Weightloss - Food & Prep Advice Please

[Redpony1]

I put weight on very slowly over a number of years, in 2013 i joined SW and lost 4st pretty easily - but i was fairly large. It stayed off easily until life happened, my parents divorced and i left my long term DP in a matter of months.

I gained 2st by autumn 2015.

September 2015 i started running, i have run 3 - 4 times a week every week since Sept 15. I have not lost a lb and i have actually put weight on. My clothes are still tight and nothing fits better so it's not a case of toning.

Last month i joined a gym and have been doing a HIIT session once a week as well as intervals on the exercise bikes on non-run days. Still not shed a lb or feeling any more toned!

I feel like i am working my arse off for zero gain

I'm a very busy person and struggle with meals, a typical working day is:

5am - get up & have breakfast/shower
6am - go to the stables
8am - leave for work
12:30 - 1pm lunch break
4:30pm - leave work
5pm -7pm - get to stables & ride
7:30pm - gym or run
8:30/9pm - home

Weekends
8am - up & breakfast
9am - run
10am - stables
5pm - home
5:30pm - maybe gym or just nothing - have to stop at somepoint

I'm struggling, i've lost the weight before but i tried SW again in Nov & just didn't lose!

Breakfast is normally a small bowl of porridge with a dunk of nutella (i can't eat it plain or with just fruit!) OR 2 small slices of Hovis Nimble with Flora Light
Lunches can be anything from a mugshot and fat free yog to a home made wrap with chicken salad in it.
Dinners can be anything from SW chilli, bog standard meat & 2 veg or spag bol or something.
Snacks are apples, bananas, special k bar

I hate being in the kitchen cooking, really really hate it, which for someone who loves food its hard to admit! When i am actually at home i just want to sit down and do nothing which isn't possible

Help!!

Have you tried using MFP and seeing what the portion sizes for 1200 calories look like? I say this as I think there's a misconception that if your exercising lots that the weight should be falling off. This really isn't the case and you can always out eat all the exercise that you're doing

I walk 6 miles a day for work, everyday, run 3 times a week - 25 miles in total, lift weights on the nights I'm not running, but still I have to count calories! Don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean that I can't eat chocolate or drink wine, but I still have to keep an eye on my calories and if I go over anymore than 1400 for a sustained period then I start gaining weight - food for thought- literally!

I'd start logging calories meticulously then use a calorie counter to work out your deficit to lose weight. Also maybe fruit in porridge? I soak mine the night before with a little bit of cinnamon and only use water.

It's all about creating a calorie deficit. get in mfp as the others said and tackle your eating now

However, congratulations! Sounds like you've really got a fitness habit. Being unfit is far more dangerous than being overweight, in a number of ways. Your blood pressure, heart and joints, etc etc will all be better for ethe exercise. It's NOT a waste.

Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone

I am a carb lover, i can do without chocolate and sweets, but i looooove carbs. i have cut them done so much since January though! I do dip in and out of MFP and always appear to be in a good calorie deficit on run days. (just squeezing in at 1200 on non-exercise days which leaves me hungry so i can't be eating the right things? Plus, a non run/gym day doesn't mean i'm not still doing 15000+ steps in a day!) However i need ideas on what to eat on run days to stay at 1200 but still have enough energy to do everything i do plus running 6+miles. I get dizzy and sick when i haven't eaten enough but go for a run which scares me a little!

I always feel like punching people that say all you have to do is eat less and move more - that's not always the case is it! It's not always that simple for some people.

I've tried all sorts of fruit in porridge, it's just not sweet enough for me to eat & i don't even have a sweet tooth! Unless it's has a dollop of Nutella or Syrup (not honey) in it it's a no go so i avoid it. Same with having cereals with yoghurt instead of milk, just can't stomach it

I think i might have to start having scrambled egg for breakfast? Will that keep me full?

I don't drink alcohol, haven't done for 2.5years now so that's never a temptation luckily.

Why so little? Are you very short? 1200 is unnecessarily low unless you're tiny.

If you enter your stats into Scooby's calculator, you'll get a good idea of how many calories you can eat to lose weight gradually without fatigue, hunger and muscle loss.

scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Btw you won't really know how you're doing till you log EVERYTHING consistently daily for a few weeks. It's easy to be good when you're only logging sporadically. I know from bitter experience. :) every sip, every little bite really can have you overshooting your TDEE.

Thanks Katie, i said 1200 because that's what MFP said! I am 5'2 and have ideally 3st to lose but i think only 2st would be maintainable.

Scooby's calc said daily calorie intake should be 1891 which is more than I eat now..?

Why can't i be like some of my friends who live on takeaways & cake and never go over a size 10 without even raising a finger to exercise . I really have to let this go though, the fact they look fab but eat crap and don't exercise makes me angry but it won't help me at all. I just get upset that i am going to have to watch my weight for my whole life but they have no idea about the struggle