How did you lose a stone?

[Allatsea1980s]

Just that really. I don’t need to lose loads of weight, but am upper end of healthy bmi, just felt better when I was a bit slimmer. Early 40s, not going to have any more children.
I just feel a bit…bleurgh. Clothes don’t fit quite as well, stomach is a bit podgy, feel my face is a bit fatter.
I have looked at joining a gym but so expensive and to be honest with two small children not sure I really have the time. I quite like running and walking. Yoga and swimming are ok.
I do realise there are far more important and concerning things going on in the world. But in an effort to try and ignore them I’d just like a few tips to try and follow, for vanity’s sake!

I have 1st 10lb to lose postpartum and this thread is so helpful!

I’ve lost a significant amount of weight, not sure how much as I’ve not weighed myself, but I’ve gone from 14-16 size clothes to 12-14 and more in the 12 and feel so much better for it. My waist to height ratio is now just in the healthy range! I gave myself 100 days which started in August and cut out the refined sugar, got back into running and went to 3 meals, no snacks - I eat reasonably healthily at meal times anyway. I took it slowly knowing that this needed to be a lifestyle change and previously I’d get frustrated at the scales if they didn’t move, so measured my progress with clothes and also celebrated the wins/positive changes. Treats are now things like a bath with really nice bath stuff, visit to a local spa, getting my nails done etc.

I do now eat the odd bit of chocolate but it is as part of a meal, I’ve kept up the not snacking - if I’m hungry between meals, I’ll generally get a hot drink. (Big fan of herbal teas.) I relaxed over Christmas but was keeping up the running, but fell back into the 3 meals and less refined sugar very easily afterwards. I’d like to get back to a size 12 properly so a bit more to go, but it feels doable and sustainable.

That’s interesting, it sounds like it’s changed again so I may take another look

@Allatsea1980s

You get used to it quite quickly Those on weight loss jabs are eating very little too and they all seem quite happy 😊.

No not really. It took a while to get used to it, first couple of weeks I'd cave about 3 o'clock and eat something not fruit but I'd also have something like beetroot, spring onions, cucumber mixed up with salad cream and a bit of ham, potato salad as well. That is really yummy.

I tend not to do it regularly now as my weight has stayed stable for years but I know I can if needed.

😆 that's working for me!

This is what my daughter did and she looks amazing, from beached whale to slim and curvy. I can’t cope with restrictions and calorie counting so I’ve taken a leaf out of her book and switched to whole foods and starting my first meal at lunchtime ( I rarely had breakfast so that’s easy). I’m only in my first full week and the sugar headache is real! But I’ve been amazed how full I feel for longer. I don’t eat late anyway because I get awful acid reflux if I do so have a natural eating window of roughly 12 midday to 6-7 pm which fits into my lifestyle

Good luck OP, you’re getting lots of good advice here

Ditch the booze and the snacks. Portion control is key. If I track calories very strictly, avoid snacking, I lose weight quite easily, 3lbs off last week from just not snacking.

Beached whale? Who describes their daughter that way Christ?!

This was her description not mine

Generally speaking when we’re self deprecating we’re not expecting our nearest and dearest to repeat it…anonymous forum or not!

This is all so helpful. Have been tracking calories today - eye opening as to how much snacks add up.
trying to keep steps up so took dc to playground rather than let them watch tv on wet afternoon - so probably good for all of us!
am feeling inspired by the responses thank you!

Three things:

Eating only non processed foods & count cals (though I wouldn't set a goal - often the process of counting makes you accountable)

Triple the amount of water you're drinking

Do things to build muscle - even just body weight exercise - it won't make you loose weight per se, but it's amazing for long term health and keeping your metabolism fired up.

I was in the same boat last year. Early 40s, only wanted to lose a stone to get back to healthy bmi and have my clothes fit comfortably. I thought it would be impossible, or just really really hard as I'd only achieved this with intensive weight lifting before and I knew I couldn't commit to that anymore.

I went with the basic approach. Worked out the calories and protein in everything I would normally eat. Used an app to work out how many calories I could eat per day to lose weight slowly. Then made minor adjustments to reduce my calorie intake to that amount. Also stopped eating at all after my evening meal, which had been my worst time for snacking on biscuits. Took some getting used to to get out of that habit.

It worked brilliantly. No major changes, no big diet as such. Just making myself very aware of how many calories were in things and then staying within my limit. I lost weight slowly, but easily. Its been 8 months and while I no longer count up my calories as I pretty much know at this stage what I can eat in a day, I have lost the weight and kept it off consistently. I've naturally plateaued so eating the same calories as when I started has now become my maintenance amount.

I think what has made it most sustainable is not doing anything radical, just basic maths, becoming aware of how many calories are in snacks, and some minor tweaks to my normal diet. Haven't made any exercise changes, I walk 10k steps each day with the dog and have done for years.

I put everything I ate today into chat gpt and asked it to work out my calories which I did and it came out as 1450 which is what I need to eat to lose weight. Such an easy way to do it!