Jane Plan

I’ve tried all sorts of plans and diets and shakes over the years. The weight comes off but when I then return to their so-called maintenance diets, it creeps straight back on again. Usually plus a pound or two more.

However, at the beginning of December a health check at the doctors indicated my cholesterol was a bit on the high side. The doctor immediately prescribed statins which made me feel terrible. Soo, I stopped taking them and have been on a low cholesterol diet ever since, cutting out dairy and animal fats. Next week I find out if the level has gone down. But - the side effect is that I’ve lost half a stone! Without even really trying! Smaller but better cuts of meat (no mince) and loads of veg and salad made sense but I’ve been snacking on nuts, fat free home made biscuits and cakes, dark chocolate (which I prefer) - and even occasional sugary sweets!

So I think it’s a case of finding the right diet for you. Finding the foods your body needs and a regime which suits it rather than a package deal which may leave you with cravings.

Fingers crossed I’ve now found a diet for life!

You know, this is one thing about ready meals. They allow you to see the amounts of calories and protein you are getting from your main meal.

Hi Shysal: I did try the Jane Plan a couple of years ago - and did lose some weight. I was able to choose meals from a menu. I don’t eat meat but do eat fish - unfortunately the fishy dishes weren’t available at timeof ordering, for some reason, so I had vegetarian dishes with rather too many duplicated. Some were delicious but a few I found borderline unpleasant. I’m not against having a lot of soup, but I think I could have bought tastier soup from the supermarket. I can say that the plan helped me with portion control. For example, a ‘treat’ would be one little biscuit wrapped in cellophane. I ate it slowly! However I did not feel inclined to do more than a month. Several packets of the soup remained in the pantry for months afterwards, reproaching me...

Seems like you have a great morning routine shysal, I need to work on mine a bit more, work days I stagger out of the house and then sit at my desk all day and non work days I lounge around in the couch until the prednisone kicks in.
Interesting about the methotrexate not really doing anything, that’s a fear of mine, fighting the side effects for nothing. I’m only at 8mg and I do have pain, but really trying hard to try other things like losing 30lb instead of increasing the prednisone to 9 or 10mg.

Yes, I have been reading that, but having found a system (5:2 and 500 cals a day) that suits me, I am sticking to it.

Micheal Mosley has now revised his eating plan to include 800 calories on the 2 days or 800 calories a day for a limited time.
He also advocates eating over a shorter period of time which is what some people are following on 16:8.

What are the chances that having eaten the Jane Plan supply of food for a day, you will still feel hungry and end up eating other food as well?

You are not greedy, steroids make you feel hungry. I was put on a course of steriods and immediately began to feel ravenously hungry all the time. This side effect was not listed on the leaflet accompanying the pills, but as soon as a googled 'hungry all the time' or similar, the first page of results were all about hunger and steroids. Thankfully I was only on a short course of steroids so the problem was short lived.

Losing weight starts with the mind, not the mouth. Nothing will work if, deep down, you are hoping to return to old eating habits after the weight is gone. The first thing to do is to find a pattern of eating you enjoy and which doesn't increase your weight, then work out ways to reduce it to help you lose weight.

What worked for me was the 5:2. I developed an eating pattern that kept my weight steady and once I was in the swing of it, cut down to 500 calories 2 days a week. On the other 5 days I was able to eat normally, so I kept up the swing of what is to be my life time eating pattern. On high days and holidays, I enjoy eating without reserve, but find my new eating pattern also limits how much I now want to eat when it is no holds barred.

I haven't tried this one but did do something similar called Diet Chef a couple of years ago. Grampy and I did it together and I actually emptied my cupboards of all temptations before we started.

I found the meals needed 'topping up' with extra veggies and after 2 weeks I was bored to death with it all. Grampy carried on regardless and we made it to the end having lost about 21lbs each.

However , that all went back on again in quite a short space of time . The benefit of the plan was the portion control but the downside was I wasn't learning anything so went straight back to my bad ways afterwards.

From my point of view its a quick fix solution but not a long term one.

We follow the Slimming World diet now, we're seeing real results and we're learning about making better choices and better portion control going forward.

I think your diet Anja is far too restrictive to live on forever - that's where SW scores - nothing is out of bounds - even that slice of cake :-)

We are of a like mind HildaW. I realise my portion control must be for life not just a one month blitz on calories.

When I told DH I had reached the weight I was when we got married his reply was 'I hope you don't expect me to carry you over the threshold' :-)

NanKate....you are spot on with the whole idea of forbidden foods becoming just so impossible to ignore...as soon as something is 'banned' you suddenly crave it.
I just follow a 'little and good' rule thus if I fancy cake its got to be good quality and ideally homemade. We regularly go to a social occasion where there are cakes and biscuits handed about but they are cheap supermarket ones, all sugar and preservatives and I honestly can do without them...and this is from a life long cake fiend. The thought of wasting calories on cheap and nasty stuff that ultimately can give me indigestion just does not excite me. Not to be seen to be being standoffish I just gracefully accept one small thing and make it last...if no one is looking I'll even dispose of some of it.

It dawned on me the other day whilst having lunch with daughter that social eating is also good for me...neither of us can chatter freely and eat and so we automatically take much longer and end up felling fuller on less!

Its always the slow gentle solutions that work best...as someone once pointed out its taken years to put the extra weight on....you cannot loose it over night...also if you do its muscle and water you loose first....its the deep stored fat that you want to shift...another reason to use exercise...and that's what shifts the stored stuff if done properly!
Oh dear have just found another 'just in case' packet of mince pies in the cupboard!!!!!!!

Morning Shysal.

For me all these different diet plans do not suit my personality and after a few days I give them up. I agree wholeheartedly withHildaW that the Healthy Eating Regimen plus exercise works. You already do the exercise which is great.

This is what worked for me but of course you must tailor the diet to your needs.

Nothing is out of bounds on my diet but portion control is. If I know I can’t have something I want it all the more. Initially I counted calories following the NHS Diet Plan found online. I got my scales out and weighed food. After about 3 weeks I didn’t have to count calories anymore as I knew more or less what I could have.

I worked out what my calorie count should be through the NHS Diet Plan site and added a further 100 calories as I thought it was too low. I think I ate about 1300 cals a day.

Here are a few tips I drink 7Up Free most days but water it down by 50%. If I go out with friends for coffee and cake I have the cake, cut it in portions eat 2 mouthfuls and take the rest home to eat in a similar fashion over the next few days.

I often cut back on some food item in order to have an nice glass of chilled wine in the evening.

Don’t expect quick weight loss. It has taken me about 9 months to lose just over a stone. I occasionally take one day off.

This has worked well for me.

Best of luck.

NanaKay, I have had minor side effects from the Methotrexate, burning mouth and hair loss, but upping the folic acid has eliminated them. I have no evidence that the drug is doing any good as my symptoms seem to be dependent on the Prednisolone dose. I originally had Polymyalgia with no steroids but had to resort to them when I had a massive total body RA flare up leading to my diagnosis of PMR induced RA. I find getting up, having a bath then an hour and a quarter long walk gets me moving in the mornings. I am sure losing weight will ease the pressure on my joints so must get motivated to shed some pounds.

No Anja you’re jumping to conclusions I don’t eat biscuits cakes, puddings or sweets very often at all, in fact very rarely in fact I rarely buy sweet things I m much more of a savoury gal No not that at all it just sounded very regimented and the idea of a bowl of soup every day made me think, boring. I don’t mind homemade soup now and then but certainly wouldn’t want it every day
I do like rice dishes, noodles, stir fries, curry’s, jacket potatoes I d certainly miss them if I ate Quorn and veg every day I enjoy variety and suddenly thinking oh I fancy trying some of that today, so knowing what I was having even if it’s dressed up differently every day I would find boring
But it’s great that you ve found something to suit you and are happy to stick to it and as you say it’s much what you would be eating anyway so obviously easy for you to keep to it

Anja, sure you can! I lost 30lb after I quit smoking and I never cut my calories or any food or food group. I did, however, exercise like a pack of nicotine devils were chasing me, (they were!) but I had my cake and ate it too!

shysal - I see no difference in high carb vs lower carb vs no carb. I see people with RA swearing by the patterson diet (vegetarian) - the paleo diet (meat no carb) and others, but how can diets totally opposite have the same effect?
I believe that by following any of the diets you are automatically paying more attention to what you are eating, and also exercising, that you start feeling better.
I have yet to see ANY documented before and after test results for blood work on rf or anti-ccp levels actually reducing on those diets.

I do see a big difference in warm weather vs cold though.
Not happy pain-wise last winter and was just deciding to see if I could get my prednisone upped but I went to Florida to visit my daughter and I felt soooo much better!

Now winter has set in pretty good here (warmer than last year though) and it's getting harder and harder to get out of bed to take my medz, lol - within about 3 hours of getting up, taking my meds and walking around a bit though I am feeling so much better. I know I can wait out until warmer weathers, come on April!!

I was diagnosed in 2014 but I only take prednisone so far. They wanted me on methotrexate immediately, but I have so many drug allergies that I'm scared to try it.
I have hand disfigurement, getting a little worse each year and pain/inflammation in ankles, knees, hips and shoulders but at this point, with pred and supplements the pain is at manageable levels right now.
I'm not against meds, but just not yet.

Do you have any methotrexate side effects, Shysal?

Sorry anja i read it too quickly.

How can it be boring when you can eat any meat, fish, or other protein source (eg, cheese, eggs, seafood, quorn) wirh any vegetables as your main meal? Or do you mean no cakes, biscuits, ice cream, puddings, etc?

I thought this was about losing weight and maintaining that loss? You literally can’t have your cake and eat it.

Hilda soups are delicious and can be so different.

NanaKay, I have read that low carb eating helps to avoid RA flare-ups, have you noticed this? I was only diagnosed this year so quite new to the disease and am not yet on an even keel medication-wise. I take Methotrexate and have tried to cut down the steroids but I still seem to need them.

I think that's half the battle, if you find something that works for you, then go for it. It might not work for others though. We all have so much emotional baggage tied up with eating food - years of Mums and Grandmas brought up in harder times saying 'eat-up' and 'don't waste anything'. Then we have our own comfort eating and enabling issues - introducing our own children to the pleasures of cake on a rainy Sunday afternoon fgs!! Its a nightmare. Once we can begin to see food as fuel and yet enjoy its preparation and consuming without going over board then we are doing well. Variety is good and its better to eat a broad spectrum but then clever types will tell you that if you keep the regime boring then you will eat less....evidently we have self limiting devices. However, on the other hand, they get reset to zero when we change a course. Yes, there is truth in the idea of having one stomach for mains and another for pudding!!! Its a nightmare!
When I feel a bit over indulged I go down the thick homemade soup route. Contents of fridge.....cooked well and seasoned appropriately then liquidised but keeping a few chunks to add textures or a toasted vege garnish. Cheap as anything and very satisfying and smug making!

I don’t think anyone can guarantee anything and how long could anyone keep eating the same thing day in day out
Sorry Anya what ever works for you but that is boring?

I just looked at the meals wiltshire farm foods main meal it was around £5 each.
That looks to me, that for anyone living on state pension that sounds it could be very expensive but I am rather out of touch.

Beef stew! Nor beer!

No day when you only have toast Lollin ???

Assume unlimited tea and water. If meeting a friend for coffee - how often? If every day then go for an Americano. If once a week or thereabouts have whatever kind you prefer.

Why do I guarantee it? Try it for a week and see for yourself.

Do you really think that’s strict? It’s more or less how I eat anyway. Tonight having a traditional homemade beer stew with onions and carrots and side vegetables broccoli and sweet potato mash. With a glass of red wine. What’s not to like?

Anja interesting. Strict. Care to share why you guarantee it? I only ask as it seems very strict so wonder how long it is possible to stick to it especially on days wgen you only ha ve toast and meet friends for coffee?

Here’s a free guaranteed diet plan

Breakfast (try to alternate all three if possible)
Either 1 poached egg on 1 slice lightly but buttered toast OR
Bowl of porridge made from real oats OR
Yoghurt and berries

Lunch
Bowl of soup (preferably veg based)

Dinner
Portion of meat or fish or another protein source
Loads of vegetables - all you can eat
(No rice, potatoes or pasta)

I small glass of wine or juice or water

Nothing more until breakfast next day. Guaranteed.