Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

Well done Jainie---I think most people seem to think that maintaining is more difficult than actually losing weight !

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

I've always done it on my own. One, I'm not a social person and don't feel like sharing my weight and what I've eaten that week, etc, with total strangers. Two, I've got better things to blow my money on. So I figured it out for myself.

I get that some people like the support of others, though. I, however, prefer to do everything on my own, regardless of what it is (I could never stand having anyone go shopping with me, either) because, well, that's just my nature.

I don't blame you.

It is. Losing the weight is only half the battle. Keeping it off is the real challenge and, sadly, most people do not succeed. They say more than half of people who lose weight put it all back on (and sometimes more) within the first year. And there's a simple reason for that, which is what happened to me - I lost the weight I wanted to lose, became complacent and got careless with my eating and, little by little, right back on came most of the weight I had lost.

The key to losing weight and keeping it off is making permanent lifestyle changes that you can live with comfortably. And the biggest thing I've found that never worked is deprivation. Severely restricting or even eliminating a particular food group or your favorite foods is only setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. Some people have 'trigger' foods that they have to stay away from completely or they'll eat themselves sick once they finally get their hands on it and that's perfectly understandable. With some people, just being around certain foods can cause loss of control; similar to shoving a bottle of vodka into the face of an alcoholic who's trying to abstain from drinking.

But if you can squeeze in a piece or two of your favorite pizza now and again without eating the whole pie - i.e. you're satisfied with those two pieces until you get your craving again maybe a couple of months later - then there's no reason to completely deny yourself such things. I've found allowing myself occasional small portions of a favorite 'sinful' treat keeps me happy and on track for a good few months until I get my craving again. Just knowing, in the back of my mind, that I CAN have those foods once in a while is what keeps me plugging away.

If you deny yourself those foods, but then cave and eat them anyway, you suddenly feel you've blown the whole thing and may even end up throwing in the towel altogether. It's a mindset, a mentality thing. And it's really not worth it in the end. You just have to learn to trust yourself.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

The cheese was a Low-Fat Cheddar.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

sounds perfect then ....

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

I buy the low fat cheese as well, but I won't do fat-free. That's not cheese. That's tasteless plastic.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

I did try once that Quark, I thought it was horrid, as you say, if you cut out the fat altogether in Cheese, then it doesn't taste like Cheese.

Today we are having:

Lambs Liver, I will only have two tablespoons of Mash, because I hate Mash, Peas and onion gravy.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

If you hate mash, then why are you going to force yourself to have 2 spoonfuls?

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

You have to put something on your plate Linda, I have to cook it for my Husband and I don't believe in giving myself hard work by cooking separate dinners.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

Have to put something on your plate??? No you don't!

I just never understood the mindset of forcing yourself to eat something you don't even like. And yours is a completely different reason than I expected... just to put something on your plate. Most people force-feed themselves certain foods for the health benefits, but just because you need to put something on your plate??? I would think with the liver, peas and gravy, that would be plenty, wouldn't it?

I get not wanting to cook two separate meals, but there are other quick things you can add to your plate besides something you don't even enjoy. I know you don't like cottage cheese, so that's out. Maybe chop some lettuce and throw a little side salad onto your plate. Or some cheese slices. Anything you like that's quick and easy to take the place of the food you don't really want to eat. Or nothing at all. Have a little extra meat or peas. But don't force yourself to eat something just because it's there.

Re: OFF slimming club---open to everyone.

I did actually eat the Mash Linda, and the Liver was beautiful.