To think watching what you eat is boring?

[TakeMeToTheFresh]

I've been calorie counting, for weeks now. I've lost loads of weight and I'm slimmer than I was pre pregnancy.

But oh my goody gumdrops, there's so many calories in everything and I never realised before how it all adds up.

For example, a Boost chocolate bar is about 250 calories, that's about 1/5 of my daily allowance! Add a packet of crisps or something else small on top and you're at serious risk of going over.

Quite literally, the odd treat or slightly unhealthier meal takes up a huge proportion of my calorie allowance. Like the mock chicken wrap I ate yesterday,

It's boring.

I think it's shit that I can only eat one chocolate and then have to be careful with absolutely everything for that day.

I miss junk food, will I ever stop?

I'm slimmer. I look great, I look trim. I'm eating the right foods that are good for me, in the right amounts and having treats in complete moderation. The foods I'm choosing do fill me up at the time.

But I felt happier and more fulfilled when I wasn't watching what I ate!

You are going to have to wean yourself off the likes of Chocolate bars and crisps, otherwise you'll be back where you started. Dieting is a good way of loosing weight, but you'll only keep to that weight if you change your diet, permanently.

IFailed that's exactly what I've done, I can count on one hand how many times I've eaten a chocolate bar (I'm not really a chocolate fan anyway), or crisps

But I've had them a few times because this is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change

I should've have put diet in the title, silly me

Oh just realised I didn't say the word diet, I don't think?

Anyhow, I'm not dieting. I've changed my lifestyle, so to speak.

But it's boring me to tears

I agree, it’s a total pain. My OH can eat whatever he wants and never gains a pound. He used to stuff his face with chocolate next to me all the time and I had to tell him to not do it around me anymore as it was just creating temptation.
Do you exercise as well or just calorie count? I try to exercise so I can eat a few more treats without gaining weight. It’s difficult to always find the time though.
I love healthy foods (salmon and salads are two of my favourite foods) but sometimes I just want to eat junk all day and not have to worry about it

During the week I find easy enough, it's the weekends that get me. I don't stick to it as much at the weekend (have a few glasses of wine, eat a bit more etc) but I find if you get straight back into it on Monday you'll still lose a bit

I was having this exact conversation with a friend yesterday as we both recently joined slimming world. My exact words to her were:

'The older we get the harder it will be too as our metabolism slows down. Now is the time to tackle it. It's just a bit overwhelming to think of food optimising for ever and never being able to let go cause I have the 'fat girl gene' and I can't moderate myself naturally.'

I'm 27 and a size 14-16. I'm uncomfortable in my clothes and my weight, the im short too so I'm noticebly overweight. I know I need to set it out now but the thought of just always worrying about what I eat and drink is horrifying. I'm all for body positivity etc and believe that size and weight are relative to each individual person so please don't read into this that I think a size 14-16 is too big for anyone, it's just too big for me, my body and my lifestyle.

So many typos, sorry. Fat thumbs too evidently.

Oh, don't count calories. You're already bored of it, how long until you go 'fuck it' and eat 6 boosts with a beer chaser?

I've been doing Slimming World for 6 weeks, and there's no counting anything. You can have unlimited:

Fruit
Veg
Lean meat
Noodles/rice/pasta/potatoes

With small amounts of dairy and bread.

I've found it easy to follow, barely have to think about it, and I've lost a stone so far.

Sorry OP, I mis-understood. Agree with changing your diet is hard, I found realising that many 'treats' I used to have (chocolate bar, breakfast pastry etc.) were associated with habits I had got so used to I hardly registered them. It was changing my behaviour that helped, so, for example, not joining in on an unofficial after-noon break at work where cake & biscuits were always on offer but making sure I was busy helped.

Oh, and that's still with a sneaky weekly takeaway. I don't want to be skinny enough to ditch my weekly treat

I have never counted calories but I think with time you just get used to eating healthily and lose the taste for junk food - I still fancy it every now and again but not often. Keep going and it will get easier!

Purpley DH is like that, 6'3 and always eating but never looking fat he will demolish a multipack of crisps and a chocolate 'share' bar in one sipping, washed down by a beer

Anew that's the scary thing, it'll be harder to lose when we're older. I'm trying to make healthier choices now so it's more natural when I'm older but I just can't be bothered in my head (but physically I'm doing it)

I'm 5'3/4 and 10 stone 11. I want to get down to a Size 10 where it's lose on me but I don't know how my SILs maintain their Size 6/8 figures. Well I do know, one just doesn't eat and then eats rubbish. The other is amazingly careful about what she puts in her mouth and I wasn't so now I'm paying for it

Argh, I just want crap and an alcopop for lunch but alas, that won't be happening

I'm doing weight watchers and I love food. I have never eaten better or enjoyed my food more than I do now. By using their points system I have steered my choices in the right direction especially vegwise. I am in love with butternut squash. But there is so much variety there's no need to get bored. For me it has widened my options and I want to eat like this forever.

IAmMatty The thing about SW is variety and different foods etc are very important. I'm a very fussy eater so calorie counting only ever works for me, so I know how much I'm eating and where I'm going right/wrong etc

The takeaway sounds fab

I don't know about that really. I guess as long as you eat enough of a range of fruit/veg etc, it's fine. I tend to eat quite similarly most days:

Fat free greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast
Salad or soup for lunch (with some meat or fish in it for protein)
Something like chilli/veg stew/baked potato for tea

I'm always shocked when I log a typical day of food in mfp. One treat bag of mnms- 400cal and I usually have two a day! It is boring having to watch what you eat but needs must if you want to stay slim. My friend eats all the carbs and choc she wants but also runs a lot every day so gets away with it.

I was doing slimming world till recently and got off a stone and a half in a month, but then my weight loss stalled after really sticking to the diet and I've lost willpower.
I am still cutting down but I can't stick to a strict diet, my downfall is snacks and I find just by cutting them out I still lose weight. It's hard when I take the kids out for the day and there's not much I can eat without going over on the syns and the free foods are unsatisfying.

Amen sister. I find the only way I can begin to lose or maintain is to be really strict with portions and daily intake.

I try to balance that and have occasional days where I relax and enjoy eating less rigidly, if not I'd lose the will to live.

That just seems to be the lot I've been given, but it is a mega dull.

Have a really good think about why you are doing this in the first place. Do you genuinely feel better, physically? Or are you responding to mainstream bullshit about 'healthy' eating and the relentless pressure on women to be thin and restrict their food intake (because women exist to be visually pleasing and they should not enjoy food because they are women, and enjoyment of food and unrestricted eating are things that are reserved for men. Because men have reserved pleasure in food and the best of the food for themselves.)

I eat and drink what I want. I do not diet. I am plump, but I don't care - I can move around (I like going for good long walks and most weeks I go dancing). Other people's opinion of my weight and eating habits are worthless and of no interest.

I find one thing that helps me is to make sure that all the food I eat I really enjoy. So high quality savoury stuff, and the extra flavour means I don't need such a large quantity. Yes, we spend a lot on food (but at least I don't spend much on snacks and alcohol).

I also try not to eat beyond my hunger level (having a second helping just 'cos it was nice, not because I need it), or to eat without really thinking., like when there's a box of chocolates next to you and they sort of evaporate over the evening.

Also occasional sugar rich treats are fine - especially if you cut down a little on the meal following to compensate.

To answer your question - yes is will stop. If you keep eating healthily and cut down on the crisps and chocolate bars, there will come a time when you no longer crave them, and you may even turn them down when offered.

Could you try having a 'treat day'? I am working with a nutritionist at the moment and have been advised basically to eat:
A protein shake or eggs and veg for breakfast
Fruit and /or pain yoghurt as a morning snack
100g protein and lots of veg or salad at lunch with some wholegrain carbs

Nuts or avocado as an afternoon snack, with more veg if I want

Dinner the same as lunch, but without the carbs.

It sounds pretty limiting but is actually OK, and one of the reasons it's OK is that the nutritionist advises having a 'cheat day' each week where you eat whatever you like as long as you go back on the plan after 4pm.

It is working really well - don't know about weight loss because I'm not writing myself, but I've lost 6cm off my belly in less than 2 weeks and that's with eating French toast, bacon, lasagne and chocolate mousse (not all at once ) on my cheat day last Saturday.

I am a total chocolate addict. But once I broke the habit (cold turkey for 3 months), I just wasn’t interested any more. When I ate some, it just tasted weird.

Back on it now again but I am going to try to break the habit again next month.

It’s definitely all about habit forming. Eating healthily becomes the new normal.

I get you OP. Have just started cutting down on fatty / sugary food as I need to lose weight - not just for aesthetic reasons, I'm quite unfit and need to change that. It is definitely more fun just to stuff yourself with what you want. However, those ads about obesity are starting to get to me and I want to be around for my DC for a long time.

I know it works for a lot of people but I'm not convinced that being able to eat 'unlimited' anything is a good idea.

Eating 6 pineapples, 12 turkey steaks or a kilo of pasta in a day will cause you to put on weight unless you are doing a lot of exercise to burn it off, surely?

I could be wrong as I am fat not very good at losing weight myself but I think if I was on a plan that allowed me to eat as much as I wanted of certain things then I would, and I wouldn't lose anything. The ONLY times I've ever been successful at losing even small amounts of weight is by accepting the fact that, sometimes, I have to be hungry or I just can't have whatever I want.

But yeah yanbu OP, sometimes it is really boring, especially when I'm knackered and just want something quick and easy.

laddy yes to this! I love the (nutless) MNM's and they're the same! I could eat two bags in just one evening!

It's terrible, but so yummy. And I'm not really a lover of chocolate as such. Love savoury stuff etc.

My biggest downfalls are probably chicken, chips, winegums, posh crisps, nachos.

The list goes on.

It's annoying because I'm generally quite a fussy eater so that makes healthier options hard for me, even now whilst currently eating well. It's all very 'samey'

But funnily enough, I will try things no problem and never turn my nose up. I just seem to not like much!

Addict yes to this too! Theme parks, even zoos, all full of temptation

Hello It's more dull than an Instagram house. I hear you on that one

Rean You're probably right - And I wish I was you. I actually felt really attractive at a Size 12 and 11 stone. You sound very confident and comfortable in your own skin. That's very attractive in itself!

My mum is so so beautiful and she's a lot bigger than me. I think it's the Spanish Glow and general 'warmth' to her. She's stunning regardless of her size but I think she's lucky that she doesn't gain weight in her face first of all.

I was happy at a 12 because my weight gain doesn't go straight to my waistline, just my bum and thighs, which are quite 'in' at the moment