Life is a choice between fun or thin

[fluffythedragonslayer]

Does anyone else feel this way?! That life is a constant battle between wanting to enjoy yourself and wanting to lose weight?

I've got about 2.5 stones to lose. I don't want a discussion about pros and cons of "diets" but I am doing slimming world combined with 16:8. This works, very slowly, if I stick to it rigidly. Over the January lockdown I gave up drinking, I obviously wasn't going out, we scaled way back on take aways and if we did get take away I always got something which fitted in "the plan". I lost a stone in 4 months. So not a quick loss but a nice amount to start off!

Now that life has opened up again, I'm lucky enough to have something going on most weekends. Barbecues, birthday dinners out, drinks with work etc. I love my life and I enjoy socialising, but the weight is no longer shifting and I'm worried it is slowly going back on. I'm gaining and losing the same bloody 2lb week in week out 😂

I like a drink, I don't go crazy but I like a couple of glasses of wine. I enjoy nice food and like going out for dinner. But as soon as I'm not "on plan", the weight goes on. I appreciate that can be the problem with "fad diets" but ANY weight loss.method will be the same, surely? Calorie counting, keto, whatever, none of them can fit in a burger and chips and a bottle of wine 😂

Successful slimmers who have kept it off - is it really a case of a complete lifestyle change, only ever eating salads in restaurants and giving up booze etc? Cos that's the only way it works for me and that seems like a sad way to live!

Next weekend I'm going out with friends and I'm genuinely considering eating before I go (we are going to a bar which serves food so can choose whether we eat there or not) and then sticking to diet coke. I will still enjoy seeing my friends but I won't enjoy watching them eat their delicious food and drink their prosecco! But I need a couple of "perfect" weeks to try and get this weight loss going again.

It's a constant battle. I have an underactive thyroid too (medicated) which doesn't help! I do participate in lots of exercise though.

Sorry this was long!! I'm feeling so frustrated by it all. Thanks for reading if you got this far?

No, I don't, but it does depend very much on who your friends are/what your lifestyle is.

I don't think anyone is fat "just" from enjoying their meals, no matter how "bad" they are, it's snacking that does the damage IMO. At a BBQ enjoy the food, but don't have crisps, biscuits, chocolate in front of the TV later.

I have a very busy social life and a lot of it is based around food and drink, but for example:

• I went to the pub yesterday to watch the football. We cycled there.

• This morning I had coffee with a friend, we ran for a sociable hour first.

• I'll probably go to the pub after running club on Thurs

• next weekend a group of us are going for a lub lunch at a country pub 30 miles from here, we will cycle there and back.

• My last birthday party (50th) was a lavish picnic preceeded by a group paddle boarding lesson.

• A friend's hen do was at a trampoline park.

• I'm meeting a friend for late breakfast on Saturday but we'll do a longish walk first.

When it was last allowed, a group of us had a hiking holiday in The Lakes. There was lots of food and beer, but only at mealtimes because we were busy the rest of the time and we got lots of exercise.

• Ditto the last family holiday we went on which in involved cycling, rafting, kyaking, swimming, horseriding and climbing in Portugal.

Almost all my best fun outings involve some sort of exercise and the bonus is that all the time you're exercising you're not snacking.

I really love good food but I have weaned myself off cheap "treats" like chocolate bars and takeaways. My friends and I are now more likely to treat ourselves by doing an activity than with cake.

Depends if you associate fun with junk food surely?

I am thin and don't eat any junk food (yes that includes cake and biscuits) but my life is very fun.

Does anyone else feel this way?! That life is a constant battle between wanting to enjoy yourself and wanting to lose weight?

No, I don't feel that way. I love food, but eating is only one of many ways to have fun and enjoy yourself. And trying to eat sensibly in order to lose weight is only an attempt to restrict one pleasure in life. Trying to lose weight is difficult and a pain in the butt, to be sure. But it only ruins your life if eating is the only thing in life you're interested in!

@cleocleo16

Yes I agree. Everyone I know who is slim is very disciplined continuously with their diet. They never deviate from it. It's all salads for dinner and no treats but once a week.

I don't find this at all. All my slim friends love food, but they know how to eat well. Many are seriously into their sport so they food as fuel and know that feeding their body junk is far from a treat, but they still have e.g. a good homemade flap Jack as part of their fuel intake or an ice cream after a run on a hot day.

You definitely don't have to order salad in a restaurant to be slim though. It won't be the meals, it will be the snacks.

I think what lots of people don’t grasp with diet advice is how different our bodies can be. When I was younger I lost weight fast and could cheat and still lose- I was always going on about how I did it, so annoying! Some people don’t have the same lepin/hunger levels. Now in 40’s and every pound is a struggle - I’m low carb/intermittent fasting as I can see that refined carbs do not work for me at all. Like you if I have one glass of wine or one packet of crisps (my weakness) that’s probably it for at least 4 days.
I think I have figured out how I will ‘stay the same’ once I’m feeling happier with my weight but I’ve got a long way to go still unfortunately.

I totally get you op. I absolutely love food and especially junk food. Unfortunately takeaways, eating out, sweet treats have far too often been a source of enjoyment and comfort, any excuse for a takeaway, going out for coffee and cake, sweets and popcorn at the cinema, sitting down of an evening with some treats, eating rubbish because it's the weekend, or any other excuses.

I'm at a size/weight I'm happy with, but to stay there I have to be realistic about how many calories I actually burn and that means although I can still have junk food treats, I can't have nearly as many as I'd like.

Although healthy food is still lovely, it's not the same.

I reckon you're just either wired that way or you're not.

You can get the balance right though so you can still enjoy meals out etc. Doing exercise does help too, though you can't outrun a terrible diet.

I don’t agree at all with your title. I am thin and have lots of fun! I also eat nice high calorie food (cheeses, butter, chocolate etc) but just in much smaller amounts than other people. I also go to the gym quite a bit.

Ultimately if you want to be slim(mer) you simply need to burn more calories than you consume. Loads of activities I enjoy (dancing, singing, cycling etc) are not food centred at all, maybe try and find some hobbies or fun in things that don’t involve food? Even if it is less fun to be mindful about what you eat (I don’t think that’s true but I accept everyone is different), being overweight or feeling rubbish about your looks/health isn’t exactly fun neither (I’ve been there…).

There are a few sure ways to lose weight that do mean not eating 'traditionally' like eating fruit on an EMPTY stomach, not for dessert unless it's a banana or 2.

Also not combining high protein with carbs at the same meal. Those 2 things really do keep you healthy and slim ( I have never counted calories) . I'm slim and enjoy my food.