Gained 50lbs. Please help!

[rainbowkittens]

I had a very bad episode of depression during lockdown, including a cancer scare. I completely neglected my health, binge ate, and did virtually no exercise.

I have got my mental health back on track but I really need some words of wisdom to help me shift this weight. I used to weigh around 10-11 stone, I am now 14 stone. I have avoided weighing myself for months because of shame but I have finally bit the bullet and I am ready to make some changes in my life.

For anyone who has lost 3-4 stone plus - please can you give me any tips on where to start? I feel quite overwhelmed at the moment!

Thanks in advance, I have been feeling really low about my weight gain for a while now but I just need to get it sorted.

Come over here and join us:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/4467971-LOSE-IT-February-2022?pg=5
Full of tips and unconditional support.

@129orbust

Come over here and join us: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/4467971-LOSE-IT-February-2022?pg=5 Full of tips and unconditional support.

Thank you! I will check this out now

I’ve lost four stones over the last couple of years. Here’s what I think:

1. All diets work if you stick to them. Therefore pick the one that you are most likely to be able to weave into life long term. For me, it was calorie counting and eating the same lunch every day (and no, I’m not Victoria Beckham ) but do whatever fits into your life.
2. Just do it. Day in, day out. It’s slow, it’s often boring. THE TIME WILL PASS ANYWAY.
3. Remember why you started.
4. Diet makes your body lighter, exercise makes you feel more confident in it. Don’t eat back your exercise calories, it rarely works.

Good luck :)

I'm determined to lose weight this year. I think I need to lose about 6-8 stones to be happy. My downfall is regular exercise, so I've signed up to race at your pace. I've committed to walking 5 miles every day for the month of February. I'll slowly increase the amount I walk each month.

I've lost about 16lbs in the last 6 months, nothing drastic but I'm mantaining it. Carefully listing all my food has been really important and also showed up quite a low calcium intake.Weighing myself every morning has also been really important
Kudos to the 5 mile a day person, I'm back to recording my steps and I'm lucky if I do 7000 per day.

Protein shakes for breakfast I've used. Soya milk, scoop of protein powder, 1 banana and a handful of frozen fruit. If you're the kind of person rushing around in the morning and sometimes don't have breakfast, causing you to pick something not so healthy up, they can be made the night before.

There's a guy James Smith on Facebook, English PT trainer, lives in Australia, does some great videos with simple tips in. Also some other good videos about if you eat a pizza on day 13 of a diet, it's the end of the world!

Good luck though

Good old fashioned calorie counting but not restricting anything. My fitness watch says my basal metabolic rate is 1400. Exercise sees me using approximately 400 calories more. So I set my food intake to 1600. I am around 200 calories in deficit each day. I lost 2lb last week so it won't be quick but I can eat 1500 to 1600 calories each day without feeling deprived. I am avoiding white carbs but I am not avoiding carbs completely. They are not the enemy if you don't go potty.

I'll be following this thread. I'm a similar weight to you and put on a lot in the past year. MH played a part, eating too much and less exercise.

I'm going to start reducing the junk I eat and walking in the evening to begin with.

I know it's going to be a hard slog but I have to shift the weight. It's starting to restrict what I do.

By exercise that's normal daily activities with the odd zumba thrown in. If I am having a lazy day wfh I will get a brisk walk in to make sure I'm moving.

I think it depends on how old you are - dieting that worked for me in my 30’s doesn’t help now I’m somewhat north of 40, for example. Last year I tried a fasting diet (only eating 2 meals a day, between midday and 7pm) and I lost 21lbs in 5 weeks . Am going back on this diet again now, as I want to lose some more. The fasting seems to be the way forward for me…

Lost 2 stone and kept it off (late 40s)
Intermittent fasting no food til early lunch or after 8pm (relax at weekends)
Hours cardio every morning first thing
Meals on smaller plates
If in doubt don’t eat have a coffee or tea instead

Went from bmi 27 to bmi 22 size 14 to size 10

I lost 7 stone around 9 years ago and have managed to keep it off…just!
I found WW worked for me. The app helped me plan and stick to my points - I need to be in control and that helped.
I only ever weighed myself once a week. I found jumping on the scales daily changed my mood so much and it was never a ‘true’ weight as it fluctuates so much.
Drinking lots of water - I always have a water bottle with me and now it’s second nature, I carry it around the house with me and it reminds me to drink plenty.
I found a love of exercise! I love to sweat…it makes me feel great cycling, running, rowing machine…whatever you enjoy. I walk lots too with my headphones in and a playlist of my favourite songs.

I always thought the first week was the hardest, once I’d done that the rest way pretty easy. I wasn’t going to undo the good work from the week before so that helped me stick at it. Give yourself small goals too. I would have given up if I thought ‘I’ve got 7 stone to lose’ so I broke it in to 7lb chunks.

Good luck OP!