How many calories to lose weight?

[plastic penguin]

That really does narrow the options, doesn't it?

It's keeping it real, where she has the same food as my daughter & I but just smaller portions.

It proves, if nothing else, we generally eat too much.

I eat to live where some others 'live to eat'. Make sense?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

It does, PP. As a child, my maternal grandfather told me that eating was one of life's great pleasures. He recognised that I was too young to be apprised of the others, mercifully. I do a lot of exercise, but not because I necessarily enjoy it* - there's the health angle and there's some vanity to it - but primarily it means I get to eat/drink more enjoyably than would otherwise be the case.

*Though you do acclimatise.

 

[Deleted member 159214]

Completely agree. I lost 4 stones about 8 years ago and didn’t cut out anything. Just cut down on everything and significantly on some. The exercise offsets those guilty pleasures.

 

[plastic penguin]

It does, PP. As a child, my maternal grandfather told me that eating was one of life's great pleasures. He recognised that I was too young to be apprised of the others, mercifully. I do a lot of exercise, but not because I necessarily enjoy it* - there's the health angle and there's some vanity to it - but primarily it means I get to eat/drink more enjoyably than would otherwise be the case.

*Though you do acclimatise.

Totally agree. Exercise is as important than eating the right food. But if you can't exercise like others, as in Mrs Ps case, then eating the right food in smaller portions is the only alternative.

I'm a big foodie but I won't snack between meals, apart from the occasional banana or some other fruit.

My only conceit is I love tea with half a sugar. Don't eat cakes, pastries or any sugary things.

I don't exercise as I should do. My main priority is keeping Mrs P on the straight and narrow. We've sinned a few times during Covid (3 or 4 kebabs, the occasional take-away Pizza etc ) but otherwise I serve up tasty, healthy food. Tonight we're having marinated chicken thighs with black beans, onions, garlic & a side dish of oven cooked mushrooms & roasted red peppers.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Partial to a semi- home made curry every week or two myself!

 

[Deleted member 197450]

Even though I am obese I don’t think I look it.

 

[plastic penguin]

Even though I am obese I don’t think I look it.

Have you checked your BMI?

 

[Deleted member 197450]

Have you checked your BMI?

Yes, 32.4.

My GP reckons my weight is fine though.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes, 32.4.

My GP reckons my weight is fine though.

Fine. 32.4 means nothing to me. It's good the GP says it's fine.

Keep it going 👍

 

[Deleted member 197450]

Fine. 32.4 means nothing to me. It's good the GP says it's fine.

Keep it going 👍

Thanks PP, I never gain weight too. 👍

 

[Vincent Kars]

32.4 means nothing to me

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

 

[Gray]

I remember Jo Brand saying she thought she was Anorexic.
"Because when they look in the mirror, they think they're fat....and so do I".

 

[Deleted member 197450]

Keeping your weight is more about attitude & self-education.

Mrs. P has always struggled to keep her weight at a consistent level. She's tried every diet going, from Weight Watchers to the Atkins diet. The latter drove her gaga, lack of carbs are no good for the metabolism.

The only thing that works is smaller portions. For instance, when I cook chips or roasties I will give her half the amount. If I have 8 roasties she'll only get 4. It's about training your brain to except smaller amounts. If you get peckish between meals, she will now have a glass of water or weak squash.

Years ago, when I started this method, she lost over a stone in 3 months. And she is a wheelchair user so she can't exercise like the able bodied

I think this is the way forward for me too. Just half my portions - thanks PP! 👍

 

[plastic penguin]

I think this is the way forward for me too. Just half my portions - thanks PP! 👍

Yes, don't deprive yourself of the food familiar to you. For example have chips but instead of a plate load just have 10 chips. Rather than using normal potatoes, try sweet potato, parsnip or other root vegetable chips.

Avoid stodgy desserts, instead have some fresh fruit or light biscuits such as cream crackers with sliced apple or any fruit.

Strangely, if you like cheese DO NOT buy low fat cheese. That sounds mad but it isn't. The flavour from cheese mainly comes from the fat. With low fat cheese you tend to have 2 or 3 times as much to achieve the same flavour.

Just little tweaks to your diet will last longer than fad diets.

(Corrected)

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

dad diets.

I've heard of dad jokes and dad dancing, but that's a new one 🙂

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.

I think you can really boil it down to simply consuming slightly less than you burn and over time you will lose fat.

It's interesting that this view seems to be slipping from advice in some areas - the notion that we are predetermined by our genes (I nearly typed jeans there...) to have a certain body shape and trying to deviate from it will ultimately fail. I think this is an unduly negative and discouraging stance, and discounts the fact that it takes a lot of willpower, however you do it. The bottom line is that people often give up or backslide because a) it's hard work, and b) they forget that they should be doing this for themselves, not against their wishes and desires.

Keep at it, Gel!

 

[plastic penguin]

I've heard of dad jokes and dad dancing, but that's a new one 🙂

I've quickly scanned thru the previous posts, I can't find "dad diets". Perhaps bad diets, per chance?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Given the generation gap, a dad diet always had lots of vegetables in it - or so it seemed to me. And mushrooms - the food of Satan himself!

 

[plastic penguin]

Given the generation gap, a dad diet always had lots of vegetables in it - or so it seemed to me. And mushrooms - the food of Satan himself!

Definitely gone off you 😉 I love mushrooms, always have since I was a youngster: roasted, fried, raw in salads. Packed with lots vitamins & minerals. My favourite lunch: garlic mushrooms, roasted bell peppers & crusty bread. Yum!

 

[plastic penguin]

I think this is the way forward for me too. Just half my portions - thanks PP! 👍

Try, also, meats like rabbit, kid goat or any game. They're all very lean but retain all the nutrients.

I'm not a fish lover due to pin bones... drives me bonkers. I do like to order from our fishmonger fish cheeks & meatier fish, such as monkfish or coley. The coley is related to the cod family, is probably my fav fish in taste & texture. Always remember grannies used to feed their cats coley. Far too nice for cats. And it's pretty cheap
(Oh dear, I can whiff a birdie joke) 😁

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I've quickly scanned thru the previous posts, I can't find "dad diets". Perhaps bad diets, per chance?

See #39!

 

[plastic penguin]

See #39!

That was meant to say "fad diet". Blasted auto correction on the mobile.

 

[Freddy]

80% is diet and 20% exercise. It's a simple calculation. If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.

Try this: eat only breakfast, lunch and dinner with no snacks in between. Focus on more protein to keep you feeling full. Stop eating when you feel full. And walk 10000 steps a day. Sustain this for 3 months and keep checking your weight.

Water certainly helps significantly. Aim towards 2-3 litres of fluids (majority water) a day.

Going to give this a really good go now. 👍 I got my B&W P7’s to listen with my music on and going to be walking around the local lake. If that doesn’t work I will be taking my sisters dog for walks.

 

[Al ears]

It is generally recommended to drink water and tea in moderate amounts, listening to your body's thirst signals as a guideline. The exact amount of water you need can vary depending on factors such as your body size, activity level, climate, and overall health. If you have any specific concerns or health conditions, it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional who can provide personalized recommendations.

This is an old thread and the OP is no longer on the forum.