Intervention Needed - Diet and Exercise on a budget

cherryblossomzel

I think it's really all about your everyday habits. The way to change that is to make small, but sustainable changes. So for example: if you tend to eat chocolate (or crisps or whatever) every day, rather than saying you'll stop eating it alltogether (which is just setting yourself up to fail), try to cut down the amount (a small choccie, rather than a big one) or try switching to every second day, rather than every day. With your meals: try making your portion sizes just a tiny bit smaller than normal, or switch just one small part of the meal for something a bit more healthy.

The point is to make changes that are so small you don't really notice it, and therefore never feel deprived or rebellious. Once it becomes your "new normal", you can then make another small changes, and keep repeating the cycle.

Same thing with exercise: commit to only a short exercise session at first, and work up to more/longer sessions as the habit becomes ingrained.

This is pretty boring, there's no big declarative, no giant accomplishment all at once, but it is sustainable, which is what you want: lifelong habits.

Trying to make too many big changes all at once is seldom successful in the long term.

purpleshoes_2

cherryblossomzel wrote: »

I think it's really all about your everyday habits. The way to change that is to make small, but sustainable changes. So for example: if you tend to eat chocolate (or crisps or whatever) every day, rather than saying you'll stop eating it alltogether (which is just setting yourself up to fail), try to cut down the amount (a small choccie, rather than a big one) or try switching to every second day, rather than every day. With your meals: try making your portion sizes just a tiny bit smaller than normal, or switch just one small part of the meal for something a bit more healthy.

The point is to make changes that are so small you don't really notice it, and therefore never feel deprived or rebellious. Once it becomes your "new normal", you can then make another small changes, and keep repeating the cycle.

Same thing with exercise: commit to only a short exercise session at first, and work up to more/longer sessions as the habit becomes ingrained.

This is pretty boring, there's no big declarative, no giant accomplishment all at once, but it is sustainable, which is what you want: lifelong habits.

Trying to make too many big changes all at once is seldom successful in the long term.

Again, that works for some people and not others. Cutting crisps down to every second day wouldnt have worked for me, Id still have craved them. Cutting them out for a period of weeks and then having a packet very occasionally was what worked for me.

I rarely eat junk and if I do want it I'll go out and have it, but I can treat myself with food that isnt junk, for example fruit instead.

cherryblossomzel

purpleshoes wrote: »

Again, that works for some people and not others.

Yes, I shouldn't have made it sound like the one and only solution, there is no one and only solution.

But the OP did try several diets and found them unmanageable and was "miserable", which to me suggests that dramatic changes won't work here.

Besides, the point is to make changes in such a way that you don't really notice it. If you really want crisps every day, then do so. Make changes in some other part of your diet where you don't care so much. Sooner or later you'll get to the crisps, or you won't, but the rest of your diet will be good enough. (obviously when I say "you", I mean it in a general sense, not to mean any particular person).

purpleshoes wrote: »

I rarely eat junk and if I do want it I'll go out and have it, but I can treat myself with food that isnt junk, for example fruit instead.

I'm sure we all want to be able to say this, but not everyone can make such a change instantly. I certainly can't.

purpleshoes_2

cherryblossomzel wrote: »

Yes, I shouldn't have made it sound like the one and only solution, there is no one and only solution.

But the OP did try several diets and found them unmanageable and was "miserable", which to me suggests that dramatic changes won't work here.

Besides, the point is to make changes in such a way that you don't really notice it. If you really want crisps every day, then do so. Make changes in some other part of your diet where you don't care so much. Sooner or later you'll get to the crisps, or you won't, but the rest of your diet will be good enough. (obviously when I say "you", I mean it in a general sense, not to mean any particular person).



I'm sure we all want to be able to say this, but not everyone can make such a change instantly. I certainly can't.

I was obese when I made those changes, morbidly so, after an injury I was the heaviest I had been in my life. It was either radically change my diet or stay miserable.

The thing is, so many people are addicted on some level to sugar or savoury snacks. With me it was savoury stuff. But I know people who crave the sweet stuff. I was talking to someone the other night who craves cookies. If she buys a packet of cookies she eats them all.

Thats the problem, some people are terrible at moderation. I am. I had to go cold turkey on a few things, savoury snacks, even alcohol to be able to reintroduce them back into my life in smaller quantities. One pack of crisps a day at that time would have led to 2 and so on.

Also, the benefit Ive had from weighing over 50 pounds less, far outweighs me wanting junk food. Ive dropped two dress sizes, Im fitter. I know how hard it is, Ive been battling an extra stone or more (sometimes much more) on and off for 25 years and had some periods of good fitness in between that all went to pot after two broken bones and some other life stuff.

I spent a long time thinking I had no willpower when I actually had. And for some people if you do go cold turkey, you dont crave whatever it was you were craving before, was certainly that way for me.

YORKSHIRELASS

So much good advice on here. The truth is that simple, small changes - eating less processed food, cutting down on alcohol and avoiding too many sugary, fatty foods combined with a bit of exercise everyday will slowly show results. This has got to be a complete life change though.

I work with a lovely lady who is a bit overweight. She is constantly searching for that miracle diet or exercise plan that will make the weight disappear. It will never work.

As for exercise, find something that you can learn to enjoy. Brisk walking is a great way to start just to get you out there and you dont need much time or equipment. Remember all exercise is good for you and whatever you do its better than doing nothing. You can build up to jogging or long distance running later if you want or try exercise classes, swimming, cycling or whatever. Once you get doing some regular exercise you will naturally start to want to eat healthier.

And yes, its about what works for you. I hate the gym and love to be out in the fresh air but thats just me. Good luck.