Shit! I'm actually obese.

[pigmcpigface]

I know IABU to register shock at this, but I just got on the scales for the first time in nine months. My BMI is 30.5! That makes me officially obese for the first time in my life.

Shit, shit, shit.

I'm so ashamed! I can't actually believe it's got this out of control. Or rather, I had deliberately avoided confronting this issue until today.

I need to get my act together and make some positive changes to my lifestyle.

I don't want this to turn into a bun fight, or a fat or thin-shaming thread.

I know that BMI isn't the be-and-end all of weight. There are people who are VERY fit who have what would appear to be an unhealthy BMI because they are packing a ton of muscle. There are people who carry weight well and who are fit in spite of a high BMI.

Sadly, that is not me.

In my personal case, I am obese and unfit and flabby and I need to start dieting and exercising before this gives me health issues.

Here is a thing here to see how you compare with your age group from the BBC news pages

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43697948

Ring - it's actually that link that forced me to go find the scales!! They were lurking at the back of a wardrobe.

If you’re sceptical about BMI, and want an alternative measure you could use waist measurement instead - either looking for half your height or a straight 31.5 inches.

(Bear in mind that the generally quoted cut off points only really apply to white Europeans - they’ll normally be lower if you aren’t white and a lot lower if you’re of South Asian descent).

Are you sure about that bmi op?

I put it into a bmi calculator as that didn’t sound right to me and I got 28.8 for 5’4” and 168lbs. So not obese, but not a million miles away.

Sorry if that was really weird of me!

Pig - dont feel bad or ashamed, no point, it doesnt burn any calories

You've identified the issue. Next step, deal with it but dont make a big deal of it. Identify the weight you want to be - e.g. "I want to weigh 10.7 stone, so I have to lose 21 lbs."

Try to be pragmatic and not emotional.

"To lose a pound, i need to be in a 3,500 kcal deficit, so thats 500 kcals less a day to lose a pound a week." (500 kcals as a result of less calories in and expended calories from exercise).

Dont do anything crazy like start a hugely complicated exercise regime that you'll never follow (unless you know you will) or cut any major food groups from your diet (I promise, I speak from experience).

Walk at least three times a week (briskly, no ambling) and eat slowly and drink lots of water.

That would be my advice, but naturally you dont have to take it. I've done a lot of diets /fasts/ lose weight quickly things and honestly - slow and steady wins the race.

Start tomorrow and in four months time you wont recognise yourself. Although four months sounds like ages, its already been four months since Christmas and thats flown by...

Good luck! All will be well

@pigmcpigface

summercat - the healthy weight range for my height tops out at 138 lbs. That's my initial goal. If I could reach that I would feel pretty chuffed. It's a 40lb loss

10 years ago, I was 100 lbs

So you want to lose about 2 stone then? Not too bad a weight to lose, 25 to 28 pounds.

And IMO, 100 pounds for a 5 ft 4 inch grown woman sounds too low. That's 7 stone 2 pounds. I don't know a single woman (over 21,) who is around your height, who weighs that little.

138 pounds sounds much healthier for your height.

I am sure loads of women will come on and claim they are 5 ft 4 to 5 ft 6, and only weight 7 stone 5... That's what usually happens! 🙄

I am really obese! 5’3” and 13st 6lbs.
I am pretty sedentary too, just walk about half a mile a day to shop and back plus general pottering. I try to eat healthily but I do like sweet stuff, cake, chocolate etc and cheese and chips so I only have myself to blame. I try to have two abstemious days each week but I am 74 now, I had breast cancer over 11 years ago and am enjoying life with dh, dgc and my friends 🙂

Yes I agree you have not put in it correctly I suspect you put in 158 rather than 164 (which if you are 5ft4 you are) I make it 28.3

Good grief @Lola. Kick a girl when she’s down, why don’t you? OP has recognised the truth and has formed a plan. Well done you for keeping your weight steady for your entire adult life. Not all of us do. Shit happens!

I’m obese at 5ft 5 and 11 stone 8. But I have to say, menopause has sabotaged my body and what I do now, in the form of daily exercise far exceeds anything I did as a shift working, occasional gym going, convenience food grabbing 30 something. So for some, it just IS hard!

Get moving OP, you can do it but do it gradually 😊

I'm an inch shorter and 79kg, think bmi is 30.5, maybe 31. I've lost 10kg in the past couple of months and am still going.

dancedisaster - I went back and checked it on the NHS one and YOU ARE RIGHT! It's 29, not 30.5.

Sadly, this doesn't comfort me all that much, it's still way too high. The trajectory I am currently on, it'll only be a month or two before I AM in that red zone of obesity.

summer - I used to be a bit of a fan of running, so that is why it was so low. There is an explanation!

Mollie - Thanks for the advice. I'm going to aim to eat around 1500 calories of food a day and to take off 500 calories in exercise.

"Although four months sounds like ages, its already been four months since Christmas and thats flown by... "

This is actually a really encouraging thought, thank you.

I'm 5'4 and 13 stone 1 on my scales (heavier at slimming world) I was 16s9! Taken ages to lose it (I'm 54) I excersised hard and lost very little. I want to get to 11stones size 12/14 and I'll be happy.

OP - I'm same height, 47 and 11stone 3 ....yes I'm actually v overweight too. I'm doing Cute Shakes and Atkins combo and lost 3lbs in a week. I am very hungry! I'm going to shed a stone - determination and focus! You can do it too!

I agree with LollaRossa

It's not helpful at all to tell someone overweight that they are not.
We have normalised being overweight.

You don't have to be petit, but you need to not be obese, or near it.

But you can be OP, today is your first step.

You're welcome. Honestly - I know the struggle. I've lost five stone (about four times).

Good luck my lovely

I used to be a runner that is why my weight was 7 st 2.

That's cool, but 10 stone at 5 ft 4 is a healthier, better weight IMO.

And as you said you are happy with that anyway.

Good luck!

thegreylady - I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. What a life-changing shock that must have been.

suki - Yes, hormonal imbalance in my 30s were what did it for me. I had huge problems with terrible (truly life-destroying) menorrhagia, and by the time the NHS took action I had lost the ability to have kids too. A bunch of other negative personal stuff - awful job, really rough patch in a relationship (a cancelled wedding, the humiliation) - and I just stopped caring about myself and started eating and drinking too much. But life is good now, and it's time for me to start taking some responsibility for sorting my shit out.

I’m around the same as you as I’ve really struggled with eating since having my toddler. It wasn’t pregnancy or mat leave that did it but going back to work and a long commute. I am quite muscly with big boobs so I don’t look as fat as I weigh. When I was a comfortable 8, everyone thought I was around 8 stone but I was a stone heavier. That’s not to say I don’t need to lose weight- I really do as I’m too heavy and can’t fit into my nicest clothes.

At my ideal weight I was exercising at least 5 times a week and I just don’t know how to shift the weight as I’m permanently knackered and have no leeway re childcare pickups to stay late and go to the gym.

I do agree with you (we are the same height). For me between 9 and 10 stone has been normal and between 8 and 9 looks great) and over 10 I feel right even if people might say it's healthy at our heigher. 12 I was that when 40 weeks pregnant with twins. If I ever get near 11 stone I do what you're doing - try to cut it back. It's not easy though, we all know that. Don't let anyone convince you 5 foot 4 and 12 stone is great though as you and I bought know it's rather on the heavy side for most people. Obviously it's a lot better than 16 stone etc and well done to those people who have lost a lot to get down to 12 stone.

Goodness, LollaRossa - that's terrible, you're not in a healthy BMI either.

I really hope you're taking your own advice and are tackling your own weight issues, as it would seem a little hypocritical if you've come online to tell someone else about to manage their weight issues when you're not in the healthy BMI zone yourself.

Being underweight increases the risk of malnutrition, osteoporosis, immunity issues, vitamin deficiencies, anaemia, and more. It's something to be taken very seriously. I hope you're not in denial.

There’s a program on tonight about obesity which looks interesting.

This ‘eat less, move more’ mantra and counting calories is not the purported simple solution so many think it is. I’m not saying it doesn’t / can’t work, but it’s not the only or necessarily the best solution.

Much research is showing insulin is the problem (quite easily demonstrated looking at the differences between sufferers of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes) hence the success so many have on low carb.

Low carb diets combined with fasting twice a week will not only help you lose weight but improve cholesterol and blood pressure.

I’m new to all this (not new to being morbidly obese) but doctor has insisted on significant improvements to BP, weight and cholesterol in the next three months to avoid medication so I’ve been madly researching the best things to do.

6lb lost in 10 days, only limited exercise and no hunger. Really hoping I can make a dent this time. I feel utterly desolate about the state I’ve allowed myself to get into.

9 and a half to 10 stones seems like a good weight to aim for, I'm sure you will do it, 1500 calories a day and exercise sound sensible.

It's scary when you suddenly realised how much weight has crept on. I was always a size 8 then crept up to 10, then 12... BMI gone up too :-( Trying to get it off again. Have lost half a stone cooking slimming world recipes (which are delicious!) Loads of recipes online, defo try that?

Merry - I'll check out the programme, thanks for the tip!

I suspect different things work for different people. Bodies are different, and so are minds. What is psychologically OK and quite doable for one person will be torture for another etc. etc. etc.

For me, I know calorie control and exercise work. I'm veggie, so high protein is really hard to do. Plus, I love carbs. It's just I have to accept I can't eat as many of them as I would maybe like to.

I hope you can find something that works for you! You sound really resourceful, so I am sure you will.