Diet Chef Advice?

[Vivalas]

I've been on sleeping tablets for 5 years which have totally ruled (and ruined) my life - 6 weeks a go I managed to totally knock them on the head.

Two weeks a go I managed to totally knock smoking on the head.

So now . . . . . . . . I'd like to loose 2 stone.

Problem is food rules my world :heart: ! I bought Dietchef around 18 months a go and tried one meal and packed it in - wrong time and place for motivation I guess.

Is it any good? Are the meals tasty or tasteless?

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Flamenco]

Personally Diet Chef looks like the type of food astronauts eat. I'm not sure I could stick to food out of a sachet. I'm trying Paul McKenna at the moment.

 

[suzywoozy]

I did diet chef twice, the first time for 2 months, the second time I got 3 months.

It was better the first time. 2 months helped me shift the weight but by the end I couldn't stomach (!) the food; it had the same taste, no matter what meal I was eating. (and the pasta meals were disgusting).

The second time, about a year later, I persauded myself to try it for 3 months but halfway through month two I'd had enough and sold the rest on eBay.

It really is about being determined and teaching yourself portion control. But after afew weeks you just get fed up of the same meals, no matter how many different meals you have.

 

[phoebelondon]

it's ****** awful stuff, to be honest.

seriously, cut out sweet stuff (an addiction, just like fags) and make smaller your portion sizes (halve them if you can). Then as you lose some weight you'll feel more energetic and want to exercise.

i know of what i speak, and where you're coming from - knocked a lot of nasty long term prescription drugs on the head last year, and lost 6 stones that i'd been carrying for 20+ years (rather drastically and not in a nice way, but i'm glad they've gone) and feel like i am starting to control my life again, rather than being defined by what i look like and am addicted to.

good luck! x

 

[ERICS MUM]

First of all, well done on those 2 big achievements, you must have discovered a serious source of willpower !

I need to lose loads of weight. I live on my own so things like Diet Chef would be ideal to help me control my portions and I have thought about it. In the end I've decided to give Marks and Spencer individual meals a go e.g. Count on Us, Fuller for Longer (or whatever it's called) and even their kids' ranges. I trust the quality of their food and each pack gives full nutritional details. Plus loads of veggies, some good carbs etc. I'm type 2 diabetic taking pills to control it, and if I could lose the weight I could manage it on diet alone.

Good luck to everyone battling with demons such as food, ciggies, meds etc - lets make 2012 the year we succeed.

Linda xx

 

[London]

For me dieting and food is my addiction and has been since I was 10 years old. Looking back I wasn't even fat or overweight, just thought I was. Before Christmas I wanted to shift a few pounds ready for the over indulginging I knew I would do over Christmas and I purchased a month's supply of Diet Chef.

I know there are quite a few on here who have had really good weight losses with it but I just don't know how they have managed to stick to it. I tried the veggie option, perhaps the meat one would have tasted better.

The portions are really really tiny:sad: The granola sachets have about two table spoons of contents in them. If you can stick to it, and I think it depends if you like the taste of the meals, then it is a sure bet you will loose weight because of the drastic amount of difference in food eaten.

Me personally, I'm off on the hunt for the next fad...:cheeky:

 

[janie]

For me dieting and food is my addiction and has been since I was 10 years old. Looking back I wasn't even fat or overweight, just thought I was. Before Christmas I wanted to shift a few pounds ready for the over indulginging I knew I would do over Christmas and I purchased a month's supply of Diet Chef.

I know there are quite a few on here who have had really good weight losses with it but I just don't know how they have managed to stick to it. I tried the veggie option, perhaps the meat one would have tasted better.

The portions are really really tiny:sad: The granola sachets have about two table spoons of contents in them. If you can stick to it, and I think it depends if you like the taste of the meals, then it is a sure bet you will loose weight because of the drastic amount of difference in food eaten.

Me personally, I'm off on the hunt for the next fad...:cheeky:

that's what strikes me i'm afraid. i don't doubt the food is correctly balanced and even tastes ok but the meals would fit in a teacup! i haven't seen the details of the veggie option this time but last time, half of the main meals were soup!

my specific problems are 1. i'm veggie and vegetarian food just doesn't keep you feeling full for very long. and 2. i go to bed very late so i get hungry late evening and an apple just doesn't cut it.

i think i must be a pig because i just don't believe people who say losing weight is easy. i have zero problem eating healthily, i do anyway but the only way i can lose weight is to eat very little and.........i get hungry! it's so disheartening to try so hard and get nowhere.

many congratulations to those of you who've done it!! (((hugs)))

 

[tvshopper]

I remember being on Weightwatchers last year and stuck it out religiously for over six months. I was miserable, I couldn't go out and enjoy a drink cos it meant starving myself to save up the points for 3 glasses of wine. I began to get depressed because despite all of this effort, I struggled to lose 12 pounds.

I'd hear other members talking about their weekly post weigh-in binges and if I tried that, I'd end up not losing or gaining. I began to get depressed and felt like life was just passing me by as I could not socialise as I had done.

I realised how stupid this was. What was the point of attempting to live longer if it was a life half lived? I was reminded of a Benny Hill sketch where a the patient says to Doctor Benny "I want to live until I'm 100" and Dr. Benny tells him to stop smoking, drinking and to avoid women. The patient tells him that he has never smoked, never drank and is a staunch bachelor, to which Benny replies, "Well why do you want to live til 100 then????!":cheeky:

 

[Bensmum]

I've been on sleeping tablets for 5 years which have totally ruled (and ruined) my life - 6 weeks a go I managed to totally knock them on the head.

Two weeks a go I managed to totally knock smoking on the head.

So now . . . . . . . . I'd like to loose 2 stone.

Problem is food rules my world :heart: ! I bought Dietchef around 18 months a go and tried one meal and packed it in - wrong time and place for motivation I guess.

Is it any good? Are the meals tasty or tasteless?

Any advice much appreciated.

Forget all these diet fads because you can't continue with them for the rest of your life. It's about re-educating your eating habits. If you've kicked the fags then you have willpower so just apply it to this now. I've lost three and a half stone since June by cutting out sweet things and exercising but I've had to be VERY strict with myself. As I said, it's about willpower and not about re-heating expensive ready meals. I'd rather have a proper family meal and skip the dessert.

 

[Vivalas]

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

I think after taking your tips on board and watching the tsv at midnight I'll try and do it the old fashioned way of cutting down on rubbish and more exercise. The tsv just did not look appealing in the slightest.

 

[jacqualina]

Really well done for kicking two very difficult addictions, as others have said, you must have good willpower, I'm impressed. Do be careful though that you don't take on too much too quickly, because then if you fail with the weightloss, you may end up feeling a failure. I would take it very slowly (they do say that gradual weightloss is the best) and maybe try to reduce your portions gradually over several weeks so you don't feel too hungry. Try using a smaller plate so the portions still look big - mind over matter!
I wanted to lose half a stone for a holiday a few years back and bought a one month Diet Chef plan. It was directly from the company as I don't eat red meat and needed to chose my options carefully. I wasn't impressed with it as everything seemed to taste the same and didn't look very appetizing, but managed it for about two weeks. Then I found a piece of glass in my soup and contacted the company. They did absolutely nothing about it and when I telephoned a few weeks later to chase it up, they denied any knowledge of my original phone call. Needless to say, I was not impressed with the company to say the least and still have two weeks' worth sitting in a cupboard somewhere, so this thread has reminded me that I must throw it out!

 

[HoodedClaw]

Personally Diet Chef looks like the type of food astronauts eat. I'm not sure I could stick to food out of a sachet. I'm trying Paul McKenna at the moment.

And how does he taste? :wink:

 

[Flamenco]

And how does he taste? :wink:

Well now you mention it he is a little tasty ;-P

 

[madmax]

I have tryed almost every "fad" diet going from Lighter life which worked but I had to give it up as I ended up in Hospital with Kidney problems so that is a no go, I have been to both Weight Watchers and Slimming world and lost weight at both but quickly put it back on again as soon as I stopped following the programs because they where just to inflexable. Then my G.P prescribed some thing that was ment to bind the fat you ate so that it pasted straight through you well that made in ill once again so I had to stop taking them. I have also tried the Paul McKenna books and C.D's along with several other of the same kind at least 3 of which came from QVC.(and where returned within the 30 DMBG). I have also given Diet Chef a go as it seemed ideal as they had done all of the portion controle and all I had to do was add fruit and veg but in my opinion it all tasted the same and had a very odd texture, It is also a VERY expensive way of eating, and I couldn't afford to keep it up long term even if I had LOVED the meals.
I now need to lose almost half my body weight and suffer from Rhumatoide Arthritis,Fibromialga,High blood presure and type 2 Diabetes all of which means that I have to take 12 different medications every day and can no longer enjoy what would be called a normal life. I have decided that as every day is a battle just to get up and do what every one else takes for granted that I can't be worring about food all the time as well.
I don't know where to go from here and feel as though I am going to be stuck like this for the rest of my life.
I have also put on a bit more weight after every diet so 20 years ago I only needed to lose a couple of stone now its more like 9 or 10. So I don't want to do anything which will add to that.
So good luck to all those of you who are going to give Diet Chef a go but PLEASE look at their web site as you have total controle of what you order so there should be no wastage!!

 

[boffy]

dieting makes you fat lest be honest. the diet industry know this and just keep peddling rubbish that usually does not work in the long term. some people will always struggle with weight problems mostly its genetics. some people actaully get a high when they eat so pleasurable food is to them. for these people a low calorie diet is lkie drug withdrawal very painfull.
imo you have to be very determined. start very slowly. if you have several stones to lose it will take a long time and your body will have to adjust to smaller portions. eat every 3-4 hours so you are not ravenous. eat a large proprtionof your diet from protien as this satisfy you a lot more than a high carb one. readujust your palate to hate sugar as someone rightly said sugar is as adictive as heroin to some people.
be prepared that at first you will want to eat more but believe me after say 2 weeks your body is marvelous it adjusts and you will not be so hungry. paul mkenna said one thing that i agree with listen to your body. stop when you are full and bin the rest of the food you dont need it.
i lost 10 stone and it took me 3-4 years its hard but worth it! good luck!

 

[janie]

madmax - yes definitely. i always tell youngsters who want to lose a few pounds - don't start! you put it back on with interest and start the yo-yo dieting that so many of us get stuck in.
i'm sad to hear you 'don't know where to go from here' and wondered if you'd asked your doctor or surgery nurse for advice? i know it's difficult when you have medical problems to contend with. here, have a (((hug)))

boffy - wow! many many congratulations! i think you're the one we should all be listening to!

there was an interesting program on tv this week called 'why thin people don't get fat' which addressed what i said somewhere else - ie. there is a lot more to this than what we eat and how much we exercise. wondered if anyone else had seen it?

 

[stratobuddy]

This is how I gave up sugar in tea and coffee years ago, and as a result I no longer like it on cereals either, so I save 400 calories for every 100g of sugar I don't have.

I had a dreadful sweet tooth, 6 spoons in a cup of tea. The "tea club" I was in at work objected, so I had to take my own jar of sugar to work!

METHOD - - - - -

Whatever the amount of sugar you take now, put NONE in and take a few sips. It will taste dreadful. Then put in HALF this amount, and it will taste reasonably good by comparison.

When you've got used to this half-amount, do the same again and cut it in half again, and keep doing this until you don't have any sugar at all.

I find now that even the slightest amount of sugar in tea or coffee tastes dreadful, just like tea without sugar used to taste lol.

 

[boffy]

i have not seen this prgramme but mkenna also said that thin people eat burgers and chips and chocolate but i suppose they dont eat it in excess. my daughter lost 2 stone in post baby fat and she eats some fast food . what i noticed about her is she eats when she is hungry and stops when she is full. she has so much energy because she is not so tired with eating to excess. overeating saps your energy. you wont go for a walk as your body is tired breaking down the large plates of food. it a vicious cycle.

 

[boffy]

This is how I gave up sugar in tea and coffee years ago, and as a result I no longer like it on cereals either, so I save 400 calories for every 100g of sugar I don't have.

I had a dreadful sweet tooth, 6 spoons in a cup of tea. The "tea club" I was in at work objected, so I had to take my own jar of sugar to work!

METHOD - - - - -

Whatever the amount of sugar you take now, put NONE in and take a few sips. It will taste dreadful. Then put in HALF this amount, and it will taste reasonably good by comparison.

When you've got used to this half-amount, do the same again and cut it in half again, and keep doing this until you don't have any sugar at all.

I find now that even the slightest amount of sugar in tea or coffee tastes dreadful, just like tea without sugar used to taste lol.

brilliant post. i was a sugar with my coffee person all my life until a year ago. i did atkins and you are actually forbidden sugar in any form. it took me 2 weeks to cut it out of my hot drinks and now if i have even a small spoon in my drinks it tastes foul lol!

 

[merryone]

I should think they'd (Diet Chef) be a good quick start if you've got a bit of weight to lose quickly for a special occasion, forthcoming holiday or whatever, but even then you could get a plan like that together for yourself for a fraction of the cost...however, I guess that's DC's best selling point....it's all done for you...but what I'd say is that if you've got the money to keep on buying the stuff and don't think you'll get fed up of living on ready meals for the rest of your life, then you'll keep the weight off...but who wants to live like that fgs? This diet is expensive, and I can well imagine nowhere near as "tasty" as the presenters would have us believe, and gives short term results = A waste of money in my book. Like others have said make a few changes ie switch to low fat versions of things, eat smaller portions, cut down on treats and exercise more, and you can't go wrong!