To think “healthy eating” isn’t the best way for lose weight?!

[dontchasewaterfalls]

I did Slimming World for a number of years and I managed to lose 3 stone and keep it off.

Since having my baby at the start of the year, I’ve gained 2 stone.
Since Slimming World classes were shut, and I wanted to try something different, I decided to just try and eat healthily rather than actually following the Slimming World plan.

I’ve been doing this a few months now and I’ve only lost 5lb, which I could easily lose in a week following Slimming World!!

So what exactly am I doing wrong??

Here’s what I’ve eaten today -

Breakfast
Two weetabix, topped with a handful of raspberries and a small banana. (Semi skimmed milk)
Cup of tea.

Lunch
Tuna (1tin made with light mayo) 80g Wholemeal pasta(dried weight) lettuce, tomato, pickled beetroot. Light Mayo.

Dinner
Fajitas.
Chicken breast, peppers, onions, mushrooms (dry fried) 2 x small wholemeal wraps.
Handful grated cheese.

Snacks
Pomegranate seeds
Large orange
Chocolate fudge Alpen light cereal bar

That’s a typical day for me. I do occasionally have some chocolate or a pack of crisps.

Once a week, usually on a Saturday night, we will have a takeaway. Hubby and I will share a pizza and chips, or I will get chicken tikka pieces in a pitta with salad.

I don’t drink any alcohol. I have at most 3 cups of tea a day and the rest of the time I drink water.

I don’t do any organised exercise, but I do go for a walk every day which is usually 45-60 minutes.

I’m not counting any calories, just trying to eat sensibly. But it’s not working well.

What do you think I’m doing wrong?
Should I just go back to Slimming World?

I'm not perfect and eat large portions but apart from treats, which I have most days, I eat when im hungry and it works for me (healthy bmi, weight, dress size)

Twice this week I've got to dinner time before eating (wasn't hungry at breakfast, forgot lunch). Some evening, regardless of what I've eaten in the day, I'll have 2 portions of dinner at 6pm then a bowl of cereal at 9pm. What works for me is eating when hungry.

Takeaway, probably have that twice a year. Do an average of 5,000 steps per day.

When I want to lose weight I have to really work at it and it always surprises me how slow it is. I up the steps, aim for 10k steps 3 times a week, run 3x a week, massively reduce treats (once or twice a week) nd that sees me lose about 5-6lb in a month.

If I was you, I'd ditch the banana and have it later of i got hungry. Baked potato and beans for lunch. Then meat/veggie alternative with loads of veg, maybe a small carb with it. Or no carb and budget for some toast last thing before bed (as something to look forward to and stop grazing). Lots of (non-creamy) soup without bread.

@dontchasewaterfalls

I did Slimming World for a number of years and I managed to lose 3 stone and keep it off.

Since having my baby at the start of the year, I’ve gained 2 stone.
Since Slimming World classes were shut, and I wanted to try something different, I decided to just try and eat healthily rather than actually following the Slimming World plan.

I’ve been doing this a few months now and I’ve only lost 5lb, which I could easily lose in a week following Slimming World!!

So what exactly am I doing wrong??

Here’s what I’ve eaten today -

Breakfast
Two weetabix, topped with a handful of raspberries and a small banana. (Semi skimmed milk)
Cup of tea.

Lunch
Tuna (1tin made with light mayo) 80g Wholemeal pasta(dried weight) lettuce, tomato, pickled beetroot. Light Mayo.

Dinner
Fajitas.
Chicken breast, peppers, onions, mushrooms (dry fried) 2 x small wholemeal wraps.
Handful grated cheese.

Snacks
Pomegranate seeds
Large orange
Chocolate fudge Alpen light cereal bar

That’s a typical day for me. I do occasionally have some chocolate or a pack of crisps.

Once a week, usually on a Saturday night, we will have a takeaway. Hubby and I will share a pizza and chips, or I will get chicken tikka pieces in a pitta with salad.

I don’t drink any alcohol. I have at most 3 cups of tea a day and the rest of the time I drink water.

I don’t do any organised exercise, but I do go for a walk every day which is usually 45-60 minutes.

I’m not counting any calories, just trying to eat sensibly. But it’s not working well.

What do you think I’m doing wrong?
Should I just go back to Slimming World?

Just looking at your 'sample' day and it very nearly fits in with slimming world . Swap the wholewheat tortillas with your fajitas and use lettuce wraps . You could also have home made sweet potato wedges and it would still be a slimming world day .

I have found myself that if I was following a plan such as SW where I could eat plenty I really did need to stick to it every day, so, your sample diet day is probably fine but it's the days you are having an additional chocolate bar or the takeaway that are preventing / slowing your weight loss.

at saying a 110 calorie tun of tuna is too much.

Also I think it was me that brought up fasting, but when someone pointed out that the OP was breastfeeding, I did then agree that it might not be advisable atm. Though the fast I do simply involves having a very late breakfast, so it's hardly extreme.

@dontchasewaterfalls, is the 2 st since you had the baby or are you 2st heavier than you weighed before you were pregnant?

You would be better off getting advice from a nurse or GP than from a forum.

There have been lots of posts on this thread telling the OP she's eating too many carbs and it's that kind of thing, plus telling someone that eating a whole tin of tuna, or two Weetabix is too much, which is not helpful because the issue is that she isn't in sufficient calorie deficit to lose more weight faster than the five pounds she's lost so far.

The issue with dieting is that people lose weight then go back to their previous way of eating - they don't look at what their maintenance calories should be, they just go back to whatever they were doing before. It takes effort, including planning what to eat, to keep the weight off for lots of people.

I highly recommend looking at serving portions the products have on them. I actually found it to be really helpful in regaining the idea of what normal portion is. I see on this thread I am not the only one who lost the sight of it👀 Though mine weren't half, but double...

[quote peanutbutterandfluff]I calorie count. I can’t lose (or maintain) weight any other way.

I’d estimate your calories for the food you posted above to be at least 2000. I personally have to eat

I did Joe's 90 day plan. Loved it. Changed the way I think about food and my understanding of healthy eating. And how it works alongside exercise.

It was £50 and if you can afford it you will learn a lot about food and macros.

Cutting carbs works for some people. It doesn't for others. There is no right or wrong with it just what works and what you are comfortable doing.

I personally do well on a low carb diet. It lowers my appetite and eat a lot of fat in replacement. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything as I still eat carbs, just not anywhere near as many as before. There is absolutely nothing that says we must eat bread, pasta or rice to have a 'balanced' diet. Besides rice these are man made foodstuffs anyway! I've also cut sugar. That's a biggie in terms of health and diet.

If you work out your BMR it will tell you what your ideal calorie intake is to lose weight based on YOUR body. It's such a personal thing.

[quote MikeUniformMike]@dontchasewaterfalls, is the 2 st since you had the baby or are you 2st heavier than you weighed before you were pregnant?

You would be better off getting advice from a nurse or GP than from a forum.[/quote]
@MikeUniformMike

2stone since the start of pregnancy.

Some of these diets sound bonkers to me

I am also breastfeeding, and I’m sure it uses up lots of calories. It can really suck the energy from you so to speak so you do need to eat a regular amount and not and extreme ditching meals or 1000 calories only days I have read in this thread. I find if I don’t eat regularly I get light headed and dizzy which never happened before I was breastfeeding

Anyway. I would say take things slowly. How old is your baby? Are they on solids now also, could you try and all eat the same meals so in a way you are forced to eat a bit healthier?

I think your diet sounds fine tbh. Maybe portions sizes sound a little big ie pasta at lunch. But if you measure anyway maybe just drop 10g and see how you feel after that.

What I ate today if helpful ( feeding 5.5 month old):
Breakfast : granola and musli, some seeds and nuts. All lobbed in bowl with milk.
Lunch: salmon and cream cream bagel. Satsuma, few crisps.
Dinner: spinach and feta pie (a slice), roast veg and couscous, tzaiki, green salad. Piece chocolate cake
About 4 teas after sleepless night with baby, water.

I don’t really snack. And never measure or weigh anything.

@dontchasewaterfalls, thanks, that doesn't sound bad - you are BF. Speak to the practice nurse or GP and they will advise you on whether you need to lose weight and how to go about it, should you need to lose any.

Hi OP - congratulations on your new baby! And I have no diet advice to offer (although like you I'm on my own journey to shift a similar amount and am just focussing on the stuff I know that works for me and what I like to eat) - but I did just want to share this: twitter.com/sheilaoflanagan/status/1315995480065794050

Good luck and enjoy your little bundle! A wise friend once told me 'the days are long, but the years are short'.

Certainly with some of my friends, the problem has been the mindset of 'eating for two' when the baby is in reality little bigger than a peanut and doesn't need much extra nutrition.

I'm sure I read that in the third trimester you only need an extra 200 cals, which is equivalent to two bananas by my calculations.

@kattyboomboom

Certainly with some of my friends, the problem has been the mindset of 'eating for two' when the baby is in reality little bigger than a peanut and doesn't need much extra nutrition.

I'm sure I read that in the third trimester you only need an extra 200 cals, which is equivalent to two bananas by my calculations.

The recommended extra for nursing mothers is 450 to 500 extra calories.

If the OP is now eating about 1500 calories that's as if a non-nursing mother was on a 1000 calorie diet. If she takes of another 500 as some have suggested you are talking a 500 calorie diet.

A lower calorie intake is all that will help with weight loss, and your weight is 80% determined by what you eat so you're on the right track. Get a calorie tracking app like myfitnesspal and log your food for a week as it will break your diet into carbs/data protein. You'll be shocked if you are honest and exact. Really helpful in understand where the empty calories are coming from.

Your diet sounds high in carbs to me vs protein considering your weight loss goal, as carbs are useful when your going for a long run but less so if you want to feel full for a long time. Use lentils, rather than wheat carbs as they are also high in protein. Thick lentil soup is a great option for lunch. What about eggs (eggwhites even better), and/or protein powder? I use both for pancakes in the morning and it's great for filling you up.

And sorry to break it to you but pizza and chips are a dieters worst enemy. Both are empty carbs and fat. I reckon you can undo a week of healthy eating with one such meal as it can easily rack up 2000 calories in one sitting so gone are your efforts for the rest of the week. I get takeaways but it's stirfried veg and Tofu or other lean protein, fish, steamed rice which I share with hubby, or roast chicken. Pizza is nice but you cannot be eating more than a slice or two if you want to lose weight and definitely should not be having deepfried chips with the same meal, it's just not worth it! As for crisps make sure you get the ones that are in portion packs that have less than 100 calories per bag. Again there are good lentil options, and popped hula hoops or potato crisps are so much better than their deep fried cousins.

Sorry, big typo above! The calorie tracking app will tell you the split of carbs / fat / protein.

@wowfudge

There have been lots of posts on this thread telling the OP she's eating too many carbs and it's that kind of thing, plus telling someone that eating a whole tin of tuna, or two Weetabix is too much, which is not helpful because the issue is that she isn't in sufficient calorie deficit to lose more weight faster than the five pounds she's lost so far

Lowering carbs will help OP to increase and maintain her calorie deficit to a level which facilitates weight loss at the pace she requires.

There is solid science behind this.

www.healthline.com/nutrition/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets

Quantity is a big factor as well as healthy eating. It takes time to lose weight in a sensible long lasting way.

@monkeyonthetable

I'd argue that it is working. You are definitely not on a diet, not doing any exercise, but you are losing weight. It's just much slower coming off, and probably your eating habits are more sustainable. You say in a week you eat pizza, chips, crisps, have snacks every day and don't work out. So the pounds won't melt away easily. But you are reducing.

I couldn’t agree with this more.

There’s more to life than calorie counting.

Try light weights too

No one has mentioned the snacks, I really think if you eat between meals, even if something healthy like an orange it spikes your blood sugar and this can affect things too. All the snacks you mentioned are high in sugar (fruit and a cereal bar)

I would agree as well that a tuna pasta salad for lunch and fajitas for dinner sounds like a lot - I would have one or the other or front load your carbs so you have what you like for breakfast and lunch but have a much lighter dinner I.e fish with steamed vegetables.

I found I got totally obsessed with calorie counting and logging on mfp. It wasn’t healthy at all for me (I know others swear by it).

There isn’t one way to lose weight or be healthy. I just measure my carbs and everything else I try to focus around eating more vegetables and lean protein. That works for me.

I would agree as well that a tuna pasta salad for lunch and fajitas for dinner sounds like a lot.

Surely that depends on portion size which isn’t stated here.

Honestly as others have said its down to calories, you need to be in calorie deficit to lose weight. I eat roughly 2300 calories a day, however I do train. Mine is very carb heavy at around 300g of carbs a day, carbs are not bad for you. I would GF pasta with tuna for lunch, I eat 2 breakfasts and then would have rice and meat for dinner, I don't gain weight because of how much exercise I do, I need fuel.
Also a good way is not to get hung up on the scale and to try exercise if you can, if you can't get to a gym home workouts can be fab. I started before the gym doing the 30 day shred, that worked wonders! Also Peloton have a great app, it's around £12 a month I think, but it has strength workouts, yoga, stretching, bands all to do from home, even if you don't have a bike (I don't)