Please tell me I don't have to "no carb" to lose weight!

[classifiedinformation]

I could not bear the thought of having no cereal and basically eating eggs and meat most of the time to end up being thinner but having clogged up arteries instead!

Please share your "normal" low fat diets with me, want to lose at least a stone. Thanks. :-)

[Fairygen]

No matter what plan you follow, there's always some sacrifice. If we were eating the right amount/ type of foods we wouldn't need to diet!!

I'm on a low carb diet, it's working for me but, don't think I could stick to it forever. I'll be going back to I can make you thin to maintain.

I don't think any diet works better than another, it's all down to personal preferences, (and sticking to it!!)

[toomuchtoask]

It wasn't a wrist slap, sorry if it came across that way.

I hate 85% chocolate. It's too bitter for my taste buds!

[teaandthorazine]

Actually, I eat 85% chocolate. It's delicious.

But thanks for the wrist slap anyway

[toomuchtoask]

It wasn't the points you were making teaandthorazine. It was your tone. If you are truly low carbing then actually you shouldn't be having takeaways and chocolate (except the foul 70+% stuff). You certainly shouldn't be having it almost daily like you say you are doing.

Anyway as I said. Low carb isn't sustainable for me and it doesn't sound like it would be sustainable for the OP. I hate how so many people who low carb think it's the only way to eat. People get so defensive about this WOE. It isn't the only way.

[teaandthorazine]

You say low-carbing means never having a takeaway or eating chocolate. That's not correct, and it isn't rude to make that point. I am well aware that the OP doesn't want to eat low carb. I simply wanted to counter some of the misconceptions on this thread.

[toomuchtoask]

No need to be rude teaandthorazine. For me low carbing isn't sustainable. It might be for you. The OP specifically doesn't want to low carb. That is her choice and I was simply giving my thoughts on it. No one diet is right. No one diet is wrong. Different things work for different lifestyles that's all.

[specialsubject]

correct. You don't. You just eat fewer calories than you burn off.

top 'diet' cons: 'health' bars (Ifull of sugar), low-fat food (full of sugar), diet ready meals (Disgusting and full of salt and sugar),

remember the difference between complex carbs (slow-release energy, 40% of your diet, pasta, bread, rice, veg) and simple carbs (sugar, treat only).

nhs eatwell plate and move around.

[teaandthorazine]

I eat bars of chocolate, and fruit. Chocolate pretty much daily, in fact. I had a takeaway last night. I eat out regularly. I just make different choices.

I accept that low-carb lifestyles may not be for everyone but it's ridiculous to suggest that they aren't sustainable. I've been sustaining mine for well over a year now and have never felt better, or been slimmer.

[toomuchtoask]

OP - If you don't want to low carb then slimming world might be for you. I lost 4 stone on it (lost motivation while travelling and put it all back on but it does work if you have the motivation to maintain it).

I am currently low carbing and it is working. However I am not so 'carbs are the enemy' as people seem to be on here. Personally I don't think low carbing is possible as a long term solution. A few months - yes. A lifetime - no. To never have a meal out without worrying about what you'll eat. To never have a takeaway. To never eat a bar of chocolate or having to limit fruit. ummmm... I am however grateful for the advice I've had on here and it is working. I am just not quite as pro low carbs as some.

[soontobeslendergirl]

...nothing needs to be boring, remember that spice is a dieters friend!

[soontobeslendergirl]

well done classified!! I bought Freddo bars and those 20p cadbury chocolate bars as I still like a proper chocolate hit - they are both about the 100 odd calorie mark so I can squeeze one in most days :o

Other tips I have been given are to slice up a milky way and freeze it and it takes ages to eat and also to freeze curly wurlys, again they take ages to eat for around 100 calories.

Fruit is higher in calories than veg so I tend to fill up on veg. I have honestly not found it too hard and I am a chocoholic. weigh in this morning was another 2lbs lost so that is two stone since January. Sometimes I have struggled to actually finish my dinner! I made cottage pie one night and had weighed and calorie counted it all out - I just about couldn't lift the plate!

Good luck with it :)

[classifiedinformation]

Thanks Bssh and Betsy. I have started on MFP today so hopefully that will give me a kickstart.

I generally don't eat lots of junk, I only have take out occaisionally and never anywhere like McDonalds, Burgerking, KFC (although we do take dc to MDs or Pizza Hut as a treat during school holidays, but I rarely have anything).

My biggest weaknesses are biscuits, chocolate and cake, however I usually have a max of 2 biscuits a day and when I bake a cake I only ever have one piece then leave the rest for the family.

Also I am ok eating veg as I love it, but too much fruit can cause a problem for me as I have IBS. I also have cut out fruit juices after seeing a tv programme that illustrated how much sugar (natural) they contain !

Hopefully I will now be able to fine tune my eating habits and up my water intake.

[BetsyBell]

classified Just to second my virtual 5:2 fasting buddy bsshbossh's vote for 5:2 - I've been doing it since mid Jan, with a break for a holiday over Easter, and found it to be the easiest way to lose weight I've ever encountered. I would also entirely agree with countryhousehotel that it's pointless to do it if you just want to eat junk on the non-fast days, I can't honestly see the health advantages of doing that, even if it does work, but it does allow you to eat big occasion meals without stress that you're breaking a diet, and have breaks for holidays etc.

I've never felt better than when doing 5:2 but I did having spent a good 18 months retraining my eating habits towards the healthy and nutritious, cutting the 'treats' way down and taking up decent exercise so I wonder if you might be best looking at My Fitness Pal and working with that before embarking on fasting? 5:2 is a great accompaniment to an all round healthy lifestyle which essentially means, eat less and move around more. The great thing about something like My Fitness Pal or just a simple exercise and food diary, is it makes you really aware of what you're putting into your body and as a result of that you're less likely, or at least will think twice, before buying that pack of crisps or biscuits.

Good luck! There's some great advice on here

[BsshBossh]

Great stuff classifed. An accumulation of litte changes amount to a lot. Swimming, walking more, eating less but enjoying your food, getting active playing with the DCs - will all add up. You're right to focus on overall lifestyle rather than just one or two things.

[classifiedinformation]

That's very helpful Riverboat, thank you. I have heard of MFP, but have so far never used it. I will have a look when I get home from work tonight.

I'm also just about to sign up for paying monthly for unlimited swims at my local leisure centre and I have stopped using the car to go into town etc, so I walk alot more now.

I think it's more a lifestyle change that I need rather than just my eating habits. All these replies have been invaluable, so thank you everyone.

[eslteacher]

Aside from whether its healthier or not, I just don't want to drastically cut carbs either, because good bread and good pasta are lovely foods and I cannot envision living my whole life barely eating them.

I've hopped on board with my fitness pal OP, and if you don't want to cut out/drastically reduce any major food groups I'd recommend this approach. Its really helping me be more aware of what I eat and how calorific certain foods are that I wouldn't have imagined as being so. Encourages me to exercise too.

I'd also recommend getting a few weightloss oriented cookbooks, like Hairy Dieters and Fat Girl Slim. Good for inspiration for low cal meals but still 'proper' food.

[Fairygen]

Have you tried Paul McKenna's I can make you thin? It's more about when you eat rather than what. It teaches you to listen to your body and only eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. He also does the hypnotic gastric band, which I tried with great success.

[BsshBossh]

classified I tend to eat only a single meal on my fast days as I like to eat dinner with my husband - 500 cals makes for a normal portion dinner. I don't tend to get hungry during the day nowadays (not even when dishing out snacks and meals to my DD) because I'm used to fasting now. But if I feel hungry I just shrug and say, I'll eat later. It just takes a bit of self-discipline really. I drink loads of water and that helps with any hunger. Other fasters eat three small meals throughout the day (take a look through the threads for ideas) eg soup, small salads, boiled eggs.

The thing is, you only have to fast for two days of the week. The rest of the time you eat normally (though you can't overeat). It makes it really easy for me as I can have a normal eating life for the majority of the time.

I lose 1 lb a week fasting but truly it's the health benefits that have made me stick with it. There's a lot of science arond supporting occasional fasting.

[classifiedinformation]

Forgot to add, I rarely eat potatoes as my dd hates most forms of them. :-)

[classifiedinformation]

Thanks Bsssh. Have read books on the 5:2 diet and am very interested in trying it. What and when do you eat on your fast days? Also how do you get past the hunger pangs?

[BsshBossh]

classified if you don't fancy cutting down on carbs why not just do it the old-fashioned way and count calories. You'll not necessarily have to do it for a long time - just enough for you to learn what a normal size portion should be. You can combine it with basic, common sense eating - lots of vegetables, unadulterated foods (Google "clean eating" for ideas) - if you prefer.

I've lost over 4 stones since early last year and to be honest it's been very easy as I could still eat pizza, bread with butter, full-fat yoghurts, olive oil on salads, ice cream etc - just a little less of it. Not excluding anything and eating in moderation has meant my "diet" and weightloss has been totally sustainable. I've never felt deprived.

Last year I didn't exercise but just monitored my calories in MyFitnessPal. I ate loads (around 1800-2000 cals) but just under what I needed to eat so I lost the lbs (I came to my calorie total using a TDEE calculator online - you can Google this).

By the end of last year I'd learned what normal portion sizes were so didn't need to calorie count. This year I started 5:2 fasting to lose the last of the weight (and for health benefits). Am now at goal weight (but still losing a bit and now am exercising 5 times a week).

There are so many ways to lose weight so take your time to explore all the threads on here. Do whatever suits you best. Best of luck!

[classifiedinformation]

Ok, I can see what one poster meant about evangeical beliefs about different diets.

These are my problems, I don't have the time (or inclination) to cook breakfast in the morning. Getting my 8yr old and 2yr old ready for the school run does not allow for cooking.

My partner and kids would not react well on a low carb lifestyle plan, and I don't want to be cooking two meals each night, esp as my dd is a very picky eater.

Also I bake, I love baking (although I don't eat the product of my labours very often) and I would feel a little bit of a hypocrite baking cakes whilst advocating not eating them.

And addicted or not, I like carbs. I am teetotal and I don't smoke, so I guess they are my vice. :-(. I'm doomed!

[classifiedinformation]

I only eat cereals that have no sugar and I add Agave syrup.

[classifiedinformation]

Cathan, thanks for the info, but I do not really not believe it despite all the scientific facts provided. My father had a heart attack about 3 yrs back and pretty much most of the food you are allowed on the low carb diet were banned for him by medical professionals.

His cholesterol has gone down massively, as has his blood pressure and weight. He is healthier than me now!

I ask for advice because I know I need to be doing more than I am and have no willpower, but I am fed up with the stock answer of "no carbs".

Am going through all the replies now. Thanks ladies. X