Anyone else on a diet and struggling?

Quasar

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Sorry to hijack, quick question for the knowledgable amongst us, is porridge (plain) a healthy option for breakfast? I was eating cereal but when I saw how much sugar was in it decided to switch to porridge, plus it fills me up more, just wanting to know if it's a good option?

Porridge is very healthy as oatmeal is usually wholegrain. Just watch the portion and don't add sugar, or perhaps a tiny amount of molasses sugar (which is NOT refined and contains vitamins and mineralls) or maple syrup (which also contains minerals etc). Make all this organic if you can and you're on to a very nutritious breakfast

Oats contain large amounts of soluble fibre which maintains good cholesterol level and provides bulk without inflaming the bowels the way wheat fibre does in some people. I use a little oats in many sauces and stews too.

System

Quasar wrote: »

Porridge is very healthy as oatmeal is usually wholegrain. Just watch the portion and don't add sugar, or perhaps a tiny amount of molasses sugar (which is NOT refined and contains vitamins and mineralls) or maple syrup (which also contains minerals etc). Make all this organic if you can and you're on to a very nutritious breakfast

Oats contain large amounts of soluble fibre which maintains good cholesterol level and provides bulk without inflaming the bowels the way wheat fibre does in some people. I use a little oats in many sauces and stews too.

Ooh maple syrup is good? :eek: thinkni have some somewhere though can quite happily eat it plain

Thanks for the info, going to see if I can find some more organic oats for it

~Chameleon~

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Ooh maple syrup is good? :eek: thinkni have some somewhere though can quite happily eat it plain

Thanks for the info, going to see if I can find some more organic oats for it

Also make it with whole milk. Many people opt for semi or skimmed milk but to be honest milk is a low fat product anyway containing less than 5% fat and the health benefits of full fat milk outweigh the very few calories saved otherwise.

Add fresh fruit (berries, banana), cinnamon (great health properties - reduces blood glucose levels and inflammation amongst others) instead of sugar. A squidge of natural honey is fine too.

nickyhutch

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

Would it be possible for those who eat healthy and have lost weight to maybe tell us what they eat or as one poster mentioned a photo

I started my lifestyle change on 7 Jan 2013. I promised myself I would go to the gym or do some other activity if I couldn't get to the gym, or if the weather was nice, and that I would calorie count. For three months I didn't drink alcohol, did the exercise and calorie counted.

After three months I started drinking now and again (for an event, say). I've always allowed myself to go out and eat, always joined in social occasions, but made HEALTHY CHOICES instead of, like on previous "diets", using them as an excuse to go mad on a binge.

I gradually stopped including carby stuff like potato, pasta, rice etc. in my meals but wouldn't say I don't eat carbs. I didn't deliberately cut them out - I just found they took up too many valuable calories. I taste husband's carby food, and pick at bits here and there, but don't, say, have a sandwich at lunch, or a jacket with tea, and definitely no white.

Now, at a size (6) I'm delighted with (and scared of putting weight back on ), this is what I do - breakfast is porridge, or occasionally (hungover ) egg on wholegrain toast. Lunch is crackers and philly and salad, or a huge salad with ham and egg, or tuna, maybe some homemade soup. Tea is fish, chicken, turkey, bacon loin or similar, and a huge plate of veg. I allow myself to eat as much veg and salad as I like without counting it. I usually have a small sweet thing late on, such as jelly tots or a curly wurly.

One day per week, usually a Saturday, we have a cooking night where we get a bit more exciting. I've always loved cooking so miss that aspect of eating, and I make up for it on my night off. We cook curries, steaks, allsorts. This is ONE NIGHT PER WEEK AT MOST, and only since I've got to a weight I'm happy with, and even so, I still don't have much in the way of carbs, other than copious amounts of wine and vodka. Having said that, I'm pished from a glass of wine these days. Also, this is not a day off; it's an evening off. The rest of the day is still eating sensibly. I don't use it as en excuse to feed my face all day - quite the opposite, actually. On a Saturday I go to the gym, then do a circuit class, than Body Pump class, then go home, get gorgeous and shop for tea, then get on it.

I go to the gym 6 days a week doing weight training, some cardio, circuit classes, PT group sessions, Body Pump and HIT. I know I need to eat more protein to feed my (ever-growing) muscles so am trying to bear this in mind whilst balancing it with not putting weight back on.

I've lost somewhere between 5 and 6 stones, judging by my clothes and the weights I've been before. I haven't weighed myself at all and don't intend to start doing so.

Tink, if you want to change your body, you'll need to change your mindset, and for good. Asking about portion sizes for chips and pizza shows that you're not doing. You won't lose weight eating the stuff you eat now. I know - I've "dieted" since being 11 (I'm 44 now) and eating crap, however you count it, wont work.

System

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Also make it with whole milk. Many people opt for semi or skimmed milk but to be honest milk is a low fat product anyway containing less than 5% fat and the health benefits of full fat milk outweigh the very few calories saved otherwise.

Add fresh fruit (berries, banana), cinnamon (great health properties - reduces blood glucose levels and inflammation amongst others) instead of sugar. A squidge of natural honey is fine too.

Ah the milk debate

I've been trying to tell my bf that semi/skimmed milk isn't always better but he wasn't having any of it! Had some apple with it the other day but will try some more of your suggestions!

Thanks

Edit: wow Nicky that is awesome! I need to lose about 7 stone to be in the healthy range so it's inspiring to see someone who's made positive changes and got results!

System

Also Chameleon do you per chance have any good links about milk? Just want something to back me up! If look myself but I want some good links to back it up

Izadora

I was always told that you're better of having skimmed milk as it has all the same benefits as whole milk, just less fat. There's also the fact that I don't really like milk and can't bear the taste of full fat milk in coffee...

System

Izadora wrote: »

I was always told that you're better of having skimmed milk as it has all the same benefits as whole milk, just less fat. There's also the fact that I don't really like milk and can't bear the taste of full fat milk in coffee...

I've only really been using it for porridge

I stopped drinking normal tea and switched to green tea :eek:

~Chameleon~

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Also Chameleon do you per chance have any good links about milk? Just want something to back me up! If look myself but I want some good links to back it up

Whole milk, especially organic (and raw, unpasteurised is even better if you can get it) contains a significantly larger amount of Omega 3 fatty acids than semi or skimmed milk. As our diets are often imbalanced in the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio, it's important to increase our intake of Omega 3 where possible.

A recent study done in the US showed that whole milk contains twice as much Omega 3 than semi-skimmed and two-thirds more than skimmed milk.

Milk also contains vitamins A and D but these are fat soluble vitamins so need the fat in the milk for your body to be able to absorb them. It can't easily do this if the fat has been removed from the milk so drinking semi or skimmed even if fortified with extra calcium and vitamins is a waste of time. And, as I've said before milk is a naturally low fat product anyway. Mother nature knows best!

The same also applies to other dairy products, e.g. cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream. Always use the whole product variety but maybe just reduce the amount you consume if worried about extra calories. In the latter products, the low-fat versions always contain more sugar which is far more harmful to you than natural saturated fat which can actually help to raise the good (HDL) cholesterol and lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.

rainbowfairydust

nickyhutch wrote: »

I started my lifestyle change on 7 Jan 2013. I promised myself I would go to the gym or do some other activity if I couldn't get to the gym, or if the weather was nice, and that I would calorie count. For three months I didn't drink alcohol, did the exercise and calorie counted.

After three months I started drinking now and again (for an event, say). I've always allowed myself to go out and eat, always joined in social occasions, but made HEALTHY CHOICES instead of, like on previous "diets", using them as an excuse to go mad on a binge.

I gradually stopped including carby stuff like potato, pasta, rice etc. in my meals but wouldn't say I don't eat carbs. I didn't deliberately cut them out - I just found they took up too many valuable calories. I taste husband's carby food, and pick at bits here and there, but don't, say, have a sandwich at lunch, or a jacket with tea, and definitely no white.

Now, at a size (6) I'm delighted with (and scared of putting weight back on ), this is what I do - breakfast is porridge, or occasionally (hungover ) egg on wholegrain toast. Lunch is crackers and philly and salad, or a huge salad with ham and egg, or tuna, maybe some homemade soup. Tea is fish, chicken, turkey, bacon loin or similar, and a huge plate of veg. I allow myself to eat as much veg and salad as I like without counting it. I usually have a small sweet thing late on, such as jelly tots or a curly wurly.

One day per week, usually a Saturday, we have a cooking night where we get a bit more exciting. I've always loved cooking so miss that aspect of eating, and I make up for it on my night off. We cook curries, steaks, allsorts. This is ONE NIGHT PER WEEK AT MOST, and only since I've got to a weight I'm happy with, and even so, I still don't have much in the way of carbs, other than copious amounts of wine and vodka. Having said that, I'm pished from a glass of wine these days. Also, this is not a day off; it's an evening off. The rest of the day is still eating sensibly. I don't use it as en excuse to feed my face all day - quite the opposite, actually. On a Saturday I go to the gym, then do a circuit class, than Body Pump class, then go home, get gorgeous and shop for tea, then get on it.

I go to the gym 6 days a week doing weight training, some cardio, circuit classes, PT group sessions, Body Pump and HIT. I know I need to eat more protein to feed my (ever-growing) muscles so am trying to bear this in mind whilst balancing it with not putting weight back on.

I've lost somewhere between 5 and 6 stones, judging by my clothes and the weights I've been before. I haven't weighed myself at all and don't intend to start doing so.

Tink, if you want to change your body, you'll need to change your mindset, and for good. Asking about portion sizes for chips and pizza shows that you're not doing. You won't lose weight eating the stuff you eat now. I know - I've "dieted" since being 11 (I'm 44 now) and eating crap, however you count it, wont work.

wow !! Congratulations on the loss .. That is incredible :T:T:T:T