Frustrated

LegacyUser

Well,

As of late i've gained quite a bit of weight and before the fattist brigade come on here with there lynch mob, please don't. Anyways the weight gain was due to medication,my medication was swapped some time ago but the weight has still not budged. I have been out walking about 4 evenings a week for the last month and eat a good diet in general. I only allow myself have a treat once a week, and can't remember the last time I had a take away. I drink very little alcohol. I don't drink fizzy drinks, eat fried food, low fat milk, low fat butter if I use it, I only have either a small scraping of either low fat mayo/butter if I have sandwiches which are always granary/brown bread. I eat loads of fish and salad stuff, turkey rashers instead of normal ones. I weighed myself the other day only to find out i'd gained more weight. Has anyone had any experience with this and how did you get the weight off. I am going back to the gym but wanted to wait until I get the weight down first and the fitness levels up a bit, I walk between 40 minutes and 2 hours when I go walking so it's not just 20 minute walks. Any advice would be appreciated.

Phlann

You should post a thread in the fitness forum and list everything you eat in an average day (and no fibs). They'll tell you where you're going wrong.

I can tell you straight out that you're going to need to start cutting out bread. If you're looking to lose weight, and your only exercise is walking, you should be trying to keep that at one slice per day.

This is pretty basic biology. If you consume more calories than you burn, you're going to gain weight. So you need to work out your basal metabolic rate (ie the amount of energy your body expends simply living and going about your day - there are loads of BMR calculators on the web) and also what your daily calory intake is, and then try to either reduce it or burn more to compensate.

Walking is not a great exercise for weight loss either, btw. You need more intensive cardiovascular work like running, cycling, swimming etc. You are not going to lose weight without breaking a sweat!

And tbh I would just join the gym now and get them to give you a program. It's hard to stay disciplined if you're doing it at home.

LegacyUser

Maybe you're not eating enough and your metabolism has slowed down?

Do you eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day? Do you leave big gaps between meals?

Kimia

I agree with some, but not all of your points Phlann.

I don't agree that you need to give up bread. I eat brown bread loads and I've lost weight with it, although I don't really need to.

I also think that walking is a great exercise! Gyms are great but sometimes not realistic for some people, and walking is better than no exercise.

The main thing is to understand that healthy eating is a lifestyle, not a diet. It's forever, and once you adopt this way of thinking, you'll find that weight will fall off.

Look up your basal metabolic rate and reduce it by 500 per day for now to get down to a desirable weight, and then maintain it through the knowledge that it's not a diet, it's a way of life.

S23

You could try the health and fitness forum. A lot of the advice you will get in there will be conflicting though. In my previous incarnation (before the site got hacked) I went in there asking for advice. I was sorry I did. A lot of the people that replied seemed to be uber fitness freaks who thought I was 'disgusting' for not wanting to eat anything they didn't appprove of. Now I'm just your normal Joe Soap who wanted to lose some weight. I didn't want to get into their mad regimes that they live as a lifestyle.

What I will say is that your case looks strange on the surface of it. You should be losing weight (if not a whole lot of it) if you exercise and eat well.

Catch all advice like don't eat bread (no disrespect Phlann) will only get you so far. We are all different. I needed to cut out carbonated drinks mostly to help shift weight. Plus I ate far too many peanuts believe it or not. Now I still eat pasta, noodles and potatoes (all complete no no's according to some) in reasonable portions as part of a healthy diet and I have lost 40lbs (215 to 175) and am still dropping a couple of lbs a week. Its about working out whats right for you.

EDIT

Kimia is right. The basic idea is eat 500 cals less than you need to do to maintain your weight. Do this every day and it leads to 3500 cals lost a week. 3500 cals = 1lb lost. Thats the basic maths

If you want to send me a PM with what you eat in a day or week, rather than post here, then feel free. I'll give you my non biased, non crackpot keep fit looney, been there done that myself, advice

Phlann

Well we can only go on what she's telling us. She sounds like she's conscious of what she's eating and getting exercise as well, so it's clear that something isn't working here. My money is on the diet.

And it's true, she might still lose weight while still eating breads and pastas and doing some walking... but it's not working so far, and I think she's guaranteed to lose it by reducing her carbs and ramping up the intensity of the exercise.

It's difficult to say anything for sure without seeing her full diet though.

Kimia

True. Can you post a diet in this forum?

Phlann

Don't know. If she does, the mods will probably move it to Fitness anyway...

S23

Phlann wrote: »

Well we can only go on what she's telling us. She sounds like she's conscious of what she's eating and getting exercise as well, so it's clear that something isn't working here. My money is on the diet.

And it's true, she might still lose weight while still eating breads and pastas and doing some walking... but it's not working so far, and I think she's guaranteed to lose it by reducing her carbs and ramping up the intensity of the exercise.

It's difficult to say anything for sure without seeing her full diet though.

Yeah I agree with you completely. Sorry if it came across otherwise. What I was trying to point out is that you need to find out what works for YOU. A look at the diet would be a massive help

How Strange

+1 for moving this post to the fitness forum. You'll get more advice there.

OP, if you've put on weight because of your meds then you need to cut back on your daily calorie intake to kickstart weight loss. I'd suggest opting for protein over carbs i.e. eggs for breakfast, soup or salads with chicken or fish for lunch and again a protein/veg dinner with a very small portion of carbs. If you're eating bread at least make sure it's not sliced pan and maybe choose ryvita over bread for lunch if you need something. Also, buy yourself a good cookbook with healthy receipes and experiment a little with ingredients you probably never really use like pulses, chickpeas, lentils, beans.

Also, would you consider jogging? Walking is a good means of exercising but for weight loss you might benefit from alternating between jogging and walking. That means you're getting your heart rate up and starting to sweat a little.

You should also consider a weights programme and some core strengthening exercises such as crunches, press ups and things like push ups, the plank, squats. These would definitely compliment any aerobic exercise you're doing.

I'm only speaking from personal experience but I'd say you'd benefit from a combination of all these things as one will compliment the other.

Cheeky_gal

Phlann wrote: »

I can tell you straight out that you're going to need to start cutting out bread. If you're looking to lose weight, and your only exercise is walking, you should be trying to keep that at one slice per day.

Nonsense.

OP, If you're eating brown/granary bread as you say then that's perfect. Our bodies crave carbohydrate as it's number one source of fuel. It's what you ADD to these carbs which make them bad for us i.e. butter/mayo etc. But having read your post OP you seem to be on the safe side there by using only a scrape of these spreads. So whatever you do, DO NOT cut out bread.

Phlann wrote: »

Walking is not a great exercise for weight loss either, btw. You need more intensive cardiovascular work like running, cycling, swimming etc. You are not going to lose weight without breaking a sweat!

Phlann has a point here - but only to an extent.

Walking of course is a fantastic form of exercise! Jogging can put up to 5 times body weight pressure on your joints, which obviously is not good in the long term. However, if you are doing as much exercise as you say then that's fab, but if you are not losing any weight then you have to either increase the distance you're walking or perhaps try lifting weights? Speaking from experience and someone who is studying Personal Training, I lost almost 2 stone by switching to brown bread (NOT CUTTING OUT BREAD) and by lifting weights/doing cardio.

OP I suggest you set up a thread in the fitness forum as here will not have the answers you're probably looking for. Best of luck

Phlann

Slow down there, cheeky_gal, nobody said to cut out bread entirely. But I'd maintain that one slice a day is plenty when you're trying to lose weight.

You have to cut carbs from somewhere in your diet and, having done a cutting regime myself, I reckon bread is definitely the easiest one to cut back on.

Sandwiches/rolls with bread/butter/mayo etc are unnecessary carbs and fats, imo, and are exactly the kind of thing you need to be examining in your diet. I wouldn't go near them if I was trying to lose weight.

As long as you're getting three good meals a day with plenty of protein, veg and fruit, your health won't suffer by cutting down your intake of breads.

How Strange

Cheeky_gal wrote: »

So whatever you do, DO NOT cut out bread.Our bodies crave carbohydrate as it's number one source of fuel.

No everything in moderation and all that but more than 2 slices of bread a day is too much especially if you need to lose weight. Just because your body craves something doesn't mean it's good for you. I sometimes crave sugar but it doesn't mean I sit down and eat a bar of chocolate.

Also, your body can run on a very small intake of carbs and it's the type of carbs you consume which are important. Bread falls into the quick release type so it should be restricted or avoided and replaced with slow release carbs.

Walking of course is a fantastic form of exercise! Jogging can put up to 5 times body weight pressure on your joints, which obviously is not good in the long term.

This is the usual old wives tale which is rolled out whenever people have the walking-v-running debate. Contrary to some misconceptions, people who run don't end up crippled with knee injuries because running is harder on your joints than walking.

In terms of weight loss, aerobic exercise and general fitness there is no comparision between walking and running. I do both and I enjoy both but running is by far more effective at getting fit, keeping fit and maintaining a healthy weight.

Also, it doesn't have to cause pressure on your joints if you're a sensible person who invests in a decent pair of running shoes and listens to their body. Yes, if you participate in long distance running or endurance sports of any kind you will suffer from 'weight pressure on your joints' over a long period of time but the recreational runner who takes a sensible approach to their fitness shouldn't suffer any more injuries than someone playing tennis or football.

Phlann

Oh, one other thing... the advice above about creating a deficit of 500 calories per day is good, but try to work up to that figure. You have no idea how much you're going to miss those 500 calories in the first week or two!

When I did it I had been bodybuilding for the previous 12 weeks and eating about 1000 calories above my BMR. The system-shock when I dropped the calorie count nearly flattened me.

Start off easy with a deficit of maybe 200 cals per day and work your way up over the following weeks.

DM_7

Hi

You are obviously committed to the plan you have to lose weight so anyone who is committed has a great chance.

You have also tackled your diet already. I would suggest you consider eating more meals in the day. You don't have to eat more food but eating more often can help you burn food easier and lead to fat loss.

You are also putting in plenty of time on the exercise. Two hours walking is serious commitment but I don't think you need to put in that much time. If you can find a way to increase the intensity of your exercise you could save time and get more benefits.

Maybe going to the gym would help you.

Adding some light weights (As already suggested) should help you create some more muscle which burns more calories in the day. You don't even need to build big muscles to get the benefits.

In the gym you will be able to do full body workouts which again target more areas helping you again burn more calories. The gym has the benefit of being a safe environment and it can be a more focused place than doing exercise at home.

Just one more thing, if you do start doing new exercises, targeting new body parts its likely you will put on weight in the first week or so, but thats just muscle. You will get the benefits afterwards.

Silverfish

Hi,

We would move this to Fitness or Nutrition and Diet however the OP has posted unregistered, so they will be unable to reply if the thread is moved.

LegacyUser

Ugh, there are rules about posting medical advice and right now I really wish there were rules regarding nutritional advice. Some of these posts show a complete ignorance to the requirements of the body.

First of all - ignore the bread remark, at least to a fashion. You don't need to be down to one slice a day. Two is fine anyway, be it as part of your breakfast or lunch or whatever. You sound very health conscious yourself OP, so I'm sure you're probably eating brown/wholegrain. However, white won't kill you, despite what some posters may lead you to believe.

As for 'You are not going to lose weight without breaking a sweat' - absolute utter bull. As the same poster stated, it's all about calorie deficit. If you have a lower calorie intake, and you maintain your current activity, then you will lose weight. Your metabolism will not slow significantly unless you're living a very sedentary lifestyle - which it doesn't sound like you are.

As others have suggested, it may be worth having someone analyse your diet (preferably a professional) - if it's really bothering you have you considered getting a referral to a dietician? Also OP, without meaning to pry, is there a chance that your medication is in fact still affecting your weight? And is it possible that although you've gained weight, you're still at a very healthy weight for your height?

I'd just really like to emphasise, it's calorie deficit that's important, NOT Carbohydrate deficit. The misconceptions floating about around about CHO are unreal. Carbs are not the devil. In fact, countless studies have shown that diets containing average daily energy requirements obtained mainly from CHO and protein sources, but low in FAT, can result in weight loss, despite a minimal calorie deficit. This is because the body does not readily store carbohydrates as fat. I would however agree that the source of CHO should of course be examined, and where possible wholegrain alternatives should always be taken.


To be honest, I don't think you should take any advice given here overly seriously (my own included, though I felt the need to have my say). We're none of us (as far as I'm aware) qualified dieticians. (Yet, in my case.) If you're really working hard long term on your diet and exercise, and you're not losing weight, then you should consult your GP. That is of course, presuming you have weight to lose at all.

Phlann

Know_your_stuff wrote: »

Ugh, there are rules about posting medical advice and right now I really wish there were rules regarding nutritional advice. Some of these posts show a complete ignorance to the requirements of the body.

there was absolutely no dodgy advice given in this thread - by any of the posters.

Exercising and cutting down on carbs (not cutting them out) is a tried and tested method of losing weight. As I mentioned, bread is the easiest source of carbs to cut back on in your diet, and as long as you're getting three decent meals a day, your body is never in a million years going to miss it if you cut down.


I disagree with your comments re: just reducing caloric intake and maintaining current activity. Yes, it will work, Bobby Sands can testify to that, but it's not a healthy way of doing it. Besides which, I don't think she's anywhere near active enough to justify that comment.

In my experience, calory deficit is best split 50/50 between diet and exercise (or even higher in favour of exercise). You'll lose the weight, while also improving your fitness and muscle tone.

Walking isn't good enough here imo, especially if you're looking at a calorie deficit of 400-500. Running/cycling combined with weights is the best way of doing it.

I really think tailoring both the diet and the exercise is the healthiest way of going about this.

LegacyUser

Phlann wrote: »

there was absolutely no dodgy advice given in this thread - by any of the posters.

Exercising and cutting down on carbs (not cutting them out) is a tried and tested method of losing weight. As I mentioned, bread is the easiest source of carbs to cut back on in your diet, and as long as you're getting three decent meals a day, your body is never in a million years going to miss it if you cut down.


I disagree with your comments re: just reducing caloric intake and maintaining current activity. Yes, it will work, Bobby Sands can testify to that, but it's not a healthy way of doing it. Besides which, I don't think she's anywhere near active enough to justify that comment.
In my experience, calory deficit is best split 50/50 between diet and exercise (or even higher in favour of exercise). You'll lose the weight, while also improving your fitness and muscle tone.

Walking isn't good enough here imo, especially if you're looking at a calorie deficit of 400-500. Running/cycling combined with weights is the best way of doing it.

I really think tailoring both the diet and the exercise is the healthiest way of going about this.

Sorry Phlann, you have posted some really helpful advice but exactly how active is active in your opininon I do up to 2 hours exercise, 4 days a week not to mention being on the go all day in work anyways.

dublingal80

hiya!!

Why dont you come over to the food diary forum!! Everyone there has weight to lose and we all write what we eat every day, what exercise we do every day and everyone else reads it and can tell what changes eachother should make, but its also a great support group and great to read other peoples diaries who are similar to you for motivation

you will do this!!! come on over

LegacyUser

Thanks everyone for your replies.

To clarify a few things, i'm thinking the metabolism thing may be an issue when I was slimmer and before I started the meds I had a better appetite and was able to maintain my weight a lot easier. As for the meds yes there is a chance that my current ones could be making me gain weight. My condition means I need to keep my weight down as if I don't it could cause other problems, yet the medication I was on stops one of your vital organs burning fat, Go figure.

I have been dietician and basically I need to keep some good carbs in my diet, though I may go back on the Ryvita and tuna salad for lunch for a week as someone has suggested to see if it makes a difference.

Here's a rough idea of what i've been eating.

Saturday:

B: Fruit salad
Mid morning: Turkey rashers(grilled) and 2 small slices of granary bread.
Fish with 1 tescos light choices baked potato

Sunday:

B: Fruit salad
Mid morning: 2 slices of toast (WW's brown bread)
M&S count on us, chicken chow mein
Supper: 2 x eggs. brown bread

Monday:

B: Cereal bar (missed my breakfast which I never do)
L: Wrap, with chicken lettuce and coleslaw(I know coleslaw is really bad)
Pasta, chicken and peppers.

Tuesday:

B: Muesli
L: Turkey sandwich on granary bread, scraping of LF mayo and lettuce
Small bowl of pasta with chicken and peppers

Wednesday:

B:Muesli
L:Soupful, tomato and pasta flavour. 2 x small slices of granary bread.
Same as Tuesday

Thursday:

B:Muesli
L: Soupful, Chicken and Mushroom Flavour. 2 x slices of granary bread.
Fish and veg


I suppose when I look at this I could cut back on the bread and could do with eaten more fruit and snacks, but I really don't think it's the worse diet, if anyone cares to disagree feel free.

Phlann

No worries.

You're saying 'up to' 2 hours... and you've given 40 mins as a minimum. And on top of that we have no idea what the intensity of the walking is. Fast/slow/medium... a mix of the three?

You could be looking at burning as little as 100-200 cals for all we know.

This is why I'm pushing the gym angle. Routine and discipline are a huge part of losing weight and gaining fitness. Walking is too variable. And, let's face it, walking two hours is just not practical most nights, so it's very easy to start slipping and bargaining with yourself.

If you get a program in the gym you're looking at 40mins to an hour of intensive exercise to a strict routine. X amount of exercises to complete in Y amount of time, and you'll be burning close to the same number of cals on each occasion.

It sounds a bit daunting at first, I think this is maybe why so many people try to go the dieting + walking route, but you'll adjust your routine within a week or two and then it just becomes a part of your day.


But even if you decide to skip the gym part, just remember that routine is hugely important. You have your daily diet plan, you have your daily exercise plan and you stick to it as rigidly as possible.

edit: listen to dublingal!

LegacyUser

Phlann wrote: »

No worries.

You're saying 'up to' 2 hours... and you've given 40 mins as a minimum. And on top of that we have no idea what the intensity of the walking is. Fast/slow/medium... a mix of the three?

You could be looking at burning as little as 100-200 cals for all we know.

This is why I'm pushing the gym angle. Routine and discipline are a huge part of losing weight and gaining fitness. Walking is too variable. And, let's face it, walking two hours is just not practical most nights, so it's very easy to start slipping and bargaining with yourself.

If you get a program in the gym you're looking at 40mins to an hour of intensive exercise to a strict routine. X amount of exercises to complete in Y amount of time, and you'll be burning close to the same number of cals on each occasion.

It sounds a bit daunting at first, I think this is maybe why so many people try to go the dieting + walking route, but you'll adjust your routine within a week or two and then it just becomes a part of your day.


But even if you decide to skip the gym part, just remember that routine is hugely important. You have your daily diet plan, you have your daily exercise plan and you stick to it as rigidly as possible.

edit: listen to dublingal!

Hi Phlann,

I'm no stranger to the gym I had lost 2 stone by going to the gym before and was then able to maintain my weight by eating healthy and going walking. I am going back but I want to get back into a routine of exercising first before I do. I walk quite fast when i'm out and do break a sweat.

Phlann

Cool, well good luck with it. I did the same, tbh, mostly because I didn't want to be embarrassingly unfit when I finally did start going to the gym, ha.

It's already been recommended a couple of times but posting your diet in one of the fitness forums would be a really good idea too. You should give it a go, I'm sure somebody will be able to tell you exactly where you're going wrong.

That's about all anybody here is going to be able to tell you, I reckon.

EDIT: Oh wait, I see you already posted your diet. That's not too bad. And you seem like you know which bits need to be cut out. There's no need for the coleslaw or for two slices of bread with your soup.

I have to say though... I find it pretty strange that you're actually GAINING weight while eating that diet and exercising regularly.

LegacyUser

Phlann wrote: »

Cool, well good luck with it. I did the same, tbh, mostly because I didn't want to be embarrassingly unfit when I finally did start going to the gym, ha.

It's already been recommended a couple of times but posting your diet in one of the fitness forums would be a really good idea too. You should give it a go, I'm sure somebody will be able to tell you exactly where you're going wrong.

That's about all anybody here is going to be able to tell you, I reckon.

EDIT: Oh wait, I see you already posted your diet. That's not too bad. And you seem like you know which bits need to be cut out. There's no need for the coleslaw or for two slices of bread with your soup.

I have to say though... I find it pretty strange that you're actually GAINING wait while eating that diet and exercising regularly.

+1 to that.

It is strange isn't it, and I know my own body and how it normally reacts, put it this way before I started the tables at my heaviest, when I wasn't watching diet, exercising as much as I should be, I was still a stone lighter than what I am now.

Kimia

One thing I would say OP is that it sounds like you are eating less than 1000 calories a day. This is not good. You need to be eating at least 1200 calories a day or your body believes that you are starving and will actually retain weight - this could be what's happening. I know it's counter-intuitive but you're not doing yourself any favours by undereating.

I think your diet is good but bulk up on some snacks like nuts or tiny amounts of cheese for example. Eat more!

mrpink6789

I'd recommend weight watchers, I've been on it since August and I've gone from over 21 stone to 17.5 stone. Still quite a bit to go but the difference already is unreal and it has given me a huge amount of confidence.
At the start I wouldnt step foot in a gym so I changed my diet and did some walking. I walked about 2 miles every evening at least 4/5 times a week. 15 minutes per mile which is a fairly fast walk according to google.
My diet consisted of a cereal for breakfast, fruit mid morning - homemade soup and a sandwhich for lunch and then usually a stir fry for dinner, loading up on veg of course. If I had "points" left over I could have a snack. What I liked about it is I was able to still go out and have a few pints with friends (in moderation of course). I joined a gym in January and love it. I get a lot more exercise and definitely feel better myself.
There's no magic formula to it. It like everyone says above, you have to do plenty of exercise and watch your diet.
Best of luck,

LegacyUser

mrpink6789 wrote: »

I'd recommend weight watchers, I've been on it since August and I've gone from over 21 stone to 17.5 stone. Still quite a bit to go but the difference already is unreal and it has given me a huge amount of confidence.
At the start I wouldnt step foot in a gym so I changed my diet and did some walking. I walked about 2 miles every evening at least 4/5 times a week. 15 minutes per mile which is a fairly fast walk according to google.
My diet consisted of a cereal for breakfast, fruit mid morning - homemade soup and a sandwhich for lunch and then usually a stir fry for dinner, loading up on veg of course. If I had "points" left over I could have a snack. What I liked about it is I was able to still go out and have a few pints with friends (in moderation of course). I joined a gym in January and love it. I get a lot more exercise and definitely feel better myself.
There's no magic formula to it. It like everyone says above, you have to do plenty of exercise and watch your diet.
Best of luck,

Congratulations on the weight loss. I hate Weight Watchers I found it robotic and impersonal, but if it works for you which it obviously has stick with it. Unislim is much better for me anyways. I know theirs no magic formula to it, i've got myself down to a size 8 with diet and exercise, my query was more about why my weight isnt' shifting as oppose to how to lose weight.

Chet Zar

Know_your_stuff wrote: »

Ugh, there are rules about posting medical advice and right now I really wish there were rules regarding nutritional advice. Some of these posts show a complete ignorance to the requirements of the body.

First of all - ignore the bread remark, at least to a fashion. You don't need to be down to one slice a day. Two is fine anyway, be it as part of your breakfast or lunch or whatever. You sound very health conscious yourself OP, so I'm sure you're probably eating brown/wholegrain. However, white won't kill you, despite what some posters may lead you to believe.

As for 'You are not going to lose weight without breaking a sweat' - absolute utter bull. As the same poster stated, it's all about calorie deficit. If you have a lower calorie intake, and you maintain your current activity, then you will lose weight. Your metabolism will not slow significantly unless you're living a very sedentary lifestyle - which it doesn't sound like you are.

As others have suggested, it may be worth having someone analyse your diet (preferably a professional) - if it's really bothering you have you considered getting a referral to a dietician? Also OP, without meaning to pry, is there a chance that your medication is in fact still affecting your weight? And is it possible that although you've gained weight, you're still at a very healthy weight for your height?

I'd just really like to emphasise, it's calorie deficit that's important, NOT Carbohydrate deficit. The misconceptions floating about around about CHO are unreal. Carbs are not the devil. In fact, countless studies have shown that diets containing average daily energy requirements obtained mainly from CHO and protein sources, but low in FAT, can result in weight loss, despite a minimal calorie deficit. This is because the body does not readily store carbohydrates as fat. I would however agree that the source of CHO should of course be examined, and where possible wholegrain alternatives should always be taken.


To be honest, I don't think you should take any advice given here overly seriously (my own included, though I felt the need to have my say). We're none of us (as far as I'm aware) qualified dieticians. (Yet, in my case.) If you're really working hard long term on your diet and exercise, and you're not losing weight, then you should consult your GP. That is of course, presuming you have weight to lose at all.

Scanning through this thread I was hoping to see someone say this, but wasn't expecting it - so I'm glad to see it.

This is wayyy undermentioned when it comes to giving advice on losing weight. You CANNOT lose weight unless you are in a caloric deficit overall - the real issue with getting fat is that people have no idea how much they are really eating and how many calories they are taking in.

Re your point on qualified dieticians, nobody needs a dietician to lose the flab. Not unless you've got really specific dietary requirements and so on. In fact, I shudder to think what some dieticians might recommend!

In saying that, OP - your diet looks a bit sparse. Throw some nuts, fruit, and more food overall into a day like this-

Tuesday

B: Muesli
L: Turkey sandwich on granary bread, scraping of LF mayo and lettuce
Small bowl of pasta with chicken and peppers

How Strange

Just scanning over your diet very quickly, on face value it looks fine. However, try to avoid food out of packets like M&S, Soupfuls, Tesco's baked potato etc. They are full of salt and enhancers. Try cooking for yourself.

Stick a potato in the oven for 30 mins, bake a chicken breast or a piece of fish at the same time. Steam some carrots. There's a dinner with no hidden nasties.

Too much bread. Substitute it with ryvita or if you want to eat bread how about baking it yourself. Soda bread is quite simple to make. I've started making spelt bread and it's delicious. I might have a couple of slices a day and then ryvita with soup later.

Ironically I think you should be eating MORE food than you are. You seem to have a WW mentality to your diet. You can eat heaps of veg, some lean meat and a small portion of carbs (brown rice, baked potato) and be full after.

Try eating fresh and dried fruit and yoghurts for snacks instead of WW bread. A handful of nuts would be far more beneficial. Lidl do great packets of nuts with raisins for less than €1.

I'm no expert, those are my opinions and I think you'd get really good advice over on the food and nutrition forum

Danniboo

How Strange wrote: »

Just scanning over your diet very quickly, on face value it looks fine. However, try to avoid food out of packets like M&S, Soupfuls, Tesco's baked potato etc. They are full of salt and enhancers. Try cooking for yourself.

Stick a potato in the oven for 30 mins, bake a chicken breast or a piece of fish at the same time. Steam some carrots. There's a dinner with no hidden nasties.

Too much bread. Substitute it with ryvita or if you want to eat bread how about baking it yourself. Soda bread is quite simple to make. I've started making spelt bread and it's delicious. I might have a couple of slices a day and then ryvita with soup later.

Ironically I think you should be eating MORE food than you are. You seem to have a WW mentality to your diet. You can eat heaps of veg, some lean meat and a small portion of carbs (brown rice, baked potato) and be full after.

Try eating fresh and dried fruit and yoghurts for snacks instead of WW bread. A handful of nuts would be far more beneficial. Lidl do great packets of nuts with raisins for less than €1.

I'm no expert, those are my opinions and I think you'd get really good advice over on the food and nutrition forum

I hate WW's !!! My mentality is far from there way of thinking.

DM_7

If you are a size 8 like one of the non reg posts sugests them are you sure you need to lose weight?

What age were you much lighter at? Are we talking teen years when you would be naturally lighter?

Other than that:


This thread may be of help:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054876750

advice from the thread on the fitness forum could help you out here.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=50719377&postcount=2

Doing weights will not bulk women up. Women just don't have the testosterone level needed to pack on that much muscle. The majority, if not all, female bodybuilders, take hormones to increase their size- it's NOT natural. Weights will however, tone you, increase your metabolism therefore helping you burn more fat even when sedentary, improve your posture, slow the aging process, reduce the risk of osteoperosis, make you stronger less prone to injury.

Snacking is good if it's the right kind of snack. A mid-morning snack and mid-afternoon snack easily help you achieve the 5-6 meal a day goal. ome fruit, a small handful of nuts, a fruit yoghurt, some cottage cheese and veggie sticks are all easy to eat and good for you. Cereal bars, low-fat crisps, salted/ roasted nuts are NOT good.

Even 'low-fat' foods can be bad. Most of those ready meals, soups, anything in a packet are loaded with sugar to taste and salt to counteract the sugar. Sugar is naturally low in fat but high in carbs, too much of it will make you put on weight.

Faddy diets don't work. Most people put back on the weight they lost and more within weeks or even days of coming off it. A healthy, sustainable eating plan that's easy to do is the best way to ensure a lifetime of healthy eating.

Starving yourself doesn't work. While you may lose a few pounds over the course of a couple of days, it'll be water weight lost and will be replenished very quickly. Your body is a machine that needs constant fuel supplies to function well. If it is not supplied with food, it will stockpile what little fuel it is given and stored as fat to prepare for further starvation.

Enjoy what you eat and how you train. If you don't, you won't stick to it.

Treat yourself from time to time. A little bit of a bad thing is ok. If it's chocolate try to eat 70% cocoa dark chocolate. If it's pizza, eat only a few slices of thin-based. Consider it a reward (if the hard work has been put in previously!!)

To lose weight, burn more calories than you consume. Simple as.