Oh Crap!!! Weighed myself for first time in years last week!

[CorrieQueen]

Ok long story short I have deliberately been avoiding the scales for the last 6 years but I can not carry on this way.

I am 5ft 9" and in 2004 I weighed 12 stone 8 which I was not happy about and felt I wanted to shift some weight but unforunitely never got round to it (entirely my fault, bad diet choices and no excercise, the usual story).

We had a little boy in 2007 and since then I have let myself go completely. I am very unfit and my diet although it contains healthy meals 3 times a day contains far too many snacks. As soon as ds is in bed I hit the crisps and chocolate, biscuits etc.

I got weighed last week and found I weighed 14 stone 4! I just can't carry on like this, every year my weight is creeping up and up and I am doing something about it now.

I have been cutting out the snacks completely because I know that one packet of crisps quickly spirals for me into 6 packets.

The main problem is I am genuinely hungry all the time. What can I do and does anyone want to join me in shifting about 4 stone?

[happymandy]

Yes I will join you I have 6 stone to loss I drink alot more water now and eat alot more fruit I go horse riding every two weeks and go to the gym two times a week and try to also go for a walk when I can fit it in just very busy its evening I find hard when the children are in bed and I am here on my own thats when it gets tough

[mmmitsdelicious]

I will join you
I have also been avoiding the scales for a long time.
I weighed myself at xmas and I have put on nearly 2 stone in the last 3 years.
I am also hungry all the time. I also gave up smoking 3.5 years ago and have been unable to control my cravings for sweet things since.

My confidence is very low as none of my clothes fit.
I would love to lose 2 stone.

[Foreverondiet]

I don't believe you are so hungry after one pack of crisps you need 5 more. I would guess that you are hungry because:

a) due to impact of high carb diet, after you have eaten carbs you are then hungry for the next lot

b) your stomach expands when you eat a lot, so it expects lots of food.

Once you start to follow a diet, whether low fat or low carb or otherwise your hunger pangs will decrease.

I recommend a diet where you write everything down.... I am currently low carbing, lost the first 2 stone on tesco diets totals (a bit like weightwatchers).

Also think that you should consider the pig to twig diet (free in this months cosmo) because it deals with the hunger.

If you are hungry have a healthy snack!

[GandalfyCarawak]

I will join you, but not by low carbing/weight watchers- I don't do diets, I just want to get healthier.

Am 5 foot 11 and weigh 13 stone 4 oz. Am a big size 16.

[giraffesisonadiet]

Hi, I got weighed at the asthma nurse on Friday - I nearly fainted when I got home and googled then conversion from kg to st and lbs. :( Hence the name change

[CorrieQueen]

Welcome everyone, great to have some company. I have 4 stone to lose and I know I can do it but it's obviously going to be a long term thing and not going to happen over night.

Foreveronadiet you are absolutely right which is why I am on here and it will change. I know that there is absolutely no way on earth that I NEED 6 packets of crisps but once I start I have trouble stopping!

I do have a high carb diet usually which does leave me battling cravings and I also do have enormous portions which has changed this past few days.

I seem to spend most of my dayd being hungry though. I started healthy eating last Monday after I got weighed the first time and I am still starving every day :-(

I try and eat fruit instead of junk but it just is not filling me up at all. I know it's something I just have to work through and hopefully my cravings will subside eventually.

I may record what I eat on here just so I am mentally making a log. I haven't really been sticking to any particular kind of diet. Just trying to eat only 3 meals a day and make healthier choices ie no snacks like crisps and chocolate!

[FreudianSlippery]

I have around 4-5st to lose. Currently 14st11, have lost a little over the last few months and that's made a massive difference to my confidence, but I feel it's time to step up a notch :)

I've just got 'my fitness pal' on the iPhone (there's a website too I think) which is a free way to keep track of calories etc.

You could check your local gym for courses, I just signed up for one that is ridiculously cheap, called LEAN - lifestyle, exercise and nutrition.

I do snack too much and I'm hoping that recording everything will make me go for the carrots instead of chocolate... Sometimes at least!

I do love exercise, but I'm lazy. So I get out of the habit. But once I get into it I feel so great, all those endorphins flowing! Did some wii dancing earlier, and mum (also overweight/unfit) is joining me at a couple of exercise classes next week... Never done this before, am excited but nervous!!!

[BelaLugosiinStripes]

I've lost 5 stone previously about 8 years ago (from 14st 9 to 9st 9), put some back on (up to 12st) and have been getting back down again since Sept last year, now 12lbs off my goal weight and I intend to stay that way (fingers crossed)
What's worked for me is:
(a) low-medium GI foods - this helps me feel full for longer and cut down the hunger pangs. So it's porridge for breakfast and an oat biscuit for a mid-morning snack
(b) portion control with things like pasta, rice etc so easy to heap it up on the plate. Second the 'myfitnesspal' - it's been really helpful at assessing what I'm eating and making good choices.
(c) exercise, gradually built up over a few months, find what suits you. I hate the gym and team sports so do elliptical trainer, shred and wii fit.
(d) lots of water

Good luck, you can do it :)

[Foreverondiet]

corriequeen - I use tescodiets totals plan as my log, and highly recommend it, does mean I weight & write down everything but it gives totally objective view (esp as start of diet this is important) about whether I am eating the right amounts, which I think can be hard to gauge.

Its not good too be hungry though, its going to make it hard to stick to the diet. I found that low fat yoghurts better as between meal snacks as more filing.

I have now lost 2.5 stone since October, so roughly 2 lbs a week...

[huffythethreadslayer]

I'm 5ft 11 and 15st 10 . I'm aiming to lose a couple of stone at least in the coming months. I'm not following a diet as such, just cutting down. Having said that, I had a lousy week this week and have eaten nothing but crap all weekend.

I'm starting again this morning, so let's see how it goes!

[GandalfyCarawak]

I am hungry.

[bellylicious]

i hear the hungry thing 100%
ive been dieting/life style change bla bla for the past month ive lost 6lbs so far which yes i know is good but considering ive got about 8st to loose it just doesnt seem enough does it?!?!

i dont think despondant even comes close to describing how i feel about this whole diet thing, i feel im not really seeing the results i should be considering the effort im putting in! but i also know a couple of pounds a week is a good healthy way to do this

so misrable dieters check in here

[kepler10b]

you will be hungry. hunger is good. we're designed to be hungry at points during the day.

you aren't going to regulate your appetite however without doing exercise. you need to address that aspect too. being the correct weight and unfit is actually more unhealthy than being a bit overweight and fit.

make sure when you do eat you eat the right things. do not go for carb laden processed foods. go high protein and lots of fresh fruit and veg.

whatever you portion sizes are now, drastically reduce them.

set your mind not to eat any snacks of the chocolate / crisp / cake variety apart from a treat day 1 day a week. make sure you don't have these sorts of foods in your house.

if you need a small snack go from something like 3-4 dessert spoons of baked beans heated in a microwave, or a (small) handful of unsalted nuts or a banana.

don't spend ages obsessing over diets and reading about food plans etc, it will only whet your appetite and make you more hungry.

don't watch programmes about food on television (as above).

do stuff to keep yourself busy - even housework - to distract yourself from bored eating.

drink lots of water and / or herbal teas with no sugar.

[mmmitsdelicious]

How is everyone getting on?
I've started a food diary so I keep track of what I actually eat.
I weighed myself last night I've got 1 stone and 12lbs to lose.
Should we post our food diaries on here? It could help.

[CorrieQueen]

Not good today. I have been on a training course out of town for work today and they proveded a buffet style lunch with far too many delicious foods!

Anyway haven't binged but certainly eaten more than I should have done but hoping to go for a run in the morning after I drop ds off at school.

I think I am slightly obsessed with weighing myself though which is dangerous as I am not seeing the results quick enough and becomming discouraged. I must learn to only weigh myself once a week but it's too tempting to do it 3 times a day!

How is everyone doing?

[bellylicious]

still misrable !
had a pub lunch last friday and kids party on the sat with a huge buffet so have eaten my way through my own body weight! (well feels like it)

so i weighed in on monday and id put on 2lbs urrghhh but not tooo bad in the grand scheme of things

its now sat again and ive got right back on track yay me
i lost the 2lb i put on plus another lb whoop

so thats a total of 7lbs in just under 4 weeks

im basically eating rabbit food with lean meats and fish
though i have discoverd hartleys less than 10 cals jelly omg its good and keeps my sweet tooth at bay !

i walk the dog in the morning and do my excercise bike in the evenings

im sure i can step things up a notch !

[ivykaty44]

CQ you have been given some excellent advise about the hunger and foreveronadiet has some great reasons why you are hungry.

i wanted to also add - you are addicted to sugar, juts the same as someone is addicted to ciggies/nicotine.

You will have been addicted to sugar and that is one of the main reasons that you couldn't eat one packet of crisps - you needed to eat 5, it is the saturated oil.

A lot of food products have sugar in them as it is a cheap substance and gets you hooked so the manufactors know then you will be back for more

I would advise sourcing a good low GI diet as this will help you get ride of the sugar addiction and also assist in your weight loss.

It is the sugar addiction though as much as anything else that you need to shift - then when you have lost eight and reached a goal of 4 stone you will hopefully be able to stay there and know that you can't under any circumstances go back to your old habits and ok juts have one of those or two of those

[ImFab]

I recommend you read the from pig to twig book. Reading it sorted out my emotional eating and also explained why you have a chocolate or two and then want 20 or have a few crisps and then want 5 bags. I have lost 15lbs so far with 2 stone to go but no longer emotionally eat.

[CorrieQueen]

Thanks for all the input guys. It's a couple of weeks later and I have gone from 14 stone 4 to 13 stone 11 which is a great feeling although of course I expect it to slow down as the weeks progress to maybe 2 lbs a week loss but for now I am just so relieved to be under 14 stone again.

I am still struggling with cravings, one day I do really well and the next day I just give in and I know it's not going to do me any good in the long run. However, small break through with the hunger control thing. I have found that protein works really well for filling me up and I do try and steer clear of bread and stodgey carbs. I am eating a lot of eggs for breakfast instead of cereal or toast and it is genuinely filling me up til around 12:30 ish whereas before I would have been starving and craving biscuits by 10am.

Bellylicious it sounds like you're doing very well. Congratulations. Don't beat yourself up over what u have eaten though. One thing I have realised is that I can't hate myself or fall off the wagon completely because of one or two bad choices I made. All I can do is work with the present and do all that I can at this moment to lose weight. Of course sometimes I will eat too much or eat the wrong things but I just need to remind myself that the moment I have stopped eating that, I am back on track and I am losing weight iyswim?? All we can do is right now not what we ate yesterday and so on.

How is everyone else getting on? Has anyone had any losses?

[essenceofSES]

CorrieQueen - well done on your weight loss!

I've just seen this thread and could do with joining you if that's ok?
I'm 5'6" and 12st. I'd love to get to 10st ultimately. I live my food and really need to eat less and mire healthily. I also don't do regular exercise and have a sedentary job so really need to do something differently otherwise I'll only put more weight on.

I've been brave and booked some personal training sessions each Monday from 28th so hope that will work together with a better diet.

On top of all that DH has just been diagnosed with high BP and suspected diabetes, so we really need to try and improve our lifestyle.

Hope this thread will be a means of support along the way!

[CorrieQueen]

Welcome essenceofSES of course u can join in! Although I am not sure how many of us are still here but hopefully we can all still support each other!

I wish I had time (and if I'm honest, the nerve!) to get a personal trainer for a few sessions. The problem I have is that on the rare occassions I do excercis I am never sure if I am actually doing the excercises right to get the full effect! I just always feel like I am doing a half arsed job.

Not much to report today, not eaten particularly well so far .

[foxinsocks]

That app is really good (the my fitness pal). I am supposed to be keeping a food diary and it's brilliant!

Re the sweets craving, I started off by swapping sweets for fruit then slowly but surely cut that down but it took months and I had to start with cutting out extra sugar (like sugar in tea, sugar on cereal)

[foxinsocks]

Sorry meant to say thanks for recommending the app lol :)