Is 15 st too heavy to come back from??

Oh dear wrong end of yorkshire!

Just eat is wondering where I am

😂😂

When I started a few months ago I half expected my local Chinese to put in a welfare check 😂

Yeah I have some loose skin on belly and boobs are a bit saggy but I look good in clothes and that's so worth losing it for, and health.
Most people don't see me naked so 😂

I went from 15st 8lbs (and a size 20) to 10st 2lbs (and a size 10) and I’m about the same height as you. I didn’t get any loose skin. I counted calories and exercised a lot.

It’s totally do-able.

@murmuration , yes, everything in my list is aimed at my skin.

Basically in all the research I've done, my ultimate finding has been that there's no right or guaranteed answer to avoiding loose skin. I've read reviews, scientific studies, nutrition guru guidance, what feels like 100's of peoples personal experiences and recommendations - and they all say different things 😂

Lots of people swear by the body brushing and moisturising. Lots say it's down to toning exercises/weights. So 'external' things. Then there are the groups that say it's down to the 'internals' - hydration, vitamins, to make sure your body has what it needs to renew skin and collagen from within. Marine collagen peptides in particular have a HUGE amount of mentions with quite a few studies showing improved skin elasticity, but results varying by individual.

Anyway, I read and read and decided to follow a routine which 'hits it all' - internals and externals. And keep my fingers crossed!

@CertainAppealToIt- is the collagen/body brush/moisturing for skin?

What have you found about avoiding loose skin? Even though I didn't get it before, being over a decade older, plus apparently quicker at weight loss now, I am worried about it this time around.

@Wantachangefor2024 - you can ABSOLUTELY do this. Same height as you and I'm now the on this journey for the second time. First time took 2 years to go from 15 to 9 stone in my early 40s. I kept it off for six years, until a perfect storm of lock-down induced inactivity, injury (also fall from a horse!), health issues and stress had it creep slowly back up over the course of 4 years, until I found myself having gained 1.5 stone over a very stressfull 1-month period just before Christmas last year, followed by Christmas, and there I was at 15 stone again!

I decided I had to do something about this before I got heavier than I ever have been. I've now lost >2.5 stone since late January. I had no loose skin first time around, and I was actually just looking in the mirror a few days ago wondering about this 'loose skin' I'd heard of (as I've lost weight faster this time than I did before), but it doesn't seem to happen to me.

One thing I've found is important is that I have to feel good about myself before I start my weight loss journey. If you are feeling bad about your body, you're not going to care about it. First time through I bought myself some nice-looking clothes that fit well and made me look good. Even though I knew I wanted to not be wearing them soon! But having the confidence to feel I looked good made all the difference. This time I took those clothes down from the attic - plus bought myself some accessories off Vinted that I should be able to continue wearing once I'm smaller. (in fact, one waist coast already buttons that when I got it didn't, although I prefer to wear these open so it won't matter when it gets too big as well!)

You'll have to find something that works for you. I counted calories first time around, and didn't really do much else. This time I'm (1) counting calories using MyFitnessPal, and doing it even better this time (I use my kitchen scales so I always know what I'm actually eating, including carefully measuring out my home recipes and being HONEST), (2) avoiding ultra-processed food - this has actually made a massive difference, as I find I am enjoying the food I'm eating SO MUCH more, strangely, despite the fact that I'm eating less, and quick snacks like crisps and packaged sweets actually taste bad to me now, so I have no interest in keeping going even if I do slip up and take one at some party or such, and (3) have started Couch to 5K. Unlike a poster above, that looks like they did it in the 9-weeks, I'm doing this SLOWLY. I spent about 6 weeks on repeating week 1 over and over, 3 on week 2, and I'm pretty sure I'll be doing week 3 at least 4 times. I sometimes feel a bit weird, like a giant whale jogging along the street, but I also know I'm less giant than I was when I started a few months ago!

My heaviest weight was 16 stone (5 foot 5). I'm currently 13 stone 12 so have another 3.5 stone ish to get to target (a few lbs inside my healthy weight range). I'm 37. I'm on Slimming World and I'd really recommend. It's the only plan I've tried that's resulted in steady, maintained weight loss and my way of eating now I feel I can easily continue for life.

So far I've no loose skin at all but i've still a way to go and this has been my main concern. I've done a ridiculous amount of research into it and am basically just doing everything I've read some sources claim to help, to give myself the best possible chance.

I mean, maybe none of it will work but I'd rather know I've at least tried everything. And failing that, I'm trying to be pragmatic and accept that being slim with loose skin will still be infinitely preferable to being obese. The 2 stone 2 I've lost so far has already made a HUGE difference to how I feel, my energy, my confidence. I'd forgotten what it was like to be able to leap up from the floor or run for the bus without being out of breath. Or to put a dress on and actually feel good. I've gone from a solid size 18 to a small 16, with size 14 only just round the corner I feel.

Antway, my 'rules' are:

• Lose weight slowly. If 1lb a week feels crap, just calculate what your weight would be this time next year, 52lbs down! It should be a marathon, not a race.
• Stay very hydrated at all times.
• Eat a healthy diet, all the veg/salad.
• Take a daily, excellent quality vitamin tablet.
• Take a marine collagen peptide supplement.
• Dry body brush top to toe several times a week.
• Thoroughly moisturise top to toe after every body brush.
• Weight lift and do resistance training regularly.

Ah thank you!

I was with my mum the other day and she said she used to eat an entire pack of digestives to herself! 😱

Now she buys the reduced sugar ones.

The regulating stuff is such a pita!

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain all your suggestions are great. I can't handle regulating the rich tea biscuits though. Lol.

I’m the same as you (5ft1 and 15st3). I’ve just had a baby - however I’ve put on weight since having bub. I’m back at pre pregnancy weight.

Weirdly I lost a lot of weight in pregnancy, gained when I was coming towards the end and then ended up lighter than when I got pregnant after I had her. So I’ve put it on since having her. The joys of having no time to prepare food, and spending a good month not being able to move.

Happy to join forces if you want :)

Thanks for the tips.

What I’d say to your friends is pick one or two who might come to a class with you or even shopping for food and clothes.

If you’d like to get your hair cut or coloured then do it. No one cares about your size and a new cut and maybe colour might be a step towards a new you.

I’ve often been with my larger friend when she’s shopped for the odd clothes item (once for a dress for a work Christmas party), it’s fine when they’re larger but once you start to lose weight (she recently was walking with me and proudly pulled the material on her dress to one side and said I’ve gone down 2 dress sizes!) it’s better because they’re growing in confidence but as a friend they can help you (if you need it) with clothes.

I think with you though, you’ve had a blip with your accident and it’s caused weight gain and lack of confidence. Also it doesn’t help that from 30 onwards your metabolism slows down so weight goes on quicker. But as others have said, it’s fairly easy to lose weight and tone up. Worry about loose skin when it comes to it. My friend isn’t worrying about loose skin either.

Barbara Curry has a great yoga dvd. You could get a dvd for salsa too and do it at home, until you feel more confident to join classes again?

This is key. I’m not a gym bunny (have tried but not for me) but have done classes at places where there are gyms and have sometimes done various gym machines.

I love walking, aqua aerobics, swimming, would do volleyball if more classes and teams around and when younger loved ice skating. I’ve tried hula hooping @Beautiful3 but sadly it wasn’t for me!

I used to do yoga and salsa dancing too.

Come back and tell us how you've done next year@Wantachangefor2024 . I believe in you and I'm rooting for you.

@Wantachangefor2024 Find an excerise you love to do. If you're not sure, try something new every week until you find it. It could be swimming/cycling/hiking/areobics/zumba/ dancing/ wall climbing/ice skating etc. I hated exercise apart from walking. At the age of 42, I discovered a love for hula hooping! I use a weighted one, for an hour a day. I find it so relaxing, I really love it! I hope you find something that you enjoy doing. Down load my fitness pal to work out your calories, and stick to it. Remember to always have protein, so you're always feeling full up.

@Dita73
@Thehonestbadger
Wow well done! To the pair of you! Massive weight loss achievement 👏 👏 💪 💪