Who is on a diet at the moment

OMG it is so hard some days, it is easy other days like today its really hard work, IM either on a high or a low, when Im low I could eat the outside of a house, when Im high its so easy to do.

Why can't it just be easy to do, why can't I just be on an even keel.

You probably will find it harder at this time of year because the cold seems to make us want stodgy carbs. Also, all the Christmas food and choccy ads they're showing more and more now probably put evil ideas in your head and increase your cravings. I could kill that bloody Lindt Choclatier for tempting me

Alfie Lindt choc is my favourite, especially the brandy filled choc bars

Yes I also love stodge, stew and dumplings, steak pies, hot pots

Hi Lilly . A plate of cold leaves in dressing doesn't really cut it for at this time of year either Bring on the 'Famous Names' Malibu filled liquers for me (a trolleyload would be most acceptable). They really take the rough edges of the day!

not today...tomorrow..sometime soon..after xmax..probally in the new year..

Seriously, if anyone here IS on a REDUCING diet at the moment I would love to here your thoughts and would appreciate some good ideas. Please don't say "That's easy-just eat less" like my doctor did the other day! I seriously need to lose a fair bit and have tried ALL the diets going. I've got a sense of humour but at the end of the day its my health that is suffering, so any suggestions I would love to here them! Ta

I found reducing carbs a very good way of losing weight. Allegedly your body needs to burn carbs before it starts burning fat (don't know if this is true) tried the original full blown Atkins diet and it was excellent for shifting weight quickly, but it was very restrictive - veg etc. were counted as carbs which meant basically eggs and meat. By the end of that I was ready to steal rusks from toddlers.

Now, I try to just restrict carbs - certainly after about 6 pm -I especially do this on hols and load up on protein and veg and salad and it seems to allow me to eat quite a large amount of food and it's quite satisfying.

Also, another tip, if you like a drink, try switching from wine, beer etc, to vodka - it has no carbs. Hopefully you like vodka - I've found these little tweaks, plus regular exercise a good way to get it off and keep it off.

Hope this is a tiny bit helpful.

Thanks for the above comments ! I will possibly try Atkins and I WILL definitely get out more and jog a bit or something. (what a funny sight that will be! ) Seriously I do have a dog so there is no excuse for me to be so inactive other than the fact that I don't like the cold. Will let you know how I get on. Today is the first day of the rest of my diet ! Yet again ?!!

i have joined weight watchers for 12wks starting in jan 2010....i weigh 14sts and am 5'6..dress size 18....will let you know how it goes

eddie, I agree, Atkins is too hardcore. That's why I control my carbs and try to eat complex carbs and the refined, crappy ones with no goodness in. Restricting carbs can work (I try to eat few or no carbs after 6, but if we're eating Chinese or Indian food, I've just gotta have rice) - but I agree cutting them completely is not a good idea

Louise, also, power walking can be very effective in it's own right and is not as taxing on the joints as jogging and running. Basically, anything that gets you moving and your heart pumping will help. Think about getting a pedometer and trying to get in 10000 steps a day - the recommended level to improve fitness and shift some wodge. The exercise will help you produce endorphins, lift your mood and might actually help stop food cravings.

Alfiefinn, Thanks I took your advice and borrowed a pedometer. 1000 steps already just in the house ! When the snow clears a bit I will be out there with my new mountaineering walking stick as well. (very flat around here but looks good ). I think I will take Eddie's advice and Not do Atkins yet. Too many goodies at xmas to tempt one. But I will try to remember everything I learnt at Weightwatcher's and Slimmingworld etc etc and think of my health this time. Too many premature deaths and heart disease in both sides of my family! Hope 4timesanan does ok, bit expensive though. Weightwatchers I mean!

Thanks eddie, Just back from a very long walk in the snow. More like trudge, trudge, trudge in the sludge, sludge, sludge. My little leggies ache somewhat ! Grilled chicken tonight with boiled potatoes and leeks. NO alchohol allowed as my old liver is still poorly from when I had gall-bladder probs. Will have a glass of white wine with xmas dins and a baileys no less once or twice (medicinal ) ! You've explained why Guiness is so fattening ! Used to love it.
I suppose I will have to stick to coffee.

I bet I have lost 20 stone over the years, but I am still obese. However, better late than never, I am following the diabetics diet. This means low fat, no sugar, low salt, high fibre. Even though it started as a diabetics diet it is ideal for anyone who wants to lose weight and keep the weight off. Aim to lose about a pound and a half per week and the likelihood is that it will stay off. I wish you all the luck in the world!

Just a little update to let heartsease etc know, I have now lost.......absolutely nothing. However that is so much better than gaining, I should think the fact that I couldn't get to the shops to stock up on goodies because of the snow really helped! I am trying to stick to a sort of diabetic/low G.I./low everything else diet but find the moment I come off the laptop I start to think of food. I shall have to get out all my unfinished tapestries and actually finish some. At least untill it's warm enough to go out again for some long walks.

The secret to dieting, I believe is to plan your meals in advance. Write a 'menu' each week, before your weekly shop to make sure you have everything in, and stick to eating just what you've written down. I personally dont buy cakes/biscuits/chocolates, this means I cant eat them! (Except at Christmas of Course ) It also helps if you can join a club, if this isnt possible try Tesco diets, you can do this on line, there is a forum on there so you can speak to others to give you encouragement, I lost a fair bit of weight last year on their GI plan. Although there are several different diets on there to choose from.

tomorrow at 10.30am will be my first weight watchers meeting..i have enrolled for 12weeks ..
target weight 11st 7lb..current weight 14st 7lb

louisah..
i also have gallbladder stones.. although i havn't had a flare up for over a year, i have seen consultant and am considering surgery

I`m on a permanent "diet" , I have coeliacs so can eat almost no processed food at all . Rule of thumb for me , if it looks good and tastes good then I probably can`t have it

On the positive side though nothing tastes good enough to make me want to go back to my old ways

On the negative side . . . . . this thread is making me hungry

Ziggy wrote:I`m on a permanent "diet" , I have coeliacs so can eat almost no processed food at all . Rule of thumb for me , if it looks good and tastes good then I probably can`t have it

On the positive side though nothing tastes good enough to make me want to go back to my old ways

On the negative side . . . . . this thread is making me hungry

O this is really nasty isnt it, my friends husband has it and although he sticks to a very rigid diet (in fact he has found out now after having it all his his life he can get most of his food on prescription) he ends up in hospital at least once a month in agony.

Harvesmom wrote:

Ziggy wrote:I`m on a permanent "diet" , I have coeliacs so can eat almost no processed food at all . Rule of thumb for me , if it looks good and tastes good then I probably can`t have it

On the positive side though nothing tastes good enough to make me want to go back to my old ways

On the negative side . . . . . this thread is making me hungry

O this is really nasty isnt it, my friends husband has it and although he sticks to a very rigid diet (in fact he has found out now after having it all his his life he can get most of his food on prescription) he ends up in hospital at least once a month in agony.

I don`t eat much of the food made for us because most of it tastes dreadful I have never been a big fan of bread but the gluten free stuff is

my weightwatchers first meeting rescheduled for 7th feb. i really cannot do diet at the moment .not with the cold weather, but i am exercising regularly.

Hi 4timesanan, my friend had gallbladder trouble and she was advised to cut out all fat. She soon lost a lot of weight.
Indeed over the years I have found that a low fat diet is best for me, although I love hot buttered toast......mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

I have just started a WW diet. I did get my gold badge a few years ago but I've slowly put it back on. I hate dieting, I hate dieting in cold weather but I did find that WW was the only one to work for me, although I did have some success with Rosemary Conley but I don't find that as easy as WW. I am not going to the meetings or paying because I have all the old charts etc. Writing down all your points every day is really good.

I am just stuffing my face with a low fat yoghurt (might eat the wallpaper a bit later!!)

you know what i find hard is that with 4 grandchildren, i always have to keep a cupboard of 'goodies' and fill the fridge/freezer in case they all stay for tea ,dinner etc...and as for butter well i can't blame that on the kids...love butter,(naughty but nice)

whats a WW gold badge?