Quickest, healthiest way to lose half a stone please!

[BaconAndAvocado]

I’m 53, 5’5” and am usually around 9.5 stone but, having recently developed an extremely sweet, perimenopausal tooth, the pounds have crept on.

Would love to lose 7 pounds by the end of November.Is this doable?

It might be.

No sugar.

Small amount of dairy.

Small amount of bread/pasta/potatoes.

Lots of salmon, chicken, salads, spinach, tomatoes etc.

Oat based snacks without sugar. Oranges.
Don't let yourself get too hungry.

No evening snacks.

Whitepouringglue
That all makes perfect sense.
Now I just need to do it!

What are ‘oat based snacks without sugar’?
Snacking in front of the TV in the evenings are my downfall, so any ideas for healthy snacks would be fantastic.

I would suggest low carb (not keto) plus intermittent fasting. Definitely doable.

With the fasting, you might aim for a 16 or 18 hr fast window, but build up an hr a day over a week or so then it will feel less awful 😊

Fast 800 - works really well, based on healthy Mediterranean diet and you can do the fast 800 bit for upto 12 weeks for rapid weight loss then change to 5:2 or 4:3 whatever works for you to maintain so it’s a long term thing

Just cut out the sweet stuff. Find out your TDEE and reduce the calories by 200 per day. Track what you eat and drink accurately. You just need a calorie deficit to lose weight and you've over 6 weeks to do it in.

Maximuss Do I eat 800 calories every day for the Fast 800?
Ive had success with the 5:2 in the past.

When I was losing weight I kept a food diary. I felt like it really helped because I had this unfortunate habit of having ‘no count’ food. You know ‘one biscuit doesn’t count’ or ‘these are kid leftovers, they don’t count.’

Half a stone in a month? Yeah.

All those sweet things you’ve been eating… just don’t. No need for any special diet.

You can either start with the really fast 800 which is 800 ish calories per day or if u prefer start with 5:2 but make sure on the non 800 day you stick to the principles and ideally the recipes from the books so you are keeping on plan, I would say start with 2 weeks doing 800 calories daily so it’s not too daunting then you’re into it and can carry on if it’s working and u will have a few recipes etc you like and can do quickly by then. The fast 800 easy recipe book is great but lots of articles online with recipes to get the initial idea and there’s a fb page which is quite useful as well and motivating

I am the same height and weight as you and also want to lose half a stone, but I am giving myself until December. My little tip for not snacking in front of the telly in the evening is I brush my teeth ready for bed, and that stops me reaching for the biscuits.

Tinkerbellflowers that’s a brilliant idea! I’ll try it tonight.
I’ve got a weekend away at the end of November.

I did this easily this month just by cutting out the crap! No more snacking at night made a huge difference to me.

Also weighing things! So if I was having cheese and crackers for lunch I would weigh my cheese to see how much I was having and how many calories I was consuming!

The other thing I cut out were cappuccinos!!

primeoflife lattes are definitely my downfall!

I do this when I need to drop half a stone:

1. No sugar
2. No dairy except milk in tea and coffee
3. No carbs after 6pm
4. No wheat or potatoes
5. No alcohol

I also make a huge vat of veggie soup on a Monday and eat it for every lunch throughout the week.

It's tough but doable for two weeks.

Oatcakes and rice crackers.

Quickest often =/= healthiest or most sustainable.

Be realistic. Improve your habits. If you want to snack, have a glass of water, wait 20 min and see if the urge has gone. If you still want it, measure out a single portion of whatever it is and have it

Otherwise, lots of veggies and lean protein.

No booze, or switch to gin, tonics etc not the wines and sugary drinks.

Increase water intake and switch to herbal teas from milk & sugar tea and black coffee.

Lower processed carbs, lots of yummy protein and veggies with Fats like soft cheese, goats cheese etc.

Total yogurt and honey, seeds, nuts for breakfast.

Eggs and salmon etc.

Dark chocolate and cashew nuts for small snakes to keep your blood sugars level, this avoid spikes, which is your evening time snack fest!

Keep a jelly pot in the fridge if you do get that sugar craving the jelly's are good to get rid of it.

Avoid too much processed protein like sausages, bacon, hams etc and try and stick to as few packets as possible!

The less ingredients and packaging on the items you buy in essence the better for you they are, so stick to the fresh isle a when you shop.

Oh and move more!

And enjoy..

Snacks not snakes, please don't eat snakes 🐍

Honestly I have lost 7lbs just using gousto. I think because theres no second helpings I can't keep eating until I'm stuffed and the portion size is good anyway.

If I'd done some exercise it'd have been more.

cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo_code=STEPH43511539&utm_source=androidapp
you can get £20 off your first box if you try it then just cancel of you don't get on with it. But I love it! I'm on my fifth box now.

I limited my food to 12-4, or 12-6 if necessary. When I had the willpower, I fasted for two days a week. And tried to run for 20 minutes three of four times a week. I lost around three quarters of a stone in 2-3 weeks.

Not saying that's necessarily the best approach but I can only keep a diet going for so long and it meant I got it over with quickly.

Thanks everyone.
Lots of sound advice here.
I know what I have to do, I just have to do it now.
Just making dinner, a Jamie Oliver recipe with chipolatas, parsnips, red onions and apples. Everyone else will have a jacket potato, but I’ll forego mine 😇
Aiming to watch the box tonight so so will eat some watermelon and mango and then promptly brush my teeth.
I will report back on Friday with my weight loss news......

I would skip fruit... Mango is delicious but you really can put on weight eating fruit. Be a pity to waste your gains.

I personally think fasting is a fast track to an eating disorder for many people and not worth the disordered approach to eating that it engenders.

Really?!?!
What the bejeebers can I snack on that isn’t a carrot stick?!

Inspired by this thread. No sweet snacks today. My downfall. Off to brush my teeth now. I’m going for the week landmark too. Please continue with top tips like teeth brush.