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 😭

I suggest downloading nutracheck. Fill in your details and track and weigh all your food. Up your protein, keep your carbs, and sugar low. I have been doing this for 2 months and I've lost 11 pounds.

Sorry...didn't finish...

I think a lot of people assumed you meant you were obese. Not 7lb overweight.

You're being too hard on yourself. And your relationship with food does not seem healthy.

Don't starve yourself because you're half a stone overweight ffs. Maybe get some advice designed to improve your relationship with food.

Tell your doctor how you are feeling after their advise. And eat a sandwich, if you're not actually pre diabetic then a sandwich is fine to eat as part of a balanced diet.

It is different for everyone but I enter calories into MyFitnessPal- I aim for high protein. I think of it a bit like when I used to give my children money on holiday- blow it all on chocolate and the daily limit is gone.

I feel your pain as someone who ate relatively little but couldn’t shift weight.

You need to ditch the white carbs, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc altogether. If you must have them, have sour dough bread and whole meal pasta/Brown rice. No refined sugar of any kind. Avoid tropical fruit, berries and nuts are OK.

I have done the fast800 diet and still follow it on the whole and still have to be mindful of what I eat.

I am currently doing the Zoe programme to find out what food I react to.

I eat good quality protein (I am vegetarian) and mainly vegetables. I cannot eat any bread or refined carbs at all - even brown or my blood sugar spikes.

You can adapt to live without them, though it takes work. I eat 2 or 3 meals a day with snacks and I am never hungry. It’s the carbs that are causing your hunger.

You're obviously going somewhere wrong with your diet. I'm a size 8 and eat in a totally different way to you, more food but very different food and I'm never hungry. You might want to go back to the drawing board as it sounds like it's what you're eating not his much that's the issue. On one of the example days you give there is zero fruit. Cheese strings are not healthy either.

Almond bread. Look it up.
Many people have to give up what they are used to and enjoy. There are alternatives out there but if you reject everything that is suggested you will get nowhere.
The possibility of being diabetic is not an easy thing to face. However it it up to you whether you take the advice people are offering, or just keep feeling sorry for yourself.
Do some research, I have already posted a link for you to get advice from people who started out as you have, and amany others who didn't decide to be defeatist about the whole thing.
It's your choice, you can do it. Only you can do it, with help, or not, but it is up to you to get on with it and find something that works.
People are trying to help you. Your turn now, help yourself.

Could you afford something like Noom? It changes the way you think about food and focuses on eating less calorie-dense foods so you're not constantly starving.

You only have 7lb to lose so 2lb a month is fine. The less you have to lose, the harder and slower it is to shift.

More protein, more water perhaps?

If your eating bread, pasta and rice you haven't cut your carbs, to get the full benefit, feel full and lose weight, cut the starchy carbs out completely, proteins and fats will keep you full. You will feel horrible for first couple of days like a hangover then ull feel great
Menu ideas
1.Breakfast - vegetables omlettes
2.Poached egg, bacon, tinned toms
3.Soya plain no added sugar yoghurt, mixed berries, chia and mixed seeds and mixed nuts
Lunch big platefuls
1.Seafood salad with boiled egg
2.meat salad with cheese
3.omlette and salad
Tea big platefuls
Home cooked bolognaise mince on green vegetable or Mediterranean veg chunks
Curry with cauliflower rice
Roast dinner no potatoes, loads of vegetables
Hope you find what works for you

You’re not eating enough to fill you up. Get rid of the processed foods. Switch your pasta and rice to whole grain. Bulk up on Salad, vegetables and fruits. Start your day with porridge and fruit. Make your own chunky vegetable soup and eat it whenever you feel hungry, watch your salt intake as it makes you retain water. Drink plenty of water. Stop skipping meals. Start reading labels and ditch anything high in sugar, salt and oil. Life is too short to be hungry and miserable 😊

You're only 7lbs overweight?
That's hardly pre diabetic territory.

You say you're terrified of sugar, but there is a lot of processed food here which contains sugar.

The ultimate key to healthy nutrition is: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Food, by this definition, includes vegetables, grains, legumes - if it didn't exist 200 years ago, it's not food. Use the Daily Dozen app to guide you.

Good luck.

I have to add (sorry!) don’t forget things like freezing yoghurt or grapes, having popcorn etc for treats, you don’t have to be miserable to eat healthy xxxx

I would ask your gp for a referral to a dietician as part of your preventative healthcare. They can give you much better advice. Just looking at your replies theres lots of mentions of treats and feeling worthless so you might me tion to your gp that you have some emotionsl issues around food so proper advice is essential for you.

Not so. My sister in law is bang on for her age and other factors. The risk can come from age or other underlying health conditions.

I recommend Slimming World. I lost a lot of weight ( 20kg) in first 6 months and by following their eating plan I wasn't hungry. It was more a matter of thinking ahead and planning that was key to success

Lots of folk here are giving you diet advice, some not particularly helpful. What you need to aim for is more food but less calories eg a tablespoon of soured cream is very calorie dense (and would be considered a lot by most people).
This book might be useful so you can compare and do swaps.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carbs-Cals-Carb-Calorie-Counter/dp/1908261153/ref=asc_df_1908261153/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310823491886&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8250220156708675698&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-453288332347&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Diabetes UK has some recipe ideas and you can choose filters to suit eg vegan, gluten free, no red meat etc. Have a look at GI too. Breadwise a granary loaf might be better. It's slightly more carby/calorie sometimes but low GI which means you'll feel fuller for longer. Try to steer away from classing foods as good or bad. Mackerel is quite oily therefore calorific, but packed with nutrients and will have no impact on your blood glucose levels. Eggs are your friend. Fruit is better than biscuits but just 1 or 2 portions a day. Vegetable/salads fill your boots.

Finally ( I'm sure I'm not telling you something you don't know here)...you need to address your mental wellbeing. You are eating for pleasure. That's OK in moderation but it sounds like it's the only enjoyable thing in your life. Surely you can see that if your main desire in life is to eat or sleep, then somethings wrong. Have you considered CBT. Your first step might be to sort your head out first, then concentrate on your physical health. If you've been identified as at risk of developing diabetes you'll be considered eligible.

Even so , the point is that the OP is likely IR now.
So her body doesn't deal normally with carbs, she gets a huge amount of insulin which in turn causes a crash.
It's the supposedly " normal " diet of cakes,bread,biscuits,cereal and crisps that has lead to this and in many cases there can be a genetic predisposition even if you aren't that overweight.
Op needs to change her diet not starve herself.

The bread contains a lot of calories. Healthier proteins are the key, chicken, prawns, home made veggie soups. You don't need rice with things. You can process cauliflower for example. Noodle dishes can use things like konyakku noodles (zero calories), lots of supermarkets are selling it these days.

As a Healthcare Professional, respectfully OP, please seek Professional medical advice. Ask your GP to refer you to a dietician, who can support with meal planning and progress monitoring.

Some of the comments on here are quite frankly speaking, absolutely terrible and definitely not in line with a lifestyle change that would be sustainable.

You don't need a quick fix. You need a lifestyle change with food and exercise, that doesn't leave you feeling deflated and utterly miserable.

I don't know how old you are, but with age, we need to change habits. What works for someone in their 20s, is different to what works for someone in their 30s, and 40s, and 50s and so on.

Best of luck. It's not impossible, and despite what social media and online articles tell us, 2lb weight loss in a month is absolutely fabulous!

Just google/YouTube 2lbs in body fat, and see the visual representation of what that actually looks like, and you'll never insult losing 2lbs, ever again ;-) you'll celebrate it as the achievement it is (".)

@Flaribeau I have the same issues but did reverse my pre diabetes- one thing I did a lot was use cauliflower rice- fry it , stir fry chicken and stir fry veg - douse it in soy sauce - you can eat a whole packet of the stuff for 19 calories!! So it is filling but low calorie and low carb. I've lost 29lb - but it has taken me10 months!!! (I'm 61)

You're only 7 pounds overweight? Losing 2 pounds is a fair chunk of that, just keep going.

Your DH shouldn't be eating dessert every night. That's not healthy and you're setting a poor example for your children.

It sounds like you would benefit from some counselling and emotional support, so you can find pleasure and joy in things other than food.

What is your relationship with DH like? Is he supportive?

I see the competitive under eaters are out in force today. Asking Mumsnet for diet advice is a dangerous game OP, plenty of undiagnosed eating disorders on here. I'd keep a very accurate food diary and ask if your GP surgery offers diet advice. Ours has a lifestyle practitioner who can help people meal plan and calorie count, it's worth seeing if a professional can look at your food diary instead of this bunch of competitive anorexics. Be very very wary of food advice on here.

She's having 4 pieces of bread a day. That's about 500 calories before she's put anything on it. And that's before considering her evening meal and the snacks which can be a tablespoon of peanut butter (100 calories). She's definitely eating too many calories.

Read the diabetes code by Jason fung