New and Confused!

[AliceBags]

Hello everyone! I've been on and off yo yo diets since I was 16. I'm now 22, 80 kg (12.6 stone), and really want to drop 10kg (and keep it off!). My problem for certain is binging.. I'll be really healthy for a few weeks and then eat everything I can find. Any tips on how to stay on track?

[lucigret]

Welcome AliceBags , I expect an administrator will be along soon to welcome you. In the meantime read all you can on the site and find your way around. If you feel a 'binge' coming on get on here and post and ask for support. Whilst your fingers are busy on here and your mind is on the forum you won't be eating! We are a friendly lot :). Also clear out of the house anything you can't resist and find healthy alternatives.

Good luck

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello AliceBags and welcome to the weight loss forum 😊

To achieve and sustain a long term healthy weight you need to find a healthy way of eating that is permanent 😊 For me this entails keeping a food diary, watching portion size, and not overeating my daily calorie target. After a while this becomes second nature as the habits establish themselves 😊

Here are a few suggestions for getting the most out of the forum. (Please note some of these suggestions are not available if you are using the HU App so I suggest you use the full website.)

The first place to look is at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you 😊

Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news 😊

Have a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Also use the BMI checker to find your target calories, it's important to eat enough. This was a major turning point for me, realising I could eat anything I wanted as long as the calories are accounted for 😊

Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate 😊

The forum also have group weigh-ins every day if you wish to take part. The posts can always be found in the Events section on the 'home' page 😊

You'll notice a grey box next to people's names, these are achievement badges, and as a new member you may have a 'Newbie' badge. If you have any questions or would like a Newbie badge please just ask 😊

We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too 😊

Best wishes

Anna

[HubbysMissMouse]

Welcome to the forum. Please don't be afraid to ask any questions whilst on here as you will always find someone who will be able to answer any questions you have. Everyone is really friendly and this is the first diet that I have ever been on that I have stuck to. I feel so relaxed and comfortable on here with everybody and have never thought of stopping once. Good luck with your journey and all the best.

[headblock]

Hi Alicebags. I can't claim to be an expert, but I cracked the smoking habit using a few tricks. One that worked quite well was to set a timer for 5 or 10 mins (whatever works for you) and when the binge monster pays a visit, set it to countdown, during which focus on something else that you enjoy. When you get to the end of the timer, often the cravings will have gone, as long as you don't focus on the craving during the countdown. Another one to try is to put your walking shoes and coat next to the pantry or fridge. When you approach for a snack, put on the shoes and coat and go for a walk, a minimum of 1/2 an hour. Listen to music while you walk (stay safe though, plenty of light and people about) and by the time you get home you'll feel that it's you in control not the monster.

These worked for me, with the occasional and inevitable slip, but I got there.

Best of luck.

[matets in reply to headblock]

Great advice headblock !

[SukiV]

Welcome Alicebags. You're definitely not alone on the whole binging thing. I was like that, really good one minute then eat loads the next. I found the best way for me to break the circle was to not have unhealthy food in the house (I know that's not easy for everyone especially if you have children). But I found the days I want to bing I could only bing on healthy food because there was nothing else in my house. It doesn't just have to be fruit and veg. I would have things like wafer thin ham, eggs, or crab sticks in the fridge (lots of protein). In my handbag I'd carry low fat bars like weight watchers or slimming world. So if I fancied chocolate I had the low calories option each time.

[matets]

Welcome AliceBags . It would be good if you can clearly identify your binge eating triggers to enable you work on them better. Also identify the time that you tend to binge most and the foods that you binge on. We binge mainly due to uncontrollable cravings that result from restricting our food intake. Seek to eat nourishing/healthy foods at every meal to satiety and eat after every 3-4hours so as to break the cravings. All the best!