Small changes to get rid of weight

[RainDropsStorm]

Hi all

I really need to loose weight. I am over 13st and 5ft.

Can anyone suggest any small changes/swaps I can make to become more healthy.

What worked for me was drinking camomile tea in the evenings instead of munching on chocolate. And weight training using the app Fiit.

I'm back on the chocolate now because what is life without chocolate, but I've kept up the exercise - because what is life without endorphins :)

Don’t drink fruit juice, if you do. As much sugar as coke and no fibre benefits. Try no sugar squash instead.

Cut out processed sugar during the week, limited amounts on weekends
Obviously cut way back on booze if that applies to you - weekends only and limited amounts
Make sure you have plenty of veg on your plate at lunch and dinner
Plenty of protein at every meal
Cut down on carbs, but don't cut them out
Home cooked food as much as possible
No second helpings
Fruit and / or nuts for snacks
Drink plenty of water every day
Try to get as much sleep as you can
Move every day, fresh air if at all possible

Time Restricted Eating, Easy to do when you get into the swing of it and IT WORKS.

I've been doing it for over 3 years, land have kept weight off.

Only eating in an 8 hour window, and making sure you eat the protein in your plate first, followed by veg and lastly carbs.

Depends on what you eat and your lifestyle!

But I’d start with no food after dinner and a 30 min brisk walk every day.

@Likeaburstcouch I am not really a fan of chocolate more a savoury person. I walk for a hour most days and do enjoy it. Will buy some camomile tea and dig out my weights. Crisps is my downfall.

@TheOGCCL oh I never knew that 😳 I drink fresh orange with the bits and cranberry juice. Aldi ones.

Plan your meals (and snacks if needed) - have a time each week you shop and prep. Shop online if possible.

Eat something every 3-4 hours (I know fasting is fashionable, but I find life easier to navigate - ie I am less likely to faceplant in a cheesecake - if I don’t get over hungry - a bit hungry is fine)

Eat protein and fibre with every meal.

Get enough sleep. Lots of people eat loads more when tired.

If you aren’t loosing weight, check your calorie deficit and adjust - you probably will do fine by eating healthily though.

Make things as easy for yourself as you can. If you don’t like cooking and can afford pre-prepped veg then get them. Have some ready meals (made by you or a shop) in the freezer, and an option get food down you instantly if you are ravenous or v tired. Eg eggs on toast.

Don’t have temptation in your line of sight - put cereal in the cupboard, office biscuits in a tin.

Build up your steps and - slowly - an exercise habit. Exercise doesn’t do much to help you loose weight, but there’s plenty of evidence it helps you keep it off.

Don’t be too strict - it often feels easier to totally ban things than have some treats but the reality is you will almost certainly fall off the wagon.

If you have an emotional relationship with food, work on that via books or therapy if needed.

@Lottapianos that's a fantastic list thank you. Our meals always have potatoes of some sort, will reduce them. Will cut down the wine.

@Mrstwiddle @Livedandlearned is that like fasting?

@ItsMyPartyParty I walk most days for a hour. I mainly use fresh ingredients and cook from scratch. I have a office job from home it's done my weight no favours. I have no excuse to not exercise daily I could fit it in.

If crisps are your downfall literally do not buy them.

just don’t have them in the house. At all.

Yes, I follow the 16:8 interment fasting and when I do it properly it works well.

@theduchessofspork that's amazing thank you. I do go for long periods without eating then get hungry so snack on cake/crisps etc. I could chop some celery or carrot sticks to snack on.

@GreatGateauxsby think I will do that and just buy them at the weekend for a treat.

@Livedandlearned will read up on it.

Trying to think about my diet and cooking methods. I use oil for cooking what could I swap that with?

If you have something sugary have something with fibre like shredded wheat. It stops the uptake of some of the sugar.

If you eat pasta and rice precook them and reheat them for the meal. It halves the calories and much of the starch turns to a fibre. There is a Dr Mosley documentary on this.

I find using an app to track my calories helpful. Somethings have really high calories and I will likely never eat then again such as Blue Riband.

Plan snacks. If you like crisps try something crunchy like snackajacks which have savoury flavours. I have a snack at 3pm. I also find it helpful to have the main meal planned and ready to go.

Don't buy bread. Options hot chocolate for a chocolate hit is 40 calories.

@muchalover I do eat a lot of bread. Will try snackajacks.

Thanks so much everyone this has been a eye opener for me. I buy full fat mince, will buying the 5% mince help?

Fewer carbs so less bread, potatoes and pasta. When you have them limit the portions and have more of the other stuff, so if it's e.g. fish, new potatoes and spinach have more spinach and fish than would seem usual and fewer potatoes. If it's pizza have a smaller portion and make up with vegetables. Balance the plate in a different way.

No sugary drinks at all - definitely no adding sugar to drinks etc.

Protein-y breakfast rather than carby. E.g. scrambled eggs and salmon rather than a bowl of cereal.

More fresh fruit and vegetables. Treat yourself to the ones you really like.

Cut out milk chocolate. It's highly addictive and fattening. Switch to 70 or 80%.

Thank you @waistchallenge that's really helpful. All our meals/foods are bread, potatoes, pasta we are really heavy on those foods. I don't add sugar to anything and have maybe three cans of coke a month.

Reading this thread has made me realise how stodgy our diet is.

I've lost 2.5 stone since August having changed a few things:

Given up chocolate (I was definitely addicted).

Stopped seeing food as something necessary for enjoyment and more as nutrition. For example, if I go out for a meal, I don't treat it as a 'treat' and still choose something healthily. Eaten healthily does not impact my enjoyment of spending time with friends/family/being out for a meal.

I tend to eat one meal a day at the weekends.

I walk everywhere I possibly can.

Stopped snacking outside of regular meals.

If you snack in the evenings, try cleaning your teeth after your evening meal. Don’t wait till bedtime. It’ll put you off wanting to eat.

From what you’ve said, actually I would start with changing nothing, but using a calorie tracker to see how many calories you’re eating. Learning where your main calories are consumed is really important. Track them - non changes - for a week or two.

Then start to make changes. Use a TDEE calculator to work out how many calories you need to consume to lose weight. Include your standard level of exercise. Don’t add calories for additional exercise. Measure against that and your protein intake - 2g of protein per pound of your goal weight (so if you want to weight 100lb, you need to eat 200g of protein a day).

The NHS Diet and physical activity.

Try and eat as much whole foods as you can. Eating lots of different fruits and vegetables will help. Cut the fruit juice, stick to water/tea/coffee and squash if you can.

Maybe have slightly larger main meals to curb the snacking in between?

Good luck op!

Ah, who else are you cooking for? If it's teenage boys then the carb thing doesn't apply! 😁

@ItsMyPartyParty 100g of protein? That's a phenomenal amount. Not that I'm disputing it, I'm just surprised! I'm sure I don't hit any like that figure, even though I'd been advised to up my protein on here and tried to follow it. I just don't think I eat a total amount of food that would even allow that to be possible 😕

if you can bear it, cut milk out of tea and coffee. Just a small bit of milk in tea or coffee raises blood sugar and if you're drinking lots a day that's like having a snack lots!

Skip breakfast. Always a good one to stretch out before first meal