to not know what to do about my eating habits or my weight?

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Hello everyone.
Posted this a couple of places, as really need advice.
I have tried SW (slimming world) three a few times and failed every single time.
I'm quite fat. 5'4 and (I haven't the nerve to get on the scales) but probably about the top end of the 12stones...
I think the reason I'm failing is because I don't eat very much, is in I eat little potions of good and healthy food. Even though some of it like chicken, tuna jacket potatoes, leafy salad and avocado I love. I just don't always feel hungry. Sometimes I go days without eating anything, especially If I'm tired/stressed/anxious (delete as appropriate!) I enjoy big meals if I go out (to somewhere like nandos approx. Once a week) and will always have three courses if there's something I fancy if we go to a pub (that's probably more like once a month though)
I've never ever eaten breakfast, I leave the house at 6.15am every morning and the idea of eating then makes me feel physically ill. I'm sure I don't drink enough either.
I love chocolate and biscuits and cake and can easily eat a share bag of malteasers to myself.
I don't do any exercise at all and I hate all forms of exercise, except swimming which I do quite like.
I'm a nurse so I do spend all day on my feet but I'm not really sure that counts!!
So really, I'm just asking, do you think I should try SW again?
Or is there another diet healthy eating plan that might be more effective?
I know I need to do something, but I'm not sure of the most effective solution.
Because I can't go on like this.
I want to look beautiful in my wedding dress. 

[DoreenLethal]

Well, what is working for me is:
I bought a decent pair of running trainers, and [we got each other for Christmas] a fitbit.

I have never done so much exercise!

I am off in an hour to do a 20 min walk/run/walk combo. Couch to 5k is free and takes you through the programme.
I log all my food onto the fitbit dashboard and make sure that I am using more calories than I eat.

I feel so much fitter already, been doing this since the middle of Feb.

[Supermanspants]

I'm the same.
I can't exercise because of knee problems.
I eat utter shite.
SW is good as long as you keep at it instead of yo yoing with it. This happened to me.
Ultimately will power is the only way to stop eating crap.
I am determined to return to better eating.
I have even bought porridge for tomorrow

[HermioneJeanGranger]

I find eating little and often helps. I eat about six/seven times a day but I never eat massive meals as I just feel overly full, or I get hungry before my next meal and stuff myself with crap to fill my stomach.

Have lots of easy to grab, healthy snacks to hand. Raisins, nuts, grapes, chopped fruit/veg are all good for you and easy to eat on the go. I also find a couple of crackers with cream cheese is good for a bit of an energy boost.

Giving up all the good stuff is just a recipe for disaster, you get cravings and give in, eating LOADS of something instead of moderate amounts. I have one unhealthy thing a day, be it a slice of cake, a bar of chocolate or a pack of crisps. If I "allow" myself something bad a day, I don't crave it and often go without. Knowing I "can" have it is often enough.

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Super I really lack willpower

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Hermonie I haven't really got the time in the day to eat six/seven times a day. Shift work doesn't work well for that sort of thing :(

[Hay135]

Sw could work for you but you have to be determined to stick to the plan. You don't have to have breakfast but can eat alpen bars or something later instead. I'm on my 3rd attempt at slimming world but have more of a healthy eating for life mind set rather than diet and it's going a lot better (I've lost just over 1 stone in 8 weeks ). From my experience you have to be In the right mind set for it to work but I'm still working on it but feel better on it

[MatildaTheCat]

Sorry, OP but from what you have written it seems relatively easy to identify where your problem lies...biscuits, cake and sweets. Do you need to join SW to give them up? The rest of your diet listed is healthy enough and you say your portions are small.

Maybe keep a truthful food diary and see if there are any other areas that are a problem. Sugary drinks? Mindless munching in the evening? Some people do find the group dieting thing helpful (myself included) but that's more for motivation than actual dietary adice mainly.

I found losing weight with a friend worked really well.

[wulfy1010]

I am way heavier than you but I have lost 1.5 stone in the last year and I am happy with the slow weight loss as I feel I am changing my lifestyle rather than dieting. I tried slimming clubs and I thought the one I went to was helpful in helping me understand what a healthy diet is. I now use the Mapmyfitness app with a step counter. I enter everything I eat and it is sometimes shocking how much the calories for snacks etc add up. If you think you food may be the problem then I can recommend this free app. You can enter foods manually or by scanning barcodes and also add your exercise. It has helped me.

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Doreen I do quite like looking at the pedometer on my iPhone, not sure how accurate it is though. I was using myfitnesspal for a while but it just highlighted how little I was eating :( I think I really need to get going with something before it's too late!

[HermioneJeanGranger]

I work shifts too, I know it sucks! I sympathise on that front.

If you can't eat regularly, bring healthy food into work for when you DO get a break. Things like pasta salad, couscous, sandwiches, salad or soup are quick to prepare at home and easy to bring in to eat at work. I used to be guilty of eating crap in the canteen because it was easier, but I found myself eating much more unhealthily than I would at home, plus it cost me a small fortune!

What are your typical meals like? Do you have time to pre-prepare meals, perhaps? I cook quick, healthy meals after work - stir fry, pasta with chicken and veg - uses fresh food but only takes 15 minutes. Is that an option? And then make enough for leftovers where possible.

[SaucyJack]

You don't lack willpower. You have as much of it as anyone else.

Pick a date on which you're going to stop eating all the crap, and then do it. It can be as simple as that if you want it to be (it really really can).

Good luck

[CalmYoBadSelf]

I think it is easy to eat too much without realising it so a good starting point would be to keep an honest food diary so you can see how many calories you are taking in. I am trying to change my eating habits as I am far larger than you and I have been shocked by how easy it is to dramatically over-consume in caloric terms when you eat things like sweets or ice cream

The thing that gave me a good start on my path was BIWIs Bootcamp on here, it is a low carb diet and it changed my view of what I was eating but it is bloody hard and I am still very overweight. It did make me realise just how addictive sugar is and how, when I eat sweet foods, I crave more of them and don't have the willpower to resist.

...which brings me to my other point. There is no magic wand, no simple solution that will make everything fall into place easily. We all know that yet we all keep hoping

[MNetter15]

I'd start by getting on the scales. I'm your height and weighed a little bit more than you think you do. Seeing the numbers on the scales (after years of ignoring it)and the number in the bmi checker (obese) was the kick up the arse I needed.

Myfitnesspal is great. I can't recommend it enough. It's such an eye opener and at 5ft 3-4, us shorties need to eat far less than we think we do. You need to exercise too and you'll find that you actually enjoy it. Right now, it's hard because of the extra weight you're carrying and also because being overweight makes you feel sluggish.

Good luck.

[HermioneJeanGranger]

And I agree with PP about a food diary. Knowing I have to write down what i eat at the end of the day definitely makes me think twice about eating junk food.

[sleepwhenidie]

It's not a matter of willpower. Eat the stuff that your body actually needs (meaning protein, good fat, veg and whole food carbs - chicken, avocado, tuna, jacket potato and salad ) in a regular schedule that works for you - that could be 4-5 small meals or 3 bigger ones but rhythm and consistency is important, then your desire to eat loads of crap will reduce significantly.

If you aren't eating the right stuff regularly, your body will scream at you to eat and find the fastest energy source - sugar. But that isn't what you actually need and in addition it hijacks your body, filling you into wanting more when what you really should be choosing is protein etc. It's not about having someone tell you what to eat and how much or banning certain things completely but behaving like a grown up in making sure you feed yourself decent stuff and listen properly to how your body responds.

I work with lots of people like you and they claim to never feel hungry but after a couple of weeks of eating regular meals they rediscover what hungry/satiated feels.

[Mistigri]

From what you say it would only take relatively small changes to your diet to make a difference, for eg just don't buy cakes and big packs of chocolate, watch portion size, and maybe cut out a course when you eat out. And walk more - you could try a fitness checker - you don't necessarily need to buy a separate device doe this (I noticed the other day that my iPod nano has a step counter app, though I don't know how accurate it is compared to a Fitbit type device).

Small changes that you can maintain permanently are much better than diets which result in "rebound" weight gain once you start eating "normally" again.

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

I'm like you and can happily skip meals but could also happily eat a huge cake and still want some more afterwards. I'd put on a lot having babies and bought I was stuck with it but have just lost about 10kg by doing a sugar detox and then a low sugar diet.
It sounds really grim but has completely changed how I feel about food- I used to have to have sugar in everything but now things taste sweet enough without and I'm not bothered about puddings or chocolate etc. the first three days of the detox made me feel rough (headaches, tired) but it just highlighted how much sugar I must have been eating. You quickly add food back and the weight came off me very quickly.
I used 'the sugar detox' app but there's a book with more recipes and meal plans etc in it.

[sleepwhenidie]

Filling you = fooling you

[bimandbam]

Do you drink alcohol at all? I eat like you. A bit here, a bit there. A couple of biscuits instead of breakfast or lunch. A cereal bar. A packet if crisps. A teatime meal and the odd splurge. I probably eat about 1500 calories a day.

But a couple of g and ts, couple of cans of lager, half a bottle of wine soon add up the calories and because they are empty calories go straight on as fat.

Keep a calorie log for a week. See where you are going wrong and take it from there. There will be something you can cut back on. Something that is taking you over.

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Hermonie most often I don't eat anything at all at work. Am thinking I could take noodles or something?

Thanks everyone else for your suggestions. I know you're all thinking "well, you must have got yourself in this situation somehow. She must eat more than she says she does." But I don't at all.

I think I will download myfitnesspal again and have another go.
I'm going to join the SW thread on here too and hopefully they can help me with some meal planning/ buddy me along a bit.

[sleepwhenidie]

bimbam is spot on, sugar (not just sweet food but white processed carbs and alcohol) are fairly empty, they basically only provide your body with energy. Any unused energy turns to fat. The same calories in protein and good fat allow your body to repair itself, build muscle, enable organs to function....much more 'bang for your buck' calorie wise, in other words, whilst an excess of calories will lead to weight gain, all calories are not equal .

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Bim I'm teetotal besides the very very very occasional dissarano and Coke.
I do love full fat Coke though.

[HermioneJeanGranger]

Good luck OP :) I think eating regularly is important. Not necessarily at set mealtimes, but going all day without food lowers your blood sugar and makes you binge later. It's also important to not starve yourself (going days without a decent meal will just mess up your metabolism).

Hope it works out okay!

[QuiteLikely5]

Try low carbing. It's great for weight loss and encourages no processed food and if you must only in moderation

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Thanks hermonie.
I'm just doing an online shop now.
I'll post my list of things here so you can all see - any suggestions would be magic. ( I don't like lamb, dried fruit, coconut or bananas)
GO GO GO Me!! Xx