Please can you tell me how your life improved once you finally got round to losing weight .

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Tia

Well I have not lost massive amounts, probably about 1.5 stone. But I went from a size 16 who was probably in denial about nudging size 18 with a BMI of nearly 28 to a very comfortable size 14 with a BMI of about 22 and I do feel so much healthier and more energetic. I also feel more confident about buying nice clothes rather than hiding behind the same old drab stuff.

For me it was the 5:2 coupled with a bit of sensible restraint about crisps and biscuits and things. I now do 6:1 just to try and maintain where I am.

I've lost just over 60lbs over 3.5 years so its been slow going but I've only ever gained due to holidays and Christmas. There has been a lot of sts due to eating or drinking but keeping up with exercise. I've done all sorts but what has worked best is clean eating and bootcamp style exercises eg metafit or 30 day shred dvd plus a bit of running (love c25k) and spinning.

Benefits are as above really...feel healthier, sleep better, more energy and confidence, enjoy fashion/going out more and yes, people treat me differently. That could be my improved confidence or for other factors but I've definitely noticed it, mainly at work.

Thankyou Broken Slimming World but the first time the weight came off very quickly (a stone a month for seven months) and i got very ill with gall bladder disease. I was told by medical professionals that it was due to losing weight too fast.

I think there is a lot to be said for slow and steady wins the race. And it has been slower the second time.

Thank you Helena, that's probably good advice.

Such an inspiring thread making me want to lose weight even more.
I'm 10 stone overweight buy I won't say that's what I defo need to lose I will jsiy see how I feel when it starts coming off?

Used to alway want to do it for how I looked now it's definitely health reasons...
Will be starting sometime this week.

Take it steady choco queen My second weight loss came off at a pound and a half a fortnight but over the course of two years that amounted to 4 stone. Every ounce counts

So glad I have found this thread. I am a size 16/18 and only 5' 3", so I desperately need to lose weight - I think I need to lose around 4st, but I haven't had the courage to stand on the scales yet.

I have invested in a Fitbit with some Xmas money I got and I have also downloaded the Couch to 5K app on my phone. I think tomorrow is as good a time as any to start...

With regards to diet, I was thinking about joining SW, but I am going to start by calorie counting and watching what I eat first.

Good luck everyone!

I need to lose 5 stone. Lost 3 stone a few years ago through walking,cycling and cutting out crap, then DC4 came along and crap mental health issues kicked in so I piled it all back on and more. Had a tough few years and really feeling the effects of creaking knees, mahoosive belly, heartburn and just generally feeling like shit and constantly tired.

This thread is inspiring and just what I need.

I bought a Nutri Ninja yesterday and have a fridge full of kale, carrots and fruit - so I better start loving smoothies!

I don't think losing weight will solve all my problems but if I can feel better, more confident and more energetic when dealing with them, then hell I'm going to go for it.

I lost about 2 and a half stone and began going to the gym every other day. I loved feeling strong. I could tote luggage easily, bound up stairs, go hiking, yomp across town without dissolving in a muck sweat. My feet didn't hurt, nor my back, or neck, or shoulders. My posture was excellent.

2 children, a caesarean, one financial crisis, one major bereavement and one life-changing diagnosis later, I've got twice as much to lose. And to be honest, while I do fret about how I look, the resultant loss of status (undeniable), deterioration of sex life and lack of nice clothes, it is the idea if recovering that magic feeling of health and strength that really spurs me on.

Ive been fed up of myself for a while and had been thinking of losing weight/getting healthy for quite some time because Im in my late 50s now and Im feeling it as well as the niggling health problems I have including Pre-Diabetes which Im medicated for.

So one day last week I just got up and went to the gym for an assessment etc and that was it. There was no thinking about it for weeks, no planning, no pontificating, no putting off, no starting next week - I just got up that day and did it.

Im now day 6 into it and Im doing really well even though for the time being my day is broken in to small chunks that I get through one by one because this giving up confectionary, which was my downfall, is hard.

I looked at my lifestyle and realised that apart from having my disabled son to look after at home with the help of round the clock carers that I'm what's usually called a 'lady of leisure' and when I realised this I realised there is no excuse whatsoever for not being able to do this. So yesterday for instance I was at the gym at 6.30am because I could be there at 6.30am prior to going on to a normal day. Previously I would have said oh I couldn't go because the only time suitable was 6.30 and who goes to the gym at that time of day?

Ive downloaded Myfitnesspal and Im logging everything and I have to go to the gym 5 days a week. I have cardio days, a pilates day to help with flexibility, and on the the other 2 days I'll do shorter cardio then a session of personal training. Im also lucky that my SIL is a Dr with a personal interest in sports medicine so he's looking after me as well.

Im feeling very well supported and I really do think I can do this - all 40kg of it.

Pleased with my weight loss efforts. My reflection in the mirror was it's own reward.

Glad to be able to wear better, nicer clothes.

Sadly the seven and a half stone I lost over a three and a half year period then kept it off for several years is now back.

My fault, 'comfort eating' is the default setting when I self medicate. I just can't seem to get on top of my emotions and stay on top. Living overseas and being unemployed doesn't help.

However, New Year is here and giving up trying to lose weight and exercise isn't going to help. There's people with worse relapses/collapses than me.

I really like myfitnesspal. Id never seen it before this thread.

I started it yesterday had a modest day with some sweets and alcohol but went for a run.

When I logged off it said if I did that every day is gain 3lbs in 5 weeks

Well that's me told!

MFP seems to have a default setting where it tells you that you need to eat 1400 cal a day to lose weight.

I used MFP just to keep a food diary to get a handle on how many calories I was eating. I used www.thefastdiet.co.uk to tell me how much I should be eating to maintain for height / weight / age, and then a Fitbit and MapMyWalk and MapMyRide apps to keep track of calories burned by exercise.

I also found that taking measurements (bust, waist, hips, thighs) once a week was really helpful as sometimes you lost inches without the scales budging much. And just a once-a-week weigh in too.

Great thread. I start my weightloss journey today so a big thank you to everyone for sharing your stories.

I need to lose weight and deliberately started my diet before Christmas otherwise I would be facing an even bigger task in January. I did have a few treats over Christmas but still lost a bit of weight. I am taking it slowly so expect it to take more than 6 months to get the weight off (I would be happy if it comes off in 10 months).

The main reasons I am losing weight are health ones. My knees and feet creak and click, I have heartburn and I snore. I think my body is telling me that it can't keep coping with the extra weight.

Having less discomfort and sleeping better should make life feel a bit easier.

Gosh some of the posts are making me sad...in all my fat years (I still am), I don't think I have been treated badly for being overweight..I had the odd comment asking me if I was pregnant when I was not but nothing else.

I've lost 6 stone very very slowly over about 8 years, but it's stayed off.

The main improvements are:
my knee stopped hurting
my sleep apnea went away
my energy levels improved immensely
I feel less hungry

Great thread!

I reached my goal weight using lighter life. I maintained for several months. I was the happiest I've ever been in my life in regards to my body. Currently pregnant and kind of went off the deep end, but I now I can do it and will do it again

There are so many reasons for losing weight:

Clothes fit better.

Easier to shop.

Skin looks great.

Look younger.

Don't snore/knees don't ache.

Easier to look good - even if I just throw something on, and its not coordinated, hair unwashed or whatever at least I'm not overweight as well!

People treat me much, much better. It is ridiculous actually, the way people are so much nicer to you. They give you more respect. But it's true that women are jealous.

It's assumed that I am more competent/capable/ intelligent. I'm not, ha!

At my biggest I was an 18. I'm now a 10. I'm 5'5 and have realised that I do not need that many calories in a day. 1400 is enough for me.

Lower carb worked for me - cutting out pasta and bread. I still eat potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash etc and lots of pulses. Pump your portions up with loads of veg. Cut out sugar and alcohol, it does you no favors at all.

This may sound silly but when I see someone I can tell what they eat judging by their skin. Fruit and veg = a glow, it really does. Sugar and simple carbs = grey.

MFP was an eye-opener too, its amazing how many calories are in stuff! Breakfast cereal was the worst.

Best very low sugar cereals are Weetabix and Shredded Wheat. The plain ones in both cases

I have also started again today, I am not quite at the heaviest I was once before but not far off. I managed to lose it then and felt so much better and looked great in holiday snaps. But I put it all back on again and look and feel dreadful. I am planning to use 5:2 and have signed up to the thread on it on mumsnet. I use mfp and it us interesting how many calories and how much sugar some things contain. If anyone wants a mfp pal my user name on there is suep1001

Spending less on clothes because more things look good, when bigger I comfort buy anything that looks ok, in every colour

Great thread, I'm a couple of days into my weight loss 'journey' and this is good motivation.

Inspirational thread - love reading these stories

It's also very refreshing and enlightening to know how to eat properly too.

I think a lot of people have no clue about portions, nutrition, what to actually eat, what is healthy and the effect on your health.

Even if I do put on a few pounds it's so easy to lose them again, not a huge battle. Just follow the same principles that I did before. Even a few pounds is a reminder that being overweight is rubbish.

It's not until you lose weight that you realize how good life can be. It's positive in every way.