how to lose a stone? please help!

[HardlyEverHoovers]

Hi, I would like to some tips and advice on how to lose a stone. I managed to lose my baby weight after DS1 (due to horrible bout of food poisoning on holiday!) but during the first half of this year had 3 miscarriages in early pregnancy and the combined effects of these has been that my weight has snuck back up. I'm still within 'healthy' on the charts, but at the very top and know I would feel a lot better if I was a stone lighter. Have made vague attemtps at being 'good' which hasn't had any impact, probably as I'm not trying all that hard.
Would really like some tips so I can maybe write down a few strategies to stick to until the weight comes off. When I was single I did weightwatchers and found that good, but now I cook for a family I would rather not follow a diet that involves me changing the kind of meals we have, would like to just be able to make alterations to my own diet.
We have a good and varied diet, home cooked food breakfast lunch and dinner. I normally have toast for breakfast, occasionally porridge. Eat white rice most days. Have red meat twice a week or so (really don't want to cut that as think I need the iron at the mo). Try to limit bread a bit, so would try to have porridge for breakfast if I know we're having sandwiches for lunch. Have a really bad sweet tooth, and nibble bits of chocolate, turkish delight, cake, flapjack several times a day (oh dear) so alternative snack ideas would be great. Enjoy fruit when I eat it but it never seems to be quite what i want when I feel hungry.

Drink lots of Robinsons squash (switched to sugar free) and coffee (with semi-skimmed milk).
Am not very active at the mo as I'm writing up thesis but do try and get out for a walk everyday if I've not left the house, and that's with a pushchair.
If anyone could tell me what the 'red flags' are, in the diet I've described (other than the obvious sweet things!) and give me any tips I'd be really grateful.
Many thanks

I think the white rice most days is something you could change. Could you swap for brown rice? And look on the packet for the recommended portion weight - how does your own portion rate compare? It's terribly easy with rice to serve yourself too much.

I'd swap the squash for water - even if it is sugar free.

But you know the snacks are probably the place to start... Your blood sugar's got used to spiking and sinking. You can retrain it in three days if you are very strict with yourself. I read this gem in Glamour magazine many years ago (!) but have tried it out myself and it's quite true.

I have lost a stone since the start of June. I did ww but tbh the new system isn't great. I Switched to cutting right back on carbs ie cauliflower instead of rice or potatoes. Then I stalled completely so am now using the my fitness pal app, which is fantastic. I don't cook special food for myself I just make sure I have the right portions. I have lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks doing that.

Congrats on weightloss Caerlaverock, portion control is probably the way I'll go I reckon.
Longtalljosie, so that means no sugar for 3 days? Is it painful? I'll look into brown rice, I did used to eat it, just takes a lot longer to cook!

Looked at the fitness pal app, it's great, but what a shock, no wonder I'm not losing weight I'm consuming 2000+ calories a day. Time to get serious I think.

Yes it is a shocker. I had a glass of wine tonight which completely pushed me over the edge

No eating between meals, rather than no sugar (although if you're like me the two are one and the same!). It's easiest if you do it over a weekend and keep very busy - pack your schedule so you've no time to snack Sat and Sun, and by Mon you're on day 3 and it's nearly a habit...

I have a terrible sweet tooth, and can eat the things you've mentioned in between meals easily.
I 've lost 4 kgs in the last 5-6 weeks by limiting sweets to Sunday afternoon, no coke or other lemonade/fuzzy drinks, only AND have cut out all sugar from tea and coffee, and eaten three meals a day, but eaten all I wanted and was totally full.
It is very noticeable, all of the sudden lots (almost all) cellulite is gone from the thighs and tummy has slimmed down a lot.

Was reading a thread yesterday and will now read the 5:2 thread as well. Reading other people's achievements is the greatest motivator for me.

I will maintain not to have sugar anymore, as with me it's all or nothing. Unfortunately the cutting down on something or doing it less doesn't work.
Especially not with sugar.

Have read yesterday how a poster lost 4 stone and it gave me so much motivation.

I'd say cut out sugar AND fake sweeteners, cut back on carbs (I have rice or sweet potato only about 2 - 3 times per week and I don't miss it) and alcohol.

I saw a Harley St dietitian who said you should eat every 5 hours for weight loss (no snacking) and avoid starchy foods.

yes I would second the low carb way. I tried the low calorie, exercise route but saw not much difference, as soon as I statred to resctict carbs I statred loosing weight.

yy to the fake sweeteners, have lots of bad experience there, would not touch any with a bargepole anymore, plus I needed to get rid of the sweet craving alltogether, so simply stay away (and no wasn't that simple) but for me it's all or nothing, cannot do just cutting down, unfortunately.

Sorry it's taken me a while to come back to this thread. Thanks for all advice, 4 kg worldcitizen, thats great!
Have been using the fitnesspal app and am absolutely hooked, lost 1KG in a week. Before I had my son I seemed to need to go lo carb to lose weight, it has seemed not to work so well since, maybe something in my constitution has changed? Or maybe what I wasn't eating in carbs I was eating in sugar!
Anyway, good old calorie counting seems to be doing the trick for now.
I really admire people who manage to lose a lot of weight, it's not easy.

Hey Hardly, good to "see" you again . I had to deal with grief and loss and loads of stress the past 2 years....and I gained more than 12 kg nearly 2 stone, then I coped better and that's when my weight at least stabilised and I didn't gain but also wasn't ready to lose, and now these past 2-3 months I am simply feeling in the mood and ready and feel some changes within my body and also positive hormonal changes, such as no period pain and no pms etc. So, when I moved house 2 months ago, one thing came to another and it sort of kick-started this moment to say I will make these changes I described above and due to change of living it also all of the sudden seemed easy.

But most importantly I notice that due to less stress and having healed more, my body seems to be ready to "let go" as well. This might sound terribly clichéd, but I have no better way to describe it.
Calorie counting is not for me and starving and feeling hungry is also not for me. I need to eat, actually eat well, it needs to taste good and I need to feel full and satisfied and need to consume things which won't make me so moody and make me terribly tired or give me cravings.
So, low carb is for me, but low carb as in getting rid of sugars, sweeteners, artificial stuff, processed food, refined flour etc.
I weighed myself again, and I have lost 5 kilos and it is very noticeable already and it shows in my face, and have got rid of swollen ankles and fingers, my last 2 periods I had nothing typical letting me know my period is on the way, the last one just ended and I got caught by surprise as in I knew which day it would come, but due to no symptoms at all, I totally forgot.
No headache, no cramps, no pain, no nothing.

Hardly, I feel really good. I would recommend it, it's like the bootcamp/low carb thread which is starting now/Monday.
But I know everyone ticks differently. I'd say listen to your body and try to feel what makes you feel good, doesn't give you tummy aches or bloating or flatulence, which one gets rid or doesn't cause swelling, which one doesn't make your skin break out, which one lets you sleep well and lets you wake/get up easily, which one gives you energy instead of cravings etc.

Also, I think moving and exercising might be the key.

Hope you're well and all is still better since incorporating a few changes, if you know what I'm talking about.

Low carb will sort it out, nothing else comes close

Thanks WorldCitizen, I'm so glad you feeling good and seeing the benefits of your weightloss.
Life for me is better is so many ways, after my last miscarriage there were a few changes I knew I needed to make in life, requiring courage and determination. At this point it seems to have paid off, by the grace of God.

Hardly that's wonderful to hear x