How do I lose weight? I need help :(

[emma22234]

Hello all,

I've always battled with my weight and been a yo-yo dieter, I think my issues with food go back to my childhood, but I always managed to find a balance and be okay with who I was and how i looked (I used to be about a size 12 - 5ft 4; 12 stone). But since having my daughter I've become so lazy and I just can't ever see myself reaching my end goal (I have about 3.5 stone to lose I'm now a size 18 and weigh 15.7 stone).

Every diet I begin I end up quitting because I just can't stick to them. I've pretty much tried them all, it's not them that's the problem it's me! There's a couple of exercises that I do enjoy (les mills), but with how much weight I've gained I just can't find any motivation to get up and go.

Is there anything I can do? Any tips? Advice?

This may sound extreme but I'm sort of losing it mentally now as I just don't feel myself at all. I'm so sad and unhappy with myself because I can't see myself ever reaching the end goal, so I just give up with all diets and exercise and end up to square one.

I'm looking for help, can anyone offer any advice? I would really appreciate it and any nice encouraging words xxx

[Microwaveoven]

Start small.
Week 1. Alternate days do 5 minutes aerobic workout next day do 5 minute stretch.
Eat one less snack a day.

Week 2. Alternate days. 10 minutes aerobic workout. 10 minute stretch
Eat a smaller portion for dinner.

Week 3....you see where I am going. You are not going to be slim over night. Give it 1 year to change. I know it seems like a long time but this is what it will take to really change for good.

Got to go but I will be back later.

I need to lose 21lbs. Same mind set as you.

[MrsMcCarthysFamousScones]

You don’t need a special diet, you just need to reduce calories. Weight loss is calories in V calories out. 2000 calories a day is way above what most women should be eating.
Start logging everything, and I mean everything, in My Fitness Pal. It’s amazing where the calories add up. It helps you make better choices so you could choose to have that extra roast potato but if you have that glass of wine later you will be over in you calories.
Some sandwiches can have more calories in than a well portioned roast dinner.
I don’t deny myself anything, I still have chicolate, wine, crisps etc but I stick within my targets. 2.5 stone gone and kept of for nearly 2 years now.

[Aquamarine1029]

You have to stop eating too much. That's it. As for exercise, of course it's good for you, but you can't defeat a shit diet, no matter how much you workout. You have to eat less calories.

[Kel9]

Joe wicks! I honestly can’t vouch for this plan enough. It’s not a diet it’s an education. I did his 90 day plan and lost a few dress sizes first time in my life I’ve been a size 8. Size in clothes isn’t why I did it but that was a bonus. This made me enjoy working out xx

[SidSparrow]

I second Joe Wicks! Not done it... yet!

I feel ya, had my 2nd baby and my weight is going up, and I feel so hungry all the time. All this lockdown stuff has also affected me and I am really struggling to get motivated.

I think if you're struggling with motivation, which we could also call committment then the Joe Wicks programme would help as they are there when you need them.

Another thing is to see if anyone else fancies getting fit with you, arrange to jog/walk/exercise with them - it's much harder to cancel on someone else that it is yourself.

Also, look up bootcamps. Or smaller gyms - anything where you feel there is a bit of a community. Cross-fit is good for hard work and a good sense of in it together. Don't worry about calories and shit like that, when you start getting into exercise you'll want to eat well. I think the paleo diet is best. Cut out dairy and wheat. Cut out beige food. Eat as much as you want as long as it isn't beige. Lots of veggies, some fruit (sugar), meat, eggs, nuts. You can't wrong there.

And also, give yourself a break. You're here asking for help, you obviously want to change. Accept that what's done is done, forgive youself. But get your head around the fact that to get to a point where you're happy with your body, is going to take hard work, determination - and time! It is a change of life.

Good luck!

[KeyboardMash]

Where and how are you overeating? Where is the damage happening? You need to identify the specific problem and then work out the best way to fix it. For example, is it big portions? Sweet tooth? Snacking?

Now, I'm going to differ from what most people tend to suggest here, and say that you need to work WITH, not AGAINST, your 'weakness'. Hear me out: my own problem is that I'm just greedy. I really like my food, I have trouble stopping, and I don't really get full. The conventional wisdom is that I should eat smaller portions - but that's bollocks. I just won't stick to it. So I make sure my meals are veg based - enough protein and fat, not too much carb (but I don't try and cut it entirely), and then eat as much as I like. This works for me. I eat the big portions l was always going to, but overall calorie intake is low. I ever buy snacks or sweet things, because I'd overeat them if they were available - but I don't miss them if they're just not there.

If you're a snacker, you need to find a low calorie way of doing it - gherkins or pickles are good, strong flavour but minimal calories, and it's hard to eat too many! Don't eat fake 'healthy' things like cereal bars or crappy processed snack food. If it's sweet things, there are various sugar free boiled sweets, dried fruit is good but only if you can successfully limit portions (it's useless for me - I can scarf raisins by the fistful!)

It's the same for exercise. You have to find something you will actually do on a regular basis. I'm useless and can't drive, so I HAVE to walk everywhere which helps a lot. Nursery run (before fecking lockdown ruined it) meant I was doing about 50 minutes brisk walking every single day. I'll never jog or stick to doing Joe Wicks - but I HAD to do that. There was no choice, I just got on with it. You need to find something like that: a paid for class you wouldn't let yourself miss, a running buddy to keep tabs on you, whatever works. But you need to find something that you'll stick to.

Losing weight isn't rocket science. Eat less, move more. But the trick is finding a way to make the changes you need to make become an automatic thing - rather than a virtuous effort you have to keep up with using impossible amounts of willpower. Be realistic, work out what your real problem is, and find a way to turn it round. It's doable! I used to be 11.5 stone, and I'm currently 10 - it was 9.5 before last pregnancy and I was on my way back there till sodding covid complicated things!

[Gin4thewin]

Second i went on mat leave, I basically sat on my ass all day. I saw a video of me playing with DD and I was horrified and how big my face was. Im 5ft 10 and was 14st 13lb after dd, Ive lost 1st 8lb since end of april doing 20km on my excercise bike minimum 5 days a week, walking the school runs ( only exception being its pouring down) and ill only eat a small portion of tea and maybe scrambled eggs for lunch if i REALLY need it. So cutting calories right back too.

[onedream]

Another vote for Joe wicks, you can try the plan or if on budget his books with recipes are amazing and so many free workout even for complete beginners on his you tube channel..no tools needed and all from comfort of your living room..