To ask for advice and support around losing 6+ stone between now and May?

[ForMerryPinkCat]

I've been offered a job starting on May 27. My old trainer is setting up a new eventing yard and wants me as head groom/rider.

It's a fantastic opportunity to get back to the sport I love but unfortunately I had a horrible accident last year that resulted in multiple injuries and a long hospital stay.

Because of that and the medications I've been taking, my weight has ballooned up to 20 stone. I'm 5'4 so I'm massively overweight. Ideally i'd be under 14 stone when I started with the goal of getting back down to my ideal weight of around 8 stone.

I've told my family and friends it's for my wedding which is at the start of may because they're very against me riding again and I don't want to deal with the aggo if it's not even vaguely possible. My partner knows and is very supportive of me trying.

I've been eating around 1500 calories a day and walking briskly for 20mins several times a day. I've included a few pics of my diet/exercise for the past couple of days. (I will be adding more fruit/veg/protein in starting tonight when my groceries arrive, and switching out the whole milk for skimmed. I'm just trying to empty the fridge so nothing gets wasted!)

Thank you! My physio also said that!

I've also had severe complications to medications in the past. It's not something I would ever risk taking a glp1. I would do wholefoods and intermittent fasting

Well done for taking back control of your life! I’m not going to knock the GLP but it looks as though you’re already on the right track without spending for the jabs. End of March last year, I was a size 22 and my BMI was 38. A year later, I had lost 6 stone through calorie counting using an app on my phone and exercise. I’ve been at target for a couple of months and I feel fabulous, infact, I am
slightly under target as I’m going on holiday and want some wriggle room! My average daily calorie intake since March last year has been 1450 calories per day. Yes I’ve had bad days but the next day, I have started again and had fewer calories for a few days to get back on track. Good luck with your weight loss!

Good luck, what an amazing opportunity. Don’t be discouraged with blips over the month- my weight always goes up 3lbs when I ovulate.

That's not true. I was prescribed it by my GP with a BMI of just over 27 and 2 health related conditions. I didn't have to attend a weight management clinic either

Definitely worth asking your GP if you would qualify. If you don't I would consider funding it yourself.

@AnnaQuayRulesis one of the weight related conditions T2 diabetes?

I’ve been on Wegovy since the start of January and lost 4 stone. I had tried to lose weight myself for a couple of years and nothing was working. Even increasing my walking wasn’t helping. Age went against me I know, I’m 54 and way past menopause I went through that young. I have had very little side effects from the medication and I do exercise to maintain muscle mass and eat my daily quota of protein too. I would consider it especially because if your injury recovery.

Congratulations on your new job ☺️ I lost 6 stone calorie counting and moving more in a similar time frame so it’s definitely
achievable. I weighed less than you’re starting weight but managed to get away with eating more calories (about 1800) and typically achieve a 2lb weight loss a week so you don’t necessarily have to be too restrictive. I use the app nutracheck as I just find it better than my fitness pal. I only do exercise I genuinely enjoy and then I don’t start and give up. I stick to a few different breakfasts and lunches just to keep things simple but I have loads of dinner options. I’m not afraid to borrow calories from a different day either to accommodate socialising etc, I just make sure to be strict when I’m on a lower calorie day. Good luck.

No need to start running unless Op wants to, and I don't think that it would be good for her at this stage.. I've lost over 9 stone on MJ. Agree walking and strength training important.

Good luck, Op 🍀

As others have said GLP1. I'm 5'7 and have gone from 16st10lb (size 18-20) to 9st8lb (size 8) in just over 18mo. I never went higher than 7.5ml and am back down on 5ml at present and will reduce to 2.5 at xmas. Its not easy as you can you still have to watch what you eat and eat healthy (anything greasy or too fatty and I'm on the loo for days) but it does really help with appetite suppression. I was already doing intermittent fasting before GLP1 and have stuck to this while on it as it works for me but a friend does 3 small meals a day so just depends on what works for you.

Good luck OP!

Mounjaro changed my life - I am 9st down in 1 year 8 months. I combined Mounjaro with intermittent fasting and calorie counting.

I disagree with PP that walking is not enough - I walk 10,000 steps every day. I can't run due to joint issues in my ankles.

Just be careful you don't overwhelm yourself with too many changes all at once. I have done that before and then fallen off the wagon massively as it was too much. Start with basic changes and build up from there.

If you go on a GLP-1 and it does nothing you can switch to a different one. They don’t all work for everyone. My friend was on Mounjaro for 6 months with zero effect, should have switched sooner as Wegovy works for them.

I’ve lost 40kgs in 2 years. BMI 42 to 29. On Wegovy but very limited exercise with ME/CFS. Had to track and weigh all my food at first, to retrain portion sizes and get rid of overly high calorie foods, eat a lot more vegetables and reduce carbs.

There was recently a thread on here from the perspective of a close friend about the same situation exactly (having believed the wedding preparations tale which obvs could have been true in that case iyswim).

That might be worth looking at too. I think the same point was made about muscle loss.

Exercise is fantastic for you for all sorts of reasons, but for weight loss focus on what you eat.

In your original list there were v few real foods / non UPFs aside from eggs and milk.

Make your plate 70% veggies for lunch and dinner and start eating real food. Read ingredients lists of everything you buy.

Your palate will eventually adjust and things like your muller rice, foam shapes, ready meals, etc will start tasting a bit weird and rank.

That's my experience anyway.

If you must buy bread, then freeze it. You can cut down the amount you eat, without wasting it. Freezing also makes bread healthier by transforming the starch into resistant starch, as does toasting it.

It's not that I must buy it, it's that I was using up the end of a loaf so it didn't go in the bin. I'd bought it before the job offer was made/this plan became an actual plan. Same as the muller rices.

As for the foam shrimp, I was playing shops with my nieces 🤔😆

I am eating vegetables I promise 😆

Again, I live alone currently and have been using stuff up rather then chucking it in the bin. I absolutely can't bear food waste. I was also waiting on a grocery delivery when I made this post!

The ready meals will be staying though. I am an absolutely terrible cook and could never make anything as tasty but also reasonable in calories/protein.

The same situation? How strange! Maybe there's something in the air atm 😆

I'll take a look at it for tips, thank you.

Pay for a personal trainer and lift weights 4 times a week.

It’s so sad that so many people are jumping on the “get the jabs” like it is some sort of miracle cure, they of course “work” but the side affects are not worth it, the muscle wastage will be so damaging for one. And they don’t resolve the underlying issue of poor diet and exercise which if they are right all this is resolved.

my advice looking at your diet:

1. ditch the “calorie controlled” and processed foods and switch to making protein and veg rich meals like stir fry’s or tray bakes. Ditch as much processed food as possible. Cereal and bread included! If you do like bread buy a PROPER sourdough, slice and freeze it and have a slice occasionally with an egg, humous or avocado etc
2. skimmed milk is a con, you need whole foods for the good fats. Switch your muller yogurts for full fat Greek yogurt and fruit.
3. get your sugar levels down as low as possible. Try some low sugar cookies books for ideas. This is the main issue most people have. Don’t count calories count sugar grams!
4. add some strength training and HIIT into the exercise plan, 10-15 mins of daily squats and push ups etc will be as good as a walk and building muscle mass will burn more fat.

that doesn’t make sense, you don’t really think the drugs cause muscle wastage, right? That’s weight loss, not the meds, you need to consume enough protein and work out to mitigate. It’d the same with any weight loss method.

snd they don’t melt the fat off, you need to diet, right,and eat clean snd healthy or you will have gastro issues.

it does feel like you don’t understand the meds as what you wrote makes little sense,

@Thursday5pmisginoclock what side effects make it not worth using weight loss injections? I’ve been on them two years, and I don’t know what you’re referring to. Similarly, I don’t have any muscle wastage. I also have greatly improved my diet and do a huge amount more exercise than I used to when I was 22 stone. So I find your comments to be a bit puzzling.

Of course, the OP doesn’t need or have to take medication if it’s not necessary and she doesn’t want to.

calorie counting does work. Keep at it.

this.

I've lost 4 stone from reducing carb intake. Our bodies don't need carbs in the quantities we eat them.... and I walk at least 10k steps a day with my dogs. I also got a studio bike and it's amazing how much fitter I feel.

I'd be wary of jabs due to the impact on your muscles. It's better to try first and then move in that direction if you feel it's not working.