Getting back to losing weight

It always seems such a struggle to lose weight, but so easy to put it on. One thing I would recommend is to have a protein breakfast - scrambled eggs or similar and a piece of fruit. Soup and/or salad for lunch and fruit and or yogurt and just fish or chicken and loads of veg for supper. If you are not working, maybe eating main meal at lunch time with light supper would be good as more time to work off food!
When I went to Slimming World, it was said that sometimes not eating enough stopped the weight from dropping off. Need to keep the metabolism going.
I can do the talk, but not so good at walking the walk!!! Which reminds me, I am supposed to be doing a daily walk to help down the bp and help the weight to shift!
Good luck

Try the app 'Myfitnesspal'. It helps you keep track of what you are eating and calories you are using. It is laborious at first, putting in the amounts, but you quickly get used to it, and then it is easy. I was told that Clare Balding used it to help her lose weight, how true that is I don' know, but it works for me. Good luck!

The easiest and most effective way for me is low carb (NOT Atkins) - there's a whole thread full of great ideas and lots of support.

Remember in the 'old days' before all this dieting nonsense was hijacked by Big Business? Your GP, usually a fatherly figure in a tweed jacket who'd been the family doctor for years, would simply say to cut back on bread and potatoes? Of course we didn't have pasta in those days (except for British macaroni cheese) and rice was for puddings

I can second the effectiveness of the low-carb diet, NanaKate. I have lost three stone and my blood pressure has come down to the extent that I am slowly and gently coming off the tablets. I can honestly say that I did not find it difficult to do and have had no trouble sticking to it over the past eighteen months. You don't need to log or count anything and there is a huge weight of evidence building up about the health benefits of this way of eating.
Come and join us on the low-carb thread; we will support you!

Thanks for the advice and I will certainly follow up on the low carb diet.

I haven't weighed myself for about 2 years and I was forced to as I have to fill in a health questionnaire. Of course I had well under estimated my weight and got back on the scales 3 times to check they were right. Just over 11 stone when I had been 9 stone 7lbs at the last weigh in

Anyway I am determined to lose a stone. I have done it before on my own but now with some GN support I can do it again.

I think I may have to join you *NanKate
I have become addicted to KitKats and can't seem to stop myself
Going on my hols today, but will definitely be back on the wagon once I return home.

I found the 5:2 diet worked for me and you only have to think about it two days a week. That said I have put most of the weight back on. My diet starts Monday!

Two years NanKate . Can't imagine what I'd weigh if I left it that long!

I weigh every day - it's important to me to do that as 3-4 pounds can sneak on very easily if I've had an indulgent weekend.

I'm currently 10 stone and really need to lose a stone but I can never get below 9 and a half and stay there.

I'm mainly low-carb, a walker and daily-weigher and that's my strategy for not getting fatter - 10 stone is a bit of a porker at 5'2" but it seems to be where my body wants to be.

With low-carb you forget about calorie counting.
You cut out all refined sugar, honey, agave and sugar substitutes. You cut out bread, rice, floury potatoes, flour, cake, biscuits, sweets and puddings.
Some people find that "low GI" carbs like quinoa, pearl barley and wild rice help the transition.
You cut out most processed food to avoid hidden sugars. Avoid anything with "low-fat".
You can (and should) eat moderate amounts of fat, olive oil, butter, full-fat yoghurt, cheese and meat.
You eat plenty of protein - meat, fish, eggs etc.
You eat lots of vegetables especially those that grow above the ground. You can make courgette spaghetti, cauliflour mash and celeriac chips, to name but a few possible substitutes.
You eat fruit but avoid tropical fruits. Berries are best.
You avoid sweet drinks; some people avoid alcohol completely, but we have stuck with a couple of glasses of dry wine a few times a week.
You can also have a small square of dark chocolate from time to time.
I think that's it!

Blimey, Mamie! That sounds awful. Cauliflower mash??? I'm in exactly the same position as Riverwalk. I did the 5:2 diet and dropped half a stone but then it plateaued. Since then I have put it all back on again. I walk, swim and only eat breakfast and dinner, but struggle to stay below 10 stones. I am thinking of going back on 5:2.

Cauliflower mashed or riced is tasty.

I've just had a plate of berries for breakfast with a dash double cream. For lunch I'll have beetroot topped with goat's cheese, grilled till golden and bubbling. For dinner it's lamb kebabs with mushroom, red onion, peppers, hallumi cheese.

What's awful about that?

PS I'll eat as much as I like of the above. Don't ask how I've lost weight and lowered my cholesterol on this r??gime - it's too complicated to explain, but the scientific evidence backs it up!

Could we have/is there already a thread for those that want to lose weight to report in weekly with their losses experiences tips etc? Could provide encouragement!

Nothing! What's awful (for me) is the things you can't eat! But, hey, no pain, no, er, loss!

Breakfast was full-fat yogurt and berries. Lunch will be avocado, beetroot, salmon, green leaves and tomatoes, followed by a ripe peach. Dinner will be kebabs of duck breast and figs with ratatouille and a glass of local red, followed by a lump of Roquefort cheese.
Sorry you think it sounds awful Greyduster!

I find staying under 150 calories a day, from whatever source, means I lose weight. I have recently found bread has become hard to digest, so I do keep that to a minimum. I might try Anya's beetroot and cheese dish for lunch. I eat a small amount of potato or rice with my evening meal.

I am a great believer in simple calorie reduction.

150 calories jbf ? . It's a wonder you're still with us

I stand chastened ladies! When you publish a long list of things that are forbidden, you have to admit it does sound daunting, but I like the sound of what you are eating (apart from cauliflower mash!!).

You just have to imagine pureed cauliflower with butter, saffron or parmesan. I love it on fish pie, because it tastes delicious but doesn't fill you up.
I think you do have to think of low-carb as a way of eating for life not a diet though. For me it has meant sustained weight loss, lower cholesterol, lower BP and for OH it has been all the above plus he is off statins and completely out of pre-diabetes, so it is a complete no brainer.
But I have never had a very sweet tooth and I still get to eat all the things I love so it wasn't that hard.

Alcohol I enjoy in moderation and really don't feel like giving it up completely. A glass of chilled white is glorious. How do others cope or do you abstain altogether ?

bellanonna! . 1500! A bit less is good.

No we still have it. You don't have to think about calories, just the amount of sugar. So I have a couple of glasses of dry wine about 3 times a week (more this week because we are on holiday).

I agree with aquagran and use the MyFitnessPal app, and I also try to keep the carbs down, but I don't cut them out altogether, as I want a realistic eating plan . I had spinal surgery in May and put 12lbs on since then, comfort eating and indulging, the diet started last week and I lost 5lbs!!! I am eating more protein and more fat than the amounts recommended on the app and keeping to the 1200 calories. This week I am back at the local Wellness Centre doing machine assisted exercise, and walking there and back

Proverbs 23:20-21 warns us, ??Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.?? Proverbs 28:7 declares, ??He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.?? Proverbs 23:2 proclaims, ??Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.??