So I've been doing low carb for a couple weeks now and have seen results, lost 10.4lbs but still have 53.6lb to go. Since I feel the low carb is already becoming difficult (I broke for the first time today and ate a massive bar of chocolate) I thought I'd change to this as it seems a more sustainable way of dieting long term.
I'm going to finish out the week on my low carb eating and start this properly on Monday after I've had a chance to go shopping.
My downfalls are mainly binge eating and not being able to plan meals that I don't find boring or easily get fed up of so I lose motivation in my diet. So was just wondering what type of meals everyone else is eating? Also if anyone has any tips on how to avoid binge eating I will be more than happy to here them.
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RoundRobin
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I have just the same attitude to food as you . Are there triggers to your binge eating eg loneliness, or do you binge at any opportunity. I ask these pertinent questions because I am a binge eater too x
10.4lbs is a great start! I'm low carb for health reasons and there is loads of stuff you can have! My favourite at the moment is salt & peppered steaks on salad.
I tend to eat a big protein breakfast and that stops me nibbling throughout the day, I have prawns generally for lunch.
Prawns and Fish are excellent for low carbs. I don't particularly worry about fat, although I wouldn't eat something ridiculously high.
Weight gain generally happens eating high carb, high fat foods. The body burns carbs off first then fat, and generally foods if they are carbs can tend to have fat in them too.
Don't restrict so much that you can't have carbs at all. I sometimes eat chocolate, I just exercise more afterwards. If I crave something, I have it because I know leaving it makes me binge eat
Whichever type of "diet" you decide to follow Robin, you're going to need to plan. Failure to do so, will result in bingeing.
There are hundreds of low fat, or low carb recipes on the internet, my advice is to research them, plan your menus, make a very specific shopping list and only buy those ingredients that you need. Do not have unhealthy foods in the house eg chocolate, but plan healthy snacks.
If you decide to go for the NHS 12 week plan, put your details into the BMI calculator, to see what your healthy weight should be and what your daily calorie allowance is.
Include your meals, snacks and drinks into your calorie allowance and write down everything you eat and drink. It sounds boring, but it helps to keep a check on mindless snacking.
There is a phone app called myfitnesspal that does all of this counting and recording for you.
Be aware that this plan is designed for a loss of 1 - 2lbs per week, which is sustainable long term.
Finally, don't look on this as another "diet", but a healthier way of life.
I agree heartily with Roundrobin's point about rediscovering how we ate before processed food became the norm (those of us who can actually remember...). I grew up in the post-WW2 era and my mother prepared healthy sustaining food with what was available. Tangerines were a rare treat (a REAL treat...!) at Christmas, that I still remember with wonderment and pleasure. A rarely mentioned fact is that the health of the OVERALL population of the UK was better during wartime and the post-war period when food was rationed - and therefore more evenly and fairly distributed, as well as being as nutritionally balanced as was possible then.
I am trying to return to the feeling of appetite satisfaction and physical ease that I knew back then...
The food I'm eating is nothing like what I grew up eating (I'm 21) I'm also vegetarian and finding food to eating conveniently has been challenging. All the low carb things I've been eating have taken time and preparation and being a student coming into deadline and exam time I know I'm not going to be able to maintain it. All using a calorie counter app some days I'm barely making 1000 calories as it just seems there is so little I can eat. I have to say I'm not hungry but I want to start exercising again, I used to play sports till a couple months ago and that isn't sustainable for that.
I have gone completely the opposite way from you, carbs, carbs and carbs.
By carbs of course I don't mean sugar, chocolate bars,cakes,crisps, white flower derivatives, fruit juices.... Instead I have adopted a wholemeal diet, that starts with porridge with fresh fruit + a spoonfool of mixed nuts and seeds in the morning, followed by snack on some fruit ( in moderation, fresh, definitely no syrup, with all the fibre in), and for the other meals I have wholemeal pasta with veg, wholemeal rice and bread, with proteins comind from pulses and other veg, but very little meat. I'll tell you, not only I am loosing weight, I am also happy, satisfied with my meals in smaller portions ( all that fibre stops you overeating naturally), my skin is glowing and everyone is noticing. The best of this is that I can stick to this diet forever as it is healthy and complete. I got my inspiration from a good book, called 'food for Thought' by Saul Miller, it explains how this type of diet ( which is what our ancestors ate when meat and refined carbs were not available) keeps your body clocking well and affects your behaviour too towards other people (controlling aggression, mood swings,etc). Great reading, for a different point of view.
Yeah when I stop the low carb I won't be going back to eating tons of sugary foods, crisps and white bread and pasta. But will bring back healthy cereals/oats and rice and sweet potatoes. I've found the high fat side of the carb diet very difficult and definitely looking forward to eating less of that.
Low Carb can be difficult to get right and it doesn't suit everyone. You are right about choosing your carbohydrates with care. This is a useful page of information.
I think that to avoid but binge eating you have to allow yourself some carbs. I have a treat each day after my evening meal. I look forward to that and know that after that treat I will be satisfied until breakfast the next morning. It's worth a try - complete abstinence is a non starter for me
Have you had a look at Slimming World vegetarian recipes (see their website)? They have some good ones, including some pasta-with-greens and some jacket-potato-with-beans-and-coleslaw type dishes which don't take TOO long to prepare. SW allows you to eat masses which helps if you like to binge eat and get a very full tum!
Being veggie/vegan does seem to take time if you're going to avoid all those horrid processed pre-prepared foods
Binge eating is something I suffer from- its as if I get taken over by a different 'me'- ate a whole box of chocs at the weekend in one sitting for example. I think it's difficult to just stop it immediately; you have to forgive yourself and move forward. It's so easy to be hard on yourself but one of the best things I have learned to do, which has helped me to lose over 30lb since January (pretty slow across the whole year, eh- but it's off!) is to be a better friend to myself- ie what would you say to your best friend if it was him/her? well say that to yourself. Try to think that the 'over-eater you' is a stage of you that you are growing out of but slipping is acceptable too. Being on a diet is not really going to work because it's a defined period like being on a holiday! Making healthy lifestyle choices will work better because it becomes your 'norm'... not sure I'm expressing this very well. Basically, occasional binge eating is inevitable, as you 'grow out of the habit', but just carry on being yourself and give yourself encouragement rather than telling yourself off. Eat and enjoy healthy food- lots of it if necessary- 1,000 calories a day is no way enough and your body will start to hang on to all your weight because it will be worried that you're starving! In this circumstance I'm convinced the occasional binge helps reset the clocks, so to speak... yet more rambling. Basically, start by halving the number of times a month that you binge...?!!!
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