To make a decision to lose weight, and stick to it

[callherwillow]

Disclaimer - I've lost weight in the past, I'm not coming to it completely ignorant, and please don't insult me. But here are the facts:

I am 4 stone overweight, which obviously places me into the 'obese' category.
My joints hurt.
I am unfit.
My clothes don't fit.
Buying new clothes is largely a pointless exercise, as I'm hunting for things that make me look slim. Nothing makes me look slim.
I avoid having my photograph taken
I am avoiding trying to find someone for a relationship
My eating is expensive. I don't drink at all (hardly) but I can easily spend anything between £10/£20 on food. A day.
I am actually a moral person and personally believe it is wrong to use animals as food. These morals have a tendency to vanish.
I feel unattractive, unsexy, un-everything.

So, having been honest, I need to now do something about it, and properly. I'm writing this down because I hope that I will stick to it if the nest of vipers tell me to

So. Here we go ...

[Chocolatefudgecake100]

Hmmm well if uve got it sussed im sure u can lose that weight then

[fascicle]

WorraLiberty
But interestingly, every time a thread comes up asking slim people what they eat/how they eat to stay slim, the answer is overwhelmingly that they eat less food and take more exercise than the not so slim people.

I think the mindset behind the differences is key - an absence of bingeing and 'all or nothing' eating: the ability to draw a line under the occasional overindulgence, general moderation etc.

OP, could you exercise before a meal?

[LiveLifeWithPassion]

I read an article on how some people eat a lot after strenuous exercise. The solution to that was just to do exercise like walking.
You don't usually need to compensate with extra calories for walking.

[callherwillow]

That's great, BitOut

The last thing I need is dissuading.

[BitOutOfPractice]

I don't want to dissuade you from losing weight willow, not at all. It was just the method that I have reservations about.

But I truly wish you all the luck in the world

[callherwillow]

I think the important thing whatever you decide on is to stick to it, and not give up or (my usual trick) 'start tomorrow.'

[BitOutOfPractice]

Quite. That's the streak I hope I'm on!

[ronjo]

I dont know if this is possible for you OP but I did two things.

I bought a treadmill and dont really eat in the evenings unless I am going out. (which is once or twice a week).

I have lost 1.5 stones since January.

The reason I went the treadmill route is I dont have time for gym really with 2 small kids. I prepare food for them, give them ipad and off I go. I would use it 6 days a week

[squoosh]

Slow and steady is the way to go.

Beware any quick fix diets, your body will just rebel. There was an interesting article in the NY Times a few weeks ago. A study was carried out on contestants who'd participated in The Biggest Loser. They'd all lost huge amounts of weight in a short amount of time and most of them had re-gained a large portion too. Their metabolic rates had collapsed and their bodies clawed back every pound it could.

[callherwillow]

I think there's a high percentage of people who gain weight after losing it full stop - probably because we like food!

[altiara]

Good luck OP! Michael Mosely's 8 week blood sugar diet is same no of calories as the Cambridge diet. I'd recommend reading this book, it showed people who had a rapid weight loss to start with kept more motivated than those with a slow weight loss and they also kept the weight off at the end. All of which is exactly the opposite of what everyone tells you! I'm starting tomorrow (now I've been shopping) as its supposed to be able to prevent diabetes !

[LobsterQuadrille]

Hi OP, wishing you lots of luck. I don't believe at all in "diets" long term as they don't change your eating habits and I also believe that what works for one person may not work for another, despite how much they may want to share their success. I lost four stone in my early twenties (just out of university where I ballooned) by having my own plan, eating a bit less and a bit more healthily, no exercise apart from walking as I am inherently lazy and knew that I wouldn't sustain it ..... I lost a stone at a time and then plateaued for a bit each time. It's now 25 years later and I'm still four stone lighter and kind of vaguely watch what I eat but it's more that my old bad habits have become new, better habits.

[pointythings]

I think different things work for different people. I'm 4 stone lighter now than I was this time last year, but it's definitely been slow and steady. For me alcohol was the big thing - I did a Dry June last year and it completely changed my drinking habits. When I did that, I started sleeping a lot better. For some reason that made me far less hungry - a normal portion for me now is half of what it was a year ago.

I'm still losing weight slowly, have taken up running and am fitter than I have been in years. If you find something that's right for you, it will work and you will keep the weight off.

[callherwillow]

I am grateful for the support, but think I will hide the thread now as some people can't help but be critical. Thank you for the supportive posts.

[BitOutOfPractice]

That's a shame op. Nobody has been critical. Everyone has been supportive. But good luck anyway

[HicDraconis]

I have also lost weight, gained weight, lost weight, gained weight - agree that diets don't work, it's lifestyle changes. However I lost the most weight on a meal replacement plan (not Cambridge but shakes and bars so I suspect similar) and I've kept it off for the longest time so far (although some is creeping back so obviously some of the older eating habits are creeping in).

Good luck OP. I'm maintaining with low carb, more exercise (when I can get to the cross trainer anyway) and lower sugar.

One thing that I did notice - for longer term dietary plans - is there is a thread in chat where people are listing what they eat during the day. It's really been an eye opener, they eat so little compared to how much I used to eat! I think it is really about portion sizes, reducing snacking and letting your stomach shrink so you don't get so hungry between your smaller meals .... in the longer term.

[squoosh]

Gently pointing out the high failure rate of extreme low cal diets like the Cambridge diet isn't being critical. Best of luck.

[Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere]

I could of written the original post - I am always trying to lose weight and never manage more than a few pounds - until a few weeks ago!

11lb down so far and feeling like I can carry on!

[TortoiseSmile]

if you've hidden this thread callherwillow thats a shame.

the only thing I would add to what people have said is that 4 stone is alot to lose and I reckon you could lose the first 2 stone just by cutting back. I did something similar myself. just changed to sweettner rather than sugar, rarely ate pizza, cut back on amounts, things like that. Np special "diet" needed.

the last stone was harder to lose and I had to try alternate day diet to help reduce my appetite (which it did!) and I was successful - for a while.

the key for me, looking back, is to take the long view. If you want to lose a stone in 3 months, change it to 6 months. that way you won't get disheartened and it will be more realistic. you will also get time to really establish and eating pattern that suits you. healthy food with a few treats thrown in (if Mary Berry can do it so can we!).

Good luck. I'm 20 pounds overweight - 10 pounds put on because of medication side effect - and I also want to lose this.

[StarkintheSouth]

Just do it! It's all in the mind and it seems like you are ready. I lost almost three stone about 6 years ago using WeightWatchers and it really worked for me. Have kept it off all this time and maintained a size 10 which is ideal for my height. Currently preggers so am obvs not maintaining right now! But will be using WW to return to my previous weight when I am ready and currently feel confident I will be successful again.
It honestly was the best thing I ever did. I was mid 20's when I was overweight but dressing like a frump and never allowing my photo to be taken. I had no health issues per se but I was lining myself up for some as I got older. Shopping was hell and I couldn't bear to read fashion mags as there was nothing in there I could wear (and I LOVE clothes/fashion.) I would get unreasonably upset if a slimmer friend dared to complain about her looks or weight- often snapping at them or getting depressed. The final straw was when I broke down crying before a friend's hen as none of my 'going out' clothes fitted and I had to wear a tight t-shirt with my nickname on it which made me look horrendous. I was self-conscious and really had to work hard to hide my misery on a good friend's important day. Not good.
That wasn't the real me- the real me is social and easy going and loves her friends. WW was the best thing I ever did, but I had to reach a certain mental state of 'enough is enough' and WW was the plan that worked for me. Whatever method you choose, you CAN do it. Best of luck!

[jollygoose]

I joined slimming world 5 weeks ago and have lost 12lbs. I am really enjoying this diet that dosen`t feel like one. I have always shied away from groups in the past but I think it is the weekly weigh in that is keeping me on track and I have gone down a dress size already.
Good lucl op it will be worth it in the end!