Club Diet Plate

Hi, My name is Diane and I live in Yorkshire UK, I'm 58 years old and menopausal currently on HRT and am struggling with the horrendous weight gain that seems to go hand in hand with menopause and HRT (approx 3st in 3 years).

I found this forum just tonight after reading about the Diet plate and wondered if anyone on here has a similar story and if the plate worked for you. I've tried all sorts of dieting, cutting the rubbish like sweets, puddings etc out. Weight Watchers openly admited they couldn't say if their diet would help or not. I put even more weight on trying to use the Slimming World diet.

2 years ago I started a new job that's made me more active than I've ever been in my life. As I'm now on an extremely tight budget £20+ seems to be a huge amount to lay out if it's going to be yet another waste of money.

Thank you for listening.

Hi Diane. I'm in Derbyshire. I've been menopausal for about 4 years (I'm only approaching 47 though!). Slimming World has worked for me in the past but this time round, trying Extra Easy and nothing happening, then trying to go back to red and green and getting frustrated at the lack of progress I haven't been able to shift the extra weight, been struggling along since long before Xmas - I only had around a stone to lose so not a huge amount, but I do feel frumpy and lumpy carrying the excess. I feel quite sure that hormones are a contributing factor - though probably not totally...

...I think with the weight not shifting my head gets all 'wrong' and then you eat badly so instead of the odd bad day, you have one after the other and keep telling yourself that the following day will be better. I got the plate cus dad had just been diagnosed with diabetes and thought I'd get one for mum too who always wants to lose some weight. Because I bought three I negotiated a special price with the chemist shop I bought them from so they worked out about £15 (I figured that it was an extra useful plate that would last for years anyway, even if it didn't work). I was extremely sceptical when I dished up my first evening meal on 27th June - it looked tons smaller than I would normally have, but I certainly didn't feel hungry after it, and some days I can't quite manage it all.

I generally have a light lunch eg half a tin of soup and a slice of w/m bread for lunch, or a cold meat and salad sandwich, or just cold meat & salad or a jacket potato and SOME beans (instead of the whole tin!) - just a normal light lunch really. Every week I've had at least one day 'off' at a weekend. I eat a lot of fruit in the daytime/evening too and one or two fat free yoghurts. I've just discovered some 10 calorie pots of jellies - apple & watermelon flavour was lovely. Also those Mikado thin biscuits at 11 calories at stick are lovely for a treat without going daft (my daft were family size bars of chocolate before - I barely have any chocolate now - prefer a Magnum lolly when I have a treat so I get the best of both worlds).

Although not counting calories, I'm being mindful of them during the day and then using the plate to it's capacity plus a side salad for evening meal and reckon calorie wise I'm falling into the 1300-1400 a day bracket. The plate takes away the need to count calories in your main meal, it is laid out so you can see the correct portion sizes. I'm never left wishing there'd been more of the main meal, even though it is a much smaller portion than I'd been used to (especially the sort of portions SW allow, which played to my greed!). I nearly always have some fruit or a yoghurt or a jelly after tea. I'm eating much more healthily generally and am enjoying my evening meals much more. Anyway I'm just coming to the end of week 5 (weigh day tomorrow) and have lost around 8lb so far (not really exercising yet either, so hoping to get back into that when I have more time which will surely help more).

Obviously I can't give you any guarantees either that it will work for you, but it definitely works for me. I had set myself a target of getting a stone off before November and in June before the plate I thought I was on a losing battle but with only 4 or 5 lbs to go now, I'm well ahead of my target I'd set for each month and really pleased with my new food outlook. Mum and dad are enjoying using it too and have also lost some weight

Good luck whatever method you choose but hope you'll be able to report in another week to say you've bought the plate and have lost some weight!
Best wishes
Debbie

Hi Diane,

I understand what you are going through I am also menopausal and the weight has piled on especailly around my waist which is not good and now my gp thinks I may be borderline diabetic so must loose weight. ( cant have HRT due to Hypertension, and I had thought that was why I was gaining weight so its not easy either way ).

I have been using my diet plate since June and have lost 1 stone and althought the weight has plateaued at the monement it is still keeping me on track, in that time I have also had a holiday and not gained weght and have nights out with friends, summer for me is a time when I gain weight enjoying BBQs, ice creams and the occasional cold beer ), so to have lost a stone and kept it off I know Im on the right track, as the weight takes a long time to go on its going to take a long time to come off, I think this plates fits into our lives much better making us make the right chices for life about portion control, for me although I usually eat healthy without the plate my portion sizes just contine to creep up this re educates you to what is corect portion size.

Although you say its expensive for a plate its a one off purchase not like other sliiming clubs where you pay weekly.

Good luck,

Debbie

A grateful thanks to you both for the warm welcome and the information.

We do eat a healthy diet, we have to as DH suffers with inherited heart disease, he had 3 attacks and a triple heart bypass before he was 50 so fat is a definite no no in this house. I guess it must all come down to portion control.

After what you’ve said I will try and find the money for the plates, it would do DH good to loose a few kg too, so I’m looking to buy a whole set, the male, female and cereal bowl. I do need to try and find them a bit cheaper than I’ve seen so far though as all 3 are £60! Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be a stockist in the Yorkshire area so I can’t negotiate a deal like you did DebSW.

Thanks very much for your help and I’m sure I’ll be back when I can obtain the plates, if that’s OK.

Hi, The support with CDP is worth its weight in gold, and I am sure you will find that as you use the plate you wills tart to save money too on your shopping bil.

It is a great investment in your health, and believe me if you use it properly it works - look at it this way, the cost is 4 trips to WW or SL, the plate is for life!!!!!
best
K

Hi there

It will be the best money you have spent and once you get started on it you will find it so easy.




Chrissy