Diet - Wallingford,CT

Definitely follow Diane's advice! She knows what she is talking about.
I have had 3 babies and gained a considerable amount of weight with each one. To lose the weight, I have tried Weight Watchers and plain old calorie counting. I have gotten good results from both. I noticed that that nagging hungry feeling usually goes away about a week into dieting. However, in January I got kind of hard-core to lose those holiday pounds. I ate only fruits and vegetables, brown rice, lentils, sunflower seeds for about a month. No sugar, flour, dairy, meat, no processed foods at all. I was really surprised that I was full ALL THE TIME because my serving sizes were big and all the food was so fiber-rich. I started counting up the calories and I realized I was feeling really full with the same amount of calories on this very fiber-rich diet, as opposed to using the very same # of calories on other things. For instance, I used to buy the Smart Ones frozen meals and one of those would be my lunch. They are a little under 300 calories. For that same 300 calories I can have a cup and a half of homemade carrot soup, a big green salad with 2 cups lettuce, cucumber or tomato, a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup grapes, strawberries or mango, a small drizzle of agave nectar and some balsamic vinegar. I would be stuffed after this 2nd lunch, where after the Smart Ones I could probably eat 2 of them and still want dessert. So if I were you, I would start trying to fill up on fiber-rich foods and avoid processed foods, even if they are labeled as "diet". Good luck!

Hi L.---Probably the most important thing to consider when wanting to lose weight is the totality of your diet. Simply reducing calories does not result in long term success. A tip from a series of wellness classes I am taking is very simple---eat mostly plants.

A diet filled with fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes/beans, nuts and seeds, will give you lots of fiber filled foods, which will take care of feelings of deprivation. Having said that, it will take time for your stomach to adjust, but, if you strive to eat more fiber (gradually increase your intake to 50+ grams per day) your stomach will be filled. If you haven't been eating adequate fiber (lots of processed and animal foods) you've needed lots more food to feel full. It takes about 3000 calories of cheese to fill the stomach whereas you can only get about 300-400 calories of plant in the same amount of volume and it is VOLUME that the stomach uses to tell you that you are full.

Eliminate dairy and reduce animal protein consumption as these contain mostly calories and fat. There is nothing nutritionally in these that you can't find or eat in plants. Please go to www.pcrm.org and put dairy in the search box to learn more. Explore that whole site. Dr. Barnard will have some great info on many aspect of optimal health for you.

And the water thing is true also. But drink it between and before meals, not so much with them. You want to be sure you are not diluting stomach acids too much, which are needed for proper digestion.

If you would like, I can share more helpful tips from my classes. Feel free to contact me and we can chat. In fact, you might want to take the class yourself. It's worth it for your long term health and wellness. Really eye-opening. Good luck. D.

Go for whole grains with your meals, they make you feel full longer.

check out myfitnesspal.com it's free and a great resource for weight loss.

There are also lots of high fiber veggies you can eat that help fill you and are very good for you I dont think you should be having hunger pains and of coarse drink 8 - 8oz glasses of water a day!

Drink lots of water... it creates the sensation of being "full"- you can also add 1/2 a packet of Crystal Light single servings so that you have some "taste" as well. I would also suggest chewing gum!

Yes, the hunger pains will ease as your body adjusts. Make sure to exercise as well! Getting your metabolism "moving" will speed up the whole process.

Weight loss is a simple equation... take in fewer calories than you expend! If you "expend" some while exercising then you will be further ahead.

Try drinking a full glass of water when you get hunger pains, it kinda tricks your brain into thinking you ate something but you get no calories. Another good trick is Celery. You can munch on it when you get that empty feeling, I heard somewhere that you actually burn more calories chewing celery than the amount in the celery itself. Good luck!