Starting over again.

[Nic2ie]

I think it's time to try to lose the weight one last time for 2015. I've tried so many times this year lost a stone at one stage but put it back on with a few pounds on top but hopefully this time I'll stick to it.

My main 2 weaknesses are take away and coke. I'm going to Marks & Spencer tomorrow to treat myself to some of their dinners which will hopefully be quick and easy to prepare and be tasty so will help me avoid the take away.

The coke is a lot harder to give up but I'm going to have to find a substitute somehow.

I'm thinking of just having 2 or 3 nice breakfasts and lunches about 500 calories each that I can rotate during the week and about 1000 towards my main meal.

that with no take ways and no coke should see a few pounds drop over the next few weeks, fingers crossed.

If anyone has any nice and easy breakfast or packed lunch ideas to help me out I would love to hear them

Thanks for reading this and keep your fingers crossed for me.

[NiCherry]

Hi Nic2ie!

I have found that the weight loss forum on this site a huge help!

When I first started to think about losing weight, I was drinking at least a litre of coke a day - most days I'd be well on the way to 2litres. I couldn't (and still can't) stand the taste of diet coke, coke zero, diet Pepsi or Pepsi max. Coke life (the green packaging) is drinkable, but I don't find it enjoyable. So I found the simplest way was to slowly phase it out and replace it with water, simply on the basis that if I can't have the full fat version, of rather have nothing! And let's face it water is soooooo much better for you than coke!

As for dieting, I visited the NHS choices 'Live Well' site. Here you can use the bmi calculator which will tell you what you're bmi is and give you a calorie range to aim for. You can also find the NHS 12 week plan, which is full of hints and tips to help you make healthier choices. It sounds like you have battled your weight for a while? So, it could be that you need to think of this as a lifestyle rather than a diet? In my head a diet has an end (when you reach your goal weight), some like me, have lots to lose so need to make it a lifestyle, add I will be eating these foods for the rest of my days to at least maintain my weight when I reach my goal weight.

Finally, if you decide that calorie counting, I suggest you download the my fitness pal app. It's free and makes counting calories and trscking your weight loss a breeze!!!

I started on this site about 2 months ago and I am now 1st 4lb lighter - but still need to lose 7st 6lb, so I'm still have a long way to go!!!!

Hope this helps?

Good luck!

NiCherry

X

[deejames in reply to NiCherry]

Can't believe anyone could drink that much coke. Have you seen the bad press it gets ? You might as well dissolve a pile of sugar and drink that.

Your body will be thanking you for eliminating it from your life. Well done

Dee

[NiCherry in reply to deejames]

I know!

The problem is that it's pretty addictive...

I was concerned that my teenage daughter was drinking almost as much as me. I was concerned about her drinking so much, but then realized that I can't nag her to cut down how much she was drinking, if I was doing the same - "do as i say, not as I do".

So that got me thinking about my diet as a whole, which eventually lead me here!

I tried a full fat coke a few weeks ago. It was vile!!! Tasted like syrup and I wondered how on earth I managed to drink so much of the damn stuff!!!

I read recently that coke and Pepsi need to put a chemical (I *think* it's phosphorous acid) to hide the sweetness of the sugar. Apparently without it the sheer sweetness of it would make the vast majority of people physically sick. It may or may not be true.....but it wouldn't surprise me!

[j--9 in reply to NiCherry]

You're doing the best thing by ditching the coke. Not only is it empty calories but one can is more than your recommended daily allowance of sugar. You're right in saying that it's addictive but the addiction is to the sugar. They are very clever at creating a 'bliss point' with things like coke and chocolate. Once you're through the withdrawal period you'll never look back

[Nic2ie in reply to deejames]

I'm like that Dee almost 2 litres a day I'd go through and even a friend throwing it down her toilet to show me how it cleaned it never stopped me 😔

[Nic2ie in reply to NiCherry]

Hi NiCherry.

Thanks for the advice I can't ever see myself drinking water that much. I did find some low cal apple and mango squash in m&s so will give that a go.

I'll check out the websites you mentioned but you are right it's a lifestyle change I need not a diet so I think it's going to be a slow process but I think I have a chance now I've found this site.

Keep up the good work hopefully you'll be saying the same to me soon 😃

[NiCherry in reply to Nic2ie]

You would be surprised how much water you can drink! I started off drinking a 500ml bottle of water a day, plus tea, coffee and occasionally squash. Now I drink 1.5 to 2 litres a day. However, I would say that its advisable to take out slowly... Like me your have a taste for sugar in your coke - to take it away in one go might be a shock to the system! Baby steps are good!

I keep 6 500ml bottles in my fridge and refill then from the tap. I swear it tastes better chilled!!!

I

have not had squash for weeks, and I have 2 teas or coffee a day at most.

Not sure if its because I don't add any refined sugar anymore, but water actually tastes nice! Its an added bonus that a drink of water can help to fill your tum!

I honestly thought that I'd always be a fattie.... Now I'm convinced that one day, I'll get there. There is no reason why you cant, either!!

[Nic2ie in reply to NiCherry]

Probably a stupid question but is sparkling water any different to still water as far as being healthy is concerned?

[NiCherry in reply to Nic2ie]

No such thing as a stupid question around here!!

As far as I am aware there is no difference between still and sparkling water....except that if you drink the sparkly one to quickly you get a sparkly tummy!!!

[Nic2ie in reply to NiCherry]

Sparkling water I can cope with, I might try one glass squash and one water and see how that goes

[NiCherry in reply to Nic2ie]

That makes sense to me - baby steps!

[deejames]

Yoghurt (plain) and lots of berries with a sprinkling of chopped nuts on top.porridge of course - its the business. Chopped banana on top or raisins cooked with the porridge.

[NiCherry in reply to deejames]

I love my porridge, and if I don't get any for breakfast, I really know about it by mid morning!

Might try the raisin idea - add a little sweetness!

[Hidden in reply to deejames]

I just love fruit - mixed melon chunks is great - with plain yoghurt and just a sprinkling of no-sugar muesli (like the Dorset nutty muesli) on top. Very filling and delicious.

[Nic2ie in reply to deejames]

It's quick and easy too so happy to give that a go.

[deejames]

Whipped cream ? This is for weight loss not weight gain. Eggs and a slice of toast is much much healthier

Dee

[Fran182716 Prediabetic in reply to deejames]

I don't think I could eat cream for breakfast but think the theory is sound. 100 cal slice of toast spikes insulin and you'll be probably be hungry again mid morning. 100 cals whipped cream doesn't raise insulin and you'll be less likely to be hungry before lunch☀️

[Nic2ie in reply to Fran182716]

Thanks Fran

[deejames]

Using the big juicy ones is better but do cook them with the porridge. They plump up delightfully

[NiCherry]

To be perfectly honest, I don't fully understand the science behind nutrition. Maybe this is something I will learn along the way as I lose my excess weight?!

I have so much to lose that I can not afford to think of this as a diet - it has to be a lifestyle. With that in mind I think that * nothing* should be banned.

I'm 42 years old, and hope to have a few decades ahead of me. I can't imagine a future where I will never eat whipped cream. Or pate. Or cheese. Or full fat coke....! I need to re-learn how to eat a healthy balanced diet. I need to learn that if I do indulge and have a roast potato with todays Sunday lunch then I can't have a chocolate digestive with a cuppa this evening as well!

Ok. Its a basic idea. Possibly a little naive, but its a starting point!

[NiCherry]

I hope I didn't imply the conspiracy theorists / crank thing - my apologies if my reply came across that way?!

I'm simply not scientifically minded! I have no idea about free-sugars, high glycaemic/ refined carbohydrate....

Maybe I should educate myself a little more - I am focused on counting calories at the moment and it seems to be working.....so far!

[NiCherry]

As long as I didn't inadvertently offend you, that's ok!!!

[deejames]

Eggs and bread. Pretty basic ' natural ' food ?

[j--9]

Agreed. My fasting glucose is always higher than post food levels. This shows that my liver is releasing more than adequate amounts of glycogen through the night. If I was to then eat a carb breakfast my sugar levels would remain high (causing damage of the arteries amongst other things) . I'm not diabetic by the way but definitely insulin resistant.

[deejames]

Not sure what this is all about. Healthy eating men's having a balanced diet. Food from all the major food groups. What's all this about spiking insulin ? I don't check my insulin levels as I have no concerns that way. If you have to check yours then of course we are talking at cross purposes but I thought this post was about losing weight and healthy breakfasts

[Fran182716 Prediabetic in reply to deejames]

Hi Deejames, everyone's insulin spikes when they eat a substantial amount of carbohydrate. You can google " glycemic index" to explain it better than me. For some people this is a real problem ( diabetics and pre- diabetics sometimes called " insulin resistance") no one measures their insulin, and unless youre diabetic you wouldn't routinely measure your blood sugar levels. If your metabolism is in good shape you will produce the correct amount of insulin to get rid of the carbohydrate ( which has been broken down into simple sugars) from your bloodstream and all goes back to normal, however for people who have struggled with their weight for a long time, and who have eaten excessive amounts of carbohydrate whether that be sugar or refined starchy foods the metabolism often isn't working at its best, and more and more insulin gets produced causing fat to be stored and creating craving for yet more carbs. For anyone who knows all about this I apologise for oversimplifying but I'm trying to give an explanation of why we are saying that for someone who needs to lose weight, the bread might not be the best breakfast option. I still enjoy bread but I have less than I used to, and it's usually rye bread which has a lower GI.

[deejames in reply to Fran182716]

Oh well . I'm on this forum to discuss eating healthy. My interest is not in losing weight but in keeping it down since I am now very inactive. Doing well so far with just reducing my total intake as well as not eating much processed sugar or added sugar.

[deejames]

Which conditions do you mean ?

[deejames]

My vertebrae are knackered through wear and tear. They can't be replaced or repaired. The pain comes from inflammation whern these bones rub together. Not much I can do except not move too much in the wrong way

[iainemb]

I'm currently doing this and it's really working goldstandardnutrition.co.uk...