[Bonjul]

I am new, so forgive my ignorance please!
I have been reading lots of threads and blogs and it makes me sad and elated at the same time.
I am sad because I see so many other woman & men suffering levels of self loathing that I thought were confined to my life, yet I also feel elated because I don't feel so alone in my struggle with the food demons.
I think this site is fantastic, I wish I'd found it sooner. I find it so encouraging.
However! I am a little lost to be honest.
I don't have a plan, well sort of, but not an eating plan as such.

I have taken bits of this and that and taylored it to work for me. Is this a plan? Or is it only a plan if its already a thing that others are doing?

Diets (or punishment eating) really does not work for me, but making choices based on healthy eating does.
So I have removed all the unhealthy food from my diet, you know sweets, chocalate, crisps, chips, white bread, white pasta, sugar, beer, coffee, eggs, fats & spreads and I have increased my veg, fruit, wholemeal, pluse & bean intake whilst cutting down on my meat intake.
If I drink I drink vodka and fruit juice, I also drink caffine free detox teas.

I made up daily food sheets on my PC which I fill in everyday which also include my mood and my exercise achievements for that day.
I am also taking a varity or vitimins as well & I stopped smoking just over a month ago too.
I am also keeping a diary and obviously I am active in this wonderful forum I am hoping that these things help to releive the emotional auto-eating I have been victim too on all other weight loss attempts.

I am trained as a chef and I live as self sufficently as I can, growing my own veg and as much fruit as I can.
I only eat home reared local meats, soon to include my own chicken and lamb, but even so I only eat meat around twice a week.
I eat tuna a fair bit & organic salmon and prawns, but thats it really on the fishy side.

I don't have much time to exercise as much as I would like becuase I can't afford childcare, but I do have 2 days a week to myself and on these days I walk for an average of 7-9 miles.
The girls and I also walk when the weather is good, but obviously being 3 years old they can't walk as far or as fast as mummy would like, so these really are strolls and therefore I don't count these towards exercise.

I have been eating this way for 2 weeks. Week one I lost 6lbs and this week I've lost 3lbs, even though I drunk a bottle of vodka on sunday night(see blog for gory details) and havent exercised this week either.
So is 9lbs in 2 weeks ok?
I am pretty large so a rapid weight loss in the first few weeks is expected before it settled down to the 1-2lbs a week mark, which is healthy?

My weaknesses are emotional eating. My worst craving is usually for meat and sweet stuff when I am due my monthlys.

So is this gonna work long term? Is it a plan? Am I heading for a fall?

Please let me know what you think, your advice would be greatly recieved!
Bonjul

[denialisnthappiness]

Sorry for the super short post I'm off to bed soon (shattered!)

Just wanted to pop on and first say hi I saw your other post so welcome to 3fc

As for the plan... some people follow 'pre-determined' plans like south beach, weight watches, slimmers world etc. Others create their own plan.

My opinion is that a plan is whatever works for YOU. That's perhaps the downside to this whole weightloss malarky... there isn't one set answer, no particular right/wrong etc.. if eating a particular way is working for you and you're enjoying it then keep doing it

Many experience a bigger loss in the first week/few weeks of loss... as for the 1-2lbs a week, I've read a lot of articles that whilst the theme is 'that is the healthy amount' some people do lose more than that for a sustained period.

I'd say as long as you're eating well, exercising/moving when you can and sticking to YOUR plan then you'll get there in the end

Good luck!

[Bonjul]

thanks that cool!

[sh3l5]

i havent devised myself a plan as such....
i have purely done what your going to do....
cut out certain foods and restrict portion sizes....
even now i still have the odd piece of chocolate or bag of crisps!....

[Spoz]

If I were you I'd try calorie counting, its basically cutting your portion sizes to fit into something and theres no 'dos' or dont's to it. I hope you figure out whats best for you, and being to control the food instead of the other way around. You can do it

[Bonjul]

I've tried calorie counting before and it always messes me up.
I do watch my portion sizes though, I even changed all my dinner plates so they are smaller!
Its sort of 3 weeks in this week and I do feel in control, mostly! I had visitors this weekend who were not on a diet at all, I knew I would drink, that was ok, I planned for it, however the day after when we were hung over they all munched away on full fry ups with really good food whilst i stuck to my oatiflakes and s.s.milk even though I wanted it so much, smelt soooo good! and then they had big burgers and beer for dinner,whilst i ordered a chicken ceasar salad.
I didn't feel like I was missing out, I actually felt quite proud.
These are moments they I usually fall down, but not this time!
I did count their calories though! LOL
Thanks for all the advice everyone!
Bonjul

[tracyj69]

Hi there Bonjul,

I am starting all over again (for the millionth time - second time on here!) and am the same height as you and I have the same goal weight (we must be doing something right then ) I am, as you are just trying to find my own way of slimming down, I am trying to eat low fat, healthy food and cut out all the 'baddies' (alcohol is one of my worst!) and have started going walking (trying to do every day weather permitting)

I am Sooo envious of your job - Chef would be my ideal career, I love to cook, I am a PA which just does not give me any job satisfaction!!

Good luck on your journey and hope to chat with you

[Bonjul]

Hey Tracey!
I just noted that on the other thread! I left you a comment there!
Chef used to be my job, I am a radio presenter/ copywriter at the moment and very poor!
I used to love cheffing, but it is very stressful and obviously gives you access to lots of food!
Now I am trying to realigne my brain into cooking healthy food, not all the creamy lush food I am used to cooking!
Look forward to speaking with you too!
Thanks for all the advice everyone, my next weigh day is Thursday, I don't think I would have lost any weight, due to the drinking on Saturday and now making honey sultana & cherry cake for the Shrewsbury flower show, which obviously I have to keep tasting grrrr!
I will let you know if I lose any!
Bonjul

[tracyj69]

Hi again

Which radio station do you work for? sounds exciting!!

I am doing well so far this week, although didn't get out on my walk last night as the weather was just so rubbish - tipping it down and thunder to boot! Nice and sunny today so hoping to go for a good hour tonight.

[Bonjul]

currently I am working on/off for Error FM and just about to do some work with a community station here in Shropshire, but as a copywriter not as a presenter.
I havent done any walking (my main source of exercise) for over a week due to the rubbish weather and heaps of other stuff to do and friend over + a night on the vodka and today I have been making fudge all day for this show on Friday and have eaten loads whilst tasting, so I don't think I've lost any weight this week still its all my own fault so I just have to recognise it and work harder next week.
Its so hard having a life on a diet, theres always something to throw you off course

[tracyj69]

Yeah I know, the weather has just been rubbish, I have decided to go out walking whenever it is fine, so far managed 3 times this week (since Sunday)

We are at a BBQ on Saturday so that will be really bad for my diet, I will be drinking but going to TRY not to pig out and undo all my good work! We are all taking something so I am going to do skewered chicken with various marinades (low fat ones of course) Jerk, BBQ and coconut and lime I think - anyway, I will try and just have them and salad and then at least I will know what I am eating (well, that is the plan anyway, will let you know if I manage to stick to it!)