Weight is now an issue - lockdown

[Halfwayful]

Hi, I've name changed as I am embarrassed but I could really do with some advice please. I have always been on the chubby side but until before lockdown I felt healthy.

Last week, I've had a bit of a reality check. I'm sure it did not happen overnight but I was walking with the children and it felt like an effort! Also, lately I've felt so tired and quite achy. I'm so embarrassed by my weight.

I signed up for Slimming World, first class starting next week. I need some help to keep on going and to keep motivated. Please tell me that people can and do lose weight and get healthy again.

I too was in denial for much of lockdown, telling myself I'd maybe gained a stone...eventually weighed myself and it was more like 3.

Started dieting in April, nearly 2 stone lost now and I feel so much better.

You can do it OP!

Oh well done @JagerPlease

I did not want to put the figures down... but I also gained 3 stones in a year. How can this be possible? I ate badly, there was genuinely nothing to live for. We stopped being outdoorsy. Also, no exercise despite having all the gear at home.

How did you lose the weight? I'd take any advice. x

Exactly how I felt @Halfwayful - couldn't believe it was possible. For me it was definitely suddenly being basically sedantry, plus food and alcohol being about the only enjoyable things.

I've gone for calorie counting using myfitnesspal. I've done slimming world, and I'm not good at portion control with things that are syn free (eg meat, carbs etc) so prefer the simplicity of counting. Also means I can save some calories for a glass of wine or mini choc bar at the end of the day still!

Biggest immediate changes for me were breakfast and lunch - I'd been resorting to toast/bread based meals for both, plus toppings. Switching to porridge with berries and then things like soups or roasted veg I think has made the biggest difference for me

There are some great support threads in the weightloss section.

Putting weight on happens to most people in oufe. It's not about that but about how you react to it. You are doing something, you are out of denial (I've been there🙈) so you ahould absolutely not be ashamed.

For me, calorie counting worked like magic. It helped me with protion control as well which was my issue. Heatlhy food, but way too much.

Good luck and check out some of the threads.

Hello :)

You'll be fine. I've lost that amount of weight since last October through a combination of giving up alcohol and cooking everything from scratch - so no processed food of any kind. I now go to the gym, do Pilates and go on very long hill walks. All unthinkable before. I look and feel great, also unthinkable before. It's been transformative.

I've still another stone and a half to go ideally, but that will take longer I think, and that's fine.

I've been a yo yo dieter all my life, and joining the Why do we eat too much threads on here recently, and reading the book on which they are based, has been an eye opener. The book is written by a bariatric surgeon who recommends no processed foods, and no sugar or vegetable oil to start with. It's not a diet as such, but his theories of why we lose weight only to gain it back , and more besides, makes sense to me.

Good luck with whatever path you choose, and don't feel guilty. You will be ok

You can do it OP, I know the feeling! Lots of people have gained a few stone during lockdown, it’s been a tough 16 months. Xx

I've got 3 DC, with each pregnancy I put on around 3 stone. With dc1 and 2 I lost it again. Dc3 is only 3m but it's coming off. My "core" diet is good so I cut out puddings and snacks unless they're fruit

Thank you for the support. It has been really tough for me as it has been for everyone. Things were so bad with everything that my only pleasure in life became food. I don’t even like chocolate usually.

I’m doing slimming world because I need something a bit simple to start with.

I don’t even know how to start exercising again as my whole body is in pain and constantly tired. I’ll start with long walks then start making this a routine.

Slimming World has been great for me, I’ve been doing it whilst pregnant to make sure I didn’t gain much. Looking forward to carrying on after the baby is born.

I'm in the same boat. To get back into exercise I've been swimming 3x a week as its low intensity and doing yoga 1x a week to try and build some strength, but really need to do more so going to try and get walking more. If you don't have a gym membership then counting your steps is a good starting place, have a target for each day and up it week by week until you're doing 10k steps a day and that should make a big difference

I have found the 12 12 diet invaluable. With emphasis on low carb

I started Noom a couple of months ago, I’ve lost ten pounds which isn’t stones obviously but I genuinely think it’s far more doable slowly. Usually I’d start on something really restrictive, so two weeks and break it. Also running three times a week which is really helpful. Noom links to my Apple Watch and will add calories onto your daily amount based on your activity levels, so it’s really incentivised me to exercise.

Am breaking the calorie amounts for social occasions at the weekend otherwise I’d have lost far more I reckon, but life is too short!

I've lost 4.5 stone on slimming world. I started last October, haven't been flogging it, but have been fairly careful.

It's good for educating you where the problem foods are. For me it seems bread and treat foods were what I was eating too much of.

You can do it! I'm on a thread supporting well-being and weight loss, and a thread supporting losing larger amounts of weight. It's nice to have someone to journey with!

You should check in with your GP, though. Your thyroid could be underactive, or your blood sugars off. There could be underlying reasons making it worse.

In 2010-11 I lost 4.5 stone on SW. Then I got pregnant and returned to my old, awful eating habits. I put on over 3.5 stone over the next 8 years and finally gave myself a kick up the arse last October. I'm down 3 stone and have gone from a size 16 to a 10 and I feel fucking fabulous.
You've got this!

The last year has been the same for many of us. I know one person who lost weight during that period but everyone else has gone up the scales. I’ve been calorie counting and have lost 6lbs. Just need to stick with it one week at a time. Well done op - you can do this!

I started this time last year to lose weight and get healthy. I've lost 3.5 stone. I didn't do any crazy diets or slimming clubs as they don't suit me as I hate being told what I can and can't eat. I cut out all takeaways, nó alcohol Monday to Thursday, became more mindful of what I was eating, walked and did two fitness classes a week. Obviously with lockdown I didn't get to the gym regularly because they were closed. I still enjoy my treats at the weekend so it works for me and its more sustainable long term. I'm 40 with three children. You can do this.

The support on here is amazing.

@picklemewalnuts I had the full blood works a few weeks ago. I genuinely thought it would come back showing diabetes or high cholesterol! I’m healthy blood-wise but I’m struggling physically.... running after the kids now that we are back outdoors!

My plan this week is to go for 30 mins walk daily. It’s nothing for some but for me I need to get back to the habit of making time for exercise.

SW meeting is on Thursday morning.

I’m not even putting a timeline to losing 3 stones!!! It will take its time I suppose but I need to start feeling healthy again.

I hate walking. It's killing me personally with boredome, so I started with Joe Wick's fat burner. Wasn't able to do everything at the beginning but the fitness improved so fast! Amazing. And I was with BMI 51😳 The moment you realise you walked up the stairs fast and didn't sound like a steam engine is amazing

I’ve lost 8 stone in 10.5 months. Meal replacement shakes / bars, and a tiny portion of meat / carb at dinner bulked out with lots of salad. Gone from size 20-22 to size 10. Been strict and not really had days off, particularly in later months when the weight is slow to come off. It’s totally been worth it.

In theory you only need to overeat by around 400 calories per day to whack on three stones in a year (I know that it’s not always that simple) so you don’t have to be caning the food to gain that much.

Good luck, OP. For inspiration I can recommend Secret Eaters (Youtube or Amazon Prime): that kept me on the straight and narrow when I was contemplating lockdown snacks!

Hi OP, I have put on a lot of weight but mine has been more gradual. I probably put on about 6/7lb during lockdown so you are not alone.

Bread and chocolate are my absolute worst things to binge on so I'm reducing what I eat (note, not eliminating as I know that won't work).

I've lost 2lb in one week. It's not a lot but I needed to break that cycle of weight gain.

I'm aiming for 2 stone by October.
Start with small targets and realistic changes.

You can do it OP. Just start small. Any change you make is good.

I started my weight loss journey at the end of January and I’ve just hit 5 stone loss today. I’ve done it by calorie counting on MyFitnessPal and doing some kind of exercise everyday. I started couch to 5K in March and I can now run 10k without stopping (albeit quite slowly!) And I bought an Apple Watch which has helped. I’ve tweaked all our meals to make them lower calorie.

I’d got to the stage where my hips hurt trying to get dressed. I couldn’t paint my toenails without it feeling like my organs were being squashed. Running up the stairs left me out of breath. I feel so much better now.

I’ve still got 2 stone to go before I’m a normal weight but I’m determined to get there.

Good luck.

Me also.

I bought a rowing machine in feb and can now do 5-10k a day. I joined a gym for variety so do circuits 3-4 times a week, and use the rower on days I can’t make the gym.

Hadn’t lost a pound though which was really depressing, even though I was eating healthily.

Bit the bullet this week and signed up to one of those companies that send you all your food for a month, so I can’t cheat, underestimate my calorie intake or think a couple of biscuits won’t hurt, which I think is my downfall. Found a groupon offer. It allows 1200-1500 cals a day.

I’m 3lbs down in 4 days, so realistically I must have been underestimating my food intake. It’s been interesting as in some ways I’m eating more- i used to skip meals to save calories, but as I have a set amount there’s no picking. I’m eating more veg as well to bulk out meals. Also hoping to reducate my portion size- the measured cereal is tiny, yet I do find it enough.

Will stick with this for the month and see how I get on. I have 3 st to lose now so if I do well i’ll fork out for a bit longer, lose more and also create new habits of eating much smaller portions.

Lemons that is impressive. Well done !