a bit fed up I will have to be "on a diet" forever?

[CoffeeTaste]

I just like my food I guess. One of life's (few?) unadulterated pleasures?

I eat fairly reasonably, and healthily. But if I ate what I wanted I think I'd probably be a size 18 or so.

I have to be quite "careful" to stay a 14-16 and I'm past menopause so I have to be even more careful. I can't really exercise either because of a health condition.

I don't believe in "diets" as I think they encourage disordered eating and body image issues. But to eat modestly (apart from occasional treats) is a life-time discipline it seems to me. Others' thoughts?

I have accepted I will need to calorie count and do light exercise to stay trim. When I take my eyes off I go up to a heavy size 12. Now I am a 10.

During the week I stick to my calories. At weekends if I have a heavy lunch I skip evening meal or vice versa. I only drink water, diluted drinks and hot drinks which helps massively. I refuse to waste 400 calories per day on juice. I have never liked fizz. I factor in carbs and treats in my calorie count. I will fall off the wagon if I deprive myself of any food.

I love having a trim waist and a smooth silhouette in clothes.

That's basically what I do Annabelle. I'm lucky that I've never been overweight, just podgier than I'd like, but bar a few concerted periods I've always only dieted on weekdays. For the most part it just counteracts weekend indulgences but it's chipped away at the 20lbs that crept on. Slow progress but eminently maintainable for me, which is the main thing.

woolly interesting about the 5:2 - for me it's such a sustainable lifestyle choice that I have no plans to ever give it up, but I think a lot of people do when they've lost the weight and of course it goes back on. Also Michael Moseley has now decreed that to maintain you can go down to 6:1, which may be true of some people but certainly wouldn't be for me. But then again, I'm trying to maintain a much lower weight than some people might be, so I probably have to be stricter.

I was always slim (10 - 12) and didn't have to think about it.

Walked to school
Tight portion control at home
Walked all sorts of places - didn't have a car in late teens or early 20s
Moved to London
Did a job where I was standing on my feet a lot

But it has gone a bit wrong and I am now size 12 - 14, into the overweight category of BMI. It has been a bit of a shock to me to need to think about it!

I now am at least aware that I need to eat a bit less.

My current experiment is to cut down on 'boring' calories - breakfast being a case in point.

The other wider issue is that food is so much nicer these days - I grew up in the 70s and 80s. Angel Delight was as good as it got! Even that is only 110 calories per portion compared to 250 calories in a Starbucks Tall Mocha (whole milk, no cream on top).

I am also trying to eat less on days when I am less active - which I think makes sense biologically.

@Annabelle4 I actually follow a very similar method, and for similar reasons as you I think it works. The only difference is that I'm a competitive runner (11-12 hrs of weekly training) , so I'm able to lose weight with that system, if I want to maintain it usually involves an extra glass of wine every other day, the odd bag of crisps or a slice of cake / ice cream. I also reckon overall my calorie intake is higher than your, but nonetheless the system is basically the same :)

yes food is loads nicer MaybeDoctor.

M&S is the worst.

As you say it was Angel Delight (butterscotch flavour) or Maryland choc a chip biscuits. Maybe a packet of quavers. That was it.

Now its all kind of cheesecakes, profiteroles, etc. Its not that I usually buy these things. Its just that they're there !

Then there's the gourmet main meals on top damn you M&S. Even lunches. I used to have a small cheese and pickle roll at my desk before Eat and Pret a Mange and so forth came along.

What to do.