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?

@PurpleDaisies

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.

She said an 80g portion of pasta (which is about 200 calories) and two wraps (at least 100 calories each?) so you’re getting on for 500 calories just from those items.

Anyway, I’m more of an advocate for having proper satisfying meals, with fewer empty carbs if possible and minimal if any snacks.

@PurpleDaisies

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.

Oh and I totally agree that MFP is not healthy - it messed with my head and made me miserable!

It looks like 2 large meals a day plus a large breakfast. I think by adding healthier foods you are adding calories (such as banana and berries with weetabix) but are not reducing the carbs to even it up. You didn't need mayonnaise on tuna then other mayonnaise. I couldn't eat a whole tin of tuna (unless smallest tin, ) and was it in oil?
My sister does slimming world but always puts it back on. From observing from a far I think the programme doesn't really teach her body portion control and so when she stops following the plan she still wants big portions of what ever they are having rather than big portions of the prescribed foods which I assume over a week work out to a calorie deficit while on the plan. Hope that makes sense. How often is the occasional chocolate and crisps and half a pizza and chips add up. You are losing weight though so generally going in the right direction.

Halve the pasta portion, add a chopped carrot and a handful of random frozen veg.

Oh and I totally agree that MFP is not healthy - it messed with my head and made me miserable

But lots of people are able to use it in a healthy way. You're not the victim of MFP. That's like saying eating gets in an anorexic's head and makes them miserable, so eating is unhealthy.

Looks like I missed the post with the amounts in it, despite it being the first one.

80g pasta is a normal portion for dinner here. I eat a little less for lunch-60g.

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.

Yeah. No.

You can have whatever takeaway you want if you account for it over the week. You very much can eat more than a slice or 2. And chips. You just use common sense and don't eat like that often.

Things like these are why people yoyo.
Diet and don't eat anything remotely non diet, god forbid you just look at carbs (the heck empty carbs?) or alcohol - get to your goal weight - start eating and drinking what you didn't have during diet - put on weight.
It is considerably better to include in the diet things you will be eating after so you can learn the right portions and amounts and get used to them.

It's ok to what pizza. It's ok to eat pizza. You can lose weight while having an occasional pizza.

I wouldn't bother ordering tofu stirfry and such because I make smashing stirfry without that amount of oil (which is though why take away ones taste that nice😂). I can't however, make as nice pizza as one local place.

You could technically live on pizza alone and lose weight, if you stayed in a calorie deficit. You wouldn't eat much pizza, but it is wrong to suggest certain foods prevent weight loss.

@Eckhart there's nothing to suggest from the OP's posts that simple calorie deficit won't achieve the same.

Watch a couple of episodes of secret eaters for tips (too much mayo, sugar, carbs..?)

I did make a veg soup once and it was lacking flavour. Just tasted like veg and water.

You need to learn to like vegetables. They are useful things and can taste very nice, use them to replace some of your carbs and you should reduce the calories in and avoid hunger. Beware salad, if you don't really like it, it just becomes a vehicle for mayo.

Learning to make soup is a great idea. To make it tasty and filling add some red lentils and spices then liquidise it.

Remember when you stop breastfeeding you will have to cut portions down. Your timing for sorting out you 'diet' is brilliant. Good luck, do it gently, do it sustainably.

IMHO chip shop chips are an essential part of a balanced diet. However, I only do them about once a month as they give me indigestion

80g pasta for lunch far too much! It’s 75g portion but that would be for dinner. Your lunch is calorific for sure

@wowfudge

there's nothing to suggest from the OP's posts that simple calorie deficit won't achieve the same

The same as what? I have no idea what you're referring to, here.

The same as low carbing. As I was replying to your post in which you tagged me I didn't think it was necessary to spell it out. My bad.

@wowfudge

You said that suggesting lowering carbs was not helpful to OP. You were wrong.

As I was replying to your post in which you tagged me I didn't think it was necessary to spell it out. My bad

Sarcastic passive aggression is horrible.

And sorry to break it to you but pizza and chips are a dieters worst enemy. Both are empty carbs and fat.

Not true. Potatoes have nutrients in them. Pizza can have all kinds of good stuff on it. I make my own. Fresh tomato sauce, good mozzarella (calcium, protein), tuna or cooked meat, peppers, mushrooms etc.

@Eckhart - I was being neither passive aggressive nor sarcastic.

I don't believe I am wrong. The OP can ensure she is in calorie deficit and lose weight. It's that simple, however she chooses to achieve that.

Please don't tag me again.

Yep I agree with others OP - sounds like too many carbs. Also a calorie deficit is essential to losing weight.
Good luck with your weight loss - I'm on the journey too, so hopefully we will both see some results soon!

Just wanted to update.

Decided to go back to following the Slimming World plan.

I'm following the breastfeeding plan.

In the last two weeks I've lost 9lb

Im measuring pasta and although there's foods that are "unlimited" I have been mindful of my portions and I've been having lots of proteins and salad for lunch, saving the carbs for dinner.

Will see how I get on with it going further.

Well done OP!

Sounds good! 9lb is loads!