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[saffy123]

I'm at a BBQ tomorrow, so I'll really be breaking the eating plan, but it's a reunion with someone I haven't seen in 11 years, so I reckon once every 11 years is ok!

If I go out for lunch I always treat myself......I often have people say how do you eat so much and stay slim! They don't see the effort the rest of the time.
You go for it girl and enjoy xx

[Dorothy]

Just as long as I can still fit behind the steering wheel to drive back after 

[Dana]

Hi Dana,

It's the new SmartPoints system that I can't get on with. I used to love the original Points system and even ProPoints but SmartPoints is too restrictive for me. I get that foods higher in fat and sugar get a higher SP value but I like a small chocolate bar or bag of some sort of snack on a daily basis and could include these in my daily allowance easily before but not anymore. I'm weighing just over 11st at the moment (started at 11st 13lbs and got down to around 10st 8lbs with WW about 7 years ago and managed to keep it off give or take 2 or 3 lbs until now). This means that my daily SP allowance isn't enough to continue doing what I like doing. I suppose I could change the way I eat but I find that a small chocolate bar or something similar helps me stay on the straight and narrow - not so narrow at the moment though haha!! 

It was the Pro system when I started and then I switched over to the Smart system in January. To be honest I didn't really notice that much difference. I only had to make a few minor changes to what I was eating. Some things have gone up, but some things have gone down in points, and you also get more points in the day to spend. Most women now have 30 points per day, unless you are very overweight, which you aren't.

You can still have those little indulgences, but maybe you just need to alter the amount you have. I was a big chocolate fiend, but I find now that I can take it or leave it. That's the addiction to the sugar that you have to get over. I will still have some chocolate, but I will always get the smallest amount I can buy and I'll have it and I'll enjoy it and I won't bother about counting the points, but I won't do that everyday. Maybe once a week. I also go out for meals at least once a week, so I just try to pick something reasonably healthy, but I never obsess about it. If something comes with chips and I "accidentally" forget to say no chips, I'll eat them and enjoy them and it really doesn't make that much difference. It's all about portion control.

There are lots of things you can have if you really need a sweet hit. Roasted pumpkin is so sweet. I will have some when it's hot and then I'll store some in the fridge to have as a snack in the afternoon if I feel like something sweet. That has zero points. Also dates (must be fresh not packaged) are very sweet. I can only eat a few before they start to get sickly. Once again, zero points.

However, if you really don't want to do the smart points system, why not just do the pro points system again? Of course that's if you've still got the books to give you the point amounts.

[bugsbunny]

Dana, I'm really sorry that I'm not on WW anymore because I've done it on and off for decades and it's always worked for me before so maybe on the back of what you've said, I may take another look.

Thanks for your advice - and everyone else who contributed to this post too!

Bugs 

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on.  I tried skipping and bought a hoola hoop - no longer have the nack though 

[Evelyn63]

Let us know how you get on.  I tried skipping and bought a hoola hoop - no longer have the nack though 

My grandson has one and he got me to try it,he said " Granny you are amazing "  problem was it was my arm I was twirling it , not my waist 

[CLKD]

   - did you see Chris Hoy in Rio, answering questions in 1 minute whilst hoooolering?

[Hurdity]

Hi bugsbunny

There are lots of other threads too on losing weight! Sounds like it would be best to go with what you know has worked for you and that you can follow ie Weightwatchers.

I have lost weight in the same way as Dorothy. I am 63 and 5'1 and have reduced over the past year - now aim to keep between 8.10 and 8.12 if I can.

You don't need to crave stodge if you reduce carbohydrates though. My aim in weight loss is not to be hungry - so I have never counted or weighed anything in any of my weight loss regimes! You just need to cook everything from fresh ingredients, and to know roughly what each type of food contains. Banish sugar and processed foods from your diet except occasionally as treats. Eliminate or reduce carbs - by this I mean sweets, cereal, bread, pasta, flour, cakes, biscuits, rice, potatoes, sugary drinks including juice etc, and replace this with low fat protein and lots of fruit and vegetables - including beans, nuts and pulses.  Limit alcohol. Obviously also eliminate most fried foods and added fats - but cook in a small amount of olive oil. I eat low fat mince, very little cheese, low fat unsweetened yogurt (sweetened with banana or other fresh or stewed fruit if needed), bacon with fat cut off, chicken, loads of fish etc. Fat is OK if it's in foods eg nuts and avocados etc!

Even though I was not very overweight - and I know my thyroid function is less efficient than it was when younger ( meaning I have more tendency to weight gain) - I have managed to lose 8-10 pounds since last September and keep it off.

The carbohydrate craving is due to eating too many carbs! It means your body is producing too much insulin which removed sugar from the blood and stores it. Once you have got your body used to fewer carbs and in particular, very little sugar, you will not crave carbs and in fact won't get hungry so much because protein makes you feel fuller for longer.

Finally as you age your metabolism slows so even if you ate the same you would still have a tendency to put on weight - so you need to eat less and take more exercise. As said earlier - some sort of exercise that burns calories (even walking or cardio/aerobic fitness class), and some sort of resistance training that develops your muscles will help you along the way. Muscles burn more calories at rest than fat so therefore if you have more muscle your basal metabolism is increased!

Good luck anyway with whatever you do - but the exercise is a key part of it and the dietary changes have to be permanent

Hurdity x

[Winterose]

I liked 5;2 - fat melted away , plus it goes for the fat on your internal organs,thats the truly dangerous fat -  then you can maintain with one day a week . So easy and once  the weights off you only need to calorie count 1 day a week.  Another option is to half everything you eat.  Radio 4 had a piece on this morning about why we are all so fat now - they reckon its  because we all snack so much and forget what  we ve snacked on.
Would also suggest you dump the diet drinks - one of their issues is that the sweetener tricks your tastebuds  but not your brain which then sends you foraging for more food. ( its a bit more complicated than that but you can look it up for better description)

Anyway the best thing is realising there is an issue and you want to do something about it. If its all too daunting just go for 1 pound a week or even half that - it mounts up over a year, tell us how you get on 

[Dorothy]

I find the problem with those diets where you starve on some days & eat normally on others is that I obsess constantly about food on the 'starve' days and eat non-stop on the normal days...so I end up eating far more calories than usual and get even fatter 

Funny how different things work for different people!

[Evelyn63]

Interestingly Dorothy, after the first few weeks, I went the opposite way to you , and was very aware of not over eating on my non fast days.  I also joined slimming world and lost over two stone. I've been at target now for about two years.  I seem to see saw a bit, always by a couple of pounds, but I've stopped obsessing and if I'm out with friends or whatever I eat what I want and enjoy every mouthful.  Have never done WW though the idea of points does appeal and I've heard you soon get used to what points = What food.  I'm happy at my current weight.  9 stone, ( give or take a lb) and I'm 5' 5"   Good luck Bugsbunny, once you start seeing results for your efforts it gets much easier.  Also good to have a goal, something to aim for.  My daughter's wedding was my motivation and it could be something else like Christmas or an upcoming holiday,or better still, just for you ! . Start as Winterrose said, by even loosing a pound a week, by Christmas you will be over a stone lighter .  During my weight loss time, I joined a " ladies only" gym, I really enjoyed it, as it was small and there was a friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately it closed, and the bigger gyms don't appeal.  I get exercise by walking  but I miss the gym for toning .

[Hurdity]

I find the problem with those diets where you starve on some days & eat normally on others is that I obsess constantly about food on the 'starve' days and eat non-stop on the normal days...so I end up eating far more calories than usual and get even fatter 

Funny how different things work for different people!

Yes I can't cope with this one either! I can't do any diet where you have to be hungry! I did consider the 5:2 but there were only 3 days in the week that I could do the starvation (due to the job I do and the exercise classes I attend) and these were Fri, Sat, Sun so too close together and didn't want every weekend to be ruined by hunger!

My daughter also tried it and found the same as you Dorothy - she ended up eating too much on the normal days so did not end up in calorie deficit so she prefers WW.

The other downside is that it doesn't encourage dieters necessarily to modify their diet to become more healthy long term, and nor does it help to regulate blood sugar (which needs to be achieved through reduction in carbs/sugar intake, rather than just starvation on 2 days per week) - unless research has shown otherwise. However I can see that is clearly suits some people so whatever works in terms of your comfort and lifestyle is the main thing, I agree!!

Evelyn63 - are there no Fitness classes near you? Mine are not run by the gym but by women who have just set up eg in a village hall, or other town venue and just run them privately (and cheaply!) without having to join a gym.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

I find that having a 'good' breakfast really does help.  For years I was a 2 rounds of toast with butter Girl but by 9.30 was hungry  : a couple of years ago I bought a very thick muesli-type breakfast cereal and find that holds my hunger at bay for longer.  As long as my anxiety is OK I can manage breakfast but not a Full British  .

[bugsbunny]

After searching online, I've found an ap called ultimatevaluediary which is £2.29 and uses the old WW ProPoints so I'm happy. It has a lot of handy tools too so I can use that and get back to the WWing and I know and get on with 

[Machair]

The science is the key here. Oestrogen is involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and as it decreases or even flares in the years before meno you will have to face the possibility of weight gain. A small amount is good, it protects bones, but more than a few pounds is not. Sadly less carbs especially white bread, cakes etc is important, but all carbs are converted to glucose- even wholemeal versions, so I try to limit these now and increase protein, healthy fats and veg. I miss cakes though!