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POLL QUESTION: Do Diets Really Work?
Poll question is based on the following quote:
“If you’re thinking of going on a diet to lose those extra pounds
think again. Long-term weight control through dieting is near
impossible, for the simple reason is that diets promote only short
term solutions not long term.”
I have been on every diet there is and when I stick to it I easily lose the weight; however, once I go off, which I always do I gain my weight back plus some. I’m starting to believe that diets really don’t work [quote][/quote]
I have to agree with Gary, most diets are for short term weight loss. And I’ve seen many who gain the weight back, and more! Too hard on the body’s system. Another thing is, we as individuals, require different regimens. Meaning, what’s good for one person may be horrible for another. WE have to be careful. Personally, I believe that exercise is key. <marquee>:idea:
I agree with the statement, BUT if a diet to lose weight turns into a lifetime plan, than it does work. I’ve been on WW for almost 14 months, I’ve lost 78.5 lbs, 6.5 while on maintenance, and during these 14 months, I’ve seen at least 3 family members join WW for a 2nd time now. They are doing the quick-fix, and that’s not lifetime-lasting.
In fact, i am used to it now. I started following the South Beach Diet and it really help a lot because of their 3 phase diet plan which is very ideal for a working man like me.
I used to be 115 kgs but since i enrolled three months ago, my weight is now 92 kgs and going down every week.
Diets are a temporary change in what you eat and the amount you eat. “Diets” will work for most people for temporary weight loss. For long term weight loss, or meeting your ideal weight, you must have a permanent change in life-style. Food must be looked at differently and used as a tool for good health, not a fun activity to indulge into. We have failed in not teaching our country the value of eating properly. Media has made billions of dollars by advertising junk food as the “cool” foods to eat. All at the expense of our country’s health. If we were as concerned for the well-being of eachother as we are for the amount of money we have in our bank acounts, then the word “diet” wouldn’t even exist in our vocabulary.
Diets are, for the most part, designed to take weight off immediately. As far as they go, most of them work OK. However, if you want to lose weight, and KEEP it off, you need to view your body as a caloric bank account. If you put in more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. The secret is to either put in less calories, and/or use more calories on a day-to-day basis. It doesn’t matter WHAT you eat. It DOES matter, though, HOW MUCH you eat, versus what you do for exercise. Pick something that isn’t too strenuous for your body to handle, and do it. Run? fine. Jog? same thing. Swim? Go right ahead. Ride a bicycle? Great! The important thing is that you need to do it EVERY DAY if you can. Drink water all you want. No calories! Another tip: Don’t deny yourself of a favorite food simply because it has calories. Just don’t go crazy with it. A last word: If you MUST go on a strict regimen, do it for six days out of the week. The seventh day? Indulge yourself. That will keep you from developing the craving that leads to many a dieter’s downfall.
:idea: It depends on whether you mean dieting as a change in life style, if it is a change in life style, mean you change not only what you eat, but how you look at food and eating in general along with exercise, etc. than I would say I am all for it. I don’t think that diet alone is the answer, diet top me means it is something you do for a period of time to reach a certain goal, but then what? Do you go back to your old habits, or do you continue to diet??? Or do you make this change, because your desire is to change your life st yle because it is healthier???
I was always heavy as a child and teen. When I turned 21 I was away at University and amazingly avoided gaining the “freshman 15” :!: I had no choice but to walk around (I had no car), and learn to cook for myself. Without trying I was able to lose 45 pounds, and at age 25 I have yet to gain back the weight.
I do not exercise very much - parking far away and walking to the door, is exercise for me - and try to eat healthy. What works for me is eating a few small meals throughout the day including fruit, carbs and proteins.
I am very happy with my current weight of 115lbs at 5’2. I’m not sickly skinny and am in my healthy weight range, for my age and height. My boyfriend of 6.5 years never even noticed (well I’m sure he did but he never commented)I lost the weight which proved that he loved me for me, not what size I am.
The key is not obsessing, don’t go overboard and remember that everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for you. And never lose weight for anyone but you!
Best of luck to all those who are trying to lose weight
Diets work if you only have a little to lose. However, if you have a lot to lose, or want to maintain a healthy standard, the lifestyle has to change. My Grandmother has been a big inspiration, she’s in her 80’s and never lets her weight get more than 5 lbs past her “ideal” weight. It has saved her life, since she has terrible arthritis. If she didn’t stop and diet when the scales started going up, she wouldn’t be able to walk now!
Diets don’t work! Conscious regulation of food intake, reducing size of portions, limiting the amount of red meat and starchy foods is necessary. Try eating poultry or fish 4 days a week, meat on Wednesday only and whatever you want (excpt maybe pizza) on the Weekend. I did it that way, refraining from eating much of what I cooked and went from 185 to 154 lost 6" around waist. Feel great!
Try something as simple as not using the word diet. I lost forty (40)
pounds over the summer, but not by dieting. I used, and still use, a sensible eating plan. Most people that diet end up gaining back more weight than they lost, because the body adjusts to our caloric intake. Throw some changes in food choices in to your plan. Get more active physically. We don’t have to run a marathon, just some regular scheduled activity. Watch when you eat as much as what you eat. Late night eating will pack on the pounds as much or more than over-eating, because we are not as active sleeping as we are when we are awake.
Diets work, but you really need to do some kind of exercise and stick with your exercise routine! I find when I exercise and keep it up I can usually eat anything I want, whenever I want to. I think exercise is the key!
To me "diet " is what you eat, whether it is vegetarian, or just no red meat. I have changed my eating HABITS. I eat the greatest amount of food first thing in the morning. By lunch time I may have a few hunger pangs, so I eat less. By the time “supper” comes around I am not really hungry at all. But if I am, I cut up raw vegetables and drizzle just a little salad dressing(any kind) on them and toss. I call this my backwards diet, because I am eating backwards by having my big meal first.
I suffer from RSD and I really have to watch what exercises I can do without problems. I have lost 35 pounds, so far, but I have a long ways to go.
PLEASE NOTE!! Under no circumstances do I give up chocolate in any size shape or form.(my family wouldn’t survive!)
I think excercise is the key too. I’ve always been obsessed with my weight. I have been up and down for years, but right now I"m the thinnest I’ve ever been. I’ve decided to give up the dieting, and just eat moderatley, and excercise, and I am maintaining my weight. I’ve also decided that I will not weigh myself anymore, and just go by the way my clothes fit. It has helped me to not be so obsessive. I realized I don’t want my to daughters to feel that way about themselves.