Which diet program is the best?

I'm leaning toward the fat smash diet after watching celebrity fit club. i did weight watchers a few years back, and was successful for a short while but the points thing gets annoying after a while and I dont feel like getting back into it. I looked at South Beach, but for some reason I'm intimidated, I think it's psychological, thinking of all those bikini clad Florida women who i will never look like.

please give honest suggestions, and opinions, i'm going to Barnes and Noble to buy the book tonight...

Thu. Jul 5, 2:27pm

WHy are there so many questions like this?
NO DIET WORKS!

It's a lifestyle change, and NO, that is not a cliche, it's the only truth you will ever hear!

Eat less, excercise more!

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 3:18 PM

dont be so cynical

some of us need help, that's why we ask. some diets provide guidelines and they are there to help. if it were so easy for you, you wouldnt be here at peertrainer.

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 3:46 PM

I'm here so that I can be held accountable for my food choices. Not to follow a fad diet. Also, to monitor myself and hold others accountable. I look at so may logs and read so many stories of people who follow some kind of new diet and then succeed, but gain it all back, plus some more.

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 3:51 PM

well no matter what your argument, be encouraging, not patronizing. You have no idea how much your words can motivate or discourage a soul.

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 3:57 PM

Some folks do need a set of rules to get them started. I sure did. In fact I used one of the most unsustainable diets you can find - slim fast. But you know what? It worked. However the reason why it worked goes to what you are saying - I was 100% committed to changing my life and while I was on it, I did a lot of research and found new healthy recipes, began exercising and had a plan for maintaining my loss. I didn't see it as some weight loss interlude until I could go back to the lifestyle that put it all on in the first place. Instead it was a complete break from the 'old' me and preparation for the 'new' life I was going to lead when I had reached my goal.

Slightly over a year later the weight is still off. I joined PT because I was looking for nutrition info and a way to log my food on my computer and it's been great for helping me maintain and be mindful of my healthy habits. However there is no 'one true way' for everyone. In terms of long term success a healthy lifestyle is important, but how we each get there is not something that can or should be dictated no matter how well-intentioned. If the OP tries the fat smash diet and finds a way of eating that can sustain him/her in the long run isn't that a worthy end?

OP - you asked which diet we felt was the best. To me, it's the one that you can stick with. My own diet, through my own experimentation closely resembles South Beach - that wasn't actually a concious decision, it's just the way I like to eat and the types of foods I enjoy. I agree the first phase sounds a little intimidating, but believe me Florida is not full of bikini-clad babes - lol! I'd say research the ones that sound intriguing to you and examine your own lifestyle through your logs. See if you can modify your own diet to resemble a healthier one. At the very least most of those books/diets contain a good deal of nutritional information, so even if you decide not to follow any of them, it's still food for thought.

Best wishes to you in acheiving your goals!

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:00 PM

FSD

I have tried everything to change my eating habits. When I have too much choice, I get out of control. Thats just me. So I have decided to do the Fat smash diet to "retrain" my way of thinking and eating. I need a plan, and this is a plan I feel I can follow. At least for the first 90 days that program starts off with.
Seems healthy and effective. See below.

Link

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:10 PM

Fat smash

If anybody else is following fat smash or thinking about it, I started a group. It's called Fat Smashers R Us.
Come check us out!

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:12 PM

Whatever works for you...

I agree with the 5:00 PM poster. The right diet is the one that works for you. The Fat Smash diet is too restrictive for me. I like Weight Watchers because it taught me how to moderate. I can eat what I want as long as I control portion size and my overall intake is moderate.

In that regard, I also agree with the 3:18 poster, at least the part about needing a lifestyle change - eating less and exercising more. But diets can be used as tools to help you make that lifestyle change, which is what Weigth Watchers did for me.

So again, whatever works as long as you can sustain it. A life without fat or a life without carbs (Atkins) is not sustainable for most people.

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:32 PM

Consumer Reports likes Volumetrics... That's what I plan to try after my jump-start phase is over. Not so much a diet, but teaching you how to eat like a thin person.

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:35 PM

to the 5:18 poster:

If "eat less, exercise more" worked w/o fail, there wouldn't be so many threads on here asking "why am I NOT losing weight", with answers that go like this: "you body is "in starvation", you need to eat more and consider whether you are exercising too much".

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:51 PM

Oops, make the that 3:18 poster

sorry, got the time wrong

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:52 PM

If only it were that simjple

I thought this site was to help and encourage each other sometimes its hard not to be sarcastic when I read some of the rude replies…

First of all we are all unique in our body types and environments and unfortunately what works for one will not always work for another so I commend you for not being afraid to ask… personally the only plan that helped me turn my life around was “the Body for Life” it was high protein and weight training with cardio… might not be for everyone but it helped get me started… And to reply to the Eat less, exercise more commenter…. I agree it’s usually our lifestyle that gets us into trouble in the first place so evaluating how you got to this point and what may be contributing to it is important and make those tough choices to improve your quality of life because you only get one and you are worth it…. WHAT I DON’T AGREE with is a blanket statement that the only “truth is to Eat less and exercise more” a friend of mine died from that method after her body shut down from a steady diet of 500 calories a day with exercise… was that a foolish extreme you bet it was but what happens in some cases is when you are not eating the appropriate amount of calories a day to meet your bodies needs it can go into a starvation mode and hold on to those unwanted pounds so you eat even less thinking that’s what’s needed when in fact you need to eat more… you need to find out what the healthy balance is for your individual body size and your Doctor can help you with that…
I do believe diets can be a helpful tool to get one started but should only be used as a starting point, keep learning and educating your self about proper nutrition and also learn about proper techniques on exercise and start implementing it into your daily activities… after a while you will be amazed at how good you’ll feel…

Good Luck!

Thursday, July 05, 2007, 5:53 PM

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