If you came to the point that you have to lose weight, there are just three things you should keep in mind: how much you eat, when you eat and what you eat - in that order.
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Take a look at any magazine you have at hand and you will find a diet for weight loss and tips like eat less, eat healthy food, eat starch only with vegetables, protein never with starch...
As an obese person you most probably followed those advices, you failed (a few times), and you gave up because "nothing of those is working".
As a matter of fact every diet is designed, or it should be designed, for people who want to lose up to 10 kilos (20 pounds) simply because it is relatively easy to follow "eat this, don't eat that" advices for 3 months during which she/he will lose those extra kilos.
For one who needs to lose, for example, 50 kilos (100 pounds) it is very hard to follow a required regime for a long time and there's a big chance that you gave up on it after 2, 3 weeks or sooner, or, more likely, you were never following it as required in the first place.
There are people who are big despite the fact that they are eating "almost nothing".
People who eat "almost nothing": a) eat small amount of food but they are eating something constantly and have their main meal in late hours, b) when they are in company they are eating healthy food but when there's nobody watching they are eating a large amount of food.
As you know, everything we put into our mouth during the day counts, only water doesn't count.
The difference between an ideal weight person and the obese one is how much you eat, when you eat and what you eat - in that order, and how badly do you want to lose weight.
Our stomach is the size of our fist and it takes just a handful of food to fill it comfortably. If we take a look at what people who have an ideal weight eat, then we will see that they eat whatever they like to eat/drink: hamburgers, cookies, snacks, soft drinks...
But, they do not eat them every day, and are physically active.
No matter what we want, to keep our weight or lose 50 kilos, at one point in time we will feel hungry. The moment we ignore the message "Take something to eat", and instead of food we take a glass or two of water and keep moving, that's a crucial moment when we force our body to turn to our stocks and start to burn fat.
Because, often, it is not hunger we feel but thirst. Day by day and we balance our weight that way. So, for the start always have water at hand and take care to have minimum 2-3 hours between meals.
Start the day with a juice and have breakfast around 8am. Two hours later take 2 fruits, or 1 fruit plus coffee if you took it on your way. Take a protein bar or one or two candies around noon and don't eat anything until lunch time. If you feel hungry take a glass of water.
Try to have lunch at the same time every day no later than 3pm. It is the largest meal of the day and it must be a hot meal.
For example: meat (25dag, hand-sized portion) + potato/rice (20dag) + 1 slice of bread; or 2 meatballs in tomato sauce + mashed potatoes (3 soup spoons) + 1 slice of bread; or personal size pizza; baked macaroni & cheese (30dag);... In short, if you can serve your lunch on 20 cm (7 inch) plate, then it's the right portion.
Always serve salad with lunch, seasoned with salt, oil and vinegar - no dressing. You may take green and tomato salad as much as you like.
Potato and bean salad eat moderately. Now and then replace salad with mixed vegetables to make your meals more diverse. Once a week have a soup as the first course. Drink mineral or regular water.
Two and a half hours later: one regular Snickers; or fruit (1 piece); or half of a chopped banana and 3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt smoothie; or 1/4 cup mix of nuts and almonds (walnuts, pecans, peanuts..)... In short, if you can take your snack into your hand, then it's the right portion.
Two and a half hours later (no later than 8pm): a glass of milk/juice/tea and toast with cheese and salami; 2 scrambled eggs + 1 slice of bread; pancakes (2-3); a oatmeal bowl with cereals and yogurt/milk; a pair of frankfurters + 1 slice of bread; 20dag cow cheese with 3-4 soup spoons cow cream + 1 slice of bread...
Soft drinks are allowed only on weekends (3dcl - 6dcl in total) and you may take a hamburger once a month for a lunch.
Morbidly obese people must be physically active just like anybody else. That's why they must not eat on the couch. They must eat three main meals at the dining room table. They also must have daily duties, for example, to serve the table.
Once the food is served and everybody is sitting at the table, let she stand up to bring "forgotten" glass or a spoon that was left in the kitchen "by accident".
Her daily duties may also include checking has the postman arrived. Meter by meter and those small simple tasks will gradually get her in shape.
You may expect to lose 1kg (2 pounds) in 4-5 weeks and up to 3kg (6 pounds) every next month. ■