Anyone want to join me in good old, sensible healthy eating?

[DrRanj]

In the new year I plan to eat healthily and lose weight using a very conventional and balanced diet plan based on this advice given by the British dietetic association, and a booklet that can be downloaded here from the British heart foundation.

Basically, you eat a set number of portions of different types of food to ensure you get a balanced diet with a small calorie deficit for slow and steady weight loss.

All fairly no nonsense and fad free!

I don't want this thread to turn into one where people try and sell low carbing or fasting, I have tried all these things and now I want to try it this way, for various reasons. I am a vegetarian for one, and this way of eating tends to suit me better!

I am hoping to increase my exercise too, I tend to go running.

[InMySpareTime]

I've been doing that since July and lost 3 1/2 stone so far, gone from a size 18 to a size 12, and cut my BMI from 38 to 29 (I'm only 5' tall).
It does work, I am happy to join you and am hoping to get my BMI below 25 (that's another 1 1/2 stone off for me).
It seems incongruous to me that the top of my "healthy" weight range will make me a size 8, and 9st, but we'll see how it goes.

[DrRanj]

Fab! Congrats on your weight loss so far! My BMI is hovering at around the 26 mark after having got up to around 30 after dd. So I am not looking for miracles, just something to push me into the healthy weight range.

I have tried absolutely everything to get to this point, but now keep losing and regaining the same couple of pounds!

In an ideal world I'd love to get down to the bottom of my healthy weight range, but that would involve me losing 3 stone so we'll see how that goes!

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Yes once my Christmas food and booze is used up. and cheese

I'm not big to look at me you'd be surprised I'm 12stone ATM but I'd really like to be 10 and a half to 11. I'm sure because I don't eat regular and skip meals and portion size is why I always stay the same, I do cook from scratch most nights or have food that was cooked from scratch to heat up but I've got into having to eat my whole plate up and picking on a night time.

[Vicky08]

I'm in!! Going to start on 1 Jan. Have about 4 stone to loose At the moment I'm a size 18 and I don't carry it well at all, I look far bigger! I want to get down to a 10. No rush but I would like to look good on the beach this summer

[GettinTrimmer]

I'm starting on 1st Jan too!

I have lost weight successfully by doing a similar plan with plenty of exercise, about 1.5 stone, then put it back on again. I think I need to lose 2 stone but will weigh in on Tuesday

[Themilkybarisonme]

That sounds great to me, count me in. I was lured over here by the low carb thread but when I read the rules it didn't sound right to me, so here I am. Thanks for the links!

[Lavenderhoney]

Yes this sounds like it would suit me. I eat with the dc and not dh as he is at work so eat more as they are so slow and will nibble leftovers..

I weigh just under 11 stone and want to be my pre baby and pre 2nd baby weight of 9 stone or just over.

We eat home cooked foods all the time ( meat and veg) very traditional. I would like more vegetarian options esp as dd doesn't like the taste of meat, so it would be nice to have a change some nights.

[InMySpareTime]

One thing that has really helped me but might not work for everyone:
Before preparing food, I think "do I actually want to eat this? Am I actually hungry?"
If I am, I make food.
I eat what (and the amount) I have decided to eat and don't feel guilty about it.
When eating food, I focus on the food, and enjoying the taste of it. It seems odd, but the first mouthful of e.g. Chocolate is so much better than the rest. I often eat just one chocolate now I know this, as I can then get the "first mouthful" hit for weeks (I have a small box of chocolates I've not yet finished from my leaving do in mid-October!).
As I say, it might not work for everyone, but it got me out of habit eating and I really enjoy good food now.

[DrRanj]

Ah good to see you all! I think I am going to start on the 2nd. I am struggling to get out of Xmas mode, so I think I am going to get tonight and tomorrow's hangover out the way and then go for it!

[HeffalumpsAndWoozles]

I'm in, DD2 was born end of Sept this year, followed shortly by Christmas excess and combined with the ravenous hunger from ebf I have a good 2 stone to lose I reckon. Haven't actually weighed myself for fear of it being more but pre DCs I was 8-10, now 14 but still can't get jeans to fit me. Would love to get back into some size 10s. Today I'm starting C25K and sensible eating sounds best for me, I'm no good at fads.

Well done on all your weight loss so far!

[Vicky08]

Well it's Jan 1st and here I am. Weighed myself this morning and it wasn't good I weigh 82.9 kilos which is 13 stone. I want to get down to 9 stone, my pre pregnancy weight. That means I have to loose 4 stone. I plan to do it slowly and steadily. It will take longer but will hopefully stay off. Last year I lost two stone but then the summer came and I put it all back on again.

Apart from healthy eating I'm going to exercise when I can. I'm also going to start the C25K Heffalumps and I have an exercise bike that I'm going to go on as often as I can.

[higgle]

Vicky08 - in exactly the same position as you ( well worse if you are more thatn 5'3") I'm starting today too. As I'm veggie it is easier as just keeping off crisps/chocolate/cheese brings automatic results. I could be 8 st 12 ( my target) in September.... if I stick to it.

[DrRanj]

Too hungover to diet today!

But I will join you all tomorrow with bells on!

I am giving up alcohol for January, so hopefully that should help matters!

[Vicky08]

higgle I'm 5'6''. I'm also going to stay off chocolate, crisps, cakes etc and I'm going to cut down on white bread, rice and pasta. I'll swap them for the whole grain versions. I'm going to set myself lots of short term goals; try to loose x amount by my birthday, x amount by a mini break that we have planned, x amount by Easter etc. Hopefully that will make it easier.

Good luck everyone.

[DrRanj]

Vicky 08, I am 5'6" too! You must have been very slim pre pg if you were 9 stone!

I got up to 13st 8.5lb after dd. but I was about 11stone before. I am pretty much back to that now - or I was before Xmas, probably at least half a stone up now!

I too would love to get down to about 9 stone.

[Vicky08]

DrRanj 9 stone is what I want to get down to but to be honest more than the weight I want to fit into my old size 10 clothes, I carry a lot of my weight on my boobs and belly and this is the hardest weight to get off for me, I need to be around 9 stone to be a size 10 again.

[DrRanj]

We must have very different figures though! I am flat chested and reasonably flat tummied, but have a huge arse!

I could almost get into a size 10 top now, but still need size 14 jeans.

Haven't been a true size 10 since 2006, and I was 9st 12.

[HeffalumpsAndWoozles]

Weighed myself today :( I am 11stone 2, at least 2 stone to lose. At my fittest I averaged about 8 and a half stone, but I think pre first pg probably 9 stone was a sensible weight. I'm 5 ft 6 as well, quite small chested but wide hips and a fat generous arse I look back at photos of me before the DCs and I'm amazed I didn't appreciate it more then!

Is it realistic to hope to be back to 9 stone and size 10 by my return to work in June this year? I've never really been on a diet or consciously trying to lose weight before so I don't know what to expect.

My first C25K workout was bloody hard but I felt fantastic when I finished so I will definitely be kicking myself out of the house to keep it up. Diet wise today I've managed to be pretty good, other than scoffing a few leftover cadburys roses this morning I've just had my three meals and no snacks. Fat coke is my weakness though and I have had two cans which I know I shouldn't, when this box runs out I won't buy any more.

How have you all been today?

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

Can I join please - i think this sounds like my sort of thread
i lost a stone v-e-r-y slowly last year by not eating like an utter beast, and exercising 3 x weekly.
i still have another stone to go, and the beast-eating has been back over Christmas.
I will weigh in shortly and am starting TODAY

[DrRanj]

Well I'm starting today!

Weighed in at 11st 8.75lb!

That's a full half stone on over Xmas, but is suspected as much.

Just sitting down to a breakfast of cinnamon and raisin bagel with low fat spread, so that's 2 carb servings and 1 fat serving.

Then I'm going to go out for a walk/jog. Doing a couch to 5k type program.

Hope everyone is well today!

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

10st 12

[DrRanj]

Charlotte - naked, post wee (and poo) is a real life weight in my book!

[Vicky08]

Hi everyone, glad we're all getting started.
Yesterday I was good, three balanced meals and a small snack but I also had a couple of glasses of full fat coke, it's also one of my big weaknesses Heffalumps I love it, will have to wean myself off it I think.

Today so far so good, I've had a piece of ryvita and a banana for breakfast, then had a low fat yogurt mid morning, lunch is grilled fish and veg and for dinner I'm going to make home made tomato soup.

I'm also trying to drink more water, so far have only managed one glass, but that's one glass more than usual. Will go and get another one in a minute.

Yesterday afternoon I was starving so I had a shower and straightened my hair. Then at night when I got hungry again I painted my nails. Apart from distracting me from eating these little things make me feel good which always helps.

Have a good day everyone

[CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease]

I'm in for this. I'm nearly at the pre-giving birth weight I was just over a year ago :( I know I have both an unhealthy relationship wtih food as well as a tendancy to just want to sleep at the moment!

I get very confused as to what constitutes "healthy" and then give up. Low - carb, no sugar, etc so just having something to follow will help me I think.

I know I eat far too much, too often... :( I really want my children to grow up eating better. In my ideal world I only cook from natural ingredients etc....

[DrRanj]

I know giraffe, I get confused too! I have tried everything, but come to the conclusion that eating as normally as possible works best long term. I'm hoping this way will help me cut the kcals a bit without becoming to obsessed with calorie/point counting!

Just settling down to lunch of jacket spud (2 carbs), herb salad and cherry toms (2 veg) dressed with balsamic, 45g low fat cheese (1 dairy) and half a tin if beans (1 non dairy protein).

I will use my other dairy as skimmed milk in tea and coffee throughout the day.

I am going to be quite relaxed with measurements and stuff for now and see how it goes. If I am not losing I may get tighter on this.