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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To despair at how hard it is to lose weight?

193 replies

Angel1983 · 02/07/2015 20:29

I know I need to toughen myself up and it's my own fault for letting my weight get so out of control in the first place but my word how hard is it to lose weight?

I have just been to the gym and worked my backside off on the cross trainer (amongst other things). After ten minutes of really going for it (sweating and panting) I had burned only 50 calories. This is not even enough for an apple!

AIBU to feel disheartened? How do you keep your motivation? Help!Blush

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 02/07/2015 20:32

It's not exercise, it's mostly diet

You need to find the diet that works for you if you want to reduce

I walked more than 3 hours Sunday - burned off 500 ish calories

LaurieFairyCake · 02/07/2015 20:33

Join us on Slimming World Smile

Very easy, no hunger, lots of healthy food.

honeymarmalade · 02/07/2015 20:33

I feel your pain! Xx

monkeyfacegrace · 02/07/2015 20:35

It's not hard.

Cut out carbs. They are the devil. Forget any silly diet plan. And it is all about what you eat, exercise does not a lot.

Losing weight isn't hard.

Cassie258 · 02/07/2015 20:37

Oh. My. Gosh. I totally understand.

It's easily said 'eat less, move more' but it's nothing less than disheartening!

Sounds bad on the cross trainer tho, did you have it on a very high resistance setting?

987flowers · 02/07/2015 20:39

Just eat less! I know that's simplistic but it's worked for me I've just had smaller plates and put less food on it, walked around more and weight has gone! I think getting your mind in the right place is hardest thing.

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 02/07/2015 20:39

Slimming world - i'm on 8 weeks and 8lbs down!

troubleinstore · 02/07/2015 20:42

slimming world - 3st down and loving it

MrsBertMacklin · 02/07/2015 20:42

Have you worked out how many calories you can eat each day to (a) maintain and (b) lose weight?

As Laurie says, loss is diet related for the most part. Exercise will help you get smaller because it will help increase your calorie deficit (and muscle takes up less room in your trousers than fat), but it shouldn't be relied on.

I lost by eating my daily TDEE calories (TDEE calculator here), assuming that my activity level was sedentary.

Good post on the My Fitness Pal community board about TDEE

I've only used exercise to get a healthier heart and more muscle.

I highly recommend MyFitnessPal!

FuckingLiability · 02/07/2015 20:46

Definitely try MFP. You would be astonished at what a difference portion sizes make. Also, check out the SW recipes - they are easy, tasty and low calorie. I find even substituting low fat options on normal recipes can make them 'good'.

I feel your pain though, trying to shift this last 2st is HARD.

rainbowflight · 02/07/2015 20:46

I second monkeyface, cut out carbs and the weight will fall off.
I lost 6 stone in just over a year, and after the first 2 - 3 weeks, it wasn't that hard. There are lots of threads about various diets, lots with sensible advice etc...

LashesandLipstick · 02/07/2015 20:47

Cutting carbs isn't good advice, no food group is the devil. Just eat less calories than yours usung

EastMidsMummy · 02/07/2015 20:48

Cut out carbs..... Forget any silly diet plan.

Well, which is it?

Don't cut anything out. Just eat less.

mrsdavidbowie · 02/07/2015 20:48

What level are you doing on cross trainer?
I do 30 mums on a cross country mode and burn 300 calories..it goes between level 2 and 16

PenguinSalute · 02/07/2015 20:49

YY to Slimming World, I'm only 2 weeks in and got my 1/2 stone certificate tonight! Haven't felt hungry at all, and have really enjoyed trying out the recipes on the website.

Husbanddoestheironing · 02/07/2015 20:53

Eating less and moving more is easy in theory. Less so in practice (otherwise we'd all be slim). Look out for the eating 'triggers' and find a healthy sensible food plan and keep a food diary- 'my fitness pal' is good for me. Other people I know use weight watchers or similar successfully. Just aim for one day at a time. 'Confessions of a reformed dieter' by AJ Rochester is also worth a read. Funny and very inspiring. Best of luck

MrsBertMacklin · 02/07/2015 20:54

Don't know about cutting carbs out completely, I know some people are evangelical about this method, but doesn't feel right to me.

Cutting back on carbs, for sure. I've found this has happened naturally for me through meal planning.

HellBoundNothingFound · 02/07/2015 20:55

Actually losing weight can be hard for some people. It's not a simple as 'eat less move more'.

I am super active, I walk the equivalent of a marathon a week, jog 3 times a week, yoga every day, low carb and drink plenty of water and I'd be lucky to lose...I usually put on!

I'm very healthy though, so I should be grateful for that.

There is plenty of good studies showing it's diet that makes the difference, also the recent study that once you've been overweight (by a fair bit) you will always have to diet...always!

It's a bugger for some, easy for others such is life!

annandale · 02/07/2015 20:58

I find it easy for two weeks then very very hard... Am also finding myfitnesspal really helpful. Tbh could you cycle to the gym? Cycling to work 4 x a week instead of 2 x a week is definitely helping, but only if I eat less as well funnily enough.

ghostyslovesheep · 02/07/2015 21:08

a healthy diet includes carbs :) choose 'brown' ones and eat less off them

Join a group like slimming world or WW and their diets are proven to work and work for longer

watch your sugar intake

Dontlaugh · 02/07/2015 21:13

80% = diet
20% = exercise.
Lower carbs.
Use myfitnesspal.

Cantz · 02/07/2015 21:17

Honestly in my opinion slimming world is grim, start cooking everything from scratch if you can much more nutritious and your cravings should diminish when you eat nutrient dense food, even butter and cheese are great cause they make you feel satisfied longer. Do that and take som exercise every day, weigth training 3 x a week, lots of water and a good nights sleep and you will start losing. If you need to keep a tally use my fitness pal to track calories.

Offler · 02/07/2015 21:24

I've been using my fitness pal for 7 months and have lost 2.5 stone. Logging everything I eat has really helped me to focus. I also walk about 35 miles a week, swim for 30-40 min once a week, cycle when I can (shops and swimming pool).

I really recommend MFP even if you do SW or something else, it just helps you see where you can make changes, even small ones can make a difference over time.

AndAnotherThing1 · 02/07/2015 21:25

Too many charlatans out there trying to flog expensive meal replacements or promote faddy and unproven meal plans in my view. It's an industry that profits from the failure of its own advice - because we all become repeat customers. I downloaded an app called Loserz which is basically a forum of people supporting each other in pretty sensible ways. It's a new one I think and, even if I don't lose weight, at least no-one is trying to sell me anything.

sometimessunshine · 02/07/2015 21:27

I have lost 21lbs (in 3 months) by adjusting my eating habits, I just eat less, no low fat rubbish, no slimming world or weight watchers crap. It takes a bit of getting used to in the first week but I am rarely hungry now and eat a wide selection of foods, just not mountains of it like I used to. I have done slimming world in the past but i feel it just encouraged me to over eat and although it was 'free food' it just added to my problem of eating for the sake of it and eating when I wasn't hungry. Oh and I don't do any exercise at all. Hope it gets easier for you.

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