To ask how long it takes to lose 10 stone plus

[User7777000]

Please be gentle as this is a result of very poor mental health for a long time including being in mental health unit for almost two years. I weighed yesterday and I’m 21 stone and only 5’4 so obviously very overweight I would like to be around nine stone as that’s where I felt more comfortable.

Well it's going to take a while, but every wee bit you lose is going to make you feel better about yourself. Sustainable weight loss is about 1-2 pounds a week, you need to take things slowly as crash diets are just madness. I'd say about 18 months.

All the best with your weight loss. I am trying to shift weight myself after a shock diagnosis of high cholesterol, have lost 6kg since the start of October, which is about 13 pounds over 8 weeks-ish.

I would aim for half a stone a month - that will take some will power, but once you get started it will become easier

So true, it's going to take a long time, maybe a couple of years but you'll feel better almost straight away, like within a week, and keep feeling better and better all through the process.

start by making the decision here and now that sweet treats are totally out, no biscuits, cakes, sweets or puddings at all. Don't eat or drink things with artificial sweeteners in either, your body has the same metabolic response to them, and it keeps your sweet tooth alive

Thank you both and good luck with your weight loss journey CharityShopChic. You’ve done so well already.

TO be honest @User7777000 I was so shocked to be told that my cholesterol was high that it was easy to stop eating the things I know are bad for raising that - pastries, cakes, red meat, cheese, butter. And I don't miss it at all. I don't deprive myself of absolutely everything though, will have a biscuit or small treat after dinner because I know that for me total deprivation just makes me fall off the wagon and eat rubbish. It sounds really corny but diets don't work, healthy eating does.

I think about 2 years. You will have periods where you plateau, holidays etc.

What's your plan, how are you going to do it?

I've lost 4 stone this yesr and I can honestly say I felt amazing even after losing the first stone. Lighter and more springy, clothes looking better, face slimmer.

I can highly highly recommend the r/loseit board on Reddit as a brilliant supportive resource. It got me started and I've not looked back. Into the final few pounds now before I start my next journey and move into maintenance, where I've always fallen down but this time I'm ready.

You need to be prepared for it to take a long time. In the region of 2 to 3 years. If you try and do it more quickly you will fail on many fronts.

If you benefit from peer support a slimming club can be useful - but as with all these things a lot depends on the skill and personality of the group leader.

Online groups - such as Weight Loss Resources, can be good (and cheaper than a physical group) if you respond well to keeping a diary. With them you will record all your food (and calories) - it can also be motivational.

I would suggest for the first couple of weeks you don't try to reduce specifically, just record everything that you eat. That way you will be able to look at your diet and work out changes that you can make that suit you. Weighing all your food is very useful too. Sometimes, when we are used to comfort or mindless eating, we lose sight of what a normal portion is.

Take it steady, be kind to yourself and build little treats in - but don't keep in the house anything that you are unable to resist.

I love crisps and can easily eat 2, 3 or even more packets in a day. I don't want to totally deprive myself so I keep multibags in the boot of my car. I can then have I bag if I really want to but I am not just mindlessly grabbing a packet as I walk past or because I can't be bothered to make proper food.

You will learn what your triggers are, what you can give up and what you can just cut down on.

The good news is, if this has been one journey up to that weight and you haven't yo yoed over the years, losing weight will probably be easier as your body hasn't coped with restrictions before. If you have gained and lost a lot before it's harder but it is still definitely doable. And even if it's slow. Every pound is one in the right direction.

I’m not really sure if I’m honest I’m thinking of going to the GP or asking my mental health team for support but I feel it embarrassed but obviously they can see how overweight I am so don’t know why I feel embarrassed asking for support

Here is a long running thread for those who have a lot to lose:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/chat/4895442-morbidly-obese-help?page=10

You have to look at this as a long term, change of lifestyle project.

Deal with your mental health issues
Stop or at least reduce UPF, sugar, refined carbs
Eat mostly plants and a fair bit of lean protein.
Intermittent fasting works for many, ie brunch instead of breakfast plus lunch
Don't drink calories... (alcohol, sodas, juice)
Exercise - work out with Lucy Wyndham Read to start with, but also add in weight training/dumbbells

Even though it'll take a while, you'll start feeling benefits after just a few weeks. In time you'll find it easier to be active because you weigh less, your clothes feel loose, you generally start feeling more confident and healthy.

It starts with self love. Reframe it from “I need to lose weight” to “I need and deserve to take care of myself”. Look after your body like the precious thing it is that is going to help you live. You deserve to be treated well by others AND by yourself ❤️

I’m guessing a couple of years, but by the end of year 1 you’ll be in a dramatically different place - and even in 3 months you’ll be feeling much better.

With a long project like this celebrating as you go is vital, so have the long plan in your head but set a 3 month target as your actual goal. And make it very achievable to start - much better for your mental health to set yourself something you know you can do and then surprise yourself by doing better.

I was 21 stone 14 months ago-I’m 10 stone now. I promise it’s doable just don’t think about the big picture-concentrate on wanting to lose a few pounds each time..it snowballs. It’s getting started that’s the hard thing..again small steps; can you add a 5 minute walk in? Swop a takeaway for a lower calorie option?

18 months - 3 years I would guess. I lost 5 in 9 months, it does slow down a lot as you get smaller, and there are plateaus. And there will be times you just get demotivated. Aim for slow and steady, not too big a calorie deficit, and you are more likely to be successful.

Do NOT be embarrassed. Your GP will be supportive and delighted that you have recognised the issue and want to do something about it. In some areas they can give vouchers for weight loss clubs or gyms if you think that'd be helpful.

Definitely talk to your GP and don't be embarrassed. They will be able to refer you to some services who can help.

I would strongly recommend against following this advice. I have managed to lose weight and keep it off and one of the main reasons is because I have not banned any foods. Instead, I moderated frequency and portion size in collaboration with a dietician.

If you're someone who has a sweet tooth it is unsustainable long term to completely ban all treat food. You'll be miserable and will crack sooner or later and there's a risk you'll binge, declare that you've failed and give up. Then next time you try to lose weight you'll be starting from a much worse place, mentally speaking. I've seen it happen time and time again. If you really want to lose weight you need to seek help and make slow, sustainable changes.

To directly answer the question, I lost my weight at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week. I did not make any changes I was not prepared to keep up indefinitely and as I said above I did not ban any foods. Over a year later I've kept the weight off so naturally would recommend this approach.

agree with anjovis. this doesn't need to be punishing. and it doesn't need to be complicated. Any kind of calorie deficit will make you lose weight - yes some people do that by cutting out food groups but you don't have to. I've been looking back through my photos this year and I've eaten all sorts - takeaway chinese, pizza, fish and chips, fry ups. For me the key is tracking my calorie intake and keeping below a certain number. I know I can do this forever - and it has to be something you can keep up forever.

It took me about 2 and a half years but in all that time I never went below 2000 calories a day. As the weight started dropping, after about 4-5st lost I joined a gym and began exercising increasing gradually which kept the weight loss going.

What you need to do is not look at it like a diet but as a lifestyle change. I'm type 2 diabetic and had a scare with my blood sugars earlier this year (lots of stress following bereavement). I've been following a reduced carb diet ever since, and to be honest, it's second nature now. I regularly lose 3-4 lb a month, am never hungry and never feel deprived.

I'm really careful with shopping - I make a rough meal plan, shop online and never go into a supermarket as it's too tempting especially if you're hungry. And if it's not in the house, it's not a temptation!