To think there’s no point being hungry if the weight isn’t coming off?

[Flaribeau]

The doctor has told me to lose weight because I’m at risk of diabetes. I’m absolutely starving but virtually no weight is coming off! I haven’t had a single biscuit or packet of crisps, no takeaways or alcohol at all, I’ve cut right down on carbs, I’ve started walking for an hour a day, and I’ve still only lost 2lb in an entire month.

AIBU to think being hungry is absolutely pointless if I’m not losing weight? Everyone says you lose loads in the first few weeks but I haven’t. I was expecting to have lost half a stone by now. I’m suffering for no reason because the weight isn’t coming off 😭

It'll come off if you're in a calorie deficit @Flaribeau .

It's the basic laws of physics. There's a very slight thing called 'starvation mode,' but it's not significant or no one would die of starvation ever.

Cut you're calories more (track calories if you don't already as people underestimate what they have) but eat a lot of low calorie food- loads of veg so you can eat a lot of stuff. Eat some protein.

Maybe try Ozempic? Or Orlistat if you think that'll help you.

Exercise so you can burn calories without cutting them quite as far.

Here's your problem. You're not even overweight

If you are trying to avoid sugar diabetes reasons then you do need to ditch the bread. I know 'wanting to be normal ' is a thing but 'normal' is an unattainable fantasy

If sweets and chocolates are your only pleasure in life then source or bake using Stevia or xylitol.

I am also celiac. I never bother with bread. Once I ditched sugar and carbs I found I didn't want them any more (it's a drug. Bread will make you hungry.)

Ignore the weight advice, if you are 7lbs only over then your doctor is being a dick.

I can’t believe what I’m reading here. You’re not even actually diabetic and are only 7lbs over a ‘healthy’ weight and your doctor is irresponsibly (IMO) causing you this much distress.

Diabetes is multi factoral and it’s very simplistic to say just lose weight when you haven’t even got it.

I’d look up intuitive eating. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when satisfied and ensure you have a wide variety of foods. Your body needs nourishment not starving. And it’s true that when you reduce your food intake your body can hold onto fat. Your metabolism slows down, you become hungrier and more fixated on food. Your body can’t tell the difference between intentional starvation and life threatening starvation which is why it does these things because in times gone by it would have been vital to your survival.

Well you’re in exactly the same position I was a couple of months ago I was 10 stone four and now I’m nine stone seven. This is how I did it. Not all calories are equal you see - some like bread leave you feeling hungry in minutes. Double the amount of vegetables, you’re having, half the carbohydrates. Tell your husband, the whole family is going on a health kick. desserts every day are not good for him either. Then switch to forest fruits and yogurt.add a handful of dried oats, but I use that as a lunch rather than a desert.
Grate a carrot and apple- the mixed juices give an exquisite flavour and it takes a while to eat put it in a nice bowl and eat it with a fork afterwards you feel healthy, energetic and proud of yourself.
i weighed myself every day wearing nothing. And when you lose your next pound have a glass of wine. You are fabulous and deserve it.

She doesnt need ozempic to lose 7lb

THIS 👏👏

If you're not going to work then couldn't you go to the gym?

I've been strength training 3x a week for a good few years now and now that some of my lifts are in the elite category I can eat loads. I tend to loosely intermittent fast and have a few bananas and protein shakes in the day and a massive meal at night which I struggle to eat, especially as not eating much in the day takes away my hunger a bit, presumably through stomach shrinking.

I haven't weighed myself in years as I go by the mirror and my strength gains but I'd say I'm about 10ish stone. I eat close to 3000 cals a day including a fair amount of carbs and approx 2/3 of that is in the eve. Love chicken with mash and gravy!

On a naughty day I'll eat a whole supermarket pizza and a tub of Ben & Jerry's and still be around my calories so there's loads of bandwidth for healthier and genuinely filling food.

Use My Fitness Pal or similar to input all the food you eat over a number of days. Be honest. If you're cooking a meal, remember to include all the ingredients in a dish — the oil in the pan before you brown the onions, the coconut cream in a curry... It'll also indicate the amount of fat and carbs etc you're consuming.

Once you know how many calories you're actually eating when you think you're cutting back you'll have a clearer idea of how to adapt. Most diets will be based on a calorie intake of around 1200 - 1400. Once you can see where the calories are coming from and make adjustments if you want.

Yup. Also agree. There was a guy who famously lost weight eating only donuts.

OP, given your recent updates could I ask what the doctor actually said to you?

Being overweight does increase your risk of diabetes but 7lb overweight is not a desperately urgent problem which means you'll become diabetic imminently.

Do you have any other risk factors which raise your risk of developing diabetes, or was the doctor giving you generic risks and advice and this is the one you're focussing on?

@Flaribeau what exactly did your doctor say

Well, your husband can cook his own meals surely if he supports you and understands how important this is.

But, from what you’ve written, no amount of calorie counting or cutting out carbs will help. You need counselling, your relationship with food is incredibly unhealthy, and your mental health seems to be very very low. Before you address these issues you’ll never succeed.

There isn't really any such thing as 'should have lost x pounds' because your body is unique and your calorie requirement may be lower than some people's. The point is that you are losing weight, but you might need to resign yourself to losing it slowly.

I wouldn't be skipping any meals as that can mess up the body's metabolism so it goes into 'I'm not sure where the next fuel is coming from so let me conserve what I have'.

In Weight Watchers you can eat unlimited fruit and vegetables as well as some other things (I chose wholewheat pasta and popcorn and eggs are included as standard). Which meant if you were hungry you could eat those. It's more about establishing habits you keep for life as losing the weight is just the start of it.

I also think you are eating too much of the wrong things and not enough of the right things.

However, sometimes nothing at all works. I am obese and whether I eat the right things or wrong things never lose weight, I stay exactly the same for a prolonged period, then gain a bit, and rinse and repeat.

For breakfast I eat one slice of sour dough with 2 eggs, or a piece of salmon or steamed/poached chicken, wilted spinach.
For lunch I have a small portion of curry with a little brown rice, or a tomato/pesto based whole meal pasta with little pasta. These are mainly veg based or some lean meat in them.
For dinner I’ll have a small slice of veg frittata, or 1 egg veg omelette. The rest of the family has the curry/pasta that I will have a small portion of for lunch the next day.
No snacks at all, and 3 cups of tea a day each with a teaspoon of milk, additional drinks are decaffeinated green tea.
I walk every day unless it rains.
I don’t lose one gram. I will drink now if I go out as I gave up for 12months for weight loss purposes but didn’t lose anything at all so, I thought, as it doesn’t make a difference may as well😁. Forgot to add, was put in the shake diet as well, with no cheating. Didn’t lose a gram there either after several weeks and had to come off as these are not appropriate long term.

I have an endocrinologist scratching their head, and gastro couldn’t add any bright ideas. Tried meds from endocrinologist, nothing has worked thus far. So obese I stay. Anyone who wants to complain about me costing the health system, or sitting next to me on a plane can get fucked.

Op, try low carbs. It's way easy and I can lose 20lb in 4-6 weeks.

Sausage, bacon , egg, mushrooms and tomato for breakfast.

A protein and salad for lunch with mayo/cottage cheese

Melon, strawberries and double cream

A veg based soup with a dollop of cream

Coffee and cream or cocoa and cream

Low carb Whey protein shakes

Roast meat, veg etc

Omelettes with veg and cheese

Kebab from the takeaway with loads of salad and mayo ( don't eat the bread)

Roast veg and lamb skewers

Loads and loads of options.

I wouldn't be skipping any meals as that can mess up the body's metabolism so it goes into 'I'm not sure where the next fuel is coming from so let me conserve what I have'.

People need to stop peddling this 'starvation mode' crap. Adaptive thermogenesis doesn't stop people losing weight in a continued calorie deficit, it just causes a non linear weight loss.

And with low carb you can make your own cakes and biscuits and eat dark chocolate within reason. Peanut butter biscuits are amazing. Sweet potato brownies. Carrot cake with coconut flour. Loads and loads of options that will work.

It's honestly so much easier just to go and lift some weights and eat relatively heartily than to continually agonise over calories.

You need to find a way to eat that does work. Add more protein and fat perhaps. That keeps you hungry for longer.

You're eating a lot of bread which, unless it's a decent sour dough, is full of emulsifiers that can really fuck with your gut bacteria and also make you feel really hungry.

I think people need to stop adding diet tips based on latest updates.
Something is not right

OP,

for me it looks like you might be insulin resistant plus you are eating way too many carbs, hence you constantly feeling hungry.

Eat more protein and healthy fats like olive oil.
Start breakfast with protein, ditch the bread and to every meal add leafy greens

Agreed.

This sounds more like a mental health problem than anything else

Ask your doctor for a referral to the National Diabetes Prevention Programme. Good luck x