Hello

Hello everyone,

I very much need to head south in terms of my weight so any help, tips and support would be very welcome as I piled it on after giving up smoking.

Not looking forward to the slog ahead but it's now or never!

I look forward to getting to know some folks in the same boat!

Neil

PS. I'm not coy so how do I share my weight? Technonumpty at play here....

The fact that you are here is the first step. Maybe focus first on what you are eating and slowly make lifestyle changes you can live with. I looked at your food journal and you seem to be consuming a lot of carbs (I'm guessing more refined carbs). Certain carbs have a lot of calories which can add up at the end of the day and they raise insulin levels which mess with your leptin levels, etc (fat storage hormones). But look at your meals and start replacing the bad with some of the good (whole foods, lean meats, fiberous fruits and vegetables, good fats). If you can, be consistent when you eat each day, don't skip meals and don't eat all day long. I'm sure there are many others that can offer some tips as well. Good luck!

Hello mrspackrat! Thank you for your kind welcome and advice. Yes, I do like white breads and that obviously shows so my first attempt has been to cut down the volume of food I shove into myself and to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish.

I also need to fit myself around my kids as I try to feed them home-cooked meals which are tasty and appealing to them so I perhaps eat a little too much red meat into the bargain too. Also, I need to develop discipline and I have asked the wife to hide the biscuits!

I lost alot of weight as a teenager (about 5 stones) but over the years have put it all back on with interest. I know it can be done and I just need to buckle down and get on with it! The main problem I have is feeling hungry most of the day even after eating so what might be best as a 'bulking agent'?

Thanks again for your help!

Neil

I finding that eat high protein white meats like chciken breasts, lean ham, pork loins, fish, etc go a long way towards curbing hunger.

Fruit (and orange juice) are pretty high in carbs. I don't subscribe to really low carb diets but I think you should not consume more than 150g of net carbs a day to start. After a couple of weeks try keeping it under 100g net carbs. In case you don't know net carbs are total carbs minus fiber. You can set up you diet calendar to display net carbs. Also make sure you get enougn fiber into your diet. I think the recommended amount is 25g a day. I eat low carb whole grain tortilla that are are low in fat, calories, and carbs plus high in fiber.

I also try to evenly space out my meals by eating 3 times a day with those meals in the 400 - 600 calorie range each and then eating a couple slices of turkey breast as a post workout snack. I try to keep my body consistently fed and burning calories.

Burty, we are all here for each other. Everyone’s approach to weightloss can differ, you just need to take in the suggestions and see how they work for you. I got tired of the “calories in/calories out” lecture because despite working out for hours and watching what I eat, I just ended up being an overweight but fit person. My body just held onto fat and I just could not figure out why.

A note on reducing carb intake, you'll have to replace carbs with either protein or fat—just chose lean proteins or ones rich in omega 3. Also, if you do want something from the breads/cereal food group, not all grains are received well by the body. My husband reacts poorly to wheat and multi-grain breads (gets bloated) but whatever you chose just have 1 serving in one sitting. And it could be because of my thyroid condition but I've been following the rules for eating to avoid "leptin resistance" and since I started it after the new year, I've been very successful at losing more weight (never eat after dinner, 3 meals a day with no snacking, no large meals, each meal contains protein, reduce my total carbs eaten (like fred, I keep mine between 100g and 150g and most of those grams come from vegetables, fruit and some dairy). I get a good amount of fiber too. But each time I eat, it keeps me full for 3-4 hours.

There is a whole host of hormones that control our weight. I found this particular episode of Dr. Oz to explain it best (not a fan of his show but I've read other things that seem to agree with what she is saying).

http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/melt-fat-fast-how-reset-your-secret-fat-loss-hormones?video=15580

Here's also an article on Leptin which is interesting and lepin resistance could be the reason you never feel “full”. Check out the video at the end, it’s very entertaining.

http://wellnessmama.com/5356/cravings-fix-your-leptin/

If all is working in your body, then I think a reasonable diet with exercise should allow one to lose weight. For some of us with endorcine issues, losing weight is not as straightforward. Sorry for all the information but I hope you find something within it that works for you.

Thanks for the replies! And there I was thinking it was just the simple 'calories in vs calories out'.....

I've taken the advice about net carbs and bought a bag load of fish to try and increase my protein/fat intake comapared to the carbs. Hope it will help (before it bankrupts me of course!).

I will have a read of the links and other info you have so kindly provided or pointed me towards and thank you again for your support.

Neil