Newbie looking for support!: Hi everyone... - Weight Loss Support

Weight Loss Support

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Newbie looking for support!

9 Replies

Hi everyone,

I've just joined and need some advice and support. I've struggled with my weight for 10+ years now, and it's really beginning to damage my mental health. I teach full time and during term time this takes up so much of my time. I genuinely don't like many vegetables (honestly, I'm not just being difficult!) so I find a balanced diet hard. As a fussy vegetarian I tend to stick with pasta/rice/quorn/potato based dishes.

Any advice will be gratefully welcomed, I think I need a fresh outlook on weight loss because whatever I've done up to now hasn't worked!

Thanks!

9 Replies
Nomash profile image
Nomash

First of all, hello and welcome! (virtual hand shake and a little bow! Bow as in curtsey not bow as in to put in one's hair!)

Personally I have found the Lchf, the easiest way to go. Myself, I was eating way to many carbs as in half a loaf, or half a packet of cream crackers in one go. I knew I was being silly, and putting on the pounds. So I have now cut them completely, and dont even crave them, which means I eat far less altogether.

Take a look around, there's a variety of opinions here, see what you think will be good for you.

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministrator2 stone

Hello, KS2Teacher14, and welcome to the forum :)

What you say about your food choices explains a lot, unfortunately - or maybe I should say fortunately, as it can give you a pointer for the changes you need to make. A diet heavy in pasta, rice, potatoes is not working in your favour. Do you think you could be more adventurous? A lot of our ideas of what we "don't like" are based on something badly cooked, decades ago. Your current diet has got you to where you are now, and if you want to lose weight and feel happier and healthier, then you will need to make changes.

I'll give you a couple of things to read: one explains the problems that a high carb diet cause us healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... and the other offers a way forward phcuk.org/wp-content/upload...

This is a busy forum so we have put all you need to find your way around into this Welcome post healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... I recommend joining a weekly weigh in and using the Daily Diary for help with meal planning.

You will have received a welcome message: please refer back to the information about online privacy and security and consider locking your posts.

I hope you'll become an active member of the forum and we'll see you around :)

clarisma profile image
clarisma

Hi. I was a teacher too and the sugar rush always came at 4pm! I'm fairly new to this health plan and after years of Weight Watchers, Slimming World and one or two others for good measure I couldn't face another diet. But I think you'll find this really helpful. I've lost 6lbs in just over 4 weeks so far. Look at the Change4Life app recipes. They are really good. It's school holidays now so a good time to start!

Hi Hidden , welcome to the forum. You've made a start by joining us, so well done on taking the first step.

Are there any vegetables that you like? I'd make a list of the ones you do like, or haven't tried for a while, and start with that. Or try cooking them differently. For example, I always thought I hated sprouts, but actually I love them when stir-fried,it was just boiled ones that put me off. Or have you tried tofu?

Good luck :-)

dolphinwoman profile image
dolphinwoman

Hiya! It sounds like you have a real challenge finding a balanced diet! Are you able to eat zizzed up veggies as in a homemade tomato and basil pasta sauce? I don't eat meat any more but I eat fish which does make life easier. My bezzie is like me and eats only fish and vegetarian food but is restricted with acidic food and most fruits! However she has found a diet that suits her. Do you eat lentils and kidney beans or other pulses ? They make fabulous ( and cheap!) meals. If you can bear peas and sweetcorn (they are the only veggies my son eats!) they are pretty versatile too. Good luck! I am sure that by experimentation you will find what suits you. And if you can get just a bit more movement in to your life...it all counts, it just might take time!

How much weight have you got to lose? I have another 7 stone ish ( I have already lost 4 stone) and it is so sloooooowwwwwww as to drive me insane but it is going down however gradually!

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61 in reply todolphinwoman

Good to see you around here dolphinwoman 😊. How are you getting on? I hope you’ve had chance to read all the information you have been given. Are you planning on joining a Group weigh in or any of the other forum events? For a refresh have a look at Pinned Posts here healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... and please just ask if you have any questions

Best wishes

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all of your advice and support! I know that my carb heavy diet is the issue. And exercise isn’t my main struggle. I find it easier to go and workout 5 times a week than eat a good diet. I found this list I made a while back, and I guess I’m not THAT fussy. These are healthy foods I either like or can tolerate:

Strawberries, raspberries, grapes, apples, bananas, carrots, lettuce, sweet potato, parsnips, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, onions, avocados, berries, seeds, nuts, kiwi fruit, sweetcorn, melon, celery, chillies, quorn, tofu, peas, beans, cucumber, eggs, pineapple, orange, mushrooms, pomegranate, grapefruit, butternut squash, kale

Okay in moderation foods I like:

Wholewheat pasta and rice, cous cous, potatoes, soft cheese, peanut butter, rice cakes, ryvita, natural yoghurts, porridge oats, seeded bread.

Maybe it’s just easy to prepare and cook meals I need help with.

I don’t really want to track my progress with weight loss measuring. I do a lot of weight training and this can lead to skewed results when you lose fat and gain muscle. I will do my measurements and may invest in a body fat monitor instead. Does anyone do it this way?

moreless profile image
morelessAdministrator7 stone in reply to

If you look in Topics, you'll find 136 vegetarian recipes, if you join the daily diary, you'll get all sorts of assistance with meal planning and in Pinned Posts, you'll find Lytham's Larder.

Weighing ourselves is just one way to measure progress and not necessarily the best, so do whatever you feel happiest with :)

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61 in reply to

That's quite a list of healthy fresh produce that you eat! You could easily produce some lovely meals. I would start there, use google and search “vegetarian recipes using cabbage”for example. I’m also a big fan of DietDoctor who have a vegetarian section. Do you eat milk, cream, yogurts and cheese? These are all excellent sources of dietary fat, which help keep you full as well as providing essential nutrients 😊

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