Help

[Gillian1970]

I’m a newbie but I’m trying to find my way around here. Is there any help on losing weight for the more mature or a list of foods to buy or recipes?

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Hello Gillian1970, I replied to you this morning with the link to help you find your way around. Here it is again. Take your time reading as there is plenty in it healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I also gave you some information about weight loss as we get older and the benefits of a low carbohydrate high fat approach. Again, it's worthwhile taking some time to absorb it. If you decide on this route, you'll get extra information from the LCHF forum healthunlocked.com/lchf-diet

If you decide on the NHS 12 week plan, there is no specific meal plan to follow as you build it round your own likes and dislikes, within a given calorie range: you can find your own range here nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we... (NB this won't work if you are in the healthy BMI range)

As for shopping, aim for natural, unprocessed foods, plenty of veg, especially above-ground veg, healthy fats which keep us feeling full, avoiding anything labelled 'low fat' or 'lite' (they are all heavily processed). The Daily Diary is where people post their meal plans and you can pick up ideas there as well as getting constructive feedback on your own.

Apart from that, come here regularly, read posts, join in chats,

[Gillian1970 in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thanks for that again 😀

[Gillian1970]

I’m 48 but on Peri Menopause & find I can’t loose the belly or any weight. I’m about to start Week 8 on couch25K but still no difference. So I’ll need to look into the meals I’m making but probably best to start at the New Year! Anyway thanks for your help 😀

[Gillian1970]

I’m really good through the week. I have porridge & a bit toast with butter & some honey on it. Then I eat my tea at night. I make all meals from scratch. My downfall is the weekend where I get a takeaway & drink.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Gillian1970]

I don't know what weight and height you are, but, at a quick glance, that doesn't sound as though you are eating enough

[Gillian1970 in reply to BridgeGirl]

My BMI is just under 25. I’m 5ft 3 and 10st, & that’s heavy for me. I’m normally up & down but I like 8.5/9 st. Since menopause I’ve developed more a flabby belly & cant get rid of it. I’ve always had a belly but not as flabby as this. My downfall I suppose I love pasta, pizza, cheese, sauces etc... maybe I need to change this?

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Gillian1970]

It may be that you need to change what you eat and the first link I gave you will point you in the right direction. Also, in terms of exercise, it doesn't do much for weight loss - though it has many other benefits - but maybe some toning exercises targeting the areas you're not happy with would help

[Whitton6 in reply to Gillian1970]

Hi I understand that . My partner works awAy all week and then we live on takeaways at the weekend! I've refused some and cooked, let the family have them, I've had loads of veg and more nutritious food. Then had chicken tandoori take away not the big sauce ones!!

Good luck

[S11m]

Hi, Gillian1970 ... Welcome

At 48... perhaps you are "less mature"?

I will be 70 next year, and I try to get less mature (and younger) as my age increases!

A young lady asked me to join her for lunch today... she has a twinkle in her eye, but she celebrated her 9(tie)th birthday not long ago!

[Pineapple27]

Hi there Gillian1970 - a lot of what you are eating (and enjoy!) seems to be highly processed carbs - so pasta, pizza, bread. Toast and honey and porridge for breakfast sounds like quite a calorific breakfast to me - and those starchy carbs are unlikely to keep you feeling full for long.

Try a breakfast of scrambled eggs/fried eggs? Even bacon and eggs? Some protein for breakfast will really make a difference.

If you can cut back on this and replace with plenty of protein, "good" fats (oily fish, nuts, avocado), things like full-fat Greek yogurt - avoid the "exotic" fruits (they tend to have a lot of sugars) and go for berries, apples, pears... and of course VEGETABLES and salad which can become your best friends - replacing those process carbs and giving you lots of fibre and nutrition.

This approach to eating most definitely does help with the mid-drift I'm 56 and also perimenopause. I found that changing WHAT I ate made a huge difference to my shape.

I am just 4ft 8" and immobile because of a physical disability, so I know all about the challenges of weight loss when you're a more mature shortie!!

[Gillian1970 in reply to Pineapple27]

Hi I thought porridge is good for you & healthy? I’m sure I can keep eating what I like but try & reduce the portion size?

[TheAwfulToad Visitor in reply to Gillian1970]

It sounds logical, but in practice it just doesn't work.

The reason it doesn't work is complicated, but the upshot of "reducing portion size" is that you will feel hungry, and when you're driven to eat, you will eat. Nature always has the last laugh. Eventually.

Some people can get along with eating porridge for breakfast, but "healthy" is a bit of a stretch. As we get older our energy requirements change considerably, and foods like porridge - which might be OK for 20-something athletes - end up getting stored away as flab, and there it stays. Our bodies have no use for that massive rush of energy; not now, and not later. Likewise with honey; just because it's natural doesn't mean it's not sugar! It has exactly the same effect on your body as any other sugar, ie., it promotes fat storage and switches off fat-burning.

As several people above have mentioned, it's all about changing what you eat rather than how much. If you get the "what" bit right, your body will figure out all by itself the "how much".

[Pineapple27 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

Great reply TheAwfulToad and yes, you've explained better what I was trying to say about avoiding the foods that find their way straight to our tummy areas!

[Redspot]

Good luck

Find your eating plan....Lchf or calories plus a little exercise and watch the scales tell of your success!

Loads of advice on the site

Enjoy