To need a diet that works

[Dietfailure]

Just to warn you, this will not be easy. I've tried and failed at just about everything, I can't cook, I dislike a lot of foods and I think I have a bit of a weird thing where once I eat something I struggle to stop.

Historically I've done best on meal replacement plans.

Help!?

Intermittent fasting has worked well for me. I only eat for 6-8 hours everyday with one or two days a week eating just one meal. Once I start eating I find it hard to stop and this is the only thing that’s worked for me. You don’t have change what you eat although you’ll have quicker weight loss results if you calorie count or go low carb / Keto too. I’ve been consistently losing weight for around 8 months and most importantly this I something I can actually stick to.

Oh wow Madmum what inspirational story !

I ended up with a wheat and dairy allergy.

Use to diet / starve myself.

Had massive food craving - probably due to the starving.

I've always exercised though.

Got to the stage where I was so thin I reached an age where I was looking scrawny and frail.

So I put on 10lbs and took up 'light' weight training.

I look and feel amazing.

I've turned into one of those women I've always admired as
Young adult.

Sometimes I don't recognise myself.

You need to find a way to stop using food to deal with stress. Therapy, BEAT, Overeaters Anonymous, an exercise passion. You need one of those, not a Diet.

That would be great if any of them worked

Besides, I don't use food to deal with stress ... it's probably a comfort thing, like putting on pyjamas.

You'd be stressed out if you didn't put on your comfort PJs = You're using food to avoid stress.

It's called comfort eating ......

And you don't need food for that.
You are a stronger woman.
Get the right Protein, vitamins and fats inside you and your body won't need comfort from all the ABUSE you have been doing to it - I know I've been there

Diets are insanity !!!!

In the nicest way op, what do you want from this thread? You are full of 'I can't'

For long term sustainable weight loss you need to address your behaviours and mindset or nothing will work.

Well, it's not "in the nicest possible way" is it? I mean, in the nicest possible way back at you, 59 posts aren't going to sort a problem that has been around years. If anybody can point me to any form of therapy that's stopped fat people being fat I'd love to know, but I doubt it. But even if they had it's unlikely I could afford it.

Op previous poster was totally right. You need to change your mindset. Initially I think I'd advise you to forget about dieting but find some exercise that you'll like, walking, swimming, parkrun - which can be park walk! You'll feel better for exercising, then maybe look at making a decision to start cooking.

Theres no magic pill to either losing weight or changing mindset. But you can do both. But only if you do it.

Believe me, I loathe and detest all forms of exercise.

Yes, all.

I will DO it, for weight loss, but I will hate and resent every sweaty second

I can't cook

Yes you can. Everyone can, you just need to learn how to do it.

The internet is full of some really simple step-by-step cooking tutorials. Have a Google and see which ones suit you best.

But you have to want to learn.

Well, I don't

In all seriousness it isn't just about cooking: I've no idea re portion size and so on.

Honestly I don't think you're going to get anywhere until you stop making excuses. You're full of I can't, I want, I don't like. Fine then. The choice to remain fat is yours. You prefer continuing the behaviours that make you fat to stopping them.

Your problem is in your head. Go and find a local Overeaters Anonymous group.

I'm not religious, but thanks

Buy a basic cookbook
Google portion size

Thing is your not failing the diets becuas of the diet plan, any diet will work if you stick to it. You are lacking will power, you won’t be successful losing weight until you are in the right mind set and really want to do it.

Eat less, start the day with eggs or porridge, watch the portion size of your evening meal and always have extra veg with it, No snacking or have an apple if you really must, limit alcohol, stop buying crap for the house, Exercise

When losing weight remember it’s ok to have a bad day, it doesn’t mean your be over weight forever. It means you had 1 bad day the sky isn’t going to fall in

I can’t cook Excuses, excuses. You can read yes? Then you can cook it’s just reading and following a set of instructions, a child can do it

What about keto? I suggest watching 'the magic pill' on Netflix to understand it

I'm not religious, but thanks

There you go again. You're self-sabotaging at every turn. You're too attached to your self-concept to make changes that would make you happier as well as healthier.

You get something out of being the way you are and you don't really want to change. I don't think you'll lose weight until you look honestly at what that is.

Op this people are really trying to help you.

From what I've read some have obviously struggled with weight and successfully LOST weight.

You're not going to get anything without effort.

Not play the piano.
Pass an exam.
Or LOSE weight.

If you don't like exercise try simple waking. That's not sweaty.
It can be fun.
20 minutes a day. See how it goes.

But in life you have to put some effort in.

In jobs.
In relationships.
Looking after the kids.
In friendships.
In cleaning your space.

Or what have you got ?
Nothing.

Pooh poohing all this really good advise on here is just not polite.

OP, think about what you can do. You can read up about portion sizes, you can download something like MyFitnessPal to track calories, you can check into/follow along with some of the weight loss groups on here, you can put x in your shopping basket instead of y, you can look at a few YouTube exercise videos/channels to see if something grabs you, you can look up simple healthy recipes and follow them.

Sorry to go all Henry Ford Oprah on you, but “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right.”

You have to really want to lose weight in the first place. Your age is of some significance too-if younger, the motivation can be to look good, find it easier to buy clothes. If older, the motivation is often health related also.
It takes 21days to develop a habit, seemingly. I know that I automatically get out the weighing scales every morning to weigh out my 30g of porridge or my 30g of cereal (if that’s the recommended serving-it says it on the side panel of the box). My scales is a small electronic one that you can just put a bowl on and weigh, so it’s very quick and easy. I also weigh pasta (60g dry) and rice (60g dry) per portion.
Skimmed milk is another habit I developed (though you can use light milk-not such a change from full fat.).
Drinking water is a good habit to develop too-carry a bottle, or better still, a water container that keeps the water cool for 24 hours. There are many brands available. I have two S’well bottles.
Exercise doesn’t have to be sweaty bug it must be something you can get some bit of enjoyment/sense of well-being/achievement from. A Fitbit and a phone with good music downloaded makes my walks more enjoyable-I walk to the beat so I keep the pace up. Aim to get 10,000 steps in daily, including a 30min walk.
It can be motivating to have a weigh-in. That’s why I used Weightwatchers. I had a week to go, each time, to get to a little target (1 or 2lbs) rather than 2-3 stone on my own.
Cooking-stir fries are easy (YouTube is your friend). Chillis are handy-easy to make enough for four or 8 dinners and freeze the extra. You portion them out (I use a ladle) into 4 or 8 and that’s your portion control done for you.
The first time you try any recipe can be daunting. Try to get all the ingredients out and prepared before you start cooking. It gets easier the more often you do it.
Here in Ireland, we have a programme Operation Transformation, and there’s an App that goes with it. It ascyuallg has a video of the preparation of the meals and very easy instructions. However, I’m not sure if it can be accessed outside of Ireland (we can access Channel 4 and All 4 on a laptop/iPad, but not BBC player, for example.) If you can access it, it is well worth a look.
Losing weight is daunting and the fact that it’s something you have to maintain for life is probably a bit off putting. However, as it takes time, you start to develop habits that become second nature to you, and that’s what makes it easier to keep the weight off in the long term.

Human beings are amazing. Can find solutions to all sorts of problems. It's a process, though, so One Day at a Time.

I'm an atheist & member of OA, Ask me Anything - thread on Reddit.

Helpfinder with BEAT

In the 1960s/70s, OA actually produced very strict meal plans. But I think they eventually figured out that they made it too easy to fail; & like most people who fall off wagon, once off, may as well go hell for leather. Which is why OA moved to very loose definitions of abstinence. The other good news is that every day is a fresh start. And we're back to... One Day at a Time.

Two typos at least there, but my preview button hasn’t been working for the past week!

How much do you want to lose, OP? Or do you need to lose anything at all? Maybe you’re happy the way you are, if other solutions simply won’t work for you.