If you have given up dieting, what happened?

[3LittleMonkeyz]

I'm sick of the yo-yo dieting cycle. I want to trust that my weight will level out and that I won't gain like crazy if I just eat when I'm hungry. Have any of you given up dieting? What happened? Did you lose, gain or maintain? Was it liberating to not be counting carbs/syns/points/calories?

Thanks

[CloudsCanLookLikeSheep]

I'm in the process of giving up dieting after many years of very very disordered eating.. basically bingeing on industrial quantities of food (and I mean industrial) with periods of dieting /restriction.
After putting on half a stone in lockdown and literally waking up every morning on a diet and ending up every evening on a binge I have finally said fuck it I don't want to live like this any more

I'm trying to focus on nutrition and eating healthy food, sugar/junk food is a trigger for me. I'm not focusing on weight loss but trying to accept my body as it is.. whatever will be will be, weight wise.

Its early days, and in the past I have caved and started dieting again due to not being able to cope with being fat, but I've finally seen how futile it is and diets really don't work, I've been doing them for 33 years so if they did I should be a six 6 or something by now not a 16!

My strategy is to focus on healthy eating, and having proper meals. And giving up the idea of dieting, which just leads me to binge in anticipation of deprivation, every single fucking time.

[3LittleMonkeyz]

I just wanted to post a little update. Thank you all for your recommendations and experience. I am going to try and intuitively eat, but also try and incorporate some fasting periods. There are times I eat where I don't eat because I'm hungry I think, I've never really been a breakfast eater and my natural pattern used to be roughly 16:8 so I hope that I can return to that. I may need to diet properly at some point, but I think I am suffering from diet burn out and need a break. I might lose, I might gain, I might stay the Same. Regardless of outcome I think I need to give my mind and body a break and just live again.

[hamsterchump]

@Notverybright Yeah that's definitely key. Sometimes I have trouble with wanting to eat or pick while making the food/waiting for it to be made once I've realised I'm hungry and I've found a good tip is to have a drink to distract you/fill you up for 30mins (I usually have diet orangeade) while you wait and also remind yourself that the food will taste so much better if you're actually hungry when you eat. I try not to "waste" my hunger if you see what I mean, it's a good thing that makes food taste amazing.

[3LittleMonkeyz]

Maybe I need to revisit intermittent fasting. I did consider doing the fast 800 and bought and read the book, but I think I would really really struggle, whereas the 5:2 would be more manageable.

I don't eat a lot of carbs but those are my downfall. I've started putting my favourite sauces on chicken instead of pasta and I always choose the low Gi if possible.

[Notverybright]

@hamsterchump you're right. I think I'm going to let myself get hungrier before eating.

[BluebellBrigade]

Seeing my mum diet really fucked up my attitude towards eating, my body and my weight. I was stuck in the binge/restrict cycle for decades. The Brain Over Binge book (there's also a podcast) totally helped me heal my relationship with food.

I eat what I fancy but stop when I've had enough. Subsequently I've stopped yo yoing up and down, gaining and losing the same 2 stones again and again.

I don't weigh myself now but I've been a consistent size 10-12 for the past 5 years. Can't recommend the book/podcast enough.

[thegreenlight]

I am a total emotional eater - when I’m feeling good I’m fine, but when things aren’t going my way I hit the ‘fuck it’ button far too quickly! My mum had me on a constant diet ever since I can remember. She one said to me when I was in a dance show that if I didn’t have a tummy I would look just like all the other girls. I lost a lot of weight on my own in my 20s and kept (most) of it off. She definitely wanted more to do with me when I was thiner. It is very difficult to not feel a failure when I’m not dieting. I’m always on a diet interspersed with binging and takeaways!

[RonObvious]

For me, the more muscle I have in my body, the easiest it is to maintain my weight. Starting weight training a few years ago was the best thing I ever did. Started it after my daughter was born, when I had a fair bit to lose. Carried on through my second pregnancy, and was back in my (most forgiving) pre-pregnancy jeans 2 weeks after giving birth. These days, I don’t seem to put on weight, whereas I was constantly overweight as a child/teenager. Although, the lockdown baking has challenged this somewhat...

[Crunchymum]

I'm going to be a bit of a bore here but you don't need to diet, you need to change your lifestyle.

I say this as someone with 4st to shift (I developed arthritis 2 years ago and have gained 3 of the 4 stone whilst incapacitated / on steroids)

For me the only thing that works is low GI. I can give up all the sweet crap, but I still need some carbs in my life. Low GI allows that.

I can still have all the carbs but I go for brown / wholemeal and I portion control. Also find new potatoes a really good substitute for anything you'd normally have chips / roasties/ jacket spuds with.

This is a bit drastic but I've also started to take my blood sugar several times a day [had GD in my last pregnancy so I'm at greater risk of developing T2] and this also keeps me in check.

Its early days and I do have a big birthday coming up - I will drink wine and eat cake - but I lost 7lbs in my first week!!! That has given me focus.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[blubellsarebells]

I do intermittent fasting.
I dont weigh myself so dont know how much i lost but enough to feel better in my clothes. Its all gone back on during lock down.
I started again today in the hope i can feel better when i go back to work.
I do feel hungry sometimes but you get used to it and i find your body craves what it actually needs so i was making healthier choices.
I eat what i want during the times allowed, never calorie counted and never will, I had an eating disorder as a teenager so this is the healthiest way for me.
I do have a cup of tea with a splash of milk in the morning some days, which is not strictly allowed but didn't seem to make any difference, i want to be slim not miserable.
Water with lemon and ginger, fruit teas are also ok, i drink lemon water all day which helps with the hunger and a lavender tea before bed.

[NooneElseIsSingingMySong]

Absolutely second Rebelfit! I’ve yo-yoed since I was put on my first diet aged 9 Did Ww, did SW. Regained the weight every time. Now I’m doing Rebelfit, learning a new relationship with food, trying to exercise more and have a balanced diet. It’s not easy, it’s not a rapid weight loss solution but it’s really good to have a new approach to things. I am confidence in time I will ‘lose weight’ at least change my body shape.

[JovialNickname]

I got fat.

[Wankpuffin]

I gained 10 stone in 2 years.

But it was two years of listening to other people and losing my way.

Then last year I went back to what everyone said was bad for me - low carb, high fat, very, very minimal sugar (like once a month). The way I’d happily and healthily lived for 8 years previously. The worst thing I ever did was listen to people who kept telling me I was “dieting”. It wasn’t a diet, I’d made it my lifestyle but gave in due to family pressure and people telling me I’d die of a heart attack eating (natural) high fat food.

Back to it now and even now at 6 months pregnant I’m healthier than I’ve ever been and 6 stone down From my heaviest. I’ve Stayed they same weight as I was when I conceived and I feel wonderful and the baby is growing perfectly - I’ll lose the other 4 stone easily when the baby is here and I’ll never go back to eating other people’s ‘normal’ way again.

[user12345796]

I'm 51 and I have never been on a diet.
I do think your appetite regulates itself if you listen to what your body is telling you.

[amijustparanoidorjuststoned]

I went vegan and I thought "fuck diet culture!"

I went through years of crash dieting, losing loads of weight and slowly putting it back on again. At the beginning of this year I just thought "no more". I started running, eating healthily and just not giving a shit. I've learnt to love my body regardless of it's imperfections.

[hamsterchump]

@Notverybright It sounds like you went wrong by overthinking it. You don't need to be asking yourself all the time if you're hungry, real hunger will distract you from whatever you're doing, you won't miss it, your body will remind you. Imagine you're lying on the sofa, you've just got really comfortable, watching something you're really into that can't be paused for some reason, real hunger would get you up from that situation.
One of the best things about eating normally is not having to think about food as much and being able to have what you really want and really be able to enjoy it. When I dieted I hated food, it was my enemy but I was obsessed with it too.
Giving up dieting and weighing myself is the best thing I've ever done, the freedom is amazing. I don't hate my body any more. I don't know what I weigh now but I'm a 10-12 at 5'9" and when I was dieting I'd been up to an 18 at 16 stone and down to a 8-10 at 10 stone. I still wish I was a little bit slimmer, a straight 10 would be ideal, but hey maybe I will be in the future, but I'm not going to starve and suffer for it.

[RoxyTheProssie]

Lost 3.5 stone and kept it off. Best thing I ever did.

[1Micem0use]

Mice burgers are a great source of lean protein

[NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace]

Or really mice burgers

[lockdownbird]

Gave up fad diets around two years ago op.
Unfortunately I did gain 2 stone but some was due to new medication and an ongoing g lifetime condition I have.

I started intermittent fasting end of jan when I felt shite all the bloody time from eating so much crap.

I do 16:8 and just adjust the tones accordingly to what's planned.
It's easy to stick to at work.
I break my fast with a small handful of nuts and sometimes a mini pepperami.

My evening meal is whatever I fancy.
I don't use sweetener or eat fat free stuff at all.
Tea last night was peppery salad with grilled bacon,some feta,halloumi,and a giant mushroom stuffed with cream cheese.
Just an example for you.

I'm currently a stone lighter. Slow and steady works for me whilst enjoying nice food

I often have steak with cheese salads or veg etc etc.
Or really mice burgers without the baps but with a cheese melt on top

My appetite has shrank well.

I drink a coffee first thing In the morni g as it's my treat and then water until my fast ends.

Works well for me and I feel good.

[PowerslidePanda]

I know some people are sceptical about how accurately Fitbits track calories burned, but I've found mine very effective in managing my weight. You put in your weight and whether you want to maintain or lose it, then you track what you eat (like My Fitness Pal) and it combines that with your activity data to tell you how many more calories you can consume that day. With MFP, I always felt bad having "unnecessary" treats, but if I denied myself them, I'd invariably get fed up of watching my weight before too long. Now I don't feel guilty about the odd treat (and sure enough, I can see that they're not doing any harm) so I'm finding it a much easier approach to stick to.

[Kbrooke08932]

I’m like you, quite a bit of weight to lose, keep signing up to diets but struggle to stick to them. I have just read the obesity code after it was recommended on here. It scared me and made me realise just what I have been doing to my body. It also explains why most people put weight in again after losing it. Give it a read!

[riolou]

I've deffo put on a good stone in lockdown cannot see my toes!

[Rosegoldglass]

It sounds like Intuitive Eating is what you are wanting to do, moving away from disordered eating that society has ingrained into us all.
This book is a good place to start.