Dieting and weightloss

[John B]

I have a lot of weight to lose, 4 stone, to be more precise. I watched the movie, 'Fat, sick and nearly dead' some years ago and it really resonated with me.

I lost a bit of weight, spurred on by the movie, but have since regained the weight, and more. I am quite active, but I love my food.

I need to get a handle on my weight, as I am 52 years old and want to start living my life, if that make sense.
All the support, advice, hints and tips you can throw my way, will be much appreciated.

[love2shop]

Hello John B,

I am new here, I came across your thread while mooching around the website. It seems you have come to the right place, for a healthy alternative to the usual diet clubs, and diet, 'Low fat' foods.

It seems no one mentions food in its whole state anymore, the way our grandparents, and great grandparents would have eaten. Overweight and obesity is a modern problem and unfortunately, modern solutions are been thrown at it.

Best of luck with your journey, I wish you well. Eat wholesome food, the type that doesn't have a list of ingredients on the packet.

[John B]

Thanks for your support.

It seems a long old slog at times. The minute I put myself on a diet, I seem to spend the entire day thinking about food. I don't feel the weight clubs work as you have to have the 'weigh in', but that weight loss/gain affects my entire week. I would be lying if I said it motivated me, because when you have worked hard at the weight loss all week, then put on weight, or stayed the same, I just feel disgruntled and demotivated.

So, I decided to get off that treadmill of diet clubs and do my own thing.

[Yogi001]

John B, did you see the article on sugar? It might be worth having a look, as it explains why we keep eating and don't feel full. This might help you with your weight loss journey. Best of luck.

[Louise]

Hi John B,

I hope this site offers you lots of advice and support along your journey, more contents will be added to keep you focused and motivated. Don't forget, knowledge is power.
I hope you are keeping on track thus far. :rolleyes:

[John B]

A quick update, I changed my diet to cut out most processed foods and eat more fruit and vegetables.

Cutting out the processed foods is a lot harder than it first seems, simply because it makes you realise that virtually all of our food is processed. You only have to look at the produce aisle in the supermarket to notice that most of the store is processed food and only a small section is fresh food. This change in my diet has required a complete over-hall in the way I think about food. But, it has paid off, I have lost 4 pounds this week, but much more importantly, I feel more energised. :applouse:

[Morris1954]

So what did you eat instead of processed food? And didn't it get boring?

I tried to cut out processed food, but everything is processed, it was only when I had to cut it out that I realised how much I eat.

[Dannij]

I cut down on processed food slowly. So, I got rid of the obvious rubbish I didn't need, crisps, cake, biscuits etc, but then weaned myself off the little added calories, like ketchup, mayo etc

They seemed the hardest things to change from my diet. What I will say though, is if you tell yourself you 'can't live without' certain foods you are making the change so much more difficult.

[John B]

I'm still going strong, and finding fruit is my best friend. It is helping with the sweet cravings, which are fewer and far between.
I have to admit, I'm craving for random foods I didn't expect to, rather than the sweet or savoury options, it is more of a texture craving.

I am still working on the processed food, That stuff is far more addictive that you realise. But I recognise this as a long, slow process, a time I am happy to take to reach my goal.

[love2shop]

Society is all about the here and now, quick fix, throw away... And that is the same with our food, we are hungry, we want to eat now, not in an hours time, that's why ready meals, processed junk came about. Even the adverts tell us we are too busy to sit down and eat. With crap breakfast bars and yogurt in pouches.

Take the time to prepare whole food, bulk cook if you have to. But, processed food is a health disaster unraveling.

[John B]

Some times it seems such a slog, I have days which are stressful, and it is those days when I just want to grab a cake or something to 'make the day better', which of course it does....then once I've eaten it, and I think about it, it makes the day worse, so much worse.

I'm convinced dieting is harder than giving up any other substance, because you always have to eat and bad food, always smells so damn good.

[CharlieH]

John B, keep the goal in mind, and if you have a crap day, make yourself a bowl full of bananas, a splodge of live yogurt and a pouring of home made warm date syrup.... Heaven:angel:

All the naughtiness of sweet, processed rubbish, without the damage:encouragement:

[John B]

I agree with you, but life is about rushing. People don't have the time or the inclination to spend ages cooking. There has to be a happy medium.

[J-jay]

After watching the movie Fed-Up, (article oh sugar, sugar), I do wonder how anyone loses weight with such nutrient deficient foods available. How are you getting on John B? :confused:

[lifesaball]

I'm trying to shed a bit of weight before Christmas, but I'm in a bit of a quandary. The full fat version of my yogurt is 75 kcal, but the low fat one is 37kcal.

Surely the lower calories are a better choice, but the articles on here suggest that is not the case.

What is the best choice?

[Jade26]

Has anyone tried any recipes from Deliciously Ella? I'm not sure how healthy some of that stuff is, with all the nut butters.

[Louise]

We haven't heard from you in a while, how are you getting on John B?

[John B]

We haven't heard from you in a while, how are you getting on John B?

Thanks for asking, I have my good days and bad days. The bad days normally fall on the days when I haven't planned things well.
I'm losing weight, but slowly. Which I suppose is a good thing, but is frustrating at times.

[Teri23]

I think if you make the weight loss your only goal it will seem frustrating. Maybe re–jig your thinking, as see it not as a diet, but a lifestyle change. Let's be honest you can never return to your old way of eating, so it is a lifetime change.

Therefore the goal should be better health, rather than Weightloss.

[John B]

All is going well, I've noticed my palate for the foods I once loved has changed and I now prefer and weirdly crave more whole food. I never thought I would crave spinach! :doh

I found that the more I get into a routine the easier my diet is, I now have green smoothies every morning and I've noticed I can tolerate more and more greens, which is the way forward I believe.

I do have the occasional treat of take away food, but my mindset has changed and I don't focus on the importance of that food. Plus, I don't seem to enjoy it as much, well, not the after affects anyway.

[Gwen Jones]

Has anyone tried any recipes from Deliciously Ella? I'm not sure how healthy some of that stuff is, with all the nut butters.

I watched a programme on TV once about nut butters. I had this image in my head that they were butter with nuts added, but they are blended nuts, it's called a butter because of its texture.

Now, I'm not saying it healthy to eat loads, but the odd spoonful here and there will offer you some great health benefits.

[Dannij]

Getting rid of bread was a big turning point for me in my diet, and one of the hardest things I did.

In fact I was quite surprised by how hard it was. I didn't realise how much I used bread to supplement my everyday diet. Bread for sandwiches, soup, toast, a snack, etc

I had to rethink my meals, but now, it has become second nature to not have it and think about it.

[Rachael]

It seems that dieting is no longer about calories in v's calories out, it is about the types of food you consume and the nutrient content.

[Beatrice]

It seems that dieting is no longer about calories in v's calories out, it is about the types of food you consume and the nutrient content.

I think there has been a shift in the way we think about diets and have gained a greater understanding of how the body works and functions, even though I am sure there is still a lot to learn. I think the future of dieting will change again with the evolution of the more scientific DNA approach to health.

Gone are the days of calories in v's calories out.

[John B]

My weight loss has bought me both joy and sadness, joy that the weight is finally coming off and I can not only feel the difference, but I can see the difference. Being able to fit into clothes that have been long forgotten has given me a new lease of life and being able to manage things easier, walk and run, even turn over in bed.

In fact it is often the little things, the things you don't tell people, or you hide from others (and often yourself). Like putting your socks on, turning over in bed, walking any sort of distance, and allowing your photograph to be taken. These are huge milestones on the weight loss journey, that 'normal' people take for granted.

The sadness comes from the disappointment in myself that I had allowed my health and wealth to deteriorate so much. When I think of all the years that were wasted being 'less than myself', the constant mind battles of loving and hating myself, feeling worthless and knowing That despite being physically the largest man in the room, psychologically I felt like the smallest.

For most of my life I saw weight loss as being something to endure, a punishment, a torturous cycle of exhaustive exercise and tasteless food. It was a constant battle of brain and bulge, I feel I have wasted many years of my life and sometimes I stop to wonder where I might be now had I taken the other path.

Ultimately, the battle has made me who I am, but I believe that I am only now just beginning to know myself. :applause:

[GretaSundberg]

This is a very honest account John B, and an account that I think a lot of people can relate to that feel they are carrying too much weight. I think the psychological affects of being over weight are often not considered, the social anxiety that comes with feeling you are 'different'.

I know that feeling of being the 'largest' person in the room, when really you want to be the smallest. Or have people judge you, your intelligence and social status based on your size.

[Ely]

I know people who have lost their weight, only to struggle with their mind catching up with their new slimmer size.

It seems more of a problem the longer you have been heavier, so when they have the weightloss and they are slim, they still think like a fat person, they still have the anxieties of being 'the largest person in the room'.

I think being very overweight or obese has far more problems associated to than people realise the psychological affect is huge and often the present themselves as being happy and 'jolly' but internally they are tortured.

[CharlieH]

I was watching a film called fat, sick and nearly dead, it about an Australian business man that is on a mission to get himself healthy again, he goes on a juice diet for 60 days and drives across the US, on route he comes across this guy named Phil Stanley (if I remember correctly), he is morbidly obese and a truck driver, to cut a long film short, Phil accepts help and decides to go on a juice diet for 10 days, extends it to 30 days, then 60 days etc he loses lots of weight, and looks really good and stuck with it for 2 years before he had a broken relationship and fell into a cycle of depression and self absorption. He regained a lot of weight, got helped again, lost the weight and then put it back again and now he is trying to get it off again, this time without the help.

This is a classic case where the main aspect of being overweight is psychological the weight is just a byproduct of the psychological issues. People who are losing a lot of weight need to recognise this and seek help for the reason why they eat.
It isn't good enough to say, 'I love food'. They will always be on this endless cycle of yoyo dieting if they don't get their head sorted.

[John B]

Thanks guys, it is an honest account, but I thought I would share because I can't be the only one that feels this way, or at least I hope I am not.

Food addition is tough, it is the first thing we are given and emotions are always connected to the stuff, growing up we have birthday parties with lots of sweet stuff, if we hurt ourselves we are given a sweetie to make us better, if we are happy we celebrate with food, even funerals have a food element. It is really hard, to fight the stuff, because we have to eat.