AIBU to ask you to help me lose weight?

[whereloveis]

Would really welcome advice and tips that aren't calorie counting and weighing portions. Don't want to take weight loss jabs.

I'm a vegetarian (eat eggs and dairy), 38 years old, 5ft4 and weight 12 stone 1lb.

Have just started couch to 5K and want to loose a good 3 stone. Is this doable? What sort of things should I be eating and how long do you think it would take me?

No indeed.

Thank you. I really don’t like chickpeas but I do like lentils and some beans. I’ve got a good shop in today with lots of salads and berries and pulses and veg so I think I have the next few days sorted. It really is just willpower now.

im assuming if I make all my old meals and they consist of veg and different beans and pulses each day along with two eggs a day, I should be ok protein wise?

Hi, last December I cut out almost all UPF and stick to minimally and unprocessed food. lost 5 stone in less then 6 months and have kept it off so far. No calorie counting. I eat what I like as much as I like. 1/2 hour run and 40 min swim every day.

I used to eat like that @whereloveis, I definitely have always had a tendency to binge eat and I used to eat all my feelings, sad, happy, stressed, grief, everything made me eat more. I would start the day with biscuits and snack on sugary and snack foods all day and evening.

Things have changed so much for me this year, when I started intermittent fasting I gave up milk and stopped having sweetener in hot drinks so I got used to less sweetness and slowly I gave up biscuits and crisps almost totally. My focus became nutritious and filling food and the weight came off.

I eat and enjoy things I never would have eaten before, skyr yogurt, tuna, sardines, so much fruit and veg and I never snack. I still fast some days for 16 hours but as I’m now trying to maintain I have overnight oats 3-4 times a week for breakfast. I do still go out for meals, enjoy puddings and all of that but in moderation and with an element of control.

I have had one night shift in the last year when the sugar cravings overcame me and I ate loads of custard creams, made me realize the beast inside me will never go completely but I have learned to prepare better and take more high protein snacks with me now when I work nights to avoid that.

I’m vegetarian we tend to eat main meals such as lentil dahl, curry with chicken peas or tofu, chilli with kidney beans. I use things like coconut milk on the Dahl or curries to add fat so it’s more filling, or Greek yoghurt with the chilli.
I also bake a cake for the week, so a chocolate courgette cake or pumpkin cake and make sure it’s low sugar so I will only add a couple of table spoons of honey for sweetness. I also make my own Nutella from dates, cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts and hazelnut milk for a sweet alternative without the refined sugars- these things are quick to make and last a while. I feel it keeps us on track and not feeling the need to buy unhealthy snacks.

This is really inspiring! I think this is why I’m resistant to calorie counting and/or weight jabs because I know that it works for me (because it did before) if I just ditch UPF and all the sugary stuff.

do you mind if I ask when you run and swim every day and how easy you found it to work that into your lifestyle?

This sounds great, but you do need to keep it achievable, and not set yourself up to fail. Stopping the binge eating of chocolate should be enough in your case (if you don’t replace it with something else!) and that will be challenging enough. I would aim for that, and starting the running (because that will help you feel better about yourself) and generally trying to eat a bit less full stop - rather than suddenly starting to live like a saint.

Thank you! This has really lifted me up. Like you, I think I have to be very careful as it’s so easy for me to fall off the wagon if I do manage to get my diet under control again. I’m also looking forward to eating better and enjoying cooking different things. I never really took pleasure in it before but I’m hoping I can start to see this as a new way of life.

Look into solution based hypnotherapy, it's very slow but it does work to try and change your mindset and eating habits.

I really don’t know how to cook tofu. Would you mind sharing your tofu curry recipe?

can I ask what sort of things you might eat for breakfast or snacks?

It's sound advice to just change one or two key things at a time, rather than too many at once. That's how things become consolidated into habits, then you can gradually build up more good habits on top. And if can you find a way of actually enjoying the changes you're onto a winner.

The thing that has worked best for me is slimming world. I gained weight due partly to PCOS (I gain weight fast and lose slowly so can pile on a stone ridiculousky fast) but also due to stressful life events and emotional eating (badly broken arm needing immobilized, lost with slimming world, overeating after my mums death and several miscarriages, lost with slimming world, then I lost weight in pregnancy but gained both times with breastfeeding hunger, 2 stone down with slimming world, another stone to go.

Pros for me is I am not a big volume eater so slimming world tells me all the things I can eat 'unlimited' which eats me make healthy meals, then tells me how much I can use for fat, sugar, dairy and bread via healthy extras and syns. Meaning I don't feel deprived or starved as I can still have little bits of limited 'treat food'

Works for me, might not if you eat massive portions as I think you can definitely still overeat 'free' foods

Hi, I really struggled with the running at first but it gets easier, I started with every other day. I have a treadmill and do it first thing. Then swim at whenever time it fits in with work.

Oh and for vegetarian things, replacing mince in recipes with tinned green lentils works brilliantly, similar texture. Homemade falafel and hummus are great uses of chickpeas, nuts of any kind are great for protein and fats and on slimming world can be used as syns or healthy extras. I don't like tofu or quorn type things but beans and nuts are great for protein and if you're ovo lactose vegetarian also eggs and cheese. Low iron can be an issue for vegetarians so eggs are great for that and free on slimming world

I tend to just marinade it for a bit in some garlic and ginger and soy sauce and maybe some honey then fry it. I’m not sure if that is a good way or not though!
I do t tend to snack much, but maybe a babybel. My children always have a slice of the cake I make after school so maybe a bit of that with them, but only if I am actually hungry.
For breakfast I am rubbish, two slice of seeded toast and coffee but if I was trying to be healthy I guess a boiled egg with one slice of toast and some kind of fruit or veg paired with it would be better.

I mean this gently, but it doesn’t work for you, you keep regaining, what you need is a eating program that enables you to change your eating habits to lose weight then maintain them but slightly increase your cals to maintenance, the fact you keep regaining isn’t due to life events, you will always have them, the reason you keep gaining is because slimming world doesn’t work for you.

Yes and no. I am on medication for PCOS. if I take the eye off the ball even a little I gain very quickly, particularly if something interferes with my medication which all of the above did. And I mean literally having a bit of chocolate or a couple of biscuits too much daily or more sugar than protein etc I can gain a stone in a month. While on medication my weight is entirely steady. Has been since I was 22. I couldn't take it with my painkillers with my arm or while breastfeeding and in every way was haphazard in grief and stopped taking it. Hence gaining quickly and needing to rectify when I started taking it again.

I can assure you I've been living with this condition since I was 13 years old and I'm 42. I know more about my personal health than you do. Gently or not you are incorrect.

Also since apparently you require my entire physical history in order to believe the lived experience of a different body to your own, exercise is a massive part of maintaining my PCOS and each of those events interrupted my ability to exercise. I normally work out daily, be that running, dog walking, swimming, yoga or a competitive sport I play.

We're all different and I think if takes a bit of trial and error. I'm a runner and lift weights. I never calorie count nor do I weigh myself (well, very rarely out of curiosity). This is my approach:

I fast until 12 every day. I run in the morning and dislike doing so with food in me so this suits me well. I also find running suppresses my appetite. I find when I fast that I naturally eat smaller portions at lunch and dinner.

I run intervals/speed sessions once a week. This helps boost metabolism . C25K is based on intervals.

I make sure I hit my daily protein requirement. This is really the only thing I measure. I consume 1.5g per Kg of my LEAN bodyweight. This keeps me full and helps with recovery, muscle building etc.

I use a vegan protein powder to meet this requirement. I make a shake and add eg berries, peanut butter, chia etc.

The rest of my meals consist of veg (at least three portions per meal), healthy fats and around a fistul of wholegrains.

Because I only eat 2 meals I find I'm really careful about meeting my macro and micronutrient needs.

Never go shopping when hungry.

Stick to a shopping list and meal plan.

Make sure I have a proper training plan and stick to it. Have a goal in mind and treat yourself to something nice when you achieve it. A fitness watch or new clothes etc.

Eat around my workouts. If I have a longer run the next morning I'll have slightly more carbs for my evening meal.

Make sure I have health snacks ready to eat for when I get the urge or 'food noise". Chopped carrot/pepper/celery, almonds, tins of tuna, sardines, apples, hard boiled eggs.

Lift weights!

Remind myself that I don't want to undo all my hard work by scoffing cakes etc. I think we all find it hard (even the most disciplined) and it does take willpower.

I just wanted to pop in and say thanks so much for all the messages. It’s really buoyed me.

This morning, I went for a very slow run and was able to run for 25 minutes! I’ve had a coffee and I’m going to have a late breakfast in an hour or so. I know what I’m going to eat for today and I’m hoping to eat my dinner before 6pm. The other thing I realised is I was previously eating very late at night.

this will be day 2 of non processed healthy foods. Just need to get through the day! I’d love to work in swimming but think I will
struggle. I’m going to go for a run another two times this week. Am feeling much more positive today so thank you everyone!

I would recommend eating meat again if you want to lose weight as it's really hard to not gain weight when your proteins are high in carbs e.g. Beans and pulses. If you are determined to stay vegetarian I would recommend getting your iron levels checked and taking iron supplements to stay at a healthy level, your sugar cravings could just be due to low iron.

Smashing it! Have you got a treat in mind for when you've finished C25K? You'll have earned it. Also, maybe have a good walk on your rest days. It'll all help build your endurance and help you recover better from your runs x

Thank you! That’s a good idea. I think I’m either going to book myself a massage or buy myself a set of four really nice dinner plates.

I just tracked calories on my fitness pal, never ate over 1600 a day (would average around 1500) and I went running at least 3 x a week, lifted weights 2-3 x a week. Lost 4 stone in about 6 months. Also a vegetarian. Lots of eggs, not much bread, cut down on junk food snacks.

Sorry but the only way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. Exercise alone will not help you lose weight. All Exercise does is help tone u when you're losing weight and u might have some loose skin that needs toning. Ive lost exactly 4 stone in 9 months with a combination of the mounjaro pen, being in a calorie defecit and going to the gym to make sure I have no loose skin. Ive also cut out all caffeine, fizzy pop and sugary snacks and drink lots of water.

I'm vegetarian too and have dropped from size 18 to a 10 without jabs etc. I started off going to the gym 3 x a week. Running on treadmill for 30 mins then weights for 15 mins. Intermittent fasting Monday to Friday. Lunch is 3 boiled eggs and salad ( no carbs) , eat as much vegetable salad as you like. Then normal dinner with the rest of the family. In the morning, just green tea with lemon till 12 noin when you break your fast. If at some point during the day and you are feeling nibbly, just eat 1 or 2 boiled eggs.

Now that ive achieved a healthy bmi, I go to the gym 2 x a week. Treadmill for 15 mins then weights for 10 mins. I still practice Intermittent fasting weekdays etc. Weekends I have a glass of wine Friday night and a glass on Saturday night. I eat a low calorie shop bought muffin with tea Saturday and again Sunday. Rest of the time I eat sensibly. I gained 2kg during summer due to over indulging but ive since lost it. I weigh myself every 2 - 3 days x