HELP! Really need support. Need to lose at least 8stone!

[amistillsexy]

I can't believe I've got this big! I don't look 8 stone overweigt (even the doctor thought his scales were wrong!), but I am. And it's rising, despite eating really healthily.

The truth is, I just eat too much of the wrong things because I'm always too busy thinking of everything else I have to do to think of what I ate last and how many calories/points it had.

I did WW years ago (pre-children/marriage), and did really well on it, but found that I spent lots of time planning meals, counting points and writing things down. I also spend alot of money on really nice fresh veg/fruit, with lots of variety which I just can't afford to do now. Now, with 3 young boys, one (possibly 2!) with autism who need constant attention, 3 schools to 'run' to, lots of paperwork/doctor appointments for the (1 definate, 1 possibly!) disabled ones, and a business to run, I just don't get a minute to think.

SO...I'm going to do Slimfast to help me get down to a decent size/weight. I know it's nutritionally rubbish, but to be honest, I eat wonderfully nutritious food at the moment-lots of whole grains, nuts and seeds, veggies and fruit, etc, and I'm piling weight on like crazy. I have no health problems (checked and double checked by doctor), so I reckon I can stand a bit of crap in my system for a while.

I intend to use the powder for breakfast and lunch, possibly with fruit added in (ie strawberries, bananas, bluberries), have 3 snacks of fruit (poss. added into a shake), nuts and a slimfast snack bar/bag of pretzels then a meal of wholegrain, protein, veg. Pretty much stick to the plan.
If I do this, I don't have to consider yet another set of meals in the week (I already cook for the boys and me&DP separately, and each boy has different things he will/won't eat, so it's a minefield, even though they all get the same meal and have to eat it, someone is always unhappy at meal times!).

What I'm looking for is not a whole load of people telling me thay lost on other diets-I have ALOT of extra weight and NO time to plan/think/count or anything like that.I also love healthy food (too much!), and I don't think I'll have any difficulties moving onto a healthier eating plan once my family life is more settled. I'm looking for people to join me for support/motivation/regular check-ins, and anyone who's lost a similar amount of weight (hopefully in similar circumstances!) to come and share their success!

I did slim fast. it really works but is sooo hard to stick to for more than a month or so. Also it's so low calorie that starvation mode can kick in, meaning that its easy to regain weight quite fast. By all means give it a go. If you follow it properly and have fruit for your snacks and a proper balanced meal at dinner it is so much easier to stick to than WW. I've stopped dieting now, but still fall back to a slim fast if I cannot be arsed to make myself something healthy.

If you can afford Slim fast then maybe Diet Chief is worth considering, my friend who weighted about 20 stones lost over 4 stones on it in around 4 months and says she learned portion control.

if I can't chqange my evening eating habits I am going to give it a try from August.
I have to lose Y stones to feel normalish and 2 more to be happy with my weight.

Thanks for the info about Diet Chef, Kayah. I've just checked out the website and it looks really good for me. I don't know how I'd feel aboout not cooking any of my own food though-I enjoy my own cooking!
I agree that the weight losee on that looks good, and it's more like 'real' meals than slimfast...Need to do some thinking now!

Anyone got any personal experience of Diet Chef? Wonder if they'd sponsor me to do a long-term study and blog for Mumsnet!

She was sceptical too, but said felt really good when eating, stopped snacking and as she is vegan their meals were varied enough so she was able not to feel deprived, she said even though she was adding another 200 cal a day she stil lwas loosing weight and she couldn't stick with WW (she lives alone and had to do the shopping and cooking all for helself with 60-70 hours working week).

I think slimming down is as much about losing weight as it is about reworking in our heads how we think about food etc.

If you are strong enough - do their diet for most of the day and one meal cooked by yourself where you eat your owm meat and non starchy veg

Sounds like a sensible plan to do slimfast... add some exercise too, and accept that its going to be a long haul.

FWIW if you get bored with slimfast you can have a very easy breakfast and lunch each day which don't require much thought - eg I have omelette for breakfast every day and a salad with a tin or tuna / mackeral / sardines or some smoked salmon etc for lunch. Plus 2 pieces of fruit and a yoghurt as a snack.

Foreveronadiet, thanks for the tip.
Do you think that combination would be a similar number of calories as the shake for breakfast & bar for lunch I'm currently having (ie 440kc)?

To be honest, I'm finding it pretty easy. I love cooking, but get so fed up with trying to think of things that everyone in the family likes. With 3 boys and a husabnd, I'm a bit on my own in my love of salads and spinach! So for years I've just eaten what they like-ham sarnies and sausages and the like!

I like the shake and the bar is surprisingly filling, and I'm planning my dinner all day so that when I finally make it , I know exactly what I'm having and it's usually delish!

I've found I have to be sure to plan the calorific value in advance though...who knew one little avocado would have so many calories in it?

Anyone with any more tips/advice come on board...I'm looking for support!

My breakfast - same every day.
2 egg omelette cooked with spray = 130kcal
150g low fat natural yoghurt = 105kcal
10g oatbran = 25kcal
So 260 kcals and I am totally full!

Lunch is salad and tin of fish mixed with low fat fromage frais. Most of the cals are in the fish and calories on tin, eg tin sardines = 172 kcals, once you add the salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper) and some cottage cheese its around 250 - 280 kcals. Could add some avocado, or seeds, or dressing if you wanted it to be more.

Couple of apples = 150 kcals and a activia low fat fruit yoghurt = 75kcal.

Leaves me around 500 kcals for dinner, which is generally enough for salad or soup, main course and dessert or treat. I think slimfast is a good idea though if it makes life easy. I prefer to eat proper food but basically the same every day so doesn't require much thought.

foreverondiet
I agree with your diet
when my breakfasts are made of eggs I lose a lotof weight and generaly don't snack in the evenings