to ask who has lost massive amount of weight for the nth time and how did you do it?

[AteRiri]

Actually I have done it before (50 pounds in 6 months ) but for some reason I can't do it again.

And the weight is piling up. I'm not even cheating!

Inspire me?

Unfortunately I think the easiest option is not to get very overweight.

I can overeat massively, but have never weighed more than 9.5 stones.
If my clothes start to feel a little tight then I cut back on calories. I can lose 7 lbs in a couple of weeks, so never becomes a big problem.
I also go to the gym 4 times a week, and that helps me focus on staying healthy.

How helpful Westray

Some people are more predisposed to gain weight, and some people have bigger issues in their life than weight so don't realise the issue early and spiral.

You come across as a bit sanctimonious there...

I lost 5 stone in 4 months a 9 years ago doing Cambridge diet. Unfortunately due to complacency and ill health I put 3 of those back on over the last couple of years. I have now lost 2 stone doing slimming world. A lot slower but at least this time I educating myself better about food.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that I do have a medically recognised (and medically diagnosed) metalobic condition which means I can pile on weight at the drop of a hat but really struggle to loose it.
With slimming world I have regular, decent losses (1 - 3 lb a week) and I don't always stick 100% to it but I make sure to have half my meals as "superfree" rather than one third and I keep carbs down.
Bread in particular is something that will prevent me having a good loss.

I said 2000 with exercise. Walking 10k steps roughly equates to 5 miles a day. Do it in one go at a clip and you're burning 300-400 cals in normal activity. Time at the gym/classes should be on top of that. So net calorie intake would be 1500-1600 per day. I have pcos and have a reduced BMR but it's no excuse - you can still lose weight.

Not a massive amount but a massive amount for me personally. I lost 1.5 stone by calorie counting. Wasn't bothered what I ate as long as it was within calories. I find I really have to have my head in the game to be successful. For me it was just taking back control of my life after having a baby and getting my own identity back. I'm not counting now as I'm around and about goal weight but I did learn a lot in terms of portion sizes especially with things like pasta/rice etc

I don't get these very low calorie diets. They're not sustainable in the long-term so as soon as you go back to eating "normally", of course you're going to put the weight back on. They're also terrible for your metabolism. The key is making sustainable long-term changes that you can stick to forever.

Groupie123, you do NOT need a deficit of 1000 calories per day to lose weight, you just need a deficit (and best is a level you can easily sustain). If you are in deficit you WILL lose weight, the only variable will be the speed (the higher the deficit the quicker the weight loss).

Bumblebee61, starvation mode is a myth..as is the need to eat small amounts constantly. I have lost over 5 stone so far using intermittent fasting, and legion are the others who have lost (and maintained) much more than that..all predicated on a system (which essentially relies on Calories In Calories out, that thing that people say doesn't work) that goes completely against those two myths. Nutritional concerns aside (I'm not addressing that in any way - that's a separate issue), eat what you want, when you want, maintain a deficit and you will lose weight.

"Unfortunately I think the easiest option is not to get very overweight". Well that's useful Westray, so all she needs is a Time Machine, and problem solved!

In the last 12 months I've lost just over 3 stone (20kg).

I eat a low carb / high healthy fat diet. So no "white stuff" or heavily processed food. So lots of "colourful" vegetables, eggs, meat, seeds, nuts, nut and olive oil, some diary, some fruit.

A year on I do have more variety, things like legumes, pulses, while grains and more root veges.

I plan my food (and my daughter's) for the week and shop in the weekend. Always make sure I have something in the freezer. Eggs are never a bad idea for a quick dinner.

My other advice would be:

• consider doing the Whole 30 or the Blood Sugar Diet. Be true to them and weigh at the end, not during. There are heaps of recipes on Pinterest.

• get a full set of bloods done. There are three thyroid tests TSH, T3 and T4, get your Hb1ac done, tests for deficiencies such as B12, Vit D etc. Correcting an imbalance can make a huge difference.

Also, weight loss isn't linear. Some weeks you will lose, some stay the same.

I have 2 autoimmune conditions that I manage. I'm also a single parent and work full time. This is doable for you!

Also, have a look at things like sleep and stress. A lack of the first and too much of the second can make it easier to gain and harder to lose weight.

Another one recommending the Blood Sugar Diet - combined with MyFitnessPal, which is great. I've lost 7st so far, with probably another couple to go.

But, and it's a big but, I've been overweight since my teens, I'm now 46, and I have tried to diet almost constantly over the past 30 years. Sometimes I would lose a few stone, but they always went back on with more. The point is, something has to click in your head, and I'm not even sure what it is! I do know that my knee was aching after a particularly good party last summer, and I suddenly thought 'if my knee hurts now, what will it be like in 20 years’ time?' I didn't want to be struggling to walk and move around in my 60's with only myself to blame .

The few opening chapters of the BSD are very inspirational and may give you a bit of a kick in the right direction. Good luck

I'm on the BSD. Lost 2.5 stone in 12 weeks.

It's more than cals in v cals out - WHAT you eat is really important.

For those doing the BSD - did you start with the 800 cals/day for 8 weeks?

I did, yes. Did 12 weeks then had a 4 week break where I followed principles but didn't count calories and now back on 800-1000 cals per day for another 12 weeks.

I did 12 weeks 4 weeks x2 currently on round 3, didn't stick to it religiously but am very very good in the week and a little more relaxed at the weekend.

Get the book and try it, seriously the losses are so quick and consistent that it keeps you motivated!

Just ordered the book. :) It will come next week.

Meanwhile, I will eat low carb.

Good luck!

It isn't low carb in the traditional sense of carb counting, and you can still have pulses!

Thank you! I'm excited. I feel like I just need something new to make me excited again!

I have been doing 16:8 since 1st May. I have lost 7lb in that time. I have stuck to 16:8 completely, and eat from 10am-6pm. I have had a few days whee I have gone out in the evening so eaten later than 6.00, so if this is the case I just leave it that many hours in the morning to start eating again, so for example if I stop eating at 8.00pm, I'll wait till 12pm the next day to start eating, but still finish at 6pm on that day.
I have found I lose weight if I am still careful about the amount I eat, but have to still keep the calories down.
I find 16:8 helpful because I am not forcing myself to eat early when I'm not hungry, I get to save those calories until I am actually hungry late morning. Also because once its 6pm, I stop eating because I know my times up, so no evening snacking which I used to do. It just makes it easier for me to keep my calories down. I think I will probably keep the 16:8 long term as it is so easy to do, and a great way of limiting calories easily. I hope that when I have lost the weight I want to, if I continue this it should help me to maintain the weight so it doesn't all creep back on.

I've lost 45lbs on a VLCD so far, another 55lbs to go until my dream weight. I might not go as far as that, I've never been slim in my entire weight so I'm just going to keep going until I'm happy and comfortable.

Good luck with the BSD

I tried to stick between 800 and 1000 calories for the 8 weeks, with a couple of nights out thrown in for good measure! I have since stuck to around 1200 to 1500 calories, but continuing to eat low/complex carbs. The other major thing I've done is drastically cut back on the alcohol - which is really hard now that BBQ season is here.

All diets ultimately only work because you eat fewer calories than you burn - CICO - but for me cutting the sugar was a good way to achieve this. And the cravings for carb rich foods do seem to have subsided.

I think this way of eating is working for me because of insulin/PCOS issues. It just seems to work for me to reduce the complex carbs. It wasn't until I started reading around on low carb diets that the connection was made for me.

I must admit that I still can't really believe that I have managed to lose so much weight, and I do panic sometimes that it will all fall apart. But so far, so good!

Thank you everyone. I hope my weight budges this time :)

I lost a lot of weight on slimming world, and kept it off (until I got pregnant earlier this year-planning on losing baby weight with SW again later on though). It was easy and fit into my lifestyle, it's basically just healthy eating with a bit of guidance (as long as you do it properly, without trying to live on mullerlights and mugshots). Took me about 6 months to lose 2 stone ish, and I still had treats (wine, cheese, chocolate, chips etc)

We don't have slimming world here :( But good job on the weight loss, Mandraki! Is Slimming World like Weight Watchers?