ok. I need help.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I need to lose weight. A lot of weight. 8 stone.

Its a minefield though. Low carb? Low fat? Low calorie? Eat breakfast. Snack. Dont snack. 5:2. 4:3.

I dont have time for weigh ins at WW or SW. Or the money.

How do I lose weight? Help!

[LittleMissLucy]

I think you should speak to your GP about the safest and healthiest way forward. They can check your fitness levels and advice what kind of exercise you're able to take on, or at risk with. They can check your blood glucose levels and see if there's too much sugar in your diet etc. That is the best place to start a plan. Good luck with it.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Thanks for the advice.

But I dont need to go to the GP. My glucose levels are absolutely fine. I have no health problems whatsoever apart from the excess weight. I rarely get out of breath and yes I am obese, but my diet is a good one. It could be better, obviously, but I am not eating takeaways every night and cakes everyday.

[Madamecastafiore]

You need to stop putting obstacles in your way.

The doctor can help you and with all due respect your diet cannot be that great as you wouldn't be obese if it were.

Can you order the shred and start with that along with a calorie controlled diet or start doing couch to 5k? You would need 30 minutes a day to do either shred or c25k.

With the amount you need to lose you would be better doing it with diet and exercise but more a lifestyle change than a radical diet regime.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Wondered how long it would take for the "your diet cannot be that great...." speech.

I am not putting obstacles in the way. I am saying that yes, my diet could improve, but actually my health is not at GP levels. My BP is fine. Apart from a little dermatitis on my scalp I have no health issues. I eat home cooked food. Lots of veg. Drink water. Not all fat people are stuffing their faces with shit.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

But yes, a long term change is what I am after. Its more the exercise I need to address I think.

[LittleMissLucy]

But there are some exercise programmes that you wouldn't be able to do with too much weight on you - you could damage your knees, your back etc. You might have to lose some weight first through diet change and THEN take on more challenging exercise, when you're less likely to injure yourself. It makes sense, can't you see that?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I cant see how I am going to lose weight through diet change alone to begin with, no. It has to include exercise. I have cut my calorie intake right down to 1200 a day before, and yes I lost weight, but thats not a good way to do it, or sustainable.

FWIW my GP has never mentioned my weight. They have had plenty of opportunities throughout the pregnancies. It does baffle me. But perhaps because the BP is ok, and the bgl are fine and I havent brought it up they just dont think to. Who knows. I did have my thyroid levels checked but that was because of an unexplained missed period.

[Anthracite]

Eat what you are eating but less of it. Cut your portion size.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Like cut straight in half?

From tomorrow I think I will use a bowl or side plate for my foods. Rice and pasta are my main portion control issues I think. Most other things are controlled by money (eg meat) and I think perhaps replacing some of the rice/pasta with another veg might work?

Also going to make some soups tomorrow.

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

A good way to start is by investing 2 weeks in tracking what you actually eat now. Most people underestimate as they "forget'' about the chunk of cheese or the couple of biscuits here and there. Similarly, most people do not get overweight by stuffing their faces every day- they get overweight through those little snacks that add up- if you eat just 200 cals more a day than you burn off, then by the end of a year you've gained 1.5 stones.

What method you choose would also depend on how fast you want to lose the weight. The drastic methods (serious calorie cutting/ hardcore low carbing etc) work fast but are harder to stick to. The gentler methods (just cutting out obvious crap from your diet) is slower, easier to stick to, but benefits are more easily wiped out if you come off the wagon even slightly.

Re exercise, just do walking for now- it's free and easy on the joints.

[2cats2many]

Have you tried MyFitnessPal.com? It's a really easy way of tracking your calorie intake and managing weight loss. It's free and you can get an app on your phone.

I lost 2st with it and have kept it off for a year and a half. Everyone I've known who has done it has lost weight.

Good luck! It's great that you are doing something positive about it. Maybe it would help to break your goal down into more manageable chunks, so 2st by Christmas, 4st by next summer, etc?

[2cats2many]

And I also recommend walking as good exercise. The gym is a waste of money and a guilt trip. Try to build up to 45mins of brisk walking a day (heart rate up) and its as much benefit as any of those stupid machines in the gym.

[frenchfancy]

Doing 5:2 or 4:3 with help you to naturally control your portions. Couch 2 5k is really good and you can go at your own pace.

8 Stone is a lot but it is doable. I watch back series of the American show the Biggest Loser as motivation.

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

If you can find somewhere you normally drive to that you could walk to, so much the better, as it's easier to get into the habit. I just started walking to and from work (25 mins each way). It helped me lose my baby weight and it's just become "what I do" rather than me thinking "Must do exercise"

[sallievp]

Would highly recommend My fitness pal...I have used it and lost over 2 stone. Its free and really easy to use.
Also great point about watching biggest loser on you tube....I fin this very motivating.
Good luck, you can do it!

[tumbletumble]

I second MyFitnessPal. It's basically a calorie control method so it tackles both portion size and the type of food you eat. If your diet is good it may be portion size which is the key issue for you. Exercise is also rewarded.

Don't expect too much too soon. You are likely to lose a lot (maybe 4 or 5 lb or more) in the first week or so, but it will settle down to 1-2lb a week. That may seem frustrating when you have a lot to lose, but stick to it and you will start to see results. IME weight that comes off slowly is more likely to stay off.

Good luck OP.

[awaywego1]

I'd third mfp! It's free, flexible and fairly simple. I would look at a tdee calculator and eat at that -20-30% for sustainable weight loss and health.
Exercise is very important for overall health but not necessary for weight loss. Walking and gardening are excellent calorie burners!

[Anthracite]

If you are going to do any kind of calorie counting, you need to weigh or measure everything you eat for a couple of weeks. Published calories on food packets is for fairly small portions, so you need to get used to what that size is.

MFP is good.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Just downloaded MFP app. So getting to grips with that! Seems quite good.

Thanks for the replies.

[HeySoulSister]

how tall are you domestic ?

I had 5 stone to lose,i low carbed for first 3 stone,then switched to palleo and joined a bootcamp and running club

its a way of life for me now. pasta/rice,refined carbs and sugar...all make it hard to lose weight.

money is an issue for me too,but the low carb threads offer tons of advice on cheaper meats etc

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

5ft10

I have used MFP for two days now and yesterday I was 750 calories below my allowance. And that really wasnt me "dieting." I didnt feel hungry at all.

So I am still thinking that my diet isnt the issue

[HeySoulSister]

thought you might be tall,hence asking. i'm 5ft 11.

the only diet that has ever worked for me was low carbing. I don't know what else to suggest. are you drinking lots of water? that's essential. maybe you aren't eating enough.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Yes, lots of water. Yesterday I had about 1.5 litres. I usually dont measure it, its just that we were out so I was drinking from a 2l bottle iyswim.

DP says I am not eating too much, previous partners have been surprised at how little I eat.

A major issue I think, that I am trying hard to address, is not eating breakfast. But then with these 5:2 diets I wonder if thats really an issue after all.

If you low carb on a budget, can I ask what you eat thats cheap? Lentils are good, but is there anything else that I havent thought of? What do you replace pasta/rice/potatoes with?

[HeySoulSister]

rice is replaced with cauliflower....kind of nice
pasta....ribbons of courgettes is a fave on the lc threads

you get used to it...lots of eggs. nothing seems to be cheap anymore does it,lidl is great for salad/veggies and eggs and cheese

[anklebitersmum]

Get the original Atkins book and read it. Absolutely invaluable for low carbing.

Gives you all the info you need and recipes to help maintain the lower carb life after having lost some weight initially. The no carbs phase is usually 2-6 weeks.

Always worked for me, but I too have to up the exercise-not least as the endorphins help me focus on the positive of dieting iyswim.