what can I change (diet)

mildredalien

Have you ever seen that secret eaters programme? It's full of people who say they are gaining weight while on a normal healthy diet but are actually eating huge amounts of food. I'm not saying that you are eating way over your calorie intake each day, but it's probably worth actually writing down every single thing that you eat for a week or two and trying to figure out portion sizes/calories. Ultimately if you are gaining weight unless there is some medical explanation it's because you are taking more calories in than you are expending.

thunderbird

As suggested by Carl31 I would go for a change in activity rather than dieting (although maybe alter slightly just to give your body a change). Try some weight training type exercises - you can do them at home using own body weight if you don't have time/money for gym/equipment.

maman

I lost weight on Slimming World. I'd never been on a 'diet' in my life and it really worked for me so now I'm a convert!:) There's a good thread on the Health and Beauty board if you're interested. BUT, what I came on to say that it's really a common sense healthy eating plan that allows for any amount of healthy foods (lean meat, fruit and veg etc) but limits to treats the things we know should be treats (alcohol, biscuits, chocolate, fat etc).

What I read in your post was a 'side order' of whatever. I've noticed when trying to eat healthily you have to be very careful when eating out. What seem to be healthy foods have extra calories added with dressings, sauces, cooked in oil, butter drizzled on veg.. You only have to look at the calorie counts of take away salads or sandwiches in places like M&S to prove my point.

What I'm saying is you might be having lots of extra calories without realising it. I'd commend the idea of a food diary but also consider how things are cooked. If you can try and have a couple of weeks where you don't eat out then you'll know what's going into all your food.

I've made small changes to your average menu to give you some ideas of the tweaks I'd make. HTH.:)


My typical day food-wise looks like this: breakfast is yoghurt (have fat free) and cereal (small portion of sugar free like Weetabix or Puffed Wheat), or some toast (wholemeal) and cheese (limit cheese as it's fatty) with tea, or on the weekends I'd make an omelette (have plain or veg not cheese and use a spray oil). No snacking until lunchtime (maybe a fruit snack if it limits how much you eat at lunch) - and typical is some meat (lean) or fish (baked, no batter) with a side order of salad (perhaps balsamic or small amount of low cal mayo) or veggies or pasta or rice (again, plain pasta or with a tomato sauce and plain boiled rice). Mid afternoon I have fruit.

fluffymuffy

I put OH on a diet of 300cals every three hours and he's lost half a stone in a month. It means about 5 meals a day, or 6 if he gets up early and stays up late. I found this diet on the Insanity course.

pigpen

Could the cereal be better? Cornflakes for example are very sugar heavy whereas more complex stuff like porridge might mean to eat less as a portion and still stay full longer.

Fewer potatoes/rice bread and more veggies/salad.

The thing is you have to eat a certain number of calories or your body thinks it is starving.. I don't eat enough to lose weight supposedly.. which was the problem my mother faced when she went to WW.

If everything is 'full fat' milk, cheese, yoghurt etc you could make a calorie saving there.

That said... you are nowhere near overweight at the height/weight you have stated so really you don't need to lose anything.

thunderbird

pigpen wrote: »

If everything is 'full fat' milk, cheese, yoghurt etc you could make a calorie saving there.

A lot of current thinking (or at least bits I keep reading about!) say that low fat versions are worse for weight gain (and general health). For instance, full fat, sugar-free yogurt is 'better' than a diet version.

thehappybutterfly

thunderbird wrote: »

A lot of current thinking (or at least bits I keep reading about!) say that low fat versions are worse for weight gain (and general health). For instance, full fat, sugar-free yogurt is 'better' than a diet version.

I have to agree with this. The low fat yogurts are invariably flavoured with artificial sweetener which makes me bloated and crampy. The worst culprit is the Mullerlite yogs. I'd sooner go for Onken or Rachel's yogurts. Just less of it.

Primrose

I think portion size may be the guilty party here. Try eating normally but cutting portion size down by 25 per cent and serve your meals on smaller plates. I found cheese is a killer when it comes to calories too. If you're eating cheese on toast put a very thin layer so mustard on the toast first if you like the "kick" of a strong cheese and then you can reduce the amount of cheese considerably.

pigpen

thunderbird wrote: »

A lot of current thinking (or at least bits I keep reading about!) say that low fat versions are worse for weight gain (and general health). For instance, full fat, sugar-free yogurt is 'better' than a diet version.

That is because natural sugars.. from fruit/milk etc is more easily broken down than fake sugars.. aspartame, sorbitol etc.. which also have nasty side effects.. I was referring more to semi skimmed milk to full fat which was obvious to me ..

FBaby

When you say 'diet', do you mean what is what you consider your normal diet or is what you describe a slimming diet? I'm not sure because you say you used to be 59-61 and have now put on weight so it doesn't sound like you are on a slimming diet (and therefore having hit a rut).

There are not many reasons that could explain an unexplained gain weight.
- The most common one is pregnancy
- A medical condition (thyroid being the common one), but you say you had blood test and that should have picked it up
- You might have suddenly given up a physical activity, but again that doesn't seem to be your case
- You have a disproportionate view of your portions
- You do snack but have a mental block around it
- You do have more unhealthy meals than you remember
- You suffer from sleep walking and eat at night without being conscious of it!!!