Is dieting necessary

Whitewavemark2
Thank you for posting your story.
I agree 100% .
If we focus on a false image and ideal we forget to see what really matters.
I have never dieted or consciously committed to an excersise\ gym routine.
Until my mental health told me that I should move more. I went from a sedentary lifestyle in work and free time to cautiously trying to move more .
For me the benefits were felt in the first day.
I walk more I see more I engage more with people and nature. My life and mental wellbeing took a series of nose dives in the past few years and I wanted to feel connected and happier. So for me physical and mental health are one in the same. I do find some days harder to move then others , but I am slowly on the move and it feels good.

I eat carefully all week apart from what I call a 'piggy' day where I can eat what the heck I like and as much as I want. For example, last night I had a huge portion of fish, chips and curry sauce. It was glorious. Followed by a portion of peanut, choc and caramel cheesecake.

I've done this for years but it is only recently that I've noticed the middle age spread materializing and getting pretty hard to shift. I've promised myself I'll try to keep the same weight until my son's wedding next year (for which I've already bought the dress) and then let it all go to hell and spread whichever way it wants to!

I am done with dieting. I am happy as I am (about 20lb overweight) but whenever I go to the doctors they NEVER mention my weight so I feel that I must be ok. My weight hasn’t changed since I gave up diets but when I was constantly dieting it would fluctuate by a stone or more. I try to be healthy MOST of the time but I will treat myself if I want. Like today I have a terrible cold and I am going to have cake for lunch! It will obviously cure my cough and cold?

I’m mid fifties, post menopausal and have lost 3 and a half stone in 18 months. I am now a healthy weight and BMI. I followed the blood sugar diet initially. It isn’t easy. I don’t think any diet is easy. I basically follow a low carb diet during the week now ( no bread or potatoes) I eat very little sugar. At weekends I do eat carbs, but not too many. For me, this is what works. I also drink wine ocassionslly. I think you can certainly lose weight during menopausal years if you eat less/exercise and motivation certainly helps. I hated the way I felt and looked in clothes and how unfit I was. I would walk 10 minutes and feel out if breath. Not any more. I recommend anyone who is struggling to read Michael Moseley’s blood sugar diet ( you do not have to be diabetic or even pre diabetic, I wasn’t) it works....it’s hard, but it works.

Hello, I don't post on here often but this thread caught my attention. A couple of years ago I started with Slimming World (SW). I too was pre-diabetic and riddled with arthritis, the SW plan is not a diet its a healthy eating plan for life! I lost 5 stones, 4 while attending every weigh in once a week, then I thought I would be clever and do it at home following the plan I knew so well. Needless to say I stuck to it for a bit and lost another stone but bad habits started and before I knew it I had put 2 stones back on so back I went back to SW and in 3months I have lost 1st 3 1/2 lbs and am on my way back to target.For me SW is the only way to get it off and keep it off and the most important part is to stay to group and get the support you need from other people on their own SW journey.

I adopted a healthy eating plan about six weeks ago as I realised my tum was getting out of control. I simply cut out bread and anything else I used to smother in butter (scones, toasted tea cakes, currant buns, etc) and stopped drinking that glass of wine with my evening meal (or beer at lunchtime during the hot weather). I've never been a fan of sweets, cakes or biscuits so no problem there. Since then I'm doing up my belt four notches in and my jeans are not tight over my backside or thighs. Result!
I don't bother with scales as I don't think weight is that important ... it's more body shape and feeling comfortable in clothes that now fit. Of course, yesterday I was out for a big family gathering ... had my first piece of bread in weeks (half a roll with butter) and rather a lot of champagne and wine, but I don't regret it and will now carry on as normal. I have just one more pair of jeans I'd like to be able to wear again! ?

Personally, I'm fed up of worrying about weight and health. It's making me miserable and afraid. I'm only a few pounds overweight but I have a roll around my middle which we are told is dangerous for your heart. I worry about blood pressure, cholesterol, eating and drinking this and that, not getting enough exercise, too much stress. In fact worrying about all this is spoiling my life so I'm just going to do what I do and get on with it. I've made it to 70 under sometimes very difficult circumstances. I'm doing my best.

I’m glad I saw you post whitewavemark2 this morning I was doing my regular search for the holy grail of diets - I never find it,but there’s always the hope that I’ll find the one, the magic wand that will effortlessly take away my extra two stone. I don’t think diets work all they do is make money for the diet and health companies and make us into dysfunctional eaters.
I’ve been on loads of diets and I’m still the same weight as I was when I started to diet. I’m convinced that dieting has contributed to my recent health issue - acid reflux, a hiatus hernia and inflammation of the oesophagus as I was trying fasting and 16:8
I try to eat whatever I like, when I want and to eat what’s right for me and to eat less of it. - I don’t always succeed with the eat less bit, but I try.
I don’t like how I look being fat but I don’t think dieting is the answer - it’s self esteem. Several of the women in my family have issues with how they look and dieting- my niece was bulimic and probably still is, my sister is almost obsessed with her looks - and mine!!
So for me, diets don’t work - but I still waste a lot of time and effort worrying about my weight and what I’m eating or not eating. What’s the answer?

We ought to start a wellness thread. Not sure how it works, but believe it is the answer.

Anyone know?

My mum has always been a couple of stone overweight and she is now 92 and healthy, so eating healthily and keeping active I think is more important. For those of you who are normal weight range you can ignite this article as research can always be wrong ha, ha. For those of you who are overweight you can take advice from this ?
www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2010/feb/14/elderly-overweight-lower-mortality-risk

Ignore not ignite .

I have lost two stone. It has been difficult but I am now just between NHS guidelines for my height. I feel so much better and have loads of energy. It is important to stay as fit as possible as we get older.

After a lifetime of yoyo dieting, when I retired I decided to embrace 'peaceful eating', and my relationship with food has improved. I no longer weigh myself but as my clothes from the previous year still fit I know I am roughly stable. 1.5 -2 sizes bigger than my previous ideal but I feel much better being free of the diet industry's clutches. I am very healthy, active and strong and I'm never going back!

Tinker

Exactly the same as you, as long as my clothes still fit, I’ve stopped fretting, I’m sure I’d feel a bit better two stone lighter, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

We do have smaller dinner plates at home these days. Mind you, I just couldn't manage to eat the enormous dinners that we used to have!

Yes I am a firm believer in keeping active.

I went to a slimming club for years and lost weight then gained it. The leader finally said "that's the weight you're meant to be ". So there I have stayed.

I was always overweight and on a diet, then I retired and it has just dropped off me despite being on steroids.

I keep a check on my weight, put quite a bit on while on holiday but careful eating when I came back has now seen me regain my normal weight. I do find it hard not to have cake when I out having a coffee and love chocolate but well I have decide life is to short to worry.

Slimming Clubs.....lordy I've done about 30 in my time. No more, ever.

" Now then Pauline, have you had a good week?"

I was reading the healthy waist measurement for a woman is 32 inches. They didn't have an age scale. A 72 year old is expected to have the same waist measurement as a 22 year old then presumably.

I’ve been on the Jane Plan for nine months now and have lost 35 pounds. A 28-day supply of food is delivered in a box, and can be stored without freezing - hot dishes simply need 3 minutes in the microwave. No shopping, no cooking. If possible, I’m going to use this plan as the basis of my daily meals forever. It’s the easiest diet I’ve ever done, and no bother now with my arthritis.

I've been to many slimming clubs in my time, I'm not sure why. I've never really been overweight. I love the dad in the Royle Family's view on slimming clubs.

I'm retired now but my job used to be pretty active then due to restructuring I was given a desk job f/t. The weight crept on. Since retirement we had wine every evening, I cut it out & now only drink very occasionally. I cut out puddings, cakes & biccies & sugar. But the weight stayed, I've done exercise classes too. I'm on a fair bit of meds & our practice nurse said one of them was notorious for weight gain & got gp to switch it. But still no loss but no increase and my cholesterol has really improved. I feel fat & swollen. I used to be a stick insect.

Think of a 6' tall male who weighs 11 stone. He does no regular exercise. Then think of a male the same height but weighs 14 stone. The second guy plays rugby. Whose BMI will be lower but not necessarily mean he is fitter? BMIs are just not a good measure of how healthy a person is.

I've struggled with my weight since my teens and have yoyo dieted a few times. After 2 children despite losing weight during pregnancy as a result of extreme sicknes for about 4 months I always put back more whilst breast feeding so overall gained a stone for each child. More dieting followed , the result being obsession with food and not a lot of weight loss! When I topped 16 stones I decided the diets had to stop as I daren't get any bigger so the aim was to 'not put on any more'. I maintained for a number of years, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Two and a half years ago I asked my adult children to get me a fitbit for Christmas and since then I have gradually walked more steps a day. My medication was changed to include a diuretic and now I have lost about 3 stones. I reckon about half of that was fluid as my legs no longer swell up like balloons in hot weather. This makes walking easier too so a virtuous rather than vicious cycle. I seem to have found a new plateau and the weight stays the same within a small range. I still don't diet but am obsessive about my '5 a day' and often eat 7 o 8!
The smart BMI is a revelation - thanks to the poster who mentioned that. I've gone from obese to slightly overweight on that scale. Old age has its advantages after all. I'm celebrating with chocolate!