Anyone tried the “stealth” weight loss diet

[SunDune]

I’m 61 and I’ve been on every diet under the sun and still 20lbs overweight after 15 years of it. I have Mobility issues so move me this restricted. Noom was the best, more rounded, positive dirt for me - but I’ve still not managed to maintain the weight loss.

I read about the Stealth diet the other day. It’s not a book as far as I know, I think it was an article in the Telegraph.

Basically you just try and make little changes as much as you can over time. Instead of having two slices of peanut butter on toast, you have one. Instead of porridge for breakfast one day you might have an apple. And so on. It’s not restrictive in the normal sense and you are always free to make whatever choices you wish.

The main or objective is that overtime you will gradually lose weight, maybe without even noticing particularly.

Your habits will change.

And there is none of the usual dieting rules.

But hopefully some weight loss.

I think this diet is more useful for people who really understand, food and calories, but still struggle with some habits and have a stone or 2 to lose.

What do people think?

Anyone done this?

Correction: I should have called the headline ‘Stealth weight loss method’ rather than diet.

All 'diets' work if you stick with them. This one will be no different. Initial weight loss because you are consciously trying, then a weight gain, then looking for something new to try because that one 'didn't work'.

There some merit to making small but
sustainable changes over a period of time so that they become ingrained as habits - so dropping from a latte to an Americano for example. So this sounds similar to that.

Well I would take issue with you on one level. It’s not really what I would call a diet diet.

What do you do, what’s your answer, what worked for you, since you’re clearly very opinionated on a weight loss forum?

Sounds sensible. Checking with your doctor first, a fast day may be helpful too. Soon becomes habit.

Directed @WallaceinAnderland . You do tend to get a lot of know-all’s on MN 🙄

Well she is correct, I can't imagine anyone wanting to help you very much if that is your response

That’s ok @Doggymummar , I’m fine with that, won’t miss that kind of “help”. I didn’t need help anyway, I was sharing something g I read 🙄, and her comment was rude and she didn’t even bother to offer anything positive, yet here she’s is on a weight loss thread!

It’s the kind of “help” one can do without 😝

Well I would take issue with you on one level. It’s not really what I would call a diet diet.

It might work, but it's still a diet. Any way of reducing or altering your food intake in order to lose weight is a diet. Diets mostly don't work, because people generally can't stick to them. But I do think your stealth method sounds more stickable-to than most. Having said that, I abstemiously had one piece of toast instead of two this morning and ended up eating far too much lunch as I was so hungry <shrug>.

although I can see why a lot of people hate it, the introduction of calories on menus can help with this - I used to sort of think the majority of main meals were much of a muchness - eating out is a 'treat' so just pick whatever you want and write it off.

Whereas when I've been trying to decide between 2 options, seeing that there's actually up to 700 calories (i.e. a full meal) between them so going for the lower option is a really easy way of making a good choice. I'm not denying myself anything as the lower cal meal is something I want anyway (rather than forcing myself to have a plain salad when I want the triple stack burger and then sitting there sad and resentful with food envy!).

Although saying that it also applies to salads - it's surprising how calorific a salad with loads of creamy dressings is compared to, for example, a steak without chips.

To be honest the easiest diet I find to stick to is the "just don't buy it diet". I have no will power at all and am pretty lazy but this can actually work for my benefit - for me the laziness outweighs (pardon the pun) food cravings, so if I just do online shopping, don't buy any crap and then avoid 'just popping in' to supermarkets etc. I have to eat well, because as much as I might fancy a bar of chocolate at 9 in the evening it's not enough to get up, put a bra back on, and drive/walk to the nearest shop to get it! (might not work if you live somewhere with a corner shop on the street!)

It's sounds like a good idea. I'm doing intermittent fasting at the moment, I skip breakfast and just have lunch and dinner, I also try to be sensible with carbs, I've lost 11lbs in 7 weeks. I'm quite used to not eating breakfast now but I do still find evenings a struggle because of wanting to drink and snack. I've got quite a lot of weight to lose (another 4 stone) and I'm just trying to do it slowly and sustainably, it's so hard. I've managed to lose a couple of stone before (quite a few times) on slimming world and weight watchers, but I usually give up eventually and pile it all back on. Weight management is a constant battle for me 😔

I had no idea the Stealth diet existed but I've lost about three-quarters of a stone doing my own version of it! I took a long hard look at my diet after Christmas and while realised I was a fairly healthy eater I just ate far too much. So I since January I have cut portions in half and it's had such a positive impact on my eating habits. I had a salad for lunch today and didn't pile my plate followed by a piece of Toblerone for dessert because I fancied chocolate, then because I haven't been that hungry I've just had some peanut butter on toast and a glass of milk for tea. I can't even eat a takeaway curry portion in one sitting – I have to split it and save the other half for the following day.

Nothing wrong with what I said. It is a diet because basically whatever you eat is your diet. And if you are doing it to try and lose weight then it's a weight loss diet.

As stated, most diets don't work unless you find something that you can stick to. Stealth diet sounds like you need to consciously cut down on portions or change food choices - same method as most other diets. Therefore it's likely to have the same result.

If it works great, but I would expect similar results to other diets.

You would need a decent knowledge base to be able to make informed decisions.
Realistically you would need to log your “meals” a few times to ensure the things you’re swapping about are indeed lower calorie choices.
I can see this style being almost intuitive for someone with a some diet and nutrition background.
most people who wish to go on a diet often do it for weight loss, this method might be too slow to be particularly motivating for long term use.

I don't think this would work for me as it's just too slow, and as the changes are quite small they are too easy to undo. Only cutting back a few calories at a time, one chocolate bar or glass of wine on the weekend will undo a week or more of effort. But it would be good method to maintain weight.

This sounds a bit like how I’ve been trying to lose weight, but I’ve called it the more diet. More fruit and vegetables, more protein (I’m a vegetarian so probably didn’t eat enough) more water, more exercise and more sleep. I’ve been doing this since March, I’ve not weighed myself as I don’t actually have any scales. But visibly I look a bit thinner and my clothes fit better so I’m thinking it’s working. I don’t snack and never eat in the evening after my tea, didn’t do this before though. So I will have one piece of toast with scrambled egg instead of two pieces, because I’m then having some tomatoes alongside so they’ll fill me up, or having fruit for pudding instead of cake or biscuits. I don’t feel hungry most of the time, so it’s not been difficult. Always eat full fat anything, yogurt, cheese etc, as I think a small amount of something fatty satisfies better than a large amount of low fat food.

I didn’t know there is a name for it but this is what I’m doing. Two weeks in and 5lbs down. I’ve incrementally tweaked what I was already eating to make it healthier and put a lot of focus on adding protein to every meal (or increasing it) to help me feel fuller for longer. It’s working and I’m not missing out on anything. If I want a treat I’ll have one but a smaller portion than I previously would. I don’t feel like I’m on a diet. I have a lot more then two stone to loose though!! So for me I needed something that was sustainable very long term.

Also this - I eat full fat everything for this reason. So much more satisfying and you don’t need as much to get the protein that helps you feel full. I also don’t eat after dinner anymore but that’s more due to then putting baby to bed and falling asleep myself haha!

Well there seems to be some tips/positive stories in here …

@1offnamechange interestingly I am one of those who do dislike the calorie listings, BUT it stopped me buying a tiny pudding type snack the other day as it was listed at 550 calories, whoa! I decided it just wasn’t worth it for me. I don’t want to deny myself anything I truly want, but it’s more about dialling back, small changes etc. and I didn’t want that random item enough to basically knock out half my calorie intake for the day! (I’m in my 60s and my calorie intake needs to be low because I can’t exercise as mobility issues)

Like @OhBanana alot is to do with portion size for me also, as I generally eat reasonably healthily. One slice of toast instead of two is the classic example. Nowadays if I have two slices I can feel a bit too satiated. I like a glass of🍷, but if I change it up a bit and have a barcardi and Diet Coke instead sometimes it’s half the calories, and so in.

I’ll see how this approach goes for the rest of the year. I’d love to look a bit thinner like @Meandyouandyouandme as I can’t be bothered to go through the whole scale weight loss thing again. As I said the last time I did it was with Noom and though it was a really great eating plan for me, positive and helpful and upbeat even, I just don’t want to do it again.

Being aware nutritionally and calorie wise has probably kept some of the weight of a bit overall over the past 15 years. But habits are a strong thing to break and all too easy to revert to when stressed I found. I just need to try and keep focused on new habits as much as I can. I feel I would really like to lose the last 14 - 20 lbs and maybe the overall stealth approach has the best chance of helping me get there. We shall see.

Good luck everybody 🍀

I’ve done something like this and lost around 3 stone in around 2 years without any real effort.

I did it primarily for health reasons, but obviously it’s nice not to feel embarrassed by my appearance as I sometimes did. (No particular health issues myself as far as I’m aware, but both my siblings died suddenly from health issues in their mid-fifties. And not having any extended family whatsoever, I’m very conscious that my daughters will have no one else to rely on when I’m no longer around).

Anyway, I started by cutting out snacking after dinner. I didn’t really find that all that hard (for me).

I was finding too much coffee tended to impact sleep quality, so I limit myself to two per day, both before 3pm. Since I like a latte, that cut out a fair bit of milk (and calories) right there.

I have alcohol only in special occasions- another thing that was easy for me, because these days I usually end up with a headache the next day after more than a single glass of beer.

I read somewhere that a “treat” isn’t really a treat if you have it every day, it’s a habit. So I try to be honest with myself about treats, and only have them if I really want them.

I have gradually cut right back on ultra processed foods so that now they are less than 5% of my diet. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that UPFs lead to overeating and I do find that my appetite is much more reasonable these days and I no longer feel the urge to eat mindlessly. As you change your habits, your tastes and desires for food change.

Anyway, these are just a few of the things that have worked for me so far which may or may not be useful for other people. Seeing it all written down, it might seem like it should feel restrictive, but it truly doesn’t. For the first time in my life, I feel in control of my eating and I’m not looking forward to going back to “normal eating” , which is how I always felt when dieting in the past. If I want something to eat, I’ll have it, but I don’t see it as the start of a slippery slope back to old habits.

@FrozenGhost i really did find Noom helpful (and positive even fun) - and I never put back all the weight when I stopped after 6 months interestingly. It has a positive rather than punitive, denial approach I liked. I just have another 10-20 lbs I’d like to lose if it’s possible in my circumstances. Though maintaining would be good too.

@coronabeer sounds fantastica, truly, and I admire your perseverance. I hope I manage something like that. When I was doing Noom I too realised how much of it is habit, how much it’s the key really. Establishing new habits. Piece by piece, over time, is easier too. (As I mentioned I think it’s easy to revert to old habits especially when stressed. It doesn’t matter if it’s now and again but for longer periods obviously it’s more problematic.)

@coronabeer if I carry on this way till the end of the year it will be interesting to see where I end up. I also noted how it didn’t take too much effort for you. It seems to be more general positive awareness …

The problem with this is that not eating consciously is likely what has caused us all to gain weight in the first place. If the white toast is still loaded with butter then yes it’s better to have 1 slice than 2, but making a change to eating habits to lose weight usually needs conscious efforts to make good decisions.

Above posters giving advice that say it took no effort but they had to entirely reeducate themselves on calories and avoiding ultra processed foods and adapting their diet still sounds like a lot of effort? A no effort diet doesn’t exist I think that’s my point - there is effort involved in some ways. What you mean is not being too restrictive? So still allowing yourself to have some of the things you like? Yes this is a good way to still enjoy life. I just think it’s not really true there is a stealth element you need to spend time learning about food and nutrition. I still eat nice things I just eat them less than I used to. And I do have to mentally tally up what I have already had or read labels