I need help please

[MissStrawberry]

Just the thought of starting this thread has made me have an anxiety attack.

I have lost 1 of the 3 stone I need to lose. I am now over weight instead of obese. I am losing nothing at the moment and have become food obsessed while not feeling hungry but eating because I know I have too. On the other hand if I decide I want something to eat and don't think I am going to get it I panic.

I tried fat metaboliser tablets from H&B as I felt my weight loss had stopped and I needed something to kick start it again. I had a tough week and lost 2lbs but have put 4lbs back on since then.

Did 54 minutes of exercise with the Wii yesterday but nothing today as I have been busy all day plus the back of my legs are killing.

I must lose this weight as it will only get worse as I get older and my female family were all obese so it wouldn't take much for me to get out of control.

I have never felt like I can't tell if I am hungry or not before so that is freaking me out a bit.

I am shattered, low and fat and I really don't want to be.

I don't know what to do. I lost a stone in about 3 months and then just the same few pounds have gone off and on for about 6 months.

I don't want to be fat any more.

I had a good breakfast today, then soup and bread for lunch. Having jacket potato for tea but no sure what to have with it to fill me up but not too calorific. Have some salad leaves but only a handful. I panic if I feel I can't eat and would really like to get rid of those feelings.

I did about an hour of twists, jogging and stepping this afternoon.

Tuna, but no mayo.What did you have for breakfast?

DH did the dinner before I could request so I had cheese, butter and salad.

Breakfast was 2 pieces of bacon, 2 slices of bread and some scrambled eggs. Not my usual breakfast. I would have just had the bacon and eggs but DH was doing it while I painted the hall way.

I have bought some rice crispies and love toast but it doesn't love me so will have to give that a rest.

Just sounds relatively carb heavy, that's all. Bread at two meals and baked potato at third. I am not a carbophobe- honest ! Breakfast sounds fine if scrambled egg with minimal butter and skimmed milk, grilled bacon and no bread. Eggs really filling so you don't need bread. Soup and bread- fine unless soup is creamy.

Yes, as I said I wouldn't have made bread for myself with the eggs and bacon. I have bought wraps so have in place of bread. I would be quite happy eating the same breakfast and lunch every day if I knew what the perfect ones were that could help me lose weight and give me the nutrients I needed. The soup was carrot and coriander. Tinned but I also make my own.

Those tablets are probably what issuing you feel quite anxious ?

I can only reflect on what seems to work for me and friends, which us focussing on foods that are filling, protein based, but not high calorie. Eggs, chicken, fish, shellfish. Some lean red meat. Soup generally fine. Those protein rich foods work served with piles of veg or salad so plate looks full. I don't do sandwiches- I do salad. In terms of carbs, focus on complex carbs, not processed. So a slice of whole meal bread a day, a bowl of porridge for breakfast. For snacks I have a few (and I mean a few- perhaps 4) almonds or some smoked salmon, or use salad leaves instead of bread to wrap around chicken- chicken wrap but lower calorie.

I am not on them anymore. I just take Agnus Castus and Starflower.

I would happily eat salad all the time but have found leaves don't sustain me and I also want some kind of dressing or sauce which is tricky as it needs to be low calorie too.

Just sat here feeling crap. 12 STONE 5 when I had got down to 11 stone 11. My stomach is killing thanks to time of the month. I could cry I am so tired and I hate myself for being so pathetic that I have just eaten 10 squares of aero since tea.

I seem to have lost the ability to know when I am actually hungry and know 100% I am feeling emotional hunger most if not all of the time.

It's not just leaves. Big load of prawns or chunks if cooked chicken. Balsamic vinegar as dressing.

Balsamic vinegar sounds like a great idea. I definitely could eat prawns or chicken with salad

Thank you for helping such a dunce me.

Not at all Strawberry- a pleasure . Good luck!

MissStrawberry your last post about emotional hunger / eating Aero out of self-hatred reminds me so much of myself when I was in the grip of bulimia.

I had hypnotherapy with a therapist who specialised in eating disorders and emotional eating and it was brilliant, really helped.

It took me a few years to really get it under control and my body to the point where my metabolism was normal and I knew what a 'normal' portion was, what 'hunger' was and what 'satisfied' felt like (rather than 'full up'.) But it was worth it. Now I am in control of my eating, not my emotional response.

Can I suggest you seek some kind of help for the emotional side of things? This is most likely the cause of the problem, not the food. I know it's not for everyone but it did me the world of good.

notyummy - I have been to the shop and bought 3 bags of salad, cucumber, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and some chicken. My problem is portion size I think and also thinking I have to eat every time I am hungry - even though I struggle to recognise the signs of genuine hunger.

This morning we went for a 3 mile walk and a picnic. I did home made sausage rolls and had a tiny one for breakfast before we went. For lunch a bigger one and a tuna, sweet corn and mayo sandwich. Not great but best I could do with a snap decision to go out for a walk and picnic. I also had 6 olives stuffed with anchovy paste.

Pyro - I definitely have problems with food. I am calm and happy if there is plenty of food in the fridge even if I don't plan on eating any of it. I am obsessed with making sure no one goes without in the house and spend hours choosing meals for the kids. I am no longer in a position where I don't know when my next meal is coming from and can eat whenever I want but don't know how to stop emotionally eating.

emotional eating I mean.

Perhaps as a first step making sure your fridge has plenty of easy to grab but healthy snacks if you are hungry? Then you know it is there. Cold skinless chicken; vegetables; fat free fromage frais; cottage cheese; prawns etc. You can havehave a massive bowl of soup (if right soup) or big salad without bring unhealthy as long as fatty dressing or cheese not involved. Portion control is key with things like pasta, cereal, bread, pastry etc. People don't realisers
how much they are ingesting. Think of pasta as small side dish rather than the main part of the meal. I wouldn't eat more than 50/60g of pasta when eating at home- and yes, I do weigh things like pasta and cereal. Pile re plate high with veg or tomato based pasta sauce, plus a decent size serving of protein and then you need small amount asta-rice/bread/potato. Baby new pots are your friend if cooking for family. For a start they are the best kind of pot as the skin to flesh ratio makes them harder to digest therefore they keep you full for longer. In addition you can give non slimmers a few of them whilst you literally have one.

Sorry for errors- typing on the move!

Oh I forgot about cottage cheese and new potatoes. I love both of those. Should I be calorie counting or eating the right foods in a smaller portion?

I am writing my shopping list for next week now.

Should I always buy the no/low fat option too?

I am just about to look through my soup recipe books to make some this week. Any idea of the maximum calories I would be looking to have and can I eat soup twice a day?

You do need some fat in your diet. It's down to what works for you. I tend to use skimmed milk and fat free yog/fromage frais, but use things like rape seed oil in cooking. I have never calorie counted but it works for some. I would rather have a long list of ''healthy' foods and eat off that , but in that approach, portion control is important.

Eat soup all you like- it is really good at filling you up. I would be going for a max of 200 cams per portion, and aiming for ones that have either pulses or chicken in to fill you up. Creamy ones can be dangerous.

Rather annoyingly in my 2 soup recipe books it doesn't state the calories but if I stick to veg ones I should be okay along with pulses and chicken?

Shucks. lovely carrot and parsnip soup recipe but has 125ml of single cream in it. What could I improvise with as I love carrots and parsnip or maybe just make without???

You could use elmlea or just see how it is with something like semi skimmed milk? Probably notice the difference u fortunately!

elmlea I could do, thank you.

Just found a recipe for beetroot and apricot soup which I am really interested in. I suspect it is quite tangy. Think I will make it.