Struggling to lose weight

[Dancingqueen0102]

Hi, I really struggle to lose weight, I exercise regularly, and eat healthy, I don't really drink, but I find it really hard to lose weight! I've tried slimming world etc but none work... HELP

[gingernut49]

I was exactly the same and tried various diets over the years but none worked, and I resented paying money out to slimming clubs. In August 2012 there was a BBC Horizon programme called "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" vimeo.com/54089463 and it honestly changed my life. I lost three stone in six months and I'm now slimmer, fitter and healthier than I've been since I was a teenager, and I've kept the weight off for a year - any other 'diet' and I'd have put it all back on again. The television programme led to the 5:2 Diet where you only have to think about 'dieting' two non-consecutive days a week - it's transformed thousands of lives. The beauty of that is that you know that the food you're craving you can eat the next day - though usually by the next day you've gone off the idea. There's an excellent book by Kate Harrison amazon.co.uk/Feast-Weight-B... which describes it fully. I've saved so much money - which I needed to buy my new size 10 clothes (I was a 16 before!).

[mojo58]

Ha! Well done to the person who made the 1st reply. I was going to say the same thing. 5:2 is bothe the best & the easiest diet that I have ever done. Good luck x

[Windswept1]

nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/... As has been said on some other recent posts, the 5:2 is not for everyone. Certainly not for me as I would rush for extra food if I get too hungry. My advice is to follow the 12 week plan on the website and it should adjust the way you eat. lots of advice there about what to eat, how many calories and healthy snacks etc. I found that planning meals is the key for me so that I shop and cook for what I have planned, I also use smaller plates and make sure I don't get too hungry. having said hat I have totally overeaten this weekend as I am away, but I know if I have put on any weight I can shift it next week.

Think of this as a weight loss journey and a plan for life, not a diet and set small goals rather than focusing on a massive weight loss in one go.

Good luck and let us know your progress.

[baerbel]

Hi everybody,

Personally I think two days diet and 5 days eating what I want, would not be for me. During the five days I would overeat, perhaps manage one day 500 cal diet an the second I would think I die and throw the whole thing out of the window with 2 pounds on top. But everybody is different.

For me the aim is not only weight loss but then staying on my 'ideal' weight on a healthy diet and not gaining weight again as I did before many times. So I have to transform my eating habit, which means finding out why I eat so much - the emotional and psychological side - , and at the same time work on the technical aspect of how to reduce weight - i.e. what I eat. I suppose if I had some physical condition I would have to get my doctor's help in finding out what is the best way to deal with that first. I have serious hypertension, which can only get better as I reduce my volume.

I started this week for the first time to count calories. I use myfitnesspal.com, which is free. For me it is 1200 cal per day, which I do not find easy. I have a lot of cravings for food, but it not necessarily healthy hunger. Slowly it seems an other door opens: I might be able to accept that it will be 1200 cal and not more for 12 weeks. I hope not try to cheat on myself again, with of this little bit of milk won't hurt or well these vegetables have no calaries. As a matter of fact everything counts. And if other people can do it, so why should I not be able to do it, too? Afterall there is light at the end of the tunnel: I will feel better.

[vodkagirl13]

The thing is no one diet is right for all, cos if it was there would only be one diet that everyone followed. Rosemary Conley, Weightwatchers, Lighterlife etc would be out of business

Everyone has to find the one that "fits" them! But most importantly you have to be in the right mindset otherwise no diet will work. Believe me, I have been overweight most of my life, therefore leading to diet after diet and the only one's that I lost weight on are the one's where I was determined that I would follow/ stick to them. I'm now 3 stone less than what I was in November and I'm determined that I will stick to my healthy eating regime - not a diet, I do not deprive myself of anything. I'm now planning and cooking healthy food to ensure my diet is varied and therefore doesn't become boring and yes I still have my treats, my sweet tooth needs catering to also . . . . but everything in moderation.

[dziundzia]

Hello! I agree with person who says that there is no one perfect diet for anybody. I personally do not do 12 weeks plan or fasting or any other diets and I have managed to shift 2.5 stones since January but this is not about any diet or exercise regime. For me is more about what I think and what I feel and about focusing. I have made decision that I am going to loose weight no matter what and I will not give up and I didn't. I took care to make each day a bit more exercise than previous one and I reduced sugar and wheat in my diet what works very very well for me. I learned to have a joy from cooking healthy and tasty meals but I didn't get obsessed. My jobs requires to eat meals with people and I do, I just make sensible choices (well 90% of the time). But I also forgive myself some treats and go to the gym more often if I need and I do not use treat as excuse to break diet. (I wouldn't even call it diet - it is rather life style). However I have had a breakdown on the beginning of the March. I went for 3 days boot camp. This cost me some money, a lot of effort and some pain but because of that I did not forget about fact that I have made decision to loose weight and I keep going and I am doing well.

I do not feel an expert in advising other people. This what I write below works for me:

1st: focus on your mind more than on body because this is your mind which is your best friend or enemy in loosing weight. Praise yourself with non food items for successes. Have clear long and short term goals and focus on them! Give yourself a vision of success! Monitor what you eat, what you exercise, your weight and waistline. This will help you to focus. And condition your brain to take pleasure from what you doing: eat healthy and tasty, buy nice clothes size smaller when you drop weight. Choose meals and activities which are healthy and you ENJOY therm.

2nd: Eat natural unprocessed food. It works a lot better for you than highly processed and sugary diet food. Despite crap they say in adverts this is not a healthy food. Butter is better than spread and natural full fat yoghurt with fresh berries is a lot better for you and your goals than sweetened low fat yoghurt. Buy meat and fish on the market not in the supermarket where is loaded with substances which should never be found in our digestive system. Eat real food.

3rd: If you often feel tired or bloated: make an experiment. Try gluten free or lacto free diet for a week and check if this makes you feel better. More and more people find themselves intolerant for those ingredients and reducing them from your diet may be very beneficial if this is your case.

This is not ready made recipe for success but I hope you will find here something what works for you I wish you a lot of success and good luck...

[SimonM]

HI

most of replies have been around your diet. if you are on a healthy diet and counting the calories maybe you need to look at your exercise program to make sure you are burning the calories. You need to be doing 30 min cardio exercise every day. If you want some good workouts go to ptprograms.com.au and download cardio workouts for free. Before starting read the the info on weight loss and workout heart rates to really burn the calories .

im sue if yo stick with it you will achieve your goal

[GRUMPYA]

If you genuinely believe it is harder to lose weight for you than other people then I would check with your GP that there is not a medical problem. The chances are there are not, but it's as well to get your thyroxine levels and uptake tested just in case and they may test for other things.

If you get an MOT from your doc and everything is ok download an online calorie counter. My fitness pal is American as is My Fat Secret. I use an English one My Meal Mate which is supported by the nhs. I prefer it because the food on there is English and there are no interactive parts to it. The American ones have no moderators on them so there is a lot of stuff on there that is bad advice or unhelpful.

Keep a food diary after you have input all your statistics. It will allow you to choose a rate of weight loss and then tell you how many calories you should be eating. I am on 1800 calories a day as i am tall and heavy.

Make sure you count everything veg, fruit, marmite all the things some of the slimming clubs teach you are "free".

Weigh no more often than weekly if you can't resist jumping on the scales every day then leave them at a friends house.

The advice about working on your thinking is good and about being mindful about what you eat.

Personally I would be cautious about the 5:2 diet, it's not suitable for anyone with diabetes, it will often trigger ibs in susceptible people, and it can make you too hungry so you over eat. It's also totally unsuitable for anyone who has ever had an eating disorder. If non of these factors affect you by all means give it a go but personally I think it's better to eat a better balanced calorie controlled diet.

Good luck with your weight loss.

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Hi started last week hard going but lost 4 pounds. Good luck this has really helped me.