Can I lose four stone in six months?

[SexAndCakes]

Typical post-Christmas realisation that working from home and general life stresses over the last few years have led to a very sedentary lifestyle, overeating and getting fat (BMI 28). I need to lose four stone to get to my ideal weight (BMI 21). This feels like a very long road and is combined with feeling generally low about some other life areas. I have also been overweight for a number of years now so feel like I have lost the sense of myself as a slim person IYSWIM.

I'd love to hear from others who have achieved this type of weight loss. Also, whether six months is a realistic timeframe to lose four stone without things like weight loss drugs (not eligible or I would welcome them!). I feel like I need the shortest possible timeframe to be motivated for this. The good news is that I currently have the time and resources to make it my focus.

YABU - six months to lose four stone is not realistic
YANBU - it can be done (ideally share advice on how please!)

Tell me about it. Lost a stone in three months last year, stopped and it was back in another three. (Wegovy).

As somebody who cried today as I only lost 3 stone this year instead of the 5 that was my target, all I can say is, don't be me.

You may not want yo hear this but 3 stone is fantastic. Well done. You must feel so much better and be a lot healthier assumong you were overweight.

I lost 2st in about 2 and a half months this year. No calorie counting at all. I cut out sugar and carbs like rice, pasta, bread and potatoes and stuck with eating overnight oats with milk, Greek yogurt, berries and prunes for one meal and then a normal evening meal just without the carbs. Lots of protein, fibre and fruit and veg has worked for me. It has required some will power to avoid the chocolate which I used to love but the weight loss and feeling better (no more awful reflux) have been very motivating.

Not if you want to keep it off.

I think it's roughly a calorie deficit of 1000 calories every day.

This can be done, but it means upending your current eating patterns completely, and you risk yo-yoing at the end of it.

Eat between 1pm and 8pm and a keto diet within that period. Walk as much as possible.

I started at the beginning of September and have lost 3 stone. By end feb I will have lost at least 4 stone and be either at or close to my target.

Sorry not what you want to hear but did it with mounjaro.

Sorry to hear that. Haven't done Wegovy but have done plenty of diets with the same result!

Unless you make permanent lifestyle changes, all weight loss is temporary... The OP needs to not just make a plan to lose the weight but a realistic plan to maintain/keep it off. Something about their current lifestyle has got them to this point, so they'll have to change something permanently.

I wish I could love exercise. Bloody well don't.

Losing it slowly will give your skin more chance to tighten and reduce the possibility of loose skin. You might be OK either way but loose skin is associated with fast weight loss.

But how do you plan to not be ravenously hungry all day every day for months (which is what happened as soon as I quit it)?

I'm on Mounjaro now and the plan is to just stay on it.

Enter the problem with every 'diet' which isn't a lifestyle change.

The people I know who have successfully lost and kept off weight have taken up some form of sport to increase their calorie burn as they don't want to reduce their calorie intake forever. Like I said, I wish I enjoyed sport as this seems to be key to maintaining!

This is not true and please dont peddle inaccuracies. Whether you get loose skin or not is not to do with the speed you lose it is simply genetics and the way your skin is programmed to be.

While genetics definitely plays a part (and darker or oilier skins often tend to fair better), as does a persons age, and how much muscle they can build as they are losing weight; that poster was right that losing large amounts of weight rapidly can often have the side effect of loose skin.

I was offered bariatric surgery on the NHS before I decided to go the dieting route instead - and the doctor warned me about the likelihood of loose skin (as well the more serious risks of the operation obviously), apparently it’s pretty commonplace when people lose a lot of weight quite rapidly.

But does the OP’s 4 stone in 6 months count as a large enough amount of weight in a short enough period of time to cause loose skin? None of us can guess that.

@LostittoBostik re;,’the risks for those not morbidly obese are unknown’ - plenty are maintaining all over the weight loss boards in overweight category & at a ‘healthy’ BMI even. Also in wider world.

If 4 stone is 15% of your weight, then that would mean that you weigh over 26 stone. is that correct?

I think thr op has either miscalculated the percentage or that’s a typo. She’s about 14 and half stone now and wants to go to 10 and a half, based on bmi and height that she’s writing, ie 28 now going to 21 and is 5ft 11.

Oops, you are right - bad maths on my part! Yes, I weigh about 14st 5lbs and want to get to about 10st 10lbs, although am coming around to the idea of a more moderate / incremental goals on the basis of this thread.

FWIW I don't think I would have issues with loose skin; this would be significant weight loss but not that radical. I am also a tall hourglass so the extra weight is very evenly spread.

Of course theres a likelihood of loose skin, bariatric surgery or not, because once someones skin is stretched and if you're unlucky enough to have poor non elastic skin, it will be loose no matter how you lose it, but its not the speed that does this.

I am about 2st overweight and I wouldn't put that much pressure on myself to lose it that quickly, never mind 4st. I don't think it's sustainable or healthy. What happens when the 6m are over? Better to make small sensible changes over a longer time. Pre-paid fitness classes motivate me.

I joined Slimming World and lost a stone in 11 weeks, it’s changed the way I think about the food I eat and the value of it to my body. Yes, there’s the Syns thing which is a bit gimmicky but for me that only serves as a pointer to poor nutritional value..and no you can’t eat your own body weight in carbs like they say 😂 I’ve calorie counted before and haven’t had the same success so something has clicked.

Fast 800 works well you need to follow the books but i was surprised when i did the initial 12 weeks that I wasn't really hungry all the time. It reversed my blood sugar issues and my high blood pressure as well.

I have lost about 2 and a half stone starting in September, with low carbing. I am eating a lot of healthy protein and vegetables.

I am not feeling hungry, as eating this way keeps blood sugar within a smaller range, so cravings for food reduce, and it is very possible to fill up on healthy options and feel full.

A major incentive for me is that I want to avoid developing diabetes (I have a family history and had gestational diabetes x 2)

I'm 5ft 81/2 and have gone from around BM 34/35 to BM 31/32.

It feels quite manageable so far. I am hoping to continue with the weight loss next year and get down to a healthy BMI - and 23 or below eventually would be great - and then maintain my weight there.

It is possible to lose weight this way without much exercise; but I have started working out with weights, hoping to help boost muscle and strength, also hoping that this will help the weight loss along.

There are some very helpful threads on mumsnet if you are interested in low carbing.

Good luck!

@Gunnersforthecup I posted earlier in the thread about how I've lost 2st basically doing the same as you have. My BMI has gone from 27 to 23 and all of the chub around my middle (I'm 53 so it's not healthy either) has gone completely.

@Gunnersforthecup @OrangeBlossom28 I am definitely going to look into low carb eating. High protein / high veg is what suits my body best anyway, I have just never tried taking an exclusively low carb approach.

Is there a specific thread on here that you recommend joining?