that it's like alcohol in that there's no "cure." It takes a lot of strength to battle, and I hope you know that you have many people who love and support you (even if it's virtually). 

JEPES1348

Both of my sisters have diagnosable eating disorders. Actually, my younger one is much better now, but my older has struggled with a combination of several disorders for about 15 years now.

We've had monstrous fights, tears, hugs, and long talks. I've learned that being supportive is the only thing my sister needs or will accept from me. I hope she isn't damaging her body so much that she is reducing the time I'll have her in life.

Eating disorders are a crazy bitch. It's unlike other addictions where you can avoid substances or negative people. We all have to eat to survive, so the illness rears it's ugly head every day, multiple times each day. Hugs @YL. While I can't understand, I can empathize.

Rrrrrachel

I gotta say the gestational diabetes diet is a bummer but it's really managed my weight.

N_Koz

I don't eat paleo but I do use a lot of their recipes, this is one of my favorites but we use turkey sausage https://paleospirit.com/2012/basic-paleo-egg-muffins/. In January I went back to the gym to do a group personal training program and I started eating 40% protein 40% carbs 20% fat and tracking on myfitness pal. It is really working for me. I have to log or I will eat more than I intended to and I use my digital scale to weight my food. I agree with everything Maple said. Whole grains and free veggies are the way to feel full but also look at your protein intake, I am so full after eating meals that end up being 300 calories because of the protein veggie mix.  I have found if I don't work out it doesn't matter what I eat I will not lose fat only muscle and not a lot of that. 

violobo

I agree with @Rrrrrachel. Before BFP, I ate a really smart, heavy-on-the-veggies diet. But I read somewhere that you should eat more carbs when pregnant and got a little carried away. GD got my eating back under control. So I'd suggest a lifestyle mod that introduces carbs during your day like a GD diet (as in more carbs later in the day as opposed to the beginning) with lots of nutrient-dense foods. And drinking a lot of water and eating multiple small meals helps me not crave every piece of cake I can get my hands on.

bumpuser5078523

My husband does a modified version of a low carb diet. He also has a hard time with portions of food and will over eat like crazy!

He swears by eating no more than 100 carbs a day. Don't cut them out completely, that's not healthy! (And it's unrealistic for long term.)

Your husband should be okay with minimal carbs, in addition to as much meat and veggies he wants. Dairy is good too, but things like milk have lots of sugar. So be careful of that.

ETA he also counted his calories with myfitnesspal.com (they have an app) for a while. If you want to dive in, watch your carbs and calories. If you want baby steps, watch carbs and then add in calories. MFP works well for carbs, also.

TJ1979

@Nana_Osaki06‌ I think the paleo diet is great. If you're looking for a hard core intro, start with the whole30. It's 30 days of clean eating, no cheating. It's almost like a detox and your body learns how to function on less carbs and without all the crap. And you quit craving things as much. Then after 30 days, take one cheat day, you'll feel like shit, then start paleo. Once you have done paleo for a bit, you will know what does and doesn't work for your body and you will learn how to "cheat" without hurting yourself.

@unaveragejane‌ I haven been able to sustain paleo while pg. and I'm not sure if switching to it while pg would be sustainable or not. Maybe if you did loose paleo and still allowed rice and potatoes. That's what I'm trying to do... Not quite paleo, but gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free. However, I did start whole30 and switch to paleo while BFing. I had to eat oatmeal to keep my supply up, but was strict other than that. I lost 17 lbs in my whole30.

unaveragejane

I love eggs but they make my stomach hurt a LOT. This is going to be hard.