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’ve cut out all carbs and sugar (keto) for the last three months, no exercise other than walking. I’ve lost just over 10 kilos so far (22 1bs). I don’t eat after 7pm either, not a crumb even if feeling hungry. Some days are easier than others and some weeks have better weight loss than others but the evidence is there to say keto is working (for me).

What I like about keto is you can’t cheat, you can’t have cheat days as you’ll no longer be in keto. Having such clear boundaries means I can’t kid myself.

I could write your post, word for word, right down to the need for carbs though in smaller portions.

A couple of years ago I was told as well I was pre diabetic which scared me. Diabetes is a life changing diagnosis. The GP sent me on a pre diabetic course and I went to a few sessions which were interesting but then the first lockdown happened and it moved into a group phone session. I couldn't get on with that , would have preferred Zoom, so stopped the sessions but carried on for a while with the diet. But lockdown was difficult of course and my blood sugars returned to normal and I ended up g8ving up.

Since then I've had intermittent attempts at losing weight but like you it seems to be slow. I cut right back on my calories, walk loads, lose maybe a stone and it stalls.

In 2021 I had gallstones and needed my gallbladder out. I was told because of my weight I had to do Slimfast for 2 weeks to shrink my liver. I hated it but did it because I was desperate for the surgery, but I was expecting to lose over a stone on that, but I only lost about 9lbs which I know is good but I was expecting more.

My weight has gone back to what it was when I was told I was prediabetic and I'm actually concerned I'm showing signs of type 2 diabetes. I'm waking several times a night for a wee and I'm exhausted all day. I need to get it checked but I'm scared. A couple of days ago I started logging my food on MFP and am trying again to up my lean meat, fruit and veg and water and reduce sugar, fat and carbs. I'm another who has cereals or toast for breakfast. I understand oats are better than weetabix, shredded wheat etc. I'm not a fan of porridge but I made overnight oa
ts last night for this am which I preferred. I'm having roast beef for lunch but will go easy on the spuds and Yorkshire puds (best part for me but needs must!) and I've got some berries and 0% Greek yogurt for after. I often find I don't need an evening meal after that, maybe some fruit or something.

I do have an underactive thyroid which though I'm told is being managed is bound to make it harder....that and I'm post menopausal.

I do often go swimming and do group exercise at the gym. I'm recovering from a broken shoulder (well its healed but still residual pain and stiffness and I've not got full range of movement and I'm still under physio). I can't swim due to this (front crawl is my best stroke and I can't manage that) and I can't lift weights above my head but I'm attending aqua aerobics, zumba and walking a very energetic border collie! I like LBT class and can do some of that (can't do all of the stuff with hand weights but can do some of the aerobic bits).

Maybe we could buddy up?

I haven't said she's eating "too much". I am not a competitive undereater.

I said that as someone else who struggled with being "starving" when reducing calories, I discovered that what I ate made a huge difference to my perception of hunger. Whilst calories in and out holds true, trying to manage this whilst eating things like toast didn't work for me, because the blood sugar drop I experienced after eating simple carbs perpetuated that "starving" feeling.

I was suggesting avoiding bread because it makes me starving. It's hardly competitive undereating to suggest Greek yoghurt, cream, strawberries, mayo and avocado.

I think OP needs to explore her mindset on food if she really thinks she would be better off "topping herself" than having to switch egg and toast for egg and asparagus.

My first bit of advice would be to up your protein, it'll keep you satiated for longer periods. I'm currently training to be a Health and Nutritional Coach and I've read up a lot on Nutritional science prior to taking the course. Our bodies aren't supposed to ingest man-made produce (products containing flour, processed foods etc) so how it digests in the body boils down to how "whole" the food you're eating is. Carbs aren't bad at all and you should incorporate them into your diet, but the right carbs! Anything "white" has been bleached and stripped of all its nutrients so I try to stick to brown rice etc. I do eat a small amount of brown bread but rarely. Food is for fuel, it was only made for pleasure by the food industry to get people hooked to make money, then in come the pharmaceutical companies to mask man-made diseases with pills - again, to make money.

I try to stick to the rule of 3, 3rd protein, 3rd veggies, 3rd carbs.

Everybody is different, but for me I've found small tweaks make huge differences. Little and often is best. Start with a light breakfast to kick-start your metabolism (boiled eggs and a small amount of fruit can be a good start). I don't eat anything after my tea because the body can struggle to properly digest when you're in a rested state.

It's difficult at first when you've been used to filling on artificial foods to keep full, I've been there too! But it does get so much better! You feel less lethargic and more energised too.

I also always religiously drink 2.5 - 3 litres of water per day because it's one of the 5 life forces our bodies/organs and cells so desperately needs to keep working as it should.

Our bodies are so, so important and so it's imperative we look after them. If you delve into the contents of the foods we dare to put into our bodies, you'll be very surprised and also quite possibly grossed out 🙈.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm a Saint. I like a couple of glasses of wine and a few slices of pizza more than the next person, but moderation is absolutely key! I find the 80/20 rule works best for me. If you have complete restrictions then you are going to struggle, so try to make these changes slowly.

You can do it! Best of luck 😊

That’s not very much food - any wonder you’re starving! You should never feel like that. Why are you only eating one tablespoon of rice for your dinner?

I would definitely advise you go online to James smith calculator and input your details and it will tell you your calorie goals. Download my fitness pal or nutracheck and try tracking your calories for a while.

Starving yourself is not the way to go. You should never feel starving. It needs to be healthy and sustainable.

But if it helps you lose weight, you'll have the pleasure of the weight loss.

You sound really frustrated and hungry!

is there not some kind of weight management / pre diabetes clinic that you can access? On an internet forum you are going to get lots of mixed views, some coming from people with eating disorders, disordered eating habits and some with little to know actual nutritional knowledge.

I don’t think you can rush losing weight and it is a case of finding out what works best for you and also educating yourself.

I agree. OP seems to be eating approximately what I'd eat on a normal day when I'm not trying to lose any weight (I'm not a teeny tiny by even the most generous standards). Obviously it's impossible to truly tell from posts online, but I don't think OP is on as restrictive a diet as she believes.

Ps sorry I know you’re being overloaded here, but don’t forget to keep drinking water too c

I don't like asparagus.

But a lot of "normal" people now are overweight. 4 slices of bread a day is a lot of carbs. Carbs fill you up initially, but it's temporary and do cause spikes in blood sugar, so from a diabetic point of view, you should look at other options that don't include carbs.

We have a homemade chicken curry, no jar sauce, just made using spices and a low salt stock cube (fast 800 recipe). It's delicious and I serve with a huge stir fry of mushrooms, onions, broccoli, kale and anything else lurking in the fridge. You don't need the rice.

It would be better to get into different eating habits before diabetes strikes. You can still have treats, but treats are treats - occasionally, not daily.

If you are feeling dizzy it is likely to do with blood glucose or not drinking enough water, get a monitor and read about it on the site above. GPs will give you guidelines on what to eat, if you are lucky with your GP. They might suggest a monitor. Mine didn't but I did research on the diabetes sites and got one. You need to know what your blood glucose is. Mine also recommended Michael Mosley books but I already had them. It worked for me. If you do get the book/s you can skip some of the case histories, it makes it easier to get through.

....It wasn't pointless if it kept the weight from piling on. It was doing you a lot of good.

Could you give yourself unlimited veggies for instance? When I was trying to lose weight I had set meals, but then I allowed myself as many raw carrots, celery etc as I wanted. I was never hungry because I could always snack on something.

I think OP is rightly concerned with her health more than the "pleasure" of losing weight and being thin.

I’ve lost 8 stone and kept it off for 1.5 years. Sadly carbs are the issue for me. I have a protein shake for breakfast, high protein lunch (ham salad/cheese salad on ryvita) with protein yogurt for pud and then a smaller (than I used to have) portion of what the family are having for dinner. So spag Bol, risotto, etc

if I’m snackish I have fruit/veg first, then maybe something protein based (chicken fridge raiders/almond protein ball)

haven’t eaten or missed bread in all this time. Weight loss has been consistent and I have the occasional vino/dessert.

It's for mental break mainly. I had 1 day off a week. Because you know it's every week it's easier not to go crazy and really just have bit of x not x, y and z, because you can simply have y next week. The better you feel overall with better eating etc+ knowing it's not just one chance a year, the less likely you are to absolutely overeat on that day and are still mindful but not counting. That's how it worked for me. Plus, it's not just about weightloss but building habits to keep the weight off so it's a good training.

The dieting mentality is a skewed one, so I’m not coming here to tell you you’re eating too much x, y or z or that you should be calorie counting or whatever - but you’re relationship with food is unhealthy and your mentality towards food is making this journey more painful and unhappy than it needs to be.

I know it’s in jest not talking about topping yourself if you cut down on bread and bring miserable for life on certain kinds of foods is really concerning.

Eating should be a balance of nutrition, satiety and pleasure and the balance will naturally tip meal to meal, day to day and week to week. Calorie counting can be a useful training tool at the beginning to learn what you’re actually consuming and at what calorie intake your body will lose weight - it doesn’t have to be lifelong. At the end of the day, only a calorie deficit will see you lose weight, unless you are muscle building alongside.

Foods with more water content and with less calorie density are more satiating - they will keep you fuller for longer. So vegetables, fruits, soups, oats, whole grains, egg whites, low fat dairy, etc. So asparagus (at the same weight as the bread) and egg will keep you more satiated for longer than the toast. You balance these with more calorie dense foods, because of course eating should be pleasurable, as long as the balance is right.

There’s tons of food psychology material out there to read to discover and change your relationship with food. It doesn’t have to be miserable, but it’s certainly not going to be easy as you have built up your food habits and relationships over decades.

You could try something like Noom, which operates by the above principles.

Well done for having the motivation to try, and for losing some weight. I have exactly the same problem as you, but I have hypothyroidism. Have you had blood tests to rule out a medical cause for your weight?

Are you able to install a food diary on your phone? I have MyNetDiary, it's free. I started to weigh my food and was amazed at how many calories are in various foods. And also that a portion of, pasta for example, was half what I had been eating! My daily goal is between 1200-1500 calories and I have lost 8kg in 3 months. Have a look online for high satiety foods, such as boiled potatoes, foods that are filling and satisfy hunger.

Have you had your thyroid tested?

This too, losing weight is a Loooooooooong game, you need to just keep going.

Having said that my previous post stands, the method you choose needs to be sustainable, so plenty of water, a reasonable calorie allowance based on your TDEE, a mix of good wholesome foods. Don't starve yourself, don't go extreme with exercise. You need something you know you can do consistently for months without feeling completely deprived and miserable.

Weight will go up and down, sometimes you'll lose nothing even though you've been 'good', sometimes you'll lose loads. This is a graph from a couple of years ago when I weighed myself daily to see the trends. You'll notice there are days when my weight goes up by 2 or 3 lbs overnight which is obviously crap I didn't actually create or lose 3lbs of fat overnight but weight just naturally fluctuates due to hormones, sleep, water retention, heat, dehydration...........

The important thing is the overall trend.

You cant loose weight if you are starving.
And you need to be eating some fat to make the body learn to burn fat.

I've always been 'naturally slim', it's always confused me a bit because I've always eaten exactly what I want, I really enjoy food.

However what I've realised is that I naturally eat a low carb, high fat, very little sugar and very few processed food diet.

I would say four pieces of bread a day is quite a lot! I probably eat four pieces of bread a week. It's always quality bread too.

I eat pasta or rice one a fortnight probably.

She's not only eating one tablespoon of rice for dinner.

She's eating a tablespoon of rice + vegetables + chicken curry.

How old are you? If you’re late 40s onwards the way our body responds to diets is different

look at the things that drive your blood sugar up. Limit that and you may find some improvement