Wanted to reply to something Barb said, but didn't want to highjack the thread. I hope you don't mind me beaming a bit of your reply over here Barb.
Not only that, but you can use other diets as a part of it. Using SW, WW or even a VLCD and add things. Nothing is off limits.
Of course, you still need to watch the quality of what you're eating, but otherwise your free to pick and chose as you go.
After all virtually (if not all) diets are based around calorie counting. Even diets with free foods are generally low enough in cals to mean that you never eat enough to go over.
The only thing, like all other diets, boredom can set in. We need to turn over the page....reinvent it again.
This is probably easier to do with a cal counting diet than any other, because of the vast amount of different foods you can eat.
I've found the best way to do a diet like this is to plan as Barb has suggested. I can't imagine doing it any other way.
I know exactly what I have to eat today, tomorrow, next week. Okay, I might swap the odd thing, but everything is there ready and waiting. My daily snack box, my lunches, breakfasts, dinner. All pretty much prepared and definitely written down. Not daily as it's all be counted before and I just reuse.
I can't remember whether you use WLR Barb, but if you do, I highly recommend making full use of the food plans. I have all the meals down there. My breakfasts are named breakfast...then whatever it is, so that it's easy to find. Likewise with snacks and other meals. My breakfasts also include my milk for the day, so that I can just 'click' once for each thing.
Another thing is the weighing. I guess this can be tiresome if you weigh everything, but to be honest, my scales don't get used that often.
I have a set of measuring cups and I know that 30g of oats is that cup, pasta is this cup.
I also make meals in advance. If I have curry without the rest of the family, I make 4. My food plan tells me how much in a portion. Only need to weigh the once.
Another thing is to change things around. Try new foods or combinations. I even have 21 breakfasts, lunches, dinners sorted. A different one each day for 3 weeks. Even then I swap over bits, adding and taking away as I find new things, or go off items.
It's difficult to get bored...even for scatty me with my low boredom threshold.
The exercise bit is harder I think. If you start getting fed up with that, you do need to consider changing it, or supplementing it with something else.
Anyway....long post
Hope there's something helpful there.
I think the fantastic thing about calorie counting is that you get to eat anything you want. Not many diets can offer that choice.
Not only that, but you can use other diets as a part of it. Using SW, WW or even a VLCD and add things. Nothing is off limits.
Of course, you still need to watch the quality of what you're eating, but otherwise your free to pick and chose as you go.
After all virtually (if not all) diets are based around calorie counting. Even diets with free foods are generally low enough in cals to mean that you never eat enough to go over.
The only thing, like all other diets, boredom can set in. We need to turn over the page....reinvent it again.
This is probably easier to do with a cal counting diet than any other, because of the vast amount of different foods you can eat.
I've found the best way to do a diet like this is to plan as Barb has suggested. I can't imagine doing it any other way.
I know exactly what I have to eat today, tomorrow, next week. Okay, I might swap the odd thing, but everything is there ready and waiting. My daily snack box, my lunches, breakfasts, dinner. All pretty much prepared and definitely written down. Not daily as it's all be counted before and I just reuse.
I can't remember whether you use WLR Barb, but if you do, I highly recommend making full use of the food plans. I have all the meals down there. My breakfasts are named breakfast...then whatever it is, so that it's easy to find. Likewise with snacks and other meals. My breakfasts also include my milk for the day, so that I can just 'click' once for each thing.
Another thing is the weighing. I guess this can be tiresome if you weigh everything, but to be honest, my scales don't get used that often.
I have a set of measuring cups and I know that 30g of oats is that cup, pasta is this cup.
I also make meals in advance. If I have curry without the rest of the family, I make 4. My food plan tells me how much in a portion. Only need to weigh the once.
Another thing is to change things around. Try new foods or combinations. I even have 21 breakfasts, lunches, dinners sorted. A different one each day for 3 weeks. Even then I swap over bits, adding and taking away as I find new things, or go off items.
It's difficult to get bored...even for scatty me with my low boredom threshold.
The exercise bit is harder I think. If you start getting fed up with that, you do need to consider changing it, or supplementing it with something else.
Anyway....long post
Hope there's something helpful there.
