Need to lose 2 stone, I've eaten whatever I want my whole life and don't know where to start

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I'm mid 30s. I've eaten what I want my whole life and never had to concern myself with dieting as was always super skinny (size 6). However since turning 30 I think my metabolism has slowed down and I'm exercising less (due to a health condition) and eating worse, because I think I'm a bit depressed (and just greedy).

Up until recently I was always super active. I'm still pretty active (easily do my 10000 Fitbit steps each day) but am not running and doing intense exercise as much as before.

Meanwhile my diet has got worse, I'm constantly treating myself with whole packets of Jaffa Cakes, ice cream etc. I'm a total sugar addict. I do eat salad, fruit etc I just eat loads of crap as well. I'm constantly hungry.

I'm by no means overweight (probably about 10 stone) but the last few times I've weighed myself my weight has gone up a pound or two. I don't feel like myself anymore and want to take control of my diet before it gets out of control (more than it already is).

I'm also deluded about my size - I think because I've always been very slim I think I still am - I still take size 6 clothes into the changing room then get upset when I can't get into them.

Problem is I have no idea where to start because I'm ashamed to say I've always taken being slim for granted and eaten rubbish. I have no idea what a normal healthy lunch or dinner looks like. I don't want to do anything drastic,like crazy crash diets, but would like to lose 1-2 stone and keep it off. What's the best way?

Thanks

Following, as I have exactly the same issue! I've always eaten what I want and only now is it catching up with me. Sorry, no advice for you. I don't really know where to start either! I tried Slimming World for 3 weeks and lost 6.5lbs, but felt so miserable and snappy the whole time. Put it straight back on again as soon as I stopped.

Anyone else?

It sounds like you do know - you have to cut out the crap

You need to eat 3 proper meals a day and no snacks, or if you do snack have a banana and not a packet of Jaffa cakes

I'm afraid you're going to have to start doing what most of us do all the time - restrict yourself. Boring but true.

If I ate whatever I wanted all the time I'd be huge.

My fitness pal. Fantastic app for weofht management. Logeverything you eat. Work out what you need to eat/can eat to fit your calorie goal.

Work out whether you are someone who needs to plan for snacks and treats to make it work (me) or if you need to go entirely cold turkey and stop stocking them in the house

I tried a lot of things - slimming clubs, hypnosis, low carb, 5:2 - and the only thing that has worked is using My Fitness Pal and exercising (which I do at home).

I stick to 1200 calories a day and exercise at least 3 times a week, a mixture of weights, aerobic and cardio.

It's taken time but since mid-January, I have lost 31 pounds and am now just 6 pounds off my target weight of 9st 7.

Ditch the sugar. And anything processed I'm general.

I had the same 18 months ago and lost 2 stones in 3 months. Gave up alcohol the first month (dry January) and used myfitnesspal to log what i ate. Lost a stone the first month and half a stone each of the next 2 months. Went for a walk every lunchtime at work. Took soup in for lunch. Monitored the size of portions I had at dinner so had one portion and no more of pasta , potatoes etc. Didn't eat buns or biscuits (or of really tempted just a small portion). It all dropped off really quickly. I wasn't hungry, didn't feel deprived and 18 months later the weight is still off.

When you wake up spend 5 minutes deciding what you're going to eat today for your 3 meals. Enter it into MFP. It will tell you all you heed to know. Repeat daily!

I am somewhat the same as you - never needed to think about weight, diet or anything like that until the weight began creeping on in my late 30s. Even then I was in denial for about a year before I realised!

I haven't cracked it yet, but at least I am beginning to be a bit more conscious of what I eat:

Reduced carbs - e.g. I used to have two slices of toast as a 'snack', now one. Smaller portions of anything carb-heavy.
Fewer sandwiches
No crisps, which I find hugely addictive
Smaller portions whenever I remember.
I try to plan ahead, so that if I know that there will be a snacking situation later, I eat a much smaller lunch.

Obviously a whole packet of jaffa cakes is wrong.

But just in terms of weight loss you're better with one jaffa cake than a banana.

I whole bunch of bananas wouldn't be great either.

Snacks really are just a part of the equation. You can loss weight and snack if it falls within your calorie goal

I am naturally very slim and find its easy to let weight creep on.
I am also a sugar addict and it's a bit of a vicious circle which is really hard to break free from.
What works for me is drinking lots of water and substituting sugary things for a few grapes from the fridge. That seems to sort my cravings. Then it gradually eases.
I avoid having sweet stuff in the house because it just keeps calling my name and I prefer not having the temptation in the first place.
I also try to be aware of portion sizes because given the opportunity, I would eat very large portions.
I run 3 times a week. Not huge distances but anywhere between 3-5 miles.
All that keeps my weight fairly steady but I'm on a bit of a downward spiral currently. 3 birthdays in 3 weeks in this house and I'm really struggling to break the sugar habit. Once the cake is gone. And the sweets. And the other cake. And aaaallll the bad shit. I'll get back on the Less Sugar Wagon.
Good luck!

OP this was me 4yrs ago!

I'd always been a size 6 and it has taken me ages to get a handle on my weight.

The My Fitness Pal app was a real eye opener for me - I had no idea how many calories were in some of the things I was scarfing. I recommend just having a go at sticking to 1200 calories a day for a week or so, or even just barcode scan everything before you eat it for a few days, just to educate yourself on where your calories are coming from, but don't stress if you go over at first.

For me the trigger was wine. It's taken me ages to accept that I have to limit it to weekends in order not to, as you say, see a couple of pounds up every time I stepped on the scales. Sounds like for you its sugar, and in both cases it's about breaking bad habits: it's really hard to do at first, but it's just that - a habit, and you can for, new ones.

One tip I can offer is that when you're craving something sweet, eat something powerfully savoury: your brain cannot simultaneously experience a sweet craving and a savoury flavour. A spoonful of marmite is my tipple of choice, but you might prefer a couple of salted nuts or something

MFP is definitely useful to find out how much sugar etc is in stuff. I have found it slightly cumbersome to use since it is better to just eat stuff without bar codes!

Does it have a bar code / ingredient list? If so, don't eat. Simple. This will get you 90% of the way there.

Trout - ingredients: Trout
Cucumber - ingredients: Cucumber
Jaffa Cakes - ingredients: massive list

You get the point.

You don't need to count calories if you stick to this advice (one of my recent posts) and don't really need to exercise.

I lost 2 stone @ 1.5 lbs per week and my wife lost 2 st 7 lbs by 6 months PP.

Hope this helps.

I'm in a similar position. Ate what I wanted and always been a size 8-10 and then hit mid thirties and somehow piled on 22lb over the course of three years and now size 12 getting snug.

I've started MFP it's a real eye opener - I eat out a lot and even taking the seemingly most health options it is easy to have the whole day's calorie allowance in one meal.

I've been religiously tracking for two weeks and lost 5lb and really hoping I can lose another 7 in the next three weeks so I'm going to step up the exercise.

Thanks all
My problem is
1 I eat the wrong foods
2 I eat too much - portions too large and far too many treats.
3 I make excuses not to exercise

I second using MFP.

I've low carbed (gave me gallstones) and done 5:2 (lost abd gained same 5lbs over and over again) and it was only when I used MFP I realised I was eating over 500 calories a day hence the stone weight gain.

Really 'Claire'? Touting for business on MN? Not allowed.

Well I've started MFP. I've entered my breakfast and lunch and it says I have only 370 calories left today. And I'm starving.

Here's what I've eaten:

Cereal with semi skimmed milk
2x cup of tea (semi skimmed milk)

Egg and cress sandwich (wholemeal bread)
Sweet n salty popcorn
Fruit salad

A few glasses of water

Guess I need to ditch the popcorn as its 138 calories and not filling. Thought it was an improvement on my usual crisps!

How is it possible to eat this little and not be starving? I wanted to go to the gym as well but how do I have the energy to work out on such little food?!

I find cereal to be loads of calories in a tiny portion with little to fill me up. I have switched to one slice of wholewheat type toast with either poached egg or avocado or peanut butter. I find these things much better for keeping me full. I also ditched the lunchtime sandwiches and now have salad. That way i can have a really good size dinner. You need to just make adjustments to suit you and your lifestyle.

Bread is so calorific, best to minimise that if you can.

What cereal was it? Porridge with skimmed milk is a good, filling breakfast and not calorie heavy. It also shouldn't spike your blood sugar too much.

Same with fruit. Don't eat too much and eat the right types.

I did feel hungry at first but it passes. You need time to get used to eating less.

I would tentatively suggest that the reason you're starving is because everything you've eaten is carby and sugary. Cereal, fruit salad (few different types of fruit, juice, all peeled?) just Won't fill you up for long. Try adding in some fat, full fat dairy, protein such as eggs for breakfast. I switched to low carb/ high fat diet about 12 weeks ago and as a rule I feel much more satisfied on literally half the calories.

Your problem is that what you've eaten today is all carb-based - and that is what makes you hungry. You need to cut down the carbs, increase the protein and the fat.

(Oh, and a low carb diet won't give you gallstones; that's often caused by having been on a very low fat diet before then going on to a low carb diet)

Come and join us on the BSD thread part 4!