Personalised Diets ...

[Ann]

OH and I need to go on diets but it is difficult to follow any of the recognised ones as we only like plain English food and not fancy recipes.

We also cannot afford to join Weight Watchers or Slimming World although I hear they are excellent.

I would like to know if there are any organisations who take note of your food likes/dislikes and plan out a week's menus for you (preferably at low cost or even free) Has anyone done anything like this please?

[albaqwerty]

Someone on the Onwards and Downwards thread may be able to help Ann.
(They're a great bunch on there)

[albaqwerty]

hope this helps

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Weight-Loss-and-Dieting/Question1212568.html

[MadMen]

I would definitely go with Weight Watchers or Slimming World, as the best option here. How overweight are you both? Is it a health risk?
I ask because I knew of a couple of people who used Slimming World for free, as part of an NHS scheme, or something. It may be worth having a word with your GP to see if you could access these services at a reduced cost or for free.

Failing that, I can highly recommend a free app called My Fitness Pal

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

You put in some basic info, height/weight etc, and chose how many calories you want to consume each day, depending on how much weight you want to lose.
Don't go mad and chose only a small amount of calories as it won't be sustainable and you won't stick to it. 1200 is about right (again, check with your height and weight).

You then add into your food diary each day, and it will tell you how many calories you've had and how many you've got left.

It's a really good way of keeping check of things.

[wendilla]

Hello Ann Xtitcher started Onwards and Downwards 2 and a half years ago. I replied and we have tried to give advice and listen to advice of how people have lost their weight. The Ed took us over and gives us a new monthly thread .There is no such thing as a diet . Pop over to us and join our little club. Thank you for mentioning us Alba.

[MadMen]

One other thing, Ann. If you do decide you want to do WW or Slimming World then it's fairly easy to work out what your 'points' allowance would be, just by doing a quick search on Google.
You can then search the web for recipes, or buy yourself a WW book to help with cooking the foods you enjoy.

You'll find that little changes make a huge difference.

[vodkancoke]

http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/5aday.aspx

I don't know if this is any good to you Ann.

[ladybirder]

Madmen, Ann has said they can't afford WW or SW.

Whenever I need to lose a bit of weight I just eat less of what I normally eat. I use a smaller plate and cut down by 20% - 30%. Works for me.

[MadMen]

Yep. I did read the post, ladybirder.
That is why I suggested seeing her GP, as they can often help with the cost of these groups, if there is a health issue or risk.
I also suggested doing WW or Slimming World 'at home', by finding out their points allowance online, and using the web and cook books as an idea of what to cook.

[wendilla]

The whole object to lose weight is to cut out all the junk food eat healthily with plenty of fish and chicken meals these can made in different ways .Also plenty of veg . If you stick on a rigid diet you get bored and so easy to go back to your old ways. A treat once a week is acceptable.Plan your shopping for the week so as you don't go and send for that takeaway. It is not always easy if you have other family to cater for. Also a glass of unsweetened grapefruit is good eveyrday as this helps to break up fat content. But I must STRESS that people on some medication are not allowed this. Pop over to us and others will give you ideas.

[EcclesCake]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by plain English food but if you are referring to a meat and two veg diet I can only assume you are having too much!

Using a smaller plate really does work to help you reduce you portion size.

Have you thought of looking at the BBC Good Food website, for lighter versions of you regular meals.

Perhaps if you gave us an idea of three days of your typical breakfast, lunch and dinner plus any snacks we could give you some tips of ways to make them more healthy.

[naomi24]

Ann, don’t mix carbs with proteins and ditch cheese, butter and sugary things. It's simple, you can eat as much as you like, and it works. Good luck.

[ladybirder]

Sorry madmen, I only saw your second post, not your first.

[Ann]

Thanks everyone, didn't know about the Onwards and Downwards thread - will certainly have a read up on it later! I have been on diets for 50 years (on and off) so I certainly know about counting calories. I suppose we need the kick start to get going again .........

For breakfast I usually have 2 handfuls coarse Scotts porridge oats cooked in microwave with semi-skimmed milk and a few raisins and dried cranberries to sweeten it. Sometimes I have unsweetened museli for a change. I wouldn't like anything different for breakfast. OH has the same amount of Special K flakes with red berries - but at weekends he has 2 or 3 rashers of lean bacon done in microwave, nothing else added.

For lunch we always have cripbreads, unless we are out shopping when we have a sandwich or baguette. OH has 4 crackerbreads topped with either cheese or ham and I have 3 Sesame Ryvita with either a chopped banana or just fresh tomatoes sliced, followed by a yoghurt every day.

For evening dinner we usually have chicken or beef (not very keen on fish, only salmon) with potatoes and veg. I don't consider we have large helpings, I generally use microwave oval plates which are not as big as normal dinner plates. I do snack on fruit through the day, mainly apples or nectarines (couldn't live without my daily fruit and veg) but I have a sweet tooth so we enjoy a dessert after our evening meal, sometimes a couple of scoops of icecream or stewed fruit and custard or homemade jelly with tinned oranges in. I couldn't finish a meal without having a little of something sweet.

Recently we have been naughty and have snacked on our Christmas chocs and biscuits but thankfully these are finished now! We find it difficult to do much excercise due to us both having dodgy knees, but I love gardening which I suppose is quite good to do.

[Ann]

Forgot to say - we hate junk food or take aways.

[RATTER15]

Im living on mainly fish, chicken and other lean meats with fresh veg and rice, I do have a small roast dinner on a Sunday, Im losing weight and seldom hungry, I was naughty today, I had 2 butchers sausages with a slice of bread and some backed beans, and very nice it was. Tonight we are having grilled pork chops, rice and a few veg. Im looking forward to it :-)

[RATTER15]

*baked beans

[MadMen]

So you have the same breakfast and lunch every single day? And meat and two veg every single night? Blimey. Talk about variety! :P

I honestly don't see how you can improve that very much, as it does seem fairly balanced and 'healthy' to me.

Do you drink?

[Ann]

LOL Madmen - we do have other meals, sometimes salad/pizza (yes I know its bad but only smallish slice) or hard boiled eggs and ham salad, chicken or tinned mackerel. We do count calories so if I have tomatoes and salad on my lunchtime crispbread I can "afford" to have a few treats for dinner providing the calories add up correctly. In answer to your question, no I don't drink, OH has a couple of pints or a glass wine per week.
We always struggle to lose any weight, I think it is the lack of exercise, we joined a gym but had to stop going due to the cost (redundancy) and I found the exercise bikes and treadmill too taxing on my poor knee!

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Swimming would be excellent exercise for you.

[MadMen]

Ann, lol. Sorry :)
Honestly, I can't see any 'obvious' problems with your diet. It is well balanced and healthy. It's better than mine, that's for sure! :-)
I think you're right, it's probably the exercise that is the real issue here for you and your husband. I can appreciate it is difficult when joints start to become painful. I suffer with my knees during the winter and even though my doctor seems to think pounding a treadmill will help, it doesn't!
Maybe just try and get out for gentle walks. Do you have a dog? Great reason to have to exercise :-)