Anyone starting tomorrow and not planning a ''quick fix''

[LadyPrigsbottom]

Hello!

I have gained a shocking amount of weight and absolutely need to regain control of myself.

I do not need another drop-some-lbs-quickly-to-look-lovely-in-my-new-frock-diet. I think it is more serious than that for me now and I need to completely transform my relationship with food, as it has obviously become unhealthy.

I have come crawling back to dieting, (and to MN), to hopefully find some weight loss buddies.

I am planning to do the "No S Diet". The rules are:

1. No sweet treats
2. No second helpings
3. No snacking between meals

Except on "S" days; Saturdays, Sundays and Special Days, (birthdays, Christmas etc).

On "S" days, the theory is that you stick to your three, square meals and also have a special treat or two over the weekend. It isn't that you can then eat a whole tub of ice cream every weekend or anything.

It is meant to be a lifelong plan, (aren't they all?), not a quick fix. So I am not expecting rapid weight loss. I honestly just need to stop gaining at such an alarming rate. Even if I stay as fat as I am, (and I am quite fat), I could live with it, but the rapid weight gain has scared me tbh! I have gained approximately two stone in less than a year . Two years ago, I had a normal BMI and I'd just had a baby. Now, I am on the cusp of obese.

I am circa 14 stone, (a few lbs under), and need to be circa 11 and a half stone. At this point, I'd settle for anything under 13! I am 36.

Would love some company .

I honestly doubt Jenni Murray has anything of any interest to say to me on weight and genetics. She's lost weight by having a gastric sleeve I think? what made you find her book mesmerising Cat?

@RubySlippers77, thanks. My toddler is actually not too bad in the pushchair. Dc1 was a different story and absolutely HATED the pushchair from about 18 mo.

Sometimes I will get dc2 to walk though, just so that both of us get some exercise. I think I need to just take the pushchair on those occasions, but there are some walks where it doesn't work, as it's too muddy for the pushchair or it's somewhere we need to drive to get to and I can't fit the pushchair in my car boot.

Anyway, I shouldn't moan really. I will miss these days when they're older I'm sure!

First week of the summer holidays starts tomorrow! I have no idea what we're going to get up to. Probably a lot of walks 😂. At least the parks are open now too.

The book is about her specific journey. Plenty of science in chapter 8 and the gastric sleeve is not the 'cheat' it's perceived by many to be. I found I couldn't put it down (stop listening) because my H of what she says will be similar for anyone who has tried every duet. They don't work for me, they didn't work for her. There are reasons, they are in the book. @Chicchicchicchiclana

I have read interesting reviews of Jenni Murray’s book so I may listen to it on my daily walks. I’m going to steal the wrap every 7 lbs idea as when I had them years ago they did make me feel very soothed if not thin 😃 food was ok yesterday and managed a walk so feel a bit more positive after my (latest) restart.

I've read a few diet books in the past and I'm interested in the science of weight loss. The problem is that having theories is easy but finding the willpower to put them into practice is so hard.
The only thing I'm 100% convinced about is that avoiding sugar most of the time is the way to go. It's hard to do. I'm a bit tired this morning and I was very tempted by a Lidl pain au chocolate at breakfast time.

I can get caught in a sugar/salt spiral. I have a diet coke then crave something salty like crisps. The the salty crisps make me crave a cup of tea and a biscuit. Then that's too sweet so I have more crisps etc.

Well done @Onthebrink67! Restarting is better than not starting at all! That's my theory anyway .

@WhistlersandJugglers, same! Sugar / salt spiral is something I've noticed myself doing since I was a (fat) teenager . Sugar AND salt, eg salty biscuit base on cheesecake or salted caramel or sweet sauces with cheese or anything like that, is an absolute killer for me!

Today has been good, although, a bit all over the place with meal times due to a busy morning. I ended up having a first thing and then had "breakfast" at lunch time. I had a reasonably healthy salad though. Possibly a bit heavy on the cheese and coleslaw. But at least it was filling and my plate was mainly veg. I'm trying to stay away from bread, as that was my downfall last week. Planning a veggie moussaka for dinner. I will probably have something like a smoothie, smoothie bowl or fruit salad or something in between, as I do want to stick to the 3 meals a day habit.

Thanks @LadyPrigsbottom. Interesting was is being said re salt/sugar combinations. It had never occurred to me before but that may be part of my issue. Something to think about thanks

Morning everyone!

I am also thinking carefully about my sugar / refined carbs / processed shite intake.

So, I've made myself have a good, low shite, breakfast this morning. Had a three egg omelette with veggies and some cheese in it. Obvs high fat, but filling etc.

Hello all. Quick check-in as I'm meant to be working . I will read back and post more later.

Just wondered if any of us have lost any weight yet? I think I might have from the feel of my skirt of truth but I don't know because I have an absolute phobia of standing on the scales! Phobia is not too strong word, believe me.

I don't know what I weigh. I can have a very good guess but if I stand on the scales and weigh more than my guess then I'm going to be absolutely gutted!

Can anyone talk me out of being so silly? I'm quite embarrassed to admit this.

I was weighed for an operation earlier this year and even told the nurse not to tell me my weight as I didn't want to know. She looked at me like this and I felt she might have given me a lecture about being in denial, but she was quite a lot larger than me so maybe she didn't feel she could.

Do you think it matters? Should I do it? Honestly it scares me to death!

@Chicchicchicchiclana, honestly? No, I don't see why you have to weigh yourself, until you want to. I only do it if I think I've lost or gained some.

I last weighed myself just under two weeks ago. I was planning monthly weigh ins, but I seem to be doing fortnightly. I lost 3 lbs between the start of this and last time I weighed myself. However, I was doing really well at that point and I have had some bad days and snaccidents since then, so I don't know if it will all have come back on.

I definitely don't do well if I weigh in very frequently, like daily or more than once a week. Because I tend to go up and down quite a lot in the space of a week and it honestly affects my mood and eating habits if I notice a loss or gain. I can get quite fixated on the number on the scales at any given moment and it's stupid because it is actually meaningless unless I'm going in the right direction longterm iyswim. I definitely have found this time that I have not been inclined to throw in the towel entirely, which is so often what I do! And I think part of that is because I have been weighing in less frequently.

I think this is interesting as I do the opposite and weigh every day to take away the importance of weighing in if that makes sense. When I weighed in weekly I got fixated on it but weighing in daily I see the normal ups and downs and don’t get freaked out but any day’s number. I use the happy scale app to give me a trend up or down which is what I want.

Oh that is interesting @Onthebrink67. Tbf, I don't have a fear of weighing myself. I can usually tell if I've lost or gained a significant amount.

But, the wee losses here and there are no cause for great celebration or devastation; which is exactly what I do, because I am clearly bonkers .

I weighed myself this morning an I'm another lb down. 4 lbs down since I joined the thread.
If you hate weighing yourself you don't have to do it, Chic. I take my waist measurement too and judge by my favourite denim skirt.
On the other hand you could look at it like this-your weight is just a number like your age or your blood pressure or your cholesterol. It doesn't say anything about your worth as a person, that's not something that numbers can define. It might be handy to know it from a health perspective but it's not something that you need to share or dwell on.

Well done @WhistlersandJugglers that’s great. I think we all have different views re weighing and that’s fine. I’m definitely bonkers @LadyPrigsbottom and like a spreadsheet but that’s just me 😃 I think the question for you @Chicchicchicchiclana is whether weighing yourself and seeing whatever the number is will help or hinder you. As was said it’s just a number and doesn’t say anything about who you are

Well done @WhistlersandJugglers !

Not a bad day at all today.

B: omelette
L: greek yogurt, almonds, raspberries and strawberries
D: baked salmon and salad

No snacks, but I did have seconds at dinner. No sugar at all, other than the natural sugars in the berries, which are pretty low sugar I think anyway. Loads of veg today as well. Feel quite good about today. I haven't done any exercise though, unless walking round the supermarket counts, (I don't think it does)!

think the question for you @Chicchicchicchiclana is whether weighing yourself and seeing whatever the number is will help or hinder you.

YY^^

I keep thinking that I'll miss the DC's 'little' days too @LadyPrigsbottom, but DTS2 is just horrid at the moment - shouty, defiant, angry - I don't think I'll miss this phase!

Thank you for the book recommendation @Cat0115, it would be interesting to read how much genetics influence weight loss. For example my DM is a larger lady as she likes sweet food and now can't exercise much, therefore consoles herself with more cake etc - I'm really trying hard not to get into the same cycle. I don't know if that's genetics though or learned behaviour? Either way, it's hard to watch my DM go through it and not be able to do anything to help her lose weight, even though she really needs to.

I find the same too about salt and sugar @WhistlersandJugglers - say if I have a McDonald's meal (salty) I'll want something sweet later! I think it's in Super Size Me where the author explains that that's why you get enormous fizzy drinks with the meals, as they actually make you thirstier and want to eat more

I've lost 5lb in 3 weeks @Chicchicchicchiclana. Not spectacular (as I have a long way to go!) but acceptable. I'm trying hard to look at it as not a quick fix - I didn't get fat fast, so I won't get thin fast - but I do need the scales to show me how I'm getting on, some weeks I don't feel like I'm losing anything but even half a pound off motivates me.

I weigh in weekly @Onthebrink67, think it's a throwback to my WW days but it works for me!

Morning all!! I've been going back and forth trying to get started ONCE AGAIN so I decided I'm starting today I'm counting my calories in Fatsecret but it doesn't seem to work really well for me as I usually start overeating once my daily amount of calories is completed. What a shame . I even got a calendar making program to create a special wall calendar with highlighted gym days and I DO workout but it's nothing once it comes to overeating, you see? Should I get a calendar like this then?? Lol, just kidding. Any tips on how to avoid overeating?? Maybe quit calorie counting? And try intuitive eating?

Hi @Sweetener12 !

Ha! That calendar is possibly a step too far! Like one of those signs people put up on their fridge saying "little pickers wear big knickers" 😂. My friend used to put a picture of herself when she was at her slimmest up in the kitchen. I don't think it worked really, but it was a valiant effort.

I've weighed myself and I'm exactly the same as I was last time! 13 stone 9 lbs. So still 3 lbs lost overall. I am happy with this. We have been doing this over a month now I think and previously I was gaining month on month, so this is a huge improvement. If I lose even less next month, but, crucially, keep going, I will be down a good amount by the end of the year 🤞.

@LadyPrigsbottom, I was the same. I lost a pound then stayed the same for two weeks. I didn't give up at that point mainly because I was relieved to have stopped gaining weight.
I haven't done any exercise except walking since I started being more serious about 16:8. My brain doesn't seem to be able to multitask. I plan to get back to doing a little pilates in the evenings starting today.
I wish I had an event coming up that I could be planning an outfit for. I was invited to a 40ieth and a 50ieth, but both are cancelled. Maybe it's time to start thinking of Christmas outfits!

Hello everyone, thanks for talking to me about my weighing issues! I don't know why I'm like this but I know if the news is bad news then I will sabotage myself with a big "comforting" treat which is just silly. And I will also feel down and unmotivated.

So I'm going to stick with what I said when I joined the thread, weigh at the end of September. I've marked the date in my diary.

Very interested in what you were saying about sweet/vs savoury WhistlersandJugglers. I definitely understand the feeling of really strongly craving to eat something else because there's some elusive feeling of not being satisfied with what I've just eaten. This happens to me a lot at lunch time as I don't make as much effort with lunch as I do at dinner. So now I'm really concentrating on having varied, interesting lunches finished with a nice piece of fresh fruit (which I don't usually eat) in an attempt to prevent afternoon snacking.

I don't have a sweet tooth so nearly all my snacks were savoury. A few crackers with cheese, a bag of crisps, peanuts, bombay mix - those sort of silly empty calories! I used to have crisps with my lunch almost every day because of the salt cravings, but I'm substituting those with gherkins, pickled onions, pickled beetroot, a few olives now.

I've also re-started my food diary. It's shocking how much wine I drink.

Congrats to all who have lost weight already. I'm thinking a year to lose two or three stone is reasonable and sensible and hopefully sustainable!

I've been having slices of cucumber with my lunch recently. I think the crunchy texture helps a bit with my craving for crisps.
I was still a bit hungry after dinner yesterday so I had a few prunes with a tablespoon of Greek yogurt afterwards. It filled the gap and I wasn't desperate for a snack later.

We are weight twins @LadyPrigsbottom I have 45lb to go to my ideal weight... sigh! Although I've worked out that according to my body fat percentage, 5 1/2 stone of me is fat it's another motivation to plod along with the diet, and exercise whenever I can...

@Chicchicchicchiclana good idea about substituting your snacks. I do have a sweet tooth but am trying hard to re-train it with less sweet things. I was ill in March - possibly coronavirus - and it affected my senses of smell and taste, literally all I wanted was sugary things as nothing else even registered! It's improved since then but even now things don't taste the same.

I make a batch of no Point pancakes in the morning @WhistlersandJugglers and snack on them later if I need to. Really helps to have something I can reach for (like yogurt) and not give myself chance to shovel in a chocolate bar!

Hello! anyone still posting?

It's Saturday here so in theory I could snack, eat sugar and have seconds. But I've only had one of those (seconds of a home made vegan biryani which is the easiest healthy dinner in the world).

How is everyone?