Is OS bad for me?

angelavdavis

Hi Boo,

I fully sympathise as I have also put on weight in the last year or so and desperately need to lose some weight before my wedding in September so OH and I are on an eating plan/diet.

Many years ago I bought an eating plan when I lived in the US and its the only thing that really helps me lose weight by speeding up my metabolism. Have tried other diets like weightwatchers and Slimming World but always put the weight back on!

I need to be quite strict with myself and what I have found is that on this eating plan, if I have a couple of naughty days, I get away with it (provided I go back on the plan after).

The diet stops me eating the following as all are conducive to slowing down the metabolism:

-Sugar (of any sort)
-Fruit juices (pure sugar)
-watermelon and oranges (pure sugar)
-grapes/cherries (pure sugar)
-Bread -see complex carbs below (I know, BM is in hiding at the moment!)
-Red meat (mainly during the initial 6 weeks as it is higher in fat)
-Milk/cream/cheese
-Alcohol (allowed for cooking)
-Diet drinks (many contain high levels of sodium that retains water)
-Salt or any salty foods
-Complex carbs that take longer to digest - eg pasta (sadly!), wheat noodles
-Cooking Oils
-Pulses and red kidney beans (slow to digest)
-Egg yolks (high in Cholesterol and fats)
-Sweetcorn (sugar)

Allowed:
-White meats and fish (obviously not fried with oils)
-Strawberries, yellow melons, grapefruit (good for metabolism), blueberries (good for metabolism), raspberries, peaches, lemons, limes,
-egg whites
-Onions, celery, courgettes, spinach, other greens, peppers, peas
-sprouted beans (such as beansprouts)
-Tea and coffee (no milk, although I can't drink team without milk so I have to cheat and limit myself!)
-seafood (limit due to being high cholesterol)
-Tomatoes, puree (salt-free only), passata, tinned toms
-Mushrooms
-herbs and spices
-Rice of any type
-Rice noodles
-fresh pineapple

The meal plan allows you 6 meals a day(!). Meat portions though are allowed four times a day but only 2-3oz portions each time.

Example of daily menu:

Rapid results Breakfast - half grapefruit, three egg whites (either hard boiled and eaten or whipped and cooked as omelette)
Snack - 3oz turkey breast and 1-2 cups of greens
Lunch - 2 oz chicken breast, half cup rice and 1-2 cups mixed veg
Snack - 3oz fresh tuna and 1-2 cups of greens
Dinner - chicken sauteed in white wine, steamed asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes
Snack - half cup of mixed berries

I have been doing this (as I have been living in hotels through working away and piled the weight on) for 6 weeks and have lost a stone. Once I reach my required weight, I then do this 3 days a week to maintain the weight and eat whatever I like the rest of the week.

Exercise is important too in ensuring your metabolism doesn't slow down, but this is a scientific diet as all the foods allowed are foods that speed up metabolism.

Obviously, it goes without saying, you need to be careful when doing any diets if you have any other health issues and check with your GP.

OH's portions are bigger too because he needs more calories.

I have managed to continue this eating plan using OS principles (although must admit I am lacking enthusiasm for dinner tonight!)

I found to curb my sweet cravings that I could make some apple sauce using a little sweetener and had that as a treat.

patchwork_cat

HI
I do understand where you are coming from with the Dr. I have had sciatica for years and the best one could offer me was to lose weight. Yes it does help, but as it stops me walking losing weight ain't easy! Don't take it - as if you are only eating 2000 cals then it may be an underactive thyroid or other such problem.That is why I say weigh everything and keep an accurate food diary for a week and check your calories consumed - if they aren't bad and you are still gaining then maybe a visit to doc is in order. But be accurate - you would be amazed how little 1 oz of muesli is!

boo81

I wonder if it might be better to eat less cereal in the morning and plan a more substantial mid morning break. I feel maybe I eat too much in the mornings as im preparing myself for not getting hungry before lunch, wondering if this doesnt help!

Angeladavis, that sounds great in theory but very bland. Im not sure how to exist without using oil in anything for starters and I imagine my meusli would certainly be off the menu as its wheat. I could maybe follow that for a few days a week at a push, I would lose enthusiasm I think.

There are lots of things not mentioned though the main ones being aubergine, lettuce and potatoes. Also is pork a white or red meat, seems to depend who you ask!

Im thinking maybe the answer is to have a couple of mega healthy days per week, a couple like normal and try and cut down on treats. I dont have scales I just go by how things fit me. I find that my weight yoyos naturally a lot and ive been know to gain 1/2 stone in a week!

Gingham_Ribbon

Can't give advice because I'm a roly poly pudding but I just wanted to sympathise!

Lucie_2

OH & I have been on a healthy eating kick since Christmas, here's some of our main changes:

Check the calories content of your breakfast cereal. Some, especially muesli etc are huge. OH found that crunchy nut cornflakes had one of the lowest calorie counts per portion, and don't need any extra sugar.

Fill up on fruit & low fat yoghurts. OH likes the muller rice type as they are quite filling, but I prefer the muller lite yoghurts.

Opt for low/reduced fat options, ie reduced fat coconut milk, half fat mozzarella, fat free campbells soups etc. It does make a difference.

Sweet treat is a lemonade sparkle lolly - something ridiculous like 47 cals per lolly.

We have no cakes, crisps, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol, ice cream or cream.

We've also been going to the gym at least 3 times per week for 30-60 minutes cardiovascular exercise.

Make sure you are eating enough. If you starve your body it will "hoard" calories for later. I'm a big fan of eating small & often, like every 2 hours.

Is 4oz pasta dried or cooked weight? I work on approx 2oz uncooked pasta per person as a portion.

Watch out that you're not undoing all your good work during the week by "relaxing" the rules too much at the weekend. It's recognised as a form of yo-yo dieting.

We're doing pretty well, OH has lost 12kg and I've lost 8kg.

boo81

Well I would like to know the calories in my cereal but its from abel and cole and I dont think its printed on it, what is an ideal calorie intake for breakfast?

Im not good with snacks strangely or not healthy ones! I dont eat fruit in any form on its own (can with cream, or in things) or raw veg really and dont really like nuts of anything healthy like that so this is where I have problems.

4oz is uncooked, I tried having 3oz and found myself unable to sleep from hunger. I could maybe cut it down 1/2 oz at the most.

sammy_kaye18

tine wrote: »

you're not on the depo injection are you? (I gained 2 stone on that and still struggling to shift it!)

Oh good god that EVIL thing!!!!! Tine - I was on the depo injection for a year exactly - before i had the injection i was a nice size 12 and weighed 10.5 - 11st. I was happy. I went on the b@stard thing and here i am 2 years on 4 STONE HEAVIER and 3 dress sizes bigger. Its only now startign to come off me. The injection made me severely depressed, my hair was falling out and i mean in clumps not strands, i didnt even want to look at my boyfriend in the romantic sense, i was moody, and no matter how much i dieted/worked out i still gained weight. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone - dont get me wrong it worked (ie no babies) but my god i was a biatch to live with

lil_me

Click on the i next to the one you buy, then on dietary info to find out the calories etc.

No specific calorie intake for each meal as long as it balances out, my diet sheet states 25g of museli with 1/4 pint skimmed milk from daily allowance. When you weigh it it does look very small but I find a smaller bowl helps make it look better, been using the little plastic ikea ones I got years ago for the kids.

scuzz

Take up figiting. I heard you burn lots of calories if you just keep moving. Try finger druming, chair dancing. All will probably annoy others, but it passes the time!!!

boo81

LOL, im already a really bad figit. I sit at meetings and wonder why everyones water had T-rex style tremors going through them and realise its me and my annoying leg jiggling!