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Help! I have diet fatigue

40 replies

Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 16:36

I've NC for this one, as I want fresh perspective.
I'm really suffering from diet fatigue and want to know if anyone's ever lost weight and kept it off without following a structured paid-for diet (ie, WW and SW), or strict calorie counting, fasting, etc?
I know deep down those kind of diets don't work in the long term – far too many people regain all the weight (and more) for them to be a resounding success (you've only got to read these boards to know that!) – so I don't want to attempt another. I have been been using an app to track my calorie intake (My Net Diary, which I find more user friendly than MFP) but it's not helping me get to the root of WHY I'm overweight, which is that I eat mindlessly when I'm bored/hungover/happy/sad/any excuse. I'm so sick of thinking about food and weight though. I've been dieting since I was 15 and I'm now 45. That's THIRTY YEARS of this shit and I've had enough.
However, if I give up and decide to embrace my current weight (which at 13 stone is 1.5 stone over what the charts say is healthy and I'm 5ft 8) and ditch the scales, I respond by eating anything I can lay my hands on, which is what I've been doing all this week.
Is there another way to manage a healthy weight? I'm open to anything except doing another sodding diet!

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PetraDelphiki · 27/02/2018 16:37

You are me!!!

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PetraDelphiki · 27/02/2018 16:37

If you find a solution let me know!

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 16:41

Oh, I'm so glad it's not just me! Hopefully someone who's been here and has come out of the other side will be along soon to share their experience. Anyone?

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WeightLoser · 27/02/2018 16:49

Dont know if this will helo but offer my own experience. I used SW to lose 3 stone and get to the upper end of my normal weight - which is where I wanted to be. However, I dont think SW is sustainable for me for the rest of my life, so what I do now is eat what I want, but log it in myfitnesspal and when I reach my daily maintainance calorie limit I try not to eat anything else....but within that daily limit I eat whatever I like and dont count syns or stick to HexA and HexB.

Because I'm a target member I dont have to pay to go to SW and be weighed now, so I still go and find the accountability useful, I just odn;t tell them what I eat.

Works for me!

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WeightLoser · 27/02/2018 16:50

sorry about spelling etc - on phone with fat fingers and thin keyboard!

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 16:54

Sounds like a sensible way of maintaining, WeightLoser, and well done for losing so much in the first place. It's the getting the weight off that I'm struggling with! I did WW years ago and lost two stone, but put it back on, plus another half stone, so I'm loathed to try it again. My head's just not in the right place to follow a diet, but I'm scared I'll pile on even more weight if I don't do something.

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crackerjacket · 27/02/2018 16:55

Me too.

I've had four dried figs today.

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 16:57

Are you dieting crackerjacket? Or off a diet but trying to be good?

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WeightLoser · 27/02/2018 16:59

I agree your head needs to be in on the deal before it will work. I tried diet after diet for years and never got anywhere. Then the GP offered me a health check and told me I was very close to the bllod sugar levels that would mean T2 diabetes and my cholesterol wasn't good. I have always been scared to death at the thought of diabetes, so when the GP offered my 12 weeks free at SW I took it, and this time it worked because my mind was on board with it.

My friend did a similar thing as me but with bribery - she paid herself a £1 for every lb she lost, and when she got to target spent the whole lot on yarn (she loves to knit) and she is maintaining in the same way as me.

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crackerjacket · 27/02/2018 17:03

Yes I'm dieting, I'm pretty much at goal weight but once I get to goal weight I think sod it and think I can eat what I want! So I've been into the figs and the peanut butter....

The main motivator for me is thinking that it's Spring and I have loads of clothes that I want to wear and need to lose a bit to fit nicely into them.

For me the best way to lose weight is lower carb - no pasta, less bread, rice only once per week. And stuffing my face with veg - so loads of veggie soups, big salads with every meal. Lots of protein too, hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese as snacks. It's boring but works.

Portion size is a biggie too - FIL cooked for 3 people and he did 3 potatoes and a carrot Hmm That was served with meatballs. The thing is : I was full off only 1 potato and a bit of carrot and a few meatballs! If I would have cooked I'd have done 2 spuds each at least!

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WazFlimFlam · 27/02/2018 17:32

Me too. Its the weather.

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titsbumfannythelot · 27/02/2018 17:38

Have you considered lchf? I have found that I'm not as hungry when I follow that way of eating. It's worth looking on the boards.

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Arapaima · 27/02/2018 17:41

I’m the same as you, OP! Same height, same weight, nearly the same age, same issues with mindless eating. I’ve tried every diet going in the past and now I’ve stopped. I don’t diet and I don’t weigh myself (this has been for about a year now). I haven’t lost weight but at least I haven’t gained either!

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 18:15

Definitely think the weather is playing a part, Waz! I'm mainlining food because I'm so cold and feeling tired.

What's lchf, tits? You'd think with my encyclopaedic knowledge of diets I'd know that that means but I don't!

Sounds like you've both found good motivators Weight and cracker. I wish I could, but overriding any desire to lose weight is the thought that I just don't want to diet.

Oh god, Arapaima, you sound like my kindred spirit! How have you coped throughout the year? Have you had wobbles and thought about dieting again? How do you know you've not gained weight? Did you throw the scales out? And have you reconciled yourself to being bigger than you'd like? I'd love to be where you are in 12 months!

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titsbumfannythelot · 27/02/2018 18:45

Low carb high fat. There are some pretty knowledgeable folk on there. I decided to try it s few weeks ago after losing and gaining the same 5lbs since 2015.

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 18:53

Ah, so like doing Atkins?

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titsbumfannythelot · 27/02/2018 18:56

I guess so.

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 19:00

I know LCHF works for lots of people but I think, because of where my head's at right now, I'd rather not do adopt a WOE that restricts one food group. How are you finding it though, tits?

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titsbumfannythelot · 27/02/2018 19:12

I remember thinking that years ago but I want to slim down for a big birthday this year.

I'm finding it good. If I don't eat sugar/ refined sugar I don't crave it.

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 19:14

That's good, tit. I think it's one of the better ones, because you don't have to record every morsel that passes your lips, you just have to know what to avoid. It's the ones with the constant calculating and counting that make me despair!

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user1471451866 · 27/02/2018 19:21

Maybe not ideal but I eat very healthily in the week and reward myself at weekends with cake/pudding, but just one slice. I am very slowly losing weight, but I don't mind that it's slow if it stays off. I look forward to my cake, but I am very strict about the one slice. It can be a large slice though!

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thetallesttree · 27/02/2018 19:32

I had a different problem to you, very disordered eating, but getting that under control did mean I lost weight too.
So here was my approach. I didn't have a goal to lose weight but to get in touch with my natural appetite and have a normal healthy relationship with food.
I regarded it as a long term strategy and accepted that I would fail at times and this was ok and part of the process, and not a reason to have recrminations against myself and give up.
I did not exclude any foods from my diet (as my goal was to have a stress free attitude to food)
I set a structure around what I ate. This was, I ate three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I bought a small plate (sort of largish side plate size) and used that to portion control. I tried not to snack but if I needed to would have something proper, like an oatcake or nuts and fruit.
The goal of this was, long term, to learn to recognise hunger and to know when I was sated and could therefore stop eating.
It took about over a year at least, But I now do have an unstressy relationship with food, eat when I am hungry and stop when sated.
I don't know if that will help you, but thought I would mention it. Hope things work out for you OP.

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thetallesttree · 27/02/2018 19:37

PS i did that about 15 years ago at least, and it has permanently changed my relationship with food which had been messed up for all of my adult life prior to that.

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 20:06

That's EXACTLY the relationship I want to have with food too thetallesttree. Years of dieting then overeating has left me with a very disordered approach to food and I would love to achieve the mindset of being unstressed about it. Reading your post, it sounds like I need to go easy on myself and think of it as a long-term goal, which isn't easy when diets often are about the quick fix. But your approach sounds really sensible and definitely what I want to achieve. Thanks for sharing!

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Dietordietrying · 27/02/2018 20:08

Wow, I've just read your update too - 15 years ago and your approach to food has stayed like that? I'm impressed!

user, thanks for sharing your approach too. It also sounds really sensible and considered and I like the fact it allows for cake!

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