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I have 11st to loose...and absolutely no idea how to start

53 replies

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 28/12/2012 00:05

Not a fucking clue

I have to lose weight...it's eemingly quite clear, if I carry on this way I will die...I will literally kill myself with food


but where the hell do I start?!

OP posts:
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janji · 28/12/2012 00:11

Bump

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AndiMac · 28/12/2012 00:15

Do you think talking to your doctor might be a way to start? They can probably point you in the direction of local resources that will be more specific than simply "join WeightWatchers" although that might an idea as well.

Good luck with it! At least you want to do something about it, that's a good start.

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JazzyTheSnowman · 28/12/2012 00:16

Answer: slowly.

Weigh yourself once a week.
Do 30 minutes of exercise per day - anything you like as long as it gets you out of breath.
Reduce portion sizes by 1/3
NEVER skip a meal
Try having a small meal every 4 hours - breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner.

Work on your weight in stages. Try and draw up reasons for why you want to lose weight - for example, Does your back hurt? "If I lose weight I'll be in less pain"...

See if a friend wants to diet with you? Join weight watchers? Do gentle yoga in mornings and evenings?

GOOD LUCK! Hope I helped!

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Tortington · 28/12/2012 00:22

you are so obese you really need medical advice rather than a 'how to' by other mumsnetters

i think mumsnet can be a great source of support, but if you don't do this with medical supervision, you could seriously harm yourself.

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zandy · 28/12/2012 00:28

Go to weightwatchers or slimming world or similar, or log on to www.myfitnesspal.com (its free). Rosemary Conley classes have exercise sessions within the weighing session if you are ready to exercise.

Do not just eat cabbage leaves and grapefruit - that way lies disaster.

Set your goals small - 7lbs a time is far easier to contemplate than the total you're wanting at the end.

Good luck. I am totally sure you can do it.

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Cathycat · 28/12/2012 00:29

Right, well I am by no means perfect myself but have stayed a steady normal weight for years - not thin or fat! I would start by getting into the following routine: focusing on drinking 2 litres of water a day (buy a 2 litre bottle ... leave it in the fridge) and eating 3 meals, in between eat snacks of fruit or veg (about 10:30 am, 2:30 am, 7:30 am), Try to make sure that you eat 5 fruit or veg or both in total (that you enjoy). Your 3 meals need to be planned and need to include protein, wholegrains rice or pasta or potatoes and veg / salad. The veg / salad could do with taking up half the plate. I would also have a routine. My husband tends to say at the weekend "I am not hungry yet!" Forget that: I always do best if I eat at 8:00 for breakfast, 10:30 for fruit snack and coffee, 1:00 pm for lunch; 3:30 for light biscuit and coffee; 6:00 for evening meal; 7:30 for evening light snack. Hope that helps. I have attended Weight Watchers in the past. It is very good for kind support.

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Jahan · 28/12/2012 00:35

If you really have no idea where to start, it may be an idea to see your gp firstly and get the all clear to join weight watchers or slimming world. They can give you guidance on meal planning.

Personally, I think the best way is to plan 3 healthy meals every day and one mid afternoon snack.
Eat off a plate that's not a huge dinner plate and don't have seconds.
Try to get your 5 portions of fruit and veg a day - at least 1 fruit and 4 veg (2at lunch and 2 at dinner) is probably good. You can have more fruit and veg than that.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Everyone will give you their own ideas. You need to find something that suits you.
Good luck!

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QODRestYeMerryGentlemen · 28/12/2012 00:36

I've had a gastric bypass

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arghhhmiddleage · 28/12/2012 00:39

Make a GP or practice nurse appointment. Nurse might actually be better, they have more time and will have plenty of experience in advising about this.

In the meantime - keep it simple. Eat less and move more. Really, that's all there is to it. Cut down the portion size, try not to snack all the time. Walk more, stay on your feet more, wander around while chatting on the phone, clean, try not to sit down. Use stairs instead of lifts and escalators, park at the wrong end of car parks. Just try to get used to being on your feet and moving about.

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ViperInTheManger · 28/12/2012 00:41

Hate to go against the grain but I would avoid Weight Watchers and their like. Why do they still exist after all these years? Because their weight loss is unsustainable, you fail, put weight back on and they make more money out of the repeat business (sorry, I am cynical but have been there and done that too often!)

Read Dr John Briffa's book "The Diet Trap" first then alter your lifestyle and diet bit by bit so it becomes a way of eating and living rather than a diet.

I have a large amount of weight to lose and have made a start (lost my first 2 stone) by reading the book recommended above, starting exercising and following a reduced carb way of eating.

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 28/12/2012 00:44

One little tip, concentrate on eating at meal times. Dont eat infront of the tv or with distractions. You will eat more and feel less satisfied.

Good Luck! I have 8 stone to lose but have been advised to wait another 2 months as I had DD2 in november.

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Tortington · 28/12/2012 00:45

once you read up on how your body processes food - sugar, carbs and how it all works it will make sense. Vipers advice is correct.

losing weight isn't a big mystery, we all know how to do it - but there are many different ways to get there.

as with anything knowledge is power, google is your friend.

I absolutley need ridged structure, i cannot just eat less or just go for a walk

I need to follow rules - rules that make sense. I low carb - but you seriously need to go to GP

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IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 28/12/2012 00:49

Thank you all so much

I'm actually not registered with a doctors, we moved 4 months ago and I just haven't got round to doing it Hmm stupid I know! But I think thats the first port of call!

Due to the hours I work, WW, SW or similar just won't work...I normally don't finish work until gone 9pm and start at 9am so can't get to meetings...and online is, for me, pointless...I jst will procrastinate with it (Looks at OU course that was quickly forgotten!) but I like the idea of support

A gastric band is just not something I want to do right now, thats not to say it's wrong, it's just not for me

I don't really know how to eat healthily...not properly...I literally need someone to tell me exactly what to eat and when to eat it...I know that sounds completely pathetic but it's true!

OP posts:
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BoerWarKids · 28/12/2012 00:52

I second (third?) Viper's advice. I've never done Weight Watchers but I did Slimming World for a while. Total crap in my opinion and I was paying a fiver a week!

Could you do a little exercise every day? Even just walking briskly for 20 minutes would help.

yy to water. NO diet drinks or any artifically sweetened shit.

Good luck, OP x

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BoerWarKids · 28/12/2012 00:52

*artificially sweetened...

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milewalker · 28/12/2012 00:57

i totally agree with vipers post above about weight watchers and the like-i tried for years that way without making much difference so i did it alone and have lost 13 stone now.

i followed my own plan of counting calories and exercise. i walked for 15 mins a day for the first few weeks then onto 30 mins a day. i then bought an air walker from argos (i was so heavy i broke the first after 6 months of use)

i ate abit of everything-lots of fruit and veg but never went over my allowance.
i looked at it, and still do as a lifestyle change not a diet.
if you can find online a calorie guide for how many you need a day and start there then change as you loose weight. i was nicely shocked at how many calories i could have when i started and it gave my body chance to get used to the change slowly.

the thought that i'd not see my son and daughters grow up as i'd be dead was the thing that kept me going when i felt it was getting hard.

i walked a marathon summer just gone and did an 18 mile walk and ran a 10 mile run all in this past year and next year i've got lined up a running marathon, a half marathon in 9 weeks, an 18 mile walk and a 10 mile run. i never thought i'd be alive now let alone do all that. if i can help you with anything just ask and i'll try my best to help.

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rosiesmartypants · 28/12/2012 01:05

One lb at a time!! A huge weight loss can be daunting to tackle, but break it down in to small manageable chunks.

I agree with getting checked out with a doctor or health professional first, even if it's just to rule out underlying health conditions.

I used Paul McKenna's 'I can make you slim' book and CD to lose 6 stone, and have only gained back 4/5 lb, because a lot of it focuses on changing towards healthy eating for life, and advocates moving more. It also has a section on the 7 habits of naturally slim poeple, which really makes you think about your own attitude to food and eating.

Good luck!

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lemontruffles · 28/12/2012 01:10

Completely agree with all low carb advice here. It really works.

This time last year I had 8 stone to lose, and have never really dieted before apart from couple of unsuccessful and depressing and short episodes at WW and SW. I felt hungry and irritable so gave up all too quickly.

However, last year I lost 3 stone on low carb, with ease, not hungry, 'diet' fitted into this busy life, and super easy to eat out, I'm a real convert!

John Briffa is great, and explains the vital science behind why low carbs help us lose weight - and why this way of eating is so good for us - and why our high carb diet can lead to weight gain very easily. And I joined pig2twig low carb forum whch was fab for support.

Next year I'm losing another 3 stone - at least! Bit by bit, but I'm confident it'll go soon. It can be done! You can do this too!

Pm me if you'd like a diet buddy this year.

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themaltesecat · 28/12/2012 02:18

I suggest joining www.myfitnesspal.com and doing what Jazzy said.

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VestaCurry · 28/12/2012 02:36

Agree with all other posts about seeing a GP first. It might be possible to get referred to a dietician by them (really depends on where you live, it can be a postcode lottery as to what services are offered).

A good starting point would be to record everything you eat and drink usually over the course of a few days. Note the time of day you are eating and drinking too. It helps to get a handle on the amounts and types of food/drink you are consuming. Plus, whether you are not eating regularly enough. You have to be very honest with yourself and record everything. It can be very helpful to examine what's happening now so you (and healthcare professionals) can address what is happening and facilitate a sensible, steady weight loss. Good luck Smile.

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AndiMac · 28/12/2012 17:01

Well, registering with your doctor and making an appointment to see one to talk about what to do seems a logical first step. I need lots of pressure on my back to get things done sometimes too, so I know what it's like.

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JazzyTheSnowman · 28/12/2012 18:44

www.myfitnesspal.com is a GENIUS. It even has an app for your smartphone - it allows you to keep track of all the calories you're consuming, plus if you do any exercise it'll estimate how many calories you're burning.

Good luck to you - it's really really tough to lose weight. I've lost half a stone and I've never worked so hard at anything in my life.

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tb · 28/12/2012 20:49

I'd like to add that I've got 11 stone to lose too.

In October I went to an obesity clinic for 3 weeks and lost no weight. The doctor and endocrinologist decided that my under-active thyroid was being overtreated and reduced my medication with informing/consulting my own endocrinologist. As a result in the last 2 weeks I put back the kilo I'd lost the first week.

The one thing I did find out was that I had an inflamed gall-bladder. The surgeon that removed it is also carving out a private clinic for weight loss surgery, and brushed aside my saying I needed to sort out my thyroid problem first, and even tried the hard sell on the gastric sleeve the night before the operation.

The week after my operation, I went to see my endocrinologist and she was very angry not to have been informed. She's changed my treatment to test a possible reason to not lose weight.

The eating plan at the clinic was the same for everyone 1600Cal/day except for those under 1m50 or over 1m90.

We had 40g of bread with an individual portion of butter and a low fat yoghurt/fromage frais for breakfast. Drinks were tea/coffee/chocolate - made with cocoa semi-skimmed milk and sweetener.

Lunch was 40g bread, 100g protein, 200g veg and 100g of potato/pasta/rice/couscous cooked weight, a 35g portion of cheese and a fruit dessert. We generally had some of the veg as a starter with a dressing made from a full-fat one diluted with water - so no sugar etc in it as with 'lite' ones.

Dinner was as for lunch, but we had soup as the starter. There was an allowance of 2 tbsp of oil to use in cooking - and the (ok small) roast chicken leg we had, still had crispy skin on it.

We were encouraged to eat slowly, and to taste what we ate.

Wednesdays we had a croissant for breakfast, and on Sundays the dessert was patisserie. You can tell it was a French obesity clinic Grin

Since coming out at the end of October, I've lost 7kg due to the improved treatment, but the main point is that I'm eating a balanced diet. That's after an operation, and 2 post-operative hernias caused by my doing too much as I felt so well. So, for the last week I've been in too much pain to do much - apart from cake icing at 1am on Christmas Day, and up at 7am to do breakfast and start on lunch.

The dieticians maintained that there is much less risk of regaining weight if you limit your weight loss to no more than 1kg or 2lb a week, preferably half that. That way, it really does become a way of life - and not one of those 'lose 5 dress sizes to wear a size 8 bikini in 2 weeks' diets. Also, it can take 2 years for your skin to shrink back to fit you after you've lost weight.

Also, only weigh yourself once a week. I have to admit I was too heavy at 134kg for our scales and so bought some new ones that also show body fat, water, and muscle percentages.

So I now have a lovely spreadsheet that tots up the total difference as well as the weekly ones. I've even added a second sheet that turns the % of fat/muscle/water into an actual weight, so that I can see how much of the weight I've lost is fat. It also acts to show my endocrinologist how the changes in treatment is affecting my body composition.

You can swap the bread for potato and the other way round - they're standard diabetic exchanges. DH is eating the same meals, and although he doesn't really like couscous - except the one with spices in, he really likes the nutty taste of barley as a change from potato or pasta. 200g of veg takes an awful lot of chewing, too. We've found that Aldi/Lidl do very cheap packs of frozen mixed veg - which work out a lot cheaper than buying different fresh veg, and save the time for chopping/peeling/slicing etc.

Also, the blood tests I had before going to the clinic, show that I was massively deficient in Vitamin D, which has been implicated in the inability to lose weight.

I've been watching the programmes set in the Sunderland hospital, and was nearly in tears watching the part about the woman who was raped at either 6 or 8 years of age, but who has had no psychiatric/psychological help to deal with the trauma, just almost rail-roaded into a gastric bypass. There was another woman who just managed to lose enough weight on her own to qualify by eating a completely unbalanced diet, so that she was going into the operation malnourished.

I think in particular if someone becomes overweight due to psychological problems then any operation is just treating the symptoms and not the underlying cause.

Finally, I have known the wife of an obesity specialist for over 30 years. He worked with John Howard who developed the Cambridge diet, and used to prescribe to his patients at a university hospital. There was a book in the 1970s called 'pure white and deadly' by, I think John Yudkin, who was a biochemist. Before calorie counting became all the rage, reducing refined carbohydrate was the main recommendation. I rang her, almost feeling a bit in the wrong for refusing the surgeon's recommendation, and she told me that her late husband was dead against surgery as a quick-fix solution, and to avoid it at all costs.

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 28/12/2012 20:55

I would get registered with your GP, and then set about educating yourself about food.

You need to understand how your body works, what fuel it needs and how it processes what you put in it.

I agree that WW, SW or whatever are dreadful, calorie counting is the most depressing thing in the world and those kind of diets ruin your metabolism making it very hard to lose a lot of weight and keep it off.

If you are struggling for willpower, then think about using Paul McKenna - his 'I will make you thin' CD and book are fabulous and really life altering in terms of how they alter your relationship with food.

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ViperInTheManger · 28/12/2012 23:47

If you decide to try a reduced carb way of eating you could look at BIWIs bootcamp threads (next bootcamp starts on Jan 7th). There is a lot of information, discussion and support on those threads.

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