Food plans - quick survey

[hotchocolate]

Hey guys

As tomorrow nears (well for me UK time) I am just wondering what nutrition strategies people have found the best in previous contests or are planning to use this time?

Basic clean eating
No/low carb
ESE
What is your preference?

Thanks

[antoheion]

Always choose what best suits your personality.
This is what worked for me: - eat clean, whole, natural&unprocessed foods
- avoid all foods with added sugar
- eat lots of fruits&veggies to keep me full&avoid hunger
- brush my teeth 5452343 times a day to avoid cravings the first 3 weeks
- stay within a 1500-1600 calorie limit, even lower if I'm not hungry
- eat only when I am hungry
- eat only as much as I need to feel full
Most important: don't make things too complicated and don't think of it as a diet. Normally, people hate diets, can't wait for them to end, and hope they won't get fat when they return to their old eating habits. Think of it as a change in your lifestyle, that is going to last for the rest of your life. Do only the things you like. And that's pretty much about it.
Disclaimer: this worked for me, can't guarantee that it will be as efficient for other people. Choose whatever diet fits your personality. For example, Matty, another contestant who has achieved awesome results, used the XFL diet and in the end we both lost the same amount of weight in 25 days by using very different approaches.
Have a great day,
Ion

[thebestme]

Last time, I did caloric deficit and ESE- 1 fast per week. Too hard. This time I am initially going with close to maintenance calories and ESE about every 5 days. I am looking forward to higher energy levels. I'm in a deficit now, total break from fasting. Needed to drop a few pounds to make up for between contest fun. Am below my end weight again so good to go!

[shebst]

Originally Posted by antoheion

Always choose what best suits your personality.
This is what worked for me: - eat clean, whole, natural&unprocessed foods
- avoid all foods with added sugar
- eat lots of fruits&veggies to keep me full&avoid hunger
- brush my teeth 5452343 times a day to avoid cravings the first 3 weeks
- stay within a 1500-1600 calorie limit, even lower if I'm not hungry
- eat only when I am hungry
- eat only as much as I need to feel full
Most important: don't make things too complicated and don't think of it as a diet. Normally, people hate diets, can't wait for them to end, and hope they won't get fat when they return to their old eating habits. Think of it as a change in your lifestyle, that is going to last for the rest of your life. Do only the things you like. And that's pretty much about it.
Disclaimer: this worked for me, can't guarantee that it will be as efficient for other people. Choose whatever diet fits your personality. For example, Matty, another contestant who has achieved awesome results, used the XFL diet and in the end we both lost the same amount of weight in 25 days by using very different approaches.
Have a great day,
Ion

What is the XFL diet?

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by antoheion

Always choose what best suits your personality.
This is what worked for me: - eat clean, whole, natural&unprocessed foods
- avoid all foods with added sugar
- eat lots of fruits&veggies to keep me full&avoid hunger
- brush my teeth 5452343 times a day to avoid cravings the first 3 weeks
- stay within a 1500-1600 calorie limit, even lower if I'm not hungry
- eat only when I am hungry
- eat only as much as I need to feel full
Most important: don't make things too complicated and don't think of it as a diet. Normally, people hate diets, can't wait for them to end, and hope they won't get fat when they return to their old eating habits. Think of it as a change in your lifestyle, that is going to last for the rest of your life. Do only the things you like. And that's pretty much about it.
Disclaimer: this worked for me, can't guarantee that it will be as efficient for other people. Choose whatever diet fits your personality. For example, Matty, another contestant who has achieved awesome results, used the XFL diet and in the end we both lost the same amount of weight in 25 days by using very different approaches.
Have a great day,
Ion

This was my basic approach. However there was a difference between Ion and I. He did an awesome job of doing exactly what he set out to do where I ziged and zaged and had a few more cheats. BUT thanks to Ion and his great example and what i have leaned from TT about meal planning, shopping, preparing food ahead of time, and calorie counting and such -I believe I will be even more successful this time! I plan to do some ESE this time too.

[Starbuck1517]

I follow a pretty simple nutritional approach, focusing on fruits, veggies, nuts, lowfat dairy (yogurt, milk), and limiting starchy and simple carbs. I've been limiting calories to approximately bodyweight x 11 on most days, and a higher calorie day every 5-6 days. I haven't tried ESE but might try it a couple times this contest, as I have a lot of travel coming up and it seems like others have had success doing that on their travel days. I do track calories, but I don't track the details too closely except I've been looking at my protein #s a bit more lately-I usually get 75-80g/day. I'm trying to get those numbers up a little to avoid any muscle loss from reducing calories.

[addieua]

ESE is the one for me.
I like it because it is simple and prevents me from becoming obsessive compulsive with food. However, I do still limit my eating to healthy foods and limit my snacks.
Drinking copious amount of water is also in my nutrition plan although that might be because of +100 degree temperatures that won't be gone till mid-October.
I hate being hungry all the time. For me, not eating for 24 hours is a piece of cake and makes me feel in control of my body

[wsarwani]

It looks like it's already been covered but I'll be eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods and keeping all starchy carbs and sugar our. Rice is my biggest downfall so I'll be saving it for a once-a-week treat meal - this approach seems to work well for me.

I not big on calorie counting as I think it leads me become obsessive about food but I do use it track my progress if I'm not getting the results I want. During the last contest, I tracked my calories for a week and got down from 2600+ to about 2100 but it was more about training myself on the correct serving sizes and how much food I should be eating rather than the calories themselves. It's a just a trick that seems to work for me.

[hotchocolate]

Mostly all following a similar route then - Im interested in the carb intake - many seem to be completely doing without the starchy carbs? I have tried this before but i seem to get really down and almost depressed if totally eliminate them - has anyone still included them in their contest diets? and still done well?
Sx

[antoheion]

Got along fine with some starchy carbs- for example, I ate boiled potatoes every 2-3 days, and experienced no change in my weight loss rate. Can't guarantee though that this will work for everyone... In the end, just make sure to have an optimal calorie intake, guess it all comes down to this.