I weigh 17 stone and I am looking for some advice

[Heybarbie1028]

As the title says… I weigh 17 stone, 5”7. I am obese and I know it’s time to change.

I joined the gym last week and I’ve been considering getting a personal trainer for a while. Well I had a taster session today and I honestly think I am too unfit for any personal training right now. The trainer also wasn’t that encouraging either even though I was visibly struggling. They just sort of just told me what to do and watched me.

I feel like I can’t walk now and I don’t know if it’s best I shed a few stone first by going to the gym and eating well before paying more money to tone up.

What are your thoughts? Anyone been in the same position?

Anyone ?

Change one thing this week.

So, maybe reduce your portion size by putting food on a smaller plate than you currently use, making half your plate the veg/salad, a quarter protein and a quarter carbs. Aim to have one semi-decent snack in addition to 3 meals - ie, not just an apple, but apple and cheese, or humous and oat cakes or something.

Focus on that for the week. See how it goes. You might want to make your portions smaller and see if you still feel full enough on a reduced amount of food.

If you feel up for another change next week, go to the gym twice, walk fairly quickly on a treadmill for 30 minutes each time.

Focus on that + last week's thing. See how it goes.

And so on. Maybe week 3 add on 15 minutes of some weight bearing exercises to that 30 minute gym walk.

In 3 weeks you'll have made 3 positive changes that will impact on your health, and it hopefully won't have been too overwhelming or restrictive so that you jack them in.

I lost just over 2 stone between May and December doing that. I'm now running and doing a 30 minute resistance workout 3 times a week and eating 3 pretty small meals (2 cupped hands worth) in the above proportions + one snack a day, and the weight is slowly (v slowly) coming off still. I saw a PT to give me the workouts - I've carried on without her after the initial session to write my programme. My shape has changed quite a lot.

Good luck.

I'd honestly say don't worry too much about structured exercise at the start. Try your best to do 10-15 thousand steps a day walking.

The most important thing is what you eat. It's 80% food, 20% exercise. If you don't change how you eat then exercise won't make much of an impact.

Get on MFP or the Fitbit app, and log all food, and drink. Stay under 1600 calories a day, and walk walk walk.

I mean, I'm no expert but I would say, preserve your joints and focus on weight loss first, start with some gentler exercise - like walking and swimming to start and then, when you feel ready, get a better pt.

Could you just plod along at the gym and follow your own programme? I find some PTs are entirely useless if you're not already fit. Either find a better one, or go it alone. Also most weight loss comes from creating a calorie deficit in your food, rather than from exercise.

Why can't you walk? I'm around the same weight and height as you and walk miles, though admittedly not a fast as I used to when I was three stone lighter and fitter.

Great work getting there, hard work staying but it does get easier. Take it gently and a day at a time and also look honestly at your diet. Look at portions and how much processed food you’re eating. Denial won’t help you. Also get yourself a Fitbit and walk and walk and walk. At the very least 10,000 steps a day. You can do this, you can. Very best of luck with it.

Get this boring plate - will help!

https://shop.diabetes.org.uk/cdn/shop/products/1_Word_Cloud_1024x1024.jpg?v=1571514874

I would just walk on the treadmill for now and look at diet which will be 95% of what will make the difference at this stage. I lost 3 stone a few years back with my fitness pal and 10,000 steps, no other exercise. I am older now so finding it harder but I am 2 stone down since September through diet and walking. And giving up alcohol. Good luck - you can do it but a PT might not be the right first step.

I go to a clinic that specialises in weight loss and they told me not to worry about heavy exercise for a while just make sure you do a bit each day, like a 20 min brisk walk. At your weight I would say 10 or 15 mins. My weight has fluctuated so much in my life and I know the feeling of lightness you get when your weight starts to come down is really motivating for exercise. Dragging your heavy body around is just a form of torture and it will make you feel burnt out faster. I would say wait til you are 2 stone down and then get stuck into exercise but for now focus on food and mental well-being.

Personally I would shift a couple of stone first before looking at exercise but at the same up act my activity levels, are they called NEET or something

Its soul destroying to try to be active when you're lugging a lot around, whereas when you find yourself literally lighter on your feet you'll be able to engaeg more in the gym/exercise and it wont put you off.

Yes to MFP. It's really helpful and quite an eye opener. I second Using it. Really easy tp use too. You don't need to go for any of the paying bits of it if you ate just tracking daily calories.

And if you did want to do some exercise beyond walking ...

There are some fantastic PTs out there. Don't get discouraged by one bad experience. That one sounded terrible and the opposite of what you need.

The one I have is so lovely. We had a consultation over a cup of tea at mine. Talked about goals. We don't set foot in a gym. It's so good mentally to get outside in the fresh air. She really encourages me when it gets tough, varies every work out and we have some great chats/ laughs too.

Have you got a local forum where you can ask for recommendations? I have recommended mine to about 10 people now and they all love her.

My advice is to go for a woman (sorry I just find the empathy / dynamic. Works better for me. I know there are some great male PTs too) and find one who does outside sessions too. I now do my sessions with a friend so it's a bit cheaper too.

It's great that you are making a start! Good luck.

There is a weight loss chat that is full of advice and information too OP, I check in there a lot.

I found I didn't benefit from going to the gym till I got under 14 stone at a similar height. Same with yoga. There is just too much in the way to get on the right positions and I got cramp in my ribs alot. Also anything cardio put too much pressure on my knees and ankles.I'm currently 16st so controlling my diet along with walking as much as possible to increase stamina and will bring in the exercise when I'm down a couple of stone

I had weightloss surgery 4 months ago and have only just been able to start excersise recently , after losing 4 stones, it was too difficult before, even walking was hard. I use the nutracheck app to monitor calorie intake.

Hi 16st 9lb here this morning (5ft 9) - meaning Im 7lb more than i thought.

My plan is small steps - this week to cut out all fizzy drinks. Im hooked on the sugar and know from past experience it takes me at least a week of horrendous headaches, so dont feel I can cut out food at the same time.

I'm happy to join you on your journey!

I agree with the recommendations to focus first on what you’re eating. Portion sizes and trying to eat more “whole” foods, versus processed. Lots of water.

And for exercise, try to get in about 30 mins as briskly as you can manage, even do it in 2 x 15 minute slots if that works better for you.

And then when you’ve lost some weight and feel more active, find a different PT! You will benefit enormously from strength training when the time is right.

I’ve been going to aquafit. It’s much better for your joints and you move more at your own pace. I’m much more motivated than going to the gym. I haven’t lost much weight but I feel better.

Exercise doesn’t really help with weight loss when you’re that weight (I say this as someone who was a lot heavier than you for a long time!). Focus on your diet, increase your steps and as you start to feel fitter and more energetic look into lifting weights.

I would just walk and not bother with the gym, walking is so underestimated but is a great tool for anyone wanting to lose weight without putting too much stress on your joints, not overexerting yourself, not going through that horrible humiliation at the gym and not being in horrible pain doing too much at the gym.

Walk with purpose, but you don't have to flog yourself, try and do a couple of walks per day, download some podcasts or good music.

Peloton have a really good app, even if you don't buy a peloton bike, they do loads of outdoor walking classes on their app which are great, like walking with a personal trainer at just £20 or so a month! They also have lots of treadmill classes which you can just do on the app as an outside walk if you wanted (yes you can't control the speed and height of the treadmill) but you can still speed up and down when they say and listen to the music and class.

When I lost weight, walking was one of my main exercises and still is - I can't run, I have the most amazing countryside where I live and I love getting out in the fresh air. I walk every day, business trips in different cities, I walk, holidays abroad I walk - every single day I make sure I go for a good walk.

YouTube walking workouts, low impact and you can do them in your living room for free to get you started

I think that personal trainer sounds rubbish. Maybe you could try another if you think it would help you or just do some self guided exercise or walking.

You don't need to go yo the gym you just need to move more than you consume .

Download nutracheck app and calorie count . It will fall off you ..

Fill yourself up with protein and high filling low calories foods and never get hungry

Remove all temptation

Track everything

I'd stay away from any physical training (other than 10k steps a day) until you've lost a couple of stone. Then revisit.

@Heybarbie1028 slimming world is your new best friend! Find a locksmith group, join and still to the plan. It’s easy, no calorie counting etc and it works.

Take a steady 4/5k everyday, rain or shine. You don’t need to rush, run or jog. Just walk and hit your 10k steps a day.

I used to weigh 21 stone and I now sit comfortably between 13-13.5 stone. I lose all the weight with slimming world. Once I’d lost circa 3 stone I joined a gym and built up slowly.

you’ve got this!

Another vote for walking and swimming. Starting to exercise will really help your health. The key for weight loss is diet.