Fad diets don't work well in long term...

[al_yrpal]

An American article, so it doesn't contain any reference to the 5:2 diet. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dieta ... -find.html

I think there is an obvious truth here, for diets to work they must retrain your mindset to change bad eating and exercise habits permanently. If you are on some weird diet that obliges you to adopt strange eating patterns you are less likely to sustain any weight loss. I am acutely aware of this having lost 3 1/2 stone this year. I am presently at my target weight and watching it very carefully. My diet wont change because I set out with the notion that my weight loss eating pattern should be the basis of my ongoing diet for ever, but I think I can relax vigilance with restaurant meals, occasional takeaways, holiday and 'occasion' eating for starters, so we will see how that goes. My wife lost 3 stone too and she is very happy to continue with the basic diet too. There is an added incentive because I have had to spend about £700 on new clothes. Her expenditure has been more than that. A great added incentive to remain sveldt! Dieting hasnt been difficult but being disciplined permanently is. For me its beware cheese crisps and late night snacks!

Al

[axel_knutt]

From what I see of the way people talk about losing weight they're generally being too impatient, there's a risk of sudden death from following ultra-low calorie diets. On various occasions I've seen doctors and dietitians recommending a calorie deficit of about 250kcal/day, which equates to just 1kg a month.

[Ben@Forest]

I think there is an obvious truth here, for diets to work they must retrain your mindset to change bad eating and exercise habits permanently.

You're right but I wonder about the subtitle of the article - 'Most people would be better off by simply cutting fat out of their diets and exercising rather than embarking on fad diets, researchers have concluded'. Wasn't it concluded recently that naturally occurring fat wasn't bad? I read that as a middle-aged man I should base my diet around eggs, yoghurt and salmon. It's rather a messy omelette but has tasted a lot better since I stopped using the black cherry one...

[al_yrpal]

I think there is an obvious truth here, for diets to work they must retrain your mindset to change bad eating and exercise habits permanently.

You're right but I wonder about the subtitle of the article - 'Most people would be better off by simply cutting fat out of their diets and exercising rather than embarking on fad diets, researchers have concluded'. Wasn't it concluded recently that naturally occurring fat wasn't bad? I read that as a middle-aged man I should base my diet around eggs, yoghurt and salmon. It's rather a messy omelette but has tasted a lot better since I stopped using the black cherry one...

I think that Fad diets don't work long term because they aren't how people normally eat. There are dozens of ways of dieting, but that doesn't sound great to me, there's a whiff of fad. As for cutting out fat, there's a whiff of fad about that too. Exercise is obviously good, the modern way of life discourages it.

Al

[[XAP]Bob]

The issue is that your lifestyle has resulted in you being a given weight.

Taking a 3 month break to lose weight and then returning to the previous lifestyle will result in the same process (i.e. weight gain)

It has to be about a long term diet/activity change.

[Lucyhan]

Congratulations to everyone who has lost weight;
I lost a couple of stone 3 years ago and maintaining the weight loss seems harder as time goes on. Whilst dieting and for a few months afterwards it is relatively easy, then you start missing the cakes ( My favourite) and other high calorie foods you used to enjoy to abundance.
As a society we are constantly being bombarded with images and pictures of high calorie foods with messages like 'you deserve it'. Plus has anyone noticed how much fat and sugar TV chefs put into their recipes? Take Jamie Oliver one minute telling us to eat healthily and now trying to flog his book on 'comfort food'.
So I have put a few pounds back on and there is no point dieting now may as well wait until January.

[Ben@Forest]

As a society we are constantly being bombarded with images and pictures of high calorie foods with messages like 'you deserve it'. Plus has anyone noticed how much fat and sugar TV chefs put into their recipes? Take Jamie Oliver one minute telling us to eat healthily and now trying to flog his book on 'comfort food'.

And it's difficult to believe how much publicity and 'good' media coverage there has been about 'Great British Bake-Off' which is essentially promoting the eating of unhealthy food. If they'd done a series about home-made burgers, chips, battered fish, chicken nuggets and making your own cola drink it would be slated. Make it about something with icing on and suddenly it's wonderful.

[beardy]

They can pretend that the cakes are a one-off luxury where as the junk food is replacing a proper diet on a regular basis.

[[XAP]Bob]

As a society we are constantly being bombarded with images and pictures of high calorie foods with messages like 'you deserve it'. Plus has anyone noticed how much fat and sugar TV chefs put into their recipes? Take Jamie Oliver one minute telling us to eat healthily and now trying to flog his book on 'comfort food'.

And it's difficult to believe how much publicity and 'good' media coverage there has been about 'Great British Bake-Off' which is essentially promoting the eating of unhealthy food. If they'd done a series about home-made burgers, chips, battered fish, chicken nuggets and making your own cola drink it would be slated. Make it about something with icing on and suddenly it's wonderful.

There is no such thing as unhealthy food.

Mary Berry isn't exactly obese is she.
"The male judge" freely admits that he eats too much...

It's about the quantity that you eat of these things - I'm a terrible chocoholic, I really am - it's disturbing how much I can (and frequently do) get through, but I am active enough (and ill enough) to cope...

[Sweep]

There is no such thing as unhealthy food.

Mary Berry isn't exactly obese is she.
"The male judge" freely admits that he eats too much...

It's about the quantity that you eat of these things ...

Very true - the Italians are very good at that discipline. All that pasta, nice food, wonderful wine and quite often have more than one course. And most still stay in shape.

All that wine is wasted on them

Congratulations to alan and the wife for managing to lose the weight of a small person.

[Lucyhan]

the Italians are very good at that discipline. All that pasta, nice food, wonderful wine and quite often have more than one course. And most still stay in shape.

The cigarettes help aswell.

[Ben@Forest]

Very true - the Italians are very good at that discipline. All that pasta, nice food, wonderful wine and quite often have more than one course. And most still stay in shape.

Many adults maybe - obesity rates in Italian children are amongst the highest in Europe. This is partly of course down to succumbing to the fast-food culture and the lack of exercise which probably been a problem in the UK longer. So (unfortunately) the Italians are catching us up.

[al_yrpal]

On the BBC News Fiona was exhorting us to cease counting calories and just eat a Mediterranean diet. After a long report extolling the need to consume 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil a day and other such looney recommendations giving one the impression that you can just eat and eat without limit as long as its Mediteranean it was mentioned almost as an afterthought that official advice is to eat a balanced diet contolling the calories! Just another load of confusing diet advice that definitely wont work long term…

Al

[Sweep]

[quote="Ben@Forest"

Many adults maybe - obesity rates in Italian children are amongst the highest in Europe. [/quote]

Are you sure about amongst the highest in Europe? I can't say I have noticed it in the bit of Italy I go to regularly.

I had read somewhere that obesity was increasing in Italy.

But rivalling the UK?

[Sweep]

On the BBC News Fiona was exhorting us to cease counting calories and just eat a Mediterranean diet. After a long report extolling the need to consume 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil a day and other such looney recommendations giving one the impression that you can just eat and eat without limit as long as its Mediteranean it was mentioned almost as an afterthought that official advice is to eat a balanced diet contolling the calories! Just another load of confusing diet advice that definitely wont work long term…

Al

Yes, I agree. Pasta is part of that diet of course but it rather depends how much you eat of the stuff.

Also agree about olive oil - you sometimes seem to be given the impression that it's some sort of miracle product/anti-calorie food.

Surely, whatever its merits compared to other oils it's still oil?

Doubtless someone will be along to educate me soon.

One thing that seems very dodgy to me about Italian eating habits is the way they seem to chuck and chuck salt into everything.

If I try cooking pasta or whatever without salt (dad had a stroke and I would rather avoid that) for the Italians I know they go nuts.

So what are they tasting? The food or the salt?

I know an Italian who had a very middling mass produced serving of fish and chips and said it was the best fish he had ever had.

It wasn't and I know what good fish and chips with good fish should taste like.

I tried some and it was pretty clear to me that what he was reacting to was the salt that had been added to the fish/batter.

After your impressive results al I look forward to your very own diet.