trying to motivate myself e

m'lady

Hey, very much a lurker, and seriously trying to motivate myself to get up off my butt and start a proper healthy eating plan.
Really need to lose about 3 stone, I'm small in height so it shows big time. Feeling very crap about my weight but can't seem to motivate myself, I hurt my back recently, badly and on lots of medication, so maybe that's a factor in my lack of motivation, anyway I know I can only motivate myself!
It's got so bad I won't let my other half see me naked and I hate looking at myself. I hate what I have become.
I've been a ww member loads of times and always just lose the will power or interest in the meetings. I was thinking of trying slimming world for a change.

Has anyone tried them? Also any advice would be really appreciated , thank you !

m'lady

I noticed mistake on my title, the extra 'e', can't seem to edit it, if any mod can I'd appreciate it!

m'lady

Anyone?!

Dixie Chick

Hi there

Slimming world, weight watchers and unislim are all the same kind of programme. Its been debated in this forum to the death. The biggest pro being the group support these things offer and the biggest con being that fat is considered to be the big bad wolf and a lot of the lower point food can be quite high in carbs and hidden sugars which many people here and I personally believe is a disaster when combined with calorie cutting

So really, the motivation lies with you what you would like to do. There are some really really useful sticky topics on this forum that give great info on what you need to eat to lose weight and also a few motivational posts as well. Definitely read them.

Another great thing to do is open a food diary in the sub forum here and at least that way you are accountable for what you eat and its generally very positive support and constructive repsonses you get.

Good luck whatever you choose to do!;)

Wonkagirl

M'lady, if WW hasnt worked for you in the past, slimming world is unlikely to either. Especially if you are lacking motivation before you ever start!

Regarding your back- forget about that- losing weight is 80% about food, so dont use your back as an excuse.. you can do it without exercising- certainly for now anyway. You could lose the first 2 stone without exercising, the last stone would probably require some working out alright.. but start off with the first stone anyway!

What kind of stuff are you eating at the moment, could you post a sample day?

I'm guessing you're eating a lot of bad carbs, and probably too much sugar, and large portions?

Regarding motivation.... you could lose 2 stone by christmas. imagine getting up on xmas day and being 2 stone lighter than you are now? it is possible.. it's 10 weeks to xmas, if you lose 2 pounds a week, and maybe 3-4lbs in the first 2 weeks, that's 2 stone gone!

surely that's motivation enough:D

Frogdog

A big +1 to the advice the above posters have given you, OP.

(I'm only repeating their advice from here)

First things first, read the stickies on this forum, and the "Fitness; the basics, including diet & nutrition" one on the Fitness forum. They will give you a good grounding on all the basics.

Secondly, post up what you would eat on an average day. Include everything. Then we can tell you what's good or bad and why, and where you can make improvements.

And thirdly, in my opinion, don't ever bother with WW or any of those things ever again.

m'lady

Hey all, thank you all very much for your replies, I really appreciate them.

I'll be honest I'm actually nearly embarrassed writing down what I eat, so please go easy on me! Wonkagirl your right, all the wrong carbs etc.

I know what my problems are, most days I will go all day and eat nothing and then in the evening eat crap as in take-away, or toasted cheese sandwiches and chocolate. I rarely eat breakfast, and if I do eat during the day it could be a scone (with Jam and cream), or some sort of pastry/bagel/sandwich.

I am very disorganised when it comes to planning my meals, not into cooking and dont eat meat or fish and only sometimes a bit of chicken.

Large portions wouldn't be a problem for me at all, if anything I actually have quite a small appetite, just with all the wrong types of food..

Im even disgusted at myself writing all this down, I really am.


Today for example:

3.30pm- 2 chocolate biscuits with a coffee

8pm- chinese, few chips, half portion of noodles and curry sauce

and normally later a bar of chocolate

m'lady

Ok am trying to work out a plan as to what to eat tomorrow, I'm a bit disorganised and couldn't do a shop as am not paid until friday so am trying to use up what I have already.
Tomorrow I was planning on eating:

Breakfast: weetabix (2) with semi-skimmed milk

Mid morning: a banana

Lunch: 4 ryvita with phylly light, topped with tomato/lettuce and onion and a mullerlite yogurt and maybe some fruit

Dinner: a baked potato with a salad or a homemade vegetarian chilli with wholegrain rice.


Does this look relatively healthy?? I'm trying to cut out bread totally and cut the crap (chocolate, pastries etc). As above Im not a big cook, but do intend on trying out different recipes as much as I can!

Frogdog

Sorry OP if I've missed this already, but are you a vegetarian? Do you eat fish/nuts/eggs/dairy? I just want to know so that I can tailor my advice.

m'lady

Hi Frogdog, I dont eat red meat or fish. I will eat the odd bit of chicken but not much at all. I eat eggs, not much tho, wouldnt eat nuts, but wouldnt rule them out if I thought they would benefit me?

Frogdog

m'lady wrote: »

Hi Frogdog, I dont eat red meat or fish. I will eat the odd bit of chicken but not much at all. I eat eggs, not much tho, wouldnt eat nuts, but wouldnt rule them out if I thought they would benefit me?

Well It's just that all the above foodstuffs are some of the best sources of protein out there. If you could eat an egg a day (would that be too much?) and a handful of nuts then either of those would be a good addition to your snack of a banana.

From what I can make of your previous diet/day's food, you seem to eat a lot of carbs and very little protein or fat. I would argue that this needs to be swopped around.

In my opinion, swop semi-skimmed milk for full fat milk with the weetabix. I would consider taking a whey protein shake (made with water) in addition to this, so that you get a good bit of protein into your diet, at a good time of the day. I don't know if you're taking any supplements either, but I would consider a fish oil tablet/capsule a necessity for good health. And possibly a multivitamin if you wish. That takes care of breakfast.

Mid morning - banana is ok. Like I said previously if you could maybe get some protein in with this like a small handful of nuts or a boiled/poached/scrambled egg. Dont be afraid to try other fruits in place of the banana as well (apples, oranges, all sorts of berries etc).

Lunch - Philadelphia light, muller light, semi skimmed milk (breakfast)........I'm seeing a pattern here. Why are you swopping full fat products for their lower fat alternatives? They have more sugar and/or other nasties in them than their full fat versions and are responsible for weight gain in my opinion. You need fat in your diet. It's healthy for you and if you wish to lose bodyfat, you will need to eat plenty of fat in your diet. Anyway, try the ryvita with the full fat version, or peanut butter, cottage cheese, hummous, etc. Maybe add some full fat cheese as well for more protein. Throw the Muller Light yoghurt into the bin, and eat full fat greek/natural yoghurt. Maybe leave out the piece of fruit, have a salad instead with extra virgin olive oil on it.

Dinner - Once again, all carbs, very little protein or fat. Have one of the four options you listed above, and add in some form of protein. Maybe if you could have that bit of chicken for dinner?

If you could make the above changes (and there are a good few changes - introduce them gradually if you have to) then you would be eating a healthy diet (as per your request in your last post), in my opinion.

If you want to lose the 3 stone as per your first post, you need to start counting calories. You will have to find out your maintenance calories amount (the amount you need to eat daily not to put on or lose fat), and then aim to eat under that amount consistently to lose fat.

Best of luck! Any questions, just ask.

m'lady

Thanks for your reply frogdog, really appreciate it. Hope you don't regret saying if I have any questions just ask! First just wondering why full fat milk? If I'm trying to shed fat? Please forgive my ignorance but I'm so used to weight watchers etc and them pushing low fat food. I'm taking pharmaton, should I also take a fish oil capsule?
With regards to nuts, could it be any type, and roughly how many? Also with the full fat cheese, how much? I love cheese, its my vice!

And lastly for now, how do I find out my maintenance calories amount?

Thanks again for your advice.

Frogdog

No bother, just hoping I help!

I was thinking you were going to reference WW! I can't stand WW, they don't promote healthy eating with regard to fats! :mad:

OK as regards to full-fat foods and the benefits of fat in your diet; you need them for fat metabolism, hormone production, to reduce inflammation, to support your immune system, they'll give you healthier skin, hair and nails, they'll improve concentration etc. and loads of other uses/benefits. Google "the benefits of fat in your diet" sometime and you'll see loads of other reasons to include them. The benefit that is probably going to jump out at you (and any other WW'ers) is the first one, fat metabolism. You might think it strange, but it's true. Eat fat to lose fat. The fat you eat is different to the fat that your body stores would be the best way of describing it I think, however many people (women generally) have a phobia of fat, and believe (wrongly) that if they eat little/no fat then they will not be fat themselves.

With regard to Pharmaton and fish oil, I don't really know what Pharmaton are, so I'm not going to make any decision on that either way. (Maybe someone else out there could tell the OP???) And fish oil, please do take it. Once again, google the benefits of it to see why you should take it.

As for nuts, ya generally any type. However, they should be plain. Not the ones covered in salt, chilli powder, chocolate, yoghurt etc. And enough would be a small handful as a snack. And for cheese, they generally say about the size of a small matchbox. Obviously if you're slicing it or grating it, be careful with the portion size.

As for working out your maintenance calorie needs, click the below link. This is a link to a great sticky on the Fitness forum, it's only 3 pages long, so I suggest you read it all, and try and learn it/take it all in. It is The Gospel as far as I'm concerned! The second post on the second page is from g'em. She knows her stuff, trust me. Use the formula she has given to calculate your daily calories, and as you are trying to lose weight, subtract 15% (or 500 kcals which seems to be the standard figure used by many here). If you use the 500kcals figure, and eat 500 less calories daily, you will lose a pound a week (500kcals x 7 days = 3,500 kcals or 1lb). If you start doing more exercise than you did previously, weights or cardio, expect to lose more.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055963342&page=2

And honestly, if you have more questions, throw them at me!

Wonkagirl

Frogdog wrote: »

No bother, just hoping I help!

I was thinking you were going to reference WW! I can't stand WW, they don't promote healthy eating with regard to fats! :mad:

+1... any diet regime that lauds wine gums, curly wurlys and skips because they are all 'only 2 points' is dire in my book.. I went to WW before, but lost interest when the woman leading the class said ''A can of diet coke and wine gums after lunch is great, only 2 points in total!''

diet coke and wine gums.. i mean seriously. Where's the nutrition there?