Needing to lose weight - why do I eat more cr*p?

[mears]

I am getting fatter by the day and keep resolving to start dieting tomorrow. I ate a bar of hazelnut chocolate because it was in the cupboard ( don't know who bought it) followed closely by an Echo chocolate biscuit. Watched a programme tonight about women resorting to liposuction to change shape and thought to myself 'they just have no will power'.
Have just finished a mug of hot chocolate with a pile of scooshy whipped cream on top. I just seem to have an insatiable desire to eat total cr*p.
What will it take to stop me stuffing my face? Any tips?

sorry, meant

Eating packet of cheese and onion crips and drinking wine now. Scoffed bar of galaxy and drank wine in the company of mamosa a short while ago - I think she is a bad influence

Thank you Mears, unfortunatetly she is technically quite correct. I am gross but I probably do suit it. Goes with the personality big and most bubbly. I am much larger than Mears although I believe I may have an anorexia type disorder in reverse. I keep looking in the mirror and saying 'not too bad'. My wieght has been a long standing problem. lost nearly 3 stones 12 years ago after birth of dd. Have gradually put on 1/2 a stone a year, not a huge amount over 1 year, but now in need of losing 5-6 stones!!!!!

I started my campaign to get fitter and feel happier with the body on Jan 1st (this will involved losing some weight as I am at least a stone and a half too heavy). I don't feel comfortable in my clothes but worse of all have no energy and am lethargic.
Any suggestions for healthy type meals and snacks. I have eaten junk food and quick type ready meals for so long I need re-educating.

Knowing what to eat is easy - it's actually sticking to it that's hard. General principles from dieticians I've talk to are to eat at least 5portions of fruit and veg a day (a portion is a fistful, or a single fruit) more whenever possible. Portion of meat & chicken etc should be no bigger than your fist. On your main meal plate, veg should be at least half the plate, with the rest 2/3 whole carbs (eg potato/brown rice) and the rest protein. Cut out biscuits/cake/sweets as much as possible and restrict to 2x week if you can't. YOu can eat the same amount you just have to shift the balance towards fruit and veg, minimal oils and fats, smaller portions, less/no refined food, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of whole. Jacket potatoes with beans instead of cheese etc etc. Yoghurt instead of cream. God, it's dreary. No wonder a bowl of peanuts and a huge glass of wine sounds so tempting. I'd love to be thinner and was doing quite well with WW but my local meeting is on a Thursday night - which then became the ONLY night my dh is out (regular work thing that can't be changed) so had to give it up. Now motivation is shot to hell.

Aloha

Do you find the discipline of going to the WW meeting helps. I have never been to one and don't really have time to create wonderful low calorie meals from stratch.
However I don't really have the motivation to eat lots of fruit and vegetables because it is so boring and not as soothing as chocolate!!!!

KKgirl - clubs do help, as the people there give you support (rather like on here! ) Depends what kind of diet you want to follow as to what to eat, but I always found the 'less fat/more fruit/veg' regime to be the most healthy. You can eat up to 1500 cals a day and still lose weight if you have betw. 1 and 3 stone to lose. If more than 3 stone, have 1800 cals a day. Also, do exercise.

This is all great coming from me by the way! My diet was due to start on NY day, but I bought a reduced Terry's chocolate orange today (it's not Terry's, it's mine), and have already eaten 1/4 of it...

kkgirl, I lost a ton of weight with slimming world and couldn't recommend the club more highly. It could have been the leader of the club, but it really helped me. I know I've got to start going again (now this sounds like failure) but although I have put on some weight recently I still believe I learnt the most valuable lession from classes. Ultimately thee is every excuse in the book why you eat, but no-one forces your mouth open and stuffs it full of c**p foood, only you can do that. I have put on weight becasue I have accepted that I needed to eat whatever I wanted for a while (other stresses in my life) since I knew I could go back to Slimming World. Check out a club as they have loads of 'Free foods' that are ready meals, and not just boring ones too.

KKgirl- I'm exactly the same as you - addicted to crap - sweets crisps chocolate etc etc and like you as of Jan 1st I'm back on the straight and narrow having put on 7lbs in December!
My 'best' virtuous meal ( very healthy - low in calories and very nice ) is as follows.... ( this makes several dinners)
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil, when hot add a half teaspoon of mustard seeds and heat till they pop.
Add a level tsp each of curry powder, cumin and corriander and mix into the oil.
Puree ( I have a stick blender)a can of tomatoes and add to the spice/oil mixture.
Then add vegetables of choice and cook until soft.
My personal favourite is an aubergine, two courgettes, a sweet potato ( small as this isn't as low cal) and 2-3 peppers all cut into small chunks. When it is ready I add a can each of kidney beans and cannelini beans.
For tea the last 2 days I've had a bowl of this and a wholemeal pitta bread and it is REALLY nice and very filling.
I'm still going through horrendous cravings for sweet things as my body is so addicted after all I've eaten during December - but I've been here before and I know eventaully I'll get it under control
Good luck with it anyhow...

By the way, now I have finished the chocolate orange...sob sob

I too am on the diet train at the moment - started again yesterday!! (need to lose about 2 stones) I did start this time last year on the Atkins diet - lost a stone but put it back on soon after, Joined SW but only lasted one week. Started the Kelloggs diet but must have been over extravegant with the potions, so that went out the window. About August, started Slimfast, - Yuck. Now as of yesterday, I'm on healthy smaller portions, no silly snacking, for me that could mean a whole pack of biscuits, especially if they where custard creams and swapping my at least ten mugs of coffee for three and the rest water. I've even deceided to go to keep-fit once a week and walk abit more in the meantime.

I don't know why everything you like is bad for you, diet wise, and surely theres better things than having to venture out on these cold dark nights to some smelly hall, only to get all sweaty and have to go back home again. Mind you I bet its packed this week.

Good luck in everyones quest for slinkyness.

Mears - I can totally relate. I gained 60 pounds while pregnant - it took about 8 months to lose 50 pounds. I still have 10 pounds to go, and can't seem to shed the last 10. The one thing I think that does make a big difference is not to have the c**p in the house. If you're the one doing the shopping, try not to buy any junk. Then treat yourself when you're out with your friends so you're not feeling completely deprived. I have found that that helps for those of us who don't have much willpower when the junk is in the cupboard.

My problem is I need to loose at least 2.5 stones (nearly typed pounds there! wishful thinking) but my biggest problem is I think about cutting down ALL the time but keep forgetting that I am supposed to be dieting/cutting down/cutting out all the c**p. As for keeping it out of the house I want to but feel like I am depriving everyone else even though I tell them and myself that choc/crisps/etc are NOT treats really. What can you do when you keep forgetting to diet though?? I think I have overeatten for such a long time I can't stop and I don't want the awful photos of myself stuck around the house besides which the children would probably start taking them out with us on walks!

kk girl - I thought ww was wonderful - it really worked, the weight started coming off, I thought I could carry on on my own when I couldn't get to the meeting.... but guess what? I couldn't. I really need to find another meeting but the Thursday night one was actually about six doors down in my road and so was easy to motivate myself for. I really wish my dh didn't work Thursday nights.

Ps we have good evolutionary reasons for liking 'crap' food - high calorie food (with their vital vitamins) is important to hunter gatherers so we are programmed to to find fat and sugar intensely pleasurable as part of our 'staying alive' strategy - we have more tastebuds for them and they trigger pleasure responses in our brains . The 'basics' don't have to be so alluring as most of the time they were freely available, unlike sweet or fatty food. Now, of course, it's all far too available so we can stimulate our tastebuds all the time! So it's not all our own fault.

PPS! Sweets and crisps don't benefit anyone and not having them only helps your kids develop healthier eating habits and preserves their teeth. Think of it that way and you won't be so tempted to buy them.

aloha - I totally agree. It's good for the whole family, not to have the c**p in the house.

I've really lost it today, have had very stressful day, and eaten 1 chocolate scone, 1 chomp bar, some maltesers, some crunchie, some dairy milk, ate 1 apple somewhere in between.
Am also now on Archers for my nerves.
Will have to try harder tomorrow.

WW class restarted tonight - I gained 3 1/2 pounds over Xmas and New Year which wasn't as bad as i thought since I ate everything that I shouldn't. Just going to finish the box of Celebrations before getting down to serious healthy eating

My classes started back on Monday and after three weeks of unbridled eating I had gained 6 1/2 pounds so that should make you feel a bit better Mears
I got straight down to some serious soup making today.
I actually feel happier being on the diet than off it. All that Christmas food was a bit overwhelming.
Anyone else feel that way or do I now have an eating disorder ?

I went back to WW yesterday to discover that I'd put on 1 and 1/2 pounds over 3 weeks. I'm not too disappointed! It probably stems from the fact that our puppy now needs walking most days, so I must have burnt something off.
I agree jasper about the christmas food issue. I panicked more on the run up to christmas than the actual time itself. I also found that doing most of the cooking tended to take the edge off my appetite. It was really the drinking that was my downfall.
I too, have been churning out WW "sheperdess pie" this morning. Dunno why they think it's quick to cook - it's taken me most of the morning to make it!

Well done all of you for going back to WW classes, I am still making excuses, especially now that our local class has relocated opposite the fish & chip shop!!

Agree that all that rich food & meals out Christmas is too much ......... so why do we all do it? !!

Lindy I have been searching for the answer to that question for some time now and have never heard anyone give a satisfactory answer, not even all the diet and health gurus that are all over the telly and the radio at the moment.

Did anyone see 'Diet Another day' on Ch4 last night? - I thought that new fad where you just chew the food and swill it round before spitting it out, just to get the flavours abit extreme!! and even funnier when those two 'larger than average' ladies were talking/giggling saying it doesn't work so well with chocolate as by the time you've tasted it and swilled it round it'd melted. Good excuse to try though.

I too feel much better since being on the WW diet, not that I was counting in the months leading up to Christmas.

I put 4lbs on over Christmas, but when I went back to 'being good' 3 came back off. I had got off my water drinking habit, it really made the difference.

Anyway, classes start again this evening, so watch this space. New Year's resolution - to keep off the 30lbs I lost last year, and maybe lose another half stone.

Soup making again!