Hello!
What plan/diet is everyone else following?
I am eating a low fat diet. I am also taking Xenical, which my dr first prescribed to me over a year ago, when I was nearly 18st. I took a break from it after losing about 2st, and went on to lose some more, but went back on it a couple of months ago, as I wasnt losing any more - it was up and down the same 4lb for about 3 months.
I took the medication over Xmas - just to limit the damage, as the side effects are not pleasant if I eat more than 40g fat, but I have found a way to get around it by eating marshmallows and other low fat naughties

Topmonkey

I'm following weight watchers points. Not attending a class - can't afford it any more and it clashes with my oldest sons swimming lessons. I can get all the support I need here - the class I used to go to wasn't very supportive anyway. It's much better here.

Pardon my ignorance but what is Xenical?

Carol

I go to a Weight Watchers class too. I weighed in last night and put on 2.5 lbs. That's not too bad considering I hadn't weighed in for 3 weeks and I ate and drank whatever I wanted over Christmas. Today is my first proper day of recomitting to WW points.

I have heard of Xenical but don't really know what it does.

Hi

Xenical is a drug which you take 3 times a day, it stops your body from absorbing 30% of the fat that you take in on any one day. The idea is that you stick to sensible diet and take in exactly 30% fat - therefore, not actually giving your body any fat at all. I was prescribed it last summer and it worked (I lost just over a stone in about a month) but the side effects were pretty horrible (are you ready for this?) flatulence, bright orange oily poo, AND if you do eat too much fat seriously bad diarrhoea and you can't stop it - no matter where you are I stopped taking it after I had an accident But now that I am on track again I feel that I am up to using it again.

I don't know about Topmonkey but I got a helpline number (and they called me) plus booklets to help with any questions and a tape measure which was colour coded which told you exactly how medically fat you were!! Mine read "clinically obese!!! (I was 18.4, the same as what I am now). I just wasn't expecting the side effects to be as bad as they were!

I hope that answers your questions - sorry if it sounded a bit like a lecture!

Like Carol I am not going to a club any more it's too much money and I reckon I've got all the help I need right here

Looks like i am the odd one out here!! I am following the Slimming World plan - was going to classes until mid november but stopped when i had an op but will be restarting next week as i need some serious motivating!

No, Tracey, you're not the odd one out - I'm not doing WW! My first ever diet was with Slimming World - 26 years ago - and in those days it was 1,000 cals per day and the leader used to come round to our houses to chase us up if we failed to attend. If we dared to fail to lose weight one week or - worse - actually put on a pound or two - she used to really tick us off in front of the whole class - like naughty kids caught pinching apples.

This Xenical - a friend of mine wanted it and she was told she had to lose 5lbs in a month before she got prescribed it just to show that she was serious about losing weight.

Now.... please don't be offended, but the whole Xenical thing confuses me - if you can lose 5lbs in a month (to prove you are serious) and can stick to a low fat diet which you have to do while you are taking it - then surely all the Xenical is doing is being a sort of threat hanging over you (each too much and you get nasty sideaffects) - rather than a dietary aid. If you see what I mean....

Anyway - I am back on an old and tested diet - which is incredibly boring and slow, but it works. I count 1,000 low fat/high fibre cals per day PLUS half a pint of skimmed milk and around 4-5 portions each of fruit and vegetables. Like I said - its slow, but it works - it averages out to around 1,500 cals a day and the reason for all the fruit and veg is that it reduces your blood pressure. Its called the DASH diet and was devised in the US specifically to reduce BP. I usually lose 1-2lbs a week on it, but I get so bored after a couple of months that I try and find shortcuts by switching to other diets and then I fail and gain back all the weight I have lost.

I am really interested in this new WW diet - are these points just another way of counting calories??

Peachy - I was told by my GP the reason you have to lose at least 5lb before you can be prescribed Xenical is because it is more effective when your body has already started to get rid of the fat.

Another plus for Xenical, for me anyway, is like you said about the threat - if you know you're going to get nasty side effects then you're definitely not going to do it. Well that's my theory anyway!

That's a scary Slimming World story there Peachy!! I did that diet too but I couldn't "do" green days at all - so I found myself constantly eating tins of corned beef - surely that's not good for you? My husband went on it with me though (even went to class) and he was slimmer of the week every week - how humiliating

I'd be interested in hearing about the new WW diet too.

Hi everyone!
Delaney - I have registered with the Xenical people, I got sent a free fat and calorie counter today As for accidents er lets not go there!
I tried Slimming World last year, but found that I couldnt get my head round the 'free food' - ok if its fruit and veg but cans of macaroni cheese???!!!
Topmonkey

Hmmmmmmmm! If you can have tins of macaroni cheese as a 'free' food - then I must look in to Slimming World!!

I like BFB's plan to put her diet class money in a jar...

Hi everyone - I am a bit of a lurker on the uk fat chicks thread, but thought I would post, for a change.
I am doing weight watchers pure points. I really love it. I have lost 2 stone so far. I started at 18 st 9lbs (how did I get that big??? ). I have put on a bit in December (hols in Australia,) and over Christmas (indulgence.....) but am back on board now.
The ww plan is a good one for me as it is flexible. I have bought a bonus buddy from them which is a sort of pedometer that counts your steps so you get to know how much exercise you are doing. I make a lot of soup as well.

I am aiming to get down to 13 stone this year....about a pound and a half a week, which should be possible I reckon.

the xenicol sounds vile!!!!!! Orange oily poo???? No thanks but of course anything which works is a good thing!

Good luck all
love
Lilac

Hello Lilac! I wanted to ask if you thought the Bonus Buddy was worth buying? I am thinking of buying one this week as I walk to and from work and would like to know how many points I am earning. I think WW is basically another way of counting calories though by using points, it seems to make it easier. I am on 24 points a day and I guess this roughly works out at around 1400 to 1500 calories. Two years ago I lost just under 7 stones but am ashamed to say that I have put nearly 3 back on so thats why I have joined WW. I lost the 7 stones all by myself by counting calories but I just can't seem to find the frame of mind that helped me to lose weight.

A bonus buddy is my 'reward' for losing my second 10lbs. I decided to set a little reward programme to engourage me to lose a bit more. The rewards come in after every 10lbs, with the first one been some badbadas bubble bath as no one gave me it for christmas depsite all my hinting.

So in a long winded way I'm also askign what you think of the buddy.

Carol

Does anyone know the website address of the people who do the "slimming" magazine. I know they have one as I have visited it B4 but for the life of me can't find it now. Ive tried all the usual www. etc,.co.uk. and com without any luck

Is this what you are looking for
www.slimmingmagazineclubs.co.uk


I will try to make it clickable
http://www.slimmingmagazineclubs.co.uk

That is the address anyway, I have just had a look. I go to an ex SMC, they went into liquidation a while ago but are now back, the club I attend is run by a n ex group leader who has gone into business on her own.

It is basically 1500 calories a day, I couldn't do with any less!!