Just Starting

[TomRL]

I've never actually considered doing a diet like the one on the NHS website. The kind with plans, counting and more gradual changes to the diet. I've generally dealt with extremes. Like eating one small meal a day or not eating at all. I'd feel great because I could actually feel something different. I'd feel like I was making progress. I didn't like the idea of making minute changes, not feeling any different and not knowing if I was actually doing anything. But I'd give up the diet eventually after giving it everything I had got. So I was going from the extreme of feeling bad because I'd not eaten anything to the feeling of bad because I'd given up and I'd stop making progress. You've probably heard this story before. Well, today I thought it would be best to find the middle-ground, even if it goes against my all-or-nothing attitude.

My one worry is Cola. I'm addicted to it. It adds light to my day. I haven't been able to go without it for over a week in my other attempts at dieting and it's my one big worry of relapse in this new one. As determined as I am to make the necessary changes, I struggle to imagine a diet without Coke.

Another minor worry is that I won't be able to see any notable changes with this diet. 2lbs isn't that much to lose every week.

So here goes nothing. I'm gonna try to follow the plan as well as I can. Although I doubt I'll have much say on what meals I have since I'm not the only one in this household.

[Dietcokeaddict]

Good for you for giving dieting another go! I know what you mean about losing small amounts each week - it doesn't give you that instant positive feedback to motivate you BUT it will be sustainable, so you won't have that huge negative feeling of giving up the extreme diets. I would say though that the coke needs to go... It will be so hard to lose weight and feel healthier without doing this - coke is just liquid calories! I gave up diet coke (which I LOVE) for the whole of January this year, which was hard to start with, but got easier as time went on. I replaced it with fruity squash, and actually felt a lot better hydrated, and still got the sweet taste that I definitely find I crave. When I had diet coke again at the end of the month, I found that it didn't taste nearly as good as I'd remembered!!

[TomRL in reply to Dietcokeaddict]

That sounds cool. I was hoping that I could maybe hop onto another soft drink that was a bit better for me. I managed to go yesterday without Coke but I drank a crap-tonne of juice instead. I doubt the 12 week plan is ok with that though.

[nhs2015 in reply to TomRL]

No don't go on another soft drink. Soft drinks are full of sugar. Even smoothie have too much sugar. Sugar will make you put on weight and will affect your taste buds. It will be difficult for you to eat healthy food as you will find them tasteless after sugar. Water water water is the key!

[nhs2015 in reply to TomRL]

Well Tom, or you want to do it or you don't. Think about it and make a decision. Sugar addiction is hard to beat but you have to be strong. You can do it. Apply yourself and you will be surprised: You will get there. Good luck on your journey

[Folliegirl]

Hi there, I'm on week 11 of the NHS 12 week plan, I have amazed myself by sticking to it. As I've got the hang of it, I've realised it's actually a lifestyle change for the long haul ... I use MyFitnessPal alongside it to count calories ... It's a real eye-opener .... Good luck on your journey!

[TomRL in reply to Folliegirl]

Thanks for the suggestion! Anything to make calorie counting easier.

[nhs2015]

What you have is the power to get off the Coca Cola. You obviously are addicted to it. Stop altogether or dilute it with water. Perhaps a quarter water first than half then three quarter. You will have withdrawal symptoms but it is worth it. Get into drinking water, water and water.

The other power you have is to eat twice as much veggies as before. See vegetables as your main food and meat as secondary.

Finally, you have the power to be patient. loosing too much at once is not healthy. Take your time. Slowly and surely. If you loose a pound a week or less, it is great, as at least you are not putting it on.

I don't see the NHS 12 week weight loss program as a diet. It is a guide to teach you healthy eating in 12 weeks. It teaches you to have a healthy "diet".

Don't starve yourself, eat plenty and healthy. AND cut your sugar intake. You will regain energy and be happy.

[alex7ra]

NHS2015 is right that you would be best to cut the coke out of your diet altogether however I appreciate that may be easy to say and harder to do. Coke contains caffeine and sugar and all sorts of other nasties. Swapping to diet coke would exclude the sugar but it would still have the caffeine and the other nasties.

If it were me, I would try and reduce as much as possible over time with a view to permanently cutting it out. Maybe you would need to start with replacing some occasions with diet coke and cut out others altogether. Eg week 1 allow yourself a small coke drink every other day. Week 2, swap every other coke drink with a diet coke. Week 3, replace all coke drinks with diet. Week 4, cut the number of diet cokes by 1 this week. Etc etc.

I used to be hooked on diet coke and I can't stand the stuff now so it is possible.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[TomRL]

Thanks for your help guys.

And I think you're right nhs2015. After I've had an explosion of coke, not even sugar tastes like sugar anymore. I'm assuming something about the acidity or sweetness is desensitizing my taste-buds?

[sueper]

Hi Tom, I love cola too. There was a time (many years ago) that I could drink 1 litre a day easily. I have moved on to either Coke Life or Pepsi Max (nicer than the usual diet ones) but I only have that about once a week. Another drink I now have is fizzy flavoured sugar free water. You can get lots of flavours in the big supermarkets and most are really nice. You could also try adding fizzy water to sugar free squash - much cheaper as well. Some people just like the fizzy water on its own so you could try that.

I now also just have water, so if I go out I may have one full fat coke and then a water. I don't buy full fat coke to drink at home now, it is just an occasional treat I have when I go out.

Try to treat full fat coke as an occasional treat remembering that is not good for you but occasionally it is nice to have - just like a glass of wine or cider.

Best of luck!

[Hairyman]

Try googling [Sugar and inflamation] to get some motivation, Tom.

[Hairyman]

And check out [ That sugar film ]