Bloody bastard weight loss

[Shabang21]

Help please!

I’m so bloody sick of feeling like shit, being constantly tired, aching, jumping from one weight loss thing to another and literally getting NOWHERE. Besides stapling my mouth shut, what can I do? I look around and SO MANY people are dropping weight by the tonne, they surely can’t all be on weight loss jabs, cos they’re so expensive?

I have tried; Keto, slim fast, exante, slimming world, weight watchers, fast 800, calorie counting. It starts promising ish, but nothing seems to stick?

So please, let me know what worked for you, and if it’s even worth bothering now; I’ve been trying to shift weight for 15 years, all I’ve done is got heavier and I’m so sick of this shit!!

You know when you went to SW back before covid, did the counsellor /coach not say to you " this is a life plan "?

Its not a diet

Diets fail

SW for all its bad press is a support service to help you change your eating habits and to stick with them for life, which is why its free once you get to your target

Went I first went, there was a lass - 10 years she had been going. I thought sad cow. Then she spoke - she goes every week because she does not want to get fat again. And me three years on, I get it

I know how to eat healthily. I know what I SHOULD do, but without the support of my group , the fun, the laughter, the yeah Ive been there, I go fuck it and let the gains add up

So I pop along to SW weekly ( FOC ) meet with friends, have a bit of craic, weigh in and become accountable - to myself,

You need to change your mind set. Calorie counting absolutely works, if you stick to it and log what you eat and be honest and accurate. You can absolutely have a takeaway when calorie counting, you just log it. It’s a great way to learn how many calories are actually in things. Think of it like a bank balance. You have xx amount to spend. Are you going to spend it on one thing which takes most of your money, or spend it on loads of things with money to spare.

All these things like keto, weight watchers, slimming world and whatever other things require you to invest money are designed to fail. They’re meant to help you in the short term, then go back to having the same old problems so you go back and give them more money. I hate them with a passion.

The key to it is building a good relationship with food. There’s no “bad” foods, you could lose weight by only eating chocolate hob nobs as long as you maintained a calorie deficit. You probably wouldn’t be healthy but I’m just making a point. You have a day where you eat crisps and don’t have to panic or feel guilty, it’s fine. All these fads do it create negative relationships and guilty feelings. Try replacing things with something healthier you like - I adore pink lady apples so they’re my weekday snack.

Find some exercise you like, it can be anything but see it as fun and not something you “have” to do. If you hate running don’t start running. Maybe you love yoga, or pole dancing or line dancing or swimming. Whatever it is, enjoy it.

Lastly, set achievable goals, lose 1lb a week or something. That way you can build a sustainable approach with long term results so you don’t yo-yo. Other ways to look at it are how you look/feel rather than just weight. Also, when you weigh yourself don’t get obsessive over it. Weight yourself everyday for a week at the same time, then average it. That removes the ups and downs. Then wait a month.

I’m a WLI convert too. Lost 7 stone a few years back, put it all back on (and more). Finally decided in May enough was enough and ordered. Cost me £109 every 5 weeks, but I am easily saving that and more by eating less. I’m motivated to use up every leftover too and can make a meal out of ‘nothing’ now too. Before I’d look in the fridge and say nah there’s nothing and head off to the shop to buy more pre made food.

started may 2nd and have lost exactly 4 stone as of today. My diet is impeccable now, lots of lean protein, every fruit and veg under the sun, 3+litres of water a day, daily exercise. For me it’s worth every penny.

i have been lucky and responded incredibly well, im still on the lowest dose after 14 weeks.

You are referring to a calorie deficit, nothing more, nothing less. Its not magic.

We refer to a calorie deficit as a diet. To lose weight. You can do it any which way. You can do it by focusing on particular food groups or excluding or including particular foods. You can do it by just eating smaller portions. You can do it by upping your expenditure. You can do it many ways, some of which will work, some will be incredibly hard to sustain.

But it all boils down to the same thing, the calories you take in, are less than what you need.

That is a diet.

Calorie counting. Literally the only thing that saved me.
So far I’ve lost 15.3 kg purely by counting calories and tracking everything I’m putting into my mouth. I don’t go to gym so walking is main activity but again - some days I don’t reach even 10k.
Also - I haven’t cut out any food groups at all, I eat everything, if I want to eat biscuits every day I eat biscuits every day, crisps, chocolate, you name it BUT I make sure they fit inside my daily calorie allowance. I focus on fruit, veg, protein, etc, all the good stuff we know we should be eating but today I had two ice lollies because I wanted and it fit inside my calorie deficit.

I also suck at diets.

I can manage a bit of keto and be good for a few weeks and lose weight, but this carb loving girl can never stick to it!

Doing 30-60 mins of cardio a.m on an empty stomach seems to be painful enough for me to think twice throughout the day about what I put in my mouth.

I'm still yet to start what worked for me before though. Just got to get in the right head space first!

Good luck with your journey x

The odds of losing weight from a staring weight of a BMI 30+ and dieting to healthy BMI are less than 2% using only diet (exercise doesn’t make you lose weight.. the sheer amount required to lose a lb is just not realistic). Exercise is fantastic for health and fitness not weight loss.

if that incredibly dedicated 2% iver 85% will put it all back on and more within 5 years.

conversely WLI see 80+% successfully diet from obese to healthy . This has got bollox all to do with lifestyle. This mantra of “learning healthy habits is just nonsense and goes to show that people have no fucking idea how they work ! They are not neurological re-programming drugs ! They regulate what INSULIN !!! So when you take the amount that your insulin resistant body requires, you simply don’t feel hungry so don’t eat ! Meals are not finished because you are full. TBF you could live on junk food whilst taking WLI and still reach a healthy weight because instead of knocking back a Big Mac , fries and a milk shake you could probably manage half a cheese burger .. and be full. It’s not rocket science it’s just less calories.
However, once you are in this situation of not being able to eat - you naturally gravitate to wanting as much nutrition as you can manage with the appetite you have . Like me. .. so prioritise protein and complex carbs. Which means junk food is no longer interesting…

HOWEVER .. once you stop taking the drug that regulates your insulin, you will be hungry again ! Regardless of your “healthy habits’ the overwhelming need to eat and the will override even the most stoic will power.. and you will make unhealthy choices and put the weight back on again. This is because years and years of faddy diets has made you insulin resistant.
I lost 7st 9 last year. I reached BMI 22 in January. I have remained +/- 500g at the same weight for 7 months because I continue to take a maintenance dose and as others have said - it actually saves me money . I discuss it all with my GP who is super happy with the way I have turned my life around. My vital signs are all in the green zone . I am fit enough to enjoy sport again. I’ve never suffered a single side effect even on fhe highest dose .

I don't have time to read all the replies. But have you had your thyroid checked?

I gained over two stone really quickly, no change to my diet or lifestyle. So I started intermittent fasting , which worked out well for me over the years. This time, nothing. I got really strict, started fasting 18 hours, one meal a day, 1200 cals or less. No weight loss.

Turns out I've an underactive thyroid. I've just started medication, I can't diet again until we find right dosage.

Last one was £63 for a 5mg with a code from simple online pharmacy. Always use the golden dose too. Also got a 7.5mg from we prescribe for £119 which I can 6 doses from. I know it's not recommended but I'm OK with it

I've lost 10kg since November just by eating more veg, cutting out alcohol and 2x 30 minute walks a day.

I used weighy loss jabs for 6 months: I lost 3 stone at a very steady weight, purposefully avoiding trying to lose too much too soon.
I had to discontinue them for financial reasons, but have upped my steps, joined a gym and tried to improve my nutrition.
I have regained around 7lb, but not really overly concerned, as was starting to look a bit too slim for my height and breadth.
I'm healthier than I have been in nigh on 7 years.

Not for everyone but this is how I did it.
I have tried every weight loss diet and lost and gained loads of weight over the years. I was slow to come to the realisation that to keep the weight off changes to my way of eating had to be permanent and therefore sustainable.
I read the book 'How Not To Diet' over last Xmas and was enlightened.
I adopted a whole food plant based way of eating. No calorie counting, no portion control, no exercise, no extra expense.
I lost 2.5 stone without ever feeling hungry or deprived and have just continued to eat this way as I enjoy this food and the health benefits, aside from the weight loss, are many

I,m so sorry OP I know how you feel. I tried everything to lose weight for 35 years but simply could not control my insane cravings. It wasnt a matter of move more eat less if only it was that simple, menopause made things 10 times worse and the hormones made my cravings 10 times worse.
I paid for a private gastric band and lost not one pound. It didn't address my cravings or emotional problems.
In the end I took a second job at the weekend to pay for mounjaro and psychotherapy and have finally lost all the weight and I am addressing my emotional eating. It's changed my life.

Oh yes and I haven't put the weight back on. I weigh myself everyday and if ive put on more than two pounds I deal with it right away, I don't wait until it's a stone and my cravings haven't come back. I think it's regulated my insulin resistance which was causing them. I am off blood pressure meds and I do pilates twice a week along with walking.

I have tried to lose weight for years and I finally managed to do it on mounjaro. I have maintained for 3 months at a size 10.
i highly recommend them

I have lost nearly 2 st since February. For me it was the culmination of a few horrific years that fully motivated me to change my eating habits and attitude to food. I had managed to lose weight back in early 2020, I found it easy despite being menopausal. I had sold my business and semi retired so the stress and hectic lifestyle that lead to my struggle with weight and unhealthy eating had gone.

Being able to meal plan and not eat on the run or using convenience foods meant that my diet was much healthier.

But then I was diagnosed with breast cancer, although I maintained my weight throughout this period. My DH had a stroke and I effectively became a single parent. Life was hectic managing school runs and basically everything and food became a convenience again. Things settled down once DS left for uni but this coincided with my DSis’s terminal cancer diagnosis. Once again I was juggling all the balls again.

I took the decision to sort myself out at Christmas. I don’t want DS being left an orphan in his early 20s and my DH, although recovered well from stroke physically, struggles cognitively, I don’t want my DS becoming his carer. My DSis’s sudden diagnosis and death made me focus on my health.

So I’m determined to get back to a healthy BMI and reduce my health risks. I struggle with side effects from the drugs I take but have reeducated my appetite and attitude. I don’t starve myself so weight loss is steady but slow. I am currently maintaining rather than actively losing but will hopefully get to my target ( another stone to lose) by Christmas.

If I fancy something “naughty” then I factor it into my calories for the day. We tend to eat two meals a day, brunch and evening meal. So effectively fasting as well. I don’t snack but have a handful of nuts while preparing our evening meal. This takes the edge off my appetite so I don’t end up overloading my plate.

I have also accepted that I need less food now I’m post menopausal. I eat slowly and drink more ( now I’m not working this is easier, never had time to drink at work).

The benefits are that I no longer have sleep apnea, I no longer suffer from reflux at night, both of which mean I get better quality of sleep so I’m no longer fatigued all the time. I cut out a lot of carbs so my insulin resistance no longer causes problems and my blood pressure is lower.

The big bonus is that I am able to fit into some of my lovely clothes I had almost given up hope of wearing again.

I have invested in some lovely new clothes so have no intention of gaining weight again.

Did you mean to be so ignorant?

No problem @Shabang21. I had constant food noise and was so hungry I would pass out if I didn’t eat. In addition, my maintenance calories are only 1350 (I am disabled) which was incredibly difficult to stick to without medication.

Mounjaro works by putting people like us on a level playing field with those who are able to make those wise decisions and choices on a daily basis. I don’t think about food all the time. I eat three very small meals a day now, focusing on protein.

If I want a biscuit, I might have one. But one is enough. I don’t wolf down the whole packet. I don’t want to.

It is clear from this thread, and many similar ones, that some people just can’t understand the impact unbalanced hormones can have on others drive to eat/decision making around food. Not everyone can imagine a life outside of their own experience.

WLI work for most people, not all. I would suggest you give it a go if you’re eligible to get a private prescription. Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

Yes, since January. I am a few pounds off maintenance now and have an online meeting with the prescribing doctor soon to make a plan for that.

It feels so good to have a “normal” relationship with food now my hormones are adjusted.

I'm only going into my third week of WLI and have already recouped the cost by not having Deliveroos / as many meals out. Also down 5kg.

For me, wli aren't that expensive about £109 a month
The most I've ever paid was £120
I have lost 3stone 10lb since March
I have stopped now though, haven't taken an injection in 17 days, haven't even gained 1lb.
I have changed my diet, stopped snacking so I'm hopeful because I changed my bad habits, that I won't just gain it all back

Please don't feel bad about not being able to afford the injections. Yes, it seems millions of people are on them just now. But the only thing that will work long term is addressing the psychological side of why you eat. I have maybe 1.5 stone to lose but I know I eat from boredom and don't walk 20000k steps at work every day anymore ... the second item is a lot easier to address / fix than the first.

There's a book I am reading called Brain over Binge by Kathryn Hansen, aimed at bulimics. It is online here. I am finding it interesting, maybe helpful for someone here. https://archive.org/details/brainoverbingewh0000hans

I struggle with everything - I’m such a dairy addict, and I love bread, cheese, chocolate…. But if I’m being honest, I’ll eat anything. Even if I’m not hungry, which is stupid, but there you go.

And that's why your diets will always fail (sorry to be harsh) – any deprivation of food will feel like punishment and your mind will always rebel.

A client of mine was very similar, she'd deliberately pick the restaurant dish with the most food rather than something she really wanted – so steak with all the trimmings rather than salmon and salad – because her mind chose quantity over quality. Now she still eats what she wants, she just wants far less of it and will say no to a dessert (previously unheard of!).