Re: Lose Weight 4

littleangel

Hello all - I've been reading the posts and want to thank everyone for the fantastic advice and support (and special gold star to savvy_sue for her posts - some of which were absoutely hilarious and some of which were just incredibly insightful)

I used to be a runner, and kept my weight in check that way - I ate loads, so I needed to, but it worked! An injury 4 months ago meant that I put on over a stone in weight and got into a real comfort-eating pattern with absolutely no exercise of any description going on. I need to lose that stone in order to get back to normal weight (BMI < 25)

I've just joined a gym (the membership cost theoretically being financed by savings I'm making on lunch costs at work!)...

But:

I have problems with portion control - I'm loathe to start weighing things because years back I was bulimic and I really don't want to go back to that overly controlling approach to food - but I think maybe my portions tend to be bigger than they should be!! Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this? I live by myself so I'm just cooking for me.

I think I'm going to give up on making extra for dinner and taking it to work the next day for lunch - in reality I eat it at 10.30 during a Desperate Housewives adbreak.

From experience, I do what Sue mentioned in a much earlier post - sabotage myself - I think that I think that what's stopping my life being perfect is my weight - so when I get close to my ideal weight, I subconsciously think that my life's still not perfect so I make myself put on weight so that I can blame the fact that my life isn't perfect on the fact that I still haven't reached my ideal weight. Does that make sense to anyone? Probably not, it doesn't make sense to me, but I think I do it anyway.

Advice welcome...

MimiJane

littleangel wrote:

Hello all - I've been reading the posts and want to thank everyone for the fantastic advice and support (and special gold star to savvy_sue for her posts - some of which were absoutely hilarious and some of which were just incredibly insightful)

I used to be a runner, and kept my weight in check that way - I ate loads, so I needed to, but it worked! An injury 4 months ago meant that I put on over a stone in weight and got into a real comfort-eating pattern with absolutely no exercise of any description going on. I need to lose that stone in order to get back to normal weight (BMI < 25)

I've just joined a gym (the membership cost theoretically being financed by savings I'm making on lunch costs at work!)...

But:

I have problems with portion control - I'm loathe to start weighing things because years back I was bulimic and I really don't want to go back to that overly controlling approach to food - but I think maybe my portions tend to be bigger than they should be!! Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this? I live by myself so I'm just cooking for me.

I think I'm going to give up on making extra for dinner and taking it to work the next day for lunch - in reality I eat it at 10.30 during a Desperate Housewives adbreak.

From experience, I do what Sue mentioned in a much earlier post - sabotage myself - I think that I think that what's stopping my life being perfect is my weight - so when I get close to my ideal weight, I subconsciously think that my life's still not perfect so I make myself put on weight so that I can blame the fact that my life isn't perfect on the fact that I still haven't reached my ideal weight. Does that make sense to anyone? Probably not, it doesn't make sense to me, but I think I do it anyway.

Advice welcome...

Hi littleangel,

Just seen what time you posted this ... wow, you are up late (or early:) ).

Sorry to hear about your injury, it's not surprising you've put on weight, but it's very achievable to lose that stone (it's exactly what I'm aiming to lose having lost 2 stone to date).

Like you, I have trouble with portion control ... I can eat huge amounts of food (far more than my partner:rolleyes: ) and hate calorie counting. Everyone here has different ways of "dieting" and you obviously have to find something that fits in with your way of life and doesn't leave you wanting to snack too much inbetween meals.

The GI diet is popular and I think fairly easy to follow, but personally I find the claim that certain foods fill you up more not that true in my case (I tend to fight these claims and end up eating more:( ). I'm following the Slimming World diet ... simply because you really can eat a quite a lot, as long as you eat the right foods. Also carbs. are not "banned", though I try to eat the majority in the morning and you don't have to do much exercise to lose weight (I'm restricted in what exercise I can do). Suppose I'm lucky in that I've managed to source the S/W books from a friend and don't have to attend any classes.

Since the beginning of Jan, I've lost a steady 2lbs. a week and have another 10lbs. to go before I'm in the "normal" range for my height.

I can relate to what you're saying about almost reaching your goal, then ruining it by gaining again.:rolleyes: I've done this so many times!

Anyway, if you ever decide you want to try S/W and know little about it, have a look at their web site, which gives you the "bones" of what it's about and includes lots of recipe ideas. Also, feel free to pm me if you want an idea of what I eat on a daily basis.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll soon get rid of the extra weight and keep popping back here for that added incentive and to let us know how you're getting on.

Mimi x

Savvy_Sue

Thank you little angel for your kind comments, I'm glad I am making people laugh because I'm sure I've read somewhere that a good laugh burns off at least as many calories as doing the washing up - or was it passionate sex? - and we all know which is more fun!

Portion control: smaller plates, and buying less are my best two suggestions if you don't want to weigh things. Also gentle re-education: as I said before my sandwich portion is now 2 slices of bread rather than 3. Less good on the biscuit front ... But Mimi's suggestions are good too: there is no one right answer!

I DO weigh frozen veg, pasta and 'portionless' meat - mince or occasionally diced chunks of something, and I don't see this as control freakery, more a budgeting / moneysaving thing. I don't know what 'enough' pasta for my family looks like until it's cooked - actually there's no such thing as 'enough' pasta for my boys! But then my mum always weighed things like this.

But if I were regularly cooking just for one, I think I might start using a measuring cup rather than scales, because it would be quicker. Would that help you without making a link to the past?

Another possible suggestion if you live alone AND you can easily get to reasonably priced shops is to buy what you need when you need it. I know this wouldn't work for everyone, but we share the house with a chap who works from home. He prefers to go and buy what he wants for lunch each day because it gets him out of the house, and he can get what he fancies that day.

I do understand what you are saying about self-sabotage! If there are more important things in your life to try to address, maybe tackle them first. I don't know. Being honest with yourself is quite important, but that can be hard.

Must go, this isn't what I'm supposed to be doing ...

All the best!

VelvetGlove

And here we are with another weekend upon us!

Hi littleangel good to see you around here and hope that we can all help each other along the way!


I went to the gym last week on Monday night, did the work out that was written out for me by one of the Fitness Instructors and I'm still having trouble with my 5 min warm up on the (can't think what it is called but your legs have to move like they are running but on step things that move in an oval kind of shape and your arms have to pump backwards and forwards on the sticky up handle things). I know it is only 5 mins but it is killing! I then do some stretches which feel quite ok and then onto the walking machine at speed 5 for 15 mins plus the cool down bit it adds on at the end. Then I do my leg curls under and leg curls over (sure this isn't what they are called but bear with me as I'm new to the gym lark!) then I do my 5 min cool down on the rowing machine which I find really fun I meant to go twice last week but work kind of got in the way with assessments and I was exhausted mentally by Wednesday so didn't go again.

Got weighed this morning and stayed the same, the weight which went back on over December is proving quite stubborn but I have somenews for it - it is coming off whether it likes it or not! *stamps her foot*

Can't wait to hear how everyone else has gotten on this week

VelvetGlove

sleepy wrote:

Hi, I really need to loose some weight and thought the support of everyone on here might help.
I've always been overweight, but have managed to put 3stones on in two years after moving in with my boyfriend!
I now weigh a frankly horrific 18 st 4 :eek:
I know that it won't be an instant transformation and I'm going to have to work hard, but I'm ready to do it. I've never dieted before, so don't quite know where to start.

Hi sleepy I hope you had a good week this week! There are 100's of diets around and really you need to decide what will fit into your lifestyle. There are quite a range of diets represented on this thread so if you hear about one and want to know if anyone has any experience of a particular diet then just yell out!

Some people do well with structured diets that tell you what you can and should eat in moderation, others can take the calorie counting approach - never been good on the calorie counting as when I go over the total I should have I think oh well I'll claw it back tomorrow - then never do! I have to have a bit more of a framework to keep me from going off the rails.

But you have taken the hardest step which is to make the decision to do something about it! The next hardest thing is to learn to forgive yourself, what I mean by this is that if you go over the rails for one day then just straight back to your healthy eating plan. Don't think that you have 'blown it' and that is it, as that is how I have given up so many times in the past.

*hugs* good luck!

VelvetGlove

maggie1976 wrote:

I'm new here and found this thread really motivating so I thought I'd join in, if that's ok. I'm 28, living with my DH and our 3 cats in Bristol.

I am currently 12st 9lbs having gone up from 10st 9lbs at my lowest. I'll tell you a wee bit about my history. My heaviest weight was 15st and I lost 4.5st by following the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness plans, and attending classes.

We had an amazing honeymoon where I gained 8lbs, and then ever since I've been off the rails.

I really want to get back to 10st 9lbs again which is where I felt good, and it was a good weight for me. My target is to lose 1lb per week and I weigh in each Thursday morning.

I'm still following the Rosemary Conley principles of sticking to a daily calorie limit and everything under 5% fat but I'm struggling with the exercise as I have a really busy life and an even busier husband so we don't get a lot of time to ourselves.

Looking forward to chatting with you all and with any luck, you can help me with my motivation

Maggie.

Hey Maggie,

Welcome to the MSEDiet corner Hopefully the support on the thread and the friendliness of everyone on here will give you that extra little oomph to keep going. I know that the thought each week of posting up my results from 'weigh in' has kept me from the fridge on more than one occasion!

Yell out if you need anything at all

MimiJane

1lb off this week. Pretty chuffed as I've done no exercise and spent a couple of days in bed with a bug eating "comfort foods" as my appetite only slightly diminished (not fair:rolleyes: ).

Back on S/World diet now, so aiming for another 2lb loss this coming week.

How's everyone else doing?

Good luck everyone.:)

sleepy

WOW - managed to loose 4lb this week
Was prob just beginners luck!
I haven't even eaten very differently, just a few less cakes and biscuits - if I don't buy them I can't eat them.
This week I went out for an anniversary meal (+dessert) and had a birthday meal with cake for my boyfriends Dad. BUT, I didn't eat cakes or sweets for the rest of the week. So, instead of eating rubbish all week, I just let myself eat what I wanted on two days. I think this stopped me getting obsessed with food. If I hadn't had some birthday cake, I prob would of thought about it for days and ended up buying a whole cake, this way I just had a slice (well 2 actually but don't tell anyone ).
More political campaiging this coming week aswell, so more walking.
Lets hope I can loose weight next week too.

Oh, and I found the solution to my chocolate cravings - childrens bars. When I was young Cadburys did "wildlife bars" which seem to now be called kiddies bars or something similar. They are really thin, but normal length so you think you're getting a whole chocolate bar. I got a six pack of them and only ate 2 all week (because my boyfriend ate the other 4 :mad: ) but they still stopped me fantasising about chocolate!

Savvy_Sue

Well done sleepy, never mind if it was beginner's luck, it is usually far easier to begin with. And I think you have the right idea: train yourself to have a little of things you will otherwise feel deprived of. Small choccy bars are better than large ones, as long as you don't feel you 'deserve' more than one at a time.

As for me, after getting down to the 9 lb mark when I was ill I was swinging around the 12lb mark for ages, but yesterday I was down to 11 and I realised how close I was to not being obese any more, so that's an encouragement. I will get there! And soon! ...

littleangel

Congratulations to everyone this week!

VelvetGlove - don't worry about not "losing" - if you're working out at the gym you'll be adding a wee bit of muscle while losing fat (and yes, the cross trainer machine is a killer!!!), so staying the same weight isn't a bad thing, it just means that you've replaced a pound or two of fat with the same weight in muscle. Which when it comes to fitting into clothes is actually a good thing as muscle is a lot denser and takes up less room than fat so you look better for the same weight.

I'm not weighing myself for another week. I'm trying to do everything in moderation and not obsess. So, more exercise and less food - but I think I need to try some of the portion control ideas!

Had a Milky Way this afternoon instead of my usual Mars Bar - and it did the trick (plus it was cheaper)... Good suggestion!