Whats the point in eating healthily?

You don't say how long you've gained the 3lb over? If it's a week it will almost certainly be water weight. If its over the month then you need to have a review and make sure that as well as eating healthily you're in a calorie deficit. You will have done amazing things for your overall health and wellbeing, your skin and hair and immunity by following a healthy diet. But the only thing that shifts weight is fewer calories in my (extensive, having tried many eating plans!) experience. You've done the hard part by getting the good foods in instead of the poorer choices, but if the weights not shifting I'd strongly recommend you also count calories.

Nuts are very high in calories and low in satiety, I would eat something else when hungry.

you can see your calories intake on Zoe, so worth keeping an eye on that too.

Cholesterol. I have just been diagnosed with familial high cholesterol at 40 and put on ezetimibe. It was a bit sobering that I was at a high risk of heart attack in my 50s even though I was only a size 12, because alongside the hereditary factor my diet was full of cheese, crisps and pastry.

Zoe is about gut health and sustainable nutrition.

There's a lot more to health than variations on scales which can be water retention for a multitude of reasons including hormones, tired muscles or even just needing to spend 5 minutes in the toilet.

It's decades of quick fix, (unsustainable) low calorie diet that's the problem

Also eating out, even the “healthy options” eg chicken salad are 500-700 calories at most pubs and restaurants. The pub health option is at least half or few calories than most of their mains but you won’t lose weight if eating out a couple of times a week unless diet restricted rest of the week. Most supermarket sandwiches come in at 400 calories and not necessarily high in protein and cafe/coffee shop ones are worse!

Carry on eating healthily, stop snacking and drink a shit ton of water. That 3lb could be a couple of massive poos!

I’d agree with this.

Eating healthily is a benefit in and of itself. You could reach your ideal weight on a diet of cheese strings and muller fruit corners but that is not going to be good for you.

There is more to being healthy than just being slim.

The Zoe principles are a great way to eat.

Once you get used to eating this way, and really feel the benefits, you will see where you can make little tweaks to reduce overall calories. You might see what happens if you fast until lunchtime, or reduce snacks or portion sizes or starchy carbs. But I wouldn't lose heart or mess with the overall program, it's your long term health that counts.

Nuts are highly calorific, Ci v co

I am doing Zoe, bur watching my calories too, I don't think you can really eat nuts or seeds or even olive oil "freely" and lose weight. I only have 25 - 30g of nuts a day.

I've found I feel less hungry if I've had decent meals that score well, my meals are higher calorie than I used to eat, but I barely snack any more. I am losing - very slowly!

@Whenthechipshitthefan just to add to my PP. I made a choice in January to start a healthier lifestyle. At the end of every month, I took body measurements from my arms, chest, waist, hips, bum and thighs and recorded each month. By June , my measurements equalled a combined loss of 24 inches, and 2 dress sizes, but during that time I only lost 7lb in weight.

There's a good Just One Thing podcast on BBC iplayer about the benefits of eating nuts but I'm pretty sure he did say just one small handful per day (unsalted)

Are you exercising alongside it?

If so stop weighing yourself and use a tape measure for a better measure of how you are doing.

Weight control and eating healthily are two differ things.

Weight loss is about working out calories used and eating less over the day, thereby being in a deficit and burning fat to lose weight.

Healthy eating is cutting out processed food, avoiding chemical additives and sugar, and balancing macros, nutrients and vitamins.

If it's weight loss you want, eat less calories than you eat. That doesn't mean go hungry. Veg, quark, yogurts, meat - can all have a low calorie base and leave you full. In fact protein takes a whilst to digest so leaves you feeling full whilst sugar breaks down fast - spikes you - then you feel hunger again quickly.

Eat healthily on a calorie deficit and weight will go over time, even without exercise. Figures are made in the kitchen.

DH and I did Zoe, we found it very useful for resetting our diet to include more veg and pulses, less carbs esp sugar, BUT it's naive to think calories don't matter. So, using nutracheck for that... works well together. The Zoe type foods are more satiating but nuts need weighing!

Even in MN terms this is absolutely ridiculous advice. Not sustainable or healthy in the slightest.

of you are following Zoe rules, listen to the Zoe podcast ep on obesity. It has some interesting takes on anyone’s weight.

And a flux like that is nothing. As pp said it could be water weight, it could be to do with your menstrual cycle, you could be backed up more etc.

Well done on improving your diet! Gaining weight on scales doesn't mean you are gaining fat. It could be water weight if you are drinking more water/consuming more fruit and veg which contain lots of water. Whole foods such as fruit and veg weigh a lot so they will weigh a lot while they are working their way through you.

Focus on your clothes and optics, and health not scales. Good food will also make you look more attractive with good skin, nails and hair! Good luck! :)

Unfortunately what you have described is doesn't controlled enough to lose weight, foods you might consider healthy may have loads of calories in (or you could be eating portions that are too big). Its obviously much better for you than eating crap but to lose weight you have to be properly disciplined IME.

3lbs is nothing. Could well be just water weight, a poo.. who knows. Why wouldn’t you want to be healthier in the long term?

When you eat more than you burn, you gain- nuts, avocado etc add up fast. It also be increased water intake, where your cycle’s at etc.

You aren't giving it a chance. Losing weight is a process, it takes time and consistency with a calorie deficit, there is no quick fix. It's great that you are making changes to living a healthier lifestyle, please stop weighing yourself every day/ week as weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons. It will only make you feel disheartened and you'll end up going back to your old ways.

I'd suggest to take body measurements instead and track progress that way, and go off how you feel in your clothes.