Is 15 st too heavy to come back from??

[Wantachangefor2024]

I am 32 and currently weigh 15 stone. 5’3. Had an accident and had to have surgery, sat around feeling sorry for myself and got depressed and the weight I’m at. I finally faced myself in the mirror and burst into tears. Am I being unreasonable that I’m too far gone to come back? I’d like to lose 6 stone and get back to 9 stone. Will I be left with terribly loose skin??

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain mortified to say I’ve never had cottage cheese at the age of 32. All great advice for switches. It’s a lifestyle change that’s needed isn’t it. I will always go for the full fat coke and a sugary cocktail. Sugar is my biggest downfall and if I could kick the addiction. Half my battle would be won

Absolutely not!but don’t go mental about it or you will end up with excess skin. Your body needs time to adjust to the changes. Aim for 1-2lb a week but don’t worry too much if some weeks you don’t hit it. You’re in a marathon not a sprint!

I can’t really exercise due to disability and illness so everything below is through diet alone.

I was 14s 8 lost to 11s 1 with weight watchers

then it creeped back up again because of illness etc so I decided to try again myself

went from 14 5 to 12 got a bit stuck again with illness, i then ended up putting a little on but tried hard to get back on track and get motivated again but I was having weird symptoms which turned out to be (see below)

then I got diagnosed with early menopause (not yet 40) so that’s probably why iv been stuck but I’m on hrt now so hopefully things will change. as of yesterday I’m 12s 10 but it’s hard work at the moment because I’m really trying but not particularly seeing much change. 3lb in the last 2 months but like I say I’m hoping that will change now.

I plan without any timeline because then i find it disheartening to get to between 11 and 11 1/2 then see how I feel and decide but at that point I’ll be in the healthybmi range for my height.

i know you definitely can do this!

Definitely not. I like what Joe Wicks says about just making small changes. So think of a couple things you could do or cut out. In a year if you have lost a stone that might not sound a lot but it's better than putting on a stone. Good luck

This. I have lost nearly 10 stone. I do have terrible loose skin, I look a bit of a state undressed. Im a lot older than you OP and carried that excess weight for most of my adulthood. I also have very thin skin, so it has little elasticity.

Theres no guarantees about how your skin will react, but really, life without carrying around an extra person is like another world. The benefits are endless and life changing. Psychologically and physically.

I never did it for the looks, I would rather not have all the saggyness and wrinkles but people cant see it when Im dressed, I dress really well now rather than any old thing I can sling on to try to cover me up. Im much happier.

@WeMeetInFairIthilien I would have cried too! You sound so determined and it’s telling me it’s possible! To get as fit as you have and the weight loss, I’m smiling for you x

im going to be brave and join the gym and get a trainer

What amazing stories of weight loss on here. Congrats to all of you!
OP, I hope you’re inspired by this thread. I’ve lost 1.5 stone in the last two months and am now much better disciplined and finding it easier to keep going. And I’m much older than you!
It really helps to stay positive, be kind to yourself and forgive yourself for any transgressions. A negative mindset is more likely to fail. Good luck!

Just to say having read the other posts its a complete myth that how your skin will be, is related to your age, your weight, the speed you lose it at.

Its completely genetic, its misleading to tell OP it will be this or that

Ultimately Im not sure why people get so hung up on the loose skin thing either. a) you cant see it when you're dressed b) if it bothers you that much afterwards get a loan and have a body uplift.

I could do this but in some ways, like another poster said, Im a bit proud of it, this is how far I came. Plus the money and recovery time puts me off, but Im not counting it out for the future

Either way, its not an issue compared to the terrible consequences of staying morbidly obese.

I’m going to contact one and book in and join a gym so I can’t back out once I’ve paid. No excuses.

Thank you ladies for the supportive encouragement- I’m going to get to it and update in a month to hopefully say I have lost a little.

@Richtea67

I eat sensibly with healthy meals and some treats, and use wegovy injections to help control the hunger so I can learn what's normal'!

I was 14 stone and lost around 5 stone in a year or so through calorie counting alone. Take it day by day. I didn’t have an end goal of weight I wanted to lose, I just focused on how I felt more energetic, my skin was better, how loose clothes felt and kept going because I felt good for it. I didn’t have any loose skin but could’ve probably toned more if I had exercised too.

What plan do you have for your diet though? Going to the gym/doing more exercise will be really beneficial for you, from a general health (physical and mental) perspective, but it's what you put in your mouth that will have the most impact!

I was 15 stone after my 3rd baby OP, I’m now 11 stone 2 pounds and still loosing weight. It takes discipline and effort and it can be hard but I have no loose skin, just a small pot belly from having babies which I’m trying to tone up.

I'm 32 as well! I've lost two stone so far. I do intermittent fasting which works well for me (but doesn't for everyone). I worked out my TDEE and eat correctly. I still have chocolate, crisps etc. I've also just started to incorporate exercise with it.

No loose skin other than post pregnancy loose skin, it improves over time too.

The personal trainer I’ve found locally does in gym sessions and online where she gives you a diet plan. That’s why I wondered if I’d look silly as it’s more for people wanting to get really fit. Not just lose weight and a basic fitness. I stuck my entire life to 9stone and was disciplined so I could follow a plan - and hopefully learn a new lifestyle - that’s why I’ve felt down in the dumps I’ve allowed this to happen.

Of course not! I was 22 stone and have lost 6.5 stone so far. My arms and thighs are definitely wobblier than I would like but it’s NOTHING compared to the difference losing the weight has made to me.

I've lost over 14st. Yes, I have loose skin. But it's not visible when I'm clothed and my husband prefers me alive. The way I look at it is the skin is there regardless - the only choice I have is whether or not it's full of fat. Also make sure you're not using the fear of loose skin as an excuse not to start becoming healthier. You can do this, I promise.

I started at 94kg in Feb. I’ve spent years being scared off by the idea of having such a high weight loss. I’m now 83kg and bought a new swimsuit this week. Just calorie counting. Very little alcohol.

Don’t think ‘six stone’. It sounds immense. Lose 1lb first. Then mini targets. Be realisitic. It’s only this last couple of weeks I’ve believed I’m going to lose the weight, and comparing now to 11kg ago I can see the difference and that’s encouraged me too.

You can absolutely do this. Good luck.

@soupfiend I have been told it’s completely genetic stretch marks and loose skin and it’s pot luck what I’ll be left with. I’m not going to let it deter me and stick to it - from a vanity perspective just worried about excess skin as I’m single, not lucky enough to have a husband who wouldn’t care.

I'm 5'5. At 37 I weighed 17st. My mate asked me to do Race 4 Life with her and I started jogging with my dog (more to make sure I could do it). Within 3 months I had gone from an 18/20 to a size 14. I then started to calorie count and 2 months later was a size 12. I then decided to 'maintain' and still lost weight to the point I ended up losing 8.5st. I had no 'flappy skin' and 10 years later I have put on a few stone after severe ill health but I'm back in the gym and aiming to lose 3st to get back into a 12.

It is not easy. I have previously gone to bed hungry when getting used to calorie cutting but I never deprived myself.

You can absolutely do this!

I feel like that after putting some on - it is just your circumstance. Please don't beat yourself up

They do cottage cheese low fat, with chives or pineapple too. It’s an acquired taste but I eat it on eg Ryvita and another favourite, rye bread.

You can have Pepsi Max, Coke Zero/diet if you like and if you like the occasional cocktail or full fat coke you can do it but it’s good to do this on cheat days.

Personal trainers are what they’re there for at the gym. I actually feel if I’ve gone to the gym and seen anyone really large join, all I think is good on them. I’ve also seen a few people start very overweight and then after a few months they lose weight, build muscle and tone up.

You’re not missing much on the cottage cheese front 🤢

Amazing weight loss stories here! Good luck OP, aim for a 10 lb loss maybe.

I'm about 15lbs and currently stuck in a rut but a million times happier than where I was in January. If it takes me 3 years to lose 3 stone so be it. Loose skin never occurred to me. Anything is better than fat

Yes, it’s not that great but you can get used to it and nice eg as I’ve said or even on a baked jacket potato.

even if you’re left with a sack of saggy skin

You will have probably added on a decade to your life and your presence in your children’s lives AND your quality of life will be exponentially higher