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?

@2020iscancelled

Also you can eat carbs until the cows come home. Carbs are NOT a problem.

Calories are the ONLY thing which count when it comes to losing weight.

For full disclosure - Protein is recommended for easier weight loss bc it has better satiety and also burns differently to carbs but if you prefer carby stuff then that is absolutely fine.

Just stay in your calorie deficit. Eat what makes you happy WITHIN YOUR CALORIES

Carbs are high in calories

Easiest thing to do would be just skip breakfast. You'd cut a fair few calories.

Or just cut a few during the day. Have one weetabix not two. Half a tin of tuna, 70g pasta, less mayo or pesto instead. Don't bother with the wraps for dinner, have some more veg instead. Or just one wrap.
Little things will add up.

Cereal bars do have lots of extra sugar even the healthy ones. Some picked beetroot has lots more added salt and sugar than other brands. So check labels too. Every little helps.

My main thing is keeping full until lunch else I snack like a machine so I'd keep breakfast as it is.

You are having 4 fruits a day looking at your day. I'd suggest looking at swapping one of these for a veg maybe carrot sticks or pepper?

Are you putting 2 lots of mayo on lunch? Maybe drop one lot as its quite calorific even the light ones.

Lastly when you walk are you getting your heart rate up? There's a big difference between a stroll & a power walk.

If I had a tuna salad for lunch it would be half a tin of tuna, no pasta, salad with a vinaigrette rather than mayo.
Or an omlette with salad.

Try logging everything on myfitnesspal for a while- it will give you an idea of how many calories everything has and where you can tweak things and play around with what you're having so you can still eat the things you like. Cheese and nuts surprised me at how little I could have and be over my calorie limit for the day so make sure to weigh anything fatty!

Ignore the 1200 calorie limit - it gives that to everyone and you can change it- there's plenty of online calorie calculators and they'll all give you a more sustainable limit.

@StellaGib

Easiest thing to do would be just skip breakfast. You'd cut a fair few calories.

Or just cut a few during the day. Have one weetabix not two. Half a tin of tuna, 70g pasta, less mayo or pesto instead. Don't bother with the wraps for dinner, have some more veg instead. Or just one wrap.
Little things will add up.

@StellaGib

Everything I have read always states that breakfast is an important meal of the day, plus I don’t think I could skip it.
I’d be too hungry...

The best way to loose weight is following a keto diet. It’s the carbs that make you gain weight not fat.

In my opinion diets like slimming world never work long term, you have to have a complete lifestyle overhaul and get out of the diet mindset.

I find the only thing that helps me keep a calorie deficit is fasting. By limiting the amount of time I’m eating I tend to eat less and naturally a bit better, even though I haven’t changed my diet consciously (and still eat choc, carbs etc).

And what @StellaGib said. It’s called intermittent fasting or just make a smoothie packed with fruit and veg every morning.

@CaptainCarp

My main thing is keeping full until lunch else I snack like a machine so I'd keep breakfast as it is.

You are having 4 fruits a day looking at your day. I'd suggest looking at swapping one of these for a veg maybe carrot sticks or pepper?

Are you putting 2 lots of mayo on lunch? Maybe drop one lot as its quite calorific even the light ones.

Lastly when you walk are you getting your heart rate up? There's a big difference between a stroll & a power walk.

@CaptainCarp

Yeah, I did do two lots of mayo.

I had a blob in my tuna and a blob over my salad.

Well I definitely do power walk, it’s not a stroll. But I wouldn’t consider it overly strenuous.

The light mayo is not as bad as people are suggesting - certainly less calories than pesto?
Swap to light cheese and weight it out. 30g is sufficient, but 40g feels like you're actually getting a decent amount of cheese.
Can you swap half the pasta for courgette spaghetti (courgetti) by using a julienne peeler on a courgette or two? I did that and it really helps cut down calories whilst still feeling like a full meal and adding greens too.

Re the fajitas, do it as a burrito bowl instead. Spice up some brown rice which frankly will probably be the same amount of calories as the wraps and add your veggies and chicken on top. A heck of a lot for filling for probably the same amount of calories.

Do my fitness Pal and track the calories.

It really helps.

You need to look at calories. Unless you were phenomenally active you wouldn’t have a calorie deficit with your current diet.

I would suggest limiting yourself to two carb portions a day. If you feel you need them with breakfast and lunch to see you through then perhaps have a fajita salad for dinner instead? A handful of cheese is too much too, stick to 10g. Alternatively swap your current breakfast for a higher protein option like scrambled egg and bacon medallions, smoothie with whey powder, protein yogurt, peanut butter and banana or an omelette?

Occasional treats are fine but be honest with yourself, how often are you having a treat?

Could you up your exercise? Your body is used to your daily walk, could you include a 30min fast paced home workout?

Mayo is surprisingly high calorie - even the low fat stuff.

@dontchasewaterfalls I don't think there is a more or less important meal of the day It's all just calories whatever time you eat it.

I'd second pp who said a whole tin of tune might be too much .
Cereal for breakfast is always high carb.
Maybe replace cereal for oats, eg porridge, or fruit and yoghurt.
Wraps are empty calories
More veg and some protein might be the way forward and keep carbs for the morning or lunch.

Ps. Your baby is still under a year old, give yourself time. Are you breast feeding?

Currently my favourite lunch is 50g peri peri chicken, 70g Tilda fire cracker rice (about a 3rd of a pack) salad (romaine/leaves, tomato, cucumber, pepper, red onion and grated carrot) and beetroot dressed in balsamic vinegar. Then a apple to follow.

I’ve just realised I didn’t have my apple today which is why I was hungry and ended up having an orange before the school run.

I cut out bread, snacking in the day (junk snacking) and started running every other day. I've lost over 2stone!

I too think half tin of tuna, one weetabix...cut the pasta,have veg and salad.
One wrap at dinner and more protein and veg all round.

I would try swap the banana with breakfast as well. Do you like peanut or almond butter? 1 banana is about 100 calories but a tablespoon or so of a nut butter would give you more protein.
Then have the banana as a snack during the day instead of one of the cereal bars

There's no evidence that counting carbs is an easier way to lose weight. After a year studies have shown that although you lose more weight initially after a year there's no difference. Also by cutting carbs you need to eat more fat which can cause cholesterol levels to rise.

What are your portions like? With a curry I have 3 tablespoons of rice but my son and husband have double that, same with pasta, always wholemeal and a small portion.

Ryvita instead of bread or pasta is much lower calorie swap

@Lockdownhairdontcare

*Occasional treats are fine but be honest with yourself, how often are you having a treat?

Definitely a takeaway every weekend.

I have probably 3 packets of crisps a week (spread out) and usually 1 or two bars of chocolate.

Are you breastfeeding?

Yes, I am.