I skimmed down from over 15 stone to 7 and a half stone AMA

[Scammell]

This!!

@Danikm151

Did you have much loose skin?

@Scammell

None.

How can you have NO loose skin after losing almost 8 stone in 18 months?

(Especially if you are in your 30s.)

I am also your age and height OP and very slim. Size OO in jeans, light framed. 7.5 stone is very low!

You should be so proud of the weight loss but I would be working out now how to maintain at slightly more. 8.5 atleast! I say so because I have been that weight before and whilst ‘healthy’ on paper it’s really not actually that great in reality and my body starts to grind to a halt after a year or so. Brain fog, periods stopping, low blood pressure issues etc. Never mind the loss of the boobs and bum! They are the last to go but also the last place weight gets put on so you really want to aim to keep that little bit of extra weight!

It’s much better to eat pre packaged food for 18 months compared to being 7.5 stone heavier/overweight. Congratulations OP it’s a real achievement especially exercising so much on low calories for so long.

Thank you - yes I agree

Yes at 7.5 stone I was very 'straight up and down' - no curves

I was late 20s at the time. I had one barely discernible fold of skin - that's all and I'd lost the weight gradually with exercise - remember 1330 cals a day is not far off maintenance cals for some !

Well done on the weight loss and maintains for so long, but that’s not a great diet, or good use of calories.
I’ve lost 5st through calorie counting and eat 3 meals plus snack everyday. You can easily incorporate some protein and a decent lunch on 1350 Cals a day.

Did you ever feel yourself getting towards an eating disorder as part of the dieting? I ask because I can be a super disciplined long term dieter but my eating disorders always seem to resurface after a certain weight, so I keep myself about 10 lbs above my actual "fighting weight" to avoid that.

@*Newmum0322
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Thank you very much :)

Exercise is 3 times a week for weight maintenance

1330 was average - but I'd have treats then make up for this with a bigger deficit

No 1330 wasn't restrictive as I could have a meal out then make up for the deficit later

I have to disagree. OP said earlier that she was eating between 800-1000 calories a day. That's a quick route to potassium deficiency and heart failure.

It's not healthy and mentally well people should not be aiming to follow in her footsteps. OP has been incredibly lucky that she didn't damage herself following such a restricted for so long.

I'm pleased she feels better but she really needs to be careful now and seek help if she starts slipping back into severe calorie restriction.

No I never felt near an eating disorder

Got to admire your determination. I managed to get to a bit under 8 stone in 6 months from 10 stone after my second pregnancy. Couldn't get lower than that no matter how hard I tried and I'm the same height.

I put it all back on over 2021 but I've lost a fair chunk recently. Struggling to find the motivation to go further to be honest, it means eating less which I don't want to do and can't really if I want to keep my strength for weight lifting. Would be nice to get into my clothes again though!!

Well done, that's amazing. I lost a stone gor myvwedding using MyFitness pal and walking 10000 steps a day but put it back on after 4 months of intense stress.

What's your diet coke tip? 😂

No and no

I’ve always been a healthy weight but if I try and eat that little I feel faint and start shaking and sweating like crazy! I got down to 7.5 stone once (5’3) and lost my periods for 6 months. Honestly I have no idea how you eat so little

My reason for saying that is I don’t think this is achievable for a lot of people. Weight loss is very simple & not rocket science but it’s down to consistency and discipline which is very difficult to maintain if you’re starving yourself

At what level of weight loss did people really notice it and did people start telling you you were losing too much?

Also how have you managed to maintain? I’m very good at losing weight but do it by being quite controlling. I am not very good at loosening the grip and maintaining.

People who have had weight loss surgery tend to sit at about those calories for a very long time, a year, couple of years. As long as OP had the right supplements it would have been better for her to do that rather than remain at that level of overweight

Just want to say well bloody done 👏👏👏👏amazing. Wishing you a fabulous future

Well done, I lost 5 stone , 4 stone on SW . People go on about that being shit as well

The last stone was on a 28 day body blast with a pt eating not much more than oats, chicken and veg everyday

It's amazing how differently people treat you when you are thin

Firstly - well done!!

Secondly, do you think that allowing a chunk of your daily calories to go on chocolate or other junk food helped you stick with the diet for longer, ultimately contributing to your success?

I find that whenever I try to completely cut out low nutrition, calorie-dense foods I love, or even just save them for a 'cheat day', I crave them more, and think about eating them more, and one moment of weakness can lead to bingeing on them. And breaking that boundary feels like such a set back that I get discouraged and feel that the diet has failed completely and I have to start over again. Very all or nothing thinking.

I definitely think calorie counting helps me because I have a great knack for deluding myself about how much I really eat. Think I'm going to start this properly next week (for practical reasons). And exercising a little every day - also seems more realistic for me to keep up, rather than trying to a big session every other day. Thank you for reminding me that it can be done!

do you have loose skin?

Ah thank you and - you're welcome ! Glad I've helped. In relation to your second point - tbh no, not necessarily

Have you maintained your loss?

@*CanStopWillStop
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Only one tiny hardly discernible bit so I may as well say no !