Why is it so hard to lose weight but so easy to gain weight

I agree with you here, however an entire watermelon wouldn’t be far off 500 calories, depends on the weight of the edible parts of it could be even more. One slice is about 60 calories

I was exactly like this.

What’s worked for me is having one of those protein yoghurts in a pouch for lunch and them eating a meal full of sweet potato and carrot and some meat at 5pm ish.

it took about 2 weeks of being hungry but the the weight started to come off and I’ve lost 1.5 stone and no longer hungry or craving a quick fix.

If I’m really hungry before lunch I have an Aldi fat free protein shake.

I think that's a bit persnickety - of course the vast majority of people on diets aren't actually starving. I think using concentration camp and famine victims as a comparison is a bit of a false flag.

Anecdata isn't the same as scientific data, but scientific data isn't the same as lived experience either - and scientific data can struggle to replicate the exact circumstances of individuals (because no one is studying the exact effects of specific dietary regimes on Brenda from Slough). Scientific studies COME FROM anecdata - we're a naturally observant, pattern spotting species, so we investigate what has already been observed. Scientific investigations by their nature follow a specific, narrow scope.

Starvation mode is a bad name for it, but I'm far from the first person to have stopped my weight loss plateauing by temporarily eating more and exercising less.

My latest change has been portion control. And eating more omelette for lunch. Veg soup (no bread).

What exercise do you do at the gym?

I also have three stone to lose. I have decided not to focus on exercise (it's a bonus if I can get out twice a week to get a 30 minute walk) and instead just cut back on stuff bit by bit. I first limited myself to two biscuits with a coffee. Eventually going to cut them out altogether. I have stopped scoffing crisps. I have none now. I feel slightly slimmer and I have been making these changes for the last month now. I feel better for it. I have accepted I won't be losing the weight any time soon. It will take at least a year. And that's fine. I will weigh myself regularly to make myself accountable.

Keep going OP. It isn't easy. Don't give up hope. I'm not classed as obese enough to qualify for the WLIs.

Same for me to go from 13 stone to 11 stone at 5'7". All the calculators said I should be able to lose 1lb a week averaging 1700. Hollow laugh And that is with doing a fair bit of exercise as well.

I wouldn't give nuts as a great example as you have to have such tiny amounts and they are not something I would reach for to satisfy hunger. An entire watermelon is not 500 calories either, I doubt it's 50.

You haven't mentioned fibre which is absolutely essential to fill you up and for any other number of health reasons.

My partner, who’s unexpectedly put on a bit of weight, then followed a diet plan by the GP, but despite cutting calories, found it a real struggle. The GP finally told him that his chronic recent insomnia was causing it, as the body stores fat in some sort of panic mode. 🤷‍♀️

Because we're programmed to overeat when food is plentiful and surrounded by constant temptation. And it's very easy to slightly overeat without feeling remotely uncomfortable. I was just saying to DH when looking at a massive poster of cheesy chicken burger at services when sipping my cup of tea how hard it is to stay slim in the face of things like that. Not to mention all the doughnuts, cakes or biscuits I might have had with my cup of tea.

Yes I had the same problem. Hence why I’m on Wegovny now.

No scientific backing here but I just think some people don’t have to think about this ever. Their genetic metabolism is naturally much quicker, I guess. My DH can put away an entire packet of biscuits every day and gain fuck all. If I did that I’d be huge and I’m way more active than him. I ate what I wanted for a week over Christmas and gained a stone. Wish I was exaggerating. It was of course primarily water weight but it took me an entire month to shift it.

My parents and grandparents are the same, as is my brother. Just gain weight so easily. My mum has been dieting her whole life pretty much, on jabs right now and has been for months but she’s very very slim now as a result and it doesn’t look great. The issue with jabs is a lot of people (like my mum) don’t exercise alongside it so they just end up looking skeletal.

I have to work incredibly hard to stay slim, it is not natural whatsoever. I have to run and lift weights 5-6 days a week.

I’ve been calorie deficit for 5 months now and lost 12lbs according to the scales - but I strength train too so I’ve got more muscle than before so I don’t necessarily follow the scales

my before and after photos are what help me see how far I’ve come

if you keep your protein up you feel less hungry - I try hit 110g a day

put absolutely everything in my fitness pal

i find I can’t even eat as much as before now as I’ve become more used to my new habits

its shocking when you start how much calories are in some things !!

Rubbish.

Look up Filling Meals on Facebook (he also has a book). It's all about losing weight while feeling full and satiated.

I was where you were op. I then flipped it all and started eating protein at every meal and started eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Proper meals with protein, fibre and small amount of carbs (1 slice of bread, 3/4 cup of cooked rice or pasta max) have lost 8lbs in the last few weeks.

I'm not an expert as I have recently piled on some pounds due to stress but I have successfully lost weight in the past, just struggled to keep it off.

What works for me in a calorie deficit are protein and volume foods. So for example (not real figures) a handful of nuts may contain 500 calories but so would an entire watermelon - which one would fill you up more?

Of course that's not everything, for example a watermelon is mostly water you might get filled up but feel hungry again very soon. So that's why you also need to focus on protein, which genuinely keeps you fuller for longer. Don't skimp on carbs and fats, just cut down carbs, up the protein and the veggies and be very on track with your calorie counting. It's boring and tedious but it works.

It's brutal

I'm 5'4, and basically have to eat 1400 cals to lose weight.

Ideal weight is around 9.5 stone and it takes a real effort to get to that stage I can tell you

I worked out how many calories I needed to eat a day to maintain my weight. Then how many calories I needed to eat to be in deficit by 1000 calories a day (to lose the recommended maximum 2lbs a week). Then I bought a blender, kitchen scales, bathroom scales and worked out exactly what I was going to eat. Probably very boring but I’ve lost 2stone so works for me

Look at beetroot juice/tablets for bp. High bp can be a symptom of something else though so do get blood tests if you haven't already. How are your hormones? Peri and menopause can cause changes. As can viruses. When did you have covid?

The extract does not say what you claim it says. (It's not the first time your reading comprehension has been challenged on this thread.)

The extract says they have observed something in humans and don't know its cause. They have then done research on simple life forms that shows there may be (it's one study) transmission of genetic information of this sort through RNA.

You are the one who has interpreted that as saying: Studies say that we can inherit genes like this from both grand parents

That is your claim. The article does not claim that. Your grandfather was not a flatworm.

I have realised that I only need to think about one day at a time.
If I plan ahead too far it makes me focus unhelpfully on whether I can stick to it for x number of weeks/months and then it feels impossible. So tonight I know what I will eat tomorrow and I can do it, it will be fine. Thursday I won’t think about yet!

Other things I do: plan my shopping/meals properly, especially on work days. I work shifts, so it’s hard sometimes.
I try to eat 3 meals, roughly within a 10 hour period. So not intense fasting but 14 hours without food, I think it is helpful for me.

I’m sure it is genetically harder for some people than others to lose weight. But it doesn’t help to think that way because it is not like anyone can change it.

i am struggling with it too. It is tough! When I have been successful in the past I looked at my habits not just calorie counting. I bet if you think about it you have ‘bad habits’ too. If you can identify one bad habit you do every day worth about 300 calories and swap it for a new better habit of 100
calories and then add in a new positive exercise habit which burns 300 calories then you can get to 1lb per week loss with just those changes. If it is just 2 things it feels less miserable.

If they are habits that can keep up permanently it will be easier to keep the weight off too.