Page 3 | To want to do something about my weight, before I gain anymore

JJ213 · 2022-12-28T22:45:07+00:00

Hi So basically during 2020 I lost 4 stone. I went from 13st something and got down to 9st. I'm 5'6/7 ish. I did this through 16:8 intermittent fasting, reducing sugar etc and exercising. I managed to stay around 9st until the last few months. I'd say over the last 4-5 months I've gone up to 10st 11. I'm still doing 16:8 and the exercise. But I'm gaining weight. I've been thinking about doing something different such as joining slimming world or doing a vlcd to get the weight off asap. I'm not sure how I'm gaining as my diet and everyday routine is the same. I had a shock when I tried to get into my size 8 jeans a few months back. So I'm now thinking whether to stay at the heavier weight or do something about it and get back down to 9 stone. Any ideas?

hamstersarse · 29/12/2022 22:12

It’s taken me 2 months, so no time really. And I noticed by looking in the mirror and by clothing!

Fasting is definitely good for cell repair, that’s pretty good science, but you can do it too much. And the thing that suffers is your thyroid function, which is obviously not great for weight control. The protocols for fasting are all over the place, no one really knows what it should be for optimal health so I think you have to experiment. One thing I do know is that some fasting is brilliant for health, and another is that women do not respond the same as men and much of the research is done on men. It’s tricky, in your circumstance, if you discount calorie increases, it is worth experimenting on your fasting protocol.

Original poster

JJ213 · 29/12/2022 22:14

Wow @hamstersarse that's amazing. Literally no time at all to get back down to a slimmer weight.

I'm going to have to do some research into it. So thanks for letting me know.

My size 8 clothes should be fitting soon!

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Original poster

JJ213 · 29/12/2022 22:37

@Mousypup thanks for mentioning those. Will definitely take a look at them.

Did they work for you?

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JJ213 · 29/12/2022 23:23

I'm going to try the weigh in every morning. See if it helps

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BluebirdRobin · 29/12/2022 23:37

I stopped weighing myself now because when I joined the gym last year, my muscle mass went up, so I was leaner and slimer with less fat but weighed the same or more. The machine at the gym does your weight but also tells you how must muscle you've gained and where in the body you've gained it. Regular scales at home will only give you a weight and make you think you're fat.

It's far better to measure yourself instead.

Wantosleep39 · 29/12/2022 23:42

Mousypup · 29/12/2022 22:05

Each time you diet and lose weight, you are biologically setting your body up to regain it all plus an extra chunk as security. Diets and weight loss simply don’t work long term - statistically over 95% of dieters regain all the weight within a few years. That isn’t a moral failing or because people are simply greedy or weak willed - it’s biological and hormonal, you cannot exert willpower over a biological function which happens every second of the day.

I was in a similar situation to you OP, and repeated that cycle a few times, beating myself up and restarting the weight loss, telling myself that I just didn’t have the willpower and just needed to stick to it properly this time. After the last time this happened, I made it my mission to understand what was actually going on in my body and why the same thing kept happening.

these are a few of the books I read which taught me a great deal about why diets simply don’t work and the human body will nearly always fight to regain weight (lowering metabolism, changing hormones, increasing appetite etc) until it reaches its previous size, then a few extra kg for good measure.

‘The diet delusion’, ‘Fat chance’, ‘Why we get fat’, ‘The obesity code’, ‘why we eat too much’.

the only way to actually change your weight long term is by changing your bodies programmed ‘set point’ of weight, which isn’t done through calorie restriction and is a really gradual process. Changing your bodies set point means that you won’t deal with weight regain, because your body will protect its new set point if you fluctuate up or down.

This is most helpful message in this post. Absolutely agree everything you said. I don’t believe diets, fastings etc. Diets are mostly harmful to our bodies and may also cause lots of mental health issues.
Thank you so much taking time to share this post.

Aquarius1234 · 30/12/2022 00:17

Jesus I'm 12 stone and would love to be 11 lol
Any tips on how to lose stomach fat ASAP. I'm addicted to carbs ..

Legrandetraitor · 30/12/2022 04:40

BluebirdRobin · 29/12/2022 23:37

I stopped weighing myself now because when I joined the gym last year, my muscle mass went up, so I was leaner and slimer with less fat but weighed the same or more. The machine at the gym does your weight but also tells you how must muscle you've gained and where in the body you've gained it. Regular scales at home will only give you a weight and make you think you're fat.

It's far better to measure yourself instead.

You can buy Scales at home that do this

doubleshotcappuccino · 30/12/2022 04:48

Andrew Huberman says on his podcast that if you are having a chest or rest day from intermittent fasting it takes four days for the body to reset .. not sure if this applies to you but I found not coming out of 16:8 and also lengthening my fast by one more hour helped hugely

Billslills · 30/12/2022 05:21

The purpose of weighing daily (and recording it) is so you can see your weekly average which is actually accurate Vs. randomly weighing yourself.

I weigh daily myself and I can fluctuate by 1-1.5kg some days which will be the same for everyone. The weekly average is the important number because it’s the right one.

Original poster

JJ213 · 30/12/2022 08:09

@Aquarius1234 cut the sugar and eat more protein

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JJ213 · 30/12/2022 10:30

Weighed this morning and I'm 10st 11. So no change from the other day.

I'm going to try and weigh every morning

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Billslills · 30/12/2022 10:51

Of course there is no change, it has only been a few days. Honestly, and I mean this in a caring way, you really need to stop being so hard on yourself and stop obsessing over this. It’s going to take a couple of weeks to just get back into routine and feeling normal again after Christmas. Your posts read like you’re desperate for some quick fix and they don’t exist. To drop a pound or so a week is realistic and you may have some weeks where the scales don’t change at all.

Original poster

JJ213 · 04/01/2023 12:43

Over the past few days, been weighing daily. I've ranged from 10st 11 down to 10st 9. But not any higher or lower.

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OatFox · 04/01/2023 13:51

Please don't weigh daily. It's going to dishearten you even if you're doing everything right. Hormonal changes, amounts of waste in the body, water retention etc can all contribute.

Get a measuring tape and keep an eye on that instead. Much more accurate.

Original poster

JJ213 · 04/01/2023 15:17

OatFox · 04/01/2023 13:51

Please don't weigh daily. It's going to dishearten you even if you're doing everything right. Hormonal changes, amounts of waste in the body, water retention etc can all contribute.

Get a measuring tape and keep an eye on that instead. Much more accurate.

Thanks will try that too

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Kanaloa · 04/01/2023 15:21

Can I just ask - if you are doing intermittent fasting, isn’t the point that you skip breakfast, therefore reducing your overall calorie count for the day by skipping one meal? You just waited until lunchtime and had breakfast & lunch together.

Kanaloa · 04/01/2023 15:22

I will say though that I think weighing each morning is pointless. I think it would make much more sense to do it weekly - you’ll only get disheartened doing it daily because realistically you are not going to lose weight every single day.

Original poster

JJ213 · 04/01/2023 15:26

Kanaloa · 04/01/2023 15:21

Can I just ask - if you are doing intermittent fasting, isn’t the point that you skip breakfast, therefore reducing your overall calorie count for the day by skipping one meal? You just waited until lunchtime and had breakfast & lunch together.

I hadn't noticed that. So thanks for pointing that out

I might try and cut the porridge or the sandwich. And reduce carbs too.

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Kanaloa · 04/01/2023 15:28

I wasn’t trying to be snide or anything! I was genuinely asking as I’ve never fasted like that. I presumed the point was to basically skip a meal so lower your daily calorie count, but I’ve also heard some people saying the point is actually the long window without eating makes you burn fat? But I’m not sure.

Original poster

JJ213 · 04/01/2023 15:30

Kanaloa · 04/01/2023 15:28

I wasn’t trying to be snide or anything! I was genuinely asking as I’ve never fasted like that. I presumed the point was to basically skip a meal so lower your daily calorie count, but I’ve also heard some people saying the point is actually the long window without eating makes you burn fat? But I’m not sure.

I'm glad you pointed it out!!

I hadn't noticed. But yeah I agree. I think it's a mixture of both. So not eating in the morning, means you use up stored energy/fat.

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JJ213 · 04/01/2023 15:35

I'm thinking if I reduce carbs that might help

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Mumsanetta · 04/01/2023 15:56

You won the battle to lose weight but lost the war because you didn’t change your weight set point. You need to change what you eat to change your weight set point otherwise you will always eventually put the weight back on because it’s impossible to win against a biological process. Have a read of Why We Eat (Too Much) if what I am saying sounds like mumbo jumbo and to learn how to change your weight set point.

Original poster

JJ213 · 09/01/2023 14:26

Still no change to the scales. I'm guessing I'll have to change what I'm eating.

Certainly going to have a read of those books that the others have mentioned too. Thanks for that

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thisplaceisweird · 09/01/2023 14:31

Reducing sugar doesn't just mean not sprinkling it on things. It means not eating biscuits, desserts, chocolate, sweet snacks, and not really eating any fruit. These things should be eaten maybe once a week max.

The reason you aren't maintaining any weight is because you are dieting. It's not going to work long term and you'll be back here in a year.

The only real way to keep a lower weight without extreme dieting is by eating just good, natural food. Eat just whole foods (e.g. nothing from a packet! just ingredients cooked from scratch), very little sugar, almost no complex carbs, small portions, almost no alcohol.

If this becomes your normal can you start to introduce 'unhealthy' things like the odd takeaway or a few glasses of wine (once a month) and it wont have an extreme effect. The problem is that people introduce these things back in too much.