I really don't want to fail again.

[Needmorehope]

I try and obviously fail to lose weight on a regular basis. Years ago I did really well on WW but I am now over 2 stone heavier than I was at the start of that. I have over 4 stone to lose and it feels overwhelming.

I know I feel better if I weigh less and exercise more and make healthier food choices.

So why the hell do I keep troughing snacks ?

Has anyone been where I am now and managed to change?
Please come and give me your tips, the weight is making me sad now and I can no longer pretend that I am ok with it.

Things really need to change, I have downloaded headspace as I do think my eating is emotional and thinking of looking at things midfully should help.

Today is the first day and I think I need to look at one day at a time and take it in one pound chunks.

My plan is to log on here every day and if others would like to join me that would be great.

Hi!
I’m the same, I just cannot keep out of the snack cupboard and need to get my butt in gear to lose some weight. Lockdown doesn’t help.
I don’t have any tips and I really need some so hopefully someone helpful will come along :-).
I need a realistic goal. I tend to just cut everything out and that makes me miserable and usually can only last a day before I’m back in cupboard. X

I have set window for snacks. Only at certain time.
It helepd me controll myself. I know I still can have it, but not all the time. So the wanting is better and smaller. Maybe that can help?

Oh and if i miss the window. No snack

Hi @Dotty356 you are very welcome to keep me company if you fancy ?
It is so hard isn't it ? That is exactly what I normally do. I go full on and set myself up to fail. I need to find a different approach.

Thank you @SchrodingersImmigrant snacks are definitely my downfall , also my portion sizes. I cook from scratch and kid myself that means it is healthy but I have only slightly less than my husband who hardly ever snacks and runs miles every week.

I have just been for a walk to get out of the house as I know that normally helps. I am also feeling pretty down at the moment but I think it is just the weight/lockdown/lack of difference in my life. Much the same as everyone.

Hi 🙋🏻‍♀️ I've just finished reading Dr Rangan Chatterjee's book Feel Great Lose Weight it's really interesting and rather than focusing on a specific diet he suggests small but effective lifestyle changes. I'm about to re-read it as there is a lot to take it but I really like what he is suggesting rather than a draconian diet plan changes to make a difference and realistic ones. Worth a read @Needmorehope

Hi.

After being overweight all my adult life I have lost 50 pounds in the last couple of years and am able to keep it off, even though I am still greedy and love eating.

I started off doing 5/2 and progressed to intermediate fasting. I now do a 36 hour water fast once a week. I recommend watching Jason Fung on YouTube or reading his book 'The Obesity Code'

I know it's not for everyone, but it has really worked for me.

Good luck

I am trying to kick lockdown weight at the moment. Weight loss is different for everyone but I do think you can create the environment to be successful. For me, these are the crucial tips:

• Water 2litres a day so your body isn’t confusing thirst and hunger
• Alcohol - don’t do it. A huge waste of calories and it brings resistance to chocolate down and needy anxiety eating up
• Sleep. If you are knackered your body will tell you to go to the fridge and get energy

Don’t bother trying to lose weight unless you are nailing the above. It will just lead to more stress.

After that, for me the key thing is patience. No big ‘Lose Half a Stone in a Week’ type diets. Just a plodding, calorie-counting acceptance that I need to eat less.

@PersonaNonGarter A plodding calorie counting acceptance is so depressing but so true!

Thanks for the book recommendations, they both sound interesting.

That water fast sounds hardcore !

Same!! I've started Noom and have dropped 10lbs in about 3-4 weeks. It's basically calorie counting, I'm on 1200 a day but also with lessons about why we are eating what we do, stress etc. Its good but sometimes a lot to take on board.
Ive also bought the fast 800 diet book purely because the recipes are lovely and low cal and it's all there in one book.
As persona said above, sleep, water and no alcohol is a great start (lent tomorrow so that could be a nice kickstart for you) but also you must have a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I have mushroom omelette or porridge with grated apple and cinnamon for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch and dinner varies. I've swapped out potatoes and rice for cauliflower rice or swede mash or celeriac chips. I've also got myself smaller dinner plates and smaller cutlery, sounds a bit silly but it does work.
Snack resistance was a bit hard to begin with but if you honestly listen to your body, are you really hungry or are you bored?? And answering that honestly keep my face out of the biscuit tin but I did buy malted milk biscuits for when I do have one as they are only 41 calories and not as crap as rich tea biscuits.

Good luck!! You can do it!!!

Ooops! My name change failed a couple of times there

I have had a good start today , we have burgers planned for tonight but I have decided I will have a jkt spud with tuna instead.

Has anyone else used the headspace app ?
I only downloaded it this morning but it seems to have some good stuff on there.
@greeneyedlulu breakfast is a tricky one for me. I get the logic but I have found in the past that if I have breakfast then I want to eat again sooner rather than later.

@needmorehelp I felt like that too about breakfast but after a few days I found myself not feeling hungry, dont forget you need to give your body and mind time to adjust to a new way of doing things. Another important thing too is that if you do end up delving in to the fridge and eat loads of crap, then it's ok, dont just think oh I've messed up so I'll give up. You are going to mess up but it's how you deal with it after is key, forgive yourself and move on.
I really do wish you luck because I know how hard it can be to lose weight and just hide away in the fridge. If you need a chat or a bit of motivation, I'll be happy to help!! X

@needmorehope sorry I got your name wrong above

@greeneyedlulu Thank you , and yes that is something I have to work on, not giving up the whole thing because of a bad half hour.

Yesterday went well and my plan today is more of the same. I gave up smoking years ago and that was easier because you can just get rid of it from your life. Food you have to make wise choices all the time. I just want to get to a place where I am not thinking about bloody food so much!

Both names work for me at the moment so no worries

Honestly Fast 800 has been a game changer for me.

I've lost a stone in 2.5 weeks. Don't feel hungry. Really enjoying the meals and my blood sugar has improved so much.

I realised I was pre-diabetic and had high blood pressure.

And I think for once losing weight for my health and future life and not for my appearance has been a big difference maker!

Just out of curiosity.
Does everyone on the "blood sugar diet" checks sugar regularly throughout the day?

I've recently started using Centr. There are recipes, exercise videos, meditation and sleep audios, all set out on a day by day planner. There's also a facebook group you can chat too about recipes or motivation etc. I'm really pleased with it.

It has taken me 6 weeks to build a new habit, which is the norm. It won't happen in a week or two you just have to keep reminding yourself why your doing it, don't beat yourself up if you have an off day, just get back on the horse.

Does eating that biscuit, chocolate, glass of wine actually make you feel happier? No, only for a second or two. Could you stop buying any of the foods you want to avoid? Could you cook the same meals for your family?

I dont actually buy loads of biscuits etc but I do have two teen boys in the house who need filling up so we tend to always have bread , sandwich stuff, crisps , crumpets , cheese etc .
The headspace app seems really good , I have started doing a very short meditation in the morning and they have some mindful eating activities as well. I know that it is my mind that I need to change and this feels a good start.

I want to be healthier and the while covid thing is scary.
And on a complete shame front , the idea of telling school I cant work because I am obese and need to shield (if it came to it) would be awful!!

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Just out of curiosity. Does everyone on the "blood sugar diet" checks sugar regularly throughout the day?

No I don't, I use the blood sugar diet book because I can't be arsed to look for and print off recipes all the time. Dieting is hard so I'm just trying to make life easier following those recipes because someone else has done all the hard work to figure out calories etc. Bonus is they are great, not tried one recipe that I wouldn't have again so far. I did have gestational diabetes so I'm probably at risk of type 2 diabetes anyway which is not something I want as it's a real pain in the arse faffing about with insulin, doing your bloods etc, headaches, dizziness!

@Fagey

Honestly Fast 800 has been a game changer for me.

I've lost a stone in 2.5 weeks. Don't feel hungry. Really enjoying the meals and my blood sugar has improved so much.

I realised I was pre-diabetic and had high blood pressure.

And I think for once losing weight for my health and future life and not for my appearance has been a big difference maker!

Yes you're right!! I shouldn't have said 'dieting' in my last post because I'm not doing that, I actually want to change my lifestyle, I'm fed up with the way i am now, out of breath going up the stairs, at risk of all the "obesity" medical issues and mainly I want to be here for my kids and see them grow up!

Weather is awful here but I forced myself out for half an hour and am now back and thinking about lunch. It does help me to get outside every day but it is not always easy to face it in this weather.

Boiled eggs and soldiers I think.

I still have loads of work to do on my essay so after lunch I will give my arse a kick and get on with that.

If anyone has any tips on music to study by I would be delighted. I prefer not to be in silence but if I put my own music on I get too distracted .

Gaming music is designed to help concentration. Have a look at youtube there are some long ones

Thanks @SchrodingersImmigrant I will have a look .

I need to move more too! I love getting out for a walk but I don't want to drag the kids out in the rain but I did start the 30 day squat challenge yesterday and I have 55 to do today!

Hi OP. I am in a similar position to you, with about 3.5 stone needing to lose to get me to a healthy BMI. It took me a year to actually do anything about it properly. I tied myself up in knots wondering whether to do WW, intermittent fasting, fast 800, low carb, start running, etc. I half heartedly started and gave up on all of the above.

The only thing that really stuck (kind of) was Fast 800 as something that would give quick results. I knew that I needed to see the scales move down fairly quickly to motivate me to keep going.

What I have ended up doing is sticking to 1200 cals a day, logging every single thing on the Nutracheck app, and weighing everything (no guessing) I also don’t ‘eat back’ calories burned. I eat whatever I like as long as it’s in my calorie allowance (chocolate, crisps, bread, whatever) and I don’t panic if I go over 1200 sometimes, as long as the average over the week is no more than 1200 a day.

I’ve lost 16lb since 1st January doing this. As I lose weight I’m more inclined to healthier foods. I’m still not moving more, but I know that will come. I’m middle aged and menopausal so I’m taking it easy. When I get to goal weight (9st 8lb) I’ll slowly increase my calories to maintenance levels. I will also continue to weigh myself weekly and reign things in if my weight starts creeping up again.

This is what’s working for me. I hope you find what works for you 🌼

I know the call of snacks... is this the problem or also meals? (My problems lie more with snacks/grazing than any meals i cook). I think breaking the habit of 'nibbling' is important for weight loss, at least for me

a few ideas:

• bigger meals so you don't need snacks
• a set snack in meal plan
• watch which snacks 'set you off' on an eating spree and get rid of those
• calorie counting will scare you off snacks
• healthy snacks (crudites, cherry tomatoes etc)
• read some IF or other diet info that convinces you snacking is unhealthy for blood sugar control & disease risk etc

-if you have to 'nibble' - maybe seeds? I am getting some sugar free flavoured gum this week so will see how I go

I'm coming to conclusion I just can't snack in a controlled way so need to stop

Also, don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect - the slip ups teach you what doesn;t work (in my case, snacking )