Overweight & depressed

[Suzie-B]

Hi guys,

I've just come across this site while trying to find tips on how to lose and maintain weight loss. In the past year alone I've put on about 45lbs and it has making me really sad and depressed. I struggle with trying to exercise during the week as I work 5 days a week and have to commute to work which is about an hr and half each-way and on the weekends I have to catch up on doing the house work and looking after the kids. I know people say to try and make time but it is very hard for me and i'm constantly tired.

I'm Caribbean and therefore would like to know if anyone has any ideas on how to still be able to eat my kind of food but in a way that I can start to eat a bit healthier?

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, Suzie_B

I've looked for low carb Caribbean recipes online and there are plenty to choose from. Unfortunately, as they are commercial sites, I can't link them for you, but they're easy enough to find for yourself. I hope you'll join our daily diary and share your meal plans with us too, as the recipes look delicious!

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[pauluk60 1st 7lbs]

hi suzie i think you must have enough exercise with kids and work so its down to food i bet its them yams but any carbs you must cut back on i use fasting but i think your to busy for that or maybe one day anything to cut back the intake cause all the weight aint helping you and must frustrate you just smaller portions sue meat veg anything but cut those carbs

[Mrsflows]

Wow it sounds like you’re very active already, best of luck to you x

[TheAwfulToad Visitor]

If you're asking "can I carry on eating what I'm eating now?" then I'm afraid the answer is no. You're going to have to make radical changes to your food. That doesn't mean you need to eat less, or abandon the flavour palette that you're used to, but you do need to discard certain things. I'm not an expert on Caribbean food, but the little I know suggests that there are a whole bunch of things that you can keep eating (basically, anything based around meat and vegetables) and a few things that you'll have to lose - rice and starchy tubers. Can you list out roughly what goes onto your plate at mealtimes, or what's in your fridge?

It could also be that you've included a few of the more dysfunctional components of the Western diet in your daily meals, and dropping those are going to make a huge difference. The stress of work probably isn't helping; if the option arises, it would be worth taking a job closer to home even for less pay. Commuting costs more than people realise.

Incidentally, I wouldn't bother too much about exercising at the moment. Try not to spend too much time sitting on the couch, but going to the gym is not a crucial component of weight loss.