Unutterably Silly Who is on a diet. Come on I know you all are!

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by issybird

I thought I'd dig up this thread because I'm trying to lose a few pounds. Admittedly, I'm almost always trying to lose a few pounds; the stretches where I feel I can rest on my oars tend to be short-lived.

So here's the sitch: My breakfast is healthy. My lunch is healthy. Heck, my dinner is healthy. I don't snack during the day except on extremely rare occasions when I have some fruit. I get enough and varied exercise. But two things trip me up: the cocktail hour and post-dinner.

As for the cocktail hour (which is usually wine), I like everything about it. The ritual, the relaxation, the taste. But it's empty calories and worse, it lessens my resolve heading into the evening which is already my other danger time. Post-dinner, I have a hard time stopping. I try to fight it with an espresso and it helps, but evenings tend to be a battle with my non-existent willpower until I can finally go to bed.

Any suggestions? How is everyone else doing on the weight-loss front?

Let's talk about the cocktail hour. Appetizers or just wine? Red or white?
Now I am going to get personal. Feel free to tell me to butt out, shut up or whatever.
Note if this is only one night or two nights a week, ignore the rest of the post.
Is this cocktail hour every night?
How much on average do you drink a night? 1 glass, 2 glasses, 1/2 a bottle, a full bottle or more?
If one glass, I can't help you except to suggest maybe have cocktail hour every other night.
If more than one try to cut your consumption in half.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Let's talk about the cocktail hour. Appetizers or just wine? Red or white?
Now I am going to get personal. Feel free to tell me to butt out, shut up or whatever.
Note if this is only one night or two nights a week, ignore the rest of the post.
Is this cocktail hour every night?
How much on average do you drink a night? 1 glass, 2 glasses, 1/2 a bottle, a full bottle or more?
If one glass, I can't help you except to suggest maybe have cocktail hour every other night.
If more than one try to cut your consumption in half.

Ah, you have identified the crux of the issue; once the wine bottle is open, why not go back for a second glass? And it's so delicious with dinner, too. I have tried to combat this tendency with a real cocktail during cocktail hour and actually, it's a pretty good strategy. Not only is one plenty, they also don't go well with dinner. But I like wine.

Knowing me, I need to go off the sauce altogether for a bit. I'm the type where none is easier than a little.

[poohbear_nc]

Post-dinner snacking is my Waterloo ... If there are snack foods in the house, I'll (eventually) eat them. Willpower? Yeah, right ...

So - I stopped buying ALL delicious snack food -- if it ain't in the house, I can't eat it. I only bring home Triscuits -- which are (almost) impossible to binge on, and fill you up quickly. I ration myself to 5 Triscuits after dinner.
I have occasional breaks (Cheddar cheese Chex Mix is my weakness), but overall I've been able to eliminate after-dinner indulgences.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by issybird

Ah, you have identified the crux of the issue; once the wine bottle is open, why not go back for a second glass? And it's so delicious with dinner, too. I have tried to combat this tendency with a real cocktail during cocktail hour and actually, it's a pretty good strategy. Not only is one plenty, they also don't go well with dinner. But I like wine.

Knowing me, I need to go off the sauce altogether for a bit. I'm the type where none is easier than a little.

Depending on the cocktail, it probably has more calories and a higher alcohol content. Subbing is not a good strategy. I know you didn't ask my opinion on that part.
Seriously, try cutting back to every other day. And check your messages.

[Barbara1955]

I have a Bad Thyroid. Finally after 4 Years found a Dr that is treating in. Not only am I feeling a bit better. I Lost 30 Pounds in the past 3 months without trying!

[issybird]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Post-dinner snacking is my Waterloo ... If there are snack foods in the house, I'll (eventually) eat them. Willpower? Yeah, right ...

So - I stopped buying ALL delicious snack food -- if it ain't in the house, I can't eat it. I only bring home Triscuits -- which are (almost) impossible to binge on, and fill you up quickly. I ration myself to 5 Triscuits after dinner.
I have occasional breaks (Cheddar cheese Chex Mix is my weakness), but overall I've been able to eliminate after-dinner indulgences.

Yeah, for me it's nuts. I mean literally nuts, not figuratively. I cannot stay away from them in the evening and they need not to be available.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

I have a Bad Thyroid. Finally after 4 Years found a Dr that is treating in. Not only am I feeling a bit better. I Lost 30 Pounds in the past 3 months without trying!

Wow, Barbara, good for you! A 30-pound loss is fantastic. You must feel great.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

I have a Bad Thyroid. Finally after 4 Years found a Dr that is treating in. Not only am I feeling a bit better. I Lost 30 Pounds in the past 3 months without trying!

Fantastic.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by issybird

Yeah, for me it's nuts. I mean literally nuts, not figuratively. I cannot stay away from them in the evening and they need not to be available.

I was addicted to cashews ... until an excruciating episode of diverticulitis ... after which I was forbidden to consume nuts, popcorn, etc. ... unless I wanted to find myself doubled over on the floor in pain ...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I was addicted to cashews ... until an excruciating episode of diverticulitis ... after which I was forbidden to consume nuts, popcorn, etc. ... unless I wanted to find myself doubled over on the floor in pain ...

I don't want negative reinforcement to that extent!

Seriously, that's rotten and I'm sorry.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I was addicted to cashews ... until an excruciating episode of diverticulitis ... after which I was forbidden to consume nuts, popcorn, etc. ... unless I wanted to find myself doubled over on the floor in pain ...

My mom had that. (Diverticulitis I mean) and it was lucky she did as it led to her getting scanned which led to them finding her lung cancer early. She is supposed to go back soon for a re-scan. Me I have to have will power in order not to have high blood sugar's. And the more active the bigger the chances of having a low as well. I don't always avoid high's as I do snack a little, though I try to keep it to a small amount when I do. The real problem is when I do over do it and have a low it's very easy to over compensate and end up with a high blood sugar. Sometimes I get hit with a feeling of nausea when my sugar goes high. Not fun. All I can do then is try to rebalance things with a small dose of insulin or having my next meal be lower carb so that the insulin can lower my levels and cover my meal as well. A tricky thing at times.

[pdurrant]

I'd been drifting along around 75-76 kilos for a while. Then I had a six weeks of restraint that got me down to 73/74kg. I need to do that again to try to get down to my 70kg goal.

And yes, I find the days relatively easy. But snacking in the evening is my downfall.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

I thought I'd dig up this thread because I'm trying to lose a few pounds. Admittedly, I'm almost always trying to lose a few pounds; the stretches where I feel I can rest on my oars tend to be short-lived.

So here's the sitch: My breakfast is healthy. My lunch is healthy. Heck, my dinner is healthy. I don't snack during the day except on extremely rare occasions when I have some fruit. I get enough and varied exercise. But two things trip me up: the cocktail hour and post-dinner.

As for the cocktail hour (which is usually wine), I like everything about it. The ritual, the relaxation, the taste. But it's empty calories and worse, it lessens my resolve heading into the evening which is already my other danger time. Post-dinner, I have a hard time stopping. I try to fight it with an espresso and it helps, but evenings tend to be a battle with my non-existent willpower until I can finally go to bed.

Any suggestions? How is everyone else doing on the weight-loss front?

I've managed to lose 23 pounds in the last 4 or 5 months through calorie counting and exercise, but suffer from exactly the same "sitch" as you - I drink red wine almost every night, and once the bottle is opened...

I have plateau'd now and can't seem to lose the last 7 pounds I wanted to to make my target weight. I'm even in danger of starting to put it back on again as my exercise levels have dropped due to a number of factors, including "tennis-elbow" in my left arm. I don't know what the solution is either, except to stop drinking, and right now I can't see that happening.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by orlok

I've managed to lose 23 pounds in the last 4 or 5 months through calorie counting and exercise, but suffer from exactly the same "sitch" as you - I drink red wine almost every night, and once the bottle is opened...

I have plateau'd now and can't seem to lose the last 7 pounds I wanted to to make my target weight. I'm even in danger of starting to put it back on again as my exercise levels have dropped due to a number of factors, including "tennis-elbow" in my left arm. I don't know what the solution is either, except to stop drinking, and right now I can't see that happening.

Congrats on losing 23 pounds / 14 stone 9 / 10.5kg!

It's comforting in its way to hear that others have exactly my stumbling blocks, but it also means there are no easy fixes which I knew anyway. With the vino, I do think I need to go on a wine fast for a bit, and I manage one every now and then, but I miss it. And unlike the nuts, it's not as if I can just get it out of the house, either.

As for the exercise, while I don't have an issue at the moment, I'm having eye surgery at the end of the month which will slow me down for a bit; I hope not for too long. In any case, exercise gets harder heading into the fall, especially since I'll have to switch to swimming indoors which is far less convenient (and appealing). It won't be near daily any more. Hmm.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

As for the exercise, while I don't have an issue at the moment, I'm having eye surgery at the end of the month which will slow me down for a bit; I hope not for too long. In any case, exercise gets harder heading into the fall, especially since I'll have to switch to swimming indoors which is far less convenient (and appealing). It won't be near daily any more. Hmm.

I find it much harder to motivate myself to exercise when autumn approaches. In the summer I walk to town and to the supermarket on a regular basis, or use the treadmill and cross-trainer we have. When the days close in, I even find it hard to use this equipment, even if it is out of the nasty weather. Must be something to do with lack of sunshine.