I've joined this forum after quite a long stalk through, in the hopes that writing things down will keep me motivated to actually diet in the same sort of way that joining weight watchers would, but without joining weight watchers.

The other day I looked in the mirror and realised I no longer had a chin. My weight has always fluctuated but since last summer its increased and increased and now I'm 19 stone (argh) which is right at the end of my scales. I've decided that enough is enough and it's time to properly diet. I decided to look into VLCD but that's not really for me, I'm a food writer and nobody wants to read 'today I ate some packaged mush'. Instead I'm going for the low calorie, little but often and healthy approach.

I've also been thinking about my relationship with food. I don't overreat emotionally, I emotionally cook, whenever I'm bored or feeling sad I find cooking really therapeutic and that usually means eating too. So I'm also going to try and find other things to do with my hands during my diet. I've decided to have small goals, to try and lose a stone and then see where we go from there.

You never know, by the end of this I may have learnt how to paint.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and a friendly hello

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I relate to this!

The awesome thing is that I've learned enjoying to cook isn't something I had to give up in order to lose weight. Yes, I had to stop thinking of cooking and eating as a way to escape, or to release stress, or to punish/reward myself, or any of a number of other negative things.

Instead it's a way to acknowledge that I am worthy of healthy delicious foods. I plan and prepare yummy meals because it's my way of reminding myself that I am deserving of nurturing and affirmation....and health. I've fallen in love with food in a whole new way and it's incredible.

Hope this helps you somehow on your journey to health. And welcome to 3FC!

PS My "diet plan" is calorie counting, low carb (not Atkins or anything...just less than 100 grams per day), and wheat free (because my body hates wheat). Nothing is off-limits except wheat, and I mostly avoid grains and processed foods. My motto is "moderation not deprivation."