So confused about which weight loss rules to follow

[tushywush]

I did Slimming World last year after having my second baby, and lost about a stone. I didn't follow it religiously and was still breastfeeding so I think manager to get away with not doing it properly. The bf-ing cut down, I stopped following SL and the weight came back.

This year I joined a boot camp group which came with a no sugar, low carb, "ancestral" diet (similar to paleo I think). Found it hard to stick to, but felt great and could see my shape changing. Didn't finish the course and basically flopped and lo and behold the weight is back.

I'm now a stone and a half more than I want to be. I want to lose it but am confused about how to do it. SL I found easy but did have an extra HEX A and B each day due to the bf-big and I really rather disliked all the fake food (ie all the fat free stuff). I felt great on the boot camp one but found it so so hard to stick to.

I know my sugar intake is too high; I crave biscuits and chocolate a lot and also eat too much carby stuff (toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch). Plus I eat when I'm bored and stressed too.

I used to think I had a healthy relationship with food but actually I'm all over the place.

I can't get it straight in my head what I need to do. I don't want to join another weight loss scheme as I seem to pile it back on the second I stop which, for me, doesn't feel like success. I'm not convinced on low carbing (but don't know why) so wtf do I do. With a DH with hollow legs and 2 DC under 5 I need to make sure they are catered to as well. Plus I'm extremely busy with work, Xmas and personal stuff, I don't have a lot of space to commit to something I need to think about a lot.

Slimming world principles? Or lower carbs? Or what? 5:2? Do I need to read up on it first or just go for it?

Need to do something before the Xmas indulgence wins over any good intentions and sees me starting 2017 a right old lump.

Personally I do boot camp style work outs, and eat healthily but don't bother dieting or following a restrictive diet. I eat everything in moderation, and I don't beat myself up too much.

Moderation, moderation, moderation.

There is NO such thing as unhealthy food, just unhealthy portions.
Take bacon, everyone loves bacon, eat 3 rashers, once a month, lovely treat.
Eat 10 rashers every weekend, you'll put weight on.

Chocolate, 1bar a fortnight is a lovely treat in front of the TV.
1 bar a night, you'll have problems.

So, here's what I'd suggest.
Every day, keep a diary of what goes in your mouth.
Detail it all, then you'll see where you can start removing needless stuff or wherever you're having more than you really need.

Take my day today for example:
Waking - 1pm: 3 coffees, 1sugar each
1pm: 2sloce white bread, 2 slices ham, 1 bag crisps
1pm-6pm: water, orange juice.
6pm: 3sausages, handful chips, 1/4 tin beans.
6pm - now: 3 rich tea biscuits

You keep journal like that, be honest, ypoull see where you're having too much. First time I did it I was listing things like 1/2 Tube Pringles an hour after eating tea. Or I'd be having cake in the mid afternoon for no reason other than it was there.

The more minsdful you become to your intake and the more thought you give ypour output, the easier equilibrium will follow.

I might try keeping a bullet point diary. My fitness pal is too encouraging. Ill always end up eating up to my allowance even if I'm not hungry.

Don't laugh, but I'm on a Facebook group called Virtual Gastric Band. It's for a hypnosis app that you listen to as you're falling asleep.

I started but not doing it now for a hundred reasons I won't bore you with, but it worked for me, and there are loads of success stories in the group that seem to be from real people.

Might be worth a shot.

My understanding (and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) is that it's as simple as taking in fewer calories than you use.

The complexity and confusion comes in because A) people find success in doing this in so many different ways, B) people have different ways of classifying success - so factors such as quick fixes, keeping the weight of long term, eating healthier diets, fat / lean tissue, fitness etc come in to play.

All of the things you've described, 5:2, SW, low-carb, boot camps etc are just different ways of reducing calories and/or increasing calorie burn. So bear in mind, when people tell you what you should do that they're only describing what was successful for them.

Ok thanks all.

I need to find the discipline really. Time to cut the crap. It's just the maintaining part that does me in - I revert to old habits and before I know it I'm pigging out on 6 Bourbon biscuits whilst I'm cooking dinner

I've downloaded mfp to track stuff but do I need to weigh everything? I find that so labourious and if I'm honest I don't think it's a healthy mindset to be that particular about weighing every bloody thing I put in my mouth and I can't weigh stuff forever, or is that what people do?!

I've been doing mfp. I stick to it as closely as I can. I don't weigh anything, I do it roughly according to cups and measure my food that way.
I stay away from low fat, I try to eat only real food but healthily, brown rice, whole grains etc.
Normal day is oatmeal for breakfast at about 8:30. Lunch at 2, usually wholehrain toast with jam or avocado. Followed by an orange. Apple or tangerine snack at about 4:30. Then Ill have around 700 calories left for dinner which is a decent amount and will be 'normal' food. Meatballs, steak, thick soup.

If I were you, I would weigh most things at the start just so you know how much you should be eating (you'll probably be quite surprised at how little it is!), then you can guesstimate from there.

Stay away from "low fat" and "sugar free". Stick to the real stuff, just eat less.

Try prepping a Tupperware of carrot/cucumber/celery sticks for easy snacks, you could always have with hummus or cream cheese.

Stay away from "low fat" and "sugar free". Stick to the real stuff, just eat less.

I don't think that's a weightloss rule. I think it's good advice for someone wanting to eat a more healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. But for someone else wanting to lose weight it might be the low fat cheese on their toast or sugar-free yoghurt in an evening that keeps them on track.

No. because sugar free is pumped full of fat to give it flavour, and fat free is pumped full of additives and other crap. You should always pick the "full" option. Unless there is a medical reason you need to pick otherwise (ie diabetics need sugar free etc)

Yes I agree. I don't like the fat free crap.

Day 1 of mfp and I missed my gym class due to traffic and have gone way over my allowance but it feels good to get it all down to see it for all its glory.

Totally agree, getting it all written down on mfp is the first step. I started mfp a bit randomly in April this year but didn't really lose anything until August but writing it down meant I worked out the quantities and my weak times - like you, if I'm standing up or doing something Good For The Family, it doesn't have calories in it and i used to be quite scared of feeling hungry - but since August I have lost two stone and at least the first stone and a half I was so steely and dedicated it wasn't that hard. The second half stone has been much harder but as long as i keep writing it down, it does work.

I've done MFP for a month or so now and lost half a stone so far. I'm not mega heavy anyway (7st 7lbs) so didn't have much to lose (I'd got another half stone off just cutting out crap). It does focus the mind. PITA for a week or 2 until you get used to portion sizes but you find most stuff you can re-log once you've eaten it once anyway. And it's a bit of a revelation just how much calories are in stuff!!

I'm not a dieter, I all for the 'everything in moderation and watch portion size' approach and moving more. Healthy, good, natural wholesome food as much as possible, no 'low fat' or 'diet' stuff.

I know he's not well liked on here, but the Jamie Oliver cookbooks and website are great (you obviously don't have to listen to him!!), each meal is nutritionally outlined with calories, protein, fat, veg portions etc.

As others have said, all those diets are simply methods to reduce your overall calorie intake.

I do use MFP with my clients but it is easy to get obsessed. Instead I ask them to use it 3 days a week (one being a weekend) and then try to keep their eating similar in the other 4 days.

One thing to be aware of is that the calorie suggestions on MFP aren't great, find out your calorie intake from a macro calculator (lot's on google) and use that number.then adjust it as you need to.

When it comes to it encouraging you to eat when not hungry, that's not a bad thing! A lot of people don't eat enough when dieting which is why they rebound and overeat. So if you need to eat more then eat more!

And finally, don't be restrictive. Make sure most of your calories are coming from nutritious sources, but if you want a treat then go for it! If you are going for a family meal out then enjoy yourself without going ott.

Let me know if you want more info

Didn't bother with mfp today as it would've been scary. Mince pies, crisps, brioche, cheesey toastie etc etc...........

Better day tomorrow!

Don't beat yourself up too much, it happens. And I find it's easier to stick to healthy eating if I aim for doing it 90% of the time. 100% of the time just isn't realistic for me.