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 don't think it is necessarily the quantity of food you are eating it is the food itself. The more vegetables and fruit you eat the better and they will help to fill you up. Protein is good for helping you to feel less hungry, but it needs to be lean protein. Peanut butter is very high in fats and calories, you need to be eating low fat cheese rather than full fat Philadelphia, and remember chilli is usually made with beans (more carbs) and there is a lot of fat in mince. How about not having the rice with it and adding loads of vegetables in or with it or a huge salad? And less bread. It is really really hard to think of filling and quick meals that don't have carbs or fat in them so I sympathise... but start by increasing your fruit and veg intake and having low fat versions of what you would normally have. I also find it difficult to have to wait for mealtimes so I find it really useful to have proper snacks on hand and to have smaller meals, so that I am never absolutely starving and I don't feel that I am missing out. If necessary even have 6 small meals rather than 3 bigger ones. An egg salad is a good filler upper and a small meal. And drink lots! Water, peppermint tea, diet squash, hot bovril. I find hot drinks till me up more than cold ones, just be aware that some contain calories.

Stick with it, you're doing basically the right things, and it does take time.

If that is really the case then you have a seriously skewed idea of food. Asparagus is way more of a treat than a slice of toast.
I just want to be normal. Normal people have egg and toast, not egg and asparagus.

How much water are you drinking? You need to drink lots of water. Cut out all the carbs. 3 scrambled eggs with some tomato and mushrooms is going to be more filling and less carbs so less of a sugar / insulin spike than toast. Soup is not filling unless it's full of beans. You need lots of protien to fill you up.

You could limit bread, but add back in some carbs you enjoy to your main meals.

One spoonful of rice or one potato sounds very restrictive, no wonder you are miserable.

I’m on Metformin but there are many medications. Ozempic is probably most popular now. I found I stopped gaining weight as soon as I started metformin, but it took around 6-8 weeks for the weight to actually start coming off.

You're being rather dramatic and a bit offensive, given that what you're eating now isn't exactly a deprivation diet, and if food is the only thing that you find joy in then you may benefit from some therapy.

As others have pointed out, you're eating a fair amount of carbohydrates which can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes and which is causing your hunger pangs. I imagine this is exacerbated in someone who is on the threshold of becoming diabetic(?). Reduce your carbohydrates and increase proteins, fats, and leafy vegetables.

Keep your water intake high - dehydration and hunger can often feel similar.

An hour's walk a day won't help if the walk is a gentle bimble on flat ground. Start doing some power walking and if you can incorporate hills into that.

Lastly, you have lost 2lb. 2lb a month weightloss is still weightloss! The weight didn't appear overnight, you can't expect it to disappear overnight either. Have patience for yourself.

Fast 800 is brilliant, I've lost 4stone this year using it (was recommended by the diabetes nurse) also Berberine for maintaining blood SUGAR it's the crashes make you feel ill. I would go back and see the diabetic nurse and ask for help. They can't just say lose weight with no guidance.

Asparagus and eggs is a perfectly normal combination. Google brings up many different recipes.

What about if you made a 2-egg omelette for breakfast and added some veg to the omelette (eg: tomatoes, peppers, spinach)? Most people wouldn’t have toast with an omelette so maybe that would make you feel more ‘normal’ if that’s a consideration for you?

I want asparagus and eggs now 😋

It’s a bit concerning how much nonsense is on this thread. You shouldn’t be cutting out whole food groups to lose weight. Will it work? Yes probably but that’s only because you’re in a calorie deficit, you can be in a cal deficit eating foods you normally eat foods you love etc but you need to track absolutely everything. Have a look at team rh, Sean Casey, James smith etc they are no nonsense and will actually teach you about nutrition and how to lose weight healthily without being miserable

So do I, and with parma ham on the asparagus 😊

I am like you, most people will diet and can easily lose 5lbs a month whereas mine is like 0.5lbs.

Carry on as you are as you’re obviously doing something right to lose 2lbs.

I personally would calorie count because that means you don’t have to go without chocolate etc as you can include it in your diet.

You are feeling extra hungry because it’s all psychological.
Your brain is panicking because you’re on a diet and wants to eat everything thinking there’s not much food around.

You need to trick your brain into thinking you’re not dieting and you need to eat as much as you can within a calorie limit.

The easiest way to do this is have lots of veggies as these are filling but low calorie.
I will fill half of my plate with veggies and if I’m hungry snack on cucumber or carrot sticks (if I don’t want them then I’m obviously not hungry).

I’ll also eat lots of sugar free jelly, ice poles, fruit and drink lots of water.
I also drink a can of coke zero.

Do not make too many changes as you’re obviously on the right track.
Chances are you may be losing fat but it’s just not showing on the scales yet.

'While everyone around me seems to be eating normally and not having these problems'.

By the time you reach midlife I think the vast majority of women fall into two camps a) those that carry on eating as they did when they were younger often carb heavy and upf and as a result develop visceral fat, pre diabetes and metabolic problems b) those that realise to maintain their existing health they need to significantly reduce carbs, increase protein, exercise more and significantly increase veg consumption.

If may seem like a deprivation now cutting out bread and starchy carbs but after a few weeks your taste buds change and you actually develop cravings for healthy foods. As an added bonus you feel healthier, have more energy and loose weight without effort or calorie counting. I know I have been there, this time last year I felt just like you but cutting starchy carbs (sugar) out of my diet has made a huge difference to my weight and health. You just need to get through the first 2-3 weeks of pain.

I found it best to completely cut out sugar and starchy carbs during this time as reducing it just makes you hungrier and increases the duration of the pain.

two things that work for me are avoiding UPF and 14-10 fasting.

You should look into intermittent fasting. It’s shown to be the most effective way to lose weight. It will also help with insulin resistance which is important if you are pre diabetic.

I lost 6 stone when I was diagnosed diabetic, It's not the way to go. Please do whatever it takes to avoid this awful condition. It can cause so many other problems health wise and higher risks of conditions plus life expectantly can drop.
Take advice from gp, find a good eatting plan, exercise and hopefully you won't end up in my shoes, with various health problems as a result of it.💐

Intermittent fasting is the only way my body will give up the weight. I’ve an under active thyroid plus the meds make me so hungry. I have to stop all bread if I want to shift anything. Your body will be using the sugar from the bread/carbs to keep you going - you want it to start using your fat stores and for me when I fast that starts working. Start at 10 hours then build up- it gets easier as the days go on and eases the hunger pains. Does for me anyway. Well done on the 2lb though- it’s bloody hard isn’t it!
Also I find I need to mix my exercise up a bit so some weeks throw in a swim too (anything extra from week before).

I started doing some gentle weight lifting on gym machines (hated thought of gym for years) but at 53 I’ve got my little gentle routine going on to work on certain areas and I look forward to the swim afterwards. Hate running so I do the bike for the cardio . Plus I walk the dogs but my metabolism is so so slow so it’s all much harder than years ago.

The philadelphia on toast won't be helping. It's basically cream cheese and bread is one of the worst culprits for weight gain. Opt for lean meats, protein and small amounts of fat as they will keep you going better than carbs and sugar. The bread and fruits cause blood sugar spikes and crashes making you feel constantly hungry.

PPs are right in saying that being starving will slow weight loss. Your body will slow its metabolism to eke out what stores of fat it has to keep you alive as long as possible. You will also feel tired to prevent you moving about and wasting energy reserves. Its survival mode.

Please follow 'the fitness chef' and 'lose weight eat pizza' You should not be feeling guilty about eating anything, food does not have moral values.
Graeme from TFC teaches all about this in quick Instagram reels that you can also view in tiktoc and Facebook. Lwep is a supportive community on Facebook.

You need to track, and you need to learn how to fit in the food you love. Google tdee calculator and go from there. Weigh and track everything you eat.

However, well done on the 2lb! That's a great loss, and is easily sustainable. People who lose lots quicky, tend to see it back on as quickly.

I would have a day eating as you are but weigh everything and run it through myfitnesspal to get the calories, carbs etc. That will give you more insight than Mumsnet.

A couple of thoughts though:

2lbs in one month is a step in the right direction
Your appetite will adjust but you need to give it time
It sounds like you think about food too much. Keep busy, find joy elsewhere in life. If this is about a longer and healthier life with your kids it's worth changing your perception of pleasure. I must admit I like a glass of wine at the weekend but I don't know how people eat cake, biscuits, crisps every day...that sort of food makes me feel tired and miserable.

If I’m going to do that I might as well top myself, because there is literally no joy or normality left in my life. I’ve already cut out pretty much everything that gives me any pleasure

I know it’s tough but you have to eat food that will keep you full if your on a diet and refined carbs is not the best choice. It’s no good having a tablespoon of rice for example, you may as well not bother for all the good it will do. Something like an omelette would be better.

.

I’d look at what is hidden. How much butter / oil are you using? You can easily add 10-15g of fat with butter & full fat Philadelphia on the bread and toast each day. That could be 70g-100g of fat a week, plus any generous use of cooking oil.

I calorie count and use pinch of nom recipes to lose weight. The recipes are really nice and you can have rice/pasta with them!

It does sound you are eating too little if you are feeling faint and sick. You also can have biscuits/bread/crisps if you work them into your calorie allowance.

What is your height and weight @Flaribeau?

And age?