Could this be the way to lose weight, eat healthily and stop obsessing about food ?

[breakfastinbed]

Every time i try to diet i spend my whole time thinking about food, either because i become obsessed with the idea that i am denying myself, or because i am slavishly counting points or cals. Of course the more i think about it, the more i crave it. (Anyone else have that problem...?) And what's more, with two toddlers round my feet, working out calories etc just doesn't happen.

So i thought i should try to eat in such a way that i don't have to think about it at all:

I want to try to prepare all the food i will eat for a month and put it in the fridge or freezer in date-labelled portions. Then every morning i take out that day's meals and snacks knowing that's all i will eat for the day.

Same idea as getting one of those companies to deliver all your food, except cheaper and only things that i like and feel are healthy.

Obvious downside is the big initial outlay/prep/work, but i think it could work for me. Of course there is still self-control involved, but there are no decisions to make. -A bit like being a child again i guess: food plonked in front of you and that's that.

Does anyone like the idea? Fancy doing it together? Also, anyone got any ideas about how and what to prepare?

Exactly MUM23ASD ! How well you understand me! Lovely to have you on board.

As you can see from my original post, that is what i wanted to do for a whole month at a time, but so far it has proved too much effort even to do it for a day. That said, finding SpinningEm to buddy up has been enough to keep me on the straight and narrow for the first four days. Not done the planning ahead, but been pretty disciplined about small, healthy portions etc. (Not that much i know, but still feels like an achievement compared to my normal piggy standards!)

I don't think i can do it this weekend as unfortunately, like SE, i have a challenging one: I am taking my mum out for high tea for her birthday, then kids' party on Sun. Although that is going to knock me off the wagon for a bit, what i like about this system is that there is no reason not to climb back on the next day. (Unlike things like South Beach diet which i have done before and which allow for no slips at all.)

I don't suppose you fancy being the guinnea pig and doing a trial this weekend...?? I would await the outcome with baited breath. Or if you can hang on, maybe we can do it together next week.

SE, Could you decide now what you will have for lunch at the pub (chosing something sensible of course) and what you will (or rather won't) drink, and just comit to it mentally? Then the decision is made and you won't have to revisit it when you are there and faced with immediate temptation. This is the same principle that i am always banging on about.

OMG just had total blowout 2 days!! I have no self control what so ever! Sorry BIB it just went totally wrong - how've you been getting on?
Mum23ASD welcome - are you trying the portion sizes this weekend? Good luck if you are!
Well BIB the scales will be horrid to me tomorrow I'm sure!

Don't panic! It was your daughter's birthday and you celebrated. That's fine! Try not to sit there berating yourself, otherwise it's a waste of a lovely blow-out: I say enjoy it and enjoy the memory of it and don't spoil it with a crisis of guilt.

Don't know about you, but i always find it v v difficult to rein myself in again after a binge. I always think 'in for a penny, in for a pound' and keep on packing in the chocolate (or bread and butter, or crisps, or cheese, or etc etc).

This weekend i also had a big blow out on Saturday and then (miracle!) i actually stopped and turned sensible again! I'm sure it was knowing you were there that made it easier this time SE.

How about you? Is it still going on or are you on the wagon again? Thinking about it, it was also the weighing that made it easier this time. I've actually been weighing myself most days this week bc i wanted to see how quickly eating habits translated into weight loss/gain. To my surprise (doh!) i found that it does go up when i pig out, and it does go down when i eat less, and that the effect is pretty immediate. So for the first time i really accepted that the sooner the binge ended, the sooner i could turn around its effects. (Yes i know -I'm a bit slow to catch on...).

So sorry for huge post, but i just wanted to encourage you not to feel too bad about the weekend, and to stick with it!

Happy Birthday to your DD by the way.

How's it going Mum23ASD?

SE, do you think we should postpone our weigh-in until Tuesday this week to give ourselves a chance to regain lost ground?? Would that be cheating, or just good sense?

Thanks BIB for your encouragement, you do make sense, I think I may also weigh in during the week to hopefully see some loss which will hopefully encourage me!
Am so impressed with how sensible you were over the weekend! Well done - now you've done it once I'm sure the next times will just get easier and easier!
Yes a Tues weighin sounds just the thing.
Am going to try & have really good week as am away at the weekend

Whoops! -I can dish it out but doing it is another matter. Maybe i was high on the success of the weekend, but i went a bit wobbly today: I made the kids sausages and buttery mash for supper and i just couldn't resist...
As you agree, I think i will stay off the scales today and have a really good day tomorrow.
Goodnight.

Are you there SE? As usual i can never get to the computer until quite late.

Just weighed myself and i'm down 2lb. I guess i should be pleased as it's right on target, but from experimenting this weeks i realise how quickly and easily weight fluctuates (on day 4 i was 4lb down for example). I suppose the weekly weigh-in only tells part of the story. -The important thing is the pattern over a few weeks or even months. So no quick fix i guess. -Drat.

Let me know how you are.
xx

Hi BIB - well done 2lbs is great - if you can do that every week then you'll be well on target!
I stayed the same BooHoo but am focused again now & ready to be sensible! I've actually been signed off work with emotional exhaustion of all things - guess I was doing too much - on top of my NVQ & 3 kiddies I work in a preschool & run my own training business!! So I have 2 weeks to supposedly sort my life out & hopefully this will include re-educating my eating habits ha ha!

Hope all good with you
xx

OMG SE! I'm in awe of all you manage to do! I'm so glad that you have been given a breather by your doc. -Sounds completely overwhelming. Will you be able to really relax for a bit? I guess it's important that you don't let kids and NVQ etc fill this little bit of space that you've been given.

Feeling swamped by life is exactly what often drives me to food: If i finally find myself alone at the end of a long day, I eat (too much and the wrong stuff) almost in a spirit of defiance towards everyone and everything that seems to be controlling me. -It feels like a bid for freedom although in reality that's a very childish attitude i suppose. Do you think your eating habits relate to your busy life? I'm sure if i had your workload i'd be living off chocolate and wine!
xx

Yes that sums me up wine & chocs!!! Feeling less stressed today & not missing work one bit!
So, how's it going with you - are you still motivated?
xx

Hi BIB - how r u? I know it's hard for you to get to the computer until late - can't believe this is now nearly week 3 of our plan!

had a bad week- my period came on thursday (so explained why i ate everything sweet in sight on tues/weds!)

Have now also cracked part of my tooth so have a really rough edge...and ALL eating is difficult...however....chocolate melts just nicely....
so am fed up as i shopped on monday for loads of stuff that is 'healthy' and now am not in the mood at all to eat it!!!

best bit is...i am a phobic as far as dentists go- and deserve this tooth prob as i haven't gone for 6 years...

so the positive that came out of this...is .... IF i'm going to lose weight and wear all the lovely clothes i have which is far to small.... then.... i will get my teeth sorted too....

My 'reward' for losing weight is a Tummy Tuck... but i have to get to a BMI of 25 ...the 'healthy BMI"...that is what dh has agreed...he's paying...

And i got thinking...if i'm planning that...then surely i can face the pain at the dentist????

Hi SE, sorry to have gone AWOL for a couple of days. -Just didn't find a minute to sit down here.

How are you? Are you managing to unwind? I hope so.

Can't believe it's 3 weeks either, although i think i will only count from our first joint weigh-in which was only 11 days ago.

The motivation is still there most of the time, but then so is the temptation. All is absolutely fine until i have to buy or prepare rich food for others. -My resolve just melts. Also i'm going to have to battle my impatience and disappointment at tiny or non-existent weight-loss and carry on regardless.

How about you? Being good?

Hello again Mum23ASD. Sorry you've been having a hard time. Hope you are able to overcome your dentist phobia. I think it's unsual for dental work to be very painful if you are properly anaesthetised. (Or that is my experience and i've had LOTS.) Of course it can be uncomfortable, but i bet your fear is worse than the reality.

If you manage it, you can really congratualte yourself for overcoming your anxiety and take it as evidence that you are someone who can meet a difficult challenge head-on. -Inspiration for changing our eating habits maybe...?

(Sorry that was meant to be 'your eating habits', not ours.)

well, have weighed myself and am only 1/2lb over what i weighed pre-period...

and have found some tooth repair filler in tesco- so am managing to keep tooth from catching on my tongue...so that's cheered me up as it was really pulling me down.

now 'all' i must do is find a dentist who is prepared to 'treat me gentle'....

so sorry i have not been much help/support to you both...hopefully this week i will show you what a team player i am! You have been so nice to me.

Hi - sorry to have not been v.talkative recently BIB how's it going? Did u weighin today?
MUM23ASD - I do sympathsise with your teeth - I'm lucky enough to have been blessed with good teeth but that doesn't stop me from literally having dental nightmares - & poor u PMT on top OMG
xx

Hi, No -too chicken to weigh in today! Aren't i pathetic? Thought i would give myself 'til tomorrow like last week... I need you to give me a bit of kick up the backside. -Slipped right back to old habits this weekend.

Are you ok SE? Are you worrying about restarting work? Are there any changes you can make to avoid getting overwhelmed again? (Sorry if you'd rather not talk about this.)
xx

No you're not pathetic BIB - if you were you wouldn't even be making the effort at all! You say you slipped back into your old habits over the weekend - are there certain triggers that always happen over the weekend?
Remember you did lose last week so don't be
scared to weighin today!
Am still feeling a bit over whelmed with life & TBH I haven't weighed in either!! I will tomorrow though,
xx

Sorry for delay: two v poorly kids. -Very snotty, very grotty, very needy.
Be back properly soon.
xx

HI BIB - hope your little ones are better!
Well I feel as though I'm finally back to normal thank God!!! or as normal as I'll ever be lol! The only good thing to come out of it was I lost my appetite and lost 4lbs!! Bet I've put that back on now with my celebrating!
Hope you ok & feeling up beat - did u weigh in last week?
xx

Hi SE, How are you?

So sorry i've been such a useless buddy lately. -Things just piled up and i just couldn't find time to log on.

I suppose i have to admit that it was also bc i didn't want to admit to you how bad i'd been: I've been eating for England and didn't have the courage to weigh in. It's quite simple: when things get difficult and i can't get a minute to myself, i resort to food for comfort.

But i had a revelation today! -I managed to do a couple of hours work for the first time (!) since my DS was born. And then for the rest of the day i had no desire to binge but instead I ate in a normal and sensible way.

I'm sure that is why you see so many overweight mums pushing buggies around all day: Fulltime parenting of little ones can leave people feeling bored/lonely/unappreciated/unproductive/servile (as well as all the good stuff of course), and eating is one small and ultimately self-defeating way of eeking out a bit of space for yourself.

In other words, if i only had a little bit of time to myself and some satisfying work to do with it, then i think my relationship with food would go back to normal.

Enough rambling on! I am so happy to hear that you are feeling better. Have you gone back to work? And how cool that you lost 4lb as a bonus! Well done you for looking after yourself a bit!

xx