Hi everyone. This is my second day of my 12 week plan. I'm at 193lbs and trying to lose at leat 24 lbs to start off (going at 2lbs a week).
My main problem is making healthy meals. I always end up snacking a lot on crisps, chocolates, donuts etc. because I don't really know how to cook good meals & not that motivated in hunting ingredients so end up ordering a take-away.
Has anyone got any tips?
Thats the same with me! Ive got no motivation or self control whatsoever!
Hi,
This is my second day on the plan also, and I can sympathize with you over the snacking weaknesses. I have a little self- control and I can be easily swayed from thinking healthy. To be honest there is no need to hunt for ingredients its all there for you in the supermarket or your local store. Its up to you to choose to buy it. I'm going shopping today and I know if I don't constantly keep this plan in my head reminding myself of why I'm making changes then I too will just pick up junk. I think the two hardest parts to this plan for me is the calorie counting and exercise. I've become very lazy where exercise is concerned over the years.
Something I have always said to my kids when they were little and probably still do say to them, is you'll never get anywhere in life thinking of the things you can't do, try thinking of what you can do. I really don't like the word 'can't'. You can do anything you want just but it won't happen by itself, you have to put the hard work into to it to succeed. I'm trying to follow my own advice. First thing to do is get rid of temptation in your home, swap the bikkies and choccies for fruit and healthier snacks. Secondly plan ahead for your meals, make them quick and easy, so little effort is needed. Make a positive shopping list, and stick to it..
nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/... There is lots of advice here and tips such as 100 calorie snacks and healthy breakfasts.
If you don't like cooking then just do it a couple of times a week and make batches of things such as soup, bolognaise, chilli etc and freeze into portions. There are lots of easy recipes on line. You then just thaw out , reheat and have with loads of veg or salad.
If you plan your meals and get rid of the crisps and chocolate etc, it should be easier. My tips are to use smaller plates and don't get too hungry.
Good luck
To be successful on the 12 week plan you have to commit to making changes - for you it sounds like one of those needs to be to learn to cook basic healthy meals. Your motivation in shopping for ingredients should be that you want to improve your health in the long term. You can start making easy things like baked potato with baked beans and cottage cheese. Or buy prechopped stir fry veg, a packet sauce, pre cut chicken and some packet noodles or rice and make a stir fry dish - 10 mins. Replace your snacking or takeaway with these every week and save yourself a load of calories and cash. Then move on to another dish - before you know it you will have a weeks worth of meals sorted. Good luck!
Don't buy the crisps, chocolate, donuts etc. !! Think of them as evil in the shops! You know you can do it! Believe!
And eat soup! Very filling and delicious! Not difficult to cook throw any variety of veg in a saucepan - add some stock (cubes are fine) - turn on the heat and let it simmer away!
OMG you sound like me,,, a grazer, and high on sugar, addicted to sugar!!!, as quicker than making a meal . I went on sabotaging my own efforts and wondered why the hell I was doing what I was doing,,, just didnt make sense.
Try this,,,, its working for me,,, so I will explain!!!
sugar is addictive, so you have to break the pattern
no counting stuff, no packet foods, which are full of chemicals and preservatives.
our bodies see these as toxins, and dont know how to process them so they are stored as fat. That is why we have so much trouble loosing the weight and keeping it off, we have been doing the yoyo dieting.
Milk has so little value in it as its been heavily processed so change it to soya milk or almond milk, with your drinks and is high in calcium. Good for us!!
no diet drinks as they are packed with chemical sweetners not good for us.
change to porridge , no sugary packet stuff,,, full again of gloop and yes sugar.
change your potatoes with sweet potatoes, no bread again its just a filler and not good for you full of preservatives, and gloop.
That is all I changed.
I have gone from feeling so tired, lack of energy, and interest. sleeping was waking up 6 times a night, and feeling crap all day. Eat when hungry.
Eat what is natural that comes out of the ground. no crisps, with lots of oil and salt and god knows what else they put in them,,, grab a handful of nuts for energy boost. Or buy those naked bars. With a cuppa.
I lost 4 and a half inches off my waste and hips in first week and never lost any weight, and started feeling alive, and by week 2 I had lost another 2 inches, and lost a whopping 7 lbs, and sleeping so much better so feeling better, this has spurred me on to carry on. I had been swimming the first week, and it was okay go in the swing of things then the next week I managed to swim for 2 hours without stopping, yes my energy was improving. Had a slip up with 2 cakes then had some chips as was out and starving, the result ,,,, I fell asleep while watching tv, and then fell asleep while at my daughters for like 10mins,,, was struggling to stay awake for a day.
So I started to notice these changes,,, so to me it was evidence enough,,, food were making me ill. I had stomach cramps, like child birth, and constant wiping, when eating processed foods. my body saying the only way it could ,,, it didnt like these foods, ie bread, pasta, ... use brown rice. brown pasta, sometimes not all the time. Brown bread sometimes...
Try it ,,, I was amazed at the results,,, let all know how you get on!!
I watched 'Countryfile' on Sunday (see BBC iPlayer) where schoolchildren were shown picking veg out of the garden and making soup. They were surprised how easy it was and how much they enjoyed it. This time of year, root veg are seasonal and therefore cheap, and can be 'comfort food' on cold days/evenings.
Cooking is easy. Start simple. My own belief is that every child, boy or girl, should be able to cook simple food at a young age. You say 'ordering a takeaway'. How do you know what is in the takeaway? You're putting things into your body which you don't know about, you don't know what the ingredients are or where they came from.
One of the simplest things of all to make is an omelette. You can add cheese, sliced ham, anything to it. Cheap, filling and satisfying. Or a baked potato. Again, you can add anything to it. Much better for you than crisps.
PS: Omelette: bbc.co.uk/cbbc/makes/how-to...
Thanks everyone for all of your advice and support. I'm on the 7th week now and lost 16lbs so far! 
Weekly meal plan
Planning to make it easier
Weight loss plans
Meal plan help
Day 1- Time to bin that chocolate! (Hello everyone!)
