What diet plans have you all been on and seen the most success with?
Probably just eating a balanced diet that’s high protein and counting my calories has been the most sustainable diet I’ve done. When I was at my heaviest(295lb) I started with 1800 calories a day. As I lost more weight I slowly worked down to 1500 calories. I lost 60 pounds doing that.
I started the ketogenic diet in mid March. I think the diet helped my physical health, but I find it really hard to stick to. It has helped me lose more weight, it’s hard because I want to stop doing ketogenic but I know my parents would be really disappointed. My dad is the one who told me to start the diet and I would hate to let him down, but at the end of the day it’s my body.
I drank green tea and lost 25 pounds. You gotta be careful with green tea because it displaces the iodine in your thyroid which can cause a goiter if you do too much. I did like two cups a day. I didn’t eat much doing it. I think it suppresses your appetite.
There likely are no easy answers. Maintaining Keto is hard. Cutting calories is hard. Getting sufficient exercise can be hard. If I were in your shoes, I would ask your doc to help you see a nutritionist or a dietician. Maybe they can point you in the right direction.
I dont think there are any easy answers, though. It all takes willpower and action.
I have a really hard time losing weight myself because like I will increase my insulin to beat back my high blood sugars and then that tends to cause me to gain weight. Its a vicious cycle.
Same here…even on the Mounjaro i have to keep a food diary and exercise. (Except for the last few days…I’ve been following the asthma diet where you can’t eat cuz you’re trying too hard to breathe). Seriously, tho, any diet that’s gonna work longterm requires a longterm commitment. But, yeah, the Mounjaro helps a lot! (I went from 298 lbs, now at 152 lbs).
The most successful diet I’ve been on was the Mediterranean diet. Healthy fats, low carb, low fat. Lots of lean proteins and vegetables. I used to have gastroparesis. This diet helped a lot in terms of my blood sugars and cholesterol.
But since my whipple procedure last year, I have dumping syndrome. I’ve had to change my diet quite a bit. I do not absorb nutrients or fats very well, so I’m vitamin deficient quite often. I eat a dumping syndrome diet now. It’s harder on my diabetes though. I swing a lot more.
But yes, the Mediterranean diet I think is the healthiest diet in terms of living on it long term.
I’ve hacked the keto a lot and still get it to work. Sugar is still a real problem. i have one little bit and I’m on a binge so that I avoid but still pretty well stick to macros.
I think there’s benefits still with keto and the mental health. The trouble is doing it long term and it’s really a big change in thinking of food. Still. I’m at a good weight so I indulge a bit in carbs but it’s usually eating out which I really like to do but it’s so hard to do keto wise.
So. i maintain my weight which is good and follow the lo carb principles but I’ve always gone to the max with macros. If you eat under 50 grams of carbs I do the max I can…You can still maintain weight and do it which is probably healthier anyways as the keto thing is still pretty new and long term is the thing…
…but that is true for psych meds too. It’s true for most medication so if you got a break in symptoms keep on meds but maybe try the lo carb. Losing big weight is such a game changer so keep up some exercise. It helps lo carb and you got some great results…but even I’m a big believer but not brave enough nor silly enough to give up my meds.
You are right. I think some people think it to be an either/or scenario when really it’s about balancing both. You need the right meds, whatever those may be, AND maintain a healthy lifestyle/diet, whatever that may also be.
There really is something pretty profound about this approach.
Whether it’s adjusting your gut biome with diet for anxiety and depression…it’s crazy. I’ve gone through it. It works at a level that makes a difference…
Trouble is it’s hard. It’s a whole other level of work for our lives…and it doesn’t work for everyone…If it did we’d all be cured and doing lo carb and walking around as normal people…we are a long way from that for sure.
Meanwhile. I’m doing lowest doses of psych meds and doing good. Yeah I’ve hacked it as you do because food is so much of our existence and I like to eat. Eating out with friends and family is fun and it’s pretty impossible in a lot of places to do lo carb but yes…it’s all about balance and there’s a lot of rubbish out there on the net it’ll cure you…
It hasn’t cured me. I still get paranoid and intrusive thoughts but I’m better after a year of doing the keto/lo carb thing…It’s amazing to me a diet can make mental changes but the more I read about gut biome and improvements in mental health the more I realise it does work!
Specialists in a way have a tendency to compartmentalize every part of your body. They don’t look at big picture. It’s all about treating each health problem separately. Rarely do doctors work together.
So as patients we have to advocate for ourselves. Things that work separately might not together. Really a General practitioner is the best at big picture health aspects. I see mine regularly. It takes years, trials, patience and willingness to try what the doctors want to find that balance.
Yeah agree totally. It’s still pretty new but you can’t lose stopping processed foods and eating more naturally. It works health wise too.
Yes. My shrink suggested the keto thing. Brought up the man who can’t be named here and I’d actually rejected a post by them back in the day because I thought it was the usual trolling. My bad. There’s really something to it for sure for some around here would benefit but it’s different and it’s not a meds replacement for most…the ones who can get off meds I’m dubious of anyways because 20% do so anyways from first episode psychosis but it’s real to me because I’ve seen the benefits and they are game changing for my lifestyle.
I think keto helps because carb overload is legitimately an issue. High sodium in processed food. Bad fats. The keto really avoids all that. It is extreme however and not good long term. I do think the Mediterranean diet would be great for you if you do switch. You can make really good colorful and flavorful dishes with that way of eating.
I don’t see much of an issue with recommending keto. Except probably wise to check with doc first. There could be heart issues and other things to consider from what ive read.
What I worry about, is what just happened with this original poster.
Certain people tell these tales of 15 year remission with no meds on keto and whatnot and similar things. They give the impression that this is the norm and “you can do it too!” This is bound to get some people trying it on their own and either reducing meds or eliminating without pdoc , just like the op.
We have also had some people posting applauding a certain someone and claiming that this diet was a cure all and you “will not need meds”. Even posting phone numbers, as you know.
So, I think caution is needed
I have no idea how much of an impact it will have on sz when its all said and done, more sz people have tried it and more research is done, but I think the impression is being given on some of the internet that people can just start keto and reduce or eliminate meds.
Yes. I’ve almost done a year on keto/lo carb. Will check.
Thing is. Lost a shitload of weight which it really does work for. ( I would clarify that with that exercise really does help it and but will see other studies as they come through but works for me ). And…
It’s improved my symptoms a lot. Less paranoia and intrusive thoughts. I’m on bottom doses of my psych meds but it’s a big improvement over where I started…
And. More motivation. More energy. A feeling of pleasure doing activities again. It’s a real thing and feeling and my negatives are less for sure…
Yeah but here’s the thing. You can still do lo carb and maintain and losing 23 kgs of weight gives you more health options anyways. It’s hard work especially getting enough fibre into your diet but you can still do it…If your a foodie and like to eat getting some veges in your life isn’t a bad thing and you can still do it…
What is the balance? 50.6 lbs overweight and with poorer health outcomes but the thing is…I’ve vastly improved mental health outcomes??
