Diet and losing weight

The lovely and much missed Michael Mosely did loads of research into this. He found that the most reliable weight to lose weight was a dramatic cut back in calories. His system was called the Fast 800. I have lost weight very successfully doing this after carrying an extra stone for about 10 years. I did the Fast 800 for a couple of months followed up by the 5:2.
If I find my weight creeping up, I do a couple of weeks of 800 calories. Minimal carbs, good portion of protein and as much veg as you want. Be careful about fruit which can have quite a lot of calories/sugar.
There are books with recipes to help if you run out of ideas - you often see these in charity shops but there’ll loads on secondhand bookshop sites.
Obviously, exercise is a good thing, regardless. But it really has no place in a weight reduction regime. It may well make you look better though because you’ll be better toned.

Gran22boys

Can anyone advise me how to lose my sweet tooth? I eat a healthy meal but then crave something sweet afterwards. I find myself eating cake or chocolate.

I enjoy 2 or 3 dates. Sweet but have fibre and healthier than chocolate biscuits!

For the last 60 odd years I have given up sweet things for Lent. Chocolate, sweet, biscuits, cakes and puddings. I give myself a day off for Mother’s Day, my birthday and any other special events. But try to stick to it as best I can.
By the time Easter arrives, I find that sweet things just taste too sweet, and I almost have to wean myself back on….. but I feel that it is a really useful exercise. Partly in testing out my self-control - but it also resets my relationship with sugar so that it is easier to manage the inevitable cravings for sweet treats.
It started when I was at primary school, as a fund raising exercise and for some reason I just kept it up.

I find that I have to have something puddingy after my evening meal to make my brain know that that’s it, eating is now over. Tonight I just had a small piece of tea bread with Benecol buttery on.

I would love any advice on offer. I've been immobile awaiting surgery for 18 months. I've now had surgery but will probably not be able to walk properly for several more months. In all this I've put on over 2 stone and hate myself. Any ideas?

TIGGYW pasta and rice are high carb, I have done SW and I keep off them to
Lose weight

I have recently lost 10lbs ( need to lose about another 21lbs to get to a healthy weight and hopefully not pre diabetic).
I have been using the app My Fitness Pal the free version to track my calories. It’s been an eye opener. I have always eaten very healthy but portions too big. I have also reduced my carbs.
I calculated my TDEE calories (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) using an online calculator. That less 500 calories is the amount I try to eat each day.
I don’t want to count calories forever so in a month or so will go it alone and see what happens.

Melathome

I know it’s about eating less but find it hard to keep going after a couple of weeks. I don’t need to lose more than a stone but think if I feel a programme that’s not too expensive I might stick to it. Thank you for the advice re protein fibre etc . I am GF too .

I was going to suggest cutting out foods containing gluten eg bread, cereals etc but if you are gf then that is pointless!

Perhaps cutting out any gf foods such as bread, cereals might help as they tend to have a high glycaemic index.

Good luck

Get a check up, weight loss can be hampered by thyroid or fatty liver or water retention that I know of - there may be more. Doc will give you a plan, and if your BMI is over 30, some diet management help may be forthcoming. I got 3 months Slimming World from mine.

Keep moving - if I feel hungry, I go weed the garden until it passes

Everyone is different, but a food diary really helps you focus on the bits that do not realise are adding. Like a bigger portion of milk in your tea. Then some can lose more easily on meat/veg no carbs and others on low cal/low protein carb diet.

I used Orlistat which takes fat out (not recommended with any gall bladder issues tho) (3 months 1/2 stone)

There are alternatives to the new jabs - GLP-1 support for sluggish thyroid gives more energy

My water tablets reduce my ankles and tum and up to 3lb temporarily after the first 3 lb.

I believe it's far harder to lose weight when you are post menopause. We aren't as active and have more time to eat.

Eating less is key and more exercise but I find I have little will power when I'm tired and cold.

My much younger friend has lost weight recently on a version of the keto diet. She has virtually no carbohydrates but lots of protein, fats and vegetables. She says she's not hungry.

I'm vegetarian and would find her diet awkward.

You don't say when your DD's wedding is Melathome?
I still say enjoy the day and don't worry about your own weight. It's all about her not you.

I’ve struggled since the menopause. I hate the way I look and just feel like a fat and frumpy blob. I’ve started this week to walk more and eat less crap. We are all different and I can’t diet when the weather is cold and miserable. Good luck.

Another good thing about getting out for a walk...you are not at home with your head in the fridge!

Here is a book I found invaluable (will post photo later) on my weight loss journey. I kept to under 1,400 Cals a day and have lost over a stone.

The mantra for me is ‘Eat Less for Life’. IMO many people see a diet as being for a month or so and then they return to their old habits and regain the weight. I started on GN a thread for Pears and Apples (body shape) and we are still going almost 7 years !

My advice is simple, count calories, eat NO food after your evening meal. I allow myself one square of dark chocolate a day. Delay breakfast until at least 13/14 hours since your evening meal.

If you have a day of falling off the wagon don’t beat yourself up just restart your Eating Less for Life the next day.

Best of luck.

NanKate

Here is a book I found invaluable (will post photo later) on my weight loss journey. I kept to under 1,400 Cals a day and have lost over a stone.

The mantra for me is ‘Eat Less for Life’. IMO many people see a diet as being for a month or so and then they return to their old habits and regain the weight. I started on GN a thread for Pears and Apples (body shape) and we are still going almost 7 years !

My advice is simple, count calories, eat NO food after your evening meal. I allow myself one square of dark chocolate a day. Delay breakfast until at least 13/14 hours since your evening meal.

If you have a day of falling off the wagon don’t beat yourself up just restart your Eating Less for Life the next day.

Best of luck.

Great advice

There is also an app called nutra check which I find invaluable.

All the information you need is on there and you can keep a complete record of your food, fluids, activity, - well everything in fact.

It also allows you to choose the type of diet you prefer - I always go with the “balanced” diet, but it is all there.

Thanks Purplepixie.

I’ve got that!

It is really useful as it gives a photographic idea of portion size.

Smaller portions, fewer carbs (potatoes, white bread etc).
Re sweet things, dark chocolate helps.
Good luck! I have lost a stone in 1.5 years.

I use the book NanKate recommended and I have recommended to others .

Those who wants to lose weight there is already a diet and exercise forum...I would advise joining the Pears thread started by NanKate think it the 4th year . All shaped fruits are on there . It's a brilliant thread . As you can tell I am on there .

NanKate changed dieting to eating less for life . And that's exactly what you have to do . No short cuts just hard work and exercise. And before anyone says they can't exercise I was born disabled and have a heart condition. I exercise daily plus go to sit fit class and a move it or lose class weekly .

There are no short cuts losing weight . I should know lost 7st over 5 years was 32 now a 16 have baggy ,sagging skin but don't care. No amount of exercise will tighten it after decades of being obese. But I am fitter at nearly 68 than I have ever been .

Thanks Whiff for your back up. We both know losing weight needs to be an ongoing process, with occasional blips as we are only human. Onward and downward another of our sayings.

I started to write down everything I ate, it really focuses you!

I have overnight oats in natural yoghurt with fruit for breakfast, lunch is usually homemade soup with homemade sourdough and dinner is a well balanced meal.
Yesterday it was salmon and asparagus linguini with a lemon and crème fraiche sauce.

My aim is to eat a nourishing and balanced diet.

I do not eat anything low fat as it’s so bad for you.

If I have a snack it’s usually Nairns oat biscuits.

Diets as such don’t work for me but since January I have lost weight, I do not weigh myself as I was an anorexic teenager but my clothes are definitely feeling looser.

Thank you, Sago, for mentioning the fact that low fat products are bad for us. It's true. A very good book about the diet culture and why it fails so often for most people is Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr. Andrew Jenkinson, a respected bariatric surgeon, who has listened to his patients. He has nothing good to say about low fat products.

Have a look at Filling meals with Lindsay on Facebook, every meal that he's made contains 500 calories and you choose 3 per day, they are super filling and of course that's on 1500 per day, so your in deficit already, the meals are tasty with lots of options, there's also a book.

I forgot to mention Lindsey is an Australian nutritionist and knows what he's talking about.

Going to a slimming group and feeling accountable to the leader and fellow slimmers has really helped me to stay on track. I tried to do it alone, but could not resist eating crisps, chocolates, cake, biscuits, sweets, especially when I was home alone and no-one to see what I was eating.

I joined Slimming World two weeks ago and it's purely to get the support, encouragement and praise for my weight loss. I've lost 8lbs in two weeks (want to lose 3 stone.) I am counting calories and eat three times a day, nothing in between, and if I feel peckish I drink a glass of water or a cup of tea with skimmed milk, and the hunger goes away. I use a smaller dinner plate and eat lots more veg than I used to, I know some people are against ready meals but Aldi spaghetti bolognese is delicious and I have a slice of cheesy garlic bread with it, all calories written down. Aldi tuna and pasta salad is tasty and filling, again with a slice of cheesy garlic bread, I like lots of flavour, it doesn't feel like a diet, but it's working for me. Breakfast is Rice Krispies, sliced banana and skimmed milk. I write everything down, even a cup of tea or glass of water, it's important to me to acknowledge what I'm eating and drinking. Before I would eat subconsciously, now I enjoy every mouthful and take my time.

I wouldn't down the SW diet, but to start this off as easily and conveniently as possible, I am doing it my own way first, but the thing that's definitely making me stick to it is the thought of standing on those scales at class and being praised for losing weight, it makes it all worthwhile and makes me want to go on to achieve my goal weight.

Do whatever works for you 🙂.