Weight Loss advice

[birdiefly246]

Wow well done for overcoming your anarxia... that makes perfect sense it’s a business after all

Thank you that is so kind. I have my bad days but I try my best.

I always get really upset when I see people so down about their weight! You can only love yourself into change. It doesn't come from hate. You should never hate yourself. Life is too short

 

[Bluerabbit123]

Worst thing I ever did was slimming world. I used to be able to eat a 'normal' diet which was balanced... now I am all or nothing and binge eat as soon as I try and lose weight. Has seriously warped my brain and I dont know how to go back to normal

 

[birdiefly246]

Worst thing I ever did was slimming world. I used to be able to eat a 'normal' diet which was balanced... now I am all or nothing and binge eat as soon as I try and lose weight. Has seriously warped my brain and I dont know how to go back to normal

Have you tried a self help book? There are some that get to the root cause of why we binge which is really helpful. I found that my binges came from emotions not actual hunger. I still have moments where that happens and I still have moments where I tip back into the starving cycle but it's much better now

 

[Peggy5]

Worst thing I ever did was slimming world. I used to be able to eat a 'normal' diet which was balanced... now I am all or nothing and binge eat as soon as I try and lose weight. Has seriously warped my brain and I dont know how to go back to normal

I completely agree with this - I joined to lose baby weight and it’s completely messed up the way I think! I just want to go back to eating a balanced diet

 

[Bluerabbit123]

I completely agree with this - I joined to lose baby weight and it’s completely messed up the way I think! I just want to go back to eating a balanced diet

I am glad it's not just me

Have you tried a self help book? There are some that get to the root cause of why we binge which is really helpful. I found that my binges came from emotions not actual hunger. I still have moments where that happens and I still have moments where I tip back into the starving cycle but it's much better now

A lot of it is boredom and emotions with me or if I'm by myself, I'm a secret eater. Although I do know as soon as I try to diet or lose weight I start again.

 

[Mercedes12]

I do think your mindset around eating makes so much difference. We always categorise foods as good or bad and if we eat “bad” food, end up feeling guilty and usually throw the towel in and continue eating unhealthy instead of accepting that we have had a treat and knowing one meal or snack won’t undo all the hard work.

I’ve learned recently that the most effective tool is calorie deficit. I used to think that losing weight meant eating salad and avoiding bread/chocolate/carbs at all cost. During lockdown I’ve lost half a stone through tracking my calories to create a deficit and exercise - and I’ve still been enjoying little treats (chocolate, takeaways) and eat carbs but just counting and tracking everything.

 

[birdiefly246]

A lot of it is boredom and emotions with me or if I'm by myself, I'm a secret eater. Although I do know as soon as I try to diet or lose weight I start again.

After I recovered from anorexia I used to shame eat really badly. So I’d not eat around people but then I’d eat McDonald’s in the car on the way home and stuff like that. I once ate kfc for 6 days in a row in secret.

I ended up back in counselling for abuse and after discussion we linked it to shame and just craving something to make me feel better xxx

 

[Oldbutnew]

I used to do weight watchers and lost nearly 5 stone, many years ago and found it relatively easy, going to group and getting weighed was a big plus. As most people when they ‘slip’ back into old habits, I started piling it back on. In this time WW had tweaked there plan from pro points, since then it’s changed twice I think. Not weighing in at group anymore meant I was lapse. I now use MFP and made my own calories as there suggested number is fairly low with no wiggle room. I’m finding it a lot easier to stick too and if I want something “ naughty” so be it. I subtract the calories. When they’re gone, they’re gone. But what works for one, doesn’t for another. It’s trial and error.

 

[JoeBloggs]

I’ve done my first full week on nutracheck check. I’m trying to be thoughtful about when I’m hungry and getting used to food with lower calorie density to fill me up more.

I’m really proud of today’s weigh in (happy to share but don’t want to upset or trigger anyone) and I feel free from food. It may be short lived but at the moment I feel wonderful.

 

[orangelolly]

Is nutracheck a free app?

 

[JoeBloggs]

Is nutracheck a free app?

It has a free version, but its quite limited so I pay £3.99 a month for premium.

 

[it’s not been changed?!]

This sounds dumb, but how do you track calories when it’s something like a spread of jam on toast?!

 

[Oldbutnew]

This sounds dumb, but how do you track calories when it’s something like a spread of jam on toast?!

doesn’t sound dumb, on My fitness Pal, I’d estimate the grams, eg, 15g and put the make of the jam , be it a brand or supermarkets own. most things can be weighed.

 

[hrh89]

This sounds dumb, but how do you track calories when it’s something like a spread of jam on toast?!

If you get a food scale (you can get cheap ones in Argos mine was like £5) you can weigh it that way if you really want to be certain. This might sound extreme but you’d be surprised how little things like spreads do add up. Peanut butter is a devil! I have to weigh it or I end up eating probably triple the serving size
The calories on the jar will usually be per teaspoon for spreads so it will give you an idea already. Jam tends to be about 30 calories per teaspoon/15g for your standard strawberry jam.

 

[Bluerabbit123]

This sounds dumb, but how do you track calories when it’s something like a spread of jam on toast?!

Put the jar on the scales, take out what you want then work out the difference x

 

[it’s not been changed?!]

Brill. Thanks for your help. Maybe I need to step away from SW and calorie count I think I have 8 weeks left of my 12 week countdown at SW, so once I unpause my account, I’ll go for the 8 weeks and leave (because I don’t want to waste the money I paid for the countdown ) I’m going to have a look at my fitness pal, too.

 

[black ripped skinnies]

I was with sw for about a year and I've not been a member for about 3 years now and still have disordered behaviour around food. Joining was the worst thing I ever did. I'm now stuck in a binge and restrict cycle and the heaviest I've ever been.

I could have wrote this myself! I lost 4 stone with them in about a year and a half, went through a tough time and it just completely buggered up my eating. I'm now 2 years on and a stone away from my heaviest!
Have been trying so hard to break that cycle and re-educate myself about food.
I'm calorie counting and using my Fitbit now, so far so good x

 

[fmmac]

I could have wrote this myself! I lost 4 stone with them in about a year and a half, went through a tough time and it just completely buggered up my eating. I'm now 2 years on and a stone away from my heaviest!
Have been trying so hard to break that cycle and re-educate myself about food.
I'm calorie counting and using my Fitbit now, so far so good x

It's just so damaging. I'm calorie counting too but trying to be relaxed about it. I'm also trying to be neutral with language so not labelling things "bad" and "healthy". I hope to have a normal relationship with food again one day!

 

[Lalla]

I've done SW 3 times. First time, lost 4.5 stone. Got bored and gave up going. Over next 2 years regained 3.5 stone. Joined again, different group, but still didn't enjoy it. Got back to a similarish weight. Gave up. The slight difference the second time was that I did start going to the gym, which I really enjoyed.

Anyway, was then in a relationship and over next few years got 'comfortable'. 4.5 years on, I was basically back to my original weight. Rejoined a third time, this time lost 7 stone in a year and got to within half a stone of target. That was last September. I dropped off it for a few months due to personal tit, rejoined in January, had gained a stone. Had lost 10lb of that prior to lockdown.

Since then I've not weighed myself but I think I have gained 1-2 stone (based on which clothes are now tight and/or don't fit) due mainly to eating chocolate, far too many carbs (bread, potatoes, pasta) and not exercising. Oh and the break up of my relationship (which as he was my best friend and I don't really have other friends) has been pretty crappy

However am now trying to do at least 30 mins exercise a day, and watch what I eat. Hopefully at some point I'll be brave enough to get back on the scales!

What I found made the difference the most recent time was cutting my carbs massively. I'd always done the unlimited pasta - however I love pasta (Italian heritage) and could eat massive quantities. When I lost the 7st, I only had pasta and potatoes 2-3 times a week max. And tbh I didn't miss them after the first couple of weeks.

Re the binge eating - I've been a binger for 20 years (as a result of a past abusive relationship where eating was my only comfort), so I can't blame SW for that. I will only really binge on snack food or bread. I keep all my bread in the freezer, and try to keep all snacks to under 100 cals per item. I relaxed this at start of lockdown and bought biscuits and chocolate (my nemesis) mainly to keep my now Ex happy (didn't work!). Have now stopped this...if it's not here I can't eat it. I never have the urge to binge on fruit sadly!

 

[ScrambledEggs]

This sounds dumb, but how do you track calories when it’s something like a spread of jam on toast?!

Measuring spoons are great too. Usually a jam jar will say per g or tbsp. I use the measuring spoons because I was using an Insane amount of peanut butter thinking it was just a scrape...