AIBU to think hardly anyone ever actually loses a lot of weight for good ? Please post here is you can prove me wrong!

[Smallhorse]

I have followed literally hundreds of weight loss threads on mumsnet in the last 20 years.

They all start the same way

“ I need to lose 3 stone - who is with me ? “

There then follows a lot of people joining in, lots of day to day posts about “ what I ate today “ and lots of encouraging chat in general.

People post their weight losses . Then their gains. Followed by encouraging messages to keep going.

Then people drop off the thread one by one.

I am not knocking these threads but they don’t seem to be helping .

Has anyone lost say , 3 stones of more and kept it off?

If so could you please post here and encourage me and my fellow fatties?

Thank you 😊

I've heard that you diet to lose and exercise to maintain. I however, have lost and gained many many stone over my lifetime. Hate exercise.

No wonder it’s hard - our bodies have evolved to retain fat, not lose it. I do think you need radically revised eating habits and a lot of exercise to keep fat off. It has to become a way of life rather than a temporary diet.

I lost just over 4 stone almost 10 years ago and have kept it off despite two pregnancies. Pre babies I decided it must be down to my commitment to attending gym but I havent set foot in a gym in 4 years and it made little difference. If I am honest it is due to my change in attitude to food. I was slim teen who could eat anything to excess and not put on weight and I carried that mindset into my twenties but my body lost the memo to not gain weight. I now understand moderation and if I have a gluttonous day I scale back slightly over the next few days. I by no means live on salad I hate salad and I have a treat a day but portion sizes and understanding that a tiny treat can be the value of a huge plate of "real" food helped.

Three habits which I have tried to address will make a big difference:

1. "Activity" (as opposed to exercise) as a habit - a big factor in my weight gain was getting a car, now I have moved closer to work, so even on non-gym days I walk a minimum of 4 miles.
2. No more snacks. Not sorry to see this one go - the feeder in the office quit too, so nobody is ferreting biscuits all day.
3. Self regulation with meals. I.e. choosing the healthier options, the healthier portions, and stopping when I'm full.

But to be honest, I haven't given up 'treats' in some dogmatic way. I'm careful most of the time, but there's enough flex in my weightloss plan that a meal out once a week doesn't affect loss.

How long is 'for good'? I lost just over 3 stone about 3 years ago and still weigh more or less the same as when I left slimming world.

My husband lost 4 stone several years ago and has kept it off.

I weighed 12.5 stone on my 50th birthday, and at only 5' 4" something had to change. Over the following two years I lost 3.5 stone, principally through WW online, and have kept it off for 15 years now. I have the odd fluctuation of 4 to 5lbs but the trick is to look at it as a change of eating habits, not a diet. I knew I could t go back to the way I was eating before.

Three stone nearly 30 years.

What wonderful and inspiring replies. Well done to all of you and keep the stories coming.

To those who said it’s about a lifestyle change - yes, absolutely , and I think most fat people realise this. It’s just that it is so hard to implement lifestyle changes !

I stay away from weigh loss threads on MN now because I find them so depressing and predictable .

Hence why I posted here’s and not in the big/slim section.

I do agree with those who mentioned fasting.
It seems to be the best strategy.

I gained four stone after a bereavement 10 years ago and did lose it.
I gained about a stone over the following 7 years and then had another devestating bereavement 2 years ago and gained so much I am now at my heaviest. I’m such an emotional eater

Currently doing intemitttent fasting .

Its really quite simple.
Diets work if you stick to them and make them WOEs.
People do WW or SW lose the weight and then go back to eating exactly what they did previously and hey ho the weight goes back on.

I lost around 2 stone in early 2012. A lot of it was baby weight that I never lost. I put some of it back on with second pregnancy but lost it again relatively easily.

Poorbuthappy, I think most people know that now.
It just puts the question in a different way - why is it so hard to stick to a lifestyle change in eating habits?

I maintain using 5:2 but not too strictly. If I put on weight I either do 5:2 with 5 still being quite strict, or if I want weight to go very quickly I just do 4:3 one week.

And of course when I say “ currently doing intermittent fasting “ I mean I plan to do it from now on, forever

I lost three stone just over 7 years ago and I’ve never yo-yo-ed. I’ve become stronger but my weight has stayed about the same. I think I’ve become leaner (reduced fat and gained muscle).

The key for me is alternating between high intensity and endurance cardio throughout the week and also three strength/ weight sessions a week too. I can pretty much eat what I want if I keep active in this way (within reason!)

I've lost over 8.5 stone since early last year, hope to God I can keep it off...I'll post again in 5 years time and let you know

3 stone 4 years ago, using 5 2
I was the skinny girl who could eat what they want and never put an ounce on. Then my 40th birthday and peri-meno arrived and my weight crept up.

I’ve put a little back on, I’m about half a stone heavier now than at my lightest, but on the ‘arse vs face ’ principle, I think i look better for it.
I exercise a lot more than before I lost weight and try to stay to daily calorie allowance. If i put more than a few pounds on, then I fast for a couple of weeks.

You have to change your mindset, not just ‘go on a diet’.

I lost six stones, going from just under 15 stones to just under 9 stones. I hit my final target a couple of years ago and am still there.

You can

Nc’d for this
I started my first diet when I was a size12,in my twenties.
I’ve now been loosing and regaining weight most of my adult life and must have lost and regained about 25 stone.
Lost 1, gained 2, lost 2 gained 3, etc.
I’m now at my heaviest ever and am eating myself into an early grave.
I have no life. I am ashamed to go anywhere.
So for some people it may really be quite simple, unfortunately that’s not the case for everyone

I lost 2.5 stone back in 2009/10 and kept it off until pregnancy.
I lost the weight by lowering calories and kept it off with exercise.
It isn't feasible to carry on eating in a calorie deficit full time, so your calorie expenditure has to increase.

I've kept almost 3.5 stone off for a year and a half now - but I have completely changed my eating habits and have stuck (mostly) to those changes.

Can I ask those who have lost lots of weight and kept it off, do you have loose skin? I’m just starting this journey of changing shit up to lose the fat and that’s a huge fear. I’ll go through all of this, change my life etc to get rid of the weight and end up still hating the way I look.

I lost 4 and a half stone and kept most of it off. I'm 10lbs up currently although a lot of that is muscular as I also discovered the gym!

It just puts the question in a different way - why is it so hard to stick to a lifestyle change in eating habits?

I tried low carbing a few years ago and although it worked, I couldn’t stick to it because, as a non meat eater it was boring. I Want to eat the bread basket when I go out, I like pasta and spuds. I also never really trusted the ‘sceince’ It just felt unhealthy.

Calorie counting and fasting works for me, as I don’t really restrict myself. Plus running 20 miles a week.

I lost 6 stone almost a decade ago after being overweight all my life, and I transformed from being a size 22/24 to a size 8-10. I've never re-gained any of the weight. I wasn't exercising when I lost the weight, but I do yoga and hiking now.

My career is now based in nutrition, so it really has changed my life as I'm so inspired to help others, I've been there, and understand how it feels.

PP are right OP, diets do not work. Not long term. There's no quick fix.

Portion control, good habits like eating at regular times and cooking from scratch, eating a balanced diet and focusing on food as fuel are fundamental to your health - weight is a sideline issue really.

I'd advise you to seek out a professional nutritionist who can help with meal plans etc, and focus on making lifestyle changes.

If you really, really want it, you can do it. If I can, you can.

Good luck x