# How to keep weight off once you've lost it



## Ameriscot (Mar 16, 2016)

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/keep-weight-off.aspx


----------



## Capt Lightning (Mar 16, 2016)

I'm always very sceptical about 'one size fits all' advice from the NHS.  I would appear to be overweight and if I was at the mid point of their 'ideal' weight, the Red Cross would be airlifting food supplies to me!  It's sensible to eat a healthy diet, stay active etc, but  not to get hung up on numbers.  I remember once visiting my GP. He asked how I was keeping and I said fine, but a bit overweight.
He looked at me and said, "nonsense, you look fine to me".  He was one of the old school - he understood that people were individuals.


----------



## Ameriscot (Mar 16, 2016)

Capt Lightning said:


> I'm always very sceptical about 'one size fits all' advice from the NHS.  I would appear to be overweight and if I was at the mid point of their 'ideal' weight, the Red Cross would be airlifting food supplies to me!  It's sensible to eat a healthy diet, stay active etc, but  not to get hung up on numbers.  I remember once visiting my GP. He asked how I was keeping and I said fine, but a bit overweight.
> He looked at me and said, "nonsense, you look fine to me".  He was one of the old school - he understood that people were individuals.



True we are all different.  But there is a serious obesity problem here and it's costing the NHS tons of money.  Keeping weight off once you get to a 'healthy' weight is very hard.  Only about 5% manage to keep it off longterm.


----------



## AutumnOfMyLife (Mar 16, 2016)

Indeed, it's difficult to keep the weight off once goal has been reached.  The thing I believe in is eating whole foods most of the time and leaving the processed stuff out.  Obviously it is difficult not to eat some processed things, but we can make healthier choices when we do. I eat flat bagels for 100 each instead of a reg. one.  I use Stackers square rice cakes at 25 cal a piece.  They don't crumble like some other rice cakes do and are crunncy yet tender and great with all kinds of toppings, including nut butters and honey.  1 tsp of nut butter plus 1 tsp of honey on top of 1 Stackers rice cake is a whopping 75 calories and goes great with a cup of coffee or tea for a snack any time day.  So low in calories you can indulge in 2 or 3 even if you like!  I prefer honey to jam or jelly because honey is a whole food and very minimally processed.  The nut butters contain healthy fats.  We don't want to eliminate all fats because in addition to protein, healthy fat satisfies our hunger and is necessary for weight loss.  How many different kinds of yummy whole food toppings can you think of to put on a rice cake?


----------



## Ameriscot (Mar 16, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> Indeed, it's difficult to keep the weight off once goal has been reached.  The thing I believe in is eating whole foods most of the time and leaving the processed stuff out.  Obviously it is difficult not to eat some processed things, but we can make healthier choices when we do. I eat flat bagels for 100 each instead of a reg. one.  I use Stackers square rice cakes at 25 cal a piece.  They don't crumble like some other rice cakes do and are crunncy yet tender and great with all kinds of toppings, including nut butters and honey.  1 tsp of nut butter plus 1 tsp of honey on top of 1 Stackers rice cake is a whopping 75 calories and goes great with a cup of coffee or tea for a snack any time day.  So low in calories you can indulge in 2 or 3 even if you like!  I prefer honey to jam or jelly because honey is a whole food and very minimally processed.  The nut butters contain healthy fats.  We don't want to eliminate all fats because in addition to protein, healthy fat satisfies our hunger and is necessary for weight loss.  How many different kinds of yummy whole food toppings can you think of to put on a rice cake?



Most people fail because they go on special diets and when the weight is off they go back to their normal way of eating.  The key is to just eat a healthy diet but allow for treats occasionally.  When the weight is off, just increase the amounts to where you'll maintain whatever size is healthy for you. 

I've never gone back to my highest weight, but I do put on weight when we travel - which is nearly half the year.  So I normally fluctuate by about 10 pounds, maybe 15 if I've been really indulgent.


----------



## AutumnOfMyLife (Mar 16, 2016)

The important part is knowing how to get back on track.  Nope, probably shouldn't be eating ice cream and chocolate chip cookies.  LOL


----------



## Ameriscot (Mar 16, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> The important part is knowing how to get back on track.  Nope, probably shouldn't be eating ice cream and chocolate chip cookies.  LOL



Very occasionally in moderate amounts.


----------



## Debby (Apr 23, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> True we are all different.  But there is a serious obesity problem here and it's costing the NHS tons of money.  Keeping weight off once you get to a 'healthy' weight is very hard.  Only about 5% manage to keep it off longterm.




You're right Ameriscot about the obesity problem.  I had to go to the clinic yesterday and out of twenty patients, two thirds were obese, two of them were morbidly obese and except for me and another lady and a man, the rest were overweight.  I wouldn't be surprised if the obesity rates in this province weren't higher than the national average.  I think it has something to do with it being so cold here in the winter and low incomes so gym memberships aren't customary and generations of folks who 'hibernate' through the winter.

You're also right about the sequence of events when people go on 'special diets'.  Far better to relearn how to eat healthy always.


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 23, 2016)

Debby said:


> You're right Ameriscot about the obesity problem.  I had to go to the clinic yesterday and out of twenty patients, two thirds were obese, two of them were morbidly obese and except for me and another lady and a man, the rest were overweight.  I wouldn't be surprised if the obesity rates in this province weren't higher than the national average.  I think it has something to do with it being so cold here in the winter and low incomes so gym memberships aren't customary and generations of folks who 'hibernate' through the winter.
> 
> You're also right about the sequence of events when people go on 'special diets'.  Far better to relearn how to eat healthy always.



I rarely saw anyone grossly obese in Scotland when I first moved here in 2000, but I'm seeing them now.


----------



## Wrigley's (Apr 23, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I rarely saw anyone grossly obese in Scotland when I first moved here in 2000, but I'm seeing them now.



Has there been a rash of American restaurants opening up there? layful:

I've never had a terrible weight problem, but I lucked out. I married fairly young, and my wife did all the cooking. She served very healthy meals and we rarely had dessert. When we did, it was primarily fruit, like fruit filled turnovers and such. She got me into the habit of eating right.


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 23, 2016)

Wrigley's said:


> Has there been a rash of American restaurants opening up there? layful:



LOL.  Actually, yes.  McD's has been here a long time but we're getting more and more of the crappy fast food restaurants.  In the past few years we got Krispy Kreme, Taco Bell.  Already had Pizza Hut, KFC and others.  But, of course, there have always been chippies with the very fattening (and delicious) fish and chips.


----------



## Wrigley's (Apr 23, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> LOL.  Actually, yes.  McD's has been here a long time but we're getting more and more of the crappy fast food restaurants.  In the past few years we got Krispy Kreme, Taco Bell.  Already had Pizza Hut, KFC and others.  But, of course, t*here have always been chippies with the very fattening (and delicious) fish and chips*.



I ate those while I visited England (Eastbourne) several years ago. Yum! They taste nothing like the fish'n'chips in the US. 
There was actually a fish under the batter!


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 23, 2016)

Wrigley's said:


> I ate those while I visited England (Eastbourne) several years ago. Yum! They taste nothing like the fish'n'chips in the US.
> There was actually a fish under the batter!



They are even better in Scotland.  Haddock and chips.  Yum!


----------



## Wrigley's (Apr 23, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> They are even better in Scotland.  Haddock and chips.  Yum!



I'll bet when Italians order spaghetti in America they don't even recognize it.


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 23, 2016)

Wrigley's said:


> I'll bet when Italians order spaghetti in America they don't even recognize it.



No, they won't.  Ethnic foods are always changed to suit American tastes.  In Thailand meals have small amounts of meat and tons of veggies, in Thai restaurants in America the meals are mostly meat and few veggies.


----------



## tnthomas (Apr 23, 2016)

> How to keep weight off once you've lost it



Yes, it's a real challenge.   The way I look at it is that it's easier to not put those added calories into your mouth, than it is to burn it back off.   Of course, that's easier said than done, but I try to keep aware of my daily intake, (doing some calorie _accounting_) and hopefully balance that out with physical activity.


----------



## Kadee (Apr 23, 2016)

View attachment 28833I was digonised with diabetes in 2008 ,the information supplied on the conditions associated with diabetes at the same time really  frightened me ..so I decided to do something about the extra weight I was carrying ..mind you I'd tried all sorts of diets without success in the past ..
I decided to contact a diet company who I believed, made out a diet plan for you rather than "supplying food" It was very expensive but I'd do it all over again ..I lost 26kg ,since loosing the weight I have re gained 2 kg .

I never ate " junk" food I consumed way to many carbs ..now I can't eat a full sandwich ..I mainly stick to high protein foods 

I eat one slice a bread a day ..( most days) that depends on my activities during the day ..

 I've added a before and after photo ..and I don't have diabetes ..however ..I believe it could linger in the background and reappear if I gained the weight back ..and that's not going to happen..

Sorry don't know why one photos is up the top and the other in the attachment


----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 23, 2016)

You look great Kadee, congratulations on your weight loss and avoiding Diabetes!  That's one thing that drives me to keep my weight in check as a senior, since I lost my mother to a diabetic stroke and my sister is on medication for diabetes.  If I don't go crazy on the breads and carbs, I find I can lose or keep weight off.


----------



## Kadee (Apr 23, 2016)

SeaBreeze said:


> You look great Kadee, congratulations on your weight loss and avoiding Diabetes!  That's one thing that drives me to keep my weight in check as a senior, since I lost my mother to a diabetic stroke and my sister is on medication for diabetes.  If I don't go crazy on the breads and carbs, I find I can lose or keep weight off.


Once you get used to not eating so many carbs ,you find you can't "eat" a sandwich .you feel to full ..since going  on the diet way back in 2008 I've had a single serve size jar of my home made yoghurt ,fruit ,and half a slice of toast for breakfast ..I really don't feel the need for any extra food then that for breakfast ....I used to eat 2 weet bix ,and one or two slices of toast 
I would be sick trying to eat that many carbs  now ..


----------



## Shalimar (Apr 24, 2016)

You look amazing Kadee! Congratulations.


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 24, 2016)

Wow Kadee!  You did great and look great!


----------



## ndynt (Apr 24, 2016)

Congrats, Kadee....what an accomplishment.   Not only do you look like a completely different person, you must feel like one.


----------

