Diet plan suggestions?

[BigCheezy]

Whenever I want to lose weight, I just eat less and sometimes count calories. If I want to gain more muscles, I exercise more than I do already. I think the key to weight loss is just moderation and eating right.

 

But everyone around me seems to require a specific diet plan to even attempt dieting. My mother, father, and sister just decided to go on a No Flour, No Sugar diet. In essense, it just makes you eat more fruits, veggies, and meats, and makes it difficult to eat desserts and snacks loaded down with sugars. They are struggling to find foods they can eat.

 

If I was to cut back on the junk food I eat and eat more fruits and vegetables, I would lose weight too. I am very skeptical about diets, but I try not to say anything to them, because they think they are going to lose weight on this diet. I don't think they will last very long on it and it will fail just like the other attempted diets.

 

I realize I'm not much of a diet motivator for them, but if this is how they want to be, then I guess I can't change that. Are there any "good" diets that work that I could suggest to them?

[Stella Sleepwalks]

I went on the Low GI diet a couple of years ago and lost 50lbs. I have managed to keep off 40lbs, (10lbs gained after break-up), and I don't restrict anything or count calories.

 

I just eat wholegrain pasta, rice, bread etc, instead of white processed stuff. Sweet potatoes instead of white ones, lean meats, loads of veggies, fruits, low fat dairy... Its really balanced and I never go hungry. You can have a glass of red wine a night, so you don't miss the booze, and deserts are fine as long as you don't over indulge.

 

I have tried lots of diets and this is by far the best, (for me).

[alli]

I think those diet plans that completely cut out specific foods or food groups are ridiculous. It is not something that most people can maintain long-term, and it is possible to keep a healthy weight if the majority of the foods you eat include lean protein, fruits, vegetables, dairy & whole grains... if you keep the calorie count reasonably low (shouldn't be too difficult on that type of diet) plus exercise. You could recommend that they see a dietician who will probably recommend the same thing. Tell them to follow the food pyramid!

[COtuner]

I do not recommend any diet. The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn why certain foods and habits are good for you and try to adapt your intake slowly to include those foods and eliminate others.

 

I know I sound like a schill for the book, but I'll mention the Schwarzbein Principle again. If nothing else, she (an endocrinologist) explains how your body uses different foods, how they work together to provide vitamins, how things are absorbed, and what combinations are good to eat. You'll find you naturally start regulating your intake and then lose weight. Especially if you're exercising.

[COtuner]

The other thing I do, and it's quite easy, is that I don't eat anything I couldn't prepare myself with ingredients I could grow given the land, tools and materials. No frozen dinners, no processed packaged foods, nothing with additives. No flour, no sugar makes me laugh. I don't EVER eat flour and there's hundreds of things out there to eat. Sugar - the only sugar I eat is fruit sugar and that's in moderation with proteins and fats at the same time. (ie, don't eat a piece of fruit by itself, always eat some peanut butter or nuts or something with a half of the fruit)

 

Not trying to insult everyone, it's that I find so many "dieters" are just looking for some way to keep avoiding having to use and eat fresh foods.