Something has got to change...

[ChesterDrawers]

...but I don't know what.

I am sick of being on a diet, off a diet, on another diet, off that diet to, ad infinitum.

I desperately need to lose the two stone I put on while pregnant four years ago, but I can't seem to stick to anything. I am currently falling off the slimming world wagon, having previously tried most things out there - WW, low carb in various guises, hypno, cal counting...

Not sure what I hope to gain from posting this. I am just so fed up of it all and so fed up of being fat and needed somewhere to rant.

As you were.

[Fourarmsv2]

Chester - sorry to butt in, but if you're torn between SW and LC then please have a look at the Harcombe Diet. I was on SW (usually original) but moved over to it almost seamlessly.

Bit of info here:

www.allaboutyou.com/health/diet/the-harcombe-diet-49588

[Justwhateverreally]

PS. Definitely up for some kind of tracking system. I need peer pressure to keep me honest....

[thobblywighs]

Not the best start yesterday but today is a new day and all that. Going to weigh in next Tuesday, good week or not, as it has been avoiding the scales (and living in leggings and dresses) that has got me here!
Have a healthy week everyone.

[ShadyLadyT]

I would really love to join but it is 5 wks to go bef I have my third DC so diets are off for now. But I have put on the same amount of weight this time as always so will have a good couple of stone to lose afterwards. Waaaaah. Low carb and long walks work for me (ish). If I don't low carb, I don't shed weight. But these things are quite variable - my DP is completely different. Anyway, I have still historically found weight loss hard so this time I am planning to see a top notch dietician/nutritionist to get their twopennyworth as well. I like the idea of 5:2 and have dabbled with it before but I think it might be a bit harsh on my body post partum. Will not be bf. Anyway, good luck all, will lurk if that's ok and join properly post Oct 1.

[ChesterDrawers]

Fourarms I've actually done the Harcombe Diet a couple of times before there is no diet I've not tried. I found it ok on phase 1 but always struggled with introducing stuff on p2 and gave in.

The last time I tried it was when they did the summer blitz last year, but a week long holiday in the middle derailed me and I never got back on it. In fact that was the beginning of my weight gain, I was 10st when I fell off the wagon, am now 11st 3 . I was also training for a half marathon at the time and found the lack of carbs tough.

How did you find adding stuff in? And did you actually eat carb meals? From what I read on the Harcombe forum I felt most people tend to low carb rather than actually follow the plan. How's your weight loss been?

[EmpressOfBedlam]

Had a v good breakfast: quorn sausages, poached eggs, two tomatoes and a tablespoon full of beans. Am starting to feel peckish but am IGNORING IT.

[starsinthenight]

ChesterDrawers - your food sounds yummy today! Good planning! Keep off the scales. Too many day-to-day variables. Resist until the weekly weigh-in. Stick with it and your hard work WILL pay off.

I'm actually here (on weight-loss forum) as I was in the middle of training for half-marathon - I signed-up to get fit and loose weight - but totally did my back in 12 days ago. My poor pelvis (lugging around my extra 2+ stone) finally gave up & I've been hardly able to move since (ouch!). I got up to 8 mile runs, but not a lb lost in the process.

So, one week with bad back, bingeing to console myself, unable to move anywhere except to the fridge or kids treat cupboard & I found you all.

So calorie-counting it is for me, making sure my food choices are low sugar, low-ish carbs, & good proteins, loads of veg, plus my daily glass of wine. 1200 cals a day according to MFP.

I'm an all-or-nothing person. Not one chunk of choccie - has to be the whole bar. Not one crisp, it has to be the whole bowl / bag. I can't just decide to go jogging to keep fit - I need to sign myself up to a half-marathon, & hurt my back in the process. I can't give myself a goal of loosing a stone (which i would be ecstatic to reach!), I have to say the more challenging 2 stone.

It's all in the mind, yes ?

[TalkinPeace]

Q. How often should I weight myself?
A. No more than once a week because timing of bowel movements can make your weight fluctuate by more than the trend in weight loss

Q. How do I stay motivated when the scales won't budge?
A. Lock them away in the boot of your other half's car and get some exercise - listen to your knicker elastic, it cannot lie

Q. How do I avoid snacking in the evening?
A. Make a sign that says "Kitchen Closed" and put it on the door - kids love helping with such

Q. My tummy is rumbling so surely I should eat?
A. See if you are thirsty first - drink a WHOLE pint of water and wait 20 mins and see if it shuts up

[MillyMollyMandy78]

Am I too late to join in? I too have about two stone to lose and an sick to death of yoyo dieting and never sticking to anything. Need a serious boost of willpower

[EmpressOfBedlam]

We'll I have just tipped over from looking kind of larger than I should be to full on fat person (very harsh but true I think). I bought a couple of dresses to wear this summer and my whole stomach area just looks like a barrel and it is not very attractive . and I can't hide in under clothes and still took nice, it's got too big!

Shallow, but I like to look attractive and I'm not anymore.
Also I have sore Achilles heels and another health issue that would benefit hugely from me losing weight. Nothing serious but would help if I lost these two stone or four I have lolling about.

Also I think my children see me as fat now my youngest slapped my tummy the other day and laughed. They are both super slim and sporty as is my DH so I look like the odd one out.


Bloody hell ^^ so many reasons!!!!!
Sorry for the outpouring.....

[antarctic]

My reason is that my size 14 trousers and skirts are too tight. I'm going back to work next month and I've had to buy myself size 16s - arghh. I want to be a healthy BMI (currently 27) and feel good about myself.

Empress, I also have a super slim DH and DC. So annoying!!

[thobblywighs]

My DH sent a picture with a glass of wine in my hand to a friend. His wife asked if I should have been drinking!!! Not pregnant, just a food baby!! That was the final straw for me. That and having to buy bigger clothes for work. Oh and my feet, back and hips hurting for the first 30 minutes when I get out of bed. Plus... Lots of little things that have all added up this time.
Am on MFP. Now I need to use it everyday without forgetting to add stuff. Or choosing not to when it's not a good choice...

[MillyMollyMandy78]

Thank you Mint - i REALLY need this! My start weight is 11stone 8lbs. Not eaten very well today, but have a veggie shepherds pie and lots of veg for dinner tonight and ordered a healthy food shopping delivery for tomorrow morning so no excuse! I am also someone who really needs to start exercising - i am so lazy!

[MillyMollyMandy78]

A spreadsheet sounds great! I am going to do a little weight loss graph for myself to put on the fridge/ mirror to try and motivate me too. My story... In short, I hate exercise and love food. I was super skinny until my early 20s and could eat insane amounts without putting on weight. Unfortunately i have been stuck in this piggy-mode ever since, but no longer a skinny size 8. I got married 5 years ago and lost 3 stone, felt and looked great. Sadly put almost two stone back on again and am a size 14/16. Lots of lovely clothes that no longer fit me. My brother got married earlier this year and i told myself i would lose the weight beforehand. The photos came back and i honestly didn't recognise myself. I thought i looked so slim in the dress i wore, i was wrong and mortified. I have a really unhealthy relationship with food/ binge eating etc and just want to be able to eat healthily and have a relatively stable weight

[AddictedtoCrunchies]

I just typed a massive brain dump then deleted it in error.

The synopsis is that I'm ok from ribs up and knees down but vile in between. I'm running London in April which will be hard enough without dragging 3 stone of arse behind me.

My problem is that I have no control. I know the theory but the wheels fall off my wagon by 8pm daily.

I have to deal with this. Last year I lost 20lbs and the main reason was the support I got from a mn thread. Someone was always there to support me and see how I was doing.

I have a ball on 7 Dec and I want to be 12 stone by then. Think I'm about 14 at the.moment.

A spreadsheet is a great idea. Knowing I had to complete it meant I simply couldn't cheat.

Sorry for the long post. Feeling a bit grim tonight.

[Stillstarving]

Can I join in please? I just seem to be going round in circles. I've been trying WW with v limited success. I just seem to fall off the wagon every day and it has been the same story now for years! I'm definitely an emotional eater and that trips me up. I'm also way too fond of the wine. Anyway if you'll have me I'm 5' 6" and I'm 12 10 as of yesterday morning. How I'd love to lose 2 stone of blubber by Christmas!

[starsinthenight]

Stillstarving - you sound like my twi! Except at 5'6" I'm 12 12.
Mint - yes please to volunteering to do spreadsheet thing. I only like my feet. Someone once said I had nice toes ... !!
AddictedtoCrunchies - good luck with your running!
Day 3 food and doing OK, sticking to the calories. Feel v v bloated tho.

[Stillstarving]

Stars we'll be the skinny twins by Christmas! No more tweedledee and tweedledum!

[TalkinPeace]

Thobbly
MFP only works if you are honest with yourself.
I rarely do it now (I have the same username everywhere) but it was a revelation to realise that over 1/3 of my calories came from alcohol.
You have to put in every single bite and sip and scrumped crisp - as its the 'extra / hidden' calories that go straight to the back of the hips.

Crunchies
Have a go at the shred (Jillian Michaels on youtube) and / or bucket loads of yoga and pilates - to get those ab muscles as dense as possible so they are smaller for the same scales number

stillstarving
You cannot fall of the wagon each day - you never got on.
You have STOP thinking about daily food intake and think in weeks or even months - so that a bad day is compensated by being good teh day after, not by giving up.

That is why 5:2 works so well for so many people
~ 2 days a week of strict food control
~ 4 days a week of vague food control
~ 1 day a week of no food control

~ 24 weeks a year of strict food control
~ 24 weeks a year of vague food control
~ 4 weeks a year of stuff that I'm on holiday

Please bear in mind that if WW and SW and Dukan and all the others actually worked they would have gone bust years ago because people like me only paid for meetings for a few weeks
the food systems are designed to make you fail and come back

[Fourarmsv2]

Chester

How did you find adding stuff in?
Fine, but I'm never that far from P1 on an average meal. I do have cheese and cream about 4 days out of 7 at the moment, but am happy to drop it entirely for a week and P1 except for coffee with milk.

And did you actually eat carb meals?
At the start I had more, now they're very infrequent. As I'm almost at target I do have a chicken biryani about twice a month which is probably too high fat to be a carb meal so is mixing really. I've had them a few times to break plateaus.

How's your weight loss been?
I've lost 0.8lb short of 5 stone in a year (started SW on 29/8 last year, switched to THD in December). I'm 5ft 4 so down from sz 20 to just squeezing into a size 10 :)

I've found FB THD forums very helpful.

[ShoopShoop]

Four arms - that's amazing weight loss. Good for you.

Is the Harcome diet vegetarian friendly? I had a quick look at the link you sent but there seemed to be quite a lot of meat and fish on there.

Day 2 has been a good day - granola, risotto (work lunch, limited veggie choice) and then homemade soup.

Mint - a spreadsheet would be awesome