What do you eat? Im trying to lose weight fairly quickly!

[lilacclaire]

I have always wanted to shed 1stone and never seem to quite manage it.

I have now restricted what I eat and have been really good (not finishing off the kids leftovers, packets of crisps, chocolates etc), but I don't want to go to far as I've never had the healthiest relationship with food.

Yesterday I had 50g oatmeal made with a mixture of water and milk, dinner was a gammon steak stuffed with black pudding and a big salad and 2 mini fromage frais.
Today will be quite similar and im planning to stick to that kind of diet mostly.
Im okay with just eating twice a day as I would rather have 2 more substantial meals than lots of little ones.
I make lots of homemade lentil soup with lots of veggies and love salad (don't like fruit).
So does this sound ok, or am I in danger of the slipperly slope to starving (like my partner thinks)!!

it doesn't really sound enough to be honest. I think you need another meal.

The thing is I really can't face breakfast, I don't start eating until lunchtime and I don't like eating later at night because it keeps me awake.
I could snack, but end up eating crap, im trying to only put healthy stuff in.

Could you manage a smoothie or something in the morning? That way you get some valuable calories and nutrients. With regards to the snacking if you had healthy snacks pre-prepared would that make it easier?

It is all too easy to give diet advice as I have read so much about helathy diets but you should see me. I obviously cannot apply it to myself.

2 meals a day is fine in theory,but that means you need lots of calories in both meals. You need carbs in your evening meal. Yes you are on the slippery slope to starving if you eat like that.
What would your bmi be if you lost a stone?
Sorry tlo sound harsh, but you did ask!

My BMI would be 19.6 if I lost a stone.

Lol Schneebly, I find it had to do the snacking without resorting to eating crisps and chocolates, so I just don't do it at all.

I tried the 'eating small meals every couple of hours' thing and I just end up scoffing way too much

Sticking to 3 meals a day most days (with the odd day where I am allowed treats like wine/choc/takeaways) plus a small snack late afternoon (danger zone for me!) and increasing my activity levels is the only way I seem to be able to lose weight.

I've lost 1.5 stones since mid Jan , and want to lose another stone by summer.

A typical day would be:

Breakfast - (8am) Porridge with fruit or 2 boiled eggs & a slice of toast

Lunch - Baked sweet potato with tuna & salad (try to have something substantial and hitting lots of food groups) & some fruit

Afternoon - Something like fat free fromage frais, banana & honey if craving sweet stuff or veggie crudites & reduced fat houmous if craving savoury

Dinner - Fish/Chicken/lentil-based dish, small amount of good carbs and loads of veg.

I try to avoid dessert of any kinbd as it starts me off feeling 'snacky' all evening.

Drink loads of water.

p.s. you can retrain yourself to like breakfast. Force yourself to eat it for a week and see if your attitude towards it changes.

Mrs Mattie well done!
I really don't have any inclination for breakfast or time for that matter!

Im planning on adding baked potatoes etc just to vary it a bit, I struggle because its just a stone and hard to shift!

The broad bmi 'ok' range is 18 to 25, but if you look at more detailed stuff it says ideally a caucasian person should be 20 - 25. 18-19 is fine if you're asian as you are likely to have a petite frame.However, I can't remember where I read that, so you'd just have to believe me!

I do think you're starving your body if you eat the example diet you've given- which means the likelyhood of keeping the weight off is low. Can you not up the carbs so you're having a healthy diet and then exercise to tone up lose a few llbs?

You need so many servings of carbs, protein and calcium rich food a day as well as 5 fruit/veg - can you not think healthy balance plus exercise?

I think Mrsmattie is spot on.

If you can make breakfast substantial, it really helps. Protein with every meal keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

Don't eat after 7pm. I tend to eat with the children at about 5 and DP heats his up when he gets in. Not the most sociable, but needs must. You also eat less as you aren't serving yourself 'man-sized' portions, rather more child-sized. (thats my theory, anyway!)

Don't drink any alcohol.

Drink water when you think you are hungry.

If biscuits are your thing, have a reduced fat hob-nob. But if you are someone who once the packet is open has to eat the lot, then don't have any. Dark chocolate really does satisfy the craving, if chocolate's your thing.

Use a smaller dinner plate. You can have the healthiest diet in the World, but if you eat massive portions, the weight still won't come off.

My best tip is write everything down. Absolutely everything.

Good luck. I've lost a stone and a half since Jan, so it does work! All the best of luck to you. I've still got a bit to go and I am flagging, but its still coming off.

If your BMI will be 19.6 when you've lost a stone it probably means that you're at the exact right weight for your height right NOW.

If you find the weight you are easy to maintain then why get into a fight with your body by dieting when you don't need to.

I bet you look lovely.

Thanks, I might add some carbs in with my evening meal once ive dropped the stone.

I have been logging things, I use www.foodfocus.co.uk, its a great wee site that has the calorie/fat content of most foods.

Listen to MrsMattie and Ohforfoxsake!

Laurie, I just dont feel comfortable like this, my 'fat' isn't evenly distributed it all sits round my middle, if I don't keep it in check I would look like a barrel with arms and legs

Breakfast is just never going to happen!

Eating after you wake up kicks starts your metabolism for the day. Its a cliche, but it really is important IMO.

Are you just not a breakfast person? What time do you have your first meal?

Yeah, im just not a breakfast person, I generally eat between 11 and 12.

I do understand@lilacclaire.

I never used to be a 'breakfast person', either.

The trouble is, you are basically starving your body from when you go to bed until midday thew following day. Your metabolism slows down, your body goes into starvation mode and you are much more prone to craving the wrong foods or just generally being starving all day as you are playing catch up.

Sorry if I sound preachy! But I really do believe that eating a good breakfast is one of the keys to losing weight and keeping it off.

Maybe I could have some soup later at night then for supper. I honestly am never going to eat breakfast lol.

That would be a really good start. I've read that oats mean you have a good nights sleep so you could have the same ceral thing then too.
I have a banana on the way to school and have eaten toast in the car,so I know about having no time!Do protein drinks/hot chocolates/ full fat lattes turn your stomach too?
If you did exercise perhaps you would feel hungrier? Do you exercise much?
Could you let go of the 1 stone target and think 'I'm going to focus all my exercises on my middle and get a toned stomach'?
You sound very stuck on this magic 1 stone target, could you see yourself as happy if you weighed the same, but had a toned tummy?

Hi, I walk about 3 miles 3 or 4 times a week, my time is really limited and its all I can fit in, plus I hate exercise as in the gym but love walking, my life if pretty active as well.
I am pretty toned, it is honestly plain fat hiding my lovely six pack .

Oh and its not really the weight per se, but I know thats roughly the amount I need to lose for it to have an effect round the middle.

Fair enough - it's just when you said you'd had issues with weight in the past.

Beware - the weight you looked good at at 18 can make you look haggard at 35 (I have no idea how old you are by the way!)

Good luck. I've just lost 1 stone, but by bmi is 25 so I'm not where you are.

I'm continuing what I'm doing and hopefully it'll keep working.
I'm eating 3 meals a day plus a snack at night, just no rubbish - so crudites and low fat dip instead of crisps and 1 glass of wine instead of 3! My meals are the same as the rest of the family except I'll have loads of veg and less of the rest.

I'm doing the moon walk so all my exercise is walking too, I wish I were toned though!

Your muscles probably are toned, but just have the fat over them same as me!

I'm hoping for my face to slim a bit as well as it used to look better in the past with a bit of weight off it, but im scared of looking haggard as well, im 33 and know there's a certain age where you've got to choose between your bum and your face lol .

Good luck, I wouldn't be even bothering with all this if my fat went to my bum instead of my waist (hate the barrel look)