How to lose weight?

[Chimperino]

Does anyone have any good suggestions for weight loss? I have two slipped discs, sciatic pain with numbness in one leg. I do gentle exercise when I can, but I just can't do as much as I'd like to be able to lose weight effectively - at least without starving myself and being miserable.
I used to be really active and now I can't do things it's so frustrating. Weight gain isn't going to help the back problems, and menopause has arrived to really add to the difficulty of losing weight.

I cant exercise due to ill health and lost 5 stone by calorie counting and at first intermittent fasting as well. I maintain by continuing to count calories. Its a bit laborious at first but because the app remembers my meals etc it gets much easier. Meal planning really helps me to as theres no cant be bothered to cook.

Fat jab?

Well done! Thats amazing
I want to lose like 4 stones. A lot of people are pointing me towards the jab but I want to see if I can do it naturally first.
What app do you use?

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight. I’ve used mj but I’ve lost weight before with really careful calorie counting. You do have to be really quite strict and play around with calories to find your actual deficit.

Finding food you like that fits in and is easy to make and consume on the really high pain days helps. I like the pouches of cookedentils and grains and cold meat really help and also protein shakes.

I just use the free version of my fitness pal. Like a previous poster said you need to work out your calories I did that by using an online calculator.
https://tdeecalculator.net.
When I first started IF I used an app to prompt me (but the app is no longer) so I continued without but it helped at first.

Have you managed to keep the weight off? I am scared I will lose it, then I will put it back on again.

Yes two and a half years now. But I do continue to calorie count to hold myself accountable. I use my calories over a week so that I never fail and can enjoy birthday cake or Christmas dinner without issue.

@sammyvine I’m in the maintenance phase of my journey and it’s hard. Acknowledging that I’m going to have to track and be careful forever, weighing often and acting on it and always losing any gains is how I’m approaching it. Far easier to notice and correct a few pounds on and go back to good habits than throwing it away (again) and waking up 6st up.

Weight loss is almost entirely dictated by diet not exercise.

I use My Fitness Pal. Work out your own calories - find out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories. As you lose weight recalculate. Do not add back in exercise calories as they are way overestimated.
Weigh and measure EVERYTHING. The milk in your tea, the butter on your toast and the jam! The oil you use to cook - everything. Then it’s consistency. Sure you will over eat your calories on occasion but start back on it next meal. I found cutting out all alcohol helped. You can eat whatever you want, but it makes sense to eat whole foods and bulk out your meals with lots of veg. MFP works out your macros, aim to get 1gr of protein for every pound of your goal weight, but don’t obsess. Good luck!

Thanks for your input, going to check out the apps mentioned. I did calorie count a number of years ago and it did work, but I haven't been able to achieve the same recently without the exercise as well. I will try again though as I don't think the jabs are for me, and I need something that will work long term.

Can you cycle or do spin classes? I also have numbness in one leg/foot and some mild lingering foot drop after a herniated disc, and also have axial spondyloarthritis. I have found cycling to be really good as it's totally non weight bearing and great cardio and doesn't require me to have great balance.

I cycle to work most days and do spin and yoga classes a few times a week. I'm still a bit fat so I think diet is probably more important but the exercise definitely helps me physically and mentally.

I use My Fitness Pal too to count the calories but I also use it to keep the carbs low as I’ve found that works best for me. I started with the Michael Moseley 800 calories book to kick start it. So far I’ve lost a stone. I can’t exercise because of severe arthritis in my spine.

exercise is fairly irrelevant in weight loss as the best of times, so this won’t be the issue, it really is diet. Can I ask why weight loss injections aren’t for you if you’re struggling and losing weight would help. Is it cost?