Emotional Diet

Hi,
I have to say the links and ways people are coping are great but can anyone advise me on how I'm going to cope with the wonderful choice of food again.

I'm nearing the end of TFR, in maybe 3 weeks I'II be down to my weight, then refeed and I'm not sure I can ever deal with 'real food' again. Plain tasteless shakes may have to be my future.

Week 6 starting tommorow, after a sneaky peek I think I've done pretty well.
 
losit said:
Hi,
I have to say the links and ways people are coping are great but can anyone advise me on how I'm going to cope with the wonderful choice of food again.

I'm nearing the end of TFR, in maybe 3 weeks I'II be down to my weight, then refeed and I'm not sure I can ever deal with 'real food' again. Plain tasteless shakes may have to be my future.

Week 6 starting tommorow, after a sneaky peek I think I've done pretty well.
Click to expand...

hmm that really is a tough one as at the end of the day it is only you who can truly control the food you eat, and as such, you have to feel in control.

Perhaps ask yourself it an emotional trigger that leaves you feel you can't cope when faced with making choices on foods, or is it, perhaps the types of foods you're choosing that leads you to then binge on more of the same types of foods ... ?

(as explained in some of the articles, the vicious carb cycle brought on by the rise and fall of blood sugar from eating processed n refined carbs leaving you feeling constantly craving those types of foods, inevitably leading to weight gain)

There are so many maintenance options, you could focus on a particular way of eating, join a slimming club for the group support, increase exercise -of course! or a combination of all three if you felt it would help.

I advise you read up on various diets and general nutrition and also, perhaps, the emotional patterns of dieters - or even the personal experiences of those who've managed to maintained weight loss to find a lifestyle that you feel you can adhere to and maintain! (the most important thing of all in my opinion) Best of luck! x
 
I have only just discovered this thread and i am so glad i did. I too have been reading up on what i am going to do after LT (my house is full of nutrition and diet books) and everything i have read leads to ditching the low calorie low fat idea and going towards the no processed food and more specifically no refined carbs idea. Two of the best books i have, were recommended to me by jessie888 and are The Harcombe diet and the becks diet.

The harcombe diet makes a lot of sense to me all about reducing cravings etc and seems to be a diet that wouldn't restrict your life in the way some do. In fact my mum has been on the first phase of it for three weeks now and has lost 1 and a half stone. She has always been one of those people who hates their weight but not prepared to make serious sacrifices to get slimmer. The first phase is supposed to be for five days (although you can do it longer if you wish) she hasn't sacrificed her social life still going out for dinner and lunch etc but has found that she is actually enjoying it and how it makes her feel. Phase 2 is still about loosing weight but a bit slower and Phase 3 is about maintaining. Good reading in my humble opinion.


The Beck's diet is not at all about what to eat but all about eating behaviour how to counter act bad thoughts and to not feel guilty if you do slip up, how to be realistic about how to change you life in a way you can sustain, how to encourage and motivate yourself etc. I have to say it is a bit american if you know what i mean but i have found it very useful so far and would certainly be a good book to accompany what ever you choose to do after this plan.

Anyway thats my 2 pence worth, thank you mightymonocle for your links very interesting x
 
It is a bit scary isn't it? I'm doing an add a meal week every 4th week so that every month I have a few days of making healthy choices. It may slow my weight loss but in the end hopefully will make the transition easier.
 
HI,
Thanks for the advice, I'm going to the book shop today and going to pick up some of your suggestions.
I think i'ii refeed over a month and do the same as you lass. I have some great friends that have seen me yoyo diet for years and really want to support me this time in keeping the weight off so I know I should count myself lucky. I guess i'm just anxious as I know I can lose weight easily, it's keeping it off is where the work has to be maintained.
 
I maintain on vegetarian Atkins. Some do well on low GI plans but the carbs in wholewheat pasta, etc. have the same effect on my blood sugar levels as the regular stuff. I am one of those who will always have to keep carb levels very low, or risk regaining my weight. It's a bit of a balancing act in maintenance but it can be done. On Atkins you can eat a vast variety of ordinary, everday foods and you need never be hungry.

All the very best!
 
Thank you all so much, the advice, links and diet recommendations are great. I think I'II be headed your direction gilrygirl when the time comes. I have also found that fessing up to some of my close friends as to how bad my diet was is going to help as they didn't realise I was such a squirrel.
I am also seeing that smells and cravings for food are not a license to eat all around me. I am gaining control again.
 
I maintained for a year with a simple rule - eat colourful foods and avoid beige! This simplicity worked really well for me and once I'd refed after lipotrim I looked forward to preparing meals with bright appetising colours.

Lipotrim for me is the 'diet' that I chose to lose the weight, once target hit I then moved from a 'diet' to healthy enjoyable eating. For me the connotation of the word 'diet' sets off alarm bells and makes me think about food. Obviously with LT you aren't allowed food so this was what made me choose it in the first place. Thinking in a healthy way about food and looking forward to good fresh food was a joy. I discovered that I could also cook fish and enjoy it too!!
 
LipoLisa said:
I maintained for a year with a simple rule - eat colourful foods and avoid beige! This simplicity worked really well for me and once I'd refed after lipotrim I looked forward to preparing meals with bright appetising colours.

Lipotrim for me is the 'diet' that I chose to lose the weight, once target hit I then moved from a 'diet' to healthy enjoyable eating. For me the connotation of the word 'diet' sets off alarm bells and makes me think about food. Obviously with LT you aren't allowed food so this was what made me choose it in the first place. Thinking in a healthy way about food and looking forward to good fresh food was a joy. I discovered that I could also cook fish and enjoy it too!!
Click to expand...
I love this.... avoid beige!!! Thanks!!!
 
As I have found out I've made myself insulin resistant from too much sugar I'II be avoiding the beige as well.

I am really starting to enjoy cooking again too. I have made some lovely meals for my husband and carrot and banana buns for my pregnant friend. I'm enjoying seeking out new foods and receipes and my husnabd is all on for the new tastes too which is helpful and supportive.
I'm starting to look forward to eating in a few weeks as I was dreading it.
Lisa, I maintained for about two years and I think I can identify where I started going downhill again. Do you think this will be your last time ever doing tfr or will you always revert back to it. Please don't take any offence, I have done tfr for 5 weeks previously and for a few days earlier this year.
I'm just trying to make sense of why I am such a yoyo dieter and want to learn to loose it for the last time and always maintain. That is why I've started this thread.Since I was 21 I have lost and gained 13stone on and off, not all in one go, but 5 stone was the most I ever lost at one time.
 
I was a yo-yo dieter because I was seriously addicted to carbs. That's all. I didn't realise that years back. I didn't even know it was possible!

Minimising carbs has been, and remains, the secret to my long term maintenance. We will never be perfect as we all know but most days, for most meals, we can avoid that awful 'binge-trigger' effect that sends us flying off the scale. That way, madness lies!

Take it slowly, reintroduce foods gradually, and watch out for cravings or unusual levels of hunger after eating this or that. If you do this you will be fine.
 
Thank you girlygirl, that was sound advice. I really like your angle on things.
I keep repeating to myself....addiction is avoidance of reality, something I took from another wee addiction I had! If i face up to the carbs issue i'ii be grand.
Do you know that insulin resistance is the medical term for sugar addiction, as you said, it is actually a physical thing. I was told this by an endocrinologist.
 
Absolutely, yes. Carb addiction, sugar addiction, insulin resistance - manifestations of physical addiction, not just psychological. This is why we just cannot stop when we are off on a major binge, and why we just can't say no to that piece of cake or whatever. I used to hate myself so much for being 'weak' and 'greedy' when all the time I was suffering from one of the most common addictions known to man!

Realising you are not bad or useless is a major step forward in dealing with this addiction. Scratch the surface of an overweight person and you will find two things - anger! Just waiting to erupt. And self-loathing. When you take away the root cause, you also take a way a lot of the pain. But of course this takes time.

ps The definition of an addict is one who has tried to quit, and failed. If you swear you won't ever touch another bar of chocolate, and you cave in, that is addiction!
 
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LOL lass! Three months ago I stopped drinking altogether. The weight has been shifting steadily since that time. Booze makes me fat, it slows my losses and also weakens my resolve so that I end up eating. Would I like a drink now and then? Yes. Will I indulge between now and Christmas? NO. I have a couple of social events coming up in November and I might have a glass or two of wine but then again I might not. I am going back to my scarce drinking habits of years gone by - Christmas, New Year, birthdays and the very occasional night out. And that's THAT!
 
I agree that alcohol is the demon in terms of weight loss. I haven't had a drink since being back on plan. Will probably have one when I'm at a course next weekened - other than that birthday and Christmas will probably be next. I may have one in November as I do enjoy socialising with a drink - but as you say you can pretty much kiss weight loss goodbye if you do it too often, especially as my tipple of choice is cider - carb city!
 
I was always told that alcohol dissolves willpower. Thankfully I drink about as much as you gals do now so I don't have to avoid liquid carbs.
Girlygirl, you're advice is great and I really am taking on board what you're saying.
I think it's time I put down the junk food and said, I'm worth more than a bag of chips, and if I do it some, I'm not a greedy, selfish ogre.
 
There's a book called Fat Around The Middle, it's all about insulin resistence and carb addiction, it's worth a read.
I might be refeeding sooner than I thought and I'm really anxious about it.
I know I can't stay on TFR forever but I'm just afraid the sugar monster will rear it's ugly head and swallow me whole with sprinkles on top.

I also don't see the two stone loss in the mirror as my stomach will just not shrink.....why is this.
I think i'm just tired.
 
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