Fell off the wagon

[Pascal]

Hello everyone!
Yeah i didn't last very long on my diet.

I plan on starting up running in the morning again. It's not much, only 15 minutes a day, but it's better than nothing.

I don't want to go on a strict diet where i am scanning the back of every piece of food i pick up, checking how many of this and that it has in it.

I drink alot of diet coke, is that bad?

I basicly want to lose weight and keep fit. So if you could share your tips with me, it would be great.

[etothepii]

Originally Posted by Pascal

Hello everyone!
I don't want to go on a strict diet where i am scanning the back of every piece of food i pick up, checking how many of this and that it has in it.

I come to really enjoy this!!! it's like a hobby ... then again, I've always been kind of a weirdo!

Truth is (and I'm sure I sound like an infomercial) diets don't work! That is, going on "a diet." Everybody has a diet -- it's what you eat. The trick is to improve your diet to a healthy, yet enjoyable level.

To lose weight, you definitely have to exercise. It's not that you can't lose pounds based on diet alone. It's that establishing a habit of exercise will help keep you lean for a life time. I strongly suggest counting calories via fitday, or some other means. Try to establish, through observation, calculators, or whatever, how many calories you can consume without gaining weight. Then cut back a couple hundred. With that and exercise, you should start shedding pounds.

Then, when you get to the target weight, keep up the exercise, but add calories back in. Make sure your weight has stabalized, then enjoy the rest of your healthier, fitter life!!

[Pascal]

Hey, Etothepii. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
What sort of things should i be adding to my diet ? What about diet coke, is that a big no no? I also love orange juice, is that bad?

[Gearloose]

Originally Posted by Pascal

Hey, Etothepii. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
What sort of things should i be adding to my diet ? What about diet coke, is that a big no no? I also love orange juice, is that bad?

I've been drinking diet soda most of my life. I'm approaching 54. It started when I was a kid under doctor's order because I had high blood sugar levels and there was concern I was borderline diabetic. Well, I never bacame diabetic, but I developed a taste for diet soda. Ordinary soda tastes icky-sweet to me.

Diet soda alone will not help you lose weight. I weighed 264 pounds and drank diet soda.

OTOH, it won't hurt you either. Just use it as one tool to help you control your total calorie intake.

[Pascal]

I hate normal stuff anyway. I've drunk diet for about 7 years now, never looked back.

[CF-OC_gal]

Pascal, if you are having a hard time making a drastic change in your lifestyle (yes, eating habit changes can be drastic), just pick one thing at a time to change. There are many types of diets and not all approaches work for everyone. That's probably why.

Perhaps just try to get the fitness plan in gear first and leave the diet changes until another time. You've got your whole life to make improvements from where you are now. Don't load yourself down with so many unpleasant responsibilities (measuring and tracking) that it turns you off. If just sticking to a commitment is what you need to do first then worry about that right now. The rest will come. Apply faith!

PS: There is no such thing as "bad food" . It's just that some choices are worse than others in certain situations.