To ask if there actually is an easy way to lose weight?

[StandAndBeCounted]

I've had 4 babies, the last one is 6 months old. Before kids I was a size 8, now I'm a very wobbly 12-14.

Trouble is. I just really bloody love food. It's amazing.

I would love to get my figure back, but every morning I vow to be good and every lunch time I'm like 'Fffooooooodddd!'

Help me Mumsnetters

Nope. The brain loves food and the body hates losing mass. I guess accept that it'll be difficult?

Low carb high fat. Once you break the back of it the cravings go. I've lost 4 stone since having my daughter.
I've also found since going back to work I don't have the opportunity to pick and I'm moving more so I can cheat a bit and follow the 80:20 rule so it's not completely chocolate free!

I'm doing Slimming World. It's as cheesy as hell but it's working for me. I'm making sure I get some exercise everyday - even just a 30 minute walk that I wouldn't have ordinarily fitted in.

Sugar is my food nemesis and by eating low carb and high fat my sugar cravings just disappear completely.

I have lost 7 stone, but I know that to keep it off I have to be careful and keep control for the rest of my life. It's not been easy to lose but been worthwhile and I have to remind myself of that when I am struggling!

Hi
I found Paul McKenna's Book 'i can make you thin' really helpful. Essentially his method takes it back to basics and you follow a few rules - eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full, chew every mouthful and eat what you want. If you do all four, and really (and I mean really) think about if you are hungry and only eat then, and really really stop when you are full, it works. I've left single mouthfuls on my plate because I know it's just that little bit too much. I've lost weight, albeit quite slowly, but it has stayed off although I love food, have a very sweet tooth and with Ds1 (3) and Ds2(1) very little time to cook healthy stuff each day.

I love it because I do eat what I want, but I do end up self regulating - if I have a weekend of rubbish food I crave veg and better things after.

Good luck with it - it's tough.

I find the Blood Sugar Diet (mediterranean diet for 8 weeks at 800 calories) good. Michael Mosely, has a book.

The blood sugar diet is starvation. 800 calories is not enough unless you're particularly short.

I'm losing weight pretty easily by avoiding crap. If I have a nibble, it turns into a barrowload, so it's easiest for me not to have it. I spiralled into chocolate after my birthday because eating cake was obligatory, but this time didn't fall as far and have pulled myself out of it, I think.

In your lunchtime situation, I would have a sandwich and a drink, just not the crisps/chips/biscuits/chocolate that I would usually make excuses to myself for eating. I have Slimfast in my work bag for days when there isn't time for lunch - if I skip it entirely I feel wobbly and fuzzy, and eat everything in sight as soon as I get the chance.

I think it's really difficult to say that one way of eating will work for all as I think we are all metabolically different which is why it's so complicated. I have been on a diet for about 30 years and have been a size 16 at my heaviest - currently have a BMI of 23 so not too bad.

Having said that I think across the board cutting out of down on processed foods is always going to cause weight loss. Protein fills you up so starting the day with eggs seems to work for me. Limiting carbs is a good idea but an Atkins style diet never worked for me. Lots of vegetables and some fruit but don't go mad.

It's for 8 weeks (800 calories) not starvation, in fact I'm finding it interesting how little we actually need to eat each day when it's nutritious and healthy. Quite eye-opening. Agree on the protein, really helps. BSD is helping many people lose weight and even turn back diabetes, it's a great diet.

For many people though the issue there would be after 8 weeks keeping going. Most people to achieve long term loss need something that is sustainable for the long term not a short term thing

Three years after my son and I was a wobbly 16. I gave up sugar this summer and log everything on my fitness pal (I need to be supervised or I just eat everything )

I don't eat processed food anyway... I cook from scratch and stuff everything with veg.

I've lost two stone and am now a wobbly 10. I feel more fabulous than I have in years though.

You can do it, you just need to find the method that works for you. If you have difficulty controlling portions or the lure of the fooooood (I know that feeling!), I really recommend MFP. I still eat amazing food by the way, I just have sensible portions.

I didn't like slimming world because of the emphasis in cutting out fats. (Good) Fats are really important. I did slimming world and my skin went crusty and flaked off and I hate to think how many "syns" are in a shot of olive oil.

It worked for a bit though. I was just crusty and miserable.

I've tried loads. 5:2 I didn't have the willpower for and ate too much on the 2 days. Slimming World just isn't for me, don't know why. I have read a lot and am doing a macros based approach now, with a higher calorie allowance every day than you'd expect. Look at Train Eat Gain or IIFYM, both are good. I haven't signed up but happily take the marketing emails to keep me going. I don't weigh myself as it's depressing but I feel loads healthier. Crisps don't break your diet, you just need to adjust what else you eat that day to allow for them....

The only way to do it is to "cut the crap"
Nonsense
Best way is just reduce portion sizes and up excercise. I was cutting down to 800c a day and swimming an hour 3 to 4 times a week. I treated myself with a spoonful of cheesecake rather than a whole portion for dessert etc, weighed out cereal and still do that now.

Lost nearly 2 stone in 3 months and i was so much fitter. Was up at 4000 to 8000 feet for first week of my holiday and i was one of the few people who didnt feel breathless.
Although having a goal as incentive and i had a holiday of a lifetime coming up.
I was in US for 3 weeks with huge american portions and only put on 3lb and in the 6 weeks i got back i dont think i have put on hardly any more weight and eating more calories but less than i was before pre diet. Now swimming once or twice a week, much harder to get up to go swimming for 7am in the winter than it is the summer, when you have a nice warm bed and its cold and dark outside. My walking speed has also gone up to consistently over 3.1 miles an hour now whereas it was 2.7 before.
I have more to lose so will start again when the days get longer etc and my next goal is a wedding in June when i want to go another clothes size down.

Weight watchers smart points works for me. I can eat anything I want as long as I can afford it in my daily / weekly points. It's really easy. It takes into account sugar /carbs and portion control.

I have found slimming world really easy (1st 7 lb so far in 2 months, but I do have a lot to lose).

I think the shift for me has been much more cooking from scratch, which I think if you pay attention, naturally has less fat, sugar and salt than processed. I think it works for me because I get weighed every week and I stay to group so I feel accountable if you see what I mean, so I stay on track.

Plus I'm focussing on having a healthy BMi by my next birthday - I'll reach 4-0 in 10 months and I'm determined not to be fat in my 40s, after spending the last 20 years or more overweight.

Wow! Thanks all! No one posted on this for about 12 hours after my OP and I'd checked it a few times in that time and kinda gave up on it! Just clicked on 'I'm on' to check on another post and found this!

So basically, the answer is, no

I think I might give 5:2 a go. I reckon I can deprive myself for 2 days if I know I get to eat like a pig normally for the other 5.

I must shift my arse too - really.

Have your meals on a side plate. No seconds either. Portion control is the killer.

Calleigh That sounds like a life that I just don't want to be living

I've tried all sorts over the years - WW twice, HFLC (left me with chronic abdo pain), hypnosis with Paul McKenna, strict calorie counting. I've never tried 5:2 because I work shifts and I'm certain I'd struggle on the low intake days.

I'm currently doing SW and love it! DH is following it with me. We are eating so well. Loads of fruit and veg, very little processed food and hardly any sugar (frozen curly wurlys are my treat!). I'm a new convert (3 weeks in) but I've lost 9lb already. My awful food cravings have gone. The gnawing hunger has gone and if I'm hungry, I eat! I'm just not bingeing on processed carbs like I used to.

I did have to at the above post - hunting for wild cheese!

The 5:2 diet is excellent and has loads of health benefits too.

Surgery.

Surgery! Yes! Now you're talking. But wouldn't my incessant eating mean I'd need it quite regularly?