Hiya - I need to lose 2st and I'm at a loss on where to start - please help anyone?

[Cyclecrazy]

Is it best to just start cutting down on portion sizes or to do the boring calorie counting?

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome cyclecrazy (loving the name by the way, you sound like a person after my own heart )

Here's a link to our welcome newbies thread, which is full of useful tips

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

this is the latest link to the Around the World challenge

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Unfortunately, I suspect you're going to have to count calories AND cut portion sizes, but follow the link to the NHS 12 week plan first

All the best!

[kantara71]

I think you do know where to start just by the question you ask I suppose if you really cannot be bothered to count the calories then yes, cut down on portion size. The 12 week plan explains all of this.

Just as an aside, i am preparing moussaka tonight for me and my partner, I weighed everything out and counted the calories of everything I put into the dish. I have just calculated the total calories and it works out at 2,400 ! i will eat half of this, which is what I would normally have done, but the difference is that I have been careful during the day knowing I was going to have moussaka tonight so my total calorie count will still be under my "allowance". Before starting the 12 week plan I would have eaten a bigger lunch as well as snacks in between and probably washed the mousaka down with a nice bottle of red, (another 600 calories)!! No wonder I kept putting weight on!

Give the 12 week plan a go, cyclecrazy, and by the end of it you should have lost your 2 stones Good luck !

[Hidden]

With myfitnesspal you don't have to count calories - it does it for you and I find its like keeping a food diary! Makes me think about what I'm eating.

[gareth0073 7lbs]

Look at the hairy dieaters books they helped me a lot and loads of surprises in them

[Hidden]

Yes you will have to cut calories somehow and eat healthier and move more. I am an apple shape so I gave my weight around the middle so I find restricting carbs really helps me to lose weight. Portion size needs to be sensible too. But you'll not regret starting good luck.

[Cyclecrazy]

Thank you all so much for these good ideas. I'm now on My Fitness Pal and just dug the wii fit board from behind the wardrobe and did some stepping, hula hooping and jogging on the spot. Will do the official weigh in tomorrow morning....and so it begins.

[Jesterpuss1]

Good luck Cyclecrazy! Everyone on the forum are very supportive, I'm finding it very encouraging! and realizing your "not alone " really helps.

[Cyclecrazy]

Ok I'm putting my weight out there - 10 stone 2 lbs this morning at only 5'0 tall and size 14 (maybe a 12 on a good day!).

Breakfast weighed out this morning - Granola -

Lunch - chicken salad / pear

Dinner - Salmon fillet with runner beans and either rice or new pots tonight.

I'm not going to bore everyone each day with my food diary!

[elliebath Maintainer]

Personally I say you have to do both! Portion size is very important but you also need an understanding of what foods contain. Once you get to know the calorie value of various foods, you wont necessarily have to go without them, just have less of high calorie items and more of the lower calorie ones.

I found the Myfitnesspal app was my saviour, it calculates your personal calorie needs to lose weight ( or maintain) and has a huge index of every food imagineable. Before you know it you will automatically be eating smaller portions and making better choices. I did it and lost my excess weight a year ago, and ive stayed more or less at my target of BMI 22.5 ever since. Good luck, lots of supportive friends on here and on MFP.