Slow but sensible weight loss

[slowandsteady]

Hi 😊

Up until last March, I had spent almost 20 years on a diet. My weight had gone up and down so many times over the years following different plans. However, last March when the Slimming World group I was a member of went to zoom classes I decided to stop. I decided to stop dieting and to work on improving my relationship with food.

Almost 12 months later my weight is pretty much exactly where it was then. I am really happy about this as to me it means that my relationship with food is so much better. I don't binge or restrict. I don't avoid certain foods because they're 'bad'. I am now far more aware of my health and have started exercising from time to time, just because I feel like it.

But...I do want to be smaller, fitter, leaner, healthier. I want to achieve this without counting points or syns, categorising foods, fasting, massively restricting calories or avoiding certain food groups. Obviously I do need to burn more calories than I consume to achieve this but I want to do it in a way that is sustainable. Slow and steady.

I have decided to set up calories at 1700 per day. 12 months ago I would never have thought it would be possible to lose weight eating 1700 calories (I'm only 5ft3") but I now know that it's possible. As long as I burn more than that.

So, I thought I'd keep a note of how I get on here. My personal rules are:

1. Eat an average of 1700 ish calories per day over a week (some days could be 1500, others 1900),
2. Burn at least 2000 calories a day,
3. Sit down and eat the same evening meal as my family every night,
4. Exercise if and when I feel like it,
5. Don't restrict food. If I've reached my calorie goal but would really like something else then go for it (sensibly),
6. Take daily vitamins,
7. Drink a sensible amount of fluids.

I know weight loss won't be fast, but I just want it to be sustainable.

If anyone would like to join in, please feel free (but please no serious restricting, slimming clubs or fasting.....if they work for you then that's amazing.....they don't for me).

As predicted.. Another 1lb loss. Lost the plot a bit today and binged, its like im finally feeling better and more confident and i just want to sabatage myself! How has your week been @slowandsteady?

@Covidconfusion89 well done. You're doing really well. I maintained this week, but think that was down to the weekend. I'm really good during the week but relax at the weekend, and maybe just a tad too much 😂

@slowandsteady I'm exactly the same and increasingly becoming worse every weekend! I don't mind letting go a bit but i had 2 take aways in the same day this weekend 😂

A maintain from me this week. ..hoping when I weigh tomorrow i might be down 1lb but I've been terrible this week, really struggled with self control and I've just wanted to demolish everything. I feel like my body is fighting me!

@Covidconfusion89

A maintain from me this week. ..hoping when I weigh tomorrow i might be down 1lb but I've been terrible this week, really struggled with self control and I've just wanted to demolish everything. I feel like my body is fighting me!

We all get weeks like that and it can be down to a lot of different reasons. I hope today's weigh in went ok

After 2 weeks of maintaining I have lost 2.75lbs this week. I haven't done anything differently so I think it may be my body catching up.
My start weight was 12st5 and I am now 11st11.75 so that's a loss of 7.25lbs in 7 weeks. Spot on to where I want to be.

I love that this is happening without pressure, without feeling like I'm dieting, with eating a bit of everything. I don't count calories at the weekend but I haven't overindulged either. Feeling super motivated 😊

@slowandsteady that's brilliant, well done!! You must be really feeling it in your clothes etc now and feeling better generally. I know what you mean, it's quite liberating being in control and not being restricted.

I weighed today and put on 1lb 😂 i don't even know how that happened! It's the end of period week so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it. Using it as motivation to keep going!

@Covidconfusion89 it's so frustrating to gain when you've been goos but body weight fluctuates all the time so it's probably going to drop back off soon enough.

I am definitely feeling so much better in myself. I'm not as tired as I usually am and despite only losing half a stone I can see tops are fitting much better. It's great motivation to keep going. How much have you lost in total now?

@slowandsteady I've lost 12lb over 12 weeks, its been so slow but it's finally got to the point where I'm feeling the difference.

I weighed again this morning and I am back down by 2lb making it another 1lb loss. I think my body just needed the extra few days after all those take aways!

I now weigh exactly your starting weight! I can't wait to get into that next stone bracket like you, that must feel good!!!

@Covidconfusion89 12 pounds over 12 weeks is perfect. You've almost lost a stone! That's amazing!! I wish I'd have learnt more about nutrition years ago rather than jumping from one diet to another.

I have lost half a pound this week. Not loads but it's moving in the right direction.
Start weight: 12st 5
Current weight: 11st 11.25
Total loss: 7.75lbs
Time taken: 8 weeks

Calories eaten...
M: 1502
T: 1595
W: 1689
Th: 1586
F: 1978
I didn't track over the weekend.

Well done! I've stayed the same again, i think i must be not counting my calories right or possibly now ive lost 12lb i need to reduce them again. Feeling a bit deflated to be honest!

That's so frustrating. You could give it another week to see what happens, and then if no change you could either drop the calories you eat a little or increase the calories you burn (or do a bit of both).

I have a fitbit and the amount of movement I need to do to burn a certain number of calories is definitely increasing as the weight is going down.

Another week, another update:
Start weight: 12st 5
Last week's weight: 11st 11.25
Current weight: 11st 10
Lost this week: 1.25lbs
Total loss: 9lbs
Time taken: 9 weeks

A pound a week average is spot on 😊

Calories eaten this week:
M:1508
T: 1350
W: 1547
Th: 1544
F: 1865
S: 1522
S: didn't track

Just checking in, still no loss for me so I've been quietly having a strop. Fingers crossed for this week!

I hope this week is going well for you. I decided to take the week off from counting last week and just attempt to eat well because of a mixture of school holidays and picnics, etc. It worked and I maintained. I'm back counting this week, but feeling very hungry! I'm due on tomorrow so think it's that! I'm just going to keep going and maybe aim for another maintain this week and start losing again from next week. I'm still 9lbs down so I'm happy :)

@RandomMess

I would look at a calculator to establish the calories you need to maintain your current weight without exercise beyond your usual lifestyle.

Sadly I think 1700
Is too generous allowance for you to lose weight at your height unless you are very active?

Not necessarily. Weight is more important than height, which OP doesn't mention, and it's also relevant what she was eating before.

If OP was previously eating say 2000 calories a day and maintaining, then she is likely to lose weight on 1700.

Lots of people seem to think that 1500 is some kind of magic number for weight loss. But most people who aren't dieting/ thinking about food will eat around 2000 a day at least. Cutting down to 1700 will be quite reasonable for most people to lose over a long period without being overly restrictive.

That sounds like a lovely sensible couple of weeks @slowandsteady, i think thats what I have done without meaning to.

Finally 1 lb down this week for me!!!! Hopefully that was just my body adjusting and I'm back on track. It was really hard to keep going without any results but it's paid off.

Hi OP how’s it going with you? I have done similar to you - eating healthy meals with family I found was key although I watch portion sizes. Thanks to lockdown my alcohol intake dropped off a cliff but now we’re back out I am drinking when I want to. I have found this way far more sustainable and kept it up for a year or so and have lost weight. One thing I noticed was that my water intake went up naturally (struggled before) as I found a balance. - looking forward to summer and eating more fruit like strawberries and watermelon. I too lost the will a bit with regular diets and restrictions as they just didn’t fit in naturally with my life but smaller portions (reduced calories) has been liberating and means I can still have a daily fix of chocolate. Hope it is going well with you.