AIBU to think you don't have to follow a prescribed diet to lose weight?

[Blueskiesandcherrypies]

When I finally give birth (it's been a loooong pregnancy) I will have about 2 stone to lose. I really don't want to go down the corporate, prescribed route of WW/Sw (they've had enough money out of me in the past) and would much prefer to do loads of walking, cut out all rubbish from my diet and eat three healthy meals a day. Our evening meals are ok anyway but I want to try and get away from cereal and toast for brekkie and calorie laden sarnies, crisps and choc for lunch. Not to mention the huge amounts of biscuits and other crap during the day .

So AIBU to think it should be possible to lose weight this way rather than going down the WW/Sw route? I will be really strict with myself, in fact I want to start now and limit the amount of weight I put on during the rest of my pregnancy.

Has anyone else lost weight this way?

[deakymom]

sounds like a plan you might want to cut out crap food now but its up to you xx

[schokolade]

I haven't got personal experience, but I don't see why it wouldn't work without a prescribed diet. No harm in having a go first anyway?

Although I would just cut out the biscuits etc rather than altering breakfast/lunch. Nothing wrong with sandwiches.

[treaclesoda]

Yanbu. Really its the only long term solution.

But loads of people do find that ww/sw suit them though, so if it works for them, great.

FWIW I'm very suspicious of ww/sw because nearly everyone I know who has ever used them finds themselves yo yo-ing up and down and going back over and over again. Profit making slimming organisations would probably go out of business if they were actually in the business of teaching people to lose weight permanently.

[yummymumtobe]

I lost about a stone this way. As you say, it's not rocket science! Eat less, be more active. I think some people like prescribed diets as it gives them a structure to follow and probably helps with the discipline of following a diet. Also, it can sometimes be hard to work out whats 'good' and 'bad' food wise. Also, a rigid structure can put too much pressure on and make you feel you have been 'bad' if you give in to a muffin or pizza. In reality, just be a bit better the next day! Good luck!

[yummymumtobe]

By the way, if you're pregnant you need to make sure you are eating enough and dont go crazy dieting! Your body may just be seeking extra calories to keep you going! You don't mention if you are planning to breast feed but if you are you make find yourself very hungry when the baby comes - I literally couldnt stop eating at first when I was feeding!

[Joysmum]

A structured diet marketed by companies is a way of conveying information and keeping track of what you are doing.

I'm sure there will be many people along in a sec to run down the pre packaged food sold as diet or low fat etc because of their high sugar/salt/fat/additives.

At then end of the day a low fat, low GI and increase of exercise is what a healthy lifestyle is and therefore perfect for weight loss.

If you cook from scratch you know exactly what's in it and can calculate your portion intake according. I found a calorie tracker to be very useful.

It's also down to changing habits and behaviour which why many are so anti the word 'diet'.

Good luck

[KeemaNaanAndCurryOn]

I lost weight through sensible diet and exercise. I'd spent years before doing WW and any other fad that came along and they never worked for long.

The key was not to set off doing something I couldn't maintain, so it was about eating sensibly and getting out of my bike. I used My Fitness Pal to track calories and so long as I kept within the range that would lose me around 2lb a week, I could eat what I wanted.

[TheGreatHunt]

Well technically that is a diet sorry that's not helpful

But why not start now?

However I will warn you, dealing with a newborn is tiring which means you do need regular snacks. I found that three meals a day didn't cut it. I was also bf. It did mean I lost a stone in the first 3 months as I didn't eat enough. I soon learned and embraced cake.


Now after 2 kids, I'm just recovering weight wise although I never really need to lose weight pre-oregnanct.

So I'd suggest eating healthily yes but don't worry about your weight until baby is here and you've settled into motherhood. You don't need more stresses.

[mumofboyo]

Yanbu. I've just lost 7lb by cutting back the crap and will continue to do so until I reach my goal. So far it's taken 3 weeks.

I lost a lot of weight doing the same thing before I caught on with dd (gave up when I was pregnant because I stupidly thought I might as well eat what I want since I'm going to get big anyway ) so am doing it again now. I don't like following plans and programmes and begrudge paying out good money for something I can do by myself.

[WooWooOwl]

Yanbu, but some people find it easier to follow a prescribed diet so they don't have to think too much about it.

Do whatever works for you.

[LegoCaltrops]

I lost a lot (around 4 stone) of baby weight, using the 5:2 diet then Paul McKenna. Neither needs you to spend lots on special food & neither involves lots of calorie counting (only counting on the fasting days of the 5:2). And now, I don't follow any special diet, I just sort of stick to the general principles of the PM diet, which is, eat only when you're hungry, only eat till you don't feel hungry, & don't eat a lot of rubbish. And I try to avoid too much sugar except chocolate, I need that!

[meganorks]

I've come off the back of having kids about 18lb lighter with no dieting. I think this is mostly due tovthe fact that pre pregnancy I was sat in an office foe long hours and did no exercise. Baby came along and I started walking everywhere (live close to park name the shops) and I was breastfeeding (still am).
The wors diet just makes me want to eat more so didn't really change anything on that front although don't tend to have sweets, biscuits, chocolate crisps etc in house. But do bake sometimes so have cake in house.
Stop having the crap in the house, walk, breastfeed and enjoy your baby!

[meganorks]

Sorry for typos - on phone and if I correct them my whole message gets lost!

[Ludways]

Eat healthy, stay active.

It's the best and easiest way.

[Sirzy]

I have lost 4.5 stone by eating a healthy diet and exercising.


Personally i am very sceptical about the long term effectiveness if most diets

[Deliaskis]

I've lost a stone and a half during the last 3 months and am aiming for the same again, by eating healthily and doing exercise. I feel better, I'm motivated, I'm just saying no to nonsense food and making better choices in general. I'm motivated, I'm not depriving myself and I feel loads better.

So YANBU, it's a great way to lose weight, but don't put too much pressure on yourself directly post-baby, there are so many things at play that you have little or no control over (hormones, BF, etc.) worrying about the scales could end up being stressful. However, eating healthily, being kind to your body generally, is a good philosophy anyway.

[neverthebride]

To lose weight and keep it off is about adjusting what and how much you eat in the ling term.

If you've got a history of weight gain then diet, weight gain then diet (it sounds like you have) then you need to get out of that cycle because it does mess with your metabolism.

Keep a food diary of how you normally eat first and put every single thing you eat and drink on there. Then you can see where you're possibly going wrong.

Be very aware of portion sizes, if you do have a history of overeating you may have to really adjust portion sizes.

Don't set yourself up to fail; cutting out everything you really like isn't likely to be sustainable in the long run.

If you don't want to calorie-count (I do and use MFP, works for me) then at least be aware of calorie content. Some things pack far more calories than you would expect ( I'm looking at yiu, teeny yet high calorie Kinder bars!).

Good luck!.

[dolphinsandwhales]

Yanbu. I had two stone to lose after dd was born. One stone I lost through giving birth(dd, placenta et al) the other stone I lost over six months through breastfeeding a hungry baby, walking her in her pram for naps etc and I ate sensibly.

[specialsubject]

of course it works.

eat less rubbish, move more.

or pay SW/WW to tell you the same thing.

[TeacupDrama]

I have lost 7lb in 2 months by eating proper breakfast porridge or wholemeal toast plus 1 piece of fruit; lunch of mainly vegetables and protein so either chunky soup or salad, followed by fruit/yogurt; no snacking and a proper dinner same as everyone else in family but more veg and less potatoes/pasta, I have 1 treat a day maybe glass of wine with dinner or a dessert/ small cake or small amount chocolate with after dinner coffee, I do not buy low fat or diet anything so eat normal cheese, milk and yogurts

[Sovaysovay]

I've lost a couple of kilograms in the last few weeks just by cutting out crap, swapping white carbs for brown and then eating way less of them. It hasn't been that hard, to be honest. Saying no to cheesecake is about as strenuous as it's been.

[Kittymalinky]

I lost 3 stone on my own, just used myfitnesspal to track my calories so I ate less/better.

I'm now doing it again (after gaining a lot of pregnancy weight) just tracking calories, I'm doing much more exercise this time and I'm almost 2stone down in 2 months.

You definitely don't have to do that whole WW, SW different diets.

[icanmakeyouicecream]

I do WW because I need the control and structure. If i d

[icanmakeyouicecream]

If I don't do it, I loose control very quickly.

[TalkinPeace]

5:2 costs nothing and the 24 hour free support line is in a corner of mumsnet