To ask if you’ve lost five or six stone

[Doublethecars]

How long it took you?

I lost four and a half stone in 9 months with Slimming World. I had to address my issues with food, Slimming World’s ‘eat as much free food as you like’ ethos really doesn’t work for me as a comfort/over eater.

@Sneakycrab - that’s a great way to describe it! That’s what I do: rebel against myself. Can I ask how you did do it? I’ve got 3-4 stone to lose and I want to just getting ticking downwards. Don’t care how long it takes so long as it is going in the right direction!

@UpHillandDownAle it's so hard isn't it.

I didn't do anything groundbreaking really but made small changes slowly. I found that having white bread either toast for breakfast or for lunch was giving me big sugar cravings and then making me crash which in turn made me reach for more chocolate/treats. So on the most part I try not to have bread anymore.
I also started drinking coffee which I think helped me not initially reach for food especially if I was bored!

I still give myself treats but tried to reduce overall calories.
My breakfast now is one of those hazelnut filled crepes with a coffee and a banana a couple of hours later. Still feels like I've had a treat but overall that's less than 200 calories.

Then lunch I tend to have a mini tapas, carrot/cucumber/pepper sticks with a nice flavoured hummus . I also have an apple and grape fruit bag with some Brie. Again I love all of those foods and it doesn't make me feel sluggish like bread did.
If I want something more substantial I'll have some scrambled egg, bacon, mushrooms and beans which is filling too.

I pretty much have whatever I want for dinner but try and do smaller portions and eat slower but I definitely don't deprive myself if I go out for tea or go for a cake with a friend. But now instead of thinking oh fuck it I've ruined it there's no point carrying on, I'll just pull it back a bit the next day.

I feel so much better in myself and happier overall.

I also really recommend getting a Fitbit to motivate you in getting more steps if possible.
I think that's helped me a lot too.

@ZombeaArthur

I lost four and a half stone in 9 months with Slimming World. I had to address my issues with food, Slimming World’s ‘eat as much free food as you like’ ethos really doesn’t work for me as a comfort/over eater.

I've also lost 3.5 stone with slimming world in the past.

(Which of course I gained it all back, plus more - have now lost 6 total and for the first time ever in my life have a healthy BMI and maintaining it easily.)

The 'unlimited' white pasta/rice/potatoes and snacks of fruit whenever you want are a recipe for disaster really if (like me and many overweight/obese people) you are insulin resistant.

Sure you lose weight as you're swapping out crisps for fruit and not having takeaways. But it's not a healthy lifestyle and it's no wonder most people gain it back.

My best friend lost 5 stone over the course of about 18 months - 2 years. This was back in about 2017.

Since the pandemic started, she has worked from home, whereas she used to have quite a long walk to work. She is steadily putting the weight back on unfortunately, which she's quite upset about. She's repeatedly asked me to help keep her accountable/check-in via text (she lives 2 hours away, so I can't do anything practical to help), but any advice/support I try and give (which she wanted) was shrugged off with an "oh I can't" or an "I don't want to do that."
I've stopped getting involved. I love her dearly, but it's her business now.

I lost 8 stone in 8.5 months when I was 26. Unfortunately I've put 4 stone back on over the last 20 years. I was very determined, wrote a daily diary, swam a lot and made sure that I was eating healthily and cutting out all empty calories.

Thanks @Sneakycrab. That’s already got me thinking of a couple of changes I could make which would be lower calories choices but still food I love. Now I work from home more, I’ve started using chewing gum as I found I ate half the time as chewing de-stresses me rather than actually being hungry. That’s got nearly a stone off but a couple more changes would definitely help keeping the scales ticking downwards. Thanks for taking the time to share what’s worked for you.

I am definitely insulin resistant . I can’t eat pasta or bread if I want to lose weight. SW would not work for me.

@Justilou1, wow, well done you look fantastic and that’s a huge achievement.

Thank you so much for the compliments. It's been a journey and yes, I've slipped up along the way. The trick is to get over myself and start back up again. (Yes, I have resented it, but I know it's worth it. I also know that once I get through the first couple of weeks, it's kind of easy... strangely, starting properly has been the key for me.). I won't bore you with the details, but a lot led me to that point. My own physical and mental health (which I continue to deal with, but know would be definitely worse with the weight still on) and the deaths of my parents, etc, along with wanting to be a good example for my kids. Since losing the weight and looking at my parent's choices, I have started studying nursing (at my old age) with an interest in diabetic education. @Farfalle88 is definitely not alone in suffering from insulin resistance, and I very much doubt that doctors give it the time of day - especially in the earliest stages, when it's rather intangible, hard to test for, etc. It's almost seen as an "excuse" to not lose weight, rather than a medical problem. It's closely associated with hormonal and metabolic problems like PCOS and Endometriosis - which also take far too long to get diagnosed. Meanwhile, Type 2 diabetes is considered to be the biggest (and costliest) medical problem of the modern western world (especially the ageing population) and we wonder why....

Hâve a look at the Jason Fung book. It's really interesting and should help.

I'm just starting (again!) and have about 2.5-3st to lose. This thread is inspiring, @Justilou1 you look incredible!

It's taken me about 3 years to get in the right diet mindset - I'd start but after a couple of days I'd fail. So far this time I've realised there are a few things which are making it so much easier:

1. Prep your meals. My biggest problem was leaving it so late to eat lunch / dinner that I was starving, but had nothing ready. I spend an hour or so 2-3 times per week planning and prepping my food.
2. Drink lots of coffee! It takes the edge off any hunger pangs (although I've hardly had any because of (3). I only drink instant so not too caffeine heavy.
3. Eat lots of protein. Over 100g of protein each day so far. And limit complex carbs to evening meal.
4. Lots of exercise, including at least 2-3 strength sessions per week. This was pretty easy for me, I've always exercised hard.

I'm not weighing myself until I've completed the 28-day programme I've signed up for, but I'm feeling great and clothes are slightly looser.

About 2 years, but I was pregnant for 9 months of that and not dieting so I reckon it would have been more like 18 months.
Slimming world
Have kept it off a year now.

So very true!

That was to @Justilou1