Without giving up any of my favourites foods

“Just eat less and move more”

“When you’ve had enough, just stop”

“Just make better choices”

“Just…” AARGHHH! STOP IT! It’s ‘just’ not that easy!

If you are that person that queues up behind me at the supermarket, loading the checkout belt with lots of green leafy veg, lean protein, and a grape – this is not for you. And if you voluntarily CHOOSE a dressing-free salad and a bottle of spring water for lunch – step away from this article…

When you are very overweight, it is all-consuming. Your mind-set is different, your appetite is different. And you have a whole other set of considerations for almost everything that you do:

• Are the chairs at the café/restaurant/venue strong enough to hold me?

• Will I weigh the car down?

• Will the robes/towels in the hotel go round me?

• Will I be able to get out of the bath?

• If I fall over, will I be able to get myself up again?

• Will the seatbelt on the plane fit round me? And will I be able to get the table down?

No-one will ever convince me that they are happy with their weight when they are obese. It taints so much of what you want to do. So, if it were as simple as the opening statements, people would not be overweight.

There have been many studies done, that conclude that people who are obese, don’t get the “we’re full” messages that regulate how much we eat. Added to that, when you put on weight, you gain more fat cells. And even when you lose weight, you still keep the additional fat cells, they just shrink.

That’s one of the many reasons that it’s so difficult to keep weight off after losing it. Your body still drives you to eat, with craving signals, in order to re-fill all those fat cells. It is a constant battle.

And, when you’re told, to stop eating when you feel full, that might seem to make sense, unless your brain doesn’t send that signal. Or only sends it when you’ve already eaten too much.

I struggled because I enjoy all the foods that are judged to be ‘bad’. And could never understand how, if you eat a biscuit and really enjoy it – why wouldn’t you want another one? And another one? Until there are none left to have. The signal doesn’t get through. Your body tells you “that was nice, let’s have it again”. How do people open a packet of biscuits/cakes/chocolates and then ‘save some for another day!’ What? Another day? What’s wrong with this day?

I knew, from years of trying, that I could not just stop eating my favourite foods. The thought that something was banned, automatically made it even more desirable. I know that’s human nature, but I also know that if someone said I could never eat curly kale again, I really could live with that. No really, quite happily.

I had to find a way to work with my cravings rather than battling against them.

Most diets will work. Keto/low cal/grapefruit & egg/cabbage soup/meal replacements etc. It is your ability to stick to them that decides their long-term feasibility. You may lose a lot in the first week on many diets (water loss), but if the diet isn’t sustainable, it will not be working for very long.

Also, if you are not getting all the nutrients that you need, your body will push your cravings into overdrive to get what it needs – whether it’s on your diet or not. So whichever one you choose, make sure it meets essential nutritional requirements, and that you can stick with it for the long haul.

Now here’s the thing. If I’m trying to lose weight, and I look into the future, and can see no relief, no chocolate, no cake etc, it just brings me down. You can say that’s wrong, but that is how it is. So I accept that, and design my regime as follows:

• Pick the diet that I can stick to the longest (for me that’s keto/low carb)

• Stick like glue – knowing it isn’t for long

• Lose 7lbs

• Have a complete and utter free day. No counting, no limits, no guilt

• Next day – Stick like glue – knowing it isn’t for long

• Lose 7lbs (from where you were the day before yesterday)

• Repeat until slim!

I use 7lbs because in the UK we use stones, and 7lbs is half a stone. Pick 10lbs if you prefer.

Yes, you do put some weight back on during that day off. It’s two steps forward, one step back. But that’s still one step forward all the time, in a more sustainable way. Yes, it will take longer, but you are more likely to get there.

If you’re feeling on a roll, skip the free day when you feel you can. But it’s always there to look forward to. When I had a craving for something, I would buy it and put it out of sight, ready for free day Friday (my weigh day). And if I had an occasion on the horizon, I would save my free day for that.

Some will say that this isn’t a healthy way to do it. But the weight loss benefits, outweigh the free days.

PLEASE speak to your GP or health advisor before embarking on any new regime.

It did take me almost two years to lose the 140lbs. But I did lose it. And it is a constant battle to keep it off – but I continue to fight.

However you decide to do it – try to be patient, but start it now…

Of course I wrote a book (ok, a leaflet) about it here:

Please note, that if you buy using the above link, I may gain a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you