LOSING WEIGHT

[Stanley]

I suppose we all wish we were a few pounds lighter. When I say 'we all' I suppose I'm really talking about the older end who find that as their physical activity decreases their weight goes up. I've always accepted this and whilst I have been 'overweight' in terms of the debatable medical tests it has never affected my health. However, my knees are showing signs of mileage and as I've always been very quick to tell people that the best favour they can do their back or legs is to lose weight I've decided I should take my own advice.
Question is, how to go about it? There is little doubt that 'going on a diet' is usually the worst way to do it. The bottom line is that if you are overweight you have a life-style in which you are taking in more calories than you are burning off. It gets complicated because your body tends to burn more energy if you're eating too much and when you first start cutting back it can be a while before you see any difference as your body is compensating for the lower intake and maintaining the weight. It takes a while for the reduced intake to make a difference and my way of approaching it is to avoid the scales, eat less and have patience. In time your change in lifestyle will have an effect and you'll start to lose weight slowly. In short, the best way is a change in life-style not a sudden bout of near starvation, this just confuses your body and means that you will put weight on quicker than ever if you let the starvation regime slip and we are all human!
One thing is certain, apart from the US we have more clinically obese people in the UK than almost anywhere else in the world. We also have what is called 'the Western Disease', the increase in cases of diabetes, allergies etc and I don't want to get like that. In January we will see a rash of articles giving people advice about losing the weight they have put on due to over-indulgence during the holidays. It could be a good idea to start thinking about this now.
How are my knees? Despite only seeing a small loss on the scales they are a lot better and I intend to get about a stone off.

[EileenDavid]

I agree Stanley and the only way to loose weight is eat less. I have dieted what seems a life time and would like to be a stone lighter but the older you get the harder it is to loose. Plenty of fruit/veg, less fat and drink plenty of water. The cabbage soup you had is a weight watchers favourite they say you can eat as much as you like. Eileen

[Sue]

The best way is to eat less, but keep a balanced diet. I find a smaller plate helps then you get used to smaller portions. Reducing the wine intake helps too! I have lost over half a stone in the last six moths, but I must not think DIET. That's fatal, you then feel deprived! Twice last wee k I went out for a meal and when I was full stopped eating, leaving food on my plate. That comes hard when you were brought up to eat everything on your plate. I think I must now be used to eating less

[Wendyf]

My hubby is still (following a TV programme on the benefits) fasting on 2 days a week. He has a good breakfast then no more food for the rest of the day, I don't know how he does it. He certainly doesn't need to lose weight, it is an experiment in controlling his blood sugar levels, cholesterol & blood pressure. I eat furtively & guiltily on the days he is fasting so it's made me lose a few pounds!

[Marilyn]

I find I have hungry days and days I am not the least bit interested in food.

[Sue]

I don't like the fasting diets. I can't equate that to healthy eating, biologically. I would have thought little and often was more beneficial. However on Sunday we always have a traditional cooked breakfast, and don't eat again until Sunday evening, and I have to say I am often still not hungry.

[Wendyf]

Here is a LINK to a review of the Horizon programme that got Col started. As I said, his problem is keeping weight on whilst following the programme, (he is 5ft 10in and just over 10 and a half stone) but if it stops him having to go on to insulin then he reckons it is worth it.

[Sue]

I am not convinced that it is good for everyone. You see the typical diet they refer to on the non fasting days are foods are atypical to me anyway. I don't eat high protein or fat foods, can't remember the last burger I ate. I Love vegetables , fruit , salads, with meat in moderation. Eat very little butter or other spreadable fats, and puds only on Sunday. As I am very physically active I don't think it would be healthy to have a low calorie intake, which is known to be a common cause of headaches, of which I suffer badly. However if it works for people fine, but not for me thanks.

[Marilyn]

I just had to smile a few moments ago...
After several dust storms lately, my timber venetians are in a terrible state ( I must remember to close windows on such days). I was stood in the front window armed with a pastry brush of all things, trying to get the dust out of the tricky bits, though I can't be seen from the street because we have reflective windows ( which are great things to have if you are a nosy person).
I was stood, dusting away, when this pretty young thing in short shorts and a singlet top came bouncing along at a jog. She spotted the reflective windows and stood watching herself as she fixed her hair and checked her shape from this way and that, and even checked out her own backside. Satisfied with herself, she jogged on.
Half her luck to have a gorgeous figure like that, which I would trade all my wordly goods for!
She was a magnificent little creature...and she knew it!

[Stanley]

Ah, we were all like that once of a day! Good posts I reckon, all common sense and of course all individual because we are all different. Like Sue, I would shy away from fasting, I saw the programme and the thing that struck me was how artificial it was to fast. I'd rather just eat less and see what happens! By the way, I don't think Weight-watchers would approve my cabbage soup. It's not watery it's solid grub! I sympathise with Sue as regards leaving food, she's right, if you were reared on rationing it's well nigh impossible! Our generation doesn't waste food.

[Wendyf]

Oh dear, I hope I haven't given the impression that Col is eating unhealthy food all the time. He is amazingly disciplined about what he eats, enjoys a very healthy diet, does a lot of exercise and keeps his blood glucose levels as low as he can. This alone hasn't stopped the slow progress of the diabetes (which wasn't caused by lifestyle!) He feels very frustrated that despite everything he tries he can't beat the disease and hopes that fasting could be an answer. In other words...he has no alternative!

[Marilyn]

My hubby has been "pre-diabetic" for years now...and I know the effort one has to put in putting together meals that give all he needs and nothing he doesn't.
We eat well, with over 75% of our evening meal being veg, and any Chicken or Fish cooked in the healthiest way possible. ( no deep fryer in this house...no English breakfasts...no traditional chips). And we walk every day, no matter what the weather.
Like Col, I know he understands how disciplined he needs to be if he is to put off the inevitable. I figure that every year we can delay the onset, the better off he will be.
He couldn't fast though, because he has hypos. If he gets busy, I have to put a sandwich in front of him because otherwise he will just keep working. Then he will say he is starving by mid afternoon and eat rubbish...and then we have words...and it can all be avoided if I just do the sandwich!

[EileenDavid]

I have 3 brothers and a cousin who are diabetic but then again my mothers father was. All were overweight at sometime in their lives but have shed a stone or two but have to take tablets to control the diabetese. My eldest brother was told he could control by diet alone but he couldn't manage the diet and cheated all the time, liked a pint etc. I although not slim would have been gross if I hadn't watched my weight. I now have a low fat diet, eat plenty of fruit and veg and drink plenty of water and am hoping to loose about 10lbs and keep it off. Dave however has never been overweight so it's quite difficult to diet when you live with someone who can eat anything, the only thing that seems to make him put weight on is beer so he doesn't drink it. Eileen

[Tizer]

Maz, is the `pretty young thing' why Febby has his chair placed close to the reflective windows?

[Marilyn]

I mentioned it to him when he got home from work. He said he will handle the window and blind cleaning from now on.

[Stanley]

Diabetes is funny isn't it. From what I read on here and my personal experience it seems to me that the course of the disease (is it a disease or a condition?) varies from case to case. The advice I got was that in my case a rigid diet wasn't needed, just moderation, exercise and taking Metformin as a prophylactic. Evidently the latest research suggests that the earlier you go onto the drug the better as it slows down the progress. Mind you. I suspect I'm lucky and have the mildest case you can have and have never felt any effects. It was a rogue blood analysis that chucked it up. I suppose I'm lucky but can't help reflecting on the fact that my brother and sister have it and far worse than me. The only thing I can put it down to (except luck) is that I have always had an active life-style and for years I have done my research and kept my diet as natural as possible. I was only reflecting last night that in terms of toxins, (apart from the nicotine!) my system must be about as toxin-free as it's possible to get without going to extraordinary, and perhaps damaging, lengths.
One thing seems obvious to me, we are what we eat and attending to that is probably the best policy whatever your personal level of vulnerability to diabetes is. Mind you, I've put a lot of effort into the research and buying the books!

[Stanley]

It's working slowly. Waistband of trousers seems to have expanded and if I didn't use braces they would be falling down. Nice! No big change in weight as yet but that comes later.

[EileenDavid]

Stanley you are doing well. Losing inches are harder than loosing weight and from the waist is fantastic. Weight Watchers would be proud of you. I watched the Hairy Dieters series and the doctors and dieticians said that middle fat is the most dangerous. Congratulations Stanley Eileen

[Stanley]

I seem to be lucky Eileen, can't claim any credit. I think that in my case I take more notice of my waistline and (forgive the detail) two small pockets of fat in my lower stomach just above my groin that you can feel through the skin. They are shrinking and you're right, in terms of diabetes that internal fat is the killer. Quietly forward, I have a lovely pair of (expensive) cord trousers in the wardrobe that are my ultimate target. If I can wear them comfortably I am slimmer than I have been for ten years! More important than the weight because I think that a change of eating habits can result in a redistribution of where you are carrying the weight.

[Sue]

Yoga has helped me lose inches. I can fasten a pair of walking trousers that I could never fasten. That is , I could fasten them until this week and all the food!!

[Doc]

My vices regarding food are bread, potatoes, rice and pasta which are all high in carbs. Back in June of 2010, I was injecting insulin (Novamix) before every meal after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and standing 6ft tall and weighing 16st 10lbs I decided to lose some weight by just cutting out those four items but eating everything else.

It worked but it was hard work at first not being able to make any butties or have my beloved mashed potatoes but with a bit of will power, persistence and food substitution I continued for 3 months.

Instead of mashed potatoes I had Cauliflower mash or baked grated cauliflower instead of rice. A leak cut into 4" slices split down the middle and slightly boiled makes an excellent substitution for pasta sheets in lasagne. Instead of having 3 slices of bread with my tea I had a couple of pita breads which contain carbs but not as much as normal bread.

Admittedly I ate more veg than normal but I never felt hungry after a meal.

I had to monitor my blood sugar levels all the time but the reduction in Carbs/Sugars over this period meant that my insulin requirements diminished to such an extent that today I do not inject any more and my blood sugars are now controlled with pills (Metformin).

I weighed myself every Saturday morning and the first week I lost 7lbs and continued to lose 3-4lbs a week.

After about 10 weeks my weight had come down from 16st 10lbs to 13st, I felt a lot better/fitter and although I gradually resumed the carb intake to the pre diet levels I only put back on an extra 7lbs today weighing in at 13st 7lbs and feeling much better for it.

My knees and back thank me for it not to mention my blood sugars

[Stanley]

A good account of the benefits of losing weight. I'm not being quite as radical but you encourage me to press on. I think it's harder as you get older to persuade your body to alter its habits. I think I ought to try those trousers on and use them as my yardstick!
Sue, do you have to eat everything they put in front of you at a Xmas lunch.....

[Sue]

I didn't Stanley, and I only had a sandwich for tea yesterday and a mince pie the day before. Today's lunch is a buffet and this evening I ham only having the starter and main course option. tomorrow is a buffet again

[EileenDavid]

Encouragement is good that's why these slimming clubs are well used. I attended one once with a friend and if they had lost weight they got praise but they weren't awful to the ones who hadn't lost just general advise and encouragement to try harder. My friend said that the instructor used different tactics like when they moaned I've only lost half a pound she would show them in a polythene bag containing half a pound of lard. Keep up the good work Stanley. Eileen

[Stanley]

I get my encouragement by observing people in the street and reflecting that I don't want to get like that!