I want to lose weight but I don’t want to diet.

[Blancmangemouse]

Incompatible wants!!

Motivation level for giving up tasty food is close to zero.

How do you motivate yourselves (and stay motivated)??

Im 12 weeks into my 'diet' although it isnt really a diet as i can honestly say i have never been hungry. I have never really bothered about chocolate or cake but my big downfall was crisps. I have been known to eat a sharing bag to myself or a 6 pack in one sitting. Well, its been 12 weeks and apart from the first week or so i havent even thought about them. Ive lost 21 lbs so far so just under 2lbs a week and i feel fantastic. Still have about 4st to lose but i know i will do it this time. Good luck if you give it a go.

Banning foods is the worst thing you can do if you want to lose weight. I would advise reviewing your diet with a dietician and being honest with them about where you're at. Then they can help you come up with something you can stick to. Remember, any change that you are not willing to keep up indefinitely is pointless as once you revert back the weight will just come back on again.

just count calories. once you realise youre only cheating yourself and that being fat is an unhealthy miserable existence it becomes much easier

Sounds good, are you following a particular programme?

Because I want to be slim more than I want to eat

I’ve lost 7lb so far just by increasing my water intake and exercise.

I aim to drink 2.5 - 3 litres per day. This has made me crave snacks less but my meals have pretty much stayed the same. I haven’t cut anything out or stopped eating anything or calorie counted.

I now do more exercise. I walk the dog at least 2 miles every evening, I do 20min Pilates YouTube videos at home 3x per week and I’ve just started doing core workouts twice a week to try and tone up the mum tum

I just exercise loads. Doesn't mean I can eat what I want every day but it does mean I have more wriggle room for cake and bread.

I have 50% of my daily calories as carbs.

If I tell myself I can't have something - I just want it more 🤦‍♀️

You need to educate yourself about nutrition and how eating lots of sugar will lead to health issues in the future.

I would recommend Food for Life by Tim Spector or follow The Glucose Goddess on Instagram.

God I think he's awful - with the good psychological stuff he does he also lapses into shaming language too. I think 1200 calories a day is too low especially with a 1 hour walk and is only going to mess up your metabolism.

His business model is surely based on repeat visits or does he do something now separate to the main programme for weight maintenance?

If they are this important to you, you need to look at your priorities. You can make yourself crave them less by going cold turkey for about 3-4 days. You'll be amazed at how the cravings drop. But what will give you pleasure in your life then? It sounds very much like an addict talking: I want to give up but I love it so much and can't imagine living without it...

Yes I probably am “addicted”. I get cravings and feel really unsettled and moody if I can’t eat something nice / satisfying. It’s psychological but I physically feel uncomfortable, it’s like I’ve got an itch to scratch.

Last time I really tried to eat healthily I lasted a week, but, like every time before, I always end up caving in. It’s like my subconscious mind is keeping tally and there comes a point where it says ‘enough now, it’s time to stock up’ - and that’s the diet over for another few months.

This is why a portion control plate might work for you. You can still satisfy your cravings but just have a much, much smaller amount.

What did eating healthily look like?

I followed this religiously for 30 days. Really enjoyed it, lost nothing.

@Blancmangemouse Sorry, ive just seen your post. No not following any particular programme, im just cutting out all the rubbish and trying to fill my plate with more veggies and salad rather than potatoes or bread. Ive also upped my walking as well which im finding quite difficult to stay motivated but now the nicer weather is here it should be easier and i know i always feel better afterwards.

Oh god, can I join? This is me. Calorie counting is well, too much of a faff for me. I always fail miserably after half a week.
I can't really go on a diet as I've two DC (11&13) who eat all meals with me. Basically every week, 6 meals have pasta 😩

@Fluffyunicorn1 how, how do you drink so much water? I have difficulty forcing myself to drink 1.5l a day, basically never make it. Then there's the issue of needing the loo in loo inaccessible places (I.e. kids activities).

How do you distract yourself from feeling hungry?
how do you motivate yourself to walk an hour a day?

I eat all that on slimming world.

This video really helps me OP.

The key message is that it is highly unlikely you will succeed in your goals if you only want the outcome. You need to learn to want to do the processes that lead to change.

I also struggle with addictive type feelings to sugar, and also spend lots of time off the wagon wondering how I'm going to deal with not eating chocolate all the time and how that feels completely unrealistic. But it is almost like an addict's denial and self deception. Is it really normal to eat unhealthy foods that we can't seem to stop eating, every day?

The problem I've had in the past as well is I do lots of things all at once so it's hard to attribute it directly to lack of refined sugar, but recently I've been only cutting sugar and the immediate difference to my mood and energy levels is so significant, it finally makes the idea of it taking a long time to loose all the weight bearable and achievable.

So my advice to you would be to "detox" from sugar for a few days, feel the difference and focus on the immediate, short term benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Then the longer term, less reachable feeling goals will fall into place.

Eat what you want but just a bit less, one or two less potatoes on your plate, a bit less pasta, a slightly smaller slice of cake than you would normally have. If you are feeling fairly full don't finish those last few mouthfuls just to clear your plate. You don't have to deprive yourself of what you like, if you make it a punishment you will never stick to it.

That's so interesting!!! I do baulk at his portrayal of Americans and their diets, particularly as he seems to get a lot of business from there, but I haven't seen or perhaps I've missed the shaming. Tbf, I may have needed that shaming as I really stopped caring about myself over covid and after that when we had a huge family crisis. I feel amazing now I am lighter and I feel so much more in control of my life, and so much healthier. I honestly don't feel like cakes or biscuits any more. Bread is a bastard, however, but I try to limit it!
Re the repeat business, I think most people seem to do two or even three courses of 10 weeks, but I don't know any who have returned after that. He does do a maintenance seminar, which is great, but I think that if the participants take on the messages throughout the 10 weeks, then the maintenance bit is self-explanatory.

I could be wrong, of course. It works and has worked for me but that could all change 😔

@Cyanchicken sorry, forgot to tag you 😊

You can still have all of those things though, just in moderation. A balanced diet can and should also incorporate plenty of tasty foods, you don't have to live off of plain salads and veg to remain in a calorie deficit. Plenty of lovely recipes online and tips. I'm a big fan of not banishing anything from your diet, if you chocolate then have a bit even every day if you like, just factor it into your cals- a freddo after dinner for example often hits the spot. Cheese with a meal is fine, just weigh it out until you're familiar with what certain amounts actually look like. Sounds tedious but honestly once you get your head around it all becomes second nature and you can lose weight whilst also not going hungry or missing out.

To be fair 4.5 stone is amazing so well done - his method obviously works well for you. Do you still count calories now or what do you do for maintenance?