topic Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet... in Wellness

Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

sfnative — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 21:00:50 GMT

...at the beginning of the new year. I don't recall the poster or the date, but I did indicate that I was interested. Haven't seen anything new to date on this, so am poking my nose in here to perhaps bring forward the O/P, please.

***

Since that post, I've given a great deal of thought as to which food plan to embrace and have settled on The Mayo Clinic Diet. Yesterday knew I had to share my plans with my husband, so he could make plans to cook for himself or whatever. He surprised me by telling me he would do the new food plan as well. This will be a huge challenge for him, as he's an alcoholic. But that's fodder for another discussion.

Anyway, we're starting on January 15th, as we've a huge birthday celebration for our son-in-law the previous weekend for his birthday. This will be my last chance for cake. (My excuse for not starting January 1st.) Plus, we have stuff in the freezer that is so NOT on this food plan that we need to consume, so there we are.

***

We're on board. Let's see how many others join what is bound to be a more healthful 2018!

Rebecca XXX

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Laura14 — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 21:21:44 GMT

I'm almost positive it was @SeaMaiden but, if not, I am NOT volunteering her!

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

SeaMaiden — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 22:23:57 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
I'm almost positive it was @SeaMaiden but, if not, I am NOT volunteering her!

@Laura14 Thanks a lot. Have a happy new year.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Tribesters — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 11:26:36 GMT

@sfnative

I am planning to eat better in the new year. I am interested in this diet. Are you getting all your info from the Mayo Clinic website? Or did you order a book with recipes? I got a Spiralizer for Christmas so no excuse not to eat more veggies. But I need recipes or something to follow. Help!

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Laura14 — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 12:25:57 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@Laura14 wrote:
I'm almost positive it was @SeaMaiden but, if not, I am NOT volunteering her!
@Laura14 Thanks a lot. Have a happy new year.

@SeaMaiden Just to clarify that was meant that if it wasn't you, I didn't want you drafted without your own say so. I get volunteered a lot elsewhere in my life and it's not okay.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

sfnative — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 20:00:44 GMT

@Tribesters wrote:
@sfnative

I am planning to eat better in the new year. I am interested in this diet. Are you getting all your info from the Mayo Clinic website? Or did you order a book with recipes? I got a Spiralizer for Christmas so no excuse not to eat more veggies. But I need recipes or something to follow. Help!

@Tribesters

First, I went to their website and read about the diet, which I like to call a "food plan," because it rests better on the brain. Then I clicked on a button and up came all the information about joining and how much that was going to cost. No thank you. Way too expensive. Next step was to go to Amazon and input "The Mayo Clinic Diet." Up popped the 2017 edition of the book written by the originating MD physician of the diet. I purchased a new book for maybe $18 plus some cents and a journal for $11 plus some cents. It's vital to know wha'ts behind the diet, hence the book. AND, vital to have the journal (read the reviews). Asked my husband if he wanted a journal and he said "no." (Big mistake in my opinion, as he will fudge and fudge with alcohol and such.) Anyway, I also ordered a used ($4.00) recipe book. All-in-all I feel that this investment will be well worth the outcome and am excited for the books to arrive today, Thursday.

Many diets were perused in my quest. Way too many were protein heavy, which I cannot do for health reasons and frankly don't think that dieting into ketosis is healthy for anyone. I was placed on the Atkins Diet in the very early 70s by my Internist and my cholesterol exceeded 270, whereas it had been fine prior to that.

Basically, this diet is 1200 calories/day, but if you weigh over 250, then 1400 calories/day. One reviewer on Amazon gave an outstanding review, revealing something that might be useful to any considering this diet. It's not going to be an issue for me, but would be for others. Issue: Portion sizes are expressed in terms of sports items like hockey pucks, softballs, golfballs, etc. Since I did lots of sports in high school and college, I don't have an issue with these, but I sure can see where others might. What it's going to boil down to is figuring out what these sports items equate to on a kitchen scale. That's what I'm going to do anyway, because my husband has no idea about anything sports. He knows Silicon Valley hardware development and cars, but no idea about sports anything. Just consider this: if the book mentions size of a softball, then it's the size of a grapefruit. If it's the size of a hockey puck, then it's the size of a small hamburger patty or diameter slice of med-lg tomato. Stuff like that.

Because I took college level Nutrition (lots of biochemistry), I feel very comfortable having made the decision to go with "The Mayo Clinic Diet."

My goal is different than yours. I'm in this to lose weight, as I gained 38 lbs after my neuro placed me on Depakote (!). I know how to eat healthy, but this drug really did a number on me, so I'm adding a few more pounds with a goal of 50 lbs to lose. (We have family friends close by whose 17 year old daughter was placed on the same drug at the same time I was and gained 36 lbs. Just horrible for a teen!)

Good luck in 2018! Let's keep in touch, if you'd like.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Tribesters — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 23:55:37 GMT

@sfnative

Thanks for all the info. I am going to check out the book & journal right now. I would like to lose about 15 lbs & DH needs to lose a bit more. A few years ago we got into really great shape by eating right & doing P90X (which I ordered from QVC). I was down to a size 4 (even 2 sometimes) but more importantly felt great! Had lots of energy & excercised daily. Little by little I got back to bad habits of eating junk & just have no energy to exercise.

I am a sports nut so I have no problem with the portion sizes. My problem is I don’t like a lot of healthy foods. I guess you could say I’m a fussy eater. I like all the stuff that’s fattening. But somehow I managed to do this before so I can do it again. I would love to keep in touch. Maybe we can share good recipes or ideas for snacks. Good luck to you too & thanks for taking the time to reply.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

sfnative — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:16:49 GMT

@Tribesters wrote:
@sfnative

Thanks for all the info. I am going to check out the book & journal right now. I would like to lose about 15 lbs & DH needs to lose a bit more. A few years ago we got into really great shape by eating right & doing P90X (which I ordered from QVC). I was down to a size 4 (even 2 sometimes) but more importantly felt great! Had lots of energy & excercised daily. Little by little I got back to bad habits of eating junk & just have no energy to exercise.

I am a sports nut so I have no problem with the portion sizes. My problem is I don’t like a lot of healthy foods. I guess you could say I’m a fussy eater. I like all the stuff that’s fattening. But somehow I managed to do this before so I can do it again. I would love to keep in touch. Maybe we can share good recipes or ideas for snacks. Good luck to you too & thanks for taking the time to reply.

@Tribesters

I understand exactly where you're coming from, although I'm not so much fussy, as I am challenged with a husband who will not eat vegetables or fruit and likes lots of meat and pasta dishes with gobs of rich cheese sauces. Aside from my Depacote rx weight gain, having to eat his way has been awful. It's been a product of a dwindling relationship. Yes, I could eat differently than he, making 2 entirely different meals, but then horrible arguments would ensue. So...since he has agreed to The Mayo Clinic Diet and we're both on the same page, we just need to agree on a start date.

Yes, let's keep in touch! I'm already starting to research recipes, which can be folded into a 1200 calorie food plan.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

dex — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 15:14:28 GMT

for everyone choosing a diet that might be difficult to live on I just wanted to say that might be a tough way to maintain your weight loss.I have noticed my friends who diet are always trying to keep weight off but those who just choose a healthy eating lifestyle for life have better success.

We eat a low cholesterol diet and find that it surprisingly keeps our weight in check.We do cheat at holidays and will add in a couple of burgers and hotdogs during the summer.I have noticed after all these years of avoidance that I feel bloated and sluggish when I eat greasy or high fat foods so I really have lost my craving.I wish I could do that for sugar.My dh doesn’t care for sweets much so that is an easy pass for him.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Tribesters — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 19:13:19 GMT

@sfnative

I ordered the Mayo Clinic Diet book- I got the original one. Just got it today- a little disappointed. I guess I was expecting more recipes. This only had a few recipes at the end. I’ll have to look it over better tonight but so far it looks like a waste of money. Let me know if the one you ordered has more recipes. Maybe I’ll order that one as well.

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

sfnative — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 19:34:09 GMT

@Tribesters

I found that the book provides really good direction and information, from a number of professionals. The $11+ Journal is worth the purchase, if you're the type to want something really organized, keeping in mind that everyone must keep a record, regardless of which plan they're on.

Before purchasing the book, I had read many reviews and saw the some people expected the book to be half recipes, which it isn't, so immediately checked out companion books. I purchased a used Mayo Clinic Cookbook for $6, which was a big savings. My overall impression of the recipes is that they're good; however, for most of the entres, one really needs cooking skills, that some may not have.

I've also reached out to online sites that have "eating lite" or "reduced calorie meals" or "400 calorie meals" and have found that many of these can be prepared by just about anyone. Though I have lots of experience in the kitchen, I know that many don't, hence my statement about their cookbook above.

It is a sound food plan at 1200 calories per day and 400 calories per meal; or, if you're the kind of person who would rather nibble, then you could divide your consumption throughout the day holding to the 1200 calorie total.

Good luck!

Re: Some mentioned if anyone was interested in going on a diet...

Tribesters — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 22:27:08 GMT

@sfnative

I ordered the journal but haven’t received it yet. I will be making soup tomorrow from a slow cooker book I got for my kindle. Lots of veggies chopped up today to snack on & a fridge full of fresh fruit & stuff for salads.