Going on a diet...

[Nessie]

Hallo!
After all our bread and crisp making I am needing to lose some weight. I don't really believe in diets per se as I think it's healthier to make some lifestyle adaptions rather than go mad for a few months and then put all the weight back on (which is what's happened in the past).
If anyone wants to join me to get nice and fit for the summer, please feel free to put your progress notes (and any set backs) here and maybe we can help and motivate each other...
My lifestyle changes are : -
1) Walk the dog more often and try new routes
2) Only eat the homebaked bread/crisps as part of a meal (not extra to meals!)
3) Substitute cider and wine for a couple of vodka and diet lemonades (I am not sure how long I will keep this up as I love wine!)
4) Get digging!
5) Keep a food diary. Nothing is banned, but need to be more moderate... This way I can't sneak in a few extras!

Will add more as it happens. I would like to lose 2 stone and realistically expect this to take 6 months.

Looking forward to some healthy hints and tips!

[daleclarke]

Good Luck Nessie

I have been forced onto a diet due to my MS but the big thing that has made the difference has been the Booze. As I now have to be Teetotal I have actually lost weight, I think it is because when you have a drink you also get the munchies. But also I have a better night sleep (took a couple of weeks as I thought drinking got me to sleep) and I now get up with abit more urgency (this time not from the booze, if you get the drift).

I love Chocolate and now eat only Plain, I tend not to eat so much as it feels my urge quicker. Cheese is my problem, and still have not found a solution to that one!

As for exercise, very hard to get motivated due to the pain which is worse when I fall over (I can not blame the booze now), my fault usually as I get too 'Cocky' and think I can do more than I should and end up getting too tired.

Anyway, I have to start swimming soon as I have lost a stone and a bit so have no excuse and actually looking forward to it.

My biggest achievement so far has been the money saved from the booze, I have been able to start a Home Course on RHS Level 2 Horticulture, which fills my time in the evening.

So I suppose make yourself a goal and treat yourself to a new trowel or something.

[peanut]

Hi Nessie

I'm trying to lose weight too, several stone!

Part of my regime is to eat breakfast every day, mine usually consists of oats, a sprinkling of sultanas and semi skimmed milk works out at about 250cal and keeps me full for ages. I'll then have a slimfast shake, or bowl of soup (normal not s/fast) for lunch with a high protein and lots of veggie dinner, snacks would be fruit or protein in between the day.
I've only started today, been planning it for ages but needed to get psyched up before starting!
I also find that the better weather tends to make me feel more positve about things too.

I look forward to catching up and comparing notes with yourself and others.

xx

[Birdie Wife]

Try having one day in the week when you treat yourself to puds after dinner and a glass of wine. Alcohol is very fattening in itself, let alone with the munchies, so if you're in the habit of having a glass or two after work, cut it down to only one or two days a week. And just eat less of things!

It's important to keep excericising while you do this, to keep your metabolism up.

[Nessie]

Thanks for the replies!
Well done Dale for losing a stone already! I did giggle over the "getting up with more urgency"
I only started on Tuesday Peanut, so hopefully we can swap notes over the coming few months... I have never been a breakfast person, even though I know it's the most important meal of the day. I used to have a piece of toast and marmite or a bacon sarnie at weekends, but now am having fruit and yogurt. I have tried cereals/porridge but don't like them v much.
Alcohol and lack of exercise are definitely 2 contributing factors, but I am pleased to say I am now counting my units and doubled the distance of the usual dog walk this morning! Whigger is making me a big vat of "diet soup" full of veggies and pulses so that will be lunch for the forseeable future!
Good luck everyone else who is on a health drive!

[Newbie]

I haven't really been trying to lose weight but got a dog six months ago & walking her for 30mins twice a day has helped me lose 11 lbs in six months with no diet change at all. Previously i was doing virtually no excercise at all as i work from home & sit at the p.c all day but i have also recently started doing a tone class or swimming once a week. So i think excercise is a main factor in getting it to stay off (for me at least) Good luck everyone.

[moggssue]

Can I join in too?? I started trying to lose weight about 6 weeks ago, lost around 1/2 lb a week which was fine (little and often!) but then had a couple of birthday meals and easter long weekend away and I darent get on the scales but think I've put most of it straight back on already. Very disheartening!

Hopefully now the weather is set to get better (please!) more exercise should be on the cards, together with less alcohol (one of my worst downfalls) and No More Chocolate or Crisps!!

Looking forward to losing along with you guys, we can all help and encourage each other. many thanks for starting this off Nessie!

[Tracey]

Can I play too?

I would like to lose a couple of stone. Giving up wine would be a good start as it doesn't really contribute much in the way of nutrients and it makes me hungry the next day.

I need to replace the formula

wine = relax

with something else. Any suggestions?

Tracey

[janeyo]

Hi I am on a lifestyle change at the mo - I refuse to call it a diet as when I do I get all miserable and want to eat chocolate! lol
I have been doing weight watchers since october and have so far lost 30lbs. I want to lose another stone and a half, hopefully before my holiday at end of June. The crunch for em was having second baby and putting a lot of weight on and taking him up the stairs one day and my knees hurt. I thought this was wrong at my age so it got me motivated.

I have bene increasing my esersise, digging, and walkignt he 100 feet to the chickens several times a day is helping as I don't really enjoy jumping about exersise like running.
It is getting harder now that I have lost so much but I am looking at it as a whole new way of life rather tha a temp solution.

I will keep you updated with progress and good luck with yours!

One tip I find useful is when I have been busy and think I am hungry 9 times out of 10 I am just thirsty and if I have a good drink of water it helps.

janeyo

[Nessie]

Everyone who wants to join in is more than welcome! It will be like a FREE "weight watchers" but with nothing to pay out, no rules, and no forcing people on the scales if they don't want to. I know I much prefer to go by how I feel and how my clothes fit.
I have the same problem with wine Tracey. I could quite easily put away a bottle (or two) in an evening, and once a bottle is open I find it hard to not finish it. For now, I've stopped the wine, and am having a tiny bit of vodka in a pint glass topped up with either diet lemonade (which isn't that good as full of aspertame sp?) or sparkling water made a bit more interesting with a dash of real lime/lemon/elderflower juice. A couple of those lasts me the night and is only 2 alcohol units.

[janeyo]

I buy one nice bottle of wine for the week to drink on the weekend, and (don't laugh) measure out half (in a jug) and put it in one of those massive wine glasses. Put the rest back in the fridge for next night. Then I am not tempted to keep topping the glass up as I know what I am allowing myself.

janeyo

[borage]

I would love to join in, wine is also my downfall and I really should loose a couple of stone.

Breakfast is not a favourite meal with me and I do tend to skip it rather a lot which probably doesn't help matters.

[Two_Sheds]

Good on you, all of you. It is so hard to keep motivated. Mr Sheds lost a stone in a month, but has now "given up" because the local pool has been shut, and the weight is creeping back on at a pound a week.
We are using an online planner, with graphs and everything. It works like the Grapevine, really easy once you get set up with a user name and password. The Times Health Club
The exercise chart with "calories burned" is very motivating.
BTW a bottle of wine is about 600 calories, ie a meal in itself. I'd need to garden for 3 and a half hours to burn that off, or walk for 4 and a half hours.

[Tracey]

For now, I've stopped the wine, and am having a tiny bit of vodka in a pint glass topped up with either diet lemonade (which isn't that good as full of aspertame sp?) or sparkling water made a bit more interesting with a dash of real lime/lemon/elderflower juice. A couple of those lasts me the night and is only 2 alcohol units.

I've heard of others that have lost lots of weight by switching to spirits instead of wine. Personally I avoid spirits as I get a bit carried away with my measures .

I buy one nice bottle of wine for the week to drink on the weekend, and (don't laugh) measure out half (in a jug) and put it in one of those massive wine glasses. Put the rest back in the fridge for next night. Then I am not tempted to keep topping the glass up as I know what I am allowing myself.
janeyo

My mum does the same, she has a 1/3 of a bottle wine glass and she sipps it gradually over the evening.

We are using an online planner, with graphs and everything. It works like the Grapevine, really easy once you get set up with a user name and password. The Times Health Club
The exercise chart with "calories burned" is very motivating.

Thanks for the link. Two sheds.

[Tracey]

I gave up wine completely for 3 months end of last year, I felt much healthier and trimmer. I became very aware how the supermarkets push wine at us, special offers are always at the entrance or in the window. What did it for me was xmas. It's hard to not drink when you're with other drinkers, and once you let it in, it quickly becomes a habit again.

I remember when 9 - 11% wine served in a 4oz wine glass was the norm. Now on average the wine is 12 - 13% and it's in huge glasses. The wine glasses I have, that look standard to me now, only serve 3 glasses from one bottle of wine.

I know I'm not alone, it's easy to have a glass of wine whilst cooking, a glass with the meal and a glass afterwards. That's a whole bottle of wine (600 cals). The problem is it's enjoyable, but bad for figure and liver.

Besides the wine, I don't have a bad diet (except for the time of the month when I have a day of craving and eating rubbish). I could do with more excercise. I used to walk a mile in the morning and afternoon taking my kids to school, but now they are old enough to go by themselves. My job is office based and not near enough to walk. I hate excercise classes and gyms.


Tracey