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Dieting & exercise

Why do I always do this?

(62 Posts)
loretta Sat 23-Mar-19 16:50:43

I started slimming world again a while ago and it has been going quite well. People have commented on the weight I have lost which has helped me to keep going. But this weekend I have been a bit tired and fed up and this afternoon I have worked my way through a whole packet of biscuits. I'm so cross with myself. How can I get my will power back?

Lilyflower Tue 26-Mar-19 17:19:56

Whatever you do, don't give up. Carry on with the diet as normal and, perhaps, throw all the temptations away.

When shopping replace calorific treats with low cal options:- fruit, sugar and fat free yogurts and so on.

The actor, David Niven, had to maintain his weight for film appearances. He weighed himself every day and, if he had put on a pound, skipped a meal. This is very strict but you could replace a meal with an apple or a couple of Weetabix with skimmed milk and sweetener.

MawBroon Tue 26-Mar-19 11:52:28

More than one reason for yawning. hmm

SalsaQueen Tue 26-Mar-19 11:40:28

I'm the same - I do well for so long on a diet, but if I'm lonely, sad or bored, I scoff chocolate, sweets or biscuits - I've stopped having them in the hose, but then when I wanted something sweet, I ended up having Weetabix with a few spoonfuls of sugar on instead...

GabriellaG54 Mon 25-Mar-19 20:36:30

An early night for you Anja
You've been burning the candle at both ends. ??

Anja Mon 25-Mar-19 11:24:35

Yawn...

GabriellaG54 Mon 25-Mar-19 10:16:59

Well folks, I'm going to make myself a pile of home-made pancakes (not the thick rubbery pre-made supermarket ones) and will enjoy them with caster sugar and fresh lemon juice. 6 might be enough as they're only for me.
Read this and weep. ???

moonbeames Mon 25-Mar-19 07:18:39

You have done very well, don't worry about a packet of biscuits. I think the trick is not to have them in the house when you get the munchies. A packet of rice cakes are a good thing to have around, they taste alright, they are crunchie and just smear a bit of jam on the top and the damage is not so bad. Keep going, very impressed.

Elderlyfirsttimegran Mon 25-Mar-19 03:21:51

If anyone is like me I get cross and feel that I deserve a treat and then reward myself with something that makes me even more angry but with myself. It’s totally predictable and self-defeating! Also when I lose weight and people notice I tell myself that one little treat won’t hurt but it always does.

ZenMama Mon 25-Mar-19 02:12:31

Oh I feel your pain Dearest. My Achilles heel are Ginger Snaps. I can terrorize an entire bag. Now they just don’t come home with me.

GreenGran78 Sun 24-Mar-19 21:47:41

My other half was NOT very active, ate far more than me, including cakes and chocolate, and never put any weight on. I only have to look at unhealthy food to feel my waistline expanding. Now that a can't walk as much, due to osteoarthritis I am finding it ever more difficult to lose weight.
Two of my children take after their father, and two, like me, put on weight very easily. Genes definitely have something to do with keeping a healthy weight.
As for cravings - I find that having a glass of water can often stop them in their tracks.

GabriellaG54 Sun 24-Mar-19 21:37:11

I wasn't criticising anyone's OH. I was pointing out that men, in general, don't seem to be concerned about their shape. Many men develop what used to be called, 'beer guts' and their trouser belts have to be worn lower to accommodate the burgeoning bump. We've all seen it at some time or another.
Meanwhile, many women beling to slimming clubs, shave, wax, have pedicures, manicures, threading, hair treatments blah blah...
It just seems a bit one-sided.
I'm 2" shorter than paddyann's OH and 4lbs heavier but I bet our figures are (apart from boobs) totally different.
It depends on where the weight is and men have heavier bones than women.
I'm not one for watching my weight and, although I have scales which tell me my BMI and every other measurement, I haven't stood on them for years. I eat what I feel like eating and don't feel any guilt about munching my way through 3 packets of crisps or a box of Maltesers.
Agonising about eating a piece of cake and trying to repair the 'damage' by eating lettuce leaves for the next two days is plain silly.
Your life then revolves around counting calories and counting steps which is no life at all...IMO. grin

Meta Sun 24-Mar-19 21:01:13

Gabriella I appreciate what you’re saying but my OH is very active and maintains a healthy weight. I wanted to lose weight purely for myself , as I couldn’t walk a hill without being breathless, couldn’t get on the floor to play with my granddaughter, and things like that. However, like the other poster my bad back has now also improved and I have more energy. My OH has never criticised my weight.

paddyann Sun 24-Mar-19 20:06:44

calorie counting

paddyann Sun 24-Mar-19 20:06:13

Gabriella my OH is under 11 stone and 5 foot 9 ,he walks at least 15000 steps a day and is active doing other things as well.He eats like a horse ,doesn't deny himself the stuff he likes even sweet stuff. He has never complained about my weight even though we both knew I needed to lose a couple of stone.Losing this weight has helped my back problem and I intend to get back on the calorie now I'm not feeling so cold .I didn't lose weight for my OH and he wouldn't have expected me to

Joelsnan Sun 24-Mar-19 19:22:25

On Sunday Brunch (Ch4) this morning, Dr. Giles Yeo a world class Cambridge university scientist explained the ongoing research he and his team are doing into obesity. He stated that obesity is not a choice, each of us have a predisposition to fatness or thinness based upon our genetic makeup. Up until about thirty years ago we did not always have enough to eat so fat had to be stored for survival. Recently we have had too much food yet our evolutionary process has not caught up. He said fat storage occurrs differently in different people, he stated shortly a gene test will be available which will indicate which foods should be consumed individually to maintain a healthy weight. He said some tests are available at the moment but dont waste money on them because the science has not yet been fully concluded. He also stated that society must stop the blame game and also targetting specific foods i.e. Sugars etc. He concluded that this is wrong because a one solution fits all doesn't work for everyone. Some may be able to effectively metabolise sugar but not fat etc.
His book Gene Eating has 5* reviews.

Day6 Sun 24-Mar-19 18:59:05

Being 'on a diet' makes people obsessed with food. We're always thinking of our next meal or whatever we're 'allowed'.

I completely agree Jane10

I also dislike people saying they are being good about food. It implies that eating things they really want and like makes them bad

I think it's an unhealthy mindset.

I cannot follow diets and I know myself well enough to know they don't work for me. Tell me all the things I like to eat are forbidden or restricted and I crave them!

I am losing weight slowly by way of a healthy (ish) diet. I think we all know the theory. It's the practice that's hard.

I had a day last week when I constantly craved something sweet. Oh I knew a dried apricot or a banana would curb the craving but my mind was leading me to a room full of doughnuts, and I was going to dive in and stuff as many into my face as possible. I was almost tempted to go out and buy cake, but I didn't. I had to stop the thinking so I distracted myself but being no saint, that in itself didn't work. I think I was hungry (or even had low blood sugars) so I spread Nutella on a couple of oat cakes and my doughnut brain vanished.

I'd say damage limitation is the way forward. I knew with friends visiting this weekend we intended to have a fish and chip supper after a long day out on Saturday, and I went for it - no holds barred - and thoroughly enjoyed battered cod and a portion of chips. I know I undid calorie savings I made during the week but life sometimes gets in the way of a limiting eating regime.

I keep biscuits and cakes out of the house, and crisps and chocolate and otherwise plan to eat home cooked, proper food, but less of it.

It seems to work for me, because diets don't. I suppose I could call it "The Little of What You Fancy" diet. Not the quickest way to lose weight, but my mind isn't screwed up by it either so I can go on indefinitely. I lose about 1lb a week.

Kim19 Sun 24-Mar-19 17:24:14

No big deal in the grand scheme of things. Just try particularly hard next day and, amazingly, the balance will redress itself, I have found. I weigh myself every day and I have found this works a treat. Nature is a pain in the way that it so quickly puts on the lbs but removes them ever so slowly. I had a family celebration session last week and managed to gain 3lbs in 4 days. Easy when you're eating in congenial company. Managed to lose it now that I'm back home and into my own regime. No pain. Just back to my normality. Such a relief that I now know how it can work for me.

Daisyboots Sun 24-Mar-19 14:29:13

My DH got up this morning and announced that he would be back on the low carb diet by the end of the month (meaning he wanted to use up his sweets first) and not to give him any potatoes at dinner. When I said we were having liver, bacon and onions with mashed potato he said well just a tablespoonful then. But we both must do something about our weight. Although for myself I am thinking carrying some extra weight will be helpful when having chemotherapy. Am I right or wrong?

Daffydilly Sun 24-Mar-19 14:16:37

Simply draw a line under it and move on straight away. Don't beat yourself up.

And if you do it again, make sure you bloody well enjoy them and then move on.

It's unrealistic to expect to 'stay on track/resist temptation /be good' all the time. You're human.

So long as you eat healthily most of the time you'll be fine.

Biddysue Sun 24-Mar-19 13:20:50

I’m doing sw too and sometimes have day like this but find it best to draw a line under and start again. After all sw is more about healthy eating education than a diet and we all slip and slide from time to time.
Keep going you’ll be back on track don’t beat yourself up any more x

GabriellaG54 Sun 24-Mar-19 13:14:30

I wonder how many of your husbands or OH are overweight.
Are they worrying about their weight or shirt buttons/jackets straining over their bellies?

Meta Sun 24-Mar-19 13:08:42

I have rejoined slimming world after putting half weight back lost since getting to target. I follow it loosely with healthy meals but also now have a basic fit bit I enter everything I eat into and it records my pre set calorie difference between what I’m consuming and what I’ve expended in order to lose a steady amount of at least a pound a week, I can view all this on my iPad or phone. It’s changed my whole thinking and really helps, as my walking exercise has increased as a consequence and I feel so much better. It sounds complex but I find it very easy to use.

Loobs Sun 24-Mar-19 12:18:44

I have been doing the 16/8 diet and discovered something amazing - food actually tastes better if you eat when you are hungry!! I am so used to eating simply because it is breakfast time, lunch time etc. which has meant I never get really hungry. However, since starting this regime I do get hungry (but cannot snack as it is too close to the next proper meal) so when I do eat I enjoy it so much more. Plus I'm losing weight - superb!

Mammar59 Sun 24-Mar-19 11:48:50

I use the Biscuit Tea from Yorkshire Tea. The taste and smell satisfies my craving. Give it a go but don't buy biscuits xx

sandelf Sun 24-Mar-19 11:47:58

This comfort eating - it's really discomfort eating isn't it. Anyway - forgive yourself, done now. Dodges - don't go toooo far with the cutting down - if you get absolutely starving - this is just going to happen sooner or later. If you want to eat but know it's not big hunger - try a slice of orange, celery stick, even chewing gum. If it is stopping that is the problem - make yourself eat an orange after half a packet.