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Major weight loss success stories?

34 replies

Thepeopleversus · 21/04/2018 22:03

I've ballooned up and down all my life, and currently find myself with a BMI of 41. It would take a loss of 8 stone to get me in to the healthy BMI range.

Has anyone lost anywhere near this? I desperately want to do something- I have a baby and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up when he's a toddler / will embarrass him at the school gate / will die young. But it feels like such a big amount to lose that I'm scared to try (I know this is ridiculous). Any success stories and advice would help me get started!

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73kittycat73 · 22/04/2018 02:15

Hi Thepeopleversus, at least you have assessed that you need to do something - That is the first step. Congratulations. Star My mum has been dieting and lost 5-6 stone in one year, so it can be done. Maybe instead of thinking you have so much to loose, do it by setting a goal of half a stone at a time?
Is there any particular diet you are going to try? Very good luck to you. Smile

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coragreta · 22/04/2018 02:24

I lost 50lbs in a year 2 years ago. Still need to lose around 30 more but two babies slowed my progress a little.
Don't follow a diet. It needs to be sustainable. Download my fitness pal and log what you eat. Then aim for something you could realistically stick too. Unfortunately I think you may find you need to track for the rest of your life. I'm sure I will. Although the amount will increase when I'm trying to maintain rather than lose.
Also don't expect a quick fix. A 1lb a week is great and will take you 2years to lose 8stone at that rate. I don't think it can be done quicker and still leave you with the ability to maintain. People who lose weight quickly tend to put it back on.
Good luck.

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ScaredPAD · 22/04/2018 02:26

Well done cora.

I need to lose a similar amount for health reasons and am terrified as I know diets don't really work for me (I end up binging/ regaining.) But structure would.

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3luckystars · 22/04/2018 02:31

My friend lost 10 stone and has kept it off. It took her years but she did it gradually. Best wishes to you and good luck!

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ScaredPAD · 22/04/2018 02:37

Wow lucky. How???

So many big weight loss "sucess storiws" seem to regain it. Im scared.

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Thepeopleversus · 22/04/2018 21:20

Coragreta youre right that it's going to have to be lifelong. I think that's the realisation I've come to- there's no answer, it's just sticking to it. 50lb is a great achievement, well done!

kittycat I totally agree that mini goals are the way to go! I was thinking today of milestones coming up - holiday, Christmas, back to work after Mat leave - and how I'd like to be in a better place for each of them.

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Purpleguitar · 24/04/2018 21:24

I've lost 5 1/2 stone in 14 months and have now maintained for 10 weeks. I did it through calorie counting and splitting the weight loss into 1/2 stone amounts. I gave myself a reward for every half stone. Just little things like new nail varnish or a book I wanted. I also bought a fit bit as my 3 stone reward. I kept remembering every pound off is one less to lose and a pound closer to where I wanted to be.

I didn't see food as bad, I've had chocolate every day and still do. This really prevented binging
.

Good luck

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MilkyCoffeeAndSkinnySyrup · 24/04/2018 21:27

Haven't lost that much but I have lost 4stone so far since last year, and have one more stone to go.

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MilkyCoffeeAndSkinnySyrup · 24/04/2018 21:28

I did it by following Slimming World

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ScaredPAD · 24/04/2018 21:40

Purple that's really interesting. I'm scared I'll start seeing different food as bad again. Did you just check your whole day was under a certain calorie and meal plan? Or follow a particular plan/healthy eating?

I'm curious as I know if I restrict or diet "properly I'll binge and I'm so scared of not managing to do this. It's something like 90% of diets fail. I'm scared as I have to lose it and so inspired you have!!

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ScaredPAD · 24/04/2018 21:42

It would be amaxing if i couls lose 5.5 stone in 14 months it really would. I'd honestly love to know more. Did you weigh each week or avoid weighing? Did your eating habits change? Did you do 3 meals and snacks? I'm just amazed you've had such a huge success and want to know what changed for you to start losing weight. If you want to tell me of course!

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GretaBritain · 24/04/2018 21:44

There are loads of success stories over on instagram including an amazing girl who has lost 8 stone in a year and has just ran the London Marathon.

www.instagram.com/slimmingworld_mumof1

I have found a lot of inspiration reading the stories shared there, meal ideas, weight losses/gains etc. After 8 years I've actually started to lose weight ...20lbs in 7 weeks! I have a lot to lose tooI have found following fellow dieters on instagram really motivating.

Worth a look.

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ScaredPAD · 24/04/2018 21:52

I find slimming world a bit difficult though as i know 2 people who were slimmer of the year in their area/in the papers/huge success story and big losses, but both put it all back on again after!! It's probably just my experience with them but it's disheartening. All the recent evidence has said diets don't work long term for 90%!

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ScaredPAD · 24/04/2018 21:53

But wow your weight loss is fantastic and it's obviously working to motivate you!! I don't mean my cynicism to affect others and obviously my approach isn't currently working for me ...

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Purpleguitar · 24/04/2018 23:09

Hi ScaredPAD, I initially started following slimming world programme, but found that having started exercising as well I wasn't eating enough and was going light headed. My personal trainer and I then started slowly changing over to counting calories, initially only through changing breakfast from fruit and yoghurt to porridge and fresh fruit. I over 3 months I changed over completely but still lost weight each week even though SW syns were over everyday.

A typical day was about 1300 calories a day but as the exercise intensity increased (4 times per week) the calories went up gradually to 1600.

A typical days food was
Breakfast - 36g porridge with semi skimmed milk, fruit
Mid morning - fruit
Lunch - wholemeal bread sandwich (2 small slices), ham, 2 very low fat cheese triangles, salad and fruit
Dinner - chicken or fish, or omelette, jacket potato or SW chips, salad ir veg, small chocolate bar

Now it is basically the same as above with a further 500 calories per day added

I know many people will comment saying it is too many carbs, but for me this works very well and I lost literally every week. Ultimately whatever plan you follow it is eat to a calorie deficit and you will lose weight. I tracked everything initially through myfitnesspal and then through my fitbit and I still do this most days. Happy to answer questions

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ScaredPAD · 25/04/2018 00:10

Well done purple and thankyou tons! It looks like a huge calorie defecit from what I assume as a v.obese person I'm eating - did you find you were hungry/was it just will power in between meals?

I'm looking to increase exercise - how did you start? Did you go to a PT at a local gym weekly?

Do you stick to chicken or fish most night a? I'm thinking of may be limiting myself to a few meals I like. Do you still have lasagne/pizza etc sometimes?

How have you kept at It???

Sorry for all the questions but I want/need/am motivated to do similar. I do understand it's different for everyone but I think I'm looking to do something v similar. Maybe mediteranian diet based/healthy diet based with odd allowance so I don't give up. I want to not believe in good and bad foods but there's obviously ones which will help more!!

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ScaredPAD · 25/04/2018 00:11

Did you weigh each week? Did you find it mentally hard to begin with?

Sorry I'll stop there!! Feel free not to answer :)

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TheWildRumpyPumpus · 25/04/2018 08:41

I lost 6 stone last year and have been maintaining (with slight ups and downs) this year.

I didn’t follow any particular diet, just cut out snacking and alcohol, started some gentle exercise 2 or 3 times a week and (most importantly I think) was consistent. Apart from a couple of relaxed weeks when we went on our summer holidays I didn’t have cheat days or weekends, it’s been a complete life overhaul.

I’m more relaxed these, I have the occasional glass of wine or bowl of crisps (rather than the whole family pack), but generally I still eat healthily and try and get some exercise in. My BMI went from 33 down to 21 currently.

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ScaredPAD · 26/04/2018 14:14

Wow well done wild- if be incredibly happy with 6 stone in a year! I'd love to hear more about the "life overhaul". Did you change your attitude to food/diets/what to eat? Did you just ear less/when hungry or a whole different type of food? Did it get harder to lose the weight or stead over the year.

I'm only a week in and really wanting inspiration I can do this longer term. I'm trying to eat healthier and I've started swimming. I'm walking more school runs but the sheer amount I need to lose is overwhelming!

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Purpleguitar · 27/04/2018 23:24

To answer your questions, I started at the gym and with a PT once a week from the start. I went to the gym twice a week then increased it to a third as well. I started eating just fruit in between meals and really didn't need anything else, if starving I'd have a one piece of bread sandwich, often when I got home from work, but this was rare. It was also useful my husband and I decided to go for a 30 min walk most nights which helped to burn a few more calories!

In terms of diet, I now have an occasional low fat lasagne or sweet and sour chicken, I do try to avoid takeaways, but these solve my need for the full fat versions. I have had 2 pizzas since Nov 2016! One was when I was on holiday and the other was a treat meal after running a half marathon!

What did help (and I know this won't work for everyone) was if my husband had a cake or a pizza I would have 1 mouthful, that way I didn't feel deprived and as though I couldn't have anything nice, I'd have 2 crisps out of his packet as another example.

I keep my meals very similar because then I can adjust snacks if I start slipping a bit or if I see the scales going down.

I've kept at it because I've needed to do it. Then because it was working, I was able to keep going if that makes sense. I've loved seeing the progress I've made, dropping 4 dress sizes, seeing my strength increase and my stamina improve. I have to maintain as there is no way I want to go back to where I was 15 months ago.

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sadeyedladyofthelowlands63 · 28/04/2018 08:50

I lost six stone over ten years ago by following Slimming World. I have maintained that (more or less) ever since. I roughly follow SW guidelines in the week and allow myself a bit of slack at the weekends.

SW worked for me, but I don't think it matters what plan/diet you follow - you just need to find something that suits you and your life-style, and that you will be able to stick with long term.

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ScaredPAD · 28/04/2018 09:53

Wow purple that is fantastic to hear and a huge well done :) Thankyou for telling me about it.

Sadeyed! Wow 10 years. That's proof it can work long term.

You guys are reallyninsporing me Thankyou. I'm trying to work out what I think is okay to eat and plan in advance as I think that will help.

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stevie69 · 28/04/2018 20:03

I lost six stone over ten years ago by following Slimming World

I did the same with Weight Watchers. I hit my target on my 50th birthday and have maintained for just over a year now.

Agree with sadeyedladyofthelowlands63: it doesn't matter how you do it, so long as is suits you. I still go to Weight Watchers every week to keep on track.

My before and after pictures are attached if that helps at all Blush

Wishing you lots of luck. Plenty of us have done it; you can too Smile

Major weight loss success stories?
Major weight loss success stories?
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elliepac · 28/04/2018 20:07

I lost 6 stone about 4 years ago. It took me 3 years on and off and I have a stone that I fluctuate with but I have kept it off. Still need to lose another stone really but I like wine and cake and am happy at a 12-14 when I was a 24. MFP which led to change in habits was the main method. And the change in habits kept it off, along with ditching an EA husband and meeting a fab new DP...ie being happySmile

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ilovecherries · 28/04/2018 22:11

I've lost 70lb (5 stone) on the LCHF bootcamp here on MN. Started it last May, and so far haven't come off it, I probably never will. I've just hit the top of the healthy BMI range, I'd like to lose one more stone to put me nearer the middle of the range. It's been life changing.

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