Weight loss thread

66Mustang

Anyone here who is trying to lose weight, would like to lose weight, or has succeeded in losing weight?

I am overweight and want to lose about 5 stone. I started eating less 1 month ago. So far I have lost 10 pounds.

Any tips for losing weight are welcome. Especially specific tips for disabled people as it is definitely harder when you can’t get out and exercise whether that is because of psychological reasons or physical reasons.

It is also harder I guess in this so-called “lockdown”, in part because of restrictions on going out but also because when boredom sets in the temptation to eat gets greater.

exdvr

Please keep us updated with your tips and hints. I too need to lose at least 5 stone but mobility problems stop me from any useful exercising.

66Mustang

Thanks for the post. At the moment I do not do any proper exercise, I have just started eating less.

This is what I typically eat now:

1-2 pieces of fruit for breakfast
Half a sandwich (1 slice of bread) for lunch
Full size dinner
But most importantly I have cut out snacks and am drinking less alcohol. I used to eat 1-2 large sharing bags of crisps, or large sharing chocolate bars, per day but have cut that out.

On days I manage without snacks, I am putting the money into a savings account that I would have spent on snacks. I am financially motivated and motivated by numbers. Maybe that could work for others. I am up to £40 so far and I intend to use the money for something fun when I save up enough. 

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Please if I can advise the following may be useful.

There are a number of ways to lose weight but you have recognise eating sensibly is one.

Examples of your plan maybe losing you weight but in reality are not giving you the nutrients and energy to maintain body systems.

All meals the way forward is to look at the following.

Should include whole grains Bread Pasta Rice and plenty of fruit and vegetables.  Lean meat Chicken Turkey.  Fish is a good one to use in a healthy diet.

Buy frozen and or tinned.

Tinned Pulses and Beans Tomato based sauces.  Spices Herbs .

Also one other please always consult GP.  Any drastic weight loss can effect the heart and blood circulation systems.

There are other ways to eat and a lot of this takes practise.

Use bowls Pasta ones to use eat meals from.

Recent studies show that most diets do not work but actually cause harm and are a problem.

Eating less if you think may be a solution great lost 10 pounds but the problem is fat is  not the enemy .

Losing 10 pounds means the body needs to find that to keep you healthy so you may find it causes the burn of hunger even more.

Headaches loss of fluids are a common theme in diets and caused other issues as well. Pins needles circulations problems.

Made a food diary and added in that, my plans my recipes my routines that I need to think about using.

This is my simple plan for you some ideas I eat this way every day and never go hungry.  Feel great .

1.  Breakfast should contain Whole grains and Oats Whole Milk or Yoghurt with fruit diced in or fresh or frozen.

2.  Breakfast others Poached Eggs on Toast or use Rye Bread with Butter thinly spread honey or PNB.

3. Peanut Butter useful source of protein and yes you may think it is fattening not so. Polyunsaturated fats good for body's systems,

Most vegans and vegetarian I have met eat PNB.  Expands in the stomach leaves you full.

4. Do scrambled Eggs or Omelettes with plenty of beans not baked make your own up.

Cans mixed Beans in stores.

Most of the Third World eat a lot of Pulses Beans and Eggs with vegetables for Breakfast.

India Chapati and Dhal a veggie Lentil dish why because it fills you up gives you energy.

5. Great Breakfast because this time this situation is to eat Chickpeas and or any Tinned Beans with Vegetables frozen.

Spinach or any leafy green, Spinach frozen known studies helps body to be filled up.  Lots of these Cultures Cuisines eat vegetable spicy Soups and use a lot of less meat.

6. Lots of simple ways of losing weight is to start cooking yourself. Never buy supplements. products or anything consider losing weight.

Certain drugs on the market all contain laxative ingredients.

7. After any meal eat Yoghurt Fruit Tinned or Frozen with Honey or use mixed spices in stead.   Tinned Fruit avoid syrup ones if can use fresh if not available use Dried.

Apples or Nuts as well.

8.  Lunch evening meal any meals you make should contain a quota a portion the following.

20% Meat 40 % Carbs include grains Whole ones Pasta Rice Couscous Bulgar Wheat.

40% Vegetables main ones should be Carrots, Peppers, Spinach Courgettes, Mushrooms, Butternut Squash Sweet Potatoes.

Make dishes colourful plenty of Onions, Leeks, Celery, all known to help antibacterial properties but good to use as in a diet.

9..  Reason you use bowls it feeds the brain makes it  look smaller so this send signal to stomach thinking full .

10.  Avoid Caffeine, Tea, Coffee, Cola, Chocolate, Alcohol, Smoking.

11. Lunches if hungry use Pasta small soup shapes called Pastina or Noodles.  Use whole grains.

In my freezer bought soup mixes .  Diced vegetables with herbs some spices all fresh ready to add stock or tomatoes.

Froze a batch use all the time, websites.

Three vegetable dishes a week helps be inventive creative.

Last night Med Ragu Aubergine Courgette and Chickpeas Spinach, Spicy tomato sauce.

That is very simple to make.

12.  Another tip is to eat slowly and take you time, stop chew and use music or calming methods to eat.

I never have TV on eating some music or sometimes my favourite Classic Fm.

Stop after a meal for half an hour if you will find full not eat any thing maybe fruit yoghurt.

Never ever eat after a main meal another one, brain takes twenty minutes to half an hour to register may be longer.

In the mean time drink water with and after any meal.

Gentle exercises include swimming, Tia Chi a warm up on a daily basis.

Walking briskly use a dog great incentives  or borrow a neighbours or friends.

Take it easy muscles can be stretched taunt and are not used to being stressed if not use to exercise.

One final point I used a lot of these after addiction, this situation effected need to say my weight.

Use following people if you can use them please do.

Community Health Unit Wellbeing unit. One to one consultation on diet, nutrition.

Another piece of advice do some research join courses on line this situation we are in not possible to visit Colleges.

Learn about Diets Nutrition use the knowledge to heal yourself.

This what I did used the experience qualifications to inspire help others.

Once you learn about food and every thing about the marketing, the commercial the way we are all conned and deceived you change the way you eat.

I have need to share lots of retail outlets on line selling organic and fresh fantastic meat and packages .

This one have a look.

https://www.musclefood.com

Amazing. Other ones lots of lines and products.  Meat packs products and lots of ideas.

https://www.amazon.co.uk.

Please if you need to ask me anything happy to help.

Lots of my recipes all over the forum please look lots of them freezer friendly  and easier to make.

Please take care and safe.

@thespiceman

66Mustang

Thank you for the kind posts and thank you for the tips @thespiceman . 

I didn’t know coffee was something to avoid. I drink 2-3 cups a day of black coffee with no milk or sugar. Is that bad?

OverlyAnxious

@66Mustang I'll take a few KGs off of your hands...  I'm about 3 stone underweight!   

I'm sure a lot of it is genetic tbf though, I never have been able to put weight on, long before the OCD & IBS restricted my diet so much!  I know others that are the same too...as well as people that barely eat anything and still keep putting weight on.  I'm not really bothered by being underweight though, it's just a shame that's what the GPs & Dietician focussed on instead of stopping everything falling through so quickly...I might put a bit more weight on if it stayed in there longer! 

What sort of 'full meal' are you having in the evening out of interest?

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Caffeine in Tea and Coffees .

A stimulant but also the following. 

High intakes of Coffee increases risks of the risks of heart disease.

Brewed Percolated Coffee.

May raise blood levels Cholesterol.  

Headaches .

Remember if you losing weight the blood circulations and heart blood pressures are going to have be adjusted so if you drink lots of Caffeine raise blood pressure.

Might start to get palpitations and other issues sorry but this has to be done by and with medical help.

Why reason I always say do this  please be careful and please if this was me.

Very contact NHS Services wellbeing community health..

AVOID FOLLOWING IN ANY DIETS OR NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMME.

Tea, Coffee, Fizzy drinks, Alcohol. 

Snacks, Crisps any salted snacks even Bread look at packet but  carefully salt sugar intakes Bread white. Bread products white bread.

Biscuits Cakes, Sweets, Chocolate.

White Pasta Rice, Noodles.

Fruit Yoghurts some have enormous amounts of sugar one has to be looking at labels.

Red Meat and products Sausages all Lamb Beef, so on.

Jams Marmalades all sugar.


FOODS TO TAKE DURING IN ANY DIET OR NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMME

Vegetables many as you like use colourful ones imagination, doing this now make sauce s veggies.

Pepper one Chill one tubs to freeze tomorrow Leeks Carrots Celery portion up tomato sauce make your own, recipes .

Basic tomato sauce blender Passata tubs carton add Onions, herbs spices and stock cube organic ones.

Red wine vinegar helps preserve veggies portion up in tubs that is your control portion sauce.

Add to meat oven or blitz up blender Pasta.

Got a lot of soup mixes with sauces made up.

Other things to add need to Chicken Turkey and Fish, as mentioned before.

Make meals colourful use grains Couscous and Bulgar wheat.

I would also suggest plan your meals during the week .

Make a stocklist and itemise everything so for example going to make Stew Ragu freezer.

Make a list going to need all the ingredients around creating a Ragu, you be amazed how much this is useful saves money a lot.

Put this in your stocklist this the ingredients for Ragu and what I need that you know same with any meal.

Noticed have a full Dinner evening meal has to be eaten three hours before bedtime.

Reason is stomach body needs to recovery why we sleep to let systems do their work.

Why can take 12 hours to digest a meal.

Make sure follow the advice given not have a big meal but make it small.

If you ever may I add been to Holiday Countries Spain Italy and Greece eat late but light meal breakfast morning.

Because body stomach is full and why they may have light meals during the day and make evening meal a one worth salads.

Plus the main course but not heavy.

At night time most Italians Spanish Greeks eat late get up early weather has a lot to answer for.

So meals need to be spread and be nutritious and healthy.

All those Countries eat more pulses beans fruit veggies and more bread but not much butter.

Quite normal for them to have bread with every course white bread but not like ours full of gloop.

I used to go to Italian friends for evening meals and full by just eating bread with meals small portions but lost lots of weight. No butter just the bread.

Simple one make a home made soup add bread to the bowl top with veggies and soup very filling.

Mix then and eat, often seen in rural Italy but am amazing and fantastic.

I do this a lot in Winter and it means does fill you up till next morning often have brunch light one instead.

Olive Oil and spices herbs are used and it that mixture is healthy maintains body weight and is good cheap easy to cook.

Please any questions happy to answer.

This Paleo or another one Mediterranean way of life  means a lot to me lost a lot of weight .  Feel great.

That is one Cuisine I use also use Curry buy Pastes Chinese and Indian veggie Curries with Coconut milk but low fat one.

Also do beans a lot with any dishes I do.

Please hope this helps you to understand the requirements of a diet .

@thespiceman

66Mustang

@OverlyAnxious all sorts - whatever whoever is cooking decides to make haha! I just mean it is the only meal of the day that I have a full size portion. Usually traditional stuff like roast dinner, pasta, meat and 2 vegetables, or something easy like cheese on toast.

I agree I think it is genetic up to a point. Some people I know seem to eat whatever they want including chocolate, takeaways and never put on weight. Others have strict diet regimes but they have issues with weight!

@thespiceman thank you for the advice I really appreciate it  

Adrian_Scope

How is it going @66Mustang, are you managing to keep on track?

66Mustang

It’s going well thanks for asking @Adrian_Scope

I weigh myself each Wednesday and have only lost a pound since last week but we did have Easter with the big meal and the eggs

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Ideas for you simple easy meals and not a lot of preparation.

VEGETABLE RICE OR COUSCOUS OR BULGAR WHEAT.

Need a bag of each of those use Microwave Ric whole grain.

Couscous Bulgar Wheat follow instructions.

Add stock cubes and Tomatoes use Passata to Rice . Use jars sauces I use ones for Pasta sauce.

Good ones Italian brands few pence more not brands supermarkets have too much sugar or make your own have recipes, easy.

Blender Passata jar or carton stock cube low sodium add Red Wine Vinegar and Dried herbs of your choosing, Onions Garlic blitz got Tomato sauce .

Freeze this .

Add in frozen Peas, Beans Broad Beans, Sweet corn any of those combinations.

Goes with Lean Chicken Breast diced or Turkey Breast Diced can spice this up season it.

Add pulses Rice Couscous Bulgar Wheat all lovely to use.

Does two things nutrition good sleep good weight loss good.

In many countries like North Africa Asia eat like this.

Low heart disease and obsesity .  Grains expand in the stomach fills you up means eat less.

Any Rice Couscous Bulgar Wheat vegetables over salad .

Use any simple dressing Olive Oil Lemon Juice easy. Use a bottle.

Olive oil Lemon Juice known to help and maintain healthy diet.


@thespiceman

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   This the other one had to look check my recipes files.

PEPPER RICE.

Using any Peppers with Rice make a Tomato sauce some Microwave Rice and cook.

Used this for any lean meats.

Understand this does help. You grill or poach or steam meat and fish.

Meat Poached easy saucepan water leave low heat can use Kettle boiling water .

Very much healthy way to eat Chicken.

Favourite is large stockpot Chicken water veggies and herbs leave and for three hours later.

Usual veggies Carrots Celery Onions, plus herbs.

Meals for the week . Chicken Noodle Soup, blitz up stock and veggies .

Soup freeze any Chicken left shredded in to Pasta or Rice or anything as mentioned before.

When having been penniless these recipes turn to last ages. Chicken whole one makes a lot of meals and freezer friendly.

As is Turkey Chilli Bolognese using Mince.

Also Pork Fillet Tender loin low fat and buy whole diced up great Chinese Curry or with Noodles whole wheat ones .

Some ideas for you.

Eggs easy eggs forget, Frittatas Omelettes Poached Eggs all helpful in weigh loss and diet nutrition.

Boiled eggs whole shelled cooled down with Bread whole meal bread spreads butter with Cottage Cheese cheaper better for you low fat.

Some fruit Apples Pears, Easy Peeler Grapes make a fruit salad with Fromage Frais and touch of honey mornings.

Vary this do buy frozen smoothie mixes add Yoghurt Cinnamon Honey Milk.

Watch it though lots of fruit laxative effect.

Make own fruit yoghurts buy Greek or Natural blitz up Berries frozen those mixes stir in to yoghurt add touch of honey.

Just useful to have knowledge.

One other eat regular time and make it easy interesting varied.

I often eat late mornings but have good breakfast simple ones this morning.

Buy good quality sausages Turkey Chicken in a spiced tomato sauce with beans need say baked be fine and other mixed beans have this with mushrooms.

Sauté rapeseed oil.  I use following oils Olive Rapeseed better values on line bulk buys lots cheaper shops.

Helps to add to your stocklist Cereals Cornflakes, Weetabix or Porridge if hungry use these add milk nuts small amounts.  Fruit and this helps boost energy mornings but can use Cornflakes Snack attack.

One word of warning major changes in diet will see you visit powder room more often but will settle down.

Find ways to add Fruit more veggies every meal times.

Concerned big meal evening and need to add that does not help.  I have lots small bowls and Pasta Bowls helps a lot.

Think of yourself as a Motor Car if you over fill and have too much petrol will be going at a hundred miles an hour.

Slow steady stream of fuel smaller meals and portion sizes.

See you had chocolate allow you self points and treats very much simple ones low fat and easy to do.

Yoghurt Fromage Frais and Tinned Fruit or use Malt Loaf microwave with low fat Rice Pudding stir in Yoghurt Fromage Frais.

Or add Fruit to lots of Rice Pudding do a Rice Pudding Sundae.

Tall glass layered with portions of fruit and Rice Pudding and Yoghurt Fromage Frais.

Cold add and share with a loved one.

Doing diets with loved ones family helps.

Please any thing you wish to know please ask me.

There is a lot of science about food and the diet nutrition we eat.

Look on line Doctor Ian Marber explains it better I can .  Fascinating man and website.

Please take care .

@thespiceman

66Mustang

Thanks @woodbine for the words of encouragement, I appreciate it

Thank you for the recipes and advice @thespiceman those recipes all sound delicious. I guess there is no excuse to say that eating healthy is boring!!

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Food has to be enjoyable tasty and have flavour.

Added bonus with losing weigh become and feel sexy . Who knows what might be might be happening.

Get new haircut and new clothes I did, had to be careful in the presence of ladies when I lost my weight.

Thought there were all going to have a stroke seeing my new svelte sexy look, used to say well you have all short arms so be OK. lol  .


Here to help achieve your goals can be done but be careful listen to your body.

Buy a diary plan your eating your structure of the day, regarding food and what your eating.

I can tell you this I know precisely what I am eating today the menu.

Make never snap decisions about eating eat when hungry when you need to . 

No point waking up hungry but the mind wanders I fancy no such word need to be strict and think positive thoughts.

Use diary sit down when buying shopping make a menu weekly.

You need 21 meals a week Seven days in a week three times a day.

You need to remember that no missing of meals when losing weight no snacking hungry and reaching wrong foods .

Mornings time gentle work out do Tai Chi lots fine videos on line.

Done mine morning being doing that during every morning.

So it does help.

Talk to me any problems I cost nothing.

@thespiceman

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Thought add some simple techniques new ways to you cooking.  May not be aware of.

If you watch any cooking programmes they make the sides and the meat goes in to the oven .

Two reasons one cooks through meat second more time to concentrate on sides.

If you have a pan of Chicken Breast flavoured spiced they burn so if you took your eye off one ruined Dinner evening meal.

So buy some sauté pans with metal handles oven proof seal meat you want to very much cook both sides.

In to oven pan it is  sealed in, usually around 150 to 200 degrees fan and then concentrate on sides.

You could wrap in tin foil and cook it.

I do this instead of dicing up meat add to grains Pasta or Rice.  Sometimes.

When it comes out of Oven slice it and add to bowl.

Meat sliced portion might not use it all. If you have big pieces of meat not good digestion add weight gain.

I hope these helps just some ideas and things I do.

@thespiceman

66Mustang

Thanks for the cooking suggestions @thespiceman  I will make sure to give them a go or share them with family when they do the cooking.

I don’t suppose you have any ideas of things to cook with bananas? We bought too many and they are going to go off! We have about 5 spare bananas. We already made a banana bread loaf (I know not very good for you!) 

Thanks!

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang Not true  depends what you adding to it.  How the recipe is and plenty of those websites.  Have one have to find it .

One bit advice go on B.B C food website lots of simple easy recipes all healthy.  

Type in what you need or would like comes up recipes.

Supermarkets can follow there websites do the same, have then list of ingredients to use no wasted money.

Freezer is your friend can store any thing just cook it and freeze , helps.

Or make sauces like me use weekend family get together make sauces freezer using veggies, helps no waste.

Bananas good sources of Potassium good for health energy and easily contribute to diet helps blood pressure lowers.

What you can do is to freeze Bananas cut them up and chill them zip bag freezers.

Next time want a smoothie add diced frozen Bananas to a blender add Yoghurt add Honey and Milk.

Banana pancakes 

Need  one Banana per person Two Eggs per person beaten bowl add baking powder pinch.

Flavour it how you want Honey fruit berries good to use.  After making .

Pan hot add butter oil bowl mash Banana stir in eggs makes two three pancakes.

Add to a hot pan and allow to set.

Other one is breakfast Porridge diced slice Bananas, add to ordinary Porridge with my recipe.

This how do mine buy Quakers Oats in sachets  empty into Microwave bowl add milk use empty sachet.

Two mins add Greek Yoghurt and stir in with berries defrosted over night, Blueberries or Black berries, Cherries top with Cinnamon or mixed Spices used for sweets, top with Honey.

Glad to help.  Anytime if you eat that by the way energy slowly works means eat less lunch just a snack.

Meant to add some other ones Lunch time have Cereal Cornflakes and add in diced Apples small handful nuts.

With that helps sustains you.


@thespiceman

66Mustang

Thanks for the ideas @thespiceman . I will make sure to freeze some of them then. The pancakes sound lovely. Hopefully we will be able to make some. I’m not fond of porridge sadly, I wish I was as I love the taste I just don’t like the texture!

OverlyAnxious

66Mustang said:

I’m not fond of porridge sadly, I wish I was as I love the taste I just don’t like the texture!

I don't know how anyone can stomach porridge...it's really not appetising!  

I wonder if you could make banana flapjack?  Would have the oaty taste of porridge but be much firmer!  Not healthy though I know.

Or banana chips?  Presumably they're just dried out in a low temp oven...  High in sugar though.

thespiceman

Hello @66Mustang   Thank you for sharing good to know.

Porridge maybe change to Organic sorts not expensive compared to supermarkets.

Only thing is doing research finding costs of items to help your budget and costs.

Health foods some of them too high in prices better to look at on line retailers small websites and good products.

I buy a lot of goods on line got very savvy with costs spending and it is being aware.

Please one bit advice I know is this freezer friendly or can I store it long time can I get cheaper else where.

No point just an example paying Pasta sauce ones we all love sky high prices in stores. If on line get bulk purchases and costs minimal.

If a product uses a lot. I had done this since been on line remember any purchases bulk buys are long term investment stock cupboards stores.

Means do not have to spend for months on those expensive essential just a minimal order of anything you need to run out of .

I added this because if your diet weight conscious your be looking at foods healthy .

Realise might be costing little more and might have to think about not completing your goals.

Does happen sorry to say.

I met people who have joined gyms, weight watchers spent money on kitchen equipment and foods costing a fortune after a while give up.

I had a former friend pay a trainer £90 a hour trust me had and  living in poverty needed to lose weight.

Had no money in debt and was being made to pay these high fees I arrived all changed.  Got rid of trainer and used other ways.

Showed her how to use the ways of shopping, the home the gym.  House work and stretches movement dancing to music CD's so one learns.

Not so just have to be savvy and make sensible practical choices organise plan meals.

Think of aims and goals be positive .

Happy to contribute and please anything you need to know.

Ask me have a wealth of knowledge expertise.

@thespiceman

thespiceman

Hello @OverlyAnxious   Sorry to hear this maybe try this way.

1. Buy Organic or good brands of Porridge as anything cheap ones packages boxes not good and not worth money.

2.  Method portion of half a cup Porridge to water full fat whole milk.  Or buy as they do abroad UHT milk Pasteurised and can store in cool place not fridge long lasting.

Buy French Brands on line  tastes like evaporated milk slight tang .

3.  Diced Apples or use dried in a microwave bowl  cover and microwave minutes two stir.

Leave standing.

4.  Remove add Greek Yoghurt Mixed Spices used for baking.

Has Cinnamon Cloves and so on, mix in stir in add top with honey.

5.  To this add Berries frozen defrosted Cherries, Blueberries, Blackberries.

6.  Not liking that one use any fruit you like done this with Prunes and Apples.

Apricots and Mixed Nuts add in Sultanas.  Other ones Pears and Walnuts.

7.  Love Muesli make your own  cheaper than supermarkets.

Portion of Porridge Oats Bran Flakes Apples Nuts used Mixed. Walnuts Hazel nuts dried sultanas .

All with Greek Yoghurt and Honey mixed spices.

All does two things helps stomach bowels and well being.

Other important also steady stream of energy and fills you up. I eat this and rarely eat a lunch .

Means saving money one meal less and means can spend more of money else where.

When I was had the misfortune to be alcoholic lived on Porridge and had used it help me recover, those days penniless but survived .

Eating a grain oats are the normal practice of most European Nations as it is cost effective .

All over the Mediterranean  a oats based cereal with nuts seeds and honey eaten reason they all live longer look healthy.

No heart disease or bowel cancer or any issues with bowel diseases.

Need I  say more .

@thespiceman