How did I get so fat again!

[Catspyjamazzzz]

I’ve never ever been really thin.

I have been much smaller. I’ve yo-yoed a bit. I lost a chunk of weight last year (ww and lots of exercise).
However a year of no exercise (bad foot) and a full time job sat on my arse have really made me pile on the weight.

I feel like I don’t have the energy to do it all again. I still have foot issues and working full time limits the walking I can do (in the past I walked a lot) which I think kept my weight under control.
I’ve been very fit but never really thin and now I don’t think I am fit at all.

Please feel me stories of weight triumphs - I’ve just seen how fat my arms are!
I’m going on the exercise bike tomorrow - I am I am I am!

I'm in a similar boat. I've yo-yo'd for years and I'm almost at my heaviest and completely disappointed with myself. It's very hard. I started a thread in calorie counting...no one replied. Probably because it's such a 'boring' predictable problem with a very simple answer- stop eating crap.
And yet I do it anyway. I am changing my diet step be step and am determined to lose weight again. If you would like to join me that might help

You are fat again because you eat and drink too much and don't get enough exercise. You have to calorie count and be bothered to exercise. It is your life we are talking about here.

Have you considered swimming or aqua fit. I’m overweight but I’m toned and feel fit because I try to swim or do aquafit 4 or 5 days a week for up to an hour. I belong to the Better chain of pools which is really good value. It’s membership is on a monthly basis so no long contracts if you want to leave for any reason. My membership includes all classes, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Spinning etc, the gym, pool, sauna and steam. I can also use any leisure centre or pool in the country, so handy when I’m visiting different towns. It works out about a £1 a visit, less if I go everyday which I sometimes do. Swimming can be addictive! I started with 20/30 minute swims, the aqua classes are fun and 45 minutes go really quickly. Good Luck with the exercise bike, I have one that I bought for my husbands birthday. I should use it too but I’m too busy swimming 😆

My main issue is I moved from an active part time job (and I was very active on the days off) to an inactive full time job.

Its why I want to make a change as it’s no good for my health.
The job was very stressful and started very early so meant I got no free time. It’s literally being sat at a computer 45 hours a week. It’s a temporary contract and I won’t stay as whilst I do I think I will get fatter and fatter.

I’m off out with DC for the day but I will go on the bike tonight. Sadly I can’t join a gym, DH gets home too late.

The more active I am the less crap I eat so it can be a vicious circle.

Do you snack a lot at your desk? Try healthy snacks instead (raw carrot etc) and drink plenty of water.

Weight loss is mostly diet not exercise. You can't outrun a bad diet. Even when I was running 4 times a week I didn't really lose weight unless I was controlling what I ate too.

Bluntly, you're fat because you eat too much, it's not your jobs fault. Exercise is brilliant for many reasons but exercising for 45 minutes three times a week (for example) will make no difference at all if you don't change your approach to eating.

You don't have to eat more in a sedentary job, in fact you shouldn't need to eat as much because you're inactive. Have a look at slimming world, it's worked wonders for people I know. Or calorie count on MFP, which worked for me.

Diet first, you'll see quicker results that focussing on exercise.

This is me. I lost 6.5st and have put 4 back on. I'm scared to weigh myself so it could be more. Nothing fits and I have to keep buying bigger clothes. I know what to do so why haven't I? I started c25k and stopped. My job is active but I just eat so much crap. I don't know what's wrong with me.

18 months ago I was 10 stone and a size 10. I fell into a deep depression and just completely stopped caring about what I ate. I used to spend time preparing healthy foods and counting calories. Then I couldn't face cooking and started eating junk. I've gained 3 stone during that time

I am on the mend now, it began with drinking lots of water again, then I cut out the 10 cups of coffee a day and then I began tackling the food issue which I had come to use as a comfort thing.

I'm doing the Exante diet because not only is it quick weight loss but it takes very minimal effort to prepare but you still get all your nutrients etc, so even though I still haven't found my passion for preparing nice healthy meals, I'm still getting the nutrition I need.

I'm currently having 4 meal replacements a day and adding a few healthy snacks, I'm hoping by xmas I will have lost a good chunk of the weight.

It's scary how quickly the weight creeps on, for me it feels like it literally happened over night. I'm determined to turn it around! Wishing you all the best of luck

I've yoyoed in the past and I've ended up being the heaviest I've ever been.

Then one day I made a huge discovery. I thought I was depressed because I was fat. But now I think I'm fat because I'm depressed. I really didn't understand that I'm an emotional eater.

I really looked at what was making me unhappy. And most of it I couldn't change but I could acknowledge it. It's been a total change around in mood.

Anyway I'm back on weightwatchers and loving it. I've lost 20 pounds with another 20-30 pounds to go.

For me I intend to keep it off my recognising that if I gain weight I need to look around me and work out what's making me unhappy and how can I change it.

I went down from 11 stone 2, to 6 stone 10 in a year (I am short, 5 2, with a small frame) and have stabilised there. It is not easy, but is possible if you really want it. I went for a low fat low carb low calories approach, and gradually increased the exercise levels. I am now pretty strong and fit - out-walked my sporty husband on holiday!

It takes will power. I have recently returned from two weeks in Italy, and apart from half a scoop of ice cream on one occasion, avoided all ice cream, pizza, pasta, bread and other carbs, pastries, cakes, chocolates etc. Bit miserable, but was distracted by all the sight seeing, and it’s too hot to overeat anyway. No regrets at all.

Good luck OP - you can do it. x

Try cutting carbs out of your diet (bread, pasta, root veg, sugar). It works wonders as your body burns the fat when it doesn't have carbs to burn!

Have a look at the 'Low Carb in the UK' facebook group for more information but I can definitely vouch for it. Eggs and bacon for breakfast, strawberries and cream for tea and you still lose weight!

Obviously if you can fit in some exercise, that will help and be good for your heart... good luck!

It's mainly about what you eat and how much. Not really about the exercise. I don't eat crap but I do like a big dinner! Currently on SW to lose a stone

OP, I recommend weights. Get some handweights, an 8kg kettlebell and some barbells or dumbells. Just two short sessions at home made me feel stronger and more energetic. If you keep at it, you build muscle which burns more calories than flab. Sort of virtuous circle. Can't advise you on losing weight. I haven;t lost a pound (because I haven;t stopped eating cake, crisps, drinking wine etc every single bloody day for one excuse or another) But I do look trimmer, feel fitter and look much younger than before.

do it for your foot!
the extra weight means extra strain that hinders healing.

get good shoes that fit properly and get going.
exercise is important, but for weightloss diet is more important.

Weight loss is 70% eating related. Keeping weight off through over exercising only works until you have a injury or get bored.
Try the 16/8 diet - no food from your evening meal to lunch time the following day. It’s easy and involves no special food or counting calories.

Most diets will make you lose weight if you can stick to them, which almost nobody can long-term, because it basically requires 24/7 willpower for the rest of your life. The trick (and I haven't achieved this yet) is surely finding a simple, non-extreme way of eating that works for you and which you can make into a habit for life. Better to make really small and easy changes and lose weight veeeerrrry slowly than to go on yet another restrictive diet only to inevitably fail yet again somewhere down the line.

My new plan is this: 16:8 (i.e. skip breakfast) and no snacking between meals. That's it. No rules about what I eat, only about when.

I've put on a stone injuring my ankle 8 months ago. A mix of being sedentary and comfort eating to distract from pain.
I've now starting skipping breakfast and only having 2 meals a day plus a hot chocolate about 7.30pm to kill the sweet cravings . So basically the 16:8 diet, I only eat between 12-8pm.
I've lost 3lbs so far this week. I find if I don't eat breakfast I don't really get hungry til lunchtime. Whereas previously I was eating breakfast plus a mid morning snack.
I realistically have 2 stone to lose, I was dieting before my injury and had lost 3 stone of pregnancy weight.

Since injuring *

I'm the same OP but it's taken me years of mixed messages and weight loss groups, manic exercise etc to get my head round what most people on here are saying.

It's much more about what you eat than exercise. I've given up up WW/SW etc. I eat three decent meals a day, don't snack on crap and drink lots of water. It's coming off slowly but steadily. Approx 1.5lbs a week, give or take. I spent so long I'm the 'eat what you want and exercise it off' camp, but it just doesn't work. Not for me anyway..

I don't think low carbs work long-term and they're certainly not healthy.

Nor do I @NameChanger22. Ok for a quick fix for a week or two but that's about it.

I've realised that 'dieting' is not good for me. I get obsessed for a quick weight loss, lose weight, get complacent then the cycle starts over again. Now I've discovered that I can lose weight by just eating 'normally' and not over eating, I'm hoping this will be good for me. I'm still having treats and going out to socialise etc., I'm just not overdoing it.

However a year of no exercise (bad foot) and a full time job sat on my arse have really made me pile on the weight.

This is no magical mystery is it?!?!

I don't think low carbs work long-term and they're certainly not healthy

Why, and why? Where's your evidence for those statements?

Why, and why? Where's your evidence for those statements?

For me, it's purely my own personal opinion and experiences.