Am I being realistic re weight loss?

[MammaKel]

Hi all,

I'm posting here because I need an actual arse kicking and motivation.

I've been fat, like really fat for the last 6 years for and last week I was at my heaviest being 114kg and my blood results from the doctors showed I need to lower my cholesterol and my liver is now being slightly affected.

I'd like to lose weight for health benefits really and feel better about myself.

My diet is really bad I had multiple takeaways a week, fizzy pop, crisp addiction etc and I know mumsnet isn't fond of this but I genuinely believe I've struggled with food and weight due to being ND ( I'm having an assessment for ADHD and ASD ) and having fibromyalgia can make exercising difficult.

I don't want to start weight loss injections just yet as I want to try and lose weight by mindful eating and some exercise.

Last week I started tracking calories, I ate pretty badly still but just less of it and I reduced my fizzy pop intake and changed my crisps to ones with less calories - I lost 7.2lbs so now I'm 110.2kg.

I'm pleased with the progress and was thinking I'll keep my calories how they are for the moment (1200-1600) and then make slow changes like try and curve fizzy pop all together, reduce crisps and stop takeaway and then introduce healthy food into the mix or at least healthier food in ways I can tolerate (I have texture issues) and then when my weigh loss stalls I'll introduce low impact exercise like walking and swimming.

Is this realistic and manageable? Or am I again setting myself up for failure again?

Track your cals, up your protein and fibre, walk for an hour everyday. If you make progress for 6 weeks then continue. If not consider the injections. That's what I'd advise my clients anyway.

Well done on the weight loss so far, Op!

We all have reasons for being overweight and that's ok because if we are honest about these it helps us with a healthier lifestyle.

I personally think that 1200 calories is really low, but if it works for you go with it. I'd also think about starting gentle exercise such as walking now but I am not sure if it's actually too painful for you to do so?

Hi OP, I could have written this post! I also have fibromyalgia and ADHD, so I truly feel your pain and struggle here.

My diet is better than yours sounds like, because my DP makes lots of veg with meals etc. I know that my own problem is portion sizes (I dish up mine the same as his, and he is a foot taller than I am, and a man) and snacking.

It sounds like for you, you're dropping a lot of calories by making this small improvement, and so far it's working. I'd say carry on with that, because if you decided that from tomorrow you'll never eat another crisp, you'll eat 100% mega healthy meals, no fizzy pop etc-you won't stick to it. No one could. Swapping some of your snacks for healthier ones, trying to add in more water, increasing your exercise (even by a tiny amount) this will all help. Maybe look again in a few months, when you have lost some more weight, and see how you're doing. If you're still losing, great. If not, then try to drop the calories down a little more. But for now, I'd stick as you are

Yes, that's exactly right. I would still introduce walking at least for a bit every day but you want to keep yur vigorous exercise till a bit later because, eventually, your calorie floor will get lower and lower and that's where you bring in exercise to avoid cutting.
I would eat more towards 1600 cal than 1200 for the same reason. The idea is to lose as much weight as possible on the highest calories possible. There will come time to cut them lower so give yourself some wiggle room by not going too low too soon.

I started at 118 kg this time around. At my heaviest I was nearing 140 kg. I joined a gym first and started exercising first, then about four months in, I started WLI and overhauled what and how I ate. I used MyNetDiary to track everything and am currently 91.5 kg. My calorie allowance is 1498 per day. I am going slow and steady.

I have found it surprising how much I enjoy going to the gym.

Just take things step by step and don't over complicate things.

The injections don’t help you lose weight themsleves, they make you feel full so you don’t want to eat as many calories so therefore you lose weight. Lots people manage to lose weight without them and lots find they help. Do whatever works for you but make sure you’re getting enough protein and calcium along the way.

Interesting point about ND and weight management.

Small incremental changes should start adding up and hopefully gives you time to start finding better long term habits

The best weight loss /exercise programs are the ones where you are still able to to keep it up 3, 6, 9 months down the line. Sustainable life changes are more than beneficial than crash diets or dramatic changes often aren't sustainable longer term.

Keep yourself accountable to yourself and to others if they will be supporting. It's never too early to introduce more activity no matter how small. You can always do more the next day. I started running again having not run more than a handful of times in 15 years. I managed 1km the first time I went out and was on my knees and felt horrendously unfit. I kept persevering and found routes where the 1km was more achievable - the long straight road to my house was a challenge on the way back but manageable on the way out. I built up up to 2 km, 3km. Once a week to twice a week. After 6 months I was running 3-6km 2-3 times a week. After the first few runs I thought that was never going to be possible.

I used plotmyroute to find my routes near my house of a certain distance and that can be quite modular and build on the previous route and if I do find it's too much I'm not too far from home. I enjoy making running playlists with different tempos so I can match the music to my frame of mind mixing between a steady slow pace with gentle chilled music and a shorter runs with a bit more pace.

I like swimming too, it can be good as you can do as much as you feel comfortable doing but the downside is it can be a bit monotonous.

I started this diet on the 3rd December and I did have a binge Friday night but I've kept on it and lost 10.2lbs in two weeks which has made me feel great. Thank you for all your advice!

Brilliant. Wish I'd done the same. Good luck and even if you just aim to stay the same weight over the festive period you'll be doing great!

Congrats OP - I’ve only read your first post but it sounds realistic and manageable 🙌

Do a TDEE calculator online and that will tell you how many calories you need to eat to maintain your weight. Anything below that is a deficit and you should lose weight the lower the calories you eat the faster you'll lose weight but the more likely you are to get hungry and binge so it's important to find a balance. At your weight currently I think you should stay closer to the 1600 calories a day than to 1200, that will still put you in deficit but mean you have enough calories to eat to feel satisfied.

Lower cals will be more manageable with a healthy, varied diet. Consider using the money you'd usually spend on takeaways and junk on a healthy meal delivery plan instead. You're worth it!

Keeping going after a day off the diet is super important, well done for not falling into the trap of thinking it’s all ruined.

The really hard thing when you have a lot to lose is keeping going week after week after week, so having a routine (and calorie number) that’s manageable is key.

Be aware that you won’t lose 7lbs every week, and that’s okay. Slow and steady.