To think almost no one manages to lose a lot of weight and keep it off?

[sniffy]

I'm fat and I'm sad.
I am about 4 stones overweight and almost 50, the heaviest (and the oldest) I have ever been.

I see numerous threads on MN and elsewhere where people try to support each other in losing weight. They all start matey and optimistic with people posting their weigh and what they eat.

Weeks pass and the nature of contributions change to "sorry I've not been posting - really hard month, DDs birthday, works night out, fell of the wagon..." One by one everyone fades away AND NOONE EVER SEEMS TO ACTUALLY LOSE THE LARD AND KEEP IT OFF. Just like in real life.

I have seen this happen dozens, possibly hundreds of times on mumsnet and elsewhere.

Please convince me otherwise, or join me in giving up

I don't think yabu, I remember a doctor on a tv show saying that the most that a person can lose and long term keep off is 2 1/2 stones. I think that amount is probably about right, when I have seen people lose stones of weight it creeps back on quite quickly, but losing 2 1/2 stones is a good achievement-so maybe the key is to lower your aims.

I am on a "diet" at the moment. I've gained 2 stones in the last couple of years and I've been miserable (without really acknowledging that sad feeling was due to a poor diet and no exercise whatsoever)

I am determined to lose this weight and GET HEALTHY again. It's the GET HEALTHY part which is motivating me at the moment.

I've started keeping an online journal as well, I'm hoping that when I'm further on I will be able to look back and see how miserable I was feeling before I started making healthy choices, and that it will keep me going...I hope so anyway.

I am someone else who lost five stone and then put it all back on again (have just started again and have so far lost a stone). I was so sure when I lost all that weight that I wouldn't get so fat again, but, I am afraid, emotional issues got in the way and I just could not eat sensibly.

For me, the weight went on with my first pregnancy; second was worse, and I just could not lose any of it. About seven years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and now take 150 mcg of thyroxine. To be honest, taking the thyroxine didn't seem to make any difference to my weight, although my doctor assured me that it would.

I am now 63; last year I had to have a knee replacement operation - and I know the other knee also needs replacing which is why I am trying so hard to lose weight again now. The lighter I am the better the knee should be - and even if it isn't, at least if I am lighter the operation will be easier. So, please, please, please, just bear in mind that if you are overweight it is putting an enormous strain on your joints - I wouldn't wish a knee replacement op on anyone.

Bear in mind that probably, all the people who stop posting about their diet are probably too busy being active and enjoying the fruits of being slimmer to bother posting on websites :)

I took around two stone off two years ago. I was not tremendously overweight, but I was noticing I was really struggling to walk up hills and go on longer walks. Taking on two young children in my late forties also made me realise I owed it to them to get fitter.

I found it so hard to lose the weight that I was determined to avoid previous mistakes and not put it back on again. I knew it was make or break time and I had to decide if I wanted to be plump and out of breath or a bit slimmer and keeping up with the kids.

I have learned to avoid cake - not completely - its just that when I eat a slice I wanted another and another. We all have individual weaknesses.

Go for it. Once you have done it for a fortnight I believe you will carry on or at least I found I could. I also found that I began to lose interest in chocolate as my tastes began to change.

calamityKate, how i wish that were true, but we all know it's because they are off scarfing crisps and cakes

I lost 4 stone over two years, 7 years ago and kept most of it off. 1 stone has crept back on this last year as I've changed lifestyle. Just healthy eating and being consistent, I lost it. After it was very easy to maintain, as long as I dealt with gain before I had to go up a dress size. You can do this once you fine what suits you.

I know how you feel and it does just go to show that diets don't work.

I have lost lots of weight thanks to breastfeeding and am down to a level I'm happy with (could lose a couple more kgs from a vanity perspective, but happy with how I look clothed, at any rate ) and am determined to stay this way.

I have admitted to myself that I am just not one of those people who can eat whatever I want, so when it comes to situations where I want to eat something not ideal, I ask myself if it's really, really worth it.

I walk every day and I weigh myself every day, and I think these two things are what's helping more than anything. In the past I never weighed myself and the weight would creep back on insidiously and unnoticed until I'd gone up a size or two. This way I can see if I'm gaining and deal with it straight away. A much easier task then starting the whole weight-loss process over again.

Good luck - you can do it!!

I lost 2 stone, I haven't put it back on from a size 16 to a size 12. A stone to go but have got lazy. Still havent put any back on though. Been four six months.