Has anyone managed to loose a lot of weight?

[Masterblaster3000]

Has anyone on here managed to loose a substantial amount of weight (5stone or more) and keep it off?

I realised earlier that I don't know anyone in real life who has done this. Most of my overweight friends (any myself) are still overweight despite years of trying to change and the rare 1 or 2 that have managed to loose weight always seem to end up gaining it back again.

I also see a lot of posts on here saying for example 'I lost 6st with slimming world 5 years ago but most of it has come back on again'

So am I being unreasonable to think it can't be done?

If you have done it how did you loose weight and how did you make sure you didn't gain it back again?

[booklooker]

No, but then I am very good at finding it.


(lose weight that is, not loose weight)

[TaliDiNozzo]

I am currently trying. I'm overhauling diet at the moment and starting properly beginning of February (various reasons why January has been difficult). I have a friend who has lost 11 stone on Slimming World though. It's been over the last three years and tbh I think the only way she's kept it off so far has been to treat it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet. I'm not a fan of the word 'diet' anyway tbh.

[dun1urkin]

Yes, I've lost 5 stone and have been stable within around 7lbs for over 2 years (assuming that counts as keeping it off!)
I did it in two 'goes' with a few years in between (where I didn't regain the initial loss)
Getting it off:
Calorie counting primarily with a vaguely lower carb higher fat and protein approach (which I found more satiating)
Keeping it off:
Understanding how much food I need to eat to be 10 stone something rather than almost 16 stone.
I'm also moderately active, but do this for health and wellbeing rather than weightloss reasons.
Also I 'knew'. I was ready to change how I ate for the rest of my life, and am confident I'll not pile it all back on - what I eat and how much I eat is permanently different.

[ItWentInMyEye]

I'm a relatively new SW member, and I agree you have to think of it as a lifestyle change. It seems quite simple to me and I never feel hungry. My group leader has lost 8 stone over 3 years, and still attends group to maintain the loss.

[johnthepong]

Yes but with surgery. The stats are very clear that if you are morbidly obese then you are very unlikely to lose weight and keep it off without surgery. It is, of course, not impossible.

[popcornpaws]

I lost over 8 stone nearly three year ago and have kept it off.
I done it by counting calories, myself, no going to a class etc, its just the way i eat now.

[Masterblaster3000]

Oh dear, loose lose
John I think I have read too many of those stats, finding it very hard to motivate myself to even try when I don't believe it can be done. I am definitely morbidly obese

Dun1erkin and popcorn had you tried to lose weight before? If so what changed the last time to make it successful?

[Ifeelyourpain2]

12 years ago I gained about 4 stone over the space of a couple of years, having always been a normal weight before. I lost it all over the space of a year and have since lost another stone post kids, so I'm 5 stone down from where I was at my highest. I'm 5'7 and weigh 9 stone now so won't be losing anymore!

[PhyllisWig]

Almost 5 stone and have kept it off for over a year, probably 18 months for most of it as the last stone came off v v slowly.

Basically used mfp and still do every day. Its lifestyle/mindset I think. For example I complete let myself off the reins over Christmas and mindless gorged. I put on a shed of weight (over half a stone) which is not fallening off. More importantly I didn't really enjoy it and it really wasn't worth how yucky, bloated and sluggish I felt. The amounts I ate were similar to my previous regular intake.

I don't cut out food groups and have something sweet everyday but that tends to be small. I relax on things like birthdays and special occasions but try to even it up either side.

Most controversially I weigh myself every day. Helps me catch gains early. Sounds obsessive but it doesn't feel that way for me. I once read regular weight checking is a v common factor for people who keep weight off successfully.

[Ifeelyourpain2]

I should probably add that I lost the 4 stone about 10 years ago

[simplysarcastic]

I lost 5 stone when I was 19 and ive kept it off for 16 years .

[ferriswheel]

dun1

How did you know? Was it such a significant lightbulb moment that you never wavered or was it just enough to get you started?

[Grumpbum]

8 stone 6 years ago, when I feel 7lb go on I slim fast for 2/52 to rein in some control back

[ferriswheel]

Also, I'm so impressed with your success stories.

[gabsdot]

I know a girl who lost loads of weight. I don't know how much but I would guess 8-10 stone. She also had some plastic surgery, tummy tuck and boob job after she lost the weight.
She looks amazing. Is now very sporty and goes to the gym daily, does yoga.
She had been overweight for about 12 years since having her first baby
So it is possible

[dun1urkin]

I only tried once prior to being successful. The reason it didn't work is because it was a 'diet', not a permanent change. I very quickly went back to my old eating habits, and therefore to my old weight.

In terms of my obesity, I had a BMI of 37 and now it's between 24 and 25 (depending on those 7 pounds that I fluctuate by)
I had been overweight as a child, and obese as an adult, I weigh less now than I did when I was 15.

[dun1urkin]

No, there wasn't a specific lightbulb moment. I just knew. It's really hard to articulate.
I wasn't even that bothered about being obese to be honest at the time, but now I'm not I don't want to go back.
The initial loss was instigated by having put weight on after I ordered my wedding dress. I had put on a stone in 6 months and knew I needed to take it off for the dress to fit. And I found it was easier than I had imagined to lose

[Dawndonnaagain]

Six stone, kept it off for a year so far.

[Sirzy]

7 stone and kept it off for a year so far. Dropped from a size 20/22 to a 6/8

[Hannah4banana]

Total life overhaul of diet and exercise. I'll always be a stress eater but now I eat healthier choices. I lost 4 stone 8 years ago and now have a very active physical job.
It can definitely be done

[CantstandmLMs]

My mate lost 8 stone about 5 years ago and has kept it off. She looks completely different (great), all through slimming world and got into fitness in a big way.
And here I am chugging along!!! I think she genuinely didn't realise and didn't care how much she ate before and starting slimming world changed her perspective and she lost it easily....not a food addiction and self sabotager like me!!

I've lost and kept off 3 stone but constantly battle trying to get to my goal weight.

[Mouikey]

8 stone 7 pounds with a gastric bypass - put some on since and then lost some. It's a constant (and lifelong) battle.

[popcornpaws]

I went to a couple of slimming clubs in the past and although i did lose weight i never kept it off because, in MY opinion they don't work , they encourage overeating the wrong types of food as they free or low cal.
I don't know anyone who has kept weight off long term by attending a slimming club, its always a case of "i need to go back, or i lost loads when i went THE LAST TIME".

I decided i didn't need to be told what to eat anymore, i plan my own meals and weigh myself and just really accepted that if i wanted to be slim it was up to me to take responsibility.

[Sirzy]

I can think of about 5 people off the top of my head who have lost a lot of weight with slimming world and kept it off.

The thing is as with any weight loss though you have to be willing to make changes for life. If you lose weight and then go back to eating as you did before then of course it will go back on.

[DebbieDownersGiveItARest]

when trying to loose weight i do not weigh myself - however if I ever manage to keep a few stones off I would weigh myself - every two weeks or so and take action THEN.