Just cutting back a bit....

[OrmIrian]

Does it really work? I have never managed to do this. Only diet that has ever really worked for me is lo-carb because it forbids all my favourite foods and I lose my appetite for them. But I can't afford the vast amt of meat atm and also I can't be bothered with the hassle. I don't want to cut out fat because that is just weird! I put it on because of constant snacking and eating too much (and not running . SO in theory I should be able to take it off doing the opposite.

Will this work? Stoppin at 2 slices of toast for breakfast rather than having another one. Slapping my hand when I reach for a digestive whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Not eating more of the bar or chocolate than the kids . Serving myself smaller portions at dinner and not eating it all just cos it's there. God it sounds so bloody obvious - why is it so hard most of the time?

Oh and I am reducing my dose of citalopram atm and am hoping that might help too.

Cutting down made me lose a stone in a year - but I still ate hearty meals, just no snacks and minimal alchohol and sweet stuff.
Thing is, two pieces of toast is too light as it has no protein content; add cheese, bacon or eggs and you'll last 'til lunchtime.
You should eat a decent portion of protein at every meal, otherwise you're more likely to have cravings and hunger due to low blood sugar.
Lashings of peanut butter also good, believe it or not.
Years ago I read Elizabeth Desmaison's 'Potatoes not Prozac', resulting in me giving up sugar, and ending the mood swings and depression.
I fell of the wagon a couple of years ago and went on a cake and wine bender - still have a stone to lose.
But I know it will slowly come off again if I eat healthy foods but don't starve myself, and if I can get out of this 'I'm on holiday' mode.

thanks ourlady. Yes, I am a protein-convert! I would eat it with peanut butter, or boiled eggs! But my thing is carbs - so those are the things I tend to overeat. Which is why low-carb worked for me.

A stone would be more than enough for me I suspect. I don't actually know what I weigh or how much I need to lose but I know that my size 12s are too snug these day! And that there is my wobble on my hips than there was a few months ago!

I'm still trying to get back in to my size 12s.
Banging on again, the reason you crave carbs may be because you're not eating enough protein - or you may be unconsciously going for the 'high' of sharply increased blood sugar levels, ie you're addicted to sugar.
This might be of interest.

Oh I am addicted to sugar, I have no doubt at all. But it's an 'acceptable' addiction so I just live with it until something unbalances me (atm it's not being able to run - my last big bout of anxiety kicked off within a weeks of my breaking my foot last year) and then it gets the upper hand.

I have come across radiant recovery before. It all makes sense. But I don't want to do anything drastic. I've been there with Atkins - it was my way of life for ever! And I did stick to it for a few years - but it isn't tenable in the long term IME.

I think I've been coming to that conclusion myself recently tbh.
I managed 6 years sugar free bar the odd piece of Christmas cake or glass of wine - and it definitely helps with depression and anxiety, as well as stabilizing your weight brilliantly.

But you do get fed up feeling like a freak when you refuse dessert, or you have to look at the chocolate biscuits MIL bulk-buys for the DCs every time you open the cupboard.

I'm now trying to limit it to a couple of biscuits or a piece of cake at the weekend, but was back in the old daily habit when away on holiday.
I think that's okay, though - it's when you live in a permanent state of it being a holiday or someone's birthday that you pay for it in tighter clothes (as I can vouch, having put on 3lbs this last 2weeks).

Yep! And it gets you down after a while -I am no longer really enjoying what I am eating. It's just habit.

I got embarrassed when I went to have dinner at my parents (retired and watching the pennies these days) and they were catering for my expensive meat-laden diet instead of the usual balanced but carb-heavy meals they usually had. Other people it didn't matter - I'd just nibble on whatever was OK but mum would fret and watch me like a hawk