DIET FAILED AGAIN - maybe this time we're 7th time lucky, all are welcome

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Roll up roll up, it's time for thread 7... everyone is welcome here on our lively supportive chat thread.

Welcome @BrownFlower2 . Sorry to hear your family situation.
With your weight struggles, you'll fit in well here.
It's easy to give advice. Albeit slowly, I believe I'm on the right track. I'm trying to focus on foods that will fill me up for longer and drinking fluids. I'm making veg drinks at the moment. People will rightly think I'm odd, but if it works, I'll be happy.

Good evening all, welcome @BrownFlower2, I’m sorry to hear that you have had such a difficult time. I am a binge/boredom eater too so I completely understand your struggles with that. It doesn’t work for everyone but I find it so much easier when I don’t even try to moderate but actually just have none. If I have one chocolate or biscuit then I can’t stop. This week I’ve had none, not a single grain of sugar, and no bread (I was developing a very big sandwich/ toast habit which is 2 fold as it doesn’t fill me up but also it encourages me to eat butter, jam, Nutella, etc as well). I feel so much better and in control today than I did last weekend, I feel brighter, I didn’t have a 3pm energy slump and my anxiety is dialled right down today. It may be total coincidence but i don’t think it is. I haven’t counted calories but instead I’ve just had meat, fruit, veg, eggs, etc. So I’m not feeling deprived. I’ve lost 2lbs as well!

this weekend dh is away tomorrow all day and overnight, and I’m really looking forward to getting a few jobs done, I am prepping my sons room for decorating and I also want to put a load of stuff on vinted and sort some out for charity. Plus the usual dog walking/ football/ housework/ food shop and cooking a nice Sunday roast 😋

Habe had a pretty good weekend food-wise. DH was out yesterday which is usually a good excuse to eat loads of shite, but I didn't. I also resisted sweet foods when out and about today.
Do sweet foods bring on migraines for anyone else? Ive suffered for 25 years and alrhough they're not as bad or frequent as they used to be, I have to be careful.
I used to love cooking but I dont have the energy atm as ive got auto-immune issues. DH is gluten free and im dairy free and whilst the choice is out there nowadays, I feel a bit clueless sometimes as to what I can cook.

I don’t get migraines @BrownFlower2 but my mum does, and oddly they are often both caused and cured by chocolate 🤷‍♀️
have you tried looking at paleo recipes or whole30 recipes - they are often both gluten free and dairy free.
I have had no gluten for about a week now (and no alcohol, or sugar) trying to reduce some of my chronic inflammation. I’ve been reading a lot about cortisol and the effects of chronic high cortisol (I mean, all these things have pretty much the identical list of symptoms but this is one I’ve not researched before) and it said gluten intolerance can cause it/exaccerbate it. I definitely feel better when i don’t eat it. I’ve not snacked or binged at all this week. My anxiety levels are lower and I feel calmer generally. I’m still tired, but I haven’t fallen asleep on the sofa at all this week. Who knows? But I certainly have noticed I’m not eating it, and yesterday I genuinely just craved the texture of dough (sounds odd but I just wanted that texture, it’s impossible to replicate as well)

I have just eaten what I wanted/needed this week to get through the initial detox but from tomorrow I’m counting/tracking my calories.

I've been out with a Nigerian friend who made me some chicken and rice then tidying some of the kitchen which distracted me from.doing my usual binge. She made lots, so the plan is to just eat this for the next couple of days 😂

Welcome @BrownFlower2 it’s lovely to have a new healthy eating partner, it’s been a long time since anyone new joined and I hope you stay with us. I’m sorry you’ve had such a sad time and I totally understand eating your feelings and sadness.

i am a chocoholic and anything sweet really and I’m also greedy, which I’m not proud of but have to admit it’s true.

sorry I’ve been absent for a few days but I’ve not been feeling well (not that it’s stopped me eating). I’m sleeping very badly and have no energy which is making me very grumpy.

ive gained another three quarters of a lb this week so from today I’m really going to start knuckling down. I know I keep repeating this but I can’t go on gaining. Out of a wardrobe full of clothes I’ve been wearing the same three skirts and two pairs of jeans for the whole of spring and summer.

im doing far less exercise now my dogs are older and one is in pain so I have to do something to move more (and eat less).

like you @thenewaveragebear1983 I think eating nothing sweet is the answer. If I have a tiny amount of sugar I want more so I think from today I have to cut it out completely. Also the lattes have to go as I can’t seem to drink them without a couple of chocolate bars and biscuits. So this is my plan for this week, no sugar, no lattes and move more! We’ll see how it goes. I’m going to eat lots of veg, meat, eggs.

@BrownFlower2I used to get horrendous migraines when I worked. I was always overloaded with work and deadlines and all week I’d keep up but by Saturday morning and the whole of Sunday I’d have really bad migraines where I was sick and spent most of my weekend in bed. I left work and I don’t think I’ve had one since, so mine were obviously due to stress.

have a great week everyone and let’s see if we can all lose this week. @BrownFlower2 I’m a Monday morning weigher, when do you weigh or don’t you weigh every week?

How did you get on today @poorpaws? I’m now on day 8 of no gluten and no sugar and I don’t miss it. I would definitely say the early days are tricky, it really makes me realise how often I reach for those foods, and I tend to eat a lot more overall, but it soon calms down. Stick with it!
i was on my non working day today so I went for a run with a lady I have met by posting a ‘wanted’ ad for a running buddy on Facebook. She’s nice, she’s not anything like me, which I like. We ran 6.5km round the lake chatting non stop. Then I did find errands, came home, and curled up in bed with a hot water bottle listening to my hypnosis for anxiety and fell asleep for 99 minutes which was nice. Then I’ve had a pretty lazy rest of the day to be honest, but I need it.

i have eaten leftover roast chicken and veg for lunch, I’ve been having apple cider vinegar in juice for breakfast and had 2 boiled eggs, then dinner will be chicken leg portions (I find these to be the cheapest meat/ cost ) and probably salad. I’ve had a few pieces of fruit and a few prunes.

@thenewaveragebear1983 day 8, wow that is so impressive. I’m astounded to hear you don’t miss sugar, if only I could follow your lead. Great to hear you have a new running buddy but I did laugh when you said “ she’s not anything like me, which I like”, it just tickled me.

today has gone well so far, but as you know evenings are my biggest problem. I told DP I really mean it this time, I’m definitely losing this weight. He just gave me a knowing smile, which, without any words, said, “yep heard that one before”. So now I have to make a point.

i started the day with porridge with mango pieces in. Two boiled eggs for lunch and I’ve prepped veg (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and baby potatoes, just because that’s what I have in the fridge) to go with a steak casserole/slow cooker thing I made ages ago. Dessert will be yogurt with grapes. I have a huge punnet of grapes so that will be dessert all week most probably.

I’ve also got a lot of apples and pears from my neighbours garden which will be (hopefully) my only evening snacks. I’d already got loads of Jazz apples in the fridge and then my lovely neighbour brought me a big fruit bag.

day one going ok but it’s still early. I really do want to stop this weekly weight gain and sugar is always the culprit so my only option seems to be cutting it out altogether, and no lattes either!

@poorpawsi mean, I miss it in an ‘I’m greedy and I like cake’ kind of way, yesterday I spent a full 10 minutes really really wanting a yum yum (something I would literally never buy in a shop) , but I have been miraculously able to resist things, it’s like a few days off it and I get just that little bit of thinking time rather than finding myself with crumbs all down my top licking my fingers 🤣

Hi all. Just got back from confession for eating a couple of onion bhajis. Oh well, I'll start my diet again from now.

Dinner and dessert are done and were both very nice. Now is my difficult time when I want a latte and chocolate, starting right now is my big, big problem time until I go to bed.

i figured if I typed it out I could diminish the cravings and get through the evening. We’ll see 🤞🏻

Are tea / coffe drinks really that bad to have?

I've about two tubs of fried rice left. I won't be asking her to make any more, although could be less than what I usually eat overall. 😂
I ordered the Indian takeaway with a lower rating for someone else with the plan of putting her off takeaways 😯

@TalkToTheHand123 no the lattes aren’t that bad, about 80 calories per drink I think and the sachets I buy make a large mug full of delicious coffee but my problem is by association. If I have a latte I want chocolate too, a couple of bars so an innocent drink turns into around 500 calories and I could easily do that three times per day. The lattes for me have to stop.

last night went well, I was quite busy and then went to bed early. I thought I’d wake up really hungry because I had nothing after dinner and dessert, not even the fruit I’d planned as an evening snack, but actually I wasn’t. I’ve just had porridge for breakfast and I’ve got quite a busy day planned so hopefully that will take my mind off food. Sadly, the busy day is cleaning the house not doing anything nice.

its very early days but so far so good.

i hope you all have a good Tuesday.

I've done ok the last couple of days. Had to dash out of work for a snack (crunchie) earlier due to having a bad headache and needing ibroprufen I've not felt good all weekend as I had a migraine that lasted two days. I think it's related to sugar and tiredness so im trying to drink more water , get earlier nights etc. However I did buy chocolate on the way home and I do wonder why I sabotage myself! Ive bought a book around teaching me how to draw to do something new as a distraction in the evenings instead of eating.
One snack I used to like was Nairns Salt and Vinegar oatcakes. Sainsbury's dont stock them anymore so I need to seek some out online. They really helped when I was craving sweet things for some reason.
I totally relate to a sweet drink turning in 500 calories @poorpaws . Thing is it's so easy to do!

@BrownFlower2i think sugar is the most addictive and therefore hardest thing to give up, especially as I can eat an absolute ton of the stuff in different forms. I do have an addictive personality and I’ve given up cigarettes and alcohol in the past but trying to give up sugar seems impossible for me. I can relate to self-sabotaging too, I do it all the time and I’m very aware I’m doing it, but don’t stop.

Today has been ok, I’ve been busy and now I’m tired. I’ve prepped veg and have a huge chicken breast from the freezer which I made in the air fryer a couple of weeks ago. It’s cooked with lemon and rosemary and from the tiny piece I cut off, is so succulent, so I’m looking forward to dinner.

i hope everyone is ok and in the right frame of mind. It’s getting quite close to my dangerous time and i feel a little nervous but very aware.

I’ve also got a really addictive personality and I have had times where I just felt I would never be able to control my sugar consumption.

I’m on day 9 today and I have noticed a few things, 1) I didn’t get ‘the slump’ this afternoon, no fuzzy brain fog or frazzled feeling
2) maybe tmi but usually when I walk Maggie I find that I am absolutely bursting for a wee and many times I have to find somewhere out of view in the park for a “comfort break” or I won’t get home. Realised this morning that this hadn’t happened for a few days 🤔
I think it’s the effect of no gluten to be honest, but it’s good either way. I felt a little spark of energy in me today that I’ve not felt for a long time.

I’m eating quite a lot of calories because I’m having nuts, meat etc, as snacks because we had no fruit in. I’ve done a shop order now for tomorrow so I should be better tomorrow.

I’m starting Day 3 and so far it’s been ok. I think telling myself “absolutely not, this time you’re not having any sugar” might be helping. Before I’d think something like, “when you’ve done a couple of good days you can have a Kit-Kat” and that would lead to two, or one every day. Now it’s NO, none and I mean it.

i think Ive always rewarded myself with chocolate, always! But last night I had an apple instead of two or a lot more chocolate bars. I’m not fooling myself that it’s nearly so good but it’s better than nothing and I’d like to get used to rewarding myself with just an apple, or better still stop bloody rewarding myself at all.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I have what I call my “wee spots” on all our walks. When the dogs were younger and we had at least 3.1/2 hour walks daily there was no way I could go that long. I’ve talked to other dog walkers and apparently we all do it and I have to admit I’ve been caught a couple of times but I just own it and smile.

it’s nasty today, quite drizzly, so I’m not sure what the plan is. I don’t usually see DP on a Wednesday but with one dog permanently in a buggy and one who isn’t very good with small dogs going near her I really need him every day for the dog walk so I assume he’ll just come over, we’ll walk the dogs and then he’ll go home. For the rest of my day, I’m not really sure, probably housework again or maybe a lazy day without chocolate.

Have a great day everyone and just keep trying.

Hi all. Ah that makes sense about the coffees.

I've managed to avoid the usual binges recently, more from lack of opportunities than will power, but it's helping nonetheless.
I've done two nights in a row slow walking on the treadmill. Have a tub of mushrooms with me today for snacking to use up fridge food.

@TalkToTheHand123 I think lack of opportunity is still a very good valid reason to succeed. I find if I keep myself very busy I binge less but if I’m just sitting in a chair with my iPad for company I’m constantly thinking what can I eat next. I never seem to tell myself you’ve had enough, you’re not hungry, it’s just greediness, I just keep on thinking what’s next. This of course has to change permanently.

Mackerel on Toast for lunch for me.
@poorpaws your dinner last night sounded lovely.
I've had a takeout hot chocolate from nero earlier. Luckily I'm not really into cake so their cakes dont tempt me. It's chocolate and crisps that do.
Also had a decent walk from the bus stop as my car is in the garage today.
I feel like im detoxing off the sugar but the cravings are something else atm!

As you know, I do a lot of musing about food, it’s one of my favourite detachment activities. One that I’ve been pondering recently is this concept of certain foods being ‘treats’ when actually they aren’t, and one of the ways I’m helping myself get through is actually looking at it and assessing is it really a treat? For me the key thing is that a treat should make me feel good not just while I’m eating it or doing it, but afterwards. Very often the foods I ‘treat’ myself with don’t actually, they make me feel worse. A reward should make us feel good, a sense of achievement- rewarding myself with chocolate after a long run is like my boss rewarding my hard work with a pay cut and tearing up all my work. You wouldn’t reward yourself for cleaning your house by going round and dropping rubbish on the floor, but I reward myself for being healthy by undoing all my (really really) hard work. It definitely helps me I think.

I’m having a long day at work, did I tell you I have a new post for 6 months? So I am frantically trying to get everything neatly sorted before I move roles. I hate leaving things unfinished. I’ve made myself stop for a bowl of soup and some cheese 🧀 for lunch. I’d lost a further pound this morning, sleeping well and I definitely feel better able to cope with my stressful day.

@thenewaveragebear1983 such wise words, I had never thought of sweet treats this way but I will now. I have “rewarded” myself for many years with cake, chocolate or ice cream, my three favourite things but it’s complete sabotage. A treat to me was the fact that it made me feel good whilst I was eating it, so perhaps anything from a few seconds to five minutes, and you’re right, after that very short period of time it did nothing but make my body bigger and that’s just one of many negative things it did. My cravings are high today but I will not make myself feel worse by eating sugar.

I remember, and it’s not so long ago, when I had lost two stones and felt amazing! Now that really was a treat, I felt fantastic and I bought loads of clothes which I thought I looked quite good in and now I look awful in everything and most of the clothes in my wardrobe don’t fit me. A treat is to look and feel good. DP has a stop button, he is slim and eats quite large dinners (which he needs as he’s very active), but he can say no to many ‘treats’, he’s had a good dinner and he’s full, time to stop. Sadly I don’t have a stop button.

I did a walk in the drizzle with the dogs but somehow either my partner or I lost a dog lead. This is a very special leather greyhound lead with a grab handle at the bottom and they are very hard to get hold of in the quality that mine was so it’s ruined my day and I’m furious about it. I’ve spent the majority of this afternoon trying to research it, but I can’t find one anywhere so my mood is foul and I’m hungry and I’m craving. DP, bless him, went back over the 2 hour walk in the rain but couldn’t find it.

@BrownFlower2 I so wish I was not into cake like you but I love it! I just daren’t bake cakes or scones any more as I can just sit and eat both of these in huge amounts. People tell me when they eat too much cake they feel a bit sickly but I never do, I can just go on eating it. I’m a bit like that with crisps too when I think about it, I’ve not thought about that until now.

i’m really hungry now, so I think Id better go and prepare dinner and to be honest I don’t even know what I’m having but I’m so hungry I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

@poorpawsI think it’s just the way women are marketed to, we ‘deserve’ a treat and that treat is usually cake, chocolate or prosecco, or cocktails 🤷‍♀️ you never see a big group of blokes agonising over whether they need a cupcake or not 🤣

So do you class cheese as a treat @thenewaveragebear1983 ? 😉

I've had to cut doen on dairy as it makes my skin flare up. I usd to love cake or thought I did, but no longer seem to crave as much.

I had a sweet and sour chicken and rice ready meal during a long shift yesterday but it gave me an upset tummy. Hopefully it's put me off ready meals. I've managed to cut down on crisps and ice cream recently so fingers crossed my waistline reduces notably soon.

@thenewaveragebear1983 that is so true. I am quite a repetitive eater, probably because I live on my own. I’ve been considering this morning that my diet, discounting being repetitive, is quite healthy. I eat a lot of porridge made with skimmed milk with fruit, eggs, salad, jacket potato, cottage cheese, parsnip soup, and chicken.

The things I eat a lot of of which aren’t so healthy, apart from sugar are salad dressing, coleslaw, beef burgers, and then there’s my Diet Coke addiction 🙁

I don’t think that sounds such a bad diet but if you add in goodness knows how many chocolate bars per day, cake quite regularly and ice cream in summer, it’s obvious why I’ve got too much weight on me.

@TalkToTheHand123 I like cheese, but I gave it up years ago and I’ve never really gone back to it. I always keep a block of cheese in the fridge for DPs sandwiches but I very rarely touch it. Sometimes if I’m having a snack like beans on toast, I’ll add a little cheese, but that’s about it. I’m hoping to conquer sugar like I conquered cheese many years ago. My daughter eats no end of cheese and she puts it down to never having it as a child, I bought fancy cheeses at Christmas and Easter and that was about it. If only I could do that with sugar. I wish I could give up the cake craving like you did.

im still on track but still craving, which im sure will subside soon.

one other thing, i haven’t told anyone I’ve given up sugar, not even DP. I wonder if that’s because I know I’ll fail or if I want to lose so much weight everyone will be surprised 🤔