Anyone else just eating healthier/less and moving more?

[KnickKnome]

I've tried every diet known to man (and done quite well on some- I was down 50 lbs before Christmas, though dreading seeing the damage an all inclusive holiday and Christmas has done!)

I've had enough of counting calories/points/syns or whatever. I'm fed up of following plans or drinking shakes. What I really want to do, after years of yo yo dieting, is to eat healthy stuff (not low fat stuff though) that excites me, in slightly smaller portions and do exercise that I enjoy. I want to cut down/out fizzy drinks (already cut these out), sugary foods, chocolate, processed stuff etc.

I not only want to lose weight, I want to lose it (and enjoy it whilst doing it) and maintain it. Yes it's a cliche, but I don't want to diet, I want a lifestyle change. I want to be able to go out to a restaurant for special occasions and not worry over how many syns/points etc the food will 'cost' me, but be able to enjoy it. I don't even know if this makes sense, but after spending so long on different plans, I'm so excited to just eat stuff that's not dictated to me, but stuff I think I should be eating.

I've just done a meal plan for next week, and an online food shop which has got me really excited to start (yes, I'm weird! )

I still need to lose at least another 50 lbs. Does anyone want to join me?

Baked veggie crisps recipe is in the new Tesco Food, Family, living magazine that you can pick up free in store. They look really tasty in the photo.

There's also a section of recipes from a new book out called Eat, Nourish, Glow at the back with a really nice looking recipe for chicken and chips that comes in at just 250 cals. I know the aim here is to not count calories, and I'm not but I'm trying to take the low cal route where I can. Definitely worth picking up the magazine if you're in a Tesco for the four recipes from the book.

Baked beetroot and sweet potato crisps...

Serves - 4. Time - 35 mins. Cost - 16p.

2 beetroots.
1 sweet potato.
2 tablespoons sunflower oil. (I will use groundnut oil)
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, finely slice the beetroot and sweet potato and pat dry.
Combine the sliced veg with 2tbsp of oil and the cayenne pepper.
Spread the veg on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 mins, then turn and bake for a further five mins.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Season with a sprinkling of sea salt.

blue you sound not dis-similar to me, size-wise. I weighed about 12.5 before xmas! What exercise are you planning?

I do like Greek yoghurt for breakfast (total 2%) with fruit stirred in. How about a crumpet? or just a decent (non sugary) cereal? Hmmm too carby though perhaps?

I like Davina Intense although I haven't got all of them. They all seem to have good reviews though.

Blue have you thought of just skipping breakfast - I find breakfast often kick starts my appetite, in the worst possible way....but we are all different. Or eat leftovers? Milky coffee? What do you normally eat?

SilverJohnLeggedIt - Like you, once I eat something my appetite kicks in. This is why a lot of diets don't suit me as they say "You must have breakfast as it kick starts your metabolism."

I don't miss breakfast at all and it often gets to 6.00pm and I realise I haven't eaten anything. The downside is that when I do eat I'm probably more hungry than if I had of had something earlier so after a meal I snack, often continuously.

Over Christmas I snacked on chocolate, cake and crisps. Now I shall snack on low cal substitutes. I lost five and a half stone (76lbs) over a decade a go and have pretty much kept it off so I know that swapping snacks works for me.

Food so far today...

Decided against the boiled egg and had squash soup with a NuMe packet of crisp breads.
Two clementines.
Two pots of 58 cals yoghurts.
Just drinking a coffee with a splash of Elmlea light.

Sweet potato crisps in the oven now.

Hello, can I join in? I've got a feeling that they might be a bit divisive, but I've finally lost one and half stone of baby weight (about 12 lbs to go) by eating Eat Water rice/noodles/pasta.

I'm crap at dieting to lose weight - my diet is very healthy; we grow a lot of our own food and I know my way around a saucepan in terms of cooking skills. I also love cooking, so we eat well, just too much.

The Eat Water things are perfect for me - I get to have the lovely pasta/curry/whatever sauce that I've cooked, but no virtually no calories from pasta/rice etc. If I've slipped up during the day (two mince pies and still picking at Christmas nuts and Quality Street etc) then my main meal can be very low calorie and 'save' me, kinda.

Also my main daytime snack is a slice of Nimble toast with a teeny scraping of honey and PB. I'm also breastfeeding, which helps.

THat said, I've been crap over Christmas and put about 4 lbs back on. I really need to keep my momentum!

LOVE the sound of the Skinny Shrimp Curry - will cook it up tomorrow.

thanks. am returning to work soon and need new uniforms that feels good.
it feels good to be back on track this week and I'm managing not to snack at all so far. have some fruit and nuts seeds etc on standby.

still breastfeeding during the night and first thing in the morning, but think its a comfort thing rather than much of a feed so not sure how many calories it burns by this stage.

Just reporting back on the sweet potato crisps - Gorgeous!

Used paprika and piri-piri seasoning instead of cayenne pepper and a small drop of garlic oil with the ground nut oil. Didn't add any sea salt as there was enough seasoning already. Will buy beetroot tomorrow and make again.

Snacking is something I have fought very hard to drop, it's such a bad habit and it took me nearly a year before I stopped eating just because....

I think I'm going to skip breakfast and have a slice of bread with my soup instead
Lunch: Leek, bacon & butternut squash soup
Dinner: chickpea, chorizo and tomato stew - leftovers

I have a bad habit of daily weighing and my weight has been climbing steadily since Sunday...I should bin the scales but I'm always so tempted to have a peek first thing. I know I will be losing, goddamn fluid retention! I usually stall on the scales for 2 weeks and then drop 4lbs overnight - anyone else noticed a pattern?

this is sort of what I'm doing too. I find if I restrict things then after a week or two I give up and binge on all the bad stuff. I'm telling myself I can have whatever I want as long as I drink a pint of water before and eat no more than the size of my palm of each portion at a time.

I think I need to get my DP to hide the scales,otherwise I'm on them every day. Think I should concentrate on how my clothes fit.
Did my Davina dvd earlier,my legs are shaky so think it's going to hurt tomorrow.
Have put a veggie chilli in the slow cooker so will have that with brown rice for tea.

I read that people that weigh themselves daily are generally slimmer than those that don't. I weigh daily - morning and night but don't panic if I'm a lb heavier than the day before as long as my weight is hovering under 9st 7lbs. If I start jumping on the scales every time I do a wee I'll worry!

Well, all that water yesterday did the trick. I was 10st 1lb this morning. 3lbs less than yesterday. Definitely blaming huge salt consumption on Sunday. 8lbs to go.

Will try to keep up all the water again today and just try to keep moving.

I'm so cross with myself for eating so much rubbish over Christmas. I really don't enjoy the toffees in Quality Street but I ate them when I'd finished the ones I do like because I'm a greedy idiot and because they were there. So stupid! Even as I was eating them I was telling myself to stop as I wasn't enjoying them but still kept on munching. Need to save this thread for next Christmas and learn from it.

I'll join in here with you lovely ladies. I do a fair bit of exercise but I also eat a fair bit of rubbish foods. The exercise kind of balances it out but I feel a bit lumpy if that makes sense. I know id be more toned if I could eat leaner.

I'm going to aim for 5lbs first and believe me at the rate I'm going it will probably take me all year.

I'm also a daily weigher ??

Dh is as bad as I am for daily weighing.

The only time I don't weigh myself is when I'm gaining, I just can't face seeing the scales move in the wrong direction so I just stick my head in the sand - how stupid is that?!

Well, if I needed anymore incentives to stay away from the fridge I've got one... The Sweatty Betty catalogue just came through the door.

I want arms like a Swetty Betty model! But without actually having to do any exercise.

There's a code for 15% off and free delivery until Feb 11 if anyone wants it... SBGZ.

TwoBambinos - As you do a fair amount of exercise do you think you lose weight slower because you have muscle mass rather than fat? Maybe taking your measurements once a week rather than hopping on the scales would show more progress?

Chew After extensive scientific google research I have decided to opt for weetabix as my breakfast choice for busy mornings. On non busy mornings a slice of wholemeal toast with mushrooms, tomatoes and a slice of bacon.

If I haven't got a busy morning, I tend to have a later breakfast SilverJohnLeggedIt which is usually toast. Otherwise I was having a sultana scone (kidded myself that the sultanas made it justifiable)

I have now got an exercise plan in place. If I don't eat first thing, I won't be able to eat until lunchtime. I suspect that if I exercise without breakfast, I will feel more hungry and crave stodge and fat.

Also agree with Aimlessly drinking water is a big key and it is something I am useless at. Will try harder

BlueCoconut - No idea if this water tip is any good to you but works for me...

I leave a glass on the draining board and every time I use the kettle (It's next to the sink) I drink a glass of water while it's boiling. I don't wash the glass up after each glassful, I just rinse it out and then wash it up properly at bedtime. I found that when I washed it up every time I used it I was put off having a drink as I knew I had the washing up to come.

I also try to remember to take a bottle of water out with me and make an effort to finish it before I get home so I can put the empty bottle in the recycling bin outside before I go in to save myself a job later.

Thanks for the tip AimlesslyPurposeful. I will give that a go.

I like Sweaty Betty clothes, but will need to lose a couple of stone first. Gym wear can be very unforgiving

I know what you mean about gym/exercise clothes being unforgiving!

I started going to badminton classes just before Christmas. Now that I really need to go to badminton classes I can't face going as I don't want anyone to see me in my lycra leggings until I get over half a stone off.

Going for a brisk walk in a mo now that the rain has stopped.

What are these eat water things is it a brand?
Aimlessly nice of you to say about the muscle but I think I'm more skinny fat than muscle altho skinny is not a word I would use to describe myself either. I think that reducing the crap snacks will help bigtime ??

Whoever said they eat the toffees that's me too even when I don't like what's left ill still eat them.

How's everyone getting on?

Noticed today that my eyes look brighter. I wonder if the extra water and rebounding are to thank or if it's just because I've cut all the rubbish I was eating. Anyone else noticied any physical positives yet?

Had the skinny curry for dinner. Made it too hot though and my eyes were streaming! Haven't made it for a while so forgot to reduce the amount of chilli. Ate it with a toasted pitta bread.

Had a salmon sandwich earlier (333 cals - didn't think that was too high) and a WeightWatchers chocolate cake bar at 88 cals. As I said, I'm not counting calories, just trying to choose the lower cal option where possible.

Still can't find raw beetroots (Have only looked in Sainsbury's) Maybe they're not in season?

Had a good fast walk this afternoon and am now off out on my first of my evening dog walks.

Good day, my soup was lovely but it left me hungry at 3:30...so I need to increase the protein or maybe check some pulses in.

Feeling very motivated though, no cravings for sugar at all.

I would like to join please? Was already thinking about it but the unflattering photos from xmas are appearing on Facebook and it has made me determined! It seems worse as well when people are gushing about them being nice photos of me.

I am in a similar position to you Aimlessly. I am 5'4" and have crept up to over 10 stone after having been comfortable at 9 st 4 lbs for ages. I have been drinking too much and can no longer exercise (can only manage a tiny amount of slow walking at the moment thanks to cfs). It has all led to weight gain. I am determined to take back control though.

I am another who just has coffee for breakfast then an early lunch.

I reckon weeatbix is a good, nutritious choice for breakfast.

I also do the 'no weighing whilst rising' thing, crept up 1/2 stone in Nov/Dec doing that so am going along with the weighing = focus strategy right now.

Had a decent ish day, granola & skimmed milk for breakfast, 2 x mini bread rolls plus 1 rasher bacon for lunch, grilled mackerel fillet with lentils and salsa (toms, red onion, chilli, coriander & lime) for dinner followed by fat free yoghurt (Rachel's mango and passion fruit). On the bad side, had no fruit today, not enough veg, no exercise plus also ate the last mini mince pie that was lingering. Nothing bad left now.

Long day in the office ahead tomorrow, possibly will be too busy/stressed to eat too much and won't be home before 9 so no need to cook a family meal tomorrow.

Welcome Annie! Yep alcohol is a big part of my weight gain. We usually do a dry January...but I'd struggle to stay off it permanently, I just enjoy it too much. But dry January helps hit the reset button and we stick with weekend only drinking in from Feb till the summer...we cut down further by sticking to one drink an hour.