Just eat less and move more?

[fattygettingthin]

I'm very overweight. Have about 9 stone to lose, I'm so ashamed. I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes yesterday. The dr who was also overweight told me all the things I'm now likely to get, and how I should lose weight as a matter of urgency. They even offered to refer me for weight loss surgery right there. I asked for some advice on losin weight alone and they suggested weight watchers and swapping coke for Diet Coke .

So my aibu is; how the fuck am I to lose 9 stone without surgery? I have a gym membership but I don't think I use it well. I 'workout' for an hour or so 4 times a week but really it's just playing at using my membership and I know I need to be better. But how? How do you learn how to workout properly?

All the workouts I see online are for like mega body building men! And suggestions of eating protein and working out for 4 hours a day. I need help. I know I need to do this. Is it unreasonable to want to see little workout cards near the machines in the gym?

What do you eat for breakfast when you so 'low carb'? Is weight watchers worth it? I have a 12 week membership now but I don't want to eat 'lite' yogurts full of sugar and sweeteners. It feels like a mammoth task that I can't do.

If you got to the end well done!

What's to stop you going out for a one hour walk, right this minute, instead of reading MN?

As mentioned earlier on the thread, please look at the Diet Doctor website.

My sister is, is type 2 diabetic with a tonne of weight to lose. She is a doctor.

Over the Xmas break she found the Diet Doctor site.
Her blood sugars are almost normal when following Diet Doctor and the weight is melting off.

She told me that for the first time since her early 20s she is not counting calories and she is not hungry.

She also told me that the science behind Diet Doctor makes sense to her as a medical practitioner.

I think Diet Doctor is similar to the Michael M book, but you can access most info for free on the site. They have shopping lists if you subscribe for a small amount.

I hope that helps you. So many of us are in a similar situation.

OP, since you have a lot of weight to lose, you will lose weight quicker. You should seek advice from your doctor, but I really recommend low carb, as it keeps you full hence you don't eat as much.

Calculate your total energy expenditure using this:

tdeecalculator.net/

So you'd know how much calories you burn everyday. Then you decide how many percent less you want to eat based on that. But again, since you're diabetic, it should be discussed with your doctor.

Once you start losing weight you'll be so proud of yourself you'll have the motivation to keep going.

For your dinner have chicken, meat or fish with veg and instead of starchy carbs like pasta rice and potatoes put the meat on a bed of spinach leaves, rocket, lettuce, lettuce or a mixture of leaves. If you feel you would miss having a sauce or sauce type dressing on things like chicken you could add a few, just a few drops of pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar or other vinaigrette dressing to pep it up.

You can make oven chips from celeriac.

For lunch instead of sandwiches have homemade soup and a salad.

A good breakfast would be a boiled egg, with salad leaves if you don't mind that first thing in the morning. Or porridge cooked with water with a little milk. Or low fat natural yoghurt with berries or half a banana and a teaspoon of protein powder eg hemp or rice protein to keep you feeling full for longer.

Although a healthy low carb diet probably sounds unappealing your tastes will change.

Your best foods are

Unlimited green veg, salad veg, leaves
Chicken breast, steak, low fat mince, pork chops, quorn, fish, eggs
Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans
Barley and quinoa
Small quantities of avocado, olives, lower fat cheese, butter and dairy
Very small portions of very dark chocolate for a treat, rice cakes or unsweetened popcorn.
Berries, apples, papaya, watermelon, oranges but don't eat too much fruit.

Cinnamon tablets are beneficial for blood sugar control. You can buy from health food shops or online.

Also chromium supplements. You are probably deficient. Chromium is supposed to slightly reduce cravings for sugar.

Another vote for the blood sugar diet book:

The 8-week Blood Sugar Diet by Michael Mosley.

It's specifically written for type 2 diabetics and is backed up with scientific evidence and studies.

The diabetic diet advice from the NHS is woeful at best and dangerous at worst.

You really can't outrun a bad diet. You need to reduce your calorie intake or go low carb. There is a boot camp thread on here with plenty of ideas.

Going to th gym is good and you can book a personal trainer session, but ultimately as said, this is going to be about diet.

For support on here, I really recommend the "100lbs + to lose" thread in Weight Loss Chat. Plenty of people on there at different stages, some have almost managed it, some just starting out, and lots of support and advice. Good luck, take it a day (or an hour!) at a time and you will make it. Every good choice makes a difference. I had a lot to lose and am over halfway there, 11 months on. I only added in exercise once I got to halfway, partly through time available and partly because weight loss was going OK without it. I'm doing couch to 5k now and surprising myself by enjoying it.

Things like Weight Watchers and Slimming World DO work if you actually stick to them. But you really need to change your mindset and habits for ANY weight loss to stick. If you go back to eating the same crap you used to then the weight will pile on again. It's a question of changing eating habits forever.

And that's the problem. I lost 3 stone with WW but when I slipped back into Gin and nibbles it slowly crept back on. Not WW fault, entirely mine.

I would actually recommend WW as if you have a slip up the weigh in wipes the slate clean again. And it's not just queuing to be weighed, there is a slot of support from your leader and others in the meeting. Suggestions every week for little changes to make. As a PP said, it's a marathon not a sprint. You didn't gain 9st in 6 months so you won't lose it in that time either. Just take one step or goal at a time!

Hi OP. I can advise you usefull apps which I use. Lose Weight in 30 Days app is about exercises, you can add them to your usual gym visits. Exercises are easy and each is explained well. Nutracheck app is for calories counting. I find much better and cheaper than WW.

Weight loss is of course about eating less and moving more, but a huge amount of it is in your head...you have to be 100% committed to finding a new way of eating which is sustainable over the long term. And you need to tackle the reasons why you are overweight in the first place (for me it’s comfort eating - when I’m sad or stressed I eat chocolate...I have had to work hard to break that thought pattern and find other ways to make myself feel better rather than stuffing myself with food)

5:2 and Blood Sugar Diet have both worked well for me and I think are do-able over the long term so worth looking at them, especially BSD as that really helps with the diabetes.

Break the loss down into smaller chunks and set deadlines to lose 1, then 2, then 3 etc stone.

But ultimately it’s about re-thinking things - don’t think about dieting and giving up things, think about becoming healthier, eating good things, feeling fitter and younger and better overall

Good luck!

Hello OP, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. However, it sounds like it’ll be the springboard you need to turn your life around because you’ve had the reality of obesity explained to you in real terms.

I am also overweight and was so miserable and feeling stuck and hopeless until I discovered the Six Pack Revolution (you can find us on Facebook!)

We eat six small meals (of real food, no processed shite) a day and are set exercise challenges to complete (nothing impossible!)

One of the other ladies started at 23st, she’s now at 18st and it’s still falling off her.

Before anyone jumps on me, this is not MLM, Juice Plus or any other shite, it’s a carefully written meal and exercise plan which will also take into account your diabetes. Do feel free to PM me if you want to ask any questions!

Just to add: I don’t sell anything, I don’t profit from recommendations, I’m just a fellow chubster wanting to spread the word!

I haven't had as much weight to lose as you, OP, and I truly admire your determination to lose it yourself.

I was several stone overweight for years after having kids though and yo-yo dieted for a long time, doing irreparable damage to my gallbladder. Eventually I decided to treat the root problem, not the symptoms and had weight-loss hypnotherapy. Amazingly it didn't feel at all like dieting but I lost weight fast, consistently and I stabilised at a size 8-10, which I've been now for 6 years. I'd recommend it over fad diets any day! Good luck 😉

Hi OP,

I think your immediate priority is to get your blood sugars under control.
Would you consider buying a glucose testing meter and strips? (I don't think GPs are always very generous with prescribing them.) You need to find out which foods you tolerate, which you don't and in which amounts.
For help with this and any other issues relating to the various forms of diabetes, especially for the newly-diagnosed, diabetes.co.uk is an excellent site with lovely supportive people in the forums. I strongly recommend it. Diet Doctor, as mentioned by other posters, is also worth a look.

I think it's worth cutting the carbs and processed food right down. We're lucky that it's the right season for all sorts of lovely produce. Where your budget permits, treat yourself to the nicest produce you can find. Get some nice olive oil and balsamic vinegar to make salad dressings. Balsamic vinegar is sweet but I doubt a small amount on a salad will do any harm. Eat real, wholesome foods. If you fancy some chocolate, a small amount of 85% (or upwards) dark chocolate shouldn't impact your blood sugars that much. At the end of the day, your glucose meter will tell you whether or not you can handle it.

The low carb high fat way of eating (or Paleo, keto, etc.) is gaining a lot of ground. People have had a lot of success with it.

Good luck, OP. You can do this.

Hire a personal trainer at your gym

Buy pre made meal plan boxes

Can you invest into a personal trainer or a smaller boot camp group? Looks like the motivation of health is not enough and you need someone to constantly monitor you.
Your comment on GP's weight is a rather good proof that you are getting defensive from the very beginning.
Btw, all those miracle diets with powders etc. work only for some. Most of the people who were on them saw themselves in the same situation or worse once they went back to their "normal" habits.

20 minute walk a day fast enough so that it gets yr heart goin but not so out of breath that you can't speak. That doesn't sound too bad for a start does it? With the light eves too should be a doddle .You could go after dinner. Good luck

4 hours a week in the gym is a LOT. Do you really go that often? I'll admit it does seem very surprising that you are 9 stone over maximum healthy weight and are as fit as that. Do you drink coke? If you do, then switching to diet is very good advice, but agree it is patronising if you don't.

What are you eating on an average day? I'd suggest getting the MFP app, free and it will tell you how many calories you can eat and just log everything you eat and it will work it out for you and adjust your calories as you lose.

Alternatively, the 5:2 or blood sugar diet is good and can reverse diabetes so might be worth looking in to.

Also to PP, switching to Diet Coke isn’t good advice. ‘Diet’ versions of drinks also interfere with insulin production. Water is best!

The answer is in the title. Eat less And move more. Cut out carbs, eat fruit and veg and walk for an hour a day. Gradually start jogging etc

Yes I do go to the gym, mainly weights though as they're easier than cardio which I know isn't the best! It's so hard! But I've been through the hairy dieters cookbook this morning and gone shopping with a meal plan. I want to challenge myself to make the meals this week as I've been using hello fresh boxes but some of the recipes are so weird!

I've had a blood test done on Tuesday and this morning they rang and said I have a very low thyroid and said I need to go on medication for it? Also have non existent folate levels and b12 is v low.

I know it's my fault I'm this size but I'm going to do something about it, I'm also going to pay for some therapy as I seem to use food as a form of self abuse. I seem to have a lot of issues re food and emotions so I think I need to address that as well.

Thank you for the kick up the rear I needed!

Slimming world and weight watchers will help if you stick to it. I tried but was concerned by the no fat foods as some good fats are good for the body. I'm not over weight and didn't really like the whole queuing up to get weighed and listening to the leaders talk shite, pardon my language. If you can be tough on yourself then go it alone. Perhaps the gym isn't for you. Maybe try powered walking/ jogging. I don't like the gym as I feel enclosed and live to go out jogging. Classes are good like metafit, body combat etc.
Make a meal plan for the week so you can buy shopping and try and stick to what you have planned. Breakfast is a funny one for me as I struggle to eat anything but a bit of toast in the morning most other things make me feel a bit sick. Hope all goes well. Will take time but with will power you can do it

I have about the same to lose as you. I've been referred by my GP to their weight loss program which lasts a year. Weekly session then fortnightly and then every month.
We have to follow a diet 600 calories under the recommended for our height /weight, it covers portion sizes (buy a portion plate on amazon of similar) so you stick to the right sizes. There is lots of work around the emotions/reasons for eating etc . It's surprisingly good.

It looks at food across all food groups so you aren't missing out, you just need to limit it. I guess they are trying to equip us with the tools that we need to get back to having a healthy relationship with food.
In 4 weeks I've lost about a stone

Good luck......

Just remember you cant outtrain a bad diet. It is 80% food, 20% exercise. And what you put in your mouth reeeaaalllllly counts now. Good news even a 10% weight loss will massively help your HbA1C score so focus on that. And enjoy the fact that you can have scrambled egg and avocado for breakfast. Or bacon and eggs! When you get bored of eggs try a couple of tablespoons of greek yoghurt (read labels to find the lowest carb one) with some Splenda and a couple of berries. Have you tried reading the blood sugar diet? Excellent website forum for that too. Go there and you will meet loads of people in the same place as you.

And don't eat fruit till your HbA1C level is down. Just be wary of diet advise from non-diabetics.... you need to lose weight but can't eat things that will spike your bloods. Atkins or Blood Sugar Diet....