AIBU to want a gentler health/weight discussion

[argumentativefeminist]

Want to interact with others and get support/motivation for getting healthier and active, and in the process losing weight. But I absolutely don't want to hear any "diet culture", calorie counting or unhealthy disordered eating promotion. Surely I can't be the only one? Sometimes it seems like every thread I click on is just full of upsetting, unhelpful comments that sound like they could have been lifted from a thinspo website.

I am planning to introduce a bit more fruit and raw veggies into my diet.

Basically I’ve found I have time for 1 decent meal in the day but I invariably have one crappy meal. So I’m going to get some decent protein shake and sub one of those for either breakfast or lunch, then have hummous n carrots/celery/cucumber/pepper and mango/pineapple/melon

Be great for DD too, she’s 1 next week

stop I’m vegan, so I’m all for plant based 😜 I’m confused by what you say about carbs though-why wouldn’t you eat carbs if you’re plant based? Rice, bread, pasta, potatoes are all plant based...

I do find that being vegan makes my food choices way more simple. I don’t see meat and dairy as food at all anymore, so I don’t crave them, and it’s still rare enough for me to see amazing vegan cake for sale that whenever I do, I eat it with gusto and no guilt! I feel psychologically a hundred times lighter since going vegan, and I’ve lost about 3 stone in the last couple of years too, without trying, which means I now feel able to attempt getting fit-and excited about it.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Feel free to ask vegan qus or to tell me to shut up if you’d rather 😉

Everyone just make sure you're getting enough food and enough fuel for your body, and all of your food groups in one way or another! 💕 Carbs are not the enemy!

Don't knock yourself like that Oscha, that was really interesting! I've thought about going vegan before but I've got very limited headspace at the moment to be making a big lifestyle and ethical change like that - I get overwhelmed trying to fix all the problems in the world at once!

I was vegetarian for a long time first-I wanted to be vegan for ages but didn’t think I could do it, so it was a long journey to get here. It’s a hell of a lot easier than I thought it would be, but I’m certain it would have been a lot harder even 10 years ago. Anyway, rambling again. It makes me happy, and it makes me view food positively, so that’s all good I reckon!

(Also v aware this thread isn’t remotely about veganism and don’t want to derail it 😆 always happy to answer questions but I promise not to bang on about it.)

Ramble away my dear, I can tell it makes you happy which is so lovely to see 🌟

I was vegan for around 9 months and I don’t think I lost weight. I train too much, it’s eiter a small amount of meat or an actual tonne of beans, and you have to be bloody clever to cook beans well.

I think that when dieting plant based appealed to me more than calorie counting as I am on that path anyway ? I don’t fancy anything processed . I don’t want chicken breast ! And I do feel way more energised

I do eats carbs just trying to cut down ! So having once a day rather than my
Previous 3 carb based meals .

To be honest I need a re set a bit as have been having a few dizzy spells which are clearly linked so need to look at supplements and ensure I am
Not being silly

I don’t want to sleepwalk into unhealthy eating but on the opposite side

The thread interested me as having this be a lifestyle change rather than a diet is appealing to me

Thanks for letting me join in people

stop are you making sure you’re getting enough protein, and also taking supplements (B12 is the most vital, but iodine, vit D and omega 3 are important too)? It’s fab to eat loads of veg but you do need to make sure your diet’s balanced-plenty of beans, pulses, tofu, nuts, seeds, etc. I also really wouldn’t do low carb as it’s hard to do high protein as a vegan-carbs are pretty much what we mostly eat 😉

I’m not sure plant based is a reasonable swap for calorie counting,

Yes eating non-processed food is, but that’s got nothing to do with vegan/vegetarianism.

Because you get vegan/vegetarian junk food.

Like I said, I did it for 9 months and definitely didn’t lose weight...

I think the best reasons to go plant based is because it’s food for the planet :-)

I agree-for me, losing some weight was a happy side effect, but not the motivation. But I (and it sounds like you too) was deliberately going vegan rather than plant based. I don’t think plant based incorporates all the vegan junk I eat way too much of 😆

I tried my best to eat clean, but plant based nutrition is expensive, time consuming and difficult to get right.

I imagine someone utilising it for the purpose of calorie counting will soon find they are depleted in nutrients and unhappy

All very interesting, thank you lovelies! 🌟 Hopefully we can help you balance things out over here stop - like you say, I think all of our philosophies are more about a lifestyle change than "going on a diet". If your dizziness doesn't stop with a few food changes then please do see your GP 💕

Trying to get a handle on what normal people eat is hard. I realised yesterday that I hadn't lost a pound in a year. I mentioned it to someone at work and they were shocked. Their shock made me shocked, if you know what I mean? What the hell have I been doing that I haven't lost a single pound in a year?

Overeating and overdrinking, that's what.

I have no idea how big other people's meals are. I come from a family where it was pile it high and don't finish till it was licked clean, think of the starving children in Biafra.

I literally have no idea what's normal.

Goal for today: eat less, move more.

I agree that living on vegetable and fruit is not very sustainable ! Especially am exercising loads too

I am in a bit of a tizz to be honest . Whilst it’s clearly working - I need some ideas . Will follow what you all eat with interest

I eat loads and often. My mindset is to make my life more active rather than focusing on being hungry/denying myself food.

Morning morning! 🌟 Tried to do a 30 minute Jessica high impact cardio video this morning - way too hard for me right now, I crashed out at 18 minutes but it was vigorous aerobics so that counts for 36 of the 150 minutes of exercise the NHS recommends a week, and makes up for me having to miss swimming tonight. Had a pear already, going to shower and then have some natural yoghurt, cereal. Some sort of chicken salad for lunch, then baked eggs in tomato and pepper sauce and copious amounts of fresh tiger bread for dinner. A scone piled high with cream and jam will also probably feature at some point 😂

I probably do eat more than the recommended portion sizes, and also haven't seen any change in my weight in a long time. But right now I'm focusing on the exercise part and less fried food. The physical health aspects such as my heart health are much more important to me than how big I am (though I understand that they are related!)

argu

Sounds awesome :-)

I’ve done a 40 min brisk walk this morning (1.7miles)

And back

I’ve got CrossFit in about an hour, I’ll do 30mins of warm up and then go for it, I am going to wear my compression belt from pregnancy and I hope it helps. I was in agony last night but feeling So Much better today. Almost completely better but I suppose some exercise will qualify that!

I’ve eaten two pieces of white bread with a bit of cheese and beans on top...

So again not the best meal ‘calorie wise’ but will get me to 5pm tonight and then I have dinner with the family.

Beans are one of your 5 a day Camel! And white bread has good levels of calcium - there was a very interesting section in Eat Well for Less on BBC last week about different types of bread and why they're good for us.

Hope your exercise goes well!! I need to eat about every 4 hours so if I was you I'd try to fit at least a snack in, but you know your body best 🌟

I might get a protein shake after the gym, or treat myself to a California roll at Waitrose ;-)

I have to have a something before the school run as the boys will want sweeties and if I’m starving I just eat 8 packets of wotsits

Oh gosh Camel, now I really want some wotsits 😂 Let us know how you get on!

I did two sessions of Walk with Leslie Sansone, which is 2 miles very brisk walking, then 20 mins Yoga with Adriene.

I am shit at Yoga! But it was good. LS is fantastic and I highly recommend. Anyone can do it but you do build up a nice sweat. I did it barefoot and it was fine!

Aren't smart TVs amazing?

I just looked up Leslie Sansone and am intrigued! Do you have to buy dvds or is she on youtube? Is it literally walking on the spot or more than that?

Amazing work Elspeth! I'm pretty shit at yoga too but I love it 😂

Did 5 x 5 sets of Over Head Squats - 26kg 30kg, 32.5kg, 35kg and 37.5kg

Then I did 3 rounds of

21 OHS
15 burpees (I did bunny hops because my back is fucked)
9 ring rows

I did okay!! Not 100% perfect but got a sweat on, worked hard and didn’t injure myself.

I’ll be back in tomorrow :-)

On the way home I grabbed a tuna California roll and a small banana and strawberry smoothie (I left the can of coke in the shop go me!)

Now I’ve got a few minutes before the school run again. Debating taking the dog out as it’s not too sunny