Best way to lose weight

[ltbs123]

Forget exercise and low fat , although exesrsise is essential for good health, one would have to run a marathon to lose 3lb

To lose weight you will have to change perhaps a lifetimes habits and THINKING around food and DRINK.

To lose weight you will need to eat less calories than your body needs to maintain it's weight. NEVER less than 1,000 per day.

The best way to succeed is to cut out all refined sugars and refined carbohydrates. The easiest way to do this is to only eat basic foods, that is foods which are unprocessed. As Doctor Hillary Jones said only eat foods that don't have an ingredients label on them. Refined Sugars are things such as; granulated, castor, brown sugar ect. Syrups, anything that ends with OSE such as; dextrose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, fructose, etc. lactose in milk is ok.

This means giving up chocolate, sweets, cakes, deserts, ready meals,biscuits, ALCHOL , soft drinks, smoothies, and more.

Refined charbohydrates are grains that have their husks removed and are finely milled; such as white flour, most breakfast cereals, porridge oats is a very good breakfast, but not cup a porridge or Oats so simple, or Ready Break as they are to processed. Granary bread is ok.

I am 70years old at a healthy weight ,with low blood presure, cholesterol, and sugar levels, a very good BMI and very fit.

I have a bowl of porridge for breakfast, 1slice of granary bread butter and cheese for lunch, or a tin of sardines in olive oil, or 1boiled egg with I slice of granary bread, for lunch and my evening meal consists of a large portion of boiled potatoes lots of vegetables with meat, fish or other unprocessed protein. I try to keep to this with no snacks, or treats. I drink mainly hot or cold water and one cup of decaffeinated coffee made with milk, no sweeteners, or sugars.

You might think you would never be able to stick to this . I used to calorie count it is scientific. if you do it accurately you will lose weight. Now I just follow the above advice and if I gain a pound or two I reduce my portion size.

When you eat , or drink refined charbohydrates they mess up your insulin levels, Sugar Spikes and cause cravings the diet I follow is easier, but I am human and my brain can seduce me into old habits (very rarely now), but years of practice has made me an expert in ME and of all of the edible treats nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.

I

[EllaMidlands]

May I ask why you have joined this community?

[ltbs123 in reply to EllaMidlands]

I hoped that what I have learnt from being an obese child 15stones in my early teens. I tried all the crazy diets and gave up I was 17 stones in my early 20's, losing 6 stones, calorie counting. Then I started and run two Sliming Magazine Clubs in the early 1980's. They wanted me to lose another stone which I did. I had lots of successful slimers who did amazingly well, yet years later they would put a lot of weight back on. When I lost my 6 stones I only had a calorie chart of basic foods so my diet was very healthy. slimming Magazine said that we could eat treats such as chocolate bars as long as they were counted in our daily calorie allowance. I had to be weighed every week as an example to my members, which was difficult , I followed their diets and ate chocolate and other treats. I ended up being a Yo Yo dieter always hungry and cold. To cut a long story short. I eventually discoverd that if I cut out refined sugars and refined carbohydrates. I could stop the YO YO dieting as the cravings dropped dramatically.

Resarch into diabetes led to the GI diet which I almost follow, except I eat lots of boiled old potatoes,as new potatoes which the GI diet allow are very expensive. As I eat hardly any sugars it works for me.

Fats are not the baddies that they have been made out to be, we need some fats for warmth healthy skin and hair and other health needs by not eating high GI foods we don't crave so much food and so we don't eat as much fat.

Why did I post my views. I wish that I knew now what I know now it would have saved me years of MISERY, I suffered through my life, I was one of only 2 obese girls in my school of 700 pupils,we were the children born after the war and my peers. We're quite skinny , I suffered terrible bulling and I felt a freak.

The Morbid obesity epidemic in this country didn't start until the 1980's I just thought if I helped one person it was worth it. We are all differen't, yet all similar. We all cope in different ways. My way works for me it may work for others.

One reply said that even thin people enjoy chocolate, yes I know lots who do. It is as though some of us are prone to addiction,the sad thing is we all need toeat to live. My partner is very slim he can have a bar of chocolate and make it last all week. I could never do this, one square and I couldn't stop. Luckily I have lost the enjoyment of chocolate, since I gave up refined sugars and refined carbohydrates.

Thank you so much to all the kind people who were nice to me.

Best wishes

[EllaMidlands in reply to ltbs123]

Thank you for sharing that, it is good to know you found the answer for you. Thank you for replying.

[elliebath Maintainer in reply to ltbs123]

Thanks Ella.

This forum is about achieving and keeping a healthy weight, its not just for "dieters". I read your post as encouraging advice . Your choice of foods suits you, although every successful Maintainer probably eats entirely different foods .... and that doesn't matter too much if it works !

At the end of the day you have a success story ( as do I ) and have proved that no matter what age, its never too late to change our habits and be healthier.

[Tiggerr]

Hello Itbs123 and welcome.

I'm glad for you that you found a route for you that has worked. I'm not so sure that you should be suggesting that a one size fits all approach (no pun intended).

In the short time that I've been here I have met so many different people, with so many different requirements, that I can imagine some people potentially getting offended at telling them that they aren't doing things right.

[kalahuchi in reply to Tiggerr]

Hi Ewillday,

I do agree with you that what works for one spells disaster for another. I was losing weight quite successfully a few years ago and then I heard about and tried the 5;2 diet. It really didn't suit me at all and before I knew it I was eating more than ever and the weight had piled back on, but many people swear by it so I know it can work very well for many people.

I tend to take the good ideas from lots of different posts and then do things my own way. It's a lot like my approach to recipes; I can't remember the last time I followed one exactly as it was written, but I do get lots of inspiration all the same and sometimes I manage to make a pretty spectacular cake.

Nice badge by the way x

[Tiggerr in reply to kalahuchi]

I'm glad for you and the way I've changed my lifestyle is also different to many others here, even though I'm supposedly following the same plan. I don't believe anyone here is reacting to that idea.

[kalahuchi in reply to Tiggerr]

We're all doing our best in our own way aren't we and it's amazing how we can interpret the same plan in totally different ways which, I suppose, is the beauty of it.

In all fairness what I do take on board is that I have to want to stay healthy more than I want to eat like I used to do and I intend to remind myself of that on a very frequent basis. x

[YellowRose55]

Hi ltbs123

You sound like you have your weight under control so well done, not sure how this forum will help you but you are welcome to join us.

Take a look at the Welcome Newbie post in the Pinned post section at the right hand side or if your on a mobile at the bottom. Have a look at the nhs 12 week plan, many members have had success following this plan. Use the BMI checker to work out your daily calorie allowance.

Below the Pinned posts are the Topics where members share a range of weight related subjects.

We have daily weigh-ins so why not come and join us. You can find them posted in the Events section on the right on the Home page. Just click on the post and state your starting weight together with any loss, gain or maintain for the week.

To get the best from the forum be active, share experiences, tips and recipes.

Read some of the posts in the Topic section they are good for inspiration and getting us motivated.

Have a good week.

Rose

[Hidden]

Sorry, but I am not sure on what you are saying - I think we all know that sugar and fats etc are not good - but we are all trying to eat healthy here and sometimes we revert back to what we have had and we don't need to feel guilt we need encouragement

Your diet to me sounds like you are stranded on a remote island

[kalahuchi in reply to Hidden]

I can see by your badge that you're doing just fine Cracker; no need for any guilt! When we fall off the horse I think we just have to put a plaster on the bruises and climb straight back on again. Try, try and try again is my motto!

Itsb123's regime is a bit severe for me to handle too although that kind of grit and determination can only lead to success, not many of us are prepared for that degree of commitment.

We all have to find our own magic formula but I always get a kick out of hearing about anyone who's managed to get weight off and, even better, keep it off for a long time.

I'm still losing weight I think, even if it is oh so very slowly and I am so frightened it will pile on again the way it has so many times before so I'm learning everything I can about maintenance now and hoping for the best.

Good luck Cracker and I hope you feel you've got plenty of encouragement too x

[kalahuchi]

It sounds as if you have worked hard to achieve a wonderfully healthy diet and lifestyle and, against all of the odds, you have found a way to maintain it so hearty congratulations. Thank you for the hints and tips you have shared with us and for giving us hope that there are some long term success stories such as your own to keep us all going.

How right you are to say that nothing tastes as good as being slim feels. I never thought I would know what being slim did feel like and now I do I don't want to go back either!

We all have different ways of doing things but I can relate to your approach and sometimes I find it less stressful to say to myself that I don't eat certain foods at all than to say I can have them for a treat and then have to decide what constitutes a treat and how often the treats should be.

I'll certainly be taking some of your suggestions on board and I like the idea of reducing portion sizes a little if the weight creeps up a bit; it sounds a relatively painless method of getting back on track. I'm so delighted for you x

[Hidden]

Even thin people eat chocolate etc. They just do it in moderation and don't over indulge. x

[gershy]

Thank you for your helpful post. I think you are spot on and I'm not sure why you got such negative comments for posting. Maybe people don't like hearing the truth or that others have found a solution! ! While our bodies are different the function is the same and cutting out REFINED sugars IS the answer everybody! !! Many of you may not like to hear that because who doesn't want to be able to have chocolate and cake though the bottom line is to stop yo yoing and maintain an ideal weight one should cut it out completely. After a few days of not eating it one will feel the benefits. As soon as one eats it again notice how addictive sugar is and you will just want more of it. Refined sugars have no health benefits and are only on the shelves for people to make money! !! Because they are addictive the more manufacturers use them the more sales they get...... and we fall for it again and again! ! So be completely honest with yourself for yourself and face reality....... cut out refined sugars ..watch the weight fall offand enjoy the wonderful taste in f feeling healthy and light!! Thank you for bringing this to our attention 😊

[elliebath Maintainer in reply to gershy]

Yes we do know refined sugars are no use to the body at all but some of us were practically weaned on sugar foods from babies onwards, so it takes quite a while to ditch it completely.

Im trying my best and have kept the weight off for the past two years, but still have had the odd sugar food here and there .

But actually , it was a toothache last month that cured me from the biscuit tin ..... I can't grow further teeth so I am definitely looking after the ones I've got !! 😁😁😁😁