What is the best diet for optimal health

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I lost 55 lbs on Atkins. I gained back 10 lbs (over the holidays). I’m now back on Atkins and ready (hopefully) to lose another 25 lbs. I have been to my doctor recently, and my cholesterol, blood pressure, and lipids are excellent for a man my age, so Atkins had absolutely no negative effect on my health. My doctor, who does not like Atkins, admitted that this diet worked well for me.

I will tell you a secret about my diet. Once I got past the initial stages (Induction, OWL) I allowed myself to cheat on special occasions such as birthdays and holidays. In spite of the cheating, I lost weight. I feel better, and I’m healthier.

As far as exercise, when you’re morbidly obese exercise isn’t really much of an option. I can tell you that from experience. I didn’t have the energy to exercise - ever. Now that I’ve reached my first goal through diet, I plan to reach my second (and hopefully final) goal through a combination of diet and exercise. Sometimes you need the diet to work first before the exercise is possible.
 
The best “diet” is known by any doctor and anyone who does minimal research. It is not really a diet, but a lifestyle. It is called Vegan, meaning the person does not eat any animal products. ex. meat, fish, eggs, milk, etc.

I was vegan for 6 years, never felt better, never healthier. It is a no brainer for healthiness. You won’t have to worry about heart attacks…why? cholesterol ONLY comes from animals, thus if you never eat animals…you will NEVER have a cholesterol problem (unless it is genetic).

Besides that you will not get all the toxins from animals. It is better for the enviornment (way better).

You will never find a fat vegan…personally I think it is impossible. Your body is running like it is suppossed to…if you learn about the human body, our body was not designed to eat meat.

If you go back to the bible, God did not plan for people to eat animals…he gave them all the plants to eat.

I could go on for days, but it is a no brainer, all other diets you have to worry how much you eat or only stay on them for 6 months, etc., etc.

I always would eat till I was full, most of the time more than full, snack all day (same with my wife and kids).

And all the people who say you don’t get your protein or other vitamins don’t know what they are talking about. Protein is found in plants. How do you think animals that don’t eat animals get protein?

Milk has been found to cause things like osteo perosis. I might as well stop or this will be a book.
 
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thechrismyster:
the best way to achieve optimal health is through EXERCISE. A bad diet can be made up for through exercise. but exercise can’t be made up for through a good diet.
you can eat the twinkie, mcdonald french fry and mountain dew diet if your working out regularly at a sufficient intensity.
the body was designed to move.
SO MOVE.
🙂
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Good point thechrismyster IF you’re talking strictly about weight loss/management.

But when you figure in nutrition and health the “eat whatever you want as long as you exercise” mentality just doesn’t cut it.

Eating twinkies and McD fries and drinking Mountain Dew is just not healthy for our bodies and could be dangerous for some and lead to serious health problems, even if the person keeps their weight managed.

We are not even close to really understanding how the human body really functions. For now we just have to rely on research and common sense. Everyone will find what works for them if they really want to know.

There is so much info out there… but unfortunately the weight loss/diet aid industry is a HUGE business in North America. So we need to discern what is healthy for us and what seems too good to be true. I have heard both good and bad things about all of the diets/lifestyles mentioned in this thread. So for now I will try to eat as naturally as possible and use moderation.

Malia
 
Seven Sorrows:
T

You will never find a fat vegan…personally I think it is impossible. Your body is running like it is suppossed to…if you learn about the human body, our body was not designed to eat meat.

If you go back to the bible, God did not plan for people to eat animals…he gave them all the plants to eat.

I could go on for days, but it is a no brainer, all other diets you have to worry how much you eat or only stay on them for 6 months, etc., etc.

I always would eat till I was full, most of the time more than full, snack all day (same with my wife and kids).

And all the people who say you don’t get your protein or other vitamins don’t know what they are talking about. Protein is found in plants. How do you think animals that don’t eat animals get protein?

Milk has been found to cause things like osteo perosis. I might as well stop or this will be a book.
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A very CAREFULLY monitored vegan diet can result in good health but most people do not understand how to obtain all of the necessary amino acids by mixing the right kinds of plant material. As a result vegans, while they might not be fat or have high cholesterol (overblown risk factor BTW). But there are other serious problems associated with vegans.

If you do not get the proper amino acids (much more completely found in beef, fish, poultry) you will have no energy, low red blood count and side effects including a syndrome our docs call “Early Alzheimers.” Your brain needs protein and the right amino acids to function properly and most vegan do not pay enough attention to the right mix. Futher protein is the building block for growth and growing children are especially vulnerable to missing amino acids. Yes there is protein in certain plants but it’s not complete.

Now I also vehemently disagree with the Atkins diet and thank heavens it looks like that bubble burst. There was an identical phenom of “protein diets” when I was in high school in the 01970s.
Didn’t work then. Don’t work now.

On the whole we Americans eat too much protein…and too much fat and too much carbohydrates. It’s very simple. Do the math. Eat more than you expend in caloric output and the excess is stored on your thighs (if a woman!) or belly (if a man)

Lisa N
 
None of the above.

I don’t think there is a universal dietary approach for every one. Too much of anything is bad, but individuals have different nutirent needs due to their daily activities,stress exposure, and vulnerability for certain diseases (which may be increased due to your genetc makeup).
Losing weight by a fad like Atkins is not a good idea. The best approach is to visist a nutritionist and have some one evaluate what your particular needs are for a healthy ways.

To lose or gian weight, permanently the most successful people don’t think in terms of “diet,” they think in terms of an “eating phlilosophy”… a planned approach that will ensure that addresses what their bodies need in terms of nutrients because of what the bodies need to do on a daily basis and the the pressure lthat ife imposes on them.
 
you have all been very helpful especially links provided by some of you. now let’s get down to the nitty gritty, which diet did you make your new year’s resolution to follow?

I chose the Anna Maria diet, named for a colleague who had to lose weight to have surgery. She ate everything normal, just half of the normal quantity. One egg instead of two, half a sandwich, 3 ounces of meat instead of 6 etc. Only thing she did not cut in quantity was vegetables and fruits. She lost 60 lbs in 6 months and has kept it off for 6 years, conqured the underlying health problem and never did have her surgery.

aiming for 3 fruits and 7 veggies minimum a day, no processed foods, no sugar, its amazing how a vegetable soup can fill you up if it has real vegetables, not fillers, starches etc.
 
I’m reading the Maker’s Diet. It’s very good, and everything he says makes sense (mostly it’s nothing we don’t already know, it just puts the two and two together).
 
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serendipity:
None of the above.

I don’t think there is a universal dietary approach for every one. Too much of anything is bad, but individuals have different nutirent needs due to their daily activities,stress exposure, and vulnerability for certain diseases (which may be increased due to your genetc makeup).
Losing weight by a fad like Atkins is not a good idea. The best approach is to visist a nutritionist and have some one evaluate what your particular needs are for a healthy ways.

To lose or gian weight, permanently the most successful people don’t think in terms of “diet,” they think in terms of an “eating phlilosophy”… a planned approach that will ensure that addresses what their bodies need in terms of nutrients because of what the bodies need to do on a daily basis and the the pressure lthat ife imposes on them.
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This is the Metabolic Typing diet!! You work out the correct amount of protein/carbs/fat for your body. MT explains why there are healthy eskimos who eat traditional diets of predominently meat and fat and also african tribes who remain healthy eating mostly grains. Yes, the fuel needs of our body are affected by daily activities, stress levels and our genetic make up. We could work it all out by trial and error, the book just makes it easier. Try listening to how your body feels about an hour after a meal (is it tired/ hungry/ energetic/ satisfied?). The reason I just happened to follow the diet without really knowing about it is because I was listening to what my body felt like and choosing meals from the hospital menu accordingly (salt/sugar addictions can interfere with this, though)
The only negative comments I could find about MT on the net at the time said that it was not specific enough - which is why it works!!
Honestly, if you have any health concerns, its worth looking at…👍
 
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Patrick2340:
I lost 55 lbs on Atkins. I gained back 10 lbs (over the holidays). I’m now back on Atkins and ready (hopefully) to lose another 25 lbs. " end of Patrick’s quote…

NO diet on the face of the earth is the answer. You know what I’ve just discovered since I’ve become Catholic? (A major discovery and realization for me)-----is that is being overweight is ultimately a spiritual problem, just like all addictions and sins. It is filling ourselves with food, other substances, and having no restraint. It evidences a lack of spiritual discipline that’s really necessary to live a worthy Christian life, IMO. I’ve realized the important quality of moderation and living more or less a “poorer” life --even surrounded by numerous modern conveniences and a plethora of food in the supermarkets. We have such bounty in this country–but we need to humble ourselves before the Lord daily----just because we have every grocery item imaginable --is not necessarily a good thing at all. Just cuz we can go to Sizzler and load up for one price does not mean we should overindulge–that’s sheer gluttony–even if we don’t eat anything else the rest of the day.

There’s a program that New Life Counseling Center (Nationwide) (www.newlife.com) puts out for weight loss called “Lose It For Life”. It emphasizes changing the way we view life–and our American unhealthy habits. See, diets don’t work–they’re only temporary. We must incur a lifestyle change from inside. Our desires, wants and needs must severely be altered. We must realize the importance of temperance and what a virtue it is. “Lose it For Life” has seminars all over the country----and it’s worked wonders for thousands. I highly recommend any overweight persons reading this to check it out on their web site. On their radio show they mentioned a little blurb also about being overweight. They said people who overeat and are overweight have tons of supressed anger. Interesting. They deal with these topics and more in their seminars.

It doesn’t matter if you stuff your plate with all veggies and salad either----stuffing period is still gluttony.
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Question on post#22…how does milk cause osteoporosis? I’ve never heard of this before. Milk is calcium and therefore works against it, right? Milk building “strong bones” and all that. :hmmm: I’m confused.
 
actually in my origininal I was not specifically asking about weight loss plans, but lifetime eating, what is the best food-diet overall to maintain health? I have lost enough weight to built at least 10 people in my garage, because I started “dieting” after first baby, and I have tried them all. I am not interested in dieting for weight loss, I am looking for the best way to eat for the rest of my life. I guess the new years resolution mentality kicked in and we started talking about weight loss, but does anybody honestly think diets are the way to go?
 
Can only answer for myself . . . when I force myself to follow Atkins, I feel better and have noticed a reduction in PMS symptoms. That’s a nice side effect!! —KCT
 
I like the macrobiotic concept of balance and seasonal eating of local products. Also, everyone has different ethnic and genetic heritages that predisposes them to different metobolic needs.

I personally prefer and do better on a diet low in sugars and starches, with lots of vegies and plenty of roughage. I love dairy products and thrive on them. I try and eat seasonal foods. This time of the year that means there are dried apples from my garden by my computer. 🙂 Also, don’t forget the need for friendly bacteria to maintain proper and healthy intestinal flora!
 
thanks for the links to macrobiotics, the testimonies, the above advice to listen to your body is very good, I think.
7 servings of vegetables today, 3 of fruit, 30 g fiber, this is my target.
 
The best diet: exercise, drinking enough water and eating in moderation - watching the junk food.

My husband says the best diet is burning off more calories than one takes in!
 
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thechrismyster:
the best way to achieve optimal health is through EXERCISE. A bad diet can be made up for through exercise. but exercise can’t be made up for through a good diet.
you can eat the twinkie, mcdonald french fry and mountain dew diet if your working out regularly at a sufficient intensity.
the body was designed to move.
SO MOVE.
🙂
Click to expand...
i agree with this. which is why i didn’t vote up top. the best diet AND exercise plan i have experienced (personally and have seen many friends see dramatic results) is the Body For Life plan (a book by the EAS founder is out on how to do this properly). it involves eating a balance between proteins and carbs (with green vegetables mixed in as fruits and some other vegetables are considered carbs) in six small meals a day and an exercise program which is a combination of cardio and weight training. the exercise is designed to increase muscle and burn fat and the cardio is designed to jump start your metabolism (as is eating six meals a day instead of 3). in 3 months i lost 35 pounds of fat and put on 10 pounds of muscle. a friend of mine had similar results. every week you get a cheat day (this is essential in the diet having it’s maximum effect) where you can eat as many times a day as you want (you will want to eat fewer than six…trust me) and anything you want (of course you want to be smart with this). i encourage everyone to get the book and check it out.
 
I would say whatever you want to eat that makes you happy, given the constraints of (1) not too high in total calories, and (2) sufficient amounts of vital nutrients. But my inclination would be to go for a diet with minimal processed foods.

This is just my intuition, but I think that any really healthy diet should include lots of beans for protein and fiber. Other good staples are yogurt, berries, oatmeal, and fish. But the main thing is that you should enjoy it, and not stress out about it.
 
Annie…I know you weren’t, and the Body FOr Life diet by Bill Phillips is not a fad diet or really a diet at all…it is a template for living your life in optimal health…you follow a very enjoyable and healthy diet supplemented by exercise…I was a college athlete and this diet not only kept me in shape and healthy…but it kept me full of energy…which is something I needed being a rugby player.
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puzzleannie:
actually in my origininal I was not specifically asking about weight loss plans, but lifetime eating, what is the best food-diet overall to maintain health? I have lost enough weight to built at least 10 people in my garage, because I started “dieting” after first baby, and I have tried them all. I am not interested in dieting for weight loss, I am looking for the best way to eat for the rest of my life. I guess the new years resolution mentality kicked in and we started talking about weight loss, but does anybody honestly think diets are the way to go?
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puzzleannie:
I am looking for the best way to eat for the rest of my life.
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Have you read the new book “French Women Don’t Get Fat”? It’s about the whole way you eat and basically live your life to stay normal and healthy. I’m reading it now and it’s phenomenal !!! Check it out at your local Barnes & Noble!!!
 
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