Weight loss/healthy eating help

madlyn · 24 August 2018 at 8:47AM

I have thought about giving that a try, but the thought of starving myself for 2 days a week is not my idea of fun, and as I said I cannot bare feeling hungry.

moneyistooshorttomention · 24 August 2018 at 9:53AM

Admits I had to get out the online calculator etc to figure out what weight you are in "old money" - 13.07 stones - ah...now I know.

I shall be watching for tips with interest. I've just started on a diet again (at last...) and it's the old Slimming World Green Plan (which I did before - and it worked for me).

I never used to pay much heed to what targets other people set themselves when I went along to Slimming World groups back when. I did read their magazines and have just bought latest copy. Personally - I ignore the targets the women featured set themselves these days - as, on average, those targets seem to be about 1 stone higher than they used to set and some women set targets at around 2 stones higher than "what used to be set". If I set my target 2 stones higher - I'd have no weight to lose according to that. But I do need to lose 2 stones. I go by the old height/weight tables and not BMI (which is wrong imo).

I try and watch photos/street scenes from, say, the 1970s to "get my eye in" as to what people "should" look like - as we've all got used to most people being somewhere between plump and grossly obese these days and that hadnt happened yet in the 1970s (fortunately my first adult decade - and so I remember what people used to look like too).

I'm retired now - but, when I was still working, I'd head out every lunchtime (even if there wasn't any shopping needing doing) and just walk around the city generally. I only allowed myself 30 minutes lunchbreak - so it wasnt long. Have you got the type of job where you can eat your lunch whilst at your desk? (as that's what I would do - or my whole lunchbreak would have "vanished").

NB; Don't forget that clothes sizing these days is misleading. For instance - I've got a size 12 Marks & Spencers skirt where the label hasnt faded and it says "Size 12 - 26" waist".

Real clothes sizes are:
size 10 = 32 bust, 34 hips, ? didnt note waist
size 12 = 34 bust, 36 hips, 26 waist
size 14 = 36 bust, 38 hips, 27 waist

2010's clothes sizes are:
size 10 = 34 bust, 37 hips, 27 waist
size 12 = 36 bust, 39 hips, 29 waist
size 14 = 38 bust, 41 hips, 31 waist

You can see they've "re-sized" and put up the measurements by 2" or 3" recently. So, for instance, I'm supposed to be real size 14, but (when I've lost that 2 stones) will need size 12 label size for my top half and size 10 label size for my bottom half in order to get clothes that are really size 14.

NineDeuce · 24 August 2018 at 10:26AM

I have a brilliant diet to recommend.

Its called the 'Eat Less Than Normal' diet. You can eat whatever you want, just a bit less than normal.

At the end of the day, it is about calories in vs calories out, not about cutting out certain foods that you like or otherwise you will just end up eating them in addition to what you have already eaten.

When you have lost the weight, you can go back to eating a bit more.

There is a reason that scam dieting companies such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World are so successful - they dont work.... That's why people keep going back to them.

[Deleted User] · 24 August 2018 at 10:35AM

madlyn wrote: »

I have thought about giving that a try, but the thought of starving myself for 2 days a week is not my idea of fun, and as I said I cannot bare feeling hungry.

Then the fasting diet will not work for you. My husband lost 2 stone and kept it off on the 5:2 diet. I joined in with him as a bit of solidarity and lasted about 1/2 a day before feeling ill.

I also hate being hungry. Please watch the video I suggested above. It explains how you can eat more whilst losing weight. This is by swapping in lots of veg into the diet (to give bulk and make you feel full) whilst reducing calories at the same time by eating less of the higher calories items and more of the lower calorie items. Cutting your portion size down will not work for you as you will feel hungry, but eating more of the right stuff will keep you full.

At the moment you are trying to reduce portion size, but it you don't want to be hungry then this will not work.

I am a big, tall, strapping lass and I can eat for England (and I love food and carbs). However, I maintain my weight by eating as shown in the video.

So for the meal that you cooked I would have swapped from this:

Last night I had pasta (wholemeal) bolognese with 1 slice of garlic bread.
I feel I have to cook a proper meal each night as my partner wants one, I would be happy with egg on toast or something light, however I have made a conscious effort to cut my portion size down.

To:

Start with a small tomato and lentil soup
Swap out 1/2 the wholemeal pasta and add in broccoli, red peppers and kale
Sliced fruit 1 plum, 1/2 apple (shared for the meal) and a few grapes

So you will eating more in volume (to feel full) but less in calories.

Before each hot meal we try and eat a salad as a starter
Before eating sandwiches we eat soup (so veg soup and two slices of bread each rather than no soup and 4 slices).

madlyn · 24 August 2018 at 11:01AM

Spider In The Bath, I love your description of yourself. I to can eat for England and love food and carbs.
The thing that will let me down when it comes to changing my eating is my partner, he wants a huge evening meal and then 30 mins later starts on the cake, biscuits etc... and I know he wont join me in this change.

[Deleted User] · 24 August 2018 at 11:53AM

madlyn wrote: »

Spider In The Bath, I love your description of yourself. I to can eat for England and love food and carbs.
The thing that will let me down when it comes to changing my eating is my partner, he wants a huge evening meal and then 30 mins later starts on the cake, biscuits etc... and I know he wont join me in this change.

You can still make the change even if he won't.

For example, cook the pasta meal with the garlic bread ect. However, at the same time steam some veg for you. When you serve up only take 1/2 the normal pasta and add it to your veg and give him the normal pasta portion and bread, but no bread for you.

If you have already made soup you can take a small bowlful to reheat whilst cooking. Sit down with the soup and pasta. Eat the soup then the pasta whilst he is eating the pasta. Afterwards eat the fruit when he eats cake.

You don't have to eat the same you can adapt.

moneyistooshorttomention · 24 August 2018 at 12:17PM

NineDeuce wrote: »

I have a brilliant diet to recommend.

Its called the 'Eat Less Than Normal' diet. You can eat whatever you want, just a bit less than normal.

At the end of the day, it is about calories in vs calories out, not about cutting out certain foods that you like or otherwise you will just end up eating them in addition to what you have already eaten.

When you have lost the weight, you can go back to eating a bit more.

There is a reason that scam dieting companies such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World are so successful - they dont work.... That's why people keep going back to them.

There's a lot in that - but I think it's worth going along for one set of sessions (and one set only) of either of these diets. You get the general idea as to how to proceed/get the literature and then you can stop going.

I have noticed that Slimming World has changed things a lot since I went back when - and I'm certainly not going to go back again for another "set of sessions" to get the changed info. I'll use the info. I already have and save myself the money.

Where a scam lies as well is in the re-sizing of clothes - so they can sell more clothes by convincing people they're still the same size they used to be - when they arent at all. So these people go out to buy, for instance, new "size 14" clothes - when actually they are now size 18. That's the first set of new clothes - so they can tell themselves they are the same size. The second set of clothes comes when they think "Whoopie - I'm now size 10" and go out and buy another set (this time in "real size 14").

Food manufacturers/restaurants etc are on rather a scam as well. They seem to have pretty much convinced people that portions should look rather bigger - and then people buy more food than they otherwise would.

gettingtheresometime · 24 August 2018 at 1:58PM

madlyn wrote: »

I have thought about giving that a try, but the thought of starving myself for 2 days a week is not my idea of fun, and as I said I cannot bare feeling hungry.

Then have a look at the 16:8 diet.

Basically for 16 hours of every 24 hours you fast ....but bear in mind that you're asleep for 8 of those 16 hours. You can still drink water but tea / coffee needs to be unsweetened & without milk.

Obviously you still have to watch what you eat in the 8 hours.

Also if you feel hungry drink a glass of water & then wait 20 minutes ....if you're still hungry then eat something...in fact on Slimming World you're encouraged to drink 2litres a day.

The other thing I would do is use the my fitness pal app to actually log what you eat - you may think you're eating healthy but even small portion sizes may be taking you over your calorie need - bear in mind to lose 1lb you need to have a calorie deficit of 3500.

elsien · 24 August 2018 at 2:09PM

Honey nut flakes for breakfast is probably why you're getting hungry earlier. There's nothing much to them but sugar and they're not filling.

Could you try something like banana and plain yoghurt for breakfast instead?
And if you know you're having a cooked meal in the evening have smaller lunches with healthier snacks.

maman · 24 August 2018 at 5:52PM

NineDeuce wrote: »

There is a reason that scam dieting companies such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World are so successful - they dont work.... That's why people keep going back to them.

I don't know if you've ever tried it but Slimming World is the only 'diet' I've ever tried and it's certainly worked for me.

My weight gradually crept up over about 10 years due to a variety of changes like a more sedentary job, grabbing unhealthy food on the run and general change in lifestyle.

Almost exactly 8 years ago I joined Slimming World at just light of the same weight as madlyn. Within a year I'd lost just over 3.5 stone and I've kept it off ever since.

Slimming World isn't really a diet at all. It's a healthy way of eating. Nothing is banned. The plan gives a structure so that it's easy to work out how much of each food group and how many 'treats' will maintain a healthy weight.

IMO the best way to do SW is to cook from scratch but they have recently brought out some ready meals as they recognise that some people are in a hurry.

It's not a scam or even rocket science. I think we all know that we should be having more fruit, veg and lean protein than carbs and fats. Also we know that things like sweets and crisps and cakes and pastry and booze should be kept as a treat rather than everyday food. It really is that simple.

gettingtheresometime is right that groups do go out of their way to be friendly but once you have a set of books and a basic explanation of how it works it's not difficult to go it alone, especially if you join an online group. The first session including the books costs just under £10. Often (such as the beginning of term) there are vouchers in magazines that save £5.

I've got no vested interest in SW. I just know it's worked for me and others. Those that 'keep going back' know it works but like any healthy option whether it's food or booze or exercise it's easier to give up. Sadly, SW don't sell willpower.:(

Weight loss/healthy eating help

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