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.

Feeling a little better thanks Verbena - it's quite a satisfying feeling in a way 😂 I saw a thread about that on Active earlier, I don't think we've talked about it on here, but good luck! And do let us know how you get on. Glad you fixed your shoulder 😊

Can I join? I’m doing Rebelfit, focusing on eating good healthy food, doing regular workouts and generally just being really active. I hopefully will lose some weight but it’s not a must and I don’t have a target, I would just like to be trimmer and fitter and feel good. Planning a hike this weekend!

Of course you can Kalinka! Glad to have you here 👋😊 Your plan sounds really good - hope you enjoy your hike - if you're UK based I would have thought it's a bit hot for all that 😂

I recently read the book intuitive eating, and I'm reading it again, and I've bought the workbook that goes with it. The reason I love it, is because it's healing my totally screwed up relationship with food. (I used to be annorexic and bulemic and then I was fat, then annorexic again and now I'm fat again)

It's anti diet, anti diet culture, eat whatever the fuck you want, whenever you want, until you're full. It also works on how to deal with emotional eating, boredom eating etc. There's absolutely no restriction, counting, weighing, none of that. And my clothes are getting looser after less than a month!

So glad to hear you're starting to feel better @Noonelikesfruitcake. 💕 Do keep us updated with what you get up to and any of your favourite tips and tricks that you learn!

Can I join? I'm very much of the eat less, move more persuasion when it comes to diet & exercise.

I don't do faddy diets, weighing everything & joining boot camps to be shouted at for not being able to do 25 one burpees - mainly because I like food & don't like exercise.

I was doing really well for a while just cutting down on crap, eating proper meals & walking or doing c25k but have completely lapsed in the hot weather recently.

Starting back on c25k tomorrow (planning on doubling up the weeks so that week 2 will actually be week one the 2nd time & so on).

I like food and don't like exercise - this made me grin, me too 😂 Welcome whiskey and let us know how you get on tomorrow! I'm getting sick of this weather now too 😞

Whiskey burpees are very bad for your pelvic floor unless you’re doing hardcore training and know how to use breath to manage the intra-abdominal pressure anyway. So that’s ok.

Feeling momentarily guilty for having kebab last night, cooked breakfast this morning, and now family have announced some sort of other takeaway tonight. Know I shouldn't feel bad because it'll make me happy and won't put me behind on my goals in the long term but could do with a little reality check from you lovely people 😂

I had Chinese last night & hot dogs tonight but did a shop for healthyish food that's quick to prepare so that I'm not tempted to phone for takeaway when I get in from work next week & so that I can take lunch to work instead of buying pretzels at Tesco

KFC consumed, bad feelings gone 😂😂 off to Aldi tomorrow so can stock up on some healthy strengthy things. Anyone got any Aldi specific recommendations?

Can I join? I could do with losing at least three stones, but want to try and do it in a way that is sustainable. I know if I did some of the restrictive diets I'd pile the weight back on as soon as I stopped. I'm looking to change my lifestyle and make healthy changes to my diet. Since the end of April I have lost seven pounds, which isn't a lot when i could do with losing another three stones but it is a step in the right direction. Actually, several steps - I've started walking up the stairs at work and going to a couple of exercise classes. Now I want to tackle boredom snacking and emotional eating between meals. Any thoughts on how to cut them down?

Welcome apples! Any progress is good news and it's important to give yourself time to get to where you want to be. You're getting healthier every day and that's the main thing! I've started to tackle boredom eating by having a little project I work on in the empty spaces in the day when I'm not doing anything - mine is a mind map for my dissertation, but it could be something as simple as a really addictive game on your phone - just something to fill those gaps in the day.

Apples I knit or hand embroider if I need to occupy my hands/brain for 10 minutes.

We had dinner with my folks and 2 of their friends who are retired doctors in their 60s. They’d just come back from a 2 week cycling holiday doing 30 to 40 mile days and both look so well and full of life. Has really inspired me - being fit means staying able to do fun stuff for longer. We were talking a bit about wellness and the man (ex consultant) shrugged and said “eat less and move more. If only it was that simple...and it is!” It was great having a reminder of why it’s worth getting fit and strong - not for a quick ‘bikini body’ thing, but so I can get old without getting frail or elderly or limited by my body.

Hope you’re all good this sunny Sunday.

Right now I am drinking a cup of tea, but astonishingly NOT eating a biscuit. I don't particularly want or need one. And whilst I'm peckish I know a biscuit isn't going to do shit for that as its too small.

I'm going to wait until lunchtime. And at lunchtime I'm going to make the effort to eat something other than a white bread sandwich. This is me attempting to be mindful. It's new!

Yes Verbena! I've got to get a little healthier and stronger so I can keep sassing and doing what I love for longer when I'm an old lady. 👵💃

Elspeth - really proud of you! Hope you have a lovely lunch. I'm planning smoked salmon salad, with spinach, tomato, broccoli and green beans. But need to drag myself round Aldi first 😴

What a nice thread! I'm so sick of dieting. My new theory is that I'm going to try to stop thinking about weight loss altogether. I am going to choose to run and do yoga because they make me feel good and I'm going to choose to eat lots of fruit and veg and good proteins because they are good for me. No more rules about what I mustn't eat - just one rule that I fill myself up on good stuff.

I think we get so discouraged and battered by our inner critical voice and self-imposed harsh rules that we doom ourselves to failure! This morning I told myself "I'm the kind of person who has yoghurt, nuts and berries for breakfast, then goes for a run". So I did! That probably sounds like something out of a cheesy self-help book, but it's working so far!

I had porridge with strawberries for breakfast - proper porridge as well rather than a microwave sachet

Lunch will be a seeded bagel with scrambled egg & bacon (medallions done in the George Foreman)

DS will be dropped off with his dad at 5 then I'll go to mums as she lives a 5min walk away from a gorgeous loch & do my c25k there.

Instead of snacking on rubbish & having a glass of wine in the evenings I've started to get a bottle of water & my study book out

King That first paragraph basically sums my theory up too! I do still weigh myself but only occasionally to keep an eye out for anything too unexplained - I have major health anxiety so like to know that I'm staying mostly the same, if that makes sense 😂

I like some cheesy self help too! All of you lovely people can be whatever kind of person you want to be - but I'd encourage you to make that a happy person, regardless of anything else 😊🌞🌻

Have a lovely run and study session whiskey!

I was thinking earlier on that my getting healthier is tied up with having more respect for my body in general. That ranges from moisturiser and suncream to drinking water, to making sure I get my work done on time so I'm not stressed and running about like a chicken at the last minute! Anyone else got another habit/self-care that they're working on?

Argumentative I never weigh myself as I put no stock in how much I actually weigh I'm more interested in how my clothes fit. A good tip I got was to take your measurements on the first of the month & re-take them the following month & so on that way you'll see results but not be dependent on what the scales say especially if you are exercising & building muscle

Whiskey I'm definitely trying to kick the habit! I might try that suggestion, thank you 😊

Anyone else got another habit/self-care that they're working on?

Not drinking fizzy drinks... before Christmas I could get through a 24 crate of irn-bru in 3 days I've not had 24 since the New Year.

I try to have a bath at least twice a week & do the full works shave/scrub/moisturise it makes me feel good & it takes up some time during the boring evenings.

Whiskey I defeated a really bad Coca Cola habit about a year ago (thankfully before the sugar tax 😂) so I feel your struggle but it's definitely worth doing! Well done so far! The baths sound like a lovely way to relax and take care of yourself - I think of stuff like that as giving something back to the body that's carried me around all week!

What a great thread, thanks for starting it! I have been using MFP but only loosely to minimise snacking and be more aware of my portion sizes. Have lost almost a stone in 3 months, so slow going but I feel is more sustainable than dieting. In terms of self-care, I bought some new make up and am trying to take more care in my appearance. I work from home and most days it's so tempting to just roll out of bed and throw on the same clothes before dropping off dc at nursery. I have downloaded the down dog app but never used it - will try it now, thanks!