Single most effective change you made to lose weight?

[SunshineChatter]

Hi there,

Just in search of real-life ideas on how to shed a few pounds. I'm a size ten, hourglass, but I'd like to lose some weight. I've done the working out (I went five times a week and did a combo of aerobic classes and weight lifting with a PT) and didn't see much difference. I have tried dieting, same result.

I lost a ton of weight a couple of years ago (I'm 48 now) but I think that was stress as I had started thinking about leaving my husband.

I have fasted for a week long, twice, but again due to stress, and still the needle didn't move. I don't eat junk food and, as I don't cook, I tend to have a HUGE salad (leaves, one tin of tuna, balsamic vinegar, horseradish sauce) at lunch or dinner and then I graze on fruit. Lots of it.

So I'm not really sure what to try next. Any ideas? TIA.

I think you've possibly messed up your metabolism by not eating enough food / confusing it with diet coke, also that's an INSANE amount of fruit and not much else, I eat all l kinds of crap but I would feel really ill drinking two litres of coke and eating two punnets of grapes a day.

Do you feel well?

It takes us a week, as a family of 5, to go through that many grapes and plums!

Of your 5 a day fruit and veg, only 2 portions are supposed to be fruit. 2 plums is a portion. You are having around 10 portions a day of plums alone.

Knock yourself out on the veg but your fruit consumption is crazy.

Do you eat any protein? Where are you getting calcium from? What about iron?

Grapes have a huge amount of sugar in them. I’m guessing that insulin resistance is an issue for you

I ditched all grains, then all sugars. Since then I've cut out all starchy veg and eat nothing grown underground, no pulses, no corn. Nothing white. It sounds extreme, but I had a LOT of weight to shift, and I didn't ditch everything overnight. I lost 60kg. I've kept it off. My diet is healthy as I eat LOTS of veg and a wide range of proteins. My hair is thick and healthy, my skin is great and I drink lots of water. (I don't put coconut in everything or eat weird non-food items. Life's too short) I have totally lost the taste for sweet food. I find the smell of toasting bread nauseating now. It's overwhelming. So weird.

@3rdNamechange

You need to ditch the Diet Coke. My friend drank about 6 cans a day she stopped and lost 3 stone.

Fascinated by the Diet Coke being a cause off weight gain

It has no calories so what about it causes it?

I lost the most when I dropped alcohol and upped my water intake
I don’t snack but if I do want something between meals it’s usually carrots

Weight is starting to creep on again now I’m drinking more wine in the evening

@Rebelwithallthecause - regarding Diet Coke. The theory is that the sweetness activates the fat storage hormone, insulin.
A non-biological reason may be that people who drink it think they are 'saving' calories and inadvertently eat extra instead. Whereas someone who drinks sparkling water all the time doesn't think that way.
For myself, I can only say that it released trapped water as my thighs were smoother and firmer about 6 weeks later (noticeably so) and it was the only change made. Not surprising when you consider it contains a lot of unnatural ingredients that our bodies wouldn't recognise as food/fuel/nutrition.

I’m surprised you don’t have diarrhoea every day if you’re eating that amount of fruit. Your relationship with food is not healthy and you might benefit from engaging in CBT for your disordered eating

Your eating sounds disordered OP, like you're going to extremes. I think it's worth a discussion with a HCP.

OP have you tried the old-fashioned three meals a day? Meal plan weekly so you have real food and meals in the fridge. Stop eating all that fruit sugar! Fruit is not inherently healthy. You can do bodyweight workouts at home to mimic weight training if you want to keep fit

Or even just 2? If weight is something you need to keep and eye on. I guess im naturally doing 17:7 most days.

I have a babybel cheese or some nuts at 11, keeps me going til lunch. So that is a snack and 2 meals.

[quote DianaT1969]@Rebelwithallthecause - regarding Diet Coke. The theory is that the sweetness activates the fat storage hormone, insulin.
A non-biological reason may be that people who drink it think they are 'saving' calories and inadvertently eat extra instead. Whereas someone who drinks sparkling water all the time doesn't think that way.
For myself, I can only say that it released trapped water as my thighs were smoother and firmer about 6 weeks later (noticeably so) and it was the only change made. Not surprising when you consider it contains a lot of unnatural ingredients that our bodies wouldn't recognise as food/fuel/nutrition.[/quote]
@Rebelwithallthecause
Also, it can keep the addiction to sugar going.

So with the Diet Coke causing that does the same happen for other artificially sweetened drinks?

Ribena? Slimline tonic? Squash?

I'm at my desk and I have just signed up to My Fitness Pal. My breakfast was red seedless grapes, which I recorded, and I have water with me instead of CF Diet Coke.

I will also look for a specialist who can check my hormones in case I am perimenopausal.

Thank you everyone for your input. If nothing, I am motivated to try a few things now!

The grapes were leftover from yesterday by the way! Now they're gone, I'll snack on veggies.

Reduced carbs and exercised portion control

My sister used to eat loads of fruit, then she actually counted the calories she was consuming and realised she was eating the calorie equivalent of about 3 mars bars a day. She was horrified. Fruit is healthier obviously, but it can really add up.

@Rebelwithallthecause

So with the Diet Coke causing that does the same happen for other artificially sweetened drinks?

Ribena? Slimline tonic? Squash?

Yes. It's the artificial sweeteners.

You eat literally nothing!
I think you need to address your very dysfunctional relationship with food before you embark on any diet or exercise regime.

Please seek help, your body needs to be in good health before you hit menopause and not eating for a week is just insane.

I'm actually staggered at some of the advice on here, op clearly needs help

Just spotted from your OP that you don't cook. Why is that? You really do need to learn how to feed your body better. Not saying that salads aren't good for you, but your range of good food is really limited.

Low fat products also contain sweeteners so not recommended.
It constantly changes but t lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit.
Eat a balanced diet. Don't cut out food groups.
Do you really need to lose weight if you're a size10?

Why don’t you eat meals?

The OP may not cook, but it's not difficult to bung a chicken breast in the oven and microwave frozen veg - easy, no prep and high in nutrients.

I don't cook because I am lazy, I don't enjoy it, and - as a result - I never learnt. My ex husband used to prepare home-made meals and freeze them. When he was away for work I didn't even bother having them (I must say they were heavy, starchy meals, which I don't really enjoy).

I do make one of those roast-in-the-bag chickens when my OH is over but even that is a pain because you then have to have it for two or three days in a row if you are by yourself.

So none of my reasons for not cooking and not having proper meals is a 'strong' reason. But at the age of 48 I know myself well and I know I just won't cook. No matter how easy - I can't be bothered. I'd much rather chuck a salad together and have that - especially since I really like salads.

I am sorry if this 'angers' anyone (I have friends who've given up trying) but I'm fit and healthy so I don't think my diet is the end of the world. But I am bothered by some excess weight and am trying to find a way to shift it. Today is my first day on My Fitness Pal and I've had so significantly cut the amount of fruit I've eaten. By a third at least. So I'm currently munching on carrots...