Don't want to 'diet'. Want a lifestyle change. How to do it?

[Hooli]

Two stone overweight. Tried everything.

Don't want to go back to Slimming World, really can't handle the obsession with Muller yoghurts and Pasta n sauce. Just done two days super low carb and wanted to kill myself.

Portion sizes are fine, I've just gained the weight slowly and steadily over two years.

What an I do to change my eating habits long term??

[MikeUniformMike]

If you are hungry, eat an apple. If you don't fancy it, then you probably aren't hungry.

[RedSkyAtNight]

I agree it's lifestyle change. You sound very like me OP - I have gradually put on weight over the years until I was about 2 stone overweight. I find it hard to stick to diets as frankly I like eating!

What I did do was take a long hard look at my life and tried to work out what I wanted. I decided I was fed up of feeling fat and lethargic, so I started exercising more regularly and found something I actually enjoyed doing. I started feeling better about myself but wasn't losing any weight so I also looked at where I overate. I worked out I tended to mindlessly snack at one time of day, so I turned that time into when I exercised. I've also trained myself to be more concious of what I eat - I now try to eat food that I really want to, rather than just eating because it was there. And (because it was an easy fix) I started reducing portion sizes (it helps that I have a teenage boy, so I still cook the same amount, just give him more!). I've lost half a stone in about 2 months, so hardly amazing weight loss, but I also feel more toned from the exercise, and more importantly this feels like a long term sustainable life style choice.

[HeresMe]

Eat less, move more.

It isn't as simple as it aounds but it works, as many have said use my fitness Pal for the next week log everything you eat or drink and be honest and you will see where you are going wrong, and then you can change it.

All fad diets are just that, don't get involved with any company like Herbalife or anything that offers shakes, it isn't sustainable. Low carbs aren't for everyone and I disagree with cutting a food group out, but do cut the processed ones out.

Watch out for drinks people forget about them, a cup of fancy coffee from Costa or Starbucks ect can have a very high amount of calories in it.

Another tip is you aren't always hungry when you think you are sometimes it's thirsty so have a glass of water.

I lost lots of weight doing the above it's hard work but if you want to you can do it.

[MikeUniformMike]

The portion sizes might be fine but that probably wouldn't apply with things like takeaways and eating out.
Keep takeaways and eating out to special occasions only. Eating sandwich-type snacks and cake and coffee too.

[UrgentScurryfunge]

Lots of suggestions here, but they are different solutions to a range of causes. You need to pinpoint your cause and be honest about what has slipped out of balance. Carry on as "normal" for a week or two, but log everything you consume and your activity level. Are you really consuming what you think you are? Is the occasional treat actually more regular than you think? Are portion sizes that bit bigger than you thought? Are you eating a good balance of nutrients? Are you active and using muscles to burn energy more effectively? MFP is great for diagnosing your intake, but you have to be honest about portion size. I ended up switching my morning porridge to the kids' bowls because the shape of the ones in our dinner set were so huge and meant I was having nearly double what I needed, and it didn't even look that much!

When you know what is off balance make a few tweaks that you can live with long term.

[AjasLipstick]

Margot do you eat much processed food?

[MargoChanning]

Following with interest. I have 8 stone to lose

[Lweji]

Portion sizes are fine, I've just gained the weight slowly and steadily over two years.

This tells me that portion sizes are slightly too much.

I'd always been underweight, then shortly after my 40th I started gaining weight and I could point directly to an increase in food intake.
Once it got past the weight I wanted to be, I've become more conscious about portions and have been eating a bit less, as well as more salads and less carbs. It is doing the trick.

[AjasLipstick]

Oh and OP....if you don't already know how, learn how to use herbs and spices.

Lentils are gross unless they're cooked well and flavoured well. Salads can be boring if you don't add something in the way of a little kick....but salad is just to go along with something else. If you're eating a beautiful, fresh piece of fish, cooked well and seasoned properly, then you don't need anything fatty or processed.

[AjasLipstick]

OP....DH and I are 45, so not young but we're markedly fitter and slimmer than most of our friends and peers. We walk the dog every day for about 4 miles.

That's all the exercise we do.

We eat probably very lightly due to the minor exercise. Breakfast is typically porridge with water and a splash of skimmed milk plus honey and sometimes some blueberries.

OR....half an avocado on one slice of wholegrain with some olive oil.

Lunch....maybe two poached eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes. Or sometimes some soup. No bread.

Dinner...vegetarian curry and rice...or kangaroo with a load of veg. No potatoes or rice with that. Or we might have fresh sardines cooked in spices and eat them with a bit of ciabatta. Maybe we have chicken once a week for dinner. Roasted on the BBQ with roasted root veg.

We do eat in-season fruits and some nuts between meals if we're hungry.

But not every day.

About once a week we have some cake or ice cream....or maybe I will eat a single serve of crisps.

I do drink coffee and tea with milk and honey.

NO processed foods aside from that concessional crisp or ice cream. Cake...I make it.

[onedayiwillmissthis]

Just read 'The Circadian Code' by Dr Satchin Panda...

Eating, sleeping, living in sync with your circadian clock.

Seems to make a lot of sense and his research appears sound.

As an overweight, insomniac (avg. 5 hours a night) 'night owl' I am starting with a TRE (time restricted eating window) of 10 hours.🤞

[Shednik]

LCHF is the answer, OP.

My day...

Breakfast: full fat Greek yogurt with raspberries and walnuts. Almond milk coffee

Lunch: Greek salad (greens, olives and feta), quorn ham slices.

Dinner : Prawns with garlic, lemon and chilli cooked in oil, cauliflower rice.

If you eat meat and eggs that helps (I don't )

[MogThoughtDarkThoughts]

For long term sustainable changes, rather than dieting, I would really recommend Bee Wilson's 'This is not a diet' book. It's all about your attitude and how our tastes can change - so you can genuinely get to the point where you like eating salads and veg, rather than thinking of them as something to be endured. I've found it incredibly helpful and encouraging, because it's obviously from the point of view of someone who loves food.

[Tryagaintomorrow]

Another one for reducing processed foods and sugar.

I’m pretty sure I became addicted to sugar when I was breastfeeding, but carried on eating the same amount after weaning and started getting bigger again. I literally couldn’t go into a shop without buying chocolate.

I think as most people say it’s the first couple weeks that are difficult, but once you make it through and broken your old habits you’re ok.
Lost about 10lbs over a few weeks and that’s still with drinking and not being too strict - still have the odd pizza and sausage!

I also make sure I —bore— tell DP everything I’ve eaten which makes me accountable during the day!

[Spottyyellowdress]

@justdanceaddict there’s no reason to say no to treats with mfp - just log it and if you need to, walk it off like you said, or just make allowances elsewhere! It’s easier if anything.

[JustDanceAddict]

Also I have done mpf which worked but I was getting too obsessed with it and fed up with saying no to all treats so I find it’s better when I can at least have a square of choc or bag of popcorn if I fancy it (and walk it off instead!).

[dontticklethetoad]

Another thing I do is drink water before eating. I estimate i drink about 450mls (my water bottle is 900).

[ImogenTubbs]

This is a great thread. I have a similar amount to lose and have had my head in the sand about it for too long.

DH and I are in a bit of a rough spot health wise and have been talking about a lifestyle overhaul.

Will check out some of these tips. Good luck OP!

[JustDanceAddict]

Oh and a lot more walking too!

[JustDanceAddict]

What works for me I’d just changing how I eat. Have had a bit of a lapse this week as it’s been out of the norm but this is how I roll:
Breakfast - no wheat-based food so itsusuLly yoghurt/fruit w low sugar muesli (Liz’s low sugar is good)
Snack - 2 oatcakes:fruit (sometimes nothing). Coffee
Lunch - sandwich on wholemeal or leftovers, veg, fruit maybe small biscuit to keep me going!
Dinner - varies but I have cut down in amount of pasta & carbs in general that I eat especially bread as it’s massively bloating to me. Will have small carb (meaning rice, pasta, potato) portion or just the veg.
I rarely have juice now - mainly drink water or an occasional fizz which I treat as a ‘dessert’
Don’t eat sweetened yoghurt regularly.
Cook more from scratch etc
Just massively cut down on sugar basically!
I lost half a stone in less than 3 months so average of half a pound a week. I’ve had crappy weeks but got back on wagon if I’ve slipped up.

[Blondie1984]

Have you heard of intuitive eating and/or health at every size? Maybe Go check out this website www.laurathomasphd.co.uk/about/faqs/

[Sprinklesinmyelbow]

LCHF/keto/5:2 etc are diets, not lifestyle changes. I also completely disagree that her portion sizes must be too big. I have put on half a stone in 4 years and it’s crept on due to lifestyle changes:

• moving to the country and being car reliant
  
• commuting by car rather than train/ tube
  
• slowly becoming coffee dependent and consuming take away cappuccino daily
  
• becoming far more busy and therefore eating on the move more- croissants/ vending machine snacks/ McDonald’s!
  

All of this has slowly contributed to a small weight gain. A true lifestyle change would be reversing these factors or working within them more smartly to live a healthier lifestyle. I’ve also found I need dedicated exercise ie gym membership because I “move” so much less daily.
Op can you think of the lifestyle changes that contributed to your 2 stone? Start there and you’ll have your answer