To think I can lose 1 stone/ 14 lbs in 6 weeks..

[Poptart4]

I've gained weight during lockdown and am struggling to fit into my clothes. We've booked a stay-cation for the 10th August and there will be a pool. Of course I will have to get in with the kids and i am just dreading it :(

Is it realistic to think if I stick to 1200 cals per day and do some light exercise (theres no point pretending I'm going to turn into a gym bunny) that I can lose 1 stone in 6 weeks?

Im currently 5ft 4 and 10st 6lbs.

(For me a very restrictive, all out fast weight loss diet is way under 1200 calories btw. Like I said, neither healthy nor sustainable!)

I downloaded an app called Nutra Check. I find it easier to add the calories. I weigh everything and there's a bar scanner to add foods not already on the list. It takes your height and weight plus goal weight and gives you approx calories to use and exercise calories too. It has been great. Two weeks in and have lost 7lbs but I'm 5ft 2inc and shockingly went from 10 to 12 stone!!! I'm also on medication which doesn't help so am surprised I've lost that much already xxx

Eat something every 3 hours so that your body doesn't think you are starving yourself and clings onto every calorie it can find. Go out for a one hour power walk a day at least and make sure you are on your feet doing things for the majority of the rest of the day. It could be gardening, cleaning, cycling with the kids or whatever. Have plenty of fruit and water and stay away from calorific drinks, including alcohol.

At your height it is not advisable to eat fewer than 1200 per day without the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist, please be careful. The forums on MyFitnessPal are much more balanced and realistic about weight loss than mumsnet in my experience.

Slimming World will do that, easy.

Thanks for all replies... I'm going to do the 16.8 fast and try to do more exercise. I really need to tone up but find exercising really hard. I'll have to motivate myself more.

I think that's a really achievable target...you can do it easily if you low carb without cheating.

Whether you do or don't lose a stone, it might be worth working on your disordered thinking.

Nothing should be stopping you enjoying time in the pool with your children. Even if you were twice the weight you are now.

You do not have to starve yourself for the next month to be allowed to be seen in public.

All bodies are bikini bodies.

Easily done. I did 1000 calories a day and averaged a stone a month. I lost three stone. I'm still not done to my ideal weight, but I'm having 1200 a day and eating back the calories burnt when I exercise. I now only lose 1lb a week but I'm post menopausal. Refined food is your enemy and of course sugar.

It is healthy and ok to do a quick loss plan, but you then have to maintain.

One of my motivations was to go swimming with my GC. Not being happy and not accepting your size, keeps you on track. It isn't disordered thinking.

You can definitely lose some weight at 1200 but realistically at your height and with an aversion to exercise you might struggle.

I’m similar height and to lose weight I need to be at about 1050-1100, with 10k steps per day.

Good luck!

I’ve lost a stone since 13th May - I think that’s about 7 weeks, so I reckon you could still lose 2 pounds a week but make sure you do it in a healthy and sustainable way. I downloaded LoseIt for calorie tracking and have been doing the C25K app and then bike riding on other days.

Meals have been soup/salad with eggs and chicken/stir fries/fruit smoothies/curries and just smaller portions in general.

I'd say that weight that has been put on recently is easier to shift than if it has been on for a while. In my unscientific purely anecdotal experience anyway

Look at it this way. Even if you only lose 7lbs you will only be 7lbs heavier than you were before when you go on holiday. Isn't that better than 14lbs?.

I’m so sad that you are dreading a holiday - after all the misery of this year so far it should be something to look forward to.

I spent twenty years - from age 13 to 33 or thereabouts - refusing to bare my upper arms. All the outfits (including when I was a bridesmaid!) that I’ve ruined by adding a cardigan, all those summer heatwaves that I’ve sweltered through feeling uncomfortable and unhappy but so convinced that my arms were shameful and hideous and could not be exposed.

Then my kids used to say how soft my hugs were. I looked around and saw women of every imaginable shape and size enjoying the sunshine. I changed my mindset. I gained weight but I still wore a bikini even when I was a size 20. I took out membership to a pool and swimming made me feel so happy and so free.

I have lost weight now - I lost a stone in six weeks this year and more since, 3.5 stone in total and still losing because my health matters, more than ever in this pandemic. But I am so grateful that I lost the self consciousness and banished the self hatred before I lost the weight. I’m so glad I didn’t lose more years dreading the nice weather and fearing to take my kids in the pool because I didn’t look that great in a swimming costume.

Whether you lose any weight or not, please enjoy the pool. Heaven knows, we all deserve a break right now. There will be people there who will be envious of your figure as it is. Your body is nothing to be ashamed of. Enjoy your holiday.

Military diet works 10lb in 3 days google it

Definitely doable, although you'd probably need to do more than 'light' exercise. I aim for 10,000 steps a day at least as I bloody hate proper exercise plus I do an hour of playing 'Just Dance' on Nintendo a few times each week. I look like a total dickhead doing it, but it's fun

I've linked my Fitbit to MyFitnessPal app, and have a daily limit of 1200 calories plus whatever extra I earn from my stepcount. I've lost a stone in 7 weeks so far, average 2lb a week. However I have also had a LOT of outrageous 'cheat days' (I've just polished off a truckload of McDonalds for lunch) so I could definitely have dropped more.

I lost 3 stone after DS a few years ago by doing the exact same thing (before putting on weight again during my recent 2nd pregnancy). It definitely works.

But aren't you just a few pounds overweight?

These are unhealthy drastic suggestions for people who are more overweight than you.

It is possible, but in all honesty I think you'd be better just aiming to get the 6lbs off in the short term.

At a similar height and weight to you I managed to lose a stone and keep it off too. But it took a while. Some weeks I'd lose 2 or even 3lbs, but others I'd lose nothing it seemed to average out at 1lbs a week.

I did it by doing 1200 calories and C25K.

@Poptart4 I’m exactly the same as you in terms of height, weight (actually I might be a bit more) and the possible August holiday!

I’ve put on a stone during lockdown. Too much stress, too much baking, too much comfort eating.

I’ve lost weight before doing 5:2 and was planning on doing it again, but keep procrastinating. You have inspired me to get on with it!

I hate how my knees creak when I’m heavier. I genuinely felt better (nothing to do with looks) when I was lighter, and I want to get back to that.

I just lost a stone in 4 weeks so yeah I think you can do it :)

If it’s how you look that matters (you prob aren’t that overweight) try doing some dumbbell exercises (loads of beginner you tube vids) to tone up and build muscle ()concentrate on the large muscle groups to maximise fat burn) or even yoga )yoga with Adriane is Usually considered the best - think she has some beginners vids on you tube)

Intermittent fasting combined with low carb and no alcohol should see good results. Toning, running and yoga. Put the scale away and just judge by your clothes so that you don't give in and binge if it goes up by 2lbs. Continue to eat mindfully on holiday as you don't want to pile it on again after your hard work.

Yes you can! I am exactly the same height as you and went from 10st 10lb to 9st5 in 6 weeks before my holiday last year. I used My Fitness Pal to log every single thing I ate. Based on the info I entered such as height and weight and how much I wanted to lose, it recommended 1200 cals and most days I was actually under that. For me, I just had to go cold turkey on snacking. I didn’t go crazy on exercise, but found that once I started losing a bit, I felt so much better about myself, had more energy and actually wanted to do more and more. So I’d enjoy walking up escalators for example, knowing I was getting more fit every day and gradually could buy a smaller size clothes. I stopped taking the car for short journeys, school run etc. Every bit helped.

I've downloaded my fitness pal to log everything I eat and I will start YouTube exercise classes. I know I'm not massively overweight but the problem is all of my weight seems to be on my belly so I look 6 months pregnant. My legs and arms are still skinny :(

For those saying I should be happy with myself no matter what, your right! It's been a bloody stressful year so I'm going to enjoy this holiday.

I lost 2 stone in 6 weeks (I was overweight by 3 stone though!) (I got a stone left)

I only ate between (12-5) drank unlimited water. And the two meals I ate in that time frame added up to around 1000 calories.

I also exercised 1 hour every night.

You can do it, just don't cheat x

@fallon92

Doesn't sound healthy or sustainable I'm afraid.