[Aly1]

Originally Posted by Progrez

What sort of benefits do you get it from it? Does it help you build muscle and how does it help you lift more heavier weights? Where does your body get the protein from if you go 2 days without eating not that much. I wouldn't want to torture myself with this sort of diet.

I wouldn't want to go on this losing weight quickly is always a bad sign even though most people (and I know how they feel being a former obese man myself) would love to do that.

Alleged benefits of intermittent fasting:
Increase in overall lifespan of 15-20%
Decreased incidence of tumours
Lack of obesity
Resistance to neurological degeneration
Prolonged reproductive function
Reduced diabetic tendency
Improved cardiovascular function

Current guidelines suggest that a maximum of 20% of total daily calories should come from protein.

I am not agreeing with all of the above. I have joined WW as I want to change my eating habits for life, lose weight slowly so that it stays off.
You obviously know more than me because you have obviously successfully lost weight and maintained if you used to be obese. I am still on that journey.

[Amasis]

Originally Posted by Aly1

The thing I found with SW was it was more difficult to just grab convenience food and work out the syns.
I used to batch cook and freeze some portions and that way I always had free food ready to take to work.

Great idea thank you, i'll give that a try. I can foresee bread being a bit of an issue for me and taking up quite a few syns as i don't overly like wholemeal.

[Aly1]

Originally Posted by Amasis

Great idea thank you, i'll give that a try. I can foresee bread being a bit of an issue for me and taking up quite a few syns as i don't overly like wholemeal.

I didn't eat much bread at all on SW. If you go onto Minimins there are loads of recipe suggestions in the SW section.
My fav lunch on SW was pasta with tuna/ spring onion/ sweet corn / red peppers, all held together with a couple of syns of low fat mayo.

[kyresa]

Thing is with slimming world is you're supposed to avoid the convenience foods! preparation is everything! It's the convenience foods that contain all the stuff that help you put weight on!

Amasis I'm 1lb short of my stone lost and I joined on 8 January 2013, so if you stick to the plan as far as possible (and I had a week of half term where I ate out about four times and still maintained then went on to a 3lb loss this week!) you'll do well

[Amasis]

Originally Posted by Aly1

I didn't eat much bread at all on SW. If you go onto Minimins there are loads of recipe suggestions in the SW section.
My fav lunch on SW was pasta with tuna/ spring onion/ sweet corn / red peppers, all held together with a couple of syns of low fat mayo.

Never heard of Minimins before, just had a quick look now and seems great!

[Amasis]

Originally Posted by kyresa

Thing is with slimming world is you're supposed to avoid the convenience foods! preparation is everything! It's the convenience foods that contain all the stuff that help you put weight on!

Amasis I'm 1lb short of my stone lost and I joined on 8 January 2013, so if you stick to the plan as far as possible (and I had a week of half term where I ate out about four times and still maintained then went on to a 3lb loss this week!) you'll do well

Well done, thats fantastic. As you say preparation is key, I'm going to plan out my meals for the week this weekend to help me stay on track.

[kate36]

i lost a fair bit of weight on slimming world, about 8lb over the course of a month, but i needed the money i was spending on sw for other things so im on my own at the moment.
im sticking to 1400 calories a day and exercising regularly and it seems to be working, i've gone down already from 69.9kgs on jan 7th to 66.2kgs this week, which is a slow but steady weight loss
which i am more than happy with
i go swimming 3-4 times a week and i've started using the gym again today, i did a 40 min/ 5k run on the treadmill and then i did 50 mins on the cross trainer, i'll probably be aching tomorrow as i've not done it for ages, but im going to go again and then go for a swim afterwards, tomorrow morning

[kate36]

Originally Posted by Amasis

Well done, thats fantastic. As you say preparation is key, I'm going to plan out my meals for the week this weekend to help me stay on track.

sw is very good for that, it makes you plan your meals and discourages you against convenience foods and other unhealthy foods as they are usually all high in syns!!
all the healhy stuff ie fruit and veg and sometimes pasta is usually free, depending on what plan you follow, i can recommend it though im not a sw member at the moment, though i would go back to it rather than weight watchers

[kyresa]

Originally Posted by kate36

sw is very good for that, it makes you plan your meals and discourages you against convenience foods and other unhealthy foods as they are usually all high in syns!!
all the healhy stuff ie fruit and veg and sometimes pasta is usually free, depending on what plan you follow, i can recommend it though im not a sw member at the moment, though i would go back to it rather than weight watchers

The only promote extra easy for new members now, red and green is really done by older members who remember it I have to say EE is a lot easier to manage

[Progrez]

Originally Posted by Aly1

Alleged benefits of intermittent fasting:
Increase in overall lifespan of 15-20%
Decreased incidence of tumours
Lack of obesity
Resistance to neurological degeneration
Prolonged reproductive function
Reduced diabetic tendency
Improved cardiovascular function

Current guidelines suggest that a maximum of 20% of total daily calories should come from protein.

I am not agreeing with all of the above. I have joined WW as I want to change my eating habits for life, lose weight slowly so that it stays off.
You obviously know more than me because you have obviously successfully lost weight and maintained if you used to be obese. I am still on that journey.

Well I don't have a six pack yet and i know its going to take me a long time to get one. Yes I was obese and so was my brother who's lost 25 kgs already (span of 10 months) and both of us still have a long way to go for building muscle. You are doing the right thing though by sticking to a method of losing weight slowly.

This is sort of transformation I actually want but a bit more muscle I am currently where this guy was at the beginning of his 2nd stage..

http://www.metabolicprecision.com/ar...s-construction

[Splot]

I have totally messed up this week, had Indian on Thursday and fish and chips on Friday. Plus a big portion of chilli yesterday. Anyone would think I'm not taking it that seriously.

Now I've put on three pounds - though I know some of that will be water weight. Any advice on how to kick start my diet again/get back on track?

[WinterFire]

Originally Posted by Splot

I have totally messed up this week, had Indian on Thursday and fish and chips on Friday. Plus a big portion of chilli yesterday. Anyone would think I'm not taking it that seriously.

Now I've put on three pounds - though I know some of that will be water weight. Any advice on how to kick start my diet again/get back on track?

As we've seen in this thread, what works for you is very individual to you. My advice, not that I claim incredible expertise, is to experiment with different things, to see what works for you, and what doesn't. And that may require some experimentation, and perhaps some failures before you hit on what really works.

There are very many types of diets. I can say that a simple daily calorie limit, including treats, and exercise at the gym, works for me. However, that doesn't mean that it's the best choice for someone else, and we've had posts from someone (sorry, I forgot your name) who finds that treats act as a trigger for diet-breaking for them.

And it might not just be the actual diet itself, but your support group (or lack thereof) and other aspects of your environment might be even more important than the choice of diet.

It might also be that perhaps your current diet is the one for you, but it might take a few more attempts before you get the hang of it, and follow it more reliably.

Hence I'd summarise my (non-expert) advice as perhaps being that you need to learn more about yourself, and that will help you with your diet.

Just a minor thing. I do have a bad habit of snacking. I've stopped this while at work, which was easier as I had to walk some distance to buy a samosa. But harder at home. I've swapped snacks such as crisps and hummous for eating a rice cake, perhaps with gherkins and tomato on it. The snacks are still there, but at least it doesn't take much out of my daily calorie allowance. But you can see how personal a strategy this is. Perhaps you need to chip (no pun intended) away at your own personal habits in a similar way, with solutions appropriate for you.

Good luck! And we're here for you as a support group.

PS: Surely you could make your own chili at home without oil and with low calorie ingredients. That might make a low calorie filling meal. I'm a vegetarian, so this may not work for you. But tinned Sainsbury's vegetable chili is quite low calorie for the amount of food there is in a tin, and it's one of my stand-bys when I'm trying to reserve calories for a big treat at the end of the day such as fake fishburger and chips

PPS: (sorry about the edit fest for this post). Surely an 'Indian' can also be made both nutritious and low-calorie. Commercial curries are often loaded with fat. But if you make your own, you can simply leave the fat out.

[molliepops]

I've never been a big snacker but I do know people who split their calories slightly so they have a smaller meal but save some for a snack in the evening or elevenses at work etc. So same number of calories but smaller meals.

Also I am finding moving around more is helping me lose, never going to be an exercise freak, but just an extra walk with the dogs etc is at least something.

[WinterFire]

Originally Posted by molliepops

Also I am finding moving around more is helping me lose, never going to be an exercise freak, but just an extra walk with the dogs etc is at least something.

I over-did the exercise, and had a few too many body pains. I took a week and a bit off, and have just gone back. I'm doing much less intense exercise than before.

However, if the machines are to be believed, it seems that even gentle exercise can burn enough calories to be a really useful contribution to a diet. Over 330 kcal burned last night, without doing all that much. I was watching the display burn calories, and it seems really easy to burn calories that way. Certainly enough to make a big difference. I'm sure that walking the dogs etc. can make a similar difference.

BTW:
Has anyone ever tried cauliflower as a substitute for rice, as in this recipe: http://video.about.com/lowcarbdiets/...lower-Rice.htm

Given that the rice/couscous/bread/potato part of a meal contains many calories, this would be an interesting low calorie alternative. If it works.

[Splot]

Thanks for your advice WinterFire. I find it quite easy to stick to reduced calories and I'm able to include treats sensibly. One of my biggest problems is socialising which always seems to focus around food and if I'm out eating I really don't like to be too strict.

My partner is on the 5:2 diet. He's happy to eat quite a bit more at the weekend and I end up doing the same as him and sabotaging my own diet.

My problem is less about being hungry and more about food being a hobby when I'm around other people.

I just need a bit more willpower.

[WinterFire]

One thing I thought about myself was a variation of the 5:2 diet, a medium between that and equal numbers of calories every day. Instead of 1800 kcal per day, I would have five days of 1400 kcal, and then two (say weekend) days of 2800 kcal. Both sum up to 12600 kcal per week if I've done my arithmetic properly. Then there could be 1400 kcal per day for six days, and 4200 kcal for the remaining day. 2800 in a day would be quite a bit for me, and 4200, I don't think I could do that in one day just eating normal food. However, being a medium tall bloke, I have more calories to play with, and this sort of thing is much easier for me than other people.

However, I've decided not to do this, as one thing that I'm personally weak to is overcomplicating things. So I wish to keep my diet simple. That's why I'm not using myfitnesspal. Not because it isn't a great idea, I think it is. I just think I'll end up confusing things and forgetting to update or the tablet isn't working or the internet goes down. Down to my personal failings that at this age, I've come to accept and work around.

Personally at the weekend we tend to go eat out at a local takeaway which is a big family favourite, and it is mainly baked food such as 'sausage rolls' we were buying. At the moment I'm eating a cob instead, as the ingredients are simple and I think my estimate of 400kcal for it is going to be somewhere in the ballpark. Otherwise when the weather warms up, we tend to have picnics, where I make the food myself, and hence can count the calories and include reasonable niceness/nutrition/calorie choices.

If you're OK staying within calorie limits, then there probably is daily calorie limit which will lead to you losing weight even with calorie splurges at the weekend. Not that I claim any strong justification for this, but I'm a fan of the idea of trying things and seeing what works, and coming up with diet plans that suit you. I.e. maybe you could do a sort of 2:5 diet, with two splurge days, and five controlled days. I don't know what calorie limit you'd need for the five restricted days, but you could start with a rough estimate and then adjust depending on what happens to your weight over time.

[Citadel]

Hello everyone, what a lovely thread!

Right: I'm a man, 28 years old, 5' 9", 18 stone, with Asperger's and (developmental) dyspraxia.

I should be weighing about 12 stone for my BMI so I need to shift 6 stone - permanently. But there are a number of issues I have really. Because I'm so heavy (and it shows), this makes me nervous about joining a gym. There is one I could join, but I have never used a gym properly before i.e. just a few classes, not using the actual gym, and being nearly 30, I'm so embarrassed about that. I'm single but would love a heterosexual relationship; however the fat makes me very ugly and I have no confidence at all for women. No girl would look at me twice and why would she!

I'm unemployed with little chance of finding work any time soon, so my budget is tight. As such, I tend to buy cheap food and drink, which if I'm honest, is often junk a.k.a. ready meals. I can't cook either, and would struggle even if I could because my dyspraxia means I find it hard to follow a series of instructions or estimate things. But I hate how I look - I am so unfit and and so unhealthy and quite frankly, miserable because of it.

Any help and advice would mean a lot to me. Thanks.

[Darcy_]

Originally Posted by Citadel

Hello everyone, what a lovely thread!

Right: I'm a man, 28 years old, 5' 9", 18 stone, with Asperger's and (developmental) dyspraxia.

I should be weighing about 12 stone for my BMI so I need to shift 6 stone - permanently. But there are a number of issues I have really. Because I'm so heavy (and it shows), this makes me nervous about joining a gym. There is one I could join, but I have never used a gym properly before i.e. just a few classes, not using the actual gym, and being nearly 30, I'm so embarrassed about that. I'm single but would love a heterosexual relationship; however the fat makes me very ugly and I have no confidence at all for women. No girl would look at me twice and why would she!

I'm unemployed with little chance of finding work any time soon, so my budget is tight. As such, I tend to buy cheap food and drink, which if I'm honest, is often junk a.k.a. ready meals. I can't cook either, and would struggle even if I could because my dyspraxia means I find it hard to follow a series of instructions or estimate things. But I hate how I look - I am so unfit and and so unhealthy and quite frankly, miserable because of it.

Any help and advice would mean a lot to me. Thanks.

I would say the first thing to understand is that these ready meals are actually more expensive, aswell as being nutritionally defunct, compared to home cooking. Chillis, soups, stews etc can all be batch cooked and, as single person, you would be able to get several meals out of them which will be cheaper than the processed crap you are currently consuming. They key is to get organised and plan your shopping, that way you won't have rubbish in the house and won't be tempted to binge on foods that aren't good for you.

[Aly1]

Originally Posted by Citadel

Hello everyone, what a lovely thread!

Right: I'm a man, 28 years old, 5' 9", 18 stone, with Asperger's and (developmental) dyspraxia.

I should be weighing about 12 stone for my BMI so I need to shift 6 stone - permanently. But there are a number of issues I have really. Because I'm so heavy (and it shows), this makes me nervous about joining a gym. There is one I could join, but I have never used a gym properly before i.e. just a few classes, not using the actual gym, and being nearly 30, I'm so embarrassed about that. I'm single but would love a heterosexual relationship; however the fat makes me very ugly and I have no confidence at all for women. No girl would look at me twice and why would she!

I'm unemployed with little chance of finding work any time soon, so my budget is tight. As such, I tend to buy cheap food and drink, which if I'm honest, is often junk a.k.a. ready meals. I can't cook either, and would struggle even if I could because my dyspraxia means I find it hard to follow a series of instructions or estimate things. But I hate how I look - I am so unfit and and so unhealthy and quite frankly, miserable because of it.

Any help and advice would mean a lot to me. Thanks.

Gyms are really quiet normally during the day so I wouldn't feel embarrassed about going. Book in for an induction with a trainer for your first visit. He will write a programme down for you to follow and there should be an instructor around if you get stuck.

[Aly1]

Originally Posted by WinterFire

BTW:
Has anyone ever tried cauliflower as a substitute for rice, as in this recipe: http://video.about.com/lowcarbdiets/...lower-Rice.htm

Given that the rice/couscous/bread/potato part of a meal contains many calories, this would be an interesting low calorie alternative. If it works.

That looks like a really good idea. I love cauli in curry.
Somebody please try it out and feedback.

[striing]

Why would you want to cut out rice/pasta etc though - isn't that the bit that fills you up / keeps you awake / stops you being dizzy etc? If I ate a plate of cauliflower I'd have to have a proper dinner afterwards.

[Aly1]

Originally Posted by striing

Why would you want to cut out rice/pasta etc though - isn't that the bit that fills you up / keeps you awake / stops you being dizzy etc? If I ate a plate of cauliflower I'd have to have a proper dinner afterwards.

It is a carbohydrate so will release some energy and some people eat protein only and manage.

[kate36]

Originally Posted by kyresa

The only promote extra easy for new members now, red and green is really done by older members who remember it I have to say EE is a lot easier to manage

i didnt really do red, as i was eating mainly veggie stuff then, so i did more green and extra easy... i do eat a bit of meat now but the red plan never really appealed because i had to weigh my carbs, whereas on extra easy a lot of the carbs are free!! and im more for my carbs than i am for meat
i did the extra easy a fair bit too

[molliepops]

Originally Posted by striing

Why would you want to cut out rice/pasta etc though - isn't that the bit that fills you up / keeps you awake / stops you being dizzy etc? If I ate a plate of cauliflower I'd have to have a proper dinner afterwards.

Because it's high calorie and fills you up temporarily, I come crashing down after pasta or rice and want something else to eat a hour or too later, protein and vegetables keep me much fuller for much longer and no crashing after I have eaten it.

[WinterFire]

Originally Posted by Citadel

Hello everyone, what a lovely thread!

Right: I'm a man, 28 years old, 5' 9", 18 stone, with Asperger's and (developmental) dyspraxia.

I should be weighing about 12 stone for my BMI so I need to shift 6 stone - permanently. But there are a number of issues I have really. Because I'm so heavy (and it shows), this makes me nervous about joining a gym. There is one I could join, but I have never used a gym properly before i.e. just a few classes, not using the actual gym, and being nearly 30, I'm so embarrassed about that. I'm single but would love a heterosexual relationship; however the fat makes me very ugly and I have no confidence at all for women. No girl would look at me twice and why would she!

I'm unemployed with little chance of finding work any time soon, so my budget is tight. As such, I tend to buy cheap food and drink, which if I'm honest, is often junk a.k.a. ready meals. I can't cook either, and would struggle even if I could because my dyspraxia means I find it hard to follow a series of instructions or estimate things. But I hate how I look - I am so unfit and and so unhealthy and quite frankly, miserable because of it.

Any help and advice would mean a lot to me. Thanks.

Hi Citidel, welcome to the thread. I wish I could do more than wish you good luck and give you my best wishes. But your circumstances such as your dyspraxia are very specific and I know nothing about them.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to start a thread specifically about dieting/exercise/cooking for people with dyspraxia. That way it's more likely that people with direct experience and specialist knowledge will see it, and be able to give you good advice.

Good luck!