any1 lost weight on a nothing-banned diet, just excercising control and healthier choices?

[mamalovesmojitos]

i have put on nearly 4stone in the last three and a half years. used to be skinny&gorge (didn't realise it at the time)then a huge amount of events came at the same time causing this this- new baby, leg injury preventing me from walking, settling into lterm relationship, being at home all day, starting ads which made me permanently starving etc. in the last yr or so my life is back on track and now the only thing keeping me fat is habit. i DO NOT want to go on a diet of any sort. just begin to introduce exercise, eat less junk, move more etc. a life plan, slow steady weightloss. but i'm afraid that the chains of habit are too strong to be broken! anyone with advice/experience?
sorry for rant! sick of being fat!!!

when it comes to gradual changes I think realistic ones do work just nothing too much too soon - it just takes an ounce of effort. We've been getting outdoors much more lately whether it be a walk to the paper shop on a Sunday or round the nearest park as normally we stick around the house way too much and its a good change thats stuck.

I cant help diet wise as i have decided to start slimming world as I know gradual changes and the best intentions just dont get me anywhere with food - I need something rigid but good luck! Some of the small changes to make can be drinking more water, swapping foods for healthier options, pledging to eat x amount of fruit and veg a day or cutting out dessert for a fruit cocktail type dessert etc etc

yes i think the planning to eat certain amount of fruit/veg is a great idea, fill myself up on them. also getting out more. i need to challenge my thinking on food and start making slow changes that will last a lifetime. i'm so scared tho! best of luck with slimming world. have you started yet? i'm going to start food diary from tom, analysing why and what i eat...

I lost most of my baby weight (1st 10lbs) by thinking about what I really like to eat rather than what you should eat.
Diets make me hungry!
I love sweet things, but find that carbs like bread and pasta actually make me hungrier.
So I started earting fruit or a smoothie or eggs for breakfast, a piece of cake and coffee for lunch (yummmee) and something normal n the evening, but cut right back on carbs, but still had a bit of cheese butter, whatever, so the food was satisfying.
The bad news I have another stone to lose and can't seem to get back on track!!

I would recommend this book I've lost 2 stone reading this book.

thank you ambi. look at you skinny and fabulous!! . just ordered it. i'll let you know how it goes!

Def I have lost a stone over the last few months and can maintain my weight quite easily if I stick to good eating and a little exercise.

I am ready for another stone to come off so I will be watching what I eat, just good healthy eating. Homemade soup for lunch, limited takeaways etc and a bit of exercise, swimming twice a week and 3 30 min+ walks.

You have to be honest about what you are eating, if it is not strict you can easily fool yourself, picking on the cheese while you make dinner, that extra bisuit while waiting for the keetle to boil it all adds up.

Slow and steady is possible, but you have to really think about what you are eating and think about what is good for you. I am more for trying to eat my 5 portions of fruit and veg, liiting very fatty foods, drinking 8 glasses of water, couple of portions that will provide calcium and protein etc etc. I think more about what I should have rather than what I shouldn't.

Skinny, no not yet but had just had a baby and am back to pre-preg weight already. But I'd still like to lose another couple of stones. My laptop died when posting before, but that book is good if you're an emotional eater like me and really made a lot of sense about the relationship with food that a lot of us have. Let us know how you get on with it.