Healthy weight loss

[Teasel]

I want to lose some weight. I've gained a good deal whilst on Mirtazapine and then Quetiapine.

I don't want to do crash dieting as I know that doesn't have long term results for me, and tends to lead to even more weight gained later on.

So I'm looking to hear anything anyone has found helpful in losing and keeping weight off. Whether it's tiny little tips which have been helpful or making big changes. Thanks so much

 

[bellbird]

The combination of mirtazapine and quetiapine gave me major munchies. Like I could have just had a full dinner, and I'd still be raiding the fridge as though I hadn't eaten at all.

If you're still on them, actually even if you're not, my main suggestion is to meal prep some healthy snacks -- things that you will enjoy but that aren't high in sugar or bad fats or are highly processed.

I find that if I have options like that on hand, I will reach for them rather than reaching for something unhealthy.

Also really to remove unhealthy foods from your living space. What we see tends to give us cravings (think food/drink advertising), which in turn tends to be what we eat, causing more cravings, etc. It's a cycle.

But you need to find options that work for you else it won't last, so do some exploring and don't give up hope if there are some bumps along the way.

Also just remember that it's going to be hard at the beginning because your microbiome is adapted to certain types of food, so the switch will actually change the composition of your microbiome.

Keep reminding yourself what your goal is and why you are doing this. Even on the hard days, just remember that it will be all worth it in the end.

 

[anthony]

What I know about weight loss from my experiences, is that it must be lifestyle, not a fad. You have to be realistic. Get rid of all junk food, and that means a lot of crap in packets. No bread, pasta, fruit juice, etc.

My advice is to research what you plan to eat, and do an honest evaluation of the calories. Find foods that allow you to eat more with less calories, that way you can snack all day without the weight gain. It takes work, but when you change your lifestyle, you can do it.

I literally have told my wife she is not allowed to buy chocolates, junk food of any description, and bring it into this house where I can see it. She does it for staff, and hides it in the office for staff where I simply do not go.

You have to simply cut all the rubbish from your diet. When you do that, you will start eating less as you lose weight, as your body will not crave as much food.

Lifestyle change. Slow is the best approach, progressively making change that helps your weight. Research and understanding food is everything. I can't stress that enough.

I just had this discussion with my boy over bread. He swapped out white bread for dark rye. He is eating the same, wondering why he is putting on weight. Rye bread has more calories than white bread, however, rye bread is healthier for you. He assumed and did not research. When I showed him the calorie facts, he got it. Your body processes rye bread better than white, but it has more calories, so eating more of it means more calories.

Weight loss is this simple: calories in, calories out. Count what goes in, count what your body burns by both age and sex, plus any exercise. Over-estimate what goes in, under-estimate what goes out. That way, you have more room for weight loss.

 

[Teasel]

Thanks both, I left replying as I thought I'd reply after everyone posted

In full agreement about lifestyle over fad diets, prepping healthy foods, not having junk in, eating low carbon etc.

I know I will not be perfect on this busy any means, good is an issue for me.

But here goes.

Still interested in any tips anyone else has, particularly on how to make better choices when the urge to comfort eat occurs. Was thinking I could train myself yo stop and think of the consequences or something.
Ta muchly

 

[anthony]

Oh... and don't shift to artificial sweetened products as snacks. They're just as bad for you in other ways, and will not help you long-term.

I have a shelf of rice snacks. I use them to snack, and I snack all day. I used cup of noodle soups, stuff like that, as it takes you longer to consume, fills you, and keeps you from eating longer, all at around 100 calories per serve.

I sat around the 90kg mark, and all last year my goal was to simply change my eating. I've usually sat a handful of kg over my healthy weight, which for my height and age is 83kg. Doing that last year, I'm now 85kg. I have not dieted, I have simply changed my eating and lifestyle. Keeping busy is important. If you aren't active, you eat, and get fat. Eating when active is entirely different though, and healthy for you, and you do not gain weight when eating right with activity.

This is what I mean about lifestyle. Lifestyle affects your mood, your eating, everything about you from the moment you get up in the morning until sleep at night. Make slow and progressive changes to all the unhealthy aspects of your lifestyle, and you will lose weight without dieting, and simply by eating healthier combined with activity.

People do weird and wonderful shit, all the time telling themselves something is necessary. For example, walking up a hill is a good thing. Taking a protein bar with you is a bad thing. People justify it that they need the calories to sustain their energy whilst climbing the hill, but you do not need a protein bar from a packet filled with crap. You can take numerous things that are better for you, like a small packet of nuts, or make something healthy and take with you in a backpack (cold or hot - apply appropriate device to keep it right in backpack, as plenty of heating cooling options exist). You can even make something before you exercise, leave in fridge, exercise and consume water, which is all you really need, and on return you have healthy calories awaiting you to eat to ensure your body doesn't have issues.

 

[Teasel]

You've reminded me of a book I loved when I was younger called eat yourself thin. Basically it had you eat all natural, cut out the crap and sugar, and exercise lots. I lost around 5 stone doing that and was never hungry.

Current ill health means exercising lots is not an option but hopefully a new treatment I'm receiving will get me better. And I'm still keeping up the exercise I can to keep my strength up. And Qi Gong to strengthem core muscles.

I've been staying in the car when we go grocery shopping, so as I don't see all the sweat fatty foods and put them in the trolley, it means only what's on the list comes home with us.

The person I live with is not going to change their ways for me, but I've asked they hide the sweet fatty foods from me so I don't know they're in the house.

 

[Friday]

One of the best tricks I ever learned for gaining OR losing weight (IE trying to reach that healthy midline // people not eating enough eat more, whilst people eating too much eat less) is to only eat more than the size of the palm of your hand if you’re deliberately preparing for something with a big expenditure of energy (which also includes things like being sick, or staying warm in the cold, but most typically means... yeah.. if I’m about to go run 5 miles I both can & should eat more before/after, and same token if I want to go eat myself silly at the sushi restaurant or BBQ? Imma be spending several hours in the pool/ on the trails/ etc. “earning” the volume of food I just ate. But for the most part? I’m going to be eating small meals more often).

For the size of my hands? That means about half a sandwich unless the bread is huge then 1/4-1/3, or a smallsh bau, 2-4 pieces of sushi, 3-6 sashimi, 3-4 gyoza, 1-2 baguette slices (depending on how tall they’re stacked, if it falls over does it cover your palm?), 1 pancake (or silver dollar pancake & 1 sausage), 1 orange, 1 apple, half a banana, half a cup of soup, 4-6oz of steak, half a size salad, etc. <<< Which means that when I have control of my diet? I usually split my meals in half. Half a sammie now, the other half in 3 hours.

Clearly, some common sense needs to be applied... if I at 6 meals of cheesecake the size of my palm every day? Or celery sticks? I’m going to be MASSIVELY unhealthy. It’s a lifestyle trick, like parking in the spot the farthest from the store, instead of the closest, that depends on the person having both sense & a varied diet that meets their nutritional needs.

 

[Teasel]

Makes perfect sense. I know for me personally that attempting to limit the amount I ear backfires impressively.

I prefer to focus on I can have as much as I want of food that's good for me, it kind of tricks the part of my brain that panics about not having enough food into being OK with having less because I don't feel like I am having less.

It's kind of a tightrope I need to walk. The last time my Dr helpfully sent me on a healthy eating course I put on 3 stone. The info in the course was spot on, saying that diet is not the way forward, that lifestyle change is best etc. As soon as they started talking about how tiny food portions ought to be they lost me. Panic.

I spoke to someone about my reaction, they said it happens sometimes. Maybe especially with csa victims.

 

[anthony]

If you go down the route of starting with all you can eat of healthy food, the only really healthy food that fits this is usually fruit that is primarily water based (apples, watermelon, etc), and some lean meats. But if you cover the meat in sauce, or other item, you undo everything just said. It can be done, and you will lose weight on that, because what happens with time is that your stomach shrinks, you go to the toilet more, and as you progress you consume less because your body craves less, however, some people get into a habit of always eating, thus it can be a double edged sword and undo you at any time if you do not beat that habit.

 

[Lionheart]

I don't know but I have heard that the way to lose weight "effortlessly" (I suppose the meaning here is without strenuous exercise), is to switch to a vegetarian lifestyle. It sounds reasonable to me, but if you are on a low income, fixed budget like I am, fresh produce is not always an option So, they say that then frozen is a better choice than canned fruits and veggies. I bet if I could switch to a vegetarian diet and actually stick to it, I would lose weight easier than if I were to try to control portions sizes, count fat, calories, carbs, etc. But perhaps someone with more experience can speak about this as I am only repeating what I have heard and I don't have any direct experience with it. Good luck with your weight loss!!!!

 

[Pale Mpress Kitty]

What I'm doing now is a variation of Mindful Eating. Mindful eating generally involves:

• eating slowly and without distraction (so no TV, social media, crafting, reading, etc)
• listening to physical hunger cues and eating only until you’re full (which I struggle with super super much)
• distinguishing between true hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating (I drink a glass of water first before eating anything, because for me my thirsty cues are the same as my early hungry cues)
• engaging your senses by noticing colours, smells, sounds, textures, and flavours (I do this with by making sure I have a variety of textures on my plate, and my not mixing everything together as soon as I get it)
• noticing the effects food has on your feelings (hello diet-culture guilt; this is so so prevalent)

It might also be worth researching the anti-diet philosophy and/or meeting with an anti-diet dietician. Essentially, the anti-diet philosophy is that diet culture is damaging to our idea of what health is. I.e. no food is inherently "bad" for you as other foods are not inherently "good" for you and thinking that way makes you be hyper-vigilant about your eating and ashamed/guilty of food choices.

I've also swapped my weight loss goals from "Lose x weight" to fitness/health goals "I would like to walk to the top of x hill/mountain/walk x distance" etc. Giving myself a fitness goal is something I can actually track without focusing on a number (weight) but also has the added benefit of losing the weight by being active.

The trick is to find a dietary plan that makes small changes that are sustainable for you over time, rather than drastically changing your diet right away.
Some examples in my life:

• Making cheesey broccoli and cauliflower rather than mac 'n' cheese. Using courgette slices rather than pasta slices in a lasagne.
• Home-made burgers and pizzas rather than store-bought/take-aways. This usually costs about the same for our family, but my toddler can see me cooking and explores the food while I'm cutting it or spreading it (he is especially good at helping me spread the sauce on the pizza base).
• Restricting sugary things rather than cutting them out cold-turkey whereby I'm allowed either a can of soda OR a small chocolate bar, but my quota for the day is one of those things. Means I can not feel guilty about eating sugary things when out with friends (dessert time at a restaurant?).
• Slowly introducing traditionally 'good' foods into my diet (e.g. broccoli, used to HATE the stuff!).
• Cooking things without spices, sauces, etc. Started by stir frying vege, reducing the sauce and meat quantity, and adding more green vege. Now I can fry some courgette, broccoli, and yams in a pan and eat a bowl of that and be happy. Last night, for example, I ate an entire broccoli head + handful of yams + 2 eggs.
• Switching to vegetarian or primarily vegetarian meals. So I only eat meat maybe once or twice a week now. The danger here is that lots of vegetarian meals replace the meat with a cheese which isn't especially good.

I've only been anti-diet eating since November 2020 (yes, I did this over the Christmas holidays) and have been losing between 500 grams to 1 kilo a week (about 1-2 pounds).

It's also important to note that by eating 'better' and by exercising more you may see an increase in your weight as your body makes muscle instead of fat, before you see it go down again. I gained 1kg the first week after I started and then dropped 2kg the following week! Measurements around waist, thighs, arms, etc, are more important than the number on the scales (generally speaking).

 

[Pale Mpress Kitty]

Also adding that I can't and don't count calories or actively portion size etc, because that led me down the path towards disordered eating which is a whole other pit that is incredibly difficult to climb out of.

In saying that, I removed all of the large dinner plates out of the house and replaced them with large bowls. So dinner is either a salad/pile of vege in a big bowl, OR one small plate of food at a time. I'll re-introduce big plates in eventually, but for now this is how I (kind of) portion control without weighing everything etc.