Need to diet, I look old and ugly

[Panadbois]

rather than forty and gorgeous
So, I have two tins of SlimFast. Should I start with these? Or go with 'From pig to sick' which I've started reading. Or go with Slimming World. (I am SW's most
joined member)
How did I get this bad? Bleugh!

):

I am sure you don't look old and ugly.

Slimfast makes me feel bleurgh.. Haven't heard of from pig to sick? And SW never worked for me, but it does for plenty of others.

Have you read the thread on here about the 'alternate day fasting' ? It is called the 5:2 plan ?

I can do a bit of that - i don't have a lot to lose, but it seems to be keeping me in check, and getting a little bit more in shape before the bingefest that is Xmas.

I'll have a look at the fasting one. Had a Christmas party last night and even after having my hair done, I thought I looked like a cross between maggie Thatcher and SuBo
I have no more parties this month- had a mad November, so nothing to stop me.
One thing for sure no more wine for me til Christmas day

No no no! There are other ways which work!

Last May I was 15 stone 2 and size 18. I am now 8 stone 13 and size 8. This is how I did it...

1. Eat only three times a day

1. No snacks

1. Moderate carbs. So, if you eat cereal for breakfast, don't have it for lunch. Avoid days that look like this...breakfast - cereal, lunch - sandwich, dinner - pasta.. snacks.. banana and cereal bar. You're just mainlining carbs.

1. No white carbs at all.

1. No alcohol.

The above ensured I lost over 6 stone - easy pips!

wow Anna that's fab!! Would you give me an example of what you eat on any given day please?

Yes of course... meant to say as well, SW is not great for the dieter with no 'off' switch < so that'd be me then! > as it teaches nothing about portion control and I am decidedly about the 'free' food thing. NO food is free, and an encouragement to gorge on 'free' pasta and rice etc is just bonkers.

I'm a vegetarian so you'd have to adapt what I eat but I promise that the slight deprivation is worth it Calorie counting is the way forward! Makes you accountable and you always know where you are. Combine this with moderate carb intake and you'll drop lbs.

So, a sample day for me. It's not exciting by the way!

Breakfast - porridge with two tablespoons of natural yogurt, half a chopped banana, 3 chopped dried apricots, handful of frozen blueberries or cherries. This comes in at around 300 calories and is super filling so I am not hungry for a good 4 or more hours.

Lunch - large goats cheese or feta salad OR quorn fillets OR cottage cheese. Couple of ryvitas or oat cakes. Sometimes a stir fry of baby asparagus/mushrooms/peppers/ marinated tofu. No noodles.

Dinner - Roasted veg with feta < depending on what I had for lunch! > or cous cous with veg or salad. Or sweet potato wedges with veggie sausages and veg

If I feel hungry at any point between meals I have a low cal hot chocolate but this is rare. I occasionally have an Eat Natural cereal bar. I am very strict all week and at weekends I have a treat or two... So for example, yesterday I ate 'strictly' and as usual for breakfast and lunch but for dinner I had home made macaroni cheese followed by chocolate fondant with ice cream. And a large glass of wine.

Another crucial point! - a change in mindset! Before I would think about 'time off' at weekends or holidays etc. Now I don't think in those terms. I eat healthily and consciously 90% of the time and when I have a meal out < for example > I eat what I fancy , enjoy it, but crucially, no longer think ' oh God, I've just eaten chips and bread and a pudding, I might as well stop off at Waitrose and buy some kettle chips and a trifle and write today off ... ' I try and think like a thin person... so ' that was a nice meal. enjoyed it and now wont eat again until I feel hungry and then I'll stick to something light ...'

That sounds SO simple but it really works. I also never give myself 'time off'... time off what exactly? I eat mindfully and am always vigilant.

It sounds really boring doesnt it? And it can be. I always used to think ' diet over and now i can get back to stuffing my face with flapjacks! ' but I now understand that maintenance is still dieting but with more treats from time to time.

I love being size 8 now and I promise you that the investment and deprivation < and make no mistake, a diet does involve deprivation! it was non deprivation that caused me to weigh over 15 stone > is totally worth it.

Any diet will work really... I recommend calorie counting and you'll see results within a short space of time.

thank you very much. I have downloaded my fitness friend so try calorie counting there. Does 1600 a day sound right?
I'm 12 st 7 this morning, and only a titchy 5ft 1

I'd start on 1500/1600 and see what loss that results in over a week... make sure you keep an eye on your carbs at the same time. If you lose 2lbs then stick with it again for the next week. I'd drop it to 1400 as soon as you dip under 12 stone.... and then, again to 1200 ultimately as you get closer to goal. I'm fairly hardcore so dropped to 800 a day for the last 7lbs - but i cannot obviously recommend this!

Oh and I'm sure you don't look like a cross between Maggie and SuBo

I'm 41 and am often mistaken for Claudia Schiffer

Pig to Twig worked for me (Pig to Sick?? ), which is essentially low-carbing. I find low-fat/caloried counting diets too austere for me, but I happily gave up the stodge. I lost about 1.5 stone, and two-and-a-half years later it is still off. I just eat low-carb all the time now, although I relax at weekends.

Duh! I thought it was pig to stick!! Ha!!

Thanks for all your tips. I have used 1345 cals today. ( haven't counted any tea though)

I'll read other threads for inspiration.