What is the best diet to lose a lot of weight on...and, fast?

[PartyPooper]

I'm about 50 lbs. overweight. And, I need to lose some weight before I visit the doctor, again. (The last time I saw, him he said, lose some weight and quit smoking. That was 4 years ago.) Okay, I've been busy...with lots of personal problems and obstacles. But, I need to get a physical. I feel lousey.

And, I know the first thing the doctor will bitch about is my weight and that I'm still smoking!

I have had previous success with Atkins. It has worked for me. Should I try it again?

Are there any other diet regimens I should consider. I've heard the "South Beach Diet" is good...even the Big Dog was on this before his recent heart surgery.

What is your opinion?

:hi:

[RagingInMiami]

1. The low-carb diets, like the atkins and sobe diets, are good for the

short-term.
Low-fat diets work best and are healthier for the long-term.

[noshenanigans]

25. The Zone

I'm a big fan of the Zone diet- 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% "food" fat. I've lost about 80 pounds total in the past year. If you couple it with pilates, it works like Gangbusters.

[roguevalley]

2. You will lose eight to thirteen pounds in a couple of days if you

follow it religiously. Water mostly, but weight none the less. I lost eight pounds in two days. :)

[LeftyMom]

3. McDougall

It works. I need to get back into it to shed the last 5-10 lbs between where I am and my ideal weight.

[alittlelark]

4. Cut out ALL wheat and potatoes.

got hubby doing that w/ really good results.

[medeak]

5. rice and fruit

lose size in a week.

two fruits 3xtimes a day.. 3/4 cup rice x2

[Az]

6. Um

Hate to say this but thats screwed up. You don't diet for doctors. If your diet is screwed up he is A) gonna know about it and B) bitching at you to save your own dang hide.

If you need to make a change in your life you are only going to do it for yourself. In the end the Doctor is going to go home at the end of the day and not give a wet slap about whether you get your life in order or not. Only you can care for yourself as your body needs it to.

[Richardo]

7. SoBeach is working for me - about 30 lbs gone without trying

Could get lower if I was a little more strict, but I went from 240 to 210 in March of this year and am still there. Pretty easy to maintain and it's more heart healthy than Atkins (lower fat and some carbs allowed).

It's way more sustainable in my opinion. :thumbsup:

[mattclearing]

8. There's this fantastic new invention - Exercise!

:)

[mseang]

9. Diets are BS!

They never produce longterm gains or losses as the case may be. I was also 50 pounds over weight about three years ago. I began exercising and cut down on the amount of food I ate. I began walking twenty minutes a day and limiting myself to 2000 calories per day. I slowly increased the amount of time I was walking over the next few months and in about four months I had lost almost thirty pounds. In a little under a year, I had lost the full 50 pounds and I am proud to say it has not come back. It takes a life style change to lose weight and keep it off. Diets are fads that only lead to disappointment and depression which usually lead to more eating and weight problems (at least they did for me).

I really hope you find success. I am now 38 years old and I have not felt this good since I was in my early twenties.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

33. I agree.

I had put on some weight from going to college and working a stressful job (amazingly, I didn't have any net weight gain from having my son). I took about the same approach as you did toward losing weight. I gradually started exercising more and more, to the point where I exercise about an hour a day for 5 to 6 days a week now. I kind of taught myself to enjoy exercising, and now I'm sort of addicted to it. I run for exercise. I always wanted to get good at running, so I decided I might as well try it. I sucked at it at first, but I've really improved since I started 7 months ago. I've lost about 25lbs in that time frame. I also limit my calorie intake to about 2000 calories a day. Sometimes I eat more than that and sometimes I eat less, but for the most part I try to stick to that rule.

I'm not really losing any weight any more, or at least the weight loss has slowed down a lot, but the exercise is helping me to maintain my weight. I'm pretty much at my ideal weight right now.

[GingerSnaps]

10. X-Lax and Lasix

I am just joking...sorry. Been there done that!

Forget about what he has to say to you block his talking out.
You need to do it for yourself.

I have to loose about 25 pounds myself. Why don't we start a diet forum?

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

38. Diet forum sounds like a good idea.

Maybe a diet and exercise forum.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. That's something I hate about going to the doctor too

I'm not overweight but I rarely weigh myself b/c if I'm 5 lbs. over what I think I should be it can ruin my whole week. Of course, the first thing you are to do when you see the doctor is get on the scale no matter why you are there. One time I was going to get my ear canal flushed out and the nurse insisted I be weighed before the doctor looked at my ear. My EAR!!! What possible bearing does the current size of my ASS have on that? I honestly think the medical community is obsessed with people's weight (women's especially), so-called 'obesity epidemic' notwithstanding. I realize they want to get people to improve their lifestyles and make healthier choices but they can be incredibly insensitive and demeaning about it. And I also think that a lot of them are pushing diet drugs and weight loss surgery. A friend of mine who is obese hasn't been to a doctor in over a decade because she says they berate her for her weight and attribute any issue she has to it.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

26. You can refuse.

My boyfriend's mother works for a dr. You can refuse, and be like, "I'm here for an ear canal flushing. I don't think the size of my ass is going to have any bearing on that. I'm paying YOU for a service. You can't make me do it." And that'll be the end of it. And if it's not, switch doctors. It is getting ridiculous. I always say, "I just weighed myself. I weighed, BLAHBLAHBLAH." And she writes it down, and we go on our merry way.
Duckie

[soothsayer]

12. if yer a man, atkins or south beach. if yer a woman....

rots o ruck

[leftofthedial]

13. I can help you lose 50 pounds in a week

but it will cost you an arm and a leg.

[Longhorn]

14. I lost 60 pounds in about six months on Medifast.

It's available online at www.tsfl.com and through some doctor's offices and clinics. There's also Optifast, though it's only available through a doctor.

I was also active on a liquid diet discussion board: www.liquiddietdiscussion.com.

I did the modified fast and added strength training and aerobic. I'm 49, female, 5'8" and went from 232 to 169 pounds and from size 20 to size 10/12. I've maintained for about a year but have gained recently, partly because I haven't exercised all semester. But I got some new athletic shoes and I'm recently back at it. I still use the shakes for breakfast and lunch and then eat a sensible dinner -- sort of like the Slim-Fast plan.

Good luck! I think a weight loss group would be great, no matter how we go about it.

[New Democrat]

15. I've lost 50 pounds this year.

I didnt go on a low carb diet. Almost everyone I know who has gone on a low carb gained the weight back. In my diet I tried to eat about 1500 calories a day, 30 grams of fat a day, don't drink any pop and stay away from sugar. I also run/walk about a mile a day. among the foods I eat include Crixpix for cerial, low fat meals for lunch and supper such as turkey sandwiches, fish, shrimp or chicken. I also eat plenty of apples and beef jerky for snacks.

[bobweaver]

16. Walk for one hour every day. Eat only when hungry, and eat small

portions - just enough to stop the hunger pangs. Eat salads frequently with a minimum of dressing, instead of heavy entrees. Drink lots and lots of water. Throw away all junk foods in the house and replace with fresh vegetables. Take a vitamin/mineral supplement. Walk, walk, walk and walk some more - at least 60 minutes per day, at least 30 minutes of it nonstop. All of these suggestions require self-discipline. If you don't have good self-discipline you will need to learn that skill first. It took me years to learn self-discipline and the ability to resist the impulse to eat when you don't need food. Exercise is essential to losing weight because if you simply cut your calorie intake but don't increase your calorie burning through exercise, your body will slow down its metabolism and you won't lose. You have to do both, cutting calorie intake and increase calories burned. These suggestions are not medical advice, they are just the common ways to lose weight that work for most people. Only a doctor can advise you on the best method for you. Always see a doctor first before making any significant changes to your lifestyle or eating habits. Have your blood pressure checked weekly and cholesterol level checked periodically, and blood sugar if you are at risk for diabetes. Besides monitoring your weight, you should monitor your blood pressure, it is very important. And of course, quit smoking - it is very hard, but my sister used the patches and it helped her a lot.

[kodi]

17. Bulimia

but i have to admit, its not for everyone.

rule of thumb, its easier to exercises for sustained weight loss than severe dieting.

one pound = 35,000 cals

exercising one hour on a bike at 10-12 miles/hour burns up approximately 400 cals

do the math, eat regularly, burn off one pound of weight for about every 8 3/4 hours on a bike....three hours a day for three days reduces one pound. if you do this for a week your appetite wanes, you will find your daily caloric intake will fall 400-500 calories and by 7 days you will begin to lose about a pound every two days. do this for a month and you will reduce your weight by 10-12 pounds and have done it in a safe way.

you can exercises in any way you wish, but get a 800-1,200 calorie workout daily if your body can take it well. walking is best, but a slower way to shed weight, if you run, your feet, ankles and knees will get sore and you will have to decrease exercising, so go with a stationary bike if you are seriously out of shape.

dont get discouraged, give it two weeks and you will see it works

[Abelman]

18. I was on the heroin diet.

The pounds just shed right off, but it was really hard to get off of it.

then i tried this crazy diet called "Eating healthy and exercising."

Carb-cutting diets are unhealthy. Your brain needs carbohydrates for fuel. See where I'm going?

Decrease the amount you eat, make sure what you do eat is healthy, and train for a triathlon.

[Timebound]

20. Hey, Triathlon is always an option

It worked for me. I started training and a year later I have lost seventy pounds and am in the best shape of my life.

(though I still am having trouble with the swim a mile, bike 20 miles, run 6 miles part)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

37. I wouldn't have a problem with the running 6 miles part,

but I would really have to work at the swimming and bicycling. I don't even own a bicycle. I wouldn't be confident that I could do those two activities right now. Triathlon sounds like it would be fun. I'd like to compete in one some day, but I'd have to wait until my son gets older before I'll have the time to train for that.

[flygal]

19. The "my boyfriend dumped me" diet worked great in college! good luck

[UdoKier]

21. Don't lose weight just to see your doctor.

You need to quit smoking, first of all. The nicotine will make you more compulsive about eating. Try the CigArrest program. Worked great for me. I've been a non-smoker for MOST of 12 years. Even when I have a relapse, I can still kick it again.

http://www.cigarrest.com/

While you're kicking the habit, incorporate a regimen of daily walks of at least 30 minutes.

After you've been nicotine-free for six months (you may have gained a bit of weight), it will be a good time to modify your diet somewhat, work in more fruits vegetables and grains, and cut out the fat sugar and simple carbs. But rather than going on a too-strict diet, just modify somewhat and increase your exercise some more. Bicycling for an hour a day is great too.

But you may as well see your doctor now. If you lose weight quick just to see him, you'll still be just as unhealthy. it takes a while to get your B.P., cholesterol etc. in a stable healthy range, much longer than it takes to lose 20 pounds.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

22. Portion control!! Seriously, I went from size 16 to 6 since May and I

am feeling and looking FABULOUS!! Go here: http://fitday.com. See how many calories you need to maintain where you are... I think you'll be surprised. Cut it back to a level that will allow you to lose and increase your activity level (even slightly). I started with Pilate's 3 times/week. I am down 40 lbs since May and will keep it off because I have changed my eating habits. PM me if you have any ?'s.

[Catchawave]

23. I've never had a weight problem, so the secret is definitely......

...burn off more calories than you consume. I've never dieted either, but I understand that most fad diets do encourage exercise also. Walking is not only good for your body, but your head too:thumbsup:

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

24. It's a matter of calories in and calories out.

My weight has been up and down all my life. You just need to pay attention to calories in and calories out.

It's simple but not always easy to do.

On Edit; just heard on NPR there are two new studies that show it's very, very important to get a good nights sleep, like 8 - 10 hours. There is a hormone inbalance if you don't get enough sleep and your brain signals that it's hungry for carbs.

If you get a good nights sleep, your brain signals normally when eating that you are full. Interesting.

[Bridget Burke]

27. If you feel lousy, go to the doctor now.

You aren't trying to seduce him, you're using his professional knowledge. Let him do the tests required & take some time to talk.

With his help, make plans to quit smoking. And make plans to work on your weight. You're not morbidly obese; the old eat less (better) & exercise more plan should work. The "South Beach Diet" isn't too radical--but start walking, working out--something besides sitting at the PC or the TV!

[DS1]

28. I'm sure that if you just fess up to your doctor what you've been doing

and just even START ANYTHING before the physical, including cutting backs on smoking, he'll be happy. Doctors are like that, you know.

[Phillycat]

29. Cut everything you eat in half.

You can eat whatever you want. (With the exception of crap like fast good.) You just eat less of it. Americans eat too damned much food.

[gollygee]

30. I've been doing Weight Watchers

I started in October and I've lost 15 pounds. I have another 15 to go.

It's a really good program.

Good luck!

[SOteric]

31. It's important that you know

that rapid weight loss on any program puts incredible stress on your major organs.

If your doctor is that much of a nag, you possibly need to get another doctor. You should be able to feel comfortable taking your issues to a physician, and not be worried about a scolding. But unless you're actually seeing a living version of Becker, it's possibly you're exaggerating the response you'd get from your M.D. in your head owing to high degrees of guilt and shame.

You've nothing to be ashamed of. The reasons that people become overweight and smoke heavily are complex and do not spring up in their lives overnight. You're in a legion of good company on both those issues. Moreover, you're actively hoping to make changes in your life.

A pro-active approach is probably best. Make an appointment with your doctor specifically to address the issues of weight and smoking, and steer clear of taking any dieting and medical advice from DUers. Most of us mean well, but we're not physicians and any doc worth their board certification would not diagnose and advise an unseen stranger over the internet.

[liontamer]

32. you're going on a diet to so your doctor doesn't get mad at you?

Seriously?

[BiggJawn]

34. Stay off the Atkins.

Do you weigh more now that you did before you started Atkins? Uh-huh, thought so...Everyone I ever talked to that tried Atkins says the same thing "I lost 55 pounds on Atkins, but I put 70 back on when I went off it...."

Eat a balanced low-fat diet, watch your portion size, and I know you're gonna hate this, but...

EXERCISE. Caloric expenditure MUST exceed caloric intake. That's the Iron Rule. No one, not even the Bariatric Surgeon, has figured out a way to cheat this.

And you haven't seen the doctor in FOUR years? How's your blood pressure? Been thirsty and pissing a lot? Go see him now. Doctors are not judgemental, they want to help you.

[Aiptasia]

35. The eat less and exercise more diet

Elevating your heart rate an hour a day is a must. Don't starve yourself but don't go crazy on foods high in calories. Eat three meals a day to avoid un-necessary snacking. Eat healthy with lots of vegetables and fresh fruit. Eat a huge salad with lo-cal dressing at lunch and dinner.

And get off your butt and exercise. One hour a day, minimum. Go play basketball, walk for a half hour on the beach then walk back, swim laps for an hour, whatever you gotta do mang. Daily exercise is the key. It's the furnace in which the calories burn.

Skip the exercise and we'll just call you blimpy from now on. Since I am a struggling blimpy, I have the right.

[redqueen]

36. My opinion is NO DIETS.

Just eat healthy, low-fat foods, and smaller portions; work out regularly; and drink lots of water. Diets are crap... it's really best to change your lifestyle.

[pagerbear]

39. A new doctor

If your doctor gives you grief over your weight, either insist he shut the fuck up or find a new doctor. You're not paying him for abuse. And for God's sake don't apologize to anyone for your weight. You say you feel lousy--insist your doctor focus on that, instead of your weight. Whatever makes these assholes think that you've never been advised to lose weight before, or that there is something special or magical about their advice?