Most effective weight loss eating plans

[spotttyshortsmanc]

Need to lose a stone and half. Determined to do this by September.

Can everyone share their most effective eating plans to lose this amount of weight.

More a lifestyle change than a diet. Intermittent fasting (between 16 ad 19 hours) plus calorie counting (done more to show me what I was consuming/enable better choises). Gone from a size 16/14 to a 6 in just over a year and has never felt like a diet because I eat exactly what the family do for main meals I just choose a reduce portion occasionally or add more salad/veg, skip breakfast and don't snack in the evening.

My new you plan.

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but the most effective one for you, will be one that fits in with your lifestyle, free time, budget, taste preferences etc enough for you to stick to it consistently for a long period of time. There's no point people posting that they had great success on the carnivore diet if you're vegetarian, or that they only ate organic home cooked whole foods if you're short on cash and hate cooking.

Could you tell us what food you like, what food you struggle with, and what you think might be realistic for you? Then it's much more likely you'll get some useful answers.

lots of green veg, Cut out sugar, margarine, vegetable oil, highly processed food and artificial sweeteners. Cook fresh food from scratch.

Calorie counting. Use an app such as MyFitnessPal

The Human Being Diet without a doubt.

amzn.eu/d/08ZGMPBG

The initial quick weight loss spurs you on and then before you know it, the health benefits make you want to stay eating that way. Really supportive community on Instagram and the author does lots of lives.
I've been doing it for a year now, got to my target weight 9 months ago and stayed there. I can't see myself going back to my old way of eating.

Calorie deficit, no processed food and hugely limit sugar. So no bread, pasta, cereals, bars, crisps etc. just healthy pure food like meat (not processed ham), veg, fruit.
It requires a long term lifestyle change otherwise you'll just put it back on.

@Pleaseleavemealone0

I've been doing exactly what you are doing since the beginning of May and I've lost almost a stone. My aim has changed from a weight loss target to keeping the eating routine up until the end of the year. It's hard and I've lapsed but I use this routine as a default and have stuck to it about 80 percent of the time which is realistic for me to be able to do it indefinitely

protein at each meal - could be beans (6oz) or lean fish / meat (4oz), 1 piece of fruit, unlimited and loads of veg (not starchy eg potatoes)
no alcohol, refined flour/sugar, minimise fat
Weight should drop off you

Fast 800

I lost a stone in 3 months with low carb/lowUPF/more protein, 2pm-7pm eating window and 1000-1400 cals per day plus extra walking, being more active in general (not exercise though).

Fasting for me, it suits my lifestyle and personality (rubbish at moderation!).

Loads of great tips. Thank you. I am going to try the following from Monday (I am out all weekend hence not starting until then)

1. Fasting (7pm-11am).
2. Cut out sugar (this has been my downfall since being a single mother. I comfort eat on biscuits and chocolate and cakes too much)
3. Taking up more regular exercise. 3-4 a week.
4. Track my steps.
5. Low carb (I can't go no carb but just make sure I'm making healthier carb choices)

Thanks so much for all your helpful tips and advice

Yes this is working for me too and seems particularly to have helped in the areas that were more stubborn for me

Calorie counting. You can eat what you like within your allowance, so it fits in well with normal life. And save calories through the week for a treat at the weekend.

calculate your calories with the James Smith Academy calculator which gives much better results than MyFitnessPal or like. Then can’t you calories religiously on MyFitnessPal or nutracheck. Eat lots of protein to fill you up.

Ben Carpenter, and the fitness chef, on social media are also really helpful and give good, sensible advice with no fad diets or cutting out food groups.

What has worked for me (so far) is cutting out the 'bad' carbs completely (complete avoidance of added sugar, white flour, white rice and potatoes.) Drinking water instead of fruit juice and cutting down on alcohol.
Yesterday I had three shredded wheat and blueberries for breakfast with a cup of tea. Wholemeal toast and a coffee for lunch, a generous quantity of macadamia nuts for a snack in the afternoon and a chicken curry (homemade) with broccoli, followed by strawberries and cream for tea. Cup of tea and 30g of dark chocolate later in the evening. (Only know the weight because 3 of us had a third of a 90g bar each.)
I don't count calories, fast or weigh portions.
Started 13th March, record my weight every day and have so far lost 2 stone 3.5lb (four months). Would like to lose 3.5- 4 stone.
I don't even miss the mandatory bun if I go to a coffee shop - I just have a coffee.

My advice to you is to build in everything you have proposed very slowly, to establish habits rather than a diet approach

So may be introduce each step every week or so. Although you may lose less weight initially, you are more likely to keep it up for longer, and probably be a little less grumpy
while doing it.

I cycled to work every day and ate a mostly low carb, high protein diet. Cut out all sugar and sweeteners. Stopped eating crap. Lost two stone that way. But I have A LOT to lose.

Op, trying to do all this at the same time will leave you crashing out within a week. It's also a very vague plan - have you thought how you're going to achieve it?

Eg if you're going to try and cut out sugar, what are you going to eat instead to reduce your cravings?
If you comfort eat, what are you going to do instead when you're having a bad day?
What kind of exercise are you going to do? When? What do you need to get started?
If you're going to reduce carbs, what will your alternatives be?

If I sound harsh it's not because I'm trying to put you off, but you need to plan this to make it work - otherwise it becomes a stick to beat yourself with when you haven't magically transformed your life in a week!

As the above poster said, building habits needs to be gradual. An example might be trying to fit in an extra 10min walk each day, planning that when you're stressed you'll have a hot bath rather than biscuits, and focusing on eating more vegetables at lunchtime (which tends to displace some of the carby/sugary foods)

I agree this is best for some people.
But I'm all or nothing and need a 'project' to kick me into action.
I made loads of changes over a few days and it really helped me focus.
If I changed 1 thing at a time I wouldn't feel like I was doing anything. It would feel crazy to me to cut out sugar in my tea for instance, and keep eating cake.
I imagine other people are like this - so whatever suits is the right way.

Also, I don't think it's vague at all, it looks simple and robust to me.

I would add a few minutes of beginner yoga stretching per day though - it makes everything else much easier!

@ThePotholeHelpdesk I take your point that some people prefer to jump straight in, but making statements like 'I'll cut out all sugar' 'I'll cut out alcohol' 'I'll stop comfort eating' without anything in place about how to do any of that, isn't likely to give results.

I could decide tomorrow that I'm going to start saving 50% of my wages every month. But if I don't change anything and I've still got bills coming out of my account, that money won't be there come the end of the month!

I had a very similar plan to the OP and lost 15kg to get to my goal weight within a year. I have now maintained for 8 months easily as it was lifestyle change rather than a diet.

I fast 13 hours 6pm to 7am
I cut all added sugar and processed carbs including most bread, rice and pasta
I introduced weights 4 x a week
I upped my steps to 8k a day
I also cut out all UPF - this alongside the sugar was a game changer in reducing my cravings

Good luck OP, it is a great plan and very doable.

Agree that some people are moderators who can do a slow and steady introduction of small changes while others like me are better with a whole new way of life

Mumsnet's own "low carb boot camp' which has its own threads is really well thought out and has lots of support from knowledgable people and a chat thread, too

It includes drinking lots of water plus lots and lots of leafy green veg and is my new normal way of eating. It has been a revelation of how often I eat for reasons that are nothing to do with hunger.

You are planning more or less what I did OP. Started the year in the obese weight range (just) and lost 2.5st to get into the healthy range.

Now 41lbs lighter and running a 10k tomorrow when I could not run for the bus before Christmas.

It might be a strict plan but it worked for me and I hope it works for you.

Cutting out or right down on the refined carbs/UPF is key I think.