To think I'll never lose weight!

[DanHumphreyIsA]

So a few weeks ago, I made a decision to start to lose some weight.
I've been doing healthy dinners, lots more veg than normal, more fruit. Fryer hasn't been on, cut back on the sweet stuff.

And for the time I've been trying, I have not stopped being hungry. No matter how much grilled chicken and fish and veg I eat, no matter how many breadless meals (I eat so much bread) I'm just hungry.
And not only that but I'm hangry 😩. So I'm very rarely satisfied.
I know i'm not going to lose anything yet, but I just can't get rid of the hunger. It's not like starvation hunger, but just a hole that needs to be filled.
I'm snacking in between (fruit, nuts etc). I'm distracting myself with MN but honestly, I don't think its worth it!

I'm a size 14, but an odd shape (middle heavy ffs ). The only time I was a size 8 was when I worked in retail, on a diet of redbull and chocolate. Sadly I know better now.

My diet has always been stodgy, it was all I knew as a child. Bread, burgers, fries, pies, bread, cakes, soft creeamy cakes. I can't stomach salad (it honestly makes me feel queasy when I eat it, I'm not just being a brat) I've always lacked food discipline, growing up in a family of feeders, it was important to eat, eat, eat!

I've tried several times to change my diet.
AIBU to think years of poor food habits won't change? My body is so used to a certain type of food that it just doesn't seem to accept 'healthy' food as a meal!

Help me

The issue with snacks is that the more often you eat, the more likely it is that you'll overeat (in the real world, where you can't be arsed weighing everything). Plus you don't get used to feelings of normal hunger between meals.

Ophelia, I see what you mean about greed...maybe we need to stop sugar-coating (see what I did there?) the issue.

You can lose weight OP, you sound as though you do have the determination, you just need to find something you can stick at without becoming miserable, and that fits in as far as possible to your current work/home lifestyle, as that will be the best weight loss plan for you.

For example, I found that low-carbing made me cold all the time and also really short tempered. And I found the calorie counting apps took too much of my time and energy and made me think about food all the time. But I have previously done well on both 5:2 and SW Online (not at the same time!).

I know the weight-loss industry is driven by profit, but personally I found it worked better to follow a complete 'plan' designed by someone else, at least at first, rather than try to design my own healthy eating plan. But again, others will have found the opposite I'm sure!

I think what I'm trying to say is don't be disheartened if something that worked really well for someone else doesn't work as well for you. We're all different! Just try something else (but obviously give each plan a fair chance to have an effect - it took me 6 weeks to lose anything on 5:2 and I nearly gave up, but everything came good after that).

Haven't RTFT but from personal experience (have lost 80lbs and counting) I find the best way is to give yourself a realistic number of calories a day and don't go over it - you can eat what you like but do not go over the limit. You learn to make better choices and it becomes second nature after a while. Also thirst is often mistaken for hunger - squash/water/herbal teas get as much liquid down you as possible. And don't jump into heavy exercise but ease into it with walking somewhere each day xx

Reads like OP has a lot of emotional attachment to food. That's where the hungry & hangry are coming from. The unmet need to get an emotional fix from food.

No food is bad. Some food is very calorie dense: nuts, smoothies, cereal bars. Have a sandwich.

@lljkk I totally disagree with you. To me, it sounds like the OP wants to lose some weight but doesn't know how.

People are hungry because their body doesn't have enough or the right kind of food. Figuring out how to feed one's body with less food than it needs to function (so that it has to burn fat) without feeling hungry is a bit tricky.

A lot of people are angry when they don't eat enough or eat the right things. It's part of our body's way of shouting "feed me."

You will only loose weight by dieting if you are consuming insufficient calories for your daily needs. If you have managed to consumers that your required calorie intake you will obviously he hungry.

Totally can recommend Noom. It's reprogramming my brain about eating. I think that is the only way I am realistically going to lose and keep off the weight. I have a LOT to go (something like another 30 kilos) but I have lost nearly 6 in 3 weeks. 😊

Go low carb. Fresh non root vegetables, salad, lots of egg cheese. Lots of fresh meats and fish and limit fruit. You can even eat loads of nuts on low carb and still lose weight. No flour products and low sugar. Combine with intermittent fasting you'll lose loads

I'm down to my pre pregnancy jeans in only a few weeks and today I'm 23 hours Into my next fast

What's wrong with root veggies??

Root veggies like potato, turnip, carrot, peas etc are all very high carb, which when eaten turns into blood sugar and makes us hungry and overeat. Same as breads, pasta, rice etc. The trick is to eat lots of natural fat such as meat, fish, eggs, and a lot of leafy greens, cucumber, tomatoes etc. Greek yogurt or natural yoghurt but nothing low fat . Fruit is the same as root vedge, promotes blood sugar and insulin

It's works too. I stuff myself silly on the days that I eat, even a bowl of nuts and I'm still down a Jean size in a few weeks. Yesterday I had a cheat day and I tell you what, processed food is not at all filling now,. But when I go low carb I'm stuffed

OP you mention working night shifts and feeling like a zombie.

I suffer from insomnia off and on. After a bad night (say 3 hours broken sleep) I am ravenous through the day. I know somewhere that I am eating too much but my brain is confused and looking for something to make it feel better - I can honestly say that I feel genuinely hungry, very hungry.

Basically make sure you get a good night's sleep!

I’m 3 stone down with slimming world

Loads of water is key.... and sorry, but EXERCISE

Exercise keeps you motivated. Struggle through a gym class or a run.... you will feel less inclined to make wrong food choices then. Lots of other benefits to exercise too, apart from the obvious

I don't weigh so I don't know how much I've lost (no scales in the house due to history of eating disorders) but I've gone from a size 24 to a size 16 since Easter. Downloaded MFP on Easter Monday after a shocking photo of me the day before, allowed myself 1600cal maximum a day (though in reality it's more like 1250 through the week and 1800 at weekends) and here we are.

I'm 45 and have always had a complicated relationship with food. This is the only thing that's ever worked in a sustainable, sensible way.

I swore I wouldn't be one of those evangelical people, but I really can recommend Slimming World. I had tried many different things, low carb, low fat, 5:2 etc and although I did lose a few pounds I couldn't stick to it. I've been overweight since I was a teenager and I never thought I'd ever lose it.
I've been going to SW meetings for nearly 6 months and have lost almost 3 st ...I bought some size 12 jeans this morning and I did a happy dance in the changing room!. There are days when it's harder than others...when I'd love a big white baguette with bacon and Brie (🤤🤤) but most days I find pretty easy. Two things that have helped are firstly planning meals including 'healthy extras' and secondly writing down everything I eat......if I don't write it down I lose track and I don't lose as much that week, it's amazing how, after a lifetime of over eating and eating the wrong things, it's really easy to forget that you had that 'small' snack of bread and butter or that bag of crisps etc. Writing it down as you eat it focuses the mind so much more.

Just about to RTFT but from your OP alone, seems to me:

1. Don't overdo the fruit, especially if you're not having any fat or protein with it. It affects your blood sugar and can pack in a lot of calories.
2. Don't be afraid of fat. Have avocado, nuts, seeds, cheese. Small portions.
3. You WILL adapt. Look up the difference between "mouth hunger" and "stomach hunger". Exercise helps regulate your appetite too. Stay busy.

Agree with the PP who recommended eggs.
I am WAY WAY hungrier after cereal/toast for breakfast than I am if I have boiled/scrambled eggs (with a bit of cheese as well).

I thoroughly recommend that popular Icelandic yoghurt Skyrr. V high protein, low fat, only 200 cals per big pot, very satisfying. Lidl sells it.
Also - George Foreman grill. I do practically all my meat/chicken in there.

I find starting with a number of calories - mine is 800 and counting down until you run out works well. I have at least two portions of soup a day, chicken, fish, those children sized frozen jackets , cottage cheese ( salad) etc. I eat what I from 7.30pm
Friday until bedtime on Saturday, but no alcohol.

What plan are you following? I am a Weightwatchers member and if I stick to the plan I consistently lose weight. I eat well but still have to choose to have fruit instead of cake, for example.

My mil joined Slimming World but has not read books. She is winging it, eating cake then skipping dinner etc. She has lost weight and looks great but much harder on her and I have lost double in same time by being aware.

My diet changed for the better when I stopped eating low fat products. They're full of shit and make you hungrier. Muller yogurts, 100 calories chocolate flavoured snack bars, 100 calorie bag of crisps, Diet Coke, all shit.
I found Essential fats kept me full when losing weight, so hummus, oil (only 40 calories per teaspoon), feta cheese, goat cheese, avocados, then include lean meat, fish, nuts, loads of veggies, brown rice, rye bread. Basically the more natural the better. Never felt hungry, lost weight and felt great as no fake junk in body. I'd recommend you try OP x

chicken I can’t believe that Skyrr yogurt!!

It tastes amazing, yet so few calories. It’s worth seeking a Lidl out just for that alone

Porridge is a good way to start the day. Slow release and keeps you full.

Eat 6 times a day if you need to. Just eat smaller amounts each time.

Running - yeah, I shamelessly just pick up a cardboard tray full of about 12 yoghurts and put it straight in the trolley.