Travellor May I ask what diet if any you used. I do want to get well. So weight , cholesterol , blood sugar and fitness levels all need to improve.
I looked at everything initially.
I also worked with an NHS dietician.
I also have a lifestyle that means I didn't want to diet control, as I was active, even though overweight, I had hobbies that took me out, and I wanted to be able to eat whatever food was available, and I like local street food when I travel, so I didn't want restrictions, and didn't want to miss events simply because they had the wrong food, or I wasn't prepared, or I'd stress over the type of food.
First I realised I needed to eat a lot less calories.
So low fat was the first step, as gram for gram it has twice the calories of protein or carbs.
Less calories, with an eye to keeping saturated fats well down later on for cholesterol and heart health.
No sweet stuff, so the donuts had to go! (Along with most other things)
I tested my BG, and concentrated on low GI foods, and swopped out foods my dietician suggested with low GI options. (I agreed the swops up front with her)
A lot of veg, a lot less red meat, more fish, salads, a lot of home made meals.
Stir fries, everything was dry fried.
I also got heavily into chillies for the kick to replace sweet foods.
Home made zero or ultra low fat yoghurt was a staple.
I then did the Newcastle diet to finish the weight loss off, with Tesco shakes.
I also joined a gym.
After that I decided on a Mediterranean style diet, olive oils, minimal saturated fats, lots of veg, fish, chicken, (I don't really like pasta though, but do use it in a tomato and veg lasagne, occasionally with some mince)
I have got into quorn mince recently.
I picked over a lot of different diets, and amalgamated the most sensible bits together, and kept options that still let me carry on living as I wanted to.
The only real rule is look in a mirror, get on the scales, and keep myself in check.
I am back on the shakes at the moment just to lose the lockdown and Christmas gains, but that was by choice really, I knew I was robbing Peter to pay Paul at the time, and I'm also back at the gym now they are open again.
Back onto my normal diet when I'm happy with my weight again. I did realise today that I'm still buying too much food for when the diet stops, as food is now starting to fall out of the freezer when I open it. I'm now banned from shopping.
Conservatively we could probably live for six months on the post Christmas bargains!