Diets make us fat: the solution is simple

I like a good carvery where you can pile your plate with good veg and keep the potato portion low. I usually miss out stuff like stuffing and apple sauce. Amazing how many cals they contribute!

Calories on menus wouldn't bother me. I'd just ignore them or, if I read them at all, dismiss them. By our age, we ought to know what food we need and not have to rely on somebody else to tell us. I reckon if one needs to know how many calories one's eating or how big a portion "should" be, one's doing it all wrong. Surely we can look at a plate of food and know before we start whether we can need to eat it all?

I resent restaurants that put calorie counts against items on their menus. If I go our for a meal, I want to enjoy it without getting a calculator out. Perhaps they could supply two versions of the menu - one with and one without calorie counts.

That is the point I was making., sorry I did not express myself clearly

It boils down to the fact that you've just got go hungry. Only way you'll lose weight. (Bummer)

And it's a bugger that muscle weighs more than fat. Why bother to exercise? And exercise just makes you had hungrier. # fedupbutwillcontinue

Flickety I think it's accepted that metabolic rate goes down as you get older, so you 'need' fewer calories. This also happens if you have an underactive thyroid gland.
Also that regular exercise increases your metabolic rate, even when you're not actually exercising, so the benefit of exercise carries on after you've finished whatever it is you're doing.
However, exercising will increase your muscle mass, and weight.
Then there's the question of satiety - some foods make you feel full for longer, whereas others stimulate you to want more.
So it's a bit more complicated than just reducing the number of calories.

A point in favour of ready meals is, you know exactly how many calories you are taking in from the numbers on the carton. That is helpful for serious calorie counting. (And how much protein and fat too of course)

Dieting has become such a big thing. I try to keep to the at least 5 fruit and veg a day, walk and not eat too much rubbish. I don't buy ready meals and agree with qwerkylesley that anything low fat has stuff in to make it taste good.
My only downfall is cake/scones and I do like to indulge. Having said that, I'm finding the portions out of the house seem to be larger and larger and more synthetic - I haven't eaten a luscious chocolate cake for ages! Still, I quite like making boiled fruit cake but it gets to be a bit of a habit. If I do begin to feel larger (waistbands), I try to cut out the cake and it usually works.
Bowls are also good for keeping a check on portion size - if it doesn't all fit in the bowl it's too big.
But it's sometimes a bit difficult to say 'no' at times of stress etc.

Does anyone actually read all the stuff printed on packaging labels. Surely you work out what is a sensible and adequate portion for yourself and use it.

I can remember when frozen food used to come in tiny packets that declared that they would feed 4. I seem to remember from childhood 40z packs of frozen peas declaring they contained enough for four people. I cannot remember anyone taking any notice of that. 5 portions would be squeezed out of a tin of fruit that claimed to feed 4 but two packets of peas each meant to serve four even then provided a very small portion

DH has had ulcerative colitis all his adult life and when he was stressed used to lose weight as food (TMI alert) simply went through him. He could eat 3 hot meals a day and no end of snacks and never put on a pound,as a well covered Californian cousin once said to him " R..... I literally hate your guts!" Me? Well I think we must look like Jack and Mrs Sprat.

I am sure there are people more prone to putting on weight than others but I do think that they increase in the amount of sugary and fatty products and a lack of portion control has mainly contributed to the increase in obesity. Too many large portions.

www.tescomagazine.com/media/docs/Portion-size-onlinev3-b3dd2b4f-6abf-4383-b258-686cacb628a3-0.pdf

This portion guide recommended 50 to 75 gram of pasta per person.
The supermarket pasta in my cupboard suggests 100gram of pasta per person. So many fast food outlets have gradually increased their portion sizes. Is it any wonder we have an obesity crisis.
Carefully measuring portions and not always having nibbles in the house must be a way to start.

Well, eating real food is what I do. I do not have a sweet tooth, the reverse, I turn down sweet things because I do not like them, I do not snack and never have and I easily eat the recommended 5 8 portions of fruit and veg, mainly veg, a day. Once again, not for any formal diet reasons but because I love vegetables and because for the last 50 years it has successfully managed a minor medical problem.

I think we do not take into account differences in genetic inheritance which affects metabolism and many other bodily operations, when we make glib statements about calories, exercise and 'simples'.

DH had to have regular medicals throughout his working life in order to work offshore. Right from his early 20s, when he was fit, normal weight, non-smoker, light drinker, with a good diet, his blood pressure and blood sugar were always right at the top of the normal range and he frequently had retests. At the same time, when I occasional had these things tested, I was always at the low end of normal. Life and living people are complicated, simples.

It's always been simple for me. I'm through the menopause and am the same weight as I was at fifteen. If my waistbands feel a bit tight I eat less. It really has been that simple.

I've never drunk sugary drinks and I've never avoided foods high in saturated fats. Harcombe is right, we just need to eat real food and not too much.

That said, I think it's perfectly normal and not unhealthy for people to put on a bit of weight as they age. Middle-aged spread existed before the obesity epidemic.

No, not simples. Before the menopause I had no difficulty keeping my weight down, count calories, more exercise for a week or two and there I was back to normal. I was part of the simple brigade.

Then I hit the menopause, was made redundant into early retirement and DH and I bought a large old house with a large old garden. For 3 years I spent most of my days in hard labour, clearing brambles, digging flower beds, decorating and DIYing, walking all the footpaths around the village and I ate normally. I put on a stone in 18 months and have never managed to lose it. I casually did my usual cut the calories - I couldn't increase the activity - I had already done that - but it didn't work. I now normally eat far less than I used to, I am still very active but will those extra pounds disappear? will they heck!

I think walking is key to keeping to the size you want to be. It keeps you fit, clears the mind and helps keep arthritis at bay. And it's free.

I don't drive. I walk or cycle. But I seem to be doing less and less of either. It could be the weather. Or getting old.

lesley your advice is spot on.
The only thing I'd add is portion control, and as little added sugar as possible.

I never learned to drive, so it's often a case of walk or don't go anywhere.
Pushing heavy toddlers in a pushchair also helps.
I'm sure I keep to a size 12 because of this.

I agree too. Never diet. It's worth repeating, NEVER DIET. I haven't dieted since I was 25 (and that's a long time ago!) because 1) diets made me grumpy and 2) I couldn't stick to them so felt a failure. My tips are: 1) don't eat low fat food (because it has to be full of rubbish to give it flavour) 2) don't eat 'mucked about with food" (like ready meals), 3) never drink anything with calories unless it's milk or alocohol (so all soft drinks, squashes, fruit juices and smoothies are out), 4) cook from scratch and 4) walk a lot. It works, and I've done my best to pass this advice on to my daughter. I haven't dieted for 40 years and I'm a very fit size 14.

No energy for exercise, caused by lack of food...vicious circle!

I've been eating less for two whole days now. But the will to exercise has totally left me.

Unfortunately, I do not always practise what I preach!

Eat less. Walk more.Eat a bit more fruit and veg. Simples.

It's a little bit of a mish-mash. Are we supposed to read All those links?

Just what are these " concoctions adorning the shelves" today. I enjoy a good microwave meal and what are they made of? Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, vegetables.

Calorie counting is the only way to lose weight. If you need to. Put less in than you burn up. Simple.