What’s the easiest and least self-sacrificing way of shifting a few lockdown kilos?

[Labradabradorable]

I’ve never had to intentionally lose weight before ( that’s in part to twenty years of Chron’s disease which is thankfully in remission ). But lockdown and encroaching middle age have not been kind and I’ve gone from looking comfy and slim in my size 12 dresses to looking like someone poured me in and forgot to say ‘when’. I’m not a bad eater, never really binge but am no stranger to either the cheese aisle or the wine rack.

I am trying to swim 3 times a week, cut down on the wine and visits to the biscuit cupboard. But it’s not really shifting. Ideally I’d like to get rid of 3 kilos, even more ideally one from each bum cheek and one from my tum.

Any ideas on how to shift bit of weight without feeling constantly hungry, or worse still, hangry?

I’m like you. Size 10/12, like the weekend wine, cheese, bread. The 30 day shred dvd knocked a dress size off me in a few weeks. Big loss around the middle. It’s a 25 minute exercise regime every day and I do about five days a week but I find that less of a sacrifice than giving up wine and food. I don’t love doing it but 25 minutes is manageable and it’s well worth it for the results

What about spritzers? Half wine half soda water. Tastes quite reasonable.

I drink diet Pepsi if I want something sweet, satisfies the craving and fills me up.

16:8, low carb and cut the wine (sorry).

My best advice...
no snacking between meals.
Light breakfast (mine is coffee, which cuts the apetite, and a biscuit or sliver of chocolate - just one). Another coffee mid-morning if hungry.
Healthy lunch/small portions. Salad or similar. Save your calories.
Then in the evening you have a calorie budget to indulge a bit. For me this works best because at work I don't have time for fancy food/can't drink alcohol anyway, and I'm busy so not eating doesn't really register. When I get home in the evening and after DC in bed I get to sit down, relax and enjoy the food I like. This for me is more sustainable as I still get to eat stuff I like (it does help that I don't have a huge apetite to begin with).

I' ve definitely seen the impact of middle age and children (not that old but I do have a flabby stomach despite being fairly slim). I find that I'm mostly okay with the fact that I'll never have a six pack, as I'm not motivated enough to do abs everyday... And that the occasional treat matters more to me than looking like a model, haha.

Do 16:8 combined with low carb and exercise.

Swimming is great for fitness but not for weight loss IME. Sad but true. Maybe add brisk walking and/or jogging?

I track everything on MFP and stick to 1800 or under Sunday to Thursday and 2000 or under on Fridays and Saturdays.

Keeps me at around 8 stone 11. I am 46 and 5 foot 4.

Eat less crap

/thread

Skipping breakfast is one of the worth things you can do. Your body will get hungry and you will overcompensate by eating too much later in the day.

Do not try all that fasting shit. All you need to do will be reduce you Kcal and specifically processed food intake.

I lost about four stone and all I did was cut carbs and introduce some fasting. The 'starvation mode' thing is nonsense. If you cut out carbs you'll become fat adapted and you'll start using fat. All the stuff about keeping blood sugar levels level is just a ploy to keep us fat and dieting! Having even (high) sugar levels keeps insulin levels high which promotes fat. Now I am a slim size 10, I walk every day and do other sporadic exercise. I eat as much meat, dairy and green veg as I like.

Go running and sweat it off. Running's the best way to lose fat fast.

I’ve had to reduce my carbs as a result of gestational diabetes and it’s meant I’m losing weight, even in pregnancy. I’ve not cut them out completely, but I don’t have them at breakfast, lunch is under 30g carbs, dinner I have a 100g portion of whole grain (e.g brown rice, quinoa, wholemeal pasta) with my meal. Cutting out sugar is the important part, and not being afraid of fat! I eat plenty of protein, non starchy veg and fats and walk after every meal.

I lost about four stone and all I did was cut carbs and introduce some fasting. The 'starvation mode' thing is nonsense. If you cut out carbs you'll become fat adapted and you'll start using fat. All the stuff about keeping blood sugar levels level is just a ploy to keep us fat and dieting! Having even (high) sugar levels keeps insulin levels high which promotes fat. Now I am a slim size 10, I walk every day and do other sporadic exercise. I eat as much meat, dairy and green veg as I like.

I would hazard a guess you would have achieved the same end goal if you had changed your nutrition to meats,veg and dairy to begin with. Losing weight is about creating a good nutrition plan and cutting excess Kcals and processed shite rather than FAD diets.

.

IF (intermittent fasting, so don't eat from 8pm till 12 noon the next day - get there by moving breakfast half an hour later each day. I NEVER skipped breakfast in my life but I started a year ago, and now I can eat breakfast or not, doesn't bother me)

Cut out beige carbs except on rare occasions - so replace the rice/potatoes/pasta/bread on your plate with lots of veggies. Keep the rest of your meal the same. Again, takes a few weeks to adjust but now it feels normal to me.

Don't eat anything that combines fat and carbs (esp sugar) in the same meal. So that means biscuits, cakes, icecream, jacket spuds with butter etc. The combination of fat and carbs together is addictive and doesn't satisfy us, so we eat far more calories than intended. You don't need to be anal about it, but try hard to see these things as occasional foods rather than every day foods.

Cut out alcohol for a few weeks while you're trying to lose the pounds.

Do exercise that involves strength training. Only need to do 15 mins a day if you can't be arsed to do more, but push ups, squats, crunches, planks. Ideally use some actual weights for things like kettlebell swings and hold them whilst doing squats etc.

If you do all of this, you'll lose 3kg in a month easily. No calorie counting required.

(You could say "calories in < calories out simples" but it's clearly not that simple for most, as that ignores why we eat, which is about much more than just sustenance. Essentially, though, all low carb and IF does is getting to that place. Higher protein/higher fat meals fill you up more than higher carb meals.)

@JellyBabiesFan but that's exactly what I did do. No fad of FAD diets at all. I'm confused by your rage.

Low carb, cut out potatoes, crisps, cake, biscuits, rice and pasta and substitute with veg. Lower sugar intake, up protein intake.
Also make sure you walk 10k steps a day minimum and use something like my fitness pal to eat around 1500 cals a day. The weight will soon start to come off.

If you are lower carbing, make sure you drink plenty of water.

For simple weight loss it really is as simple as eat less calories than you use.

Tackling the habits and behaviour of eating for reasons other than being truly hungry.. Well that is the complex bit.

Ifast works cus mostly people will overall consume less calories than normal.
But if you have an eight hr window to eat and you stuff down more calories than your body uses in the 24 hr period then you will not lose weight.
Its simple fact.. Excess calories are converted to fat.

Stop the wine. Limit yourself to one biscuit a day. Three proper meals a day. Brush teeth after dinner. It's hard but effective!

Come and join me in my current hospital bed where the food is totally and utterly inedible - my weight is dropping off.

Walk. I'm doing a virtual lands end to John o groats. 520 miles in and I'm 1st 3lb lighter. Not changed my diet in the slightest.