A pre-Christmas diet (well, sort of)

Make mince pies using Filo pastry, far less fat and not stodgy!

Lucky me- can't stand mince pies. If only I could keep my hands off the cheese tho.

Not a pre Christmas diet, but I’ve stayed the same weight for 5 months, because my acid reflux kicked up, the drugs I was taking have been discontinued for now. So, smaller, lower fat meals, a mantra I’ve been trying to follow for 30 odd years; with a bmi of 23, which is ok, it’s rather ironic really. Probably helped by not having a sweet tooth and loving veg.

@Kim19
Bravo GL. I'm curious as to your motivation. Was it an irritation thing with yourself or has your sweet tooth abated? I'm hoping the latter.

Neither really, I'd made slightly different pastry and just wanted to check how it tasted. I've never been a dieter and have no willpower whatsoever but this way of eating has made such perfect sense to me that somehow I have lost almost 3 stones. I keep finding slightly sharp bits of me which have been hiding for years....

Feeling chuffed . After gaining a few pounds in early November that I couldn't shift - then suddenly out of the blue I lost a pound and that inspired me to cut back on 'extras' and I've now lost 3 pounds so I'm hoping to lose a further 2 or 3 pounds by Christmas Day.

Well, I did so well with slimming world last year , I lost 2 stone. Wonderful, but oh no, I’ve put most of it back on. Which is what a always do. Lockdown was my down fall, I just craved cake, and had far too much. ??

I was 20 stone when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. All dieting had failed and I felt hopeless. Went to a course on how to handle type 2 where it was suggested I cut out carbs by never eating bread, potatoes, rice or pasta. A certain amount of carbs are necessary for health, but can be found in root vegetables and bananas. Over the past 28 months I have steadily lost 3 stone, and still going down. Probably only about half a pound each week, but slow and steadily down. BMI a lot better (but still not good). Very easy to incorporate in daily life.

Always tempted by mince pies, but since Mum passed on I have never found any to match hers, so seldom buy.

I'm trying to reduce carbs too, because I have type 2 Diabetes. Finding it really hard, especially breakfast. I used to eat either Crumpets or Cinnamon & Raisin Bagels! I now try to make (a) an omelette with (one) tinned Plum tomato (heated in the microwave), or have 2 rashers of bacon or one sausage (cut open and cooked on both sides) with tomato, or (b) one the above with beans instead of tomato. I then have a similar problem with supper. We eat our main meal mid-day ( meat for himself - quorn or similar for me, plus lots of veggies) so that there is a chance of using up the calories before bedtime! I have always been a "picky" eater (I have a long list of "don't like - can't eat foods) and potatoes are my very favourite food, which I really struggle without. Does anyone have any further "meals" advice?

4allweknow

Merlotgran I've never made mince pies before the 24th as I am worried they will go all soft. How do you store yours; that is the ones you manage to ignore until Christmas?

I freeze them.

Fizog you could try Bulgar Wheat instead of rice. It still has some carbs but less than rice. We use it on our low carb diet if we don't feel like Brocolli rice.

@4allweknow, my mince pies keep well in a tin - I’ve been known to buy the M&S Christmas tins of shortbread largely for the tins - they can fit 3 dozen of my trad little ones nicely.

Not that mince pies usually last long in this house, but there have been times when some have been left for quite a while.
Unless they’re only recently out of the oven I often warm them briefly in the microwave.

@Grossmama, yes, I know fats are not the enemy, but what do you put butter on if you’re not eating bread or potatoes - not to mention the likes of crumpets?
I don’t like butter on vegetables, or anything fried in butter.
I just like lots of it on bread, potatoes - especially jackets! - and crumpets.
Still, this sort-of-diet is only until Christmas.

We are both underweight, so no diets here.

I haven't started my Christmas baking yet, and don't intend to until next week.

Merlotgran I've never made mince pies before the 24th as I am worried they will go all soft. How do you store yours; that is the ones you manage to ignore until Christmas?

I did lapse last night, had a couple of spuds to mash into lovely gravy. They were only boiled, though, so no oil or butter.

I nobly resisted crumpets at the supermarket earlier ?, but dh has just been out too, and bought 2 packets of chocolate biscuits (milk and dark) and a bar of M&S chocolate. ?
I can just about resist those - just as well it wasn’t crumpets or doughnuts.

I'll start in new year as too much temptation through December. Firstly tree goes up, tubs of sweets go under it plus I've got all the Xmas treat shopping in, but resisting it, well for now anyway. Haven't had alcohol from August so looking forward to having a couple drinks on Xmas Day.

Like Babs758 I have given up wine in the week and cut down on portion size, lost 10 pounds since middle of November, but still a long way to go. Christmas is going to be a trial, but will buckle down again straight after!

mimismo! ha ha.. I go on the seafood' diet 'too! Trying to stop eating mince pies yet though!

Well done to everyone who has successfully lost weight and to those who are losing and my sympathy with those who are struggling. Since I retired aged 62 three years ago I have put on about 10/11 pounds. It may not sound a lot but it makes a difference to how I feel generally and the fit of my clothes. I just can’t seem to shift it, despite trying to exercise more (trying to walk more). It’s very hard, isn’t’t it? I know I would feel so much better if I lost the 10 lbs. It has settled on my stomach and the waistband on my trousers are very tight so I’m wearing elasticated waist trousers at the moment. They’re alright to wear in the house with a long top but I don’t like wearing them outside. I might just have to accept the weight gain and buy a bigger size!☹️

If you cut out/down don't stinge on the butter. You need fat... it is not your enemy. Carbs are.
Btw.. you didn't mention cutting out sugar but i think you took that as read. Worst carbs ever

I have slowly managed to shed 2 stones over the past year. I put some on again at the start of lockdown, through ‘boredom eating’, but have now lost it again.
I always find it harder to lose/keep level in the cold weather. Although my ideal weight is supposed to be around 120lbs I know that there’s no way on earth that I will ever reach that. Once I get down to 140 my body seems to decide that I have reached my target. Losing any more is almost impossible, and the slightest lapse sees pounds reappear almost overnight! Does anyone else have this problem?
I am just focusing on eating sensibly and trying to maintain the weight I am. Christmas will be a very quiet affair, with few temptations, and I am going to resist baking or buying a lot of goodies for myself. Hopefully, when the weather improves, I will have more incentive to try to shed a few more pounds.
Good luck to all of you who are struggling with weight problems.

I find it hard in the cold to cut carbs, my body craves stodge. I cut out bread during the week, only drink at the weekends and overdose on veg if meal requires. But chilli without rice..... spag bog I can do courgettini in the summer, but December.....nooo

I have stopped drinking any alcohol during the week. Figured I was saving around 1500 cals a week... Cut down on carbs but my DH makes the most amazing bread so very difficult to cut it out completely. I have halved rice portions though which I think is helping.

Prescribed diets (can't think of what else to call them) don't work for me . Reading some of the comments, it seems they don't work for many of us. They don't work for me because once I come off them, the weight is back on in the blink of an eye.

The only diet that has almost worked is a sensible diet. Correct portions of the right food types.

My downfall is the snacking I do when at a low ebb. Or the baking I do, mainly for DH and the odd visitor (when we used to have them !). Chocolate is a weakness too.

I joined in with the forum "I'm a `Pear, Sequel part 2" last April and did well. Lost 1/2 a stone. One stone was my target. Stress levels went through the roof a few months later. I'm now back where I started. Bad snacks again to blame.

My meals are all extremely sensible. Any dietitian would be proud of me. I'm commenting today with the determination to not open the cake tin or biscuit tin later. DH will have strict instructions he is to get his own when he wants it.

I've been lockdown dieting , and have lost at least 3 stone ( buried head under sand at beginning - didn't weigh myself ! )
Planning to come off at Christmas and enjoy a week of lovely food. Then back on to lose that pesky last 7lbs ! Or perhaps 10lbs by then ??