Poorly chicken

[Lavenders_Blue]

Gosh this is a fascinating thread, so interesting to hear everyone's points of view, especially those who have experience of various different diets. Lewis, the diet you did phasing portion controlled meals back in after the shakes certainly sounds one of the better ones.

 

Going back to my post about not being possible to lose 12lb of fat in a week - is it not the case that a calorie deficit of approx 3500 calories is needed to lose a lb of fat? Please do tell me if I am talking rubbish, but I thought that was the case, in which case how is it possible to create a 42,500 calorie deficit in a week? Genuine question - perhaps my info is out of date?

 

Sorry charlottechicken for totally misquoting you I suppose I was agreeing with the fact that eating a healthy, balanced diet is the most important thing, which overall seems to be the point we all agree on in this thread. You can definitely be thin and unhealthy too, that's for sure.

[soapdragon]

I heard somewhere too that its 3000 to 3500 cals to the lb! Thats why it takes so darn long !

[sadietoo]

I heard somewhere too that its 3000 to 3500 cals to the lb! Thats why it takes so darn long !

That's why calorie counting doesn't work! If it did in the course of a year you could expect a massive weight loss in fact the average is about 11 lbs ( please correct me if I'm wrong) most of which goes back on because it's just plain unsustainable.....

[dancing cloud]

Loving this thread - it's so good to be able to draw on everyone's experience, without all the judgemental "too fat/too thin" issues that usually go with this subject

 

Don't think I'd fancy a diet that left me covered in bruises

[kinsk]

I hadn't heard of the bruise side effects with some of these diets.

 

I would much rather be slightly overweight, which I am, and eat a healthy diet.

 

I often don't get home from work until 7ish and so time is tight to cook from scratch but still manage it. Like others I batch cook at the weekend. I always make a soup and then either a big batch of bolognese, some sort of pie filling, curry etc. My husband leave for work about an hour before me so we are up at the same time and I use that hour to get ahead with food prep for tea or next days lunch.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Interesting article reporting that GPs find it difficult to offer dietary advice - CLICKY.

[Alis girls]

Believe me with some people its a brick wall situation. You suggest the dietician, WW SW etc and its no no no. I can see if you;ve 10 stone + to lose its a large goal. Many hold out for the gastric bypass etc - not all its cracked up to be. Theres the getting over the op, B12 injections 3 monthly as you can become deficient - a prob if you are needle phobic. I always adv to try and lose a stone and make that a realistic goal. I have heard all the excuses under the sun . Some people wont lose wt. I too am time poor but you can plan ahead and do casseroles, pasta, brown rice etc - quickly and not with too much hassle. You can also get veg ready cook if you are feeling lazy - yes you pay more but thats how it is.

[kinsk]

I too am time poor but you can plan ahead

 

I think that is a key thing, planning ahead!

 

Every Saturday morning I sit down and do a meal plan for the week and write my shopping list then go to the shop and/or do an online order. I then know I have all the right things in the fridge/cupboards to see us through the week. On the odd occasion I don't do this the weeks meals are a much more random affair. It also saves me money as nothing goes to waste.

 

Last week we had friends over, one of which is a very fussy eater and only really eats Chinese take away. I was astounded at the cost, it worked out at least £10 per person! We both also felt awful afterwards, didn't sleep well (or in my case worse than normal) and just felt like our whole digestive systems had ground to a halt!

[The Dogmother]

Interesting articles in the press yesterday; basically the 5:2 eating plan is ideal as our bodies aren't designed to eat 3 times a day, nor to graze. Periods without food trigger our cells to go into repair mode, so those who eat more sparingly, or fast are supposed to be healthier.

[soapdragon]

Good point, DM! Same with sugar.......we are not really set up to process the large amounts that seem to be everywhere. If you think about it, sugar only really came into common useage about 150 years ago and evolution takes a lot longer!

 

Equally people have been encouraged to fill up on carbs and, IMHO, this goes back to the days when we were all out in the fields and latterly factories putting in a long day of hard physical labour. Stands to reason that we don't need the same diet now many of us are doing sedentary jobs or at least not doing nearly as much physically.

 

Its always fascinating to read 'the latest' in the media.....seems that there is a new bit of dieting info/study undertaken every week. Some making much more sense then others, of course!

[The Dogmother]

I cut right back on sugar a couple of years back, and try to have either Agave syrup or Stevia. Likewise, I cut right back on gluten... mainly because neither suit my digestion.... I feel a lot better now and my digestion works better. I do stll have some, at times, but rarely.

[redhotchick]

I've made it to Gold Membership at WW twice! I don't think that eating 3 doughnuts a day and nothing else is part of their plan.... Your friend is not following the diet but paying membership and getting weighed..

WW did teach me about portion control. I am interested in nutrition and have always been anyway.

For the past year I have been going to SW. I have lost 3 stone. My OH was inspired by my weight loss and joined in 6 months ago. He has lost 2 stone. This has not been difficult for either of us, but we have changed our eating habits.

This time I think it will be sustainable. We both enjoy cooking and eating out, and still do!

We have cut out a lot of carbohydrates, neither of us is a big fan, but we do have a wholemeal bread sandwich now and then, mash with a beef casserole, spaghetti with bolognaise and roast potatoes on Sundays etc. We like cheese and crackers occasionally, and the odd dessert. We eat more salad, fruit and yogurts.

I started running, and was doing really well but then had two chest infections followed by a stay in hospital after an asthma attack! I'm maintaining my weight loss but not got back to exercising.

[Alis girls]

Well done redhot chick - we like you have changed portion size and snack on fruit which means we are very er regular Good for bowel health as you get older It is more expensive but we eat a lot casseroles and veg and homemade soups in winter - salads in summer. Its not rocket science. I have had a little munch at the box of Roses at work this week from a grateful patient so still a sinner of sorts just couldnt help myself they were calling to me and wallop 2 coffee creams down the hatch

[soapdragon]

But that is exactly what its all about........not being absolutley brilliant or perfect all the time (not possible anyway!) but knowing and keeping track on how things are going

[Alis girls]

Trouble with chocolate is that you cant keep track of it esp if you're me. If I was on a desert island with no coffee or choc I would be miserable. Those are my 2 vices and the occ glass of plonk

[soapdragon]

But that can still be worked into a healthy eating plan....if there are no treats then life would be grim IMHO its more about being aware about your overall consumption and balancing it rather than setting unrealistic goals and getting depressed/fed up when you just can't meet the expectations that you have of yourself

[The Dogmother]

Very true Soapy; I do that too, and just compensate the next day.

[soapdragon]

The Daily Mail ( ) has a diet in Saturdays paper headlined 'Loose 10lb in 10 days' - Oh really!!!!!

[Valkyrie]

I think it's a misprint. Lose £10 per day for 10 days on some fad thing.

 

I must admit I've fallen by the wayside and my 2/5 thing is on the back burner. It was the holiday that spoilt it even though I stopped the full brekkies for scrambled eggs and salmon or just porridge. The we had a break of a couple of months followed by another week's holiday where we had our cereal for brekkies but huge dinners at night and sometimes goodies halfway through the day. But I do try and pick the healthy option - and quite often the vegetarian dishes. Sadly I just like food. Good and bad! Although I'm not a packet of crisps person (or more) and I make myself eat beetroot - tolerated raw and grated in a ready prepared salad in a packet - because it's good for blood pressure (cooked is a no no). We walk a lot. Must get back to my swimming - it's easy to find other things though - at the moment my keep fit regime is running round with dusters and the hoover to see how quickly I can clean the house and make it look presentable. The spare time I have then is to catch up with the cleaning chores that should be more regular like cleaning the extractor fan hood bits (ticked whoohoo). So when I have all that done I should be able to keep things up to date and then I won't need to skip on swimming. Although it's so easy to curl up in the armchair after all that exertion and do some sewing. Endomondo is irritating a lot now - it freezes up or just doesn't start when it says it does - gps signal lost - which was my main thing for making myself go out more regularly. But in the main I am fitter than I was for ages. My blood pressure tablets have been downgraded to the lowest dose and my blood tests are good (although must make sure I stay lower on the cholesterol side now, not in the eek zone yet). Just watching Chickvic's achievements are very inspirational, and Lewis has done so well. Not quite as easy when you get older. My problems with weight started when I was at school, I had growth spurts - I'd stop and fill out and suddenly get taller. In one of those filling out times my PE teacher called me "Thunder Thighs" and I thought oh I'm fat - although I wasn't and there were other really hefty girls and so much bigger than me in class that she didn't ridicule. Overall I was about 9 stone with was really ideal for my height. When I was working in London I got depressed and started eating and I shot up to 11 and a half stone. Changed jobs, went on a sponsored slim for the Heart Foundation and went back down to just over 9 again. Met future hubby and I still thought I was fat and so went to weight watchers because I needed to lose those extra pounds. I put on one pound and was called out in front of everyone at the way in. I hated it so much I never joined any other clubs. I did get down to my below 9 weight that I wanted but in my wedding photos now I see that my cheeks had sunken in so much and no flesh at all. Of course I hate myself now. I can blame all sorts but I am the one to blame in the main. Dieting over the years and putting on more when I stopped, depression again and the highs that food gives. I still do not like myself but I do know I need to get that mega tub of lard off me. Although with the 5/2 diety thing I haven't gone up anywhere near my worst and it's a wake up call to get back. It's changed a lot - you can eat during the day and I think instead of 500 calories, it's 1000. Anything that wakes up my metabolism has to be good. I think it does get used to routines so changing walks - hillier sometimes, flats on others keeps it guessing. But I tell you if you are doing more flat walking then going back to hills is a killer - where's my asthma puffer!!! Wheeeze! Keep doing hilly walks and amazingly how quickly you get used to them - toodle oo puffer!

 

Edited to add the 5/2 diet is the 2 days when you eat less and no carbs. The rest of the week is normal.

[The Dogmother]

Just thinking about this, my conclusion - which is pretty obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense - is as follows...

 

Calories aren't the 'be all and end all' of dieting; it's what the calories consist of that matters. Portion control is very important

 

There's no quick fix - well, there is, but you aren't likely to sustain it, and it isn't healthy

 

It's important to educate yourself about nutrition, and how food affects your body; it's a lifestyle choice, not a short term diet

 

You MUST exercise; not just for your health, but to balance the books with regards to input and expenditure where calories are concerned

 

A balance of protein and carbs is necessary, but far more protein than carbs, and a good healthy amount of fresh/raw fruit and veg.

 

Get rid of processed food; just eat stuff which you can prepare yourself where possible, and your body will run better and you will feel sharper. Ditch sugar, caffeine and gluten if you can.

 

Feeling hungry every now and then is good - if you don't feel hungry, then you don't need to eat. Periods of fasting without eating are good to help your body repair

 

And most importantly.... don't beat yourself up about the odd binge or slip; it will remind you of how 'off' you feel when you eat rubbish. Besides tea and cake are chicken soup for the soul

 

just realised that this sounds like the Sunscreen Song

[soapdragon]

Totally agree with all the above, DM! Well said

 

Have just cooked a quiche with new pots and veg for the family supper but not had any myself and got 'comments' but silenced them when I said that I wasn't hungry so why should I eat if I didn't feel I needed to? If I feel hungry later I'll have a banana! I am so keen to pass on this way of thinking to my boys. On other days I might be really hungry and eat loads but it will balance out in the end

 

Having been on antibionics (as they are called in our house) I have been off the wine for 12 days.....totally surprised myself by not really missing it. I had a couple of glasses last night but the bottle of white to go with the quiche is still unopened in the 'fridge. Again, I didn't really fancy any but I think sometimes I eat or drink out of habit without stopping to think if I really need/want it. Sometimes just taking a minute to ask myself this question stops me in my tracks!

[The Dogmother]

You're so right - I had that 'Road to Damascus moment' a year or so ago... I just needed to stop and think whether I really needed it as opposed to just wanting it, or eating for comfort.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Ditch sugar, caffeine and gluten if you can.

 

Not sure I'm ready for this though

[The Dogmother]

I haven't managed it totally H - I've always steered clear of caffeine as it makes me hyper. I have started on Dark Agave or Stevia sweeteners for that sweet kick. Gluten is one thing I find hard, and still have some, but try to make it wholemeal if possible.... my digestion is far better if I avoid it.

 

Milk was something I found hard; I have always loved milky drinks, porridge and just liked the taste of milk. I find almond milk is pretty good and I am now so used to the taste of it that it makes very little difference to my enjoyment of food. fermented milk is fine though, so yoghurt, cheese etc are fine (thank goodness!)

[Lavenders_Blue]

I like agave - is it preferable to sugar? I have never tried stevia. I love bread but try not to go mad with it, and I make my own in my Panasonic bread maker. Cake is a total weakness and rather than try to avoid it and end up bingeing, I do have a piece most days but avoid making cakes with loads of buttercream etc. I do have a very sweet tooth though

 

I can take or leave dairy. I love cheese but tend to view it as a treat. I like yoghurt and again have it most days but usually plain, low fat rather than sugary fruit flavours. Dairy free yoghurt is lovely but totally sugar laden so I tend to stick to the real thing. I am not fussed on milk and generally only use it in tea/coffee or occasionally cheese/white sauces.

 

I don't have a lot of caffeine - thankfully it doesn't seem to have any effect on me - but I only have around 3 cups a day. I drink redbush tea or chamomile tea and rarely 'normal' tea so it's just coffee that contains caffeine.