Can anyone tell me a good diet as I am desperate?

[thirtysomething]

I am 3 stone overweight and just never seem to be able to lose weight! I have tried WW (only lose 6-7lbs then I plateau completely); I've tried the GI diet - I actually put on weight as it seems to have loads more carbs than I usually eat! And I've also tried the F2 diet (high fibre, low GI, low fat) and have ended up unbearably bloated and very tummy-achey with the fibre overload. I think the problem is that my usual eating is very healthy (bran flakes for brekkie, soup for lunch, veg stew or quorn for tea) so it's very hard to cut down on that and most diets seem to involve actually eating MORE calories than I usually do! I also exercise 3 times a week. The doctor just says eat less and exercise more but I would be too miserable as I'd basically be on 500 cals. a day! Am feeling pretty down about it as people utomatically assume if you're fat then you eat too much and it's just not the case (I have had hormone problems and the original surplus weight came from the meds). So if anyone has any advice I'd be really grateful!

I do Slimming world, and I find it excellent, as you can eat as much (or as little) as you like, and the things you say you eat would certainly be part of your daily diet if you so wished. It basically works on the premise that you can pile your plate with "free" foods, for example of green days, that would be pasta, potatoes, rice, pulses and on read days they would be meat, fish etc. Some foods, like quorn, fruit, veg and eggs, are free at any time. aside from that you have 4 "healthy extras" 2 of which are calcium based and 2 of which are for fibre or protein/carbohydrates, depending on what day you are on. On top of that you have syns, which are the naughty things, like chocolate or crisps etc if you so wish. My slimming world lady always tells us to make sure we have the syns, as the 3 things work in conjunction. I hope this sin't too confusing! It seems that way at first, but after a couple of days, it becomes really easy.

It sounds like you have a healthy diet anyway, so it ay just be minor adjustments that you need to make. I recommend slimming world as I'm crap at dieting, as I usually slip up within a week, but I have managed to stick to it since Jan, and have lost just over a stone (even though I am currently pg)

HTH!

Thanks for that info - I did try slimming world once but found it very hard to follow as I couldn't see how it made you lose weight! but maybe i should give it another go. Do you have to go to meetings or can you do it online?

thirtysomething, I could have written your post myself so you are not alone! The only way we differ is that I am lazier and don't exercise three times a week but I am currently planning my way into that....

Have you had your thyroid tested? Don't know if this might have anything to do with it, or is that the hormone probs you've already mentioned?

I do eat really healthily and am veggie, BUT I know my downfall is having chocolate or crisps some evenings - not every evening by any means, but it obviously adds up. I can't believe though that this has such an impact and keeps me so overweight - 3 stone just like you.

What exercise are you doing - maybe changing the type of exercise might kick-start you into losing weight?

Yes, agree with grumpyfrumpy. If you are not eating much and exercising then you need to go back to your GP.

Personally I'd go back to my GP to rule out the meds/thyroid problem. If he says its not either of those then I'd look at my diet and exercise very closely - 2 week food diary. If you are 3st overweight you should definitely be losing weight on what you say you are eating.

sparkelmagic thanks for your post it's reassuring to hear I'm not alone although I wish for your sake you didn't have the same problem! I too eat a mainly veggie diet, but in some ways have wondered if this could be part of the problem as there's no great dietary change to make! I'm always stunned that on the Dr McKeith type prgrammes they choose people eating fry-ups and big Macs to do the diet as they're bound to lose weight when they switch to veggies and rice etc. They should come up with a diet for people like us! Thanks arfi and grump I may well ask to get tested at doc's as have been wondering about thyroid. Just feel a bit feeble sitting their complaining about not losing weight when I think about all the really ill people out there.

go for it thritysomething - I am going to get organised and get a thyroid test because underactive thyroid runs in my family (and I'm reeeelly hoping SOME weight will come off if I do get my thyroid diagnosed - I'm sure it's underactive as have other symptoms as well as weight probs).

Have to tell you, had MIL over for mothers day p.m and we ate a homecooked sponge cake between four of us, so am thinking this sort of thing COULD have an impact on my weight!!!

Hi there! here are a few simple diets. 1)3 days rice, 3 days veg 3 days friuts.I've lost about 8 pounds. 2)take no fat yougurt put there in the evening 3 table spoons of buckwheat. eat it in the morning when you wake up.then eat anything you want 2-6 pm.and nothing before u sleep.3)all day eat bananas and drink green tea. anytime you want but only these.try it it all hekped me in diferent stages of my life.

wow ukrainmum I thought I'd investigated every diet ever invented but never come across any of those! Was your weightloss lasting?

2 tablespoons of honey before bed, supposed to give you the glucose needed to burn fat while you sleep... best of luck

sandpanch I like the sound of that thank you!

i think the thyroid investigation is a good way to go.

af riend went from sixe 22 to a size 8 on slimming world. but it came back within a few years. turns out the problme was her thyroid. onc e that was in control, she was fine.

Its not crazy i have read loads about it in mags... its supposed to be a magic ingredient

I've tried all sorts of diets and currently on ivillage diet online (bodyboost diet) and it is great, easy to follow, easy recipes and to date have lost 2 stone in 10 weeks, got another 1.5 stones to loose. I'm also getting to aerobics and gym at least once each in the week.

wow emily that's fab! What sort of food is the diet focused on and is it expensive?

thirtysomething.
hi there.i am now size 10-12-8.dependswhat part of the body.but since i lost weight i never gained anu critical kilos.i am still wearing same clothes. i think the best diet is to think that you cant afford to buy a new clothes everytime your body is oging to blow or to shrink.