How to eat less?

fuzzyhead_3

Hello

I am a long time lurker and have been following the H&B threads with interest. I think I need a shove in the right direction as I need to lose weight, badly. I've put on weight over the last 3 years and recently injured my ankle, so I have been recuperating for 5 weeks and am barely able to walk. I'm so inactive, and I know I'm gaining weight. This morning, I noticed my legs were visibly fatter. It's taken a few weeks but it's all catching up with me now.

I have to take it easy for a hwile but am worried about putting on even more lbs. I initially reduced my food intake but boredom has made me eat more and I'm now eating what I did before the injury, despite burning far fewer calories each day. Im also eating more chocolate and sweets than I used to, and I feel very low. I wasn't doing very well at losing weight even befre the injury but it's just made things even harder.

Please someone give me a good talking to.

Is there any exercise I can do while recuperting which might tone me up or whatever? And how dio I go about reducing my food intake? How do you dieters cope with boredom, cravings etc?

Thanks for reading and sorry for the self-pitying first post.

Blackpool_Saver

Hi there
I have been on a weight reducing diet and I think the key is not to eat less but to eat foods with fewer calories and drink A LOT of water that helps to fill you and often it is thirst that is mistaken for hunger.

southernscouser

What exactly have you done to your ankle? Are you on crutches/bandaged etc?

As for losing weight, you've already indentified the problem. Boredom. If you're sitting on your bum all day then you won't be expending much energy, hence you shouldn't need to eat as much.

Cut out refined carbs like white bread and pasta. Eat more salad. Eat slower. Stop eating when you feel full. Use a smaller plate if need be.

And try and exercise. Do you have any free weights you can use?

Buttonmoons

My advice is get a cat, or 2, when you are tucking into your food and see one of their hairs on your plate, it puts you right off....

To tone up you could do arm weights, sit ups, girly press ups? Just trying to think of things that don't require you to put weight on your ankle....

It is hard with the boredom cravings, night time was the killer for me, still is! I quite like to eat carrot sticks with salsa, not very calorific and you soon get bored of all the chewing....

jessicamb

eat slowly and chew every mouthful several times - it gives your stomach time to tell your brain that you are full. Or if you are like me you get bored of eating.

fifi63

I lost 3 stone three years ago by going to a slimming club but unfortunately I have put it back on. I know it is boredom that makes be binge eat.

I think you have to change your mindset with regards food. I am keen to try Paul MacKenna's methods. My SIL is a hypnotherapist and she says it is the only thing that really works in the long run.

fuzzyhead_3

Thanks for the posts. I am embarrasseed to say that I am sat hre eating a chocolate bar aftre 2 slices of toast. I actually have fruit in the house but couldn't face eating it for brekkie.

I used to be better than this, there was a time when I wouldn't eat rubbish at all. I was thinner and looked good. I only ate good food and the weight came off and stayed off. Then my friends started remarking that I was too thin and that they were woriied about me.

They also started watching what I ate - I shared a house with one of them and she watched me like a hawk. If we were out for a meal and I ordered a salad for starter they would give each other a 'look'. Once I threw up in a nightclub toilet purely because I was too drunk (hadn't done that in years lol) and one of them started accusing me of being bulimic!!!

Looking back I see that I was a normal wieght - about 20.5 BMI, they were just overreacting - they are all takeaway eaters and think that salads and veggies are for anorexics. So gradually, I started eating abit more junk just to please them and show them that I was 'normal', a piece of cake here, a biscuit there etc - and over time, I guess I've come to enjoy that sort of food.

Add to that my BF of the last coiuple of years who loves his food and I have put on almost 2 stone. And I now realise that I was wrong to pander to my friends' worries.

I used to have amazing self control around food. I giuess I was practising PMK's principles without realising it - I only ate when I was hungry, left the table before feeling stuffed, left some food on my plate, only ate what I liked (I wouldn't waste calories on something I didn't like, even today, lol) etc. I was so healthy and slim that anytime I ate something stodgy/fatty I actually felt ill. So that put me off eating it the next time. I returned to my usual diet of light, healthy food and felt better for it.

Now I'm almost the opposite. I don't feel right unless my stomach is feeling full and I hardly ever leave a long enough gap between meals/snacks to get properly hungry. I couldn't face fruit this morning, whereas it would once have been my first choice.

The thing is, on a day when I'm out of the house and physically removed from food (out for the day with OH, shopping, on holiday, at the cinema etc) I actually relish the fact that I can't eat for hours and can allow myself to get hungry and then enjoy my food. Unfortunately I snack FAR too much, especially at work. It's as if I'm trying to make sure that my stomach is never empty. But that's not what I really want. I want to eat three balanced meals a day and no snacks except fruit, veg or nuts. So how can I get back to my old habits? Does anyone else feel like this?

Help.

p.s. sorry for the mega post.

fuzzyhead_3

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

Hi there
I have been on a weight reducing diet and I think the key is not to eat less but to eat foods with fewer calories and drink A LOT of water that helps to fill you and often it is thirst that is mistaken for hunger.

Hello Blackpool_Saver

I already drink lots of water, it's about the only good thing I do right now! I will take on board the 'foods with fewer calories' thing though.

fuzzyhead_3

southernscouser wrote: »

What exactly have you done to your ankle? Are you on crutches/bandaged etc?

As for losing weight, you've already indentified the problem. Boredom. If you're sitting on your bum all day then you won't be expending much energy, hence you shouldn't need to eat as much.

Cut out refined carbs like white bread and pasta. Eat more salad. Eat slower. Stop eating when you feel full. Use a smaller plate if need be.

And try and exercise. Do you have any free weights you can use?

Hello southernscouser

I'm not on crutches or bandaged - just have a tubi-grip type support around my ankle. I wish I was on crutches, at least I'd be able to get around and they're bound to burn cals!

I know I shouldn't be eating as much, I really should have the willpower to do this. Thinking of my body as a car whichneeds the best possible fuel might help.

I don't have any free weights, might try tins of beans or somethign.

fuzzyhead_3

Buttonmoons wrote: »

My advice is get a cat, or 2, when you are tucking into your food and see one of their hairs on your plate, it puts you right off....

To tone up you could do arm weights, sit ups, girly press ups? Just trying to think of things that don't require you to put weight on your ankle....

It is hard with the boredom cravings, night time was the killer for me, still is! I quite like to eat carrot sticks with salsa, not very calorific and you soon get bored of all the chewing....

Hello buttonmoons

UGH @the cats! lol

What is a girly press up?

Carrot sticks, hmm, I will try that. I need to banish rubbish from the house too, OH will not be pleased!! Maybe I could ask him to put them out of sight.

fuzzyhead_3

jessicamb wrote: »

eat slowly and chew every mouthful several times - it gives your stomach time to tell your brain that you are full. Or if you are like me you get bored of eating.

Hello jessicamb

How doi you get bored of eating??? :rotfl: