How to lose weight - it's simple

Nicki

You seem to have focused your researches on why you can't lose weight anonymoose rather than on ways in which you could. If you start from the mindset that you can't, or that the dietician contradicted herself, then you are setting yourself up to fail. Surely, there were parts of what the dietician said which were helpful and could have been used?

As for exercise with fibro, have you heard of the graded exercise principle? I scoffed at this too, but the idea is that you measure your baseline over a few weeks (i.e. The amount you are currently coping with) and then increase that very very slowly every 5 days. You can stay at the same level for longer if you need to, but you must do that amount every day and must not exceed it other than by the planned amount.

This time last year I could only do 1500 steps a day. I know that's a tiny amount, basically I could get out of bed and wander round the house to get meals and not a lot more. Now I'm up to 7000 steps a day, achieved by increasing my base amount initially only by 100 steps every 4 days, then by 200 step increments as I got stronger, and more recently by the amount I feel I can manage. I still get pain but it's not worse than when I started out and my muscles are stronger and I have more energy than I did when I started. Still have days when I'm sparko on the couch by teatime though!

I was really sceptical when my doctor suggested it, and I posted a few threads about it at the time and got quite discouraging responses from some on MSE but it did actually work even though it was hard at times, and it has improved my quality of life loads. Not well enough to do couch 2 5k though. I tried day 1 a few months ago, and it put me in bed for about a week!

Anoneemoose

Nicki wrote: »

You seem to have focused your researches on why you can't lose weight anonymoose rather than on ways in which you could. If you start from the mindset that you can't, or that the dietician contradicted herself, then you are setting yourself up to fail. Surely, there were parts of what the dietician said which were helpful and could have been used?

As for exercise with fibro, have you heard of the graded exercise principle? I scoffed at this too, but the idea is that you measure your baseline over a few weeks (i.e. The amount you are currently coping with) and then increase that very very slowly every 5 days. You can stay at the same level for longer if you need to, but you must do that amount every day and must not exceed it other than by the planned amount.


This time last year I could only do 1500 steps a day. I know that's a tiny amount, basically I could get out of bed and wander round the house to get meals and not a lot more. Now I'm up to 7000 steps a day, achieved by increasing my base amount initially only by 100 steps every 4 days, then by 200 step increments as I got stronger, and more recently by the amount I feel I can manage. I still get pain but it's not worse than when I started out and my muscles are stronger and I have more energy than I did when I started. Still have days when I'm sparko on the couch by teatime though!

I was really sceptical when my doctor suggested it, and I posted a few threads about it at the time and got quite discouraging responses from some on MSE but it did actually work even though it was hard at times, and it has improved my quality of life loads. Not well enough to do couch 2 5k though. I tried day 1 a few months ago, and it put me in bed for about a week!

As I said, I only focused on why I can't lose weight AFTER 'failing' (or is it the diets failing us?) so many times before. Before this theead, I have focused a LOT of my time on ways to lose weight - and I am bigger than ever. I am not sure why people aren't taking on board the stuff I have already done?? As I also mentioned, because of this, I have consciously made a point of taking the focus off my weight and weight loss. I just do what I can to help my body as it is at the moment.

And no, the dietitian was useless. I am not saying that for effect or negativity because I went in full of hope about keeping my IBS in check, at the same time as helping my weight. She pretty much showed me the NHS eat well plate and told me to count calories and eat low fat..on top of the whole grain/white things contradiction.

Yes, I have heard about the GET, which is something I do attempt, albeit not as regularly as I could due to the pain I suffer. I have attempted the way you have said previously, but with too much payback. There are some days I can do more, of course, and I do. I park the car slightly further away on the school runs, for example. I am at the pain clinic again shortly, so hope to get that under control and then hopefully I can build up more. I am also having my first physio appt on 1/11..she will probably help me further with GET.

FBaby

With all those failed diets, I'm not surprised that you feel so negative, but maybe the common theme was that you considered them as exactly that, diets, rather than ways of changing your eating habits. If you have yo-yo dieted most of your life, it means that you've focused (or been told to) on losing weight and doing so quickly rather than finding what would work for you.

I think trying to adjust to a new eating habit is especially hard when you are not/cannot be active, not so much because of the calories you burn from being so (I think you have to be extremely active to really make a difference from a weight loss perspective), but when you are active, you are not so minded about food!

It goes back to you saying that your body is telling you to eat. I think this is so misleading. I have really noticed that if my working day consists of being at my desk in front of my computer, having to get with boring tasks, my body will beg me to eat food, and it will be so overwhelming at time that it is hard not to believe that is true hunger. However, if my work day is going from meetings to meetings, absorbed in tasks, I can get to end of the day and realised I had nothing to eat without once feeling hungry. That doesn't happen once in a while, it's a common trend, so I am pretty convinced that it has nothing to do with what my body says but what my mind tricks me to believe.

I totally agree with Nicky that if you can set your mind on something else and trying to get active, not just physically, it will make dieting much easier.

helcat26

I have to admit to having some sympathy.
I am not particularly overweight- size 12 although happier when a 10. But I am booked in for foot surgery in Nov and will not be able to stand for 2 weeks or walk properly for 6 weeks and I am already worried that without my usual gym visits I will get bigger. Also do not want to starve because of healing. I am going to have to plan it carefully diet and supplement wise and speak to a trainer at the gym about exercise on one foot.

Anoneemoose

FBaby wrote: »

With all those failed diets, I'm not surprised that you feel so negative, but maybe the common theme was that you considered them as exactly that, diets, rather than ways of changing your eating habits. If you have yo-yo dieted most of your life, it means that you've focused (or been told to) on losing weight and doing so quickly rather than finding what would work for you.

I think trying to adjust to a new eating habit is especially hard when you are not/cannot be active, not so much because of the calories you burn from being so (I think you have to be extremely active to really make a difference from a weight loss perspective), but when you are active, you are not so minded about food!

It goes back to you saying that your body is telling you to eat. I think this is so misleading. I have really noticed that if my working day consists of being at my desk in front of my computer, having to get with boring tasks, my body will beg me to eat food, and it will be so overwhelming at time that it is hard not to believe that is true hunger. However, if my work day is going from meetings to meetings, absorbed in tasks, I can get to end of the day and realised I had nothing to eat without once feeling hungry. That doesn't happen once in a while, it's a common trend, so I am pretty convinced that it has nothing to do with what my body says but what my mind tricks me to believe.

I totally agree with Nicky that if you can set your mind on something else and trying to get active, not just physically, it will make dieting much easier.

Thank you. I do appreciate your input and help. I am not looking for advice on how to lose weight, my point from the start of this was to contradict the OPs point that weight loss is simple. My opinion of that will never change. I did SW on and off probably for the best part of 12 years (after my GP recommended it as a healthy option) and at the time, I considered that a lifestyle change.

For now, as I say, my aim is to listen to my body - to increase unprocessed foods, where possible, and to not get to the point where I am ravenous and light headed because of lack of food - and also not get to the point where I feel sick because of too much. Right now, I am trying to accept my body as it is (and by that I don't mean giving up - I mean taking focus off weight loss as the end goal). I have and do still eat 'emotionally', so I am also working on that.

Mrs_Ryan

bigfreddiel wrote: »

No one in the U.K. Is starving.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/benefits-sanction-resulted-in-my-brother-david-clapson-s-death-says-gill-thompson-as-she-pleads-for-a6911386.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/shocking-rise-brits-being-admitted-9106672
I suggest you read these two links. A diabetic man died after having his benefits sanctioned so he had no way to feed himself. Also 16000 people a year admitted to hospital with malnourishment. Now tell me again no-one in the U.K. is starving.

bigfreddiel

Well okay some people do starve, but more importantly read those articles, starvation isn't good for you, only an idiot would go on a starvation diet in my opinion.

Cheers fj

PasturesNew

Anybody who says they put weight on, tried diets, failed ... it does still go back to the OP: eat less and/or exercise more.

Yesterday I bought a bag of my very favouritest sweeties .... I ate 3 of them. I could've eaten the whole bag, I didn't.

Yesterday I made two sandwiches in the morning ... I ate the 2nd one at tea-time. I could've eaten them both for lunch, I didn't. I could've then made "tea" later as I'd not eaten for a few hours since lunch, I didn't.

Whatever your height, weight, size, shape, situation .... if you eat less than your body needs you will lose weight.

When I put weight on, I spot it and start to eat less. I lose it again. If I don't lose weight, just "eat a little bit less as I can see I'm gaining weight" then my weight stabilises (until some random point when I do have the power to say NO more consistently)...

Eat less, weigh less.
Eat more, weigh more.

It's simple maths.

When I'm overweight at least I admit it's because I ate all the pies. When I want to lose weight I cut the pies in half and eat pie half as frequently.

I'll probably have some crisps later today ... I expect I'll lose weight overall this week, because I won't be eating 4 packets as a snack ... just one and be aware of it. One packet of crisps might even be all I have for lunch ... because you can't eat everything and still lose weight. But you can eat what you fancy/want if you go without something else.

I weigh 54Kg. Last year I weighed 60Kg; I've eaten fewer pies in the last 12 months. And fewer crisps

FBaby

Also 16000 people a year admitted to hospital with malnourishment.

Most people admitted to hospital under undernourishment are older people who are malnourished as a result of poor health, whether physical or mental, not people who end up malnourished through diets. Malnourishment is not just starvation either, it will include lack of absorption of vital vitamins for instance.

FBaby

When I put weight on, I spot it and start to eat less. I lose it again. If I don't lose weight, just "eat a little bit less as I can see I'm gaining weight" then my weight stabilises (until some random point when I do have the power to say NO more consistently)...

And this is exactly what is very simple theoretically, but difficult to put into practice for most overweight people. It's the constant battle to avoid the pleasure that comes from eating, especially naughty foods. The more you go for it, the more you want it and you are stuck in a vicious circle.

I have managed to maintain my weight all my life, but like most people I find it really hard to resist temptation. I love food and if it wasn't for the fact that 1/ I hate the way I feel when I am not the weight I am happy with and 2/ I like to be physically active and remain so for as long as I can in my old age, I would say 'stuff it' and eat until my heart is full! Oh the fantasy of being able to eat anything I feel like at any time, and never affecting the above. How wonderful that would be! It's not to be though, something has to give, and I rather be taking most of that pleasure away to gain the pleasure of feeling good in myself and knowing that I am keeping healthy.

Of course, I still enjoy some of the pleasures but with many restrictions. I don't find it easy, but not as hard as others because I've always done so, because my partner is very good at dealing with temptation so a good role model, because I'm busy so distracted and because I am very active and get my endorphins through pushing myself physically. Not everyone is in that situation though, so it is harder for other people.

Saying that, harder to me never means impossible!