diets

Crystal Light is my favorite non-water drink that is healthy.

Definitely once you get a taste acquired for Diet sodas, they are almost as satisfying as regular, but remember even though they won't put weight ON you, you won't lose it because of the -oses that are in it.

Well Malcolm - my goal is to ween myself off soda so the only time I drink it is if I ::shudder:: have to eat fast food, or in a cocktail!

I've been drinking a lot of gatorade lately too.

Once you get used to diet soda the real thing tastes way too sweet.

I usually only drink 1 diet soda per day, other than that it's water, flavored water and coffee.

Some say to avoid coffee but it's never been a problem for me.

Well Malcolm - my goal is to ween myself off soda so the only time I drink it is if I ::shudder:: have to eat fast food, or in a cocktail!

I've been drinking a lot of gatorade lately too.

I know what you're saying man. Sometimes there are just foods that REQUIRE a Coke or Dr. Pepper to go with them.

General Tso's Chicken...
Pizza...
Burgers...

All NEED a soda with them. A non-diet soda.

Minute Maid makes a light lemonade that is really low on calories. I'm not sure how low, but I get it whenever I go to Wendy's. It tastes like real lemonade with hardly any sugar. If you wanted to consider taste to calorie ratio, I think this is your winner.

I was about 230 a year ago. I started drinking 2+ gallons of water a day.
Except for the fact that the water reduced my appetite, no other diet or exercise changes. I'm at 199 today. Goal is to get down to 170. I don't think there'a s book for this diet or even if I'd recommend it, but it worked for me. Alot of bathroom runs though.

Matty, you sound like you have a similar build to me. 6' 2" 2something. Out of college I was ~205. In my 40's I ballooned up to 275ish. Last year, from Feb-April, I got down to 225 using weight watchers. I have since "fell off the wagon" and put about half back on. I am back on it and dropped 10 lbs in a week.

I have to say, I really prefer this to the low carbs. Nothing is off the list, you just have to be sure to eat in moderation. You get x amount of points/day and every food has a point value. In addition, exercise gets you extra points and you get weekly bonus points. For example, for me, a big mac meal for dinner means veggies and fruits for lunch unless I do some cardio.

I have several friends on the Atkins and I think it has some real good points. The bottom line for Atkins (or any other diet) to be successful is controlled calorie intake and some regular form of physical activity.

Oh wait ... Eat right, exercise. I wonder if that would work??

Yeah, that is my biggest drawback to drinking lots of water. I hate running to the bathroom every 20 minutes.

Here's what I do:

Breakfast - instant oatmeal, coffee.
Brunch - Cappuccino and Krispy Kreme.
Lunch - Anything, but lots of it. On alternate weeks I eat only tuna salad that I put together myself.
Dinner - Anything but I don't eat at all after 5:00pm. That's a bit tough to start with but it becomes a habit. When I feel hungry I make myself a cup of tea with lemon.

All day I drink absurd amounts of water. Eventually you'll stop needing to pee every five minutes.

I also sit in a sauna at 180f for 3 X 20 minutes most evenings after I work out. No, really.

Matty, you sound like you have a similar build to me. 6' 2" 2something. Out of college I was ~205. In my 40's I ballooned up to 275ish. Last year, from Feb-April, I got down to 225 using weight watchers. I have since "fell off the wagon" and put about half back on. I am back on it and dropped 10 lbs in a week.

I have to say, I really prefer this to the low carbs. Nothing is off the list, you just have to be sure to eat in moderation. You get x amount of points/day and every food has a point value. In addition, exercise gets you extra points and you get weekly bonus points. For example, for me, a big mac meal for dinner means veggies and fruits for lunch unless I do some cardio.

I have several friends on the Atkins and I think it has some real good points. The bottom line for Atkins (or any other diet) to be successful is controlled calorie intake and some regular form of physical activity.

Oh wait ... Eat right, exercise. I wonder if that would work??

good points, I think any diet boils down to moderation and of course exercise.