How to get rid of this belly!?

[Fatandfedup01]

As per the title.

I am overweight by about 5 stone. I feel like shit all the time and even when I eat well I cannot shift weight. My belly is really bothering me, it’s like a double belly with an extra shelf under my boobs!

I am type 1 diabetic and struggle so much with my weight.

I am 5’3 and weigh 16.7stone.

I lost three inches from my waist by sticking to 1500 calories a day and doing my 10000 steps. It took months though.

Well done Lois I’d love to lose 3 inches off waist

My fitness instructor always says weight loss is 80% food, 20% exercise... well, yes and no?

In terms of weight loss alone, that might be right. But what I think it's important to remember is that the two fit together.
So for example...

You start eating healthily and want to get fitter as well, so you start doing c25k.

Then you quickly realise you feel terrible if you run after having a heavy meal, or the morning after a few glasses of wine.

So you drink less and eat better because it helps your running. Which decreases your calorie intake.

Then you find you're running faster and further, as you're lighter. So you're burning more calories AND eating less - thus losing more weight than through diet alone.

Yes, sometimes you're hungry after a longer run or tougher exercise session. But you're still not eating half as much as you were before.

And after months of this you find that you're exercising regularly and the weight stays off - whereas with no exercise and diet alone, you would struggle to stay in that calorie deficit.

Thanks, it was a painfully slow process. Sometimes nothing happened for weeks. Perseverance and patience are probably my best tips for anyone trying to lose weight. 🙂

You have my sympathies op. If nothing else this thread is an excellent demonstration of how ignorant most people are about Type 1 diabetes. It is all consuming and affects absolutely everything you do. I don't think anyone is as food aware as a type 1. They've usually been measuring and logging all their food from a young age. There are no sneaky snacks etc, because practically everything that passes your lips has to be accounted and injected for. 😂Exercise involves careful planning and always has the risk like you say of pushing your blood sugar down so that you need to eat to fix it or risk actually having a hypo. That's not to say it can't be done, but it certainly isn't "simple" like some would think. I'm sure a lot of people are just trying to help and are saying what has worked for them but the Type 1 diabetes is important here.

My aunt had type 1 diabetes, and whilst she was petite all her life she always commented on how much her management of it changed after 40 and then again during the menopause. She was fitted with a pump in her 50s, which changed her life!

I expect the insulin resistance you're building up is not helping your weight OP, especially if you're finding that it's creeping up even with your strict T1 diet. Could you get a second opinion about your diet and T1 management from a different consultant, and also see if they will help with an endocrinologist referral for the thyroid? It's so much more complex when you have T1 and this thread shows how little is known about it!

Thank you for this post. It’s 💯 true. I know the weight, calories, protein and carbs of everything I eat. I have said on here that I don’t drink alcohol , eat cakes or crisps or junk food as I can’t but still people say that I ‘must’ be cheating or binging on junk because I am fat.

I have had the advice of ‘just do’ c25k, parkruns, 10k steps weight training etc… even when I have said that I would most likely consume more calories than I would burn just to keep me in range so I don’t have a hypo. I don’t get runners high or feel energised after exercising as the chance are my blood sugar either goes high or low - either way it generally makes me feel like shit.

I would like to thank everyone for their advice and will concentrate on my diet and mental well-being now.

Thanks all.

It’s simple, just do more exercise. Looking good is 80%exercise 20% diet, just get out and do 30 mins intervals/HIIT, 10 mins stretch and 10 mins weights a day. Eat normally as it sounds like you have an ok diet anyway.

Realise my post came just after yours about exercise OP, sorry. But you’re going to have to exercise if you want to lose.

I have had the advice of ‘just do’ c25k, parkruns, 10k steps weight training etc… even when I have said that I would most likely consume more calories than I would burn just to keep me in range so I don’t have a hypo

You do know lots of people with Type 1 diabetes exercise, right? And that it's actually recommended?
One of my best friends from running club is type 1 and runs ultramarathons - she writes about how she manages it, and it's really interesting from a fuelling point of view.

I know it's easier to make excuses than it is to make a change, but why start a thread if all you're going to do is end it by saying you don't eat badly anyway and you're not going to do any exercise? Especially when all the research proves that exercise can help manage diabetes.

👏👏👏@trailrunner85 couldn't agree more!

You're right OP - and the trouble is that people don't appreciate that different people with diabetes have different difficulties. Some people with diabetes do lots of exercise, which is great for them. Others really struggle with the balancing act between exercise/food/insulin (& usually get it wrong in my case!).

Keep on doing what you're doing.

You do know that I have had Type 1 for 40 years? And that yes - I know exercise is recommended. Well done to your friend for running ultra marathons - good for her.

But you do know that just because one person does that… It. Doesn’t. Mean. We. Are . All. Same…

If you think I am making excuses and not taking your advice that is absolutely fine.

Well the Olympian Steve Redgrave is diabetic (albeit type 2, I know) so exercise and diabetic control can be achieved.

It does take more planning and control, but it’s not a reason not to exercise. Even if you can’t achieve a big calorie deficit you’ll build muscle and muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.

I do sympathise, weight loss with diabetes is really hard.

Thanks 😊 Don’t worry, I am used to people saying ‘oh my friend is diabetic and she just climbed the 3 Peaks’ or (usually) ‘ my friend is diabetic and had their foot amputated, that will happen to you too’ 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think some people may be trying to help so I usually just smile and nod 😊

He’s an Olympian!! I would think he has a much better and more qualified health team than I do!!

That’s very true lol. But when he started training he didn’t have the support he later had, but still trained and started winning.

I truly believe that improving base fitness and building muscle will help you. That can just be walking, lifting light weights, moving more.

So in terms of exercise and your diet what does that look like currently on a typical day?

The thing that most worked on my belly was exercising with a kettle bell. I bought a 6kg one from aldi and did a 10-15minute youtube video everyday (or nearly!). Bodyfit by Amy and Hasfit are good channels to look at I found. Good luck x

I have said on here that I don’t drink alcohol , eat cakes or crisps or junk food as I can’t but still people say that I ‘must’ be cheating or binging on junk because I am fat.

Because it makes more sense than ‘I barely eat but can’t lose weight’. A lot of people claim this and most are obviously fibbing or in denial - I don’t think you can blame people for suspecting that this is the case with you as it simply doesn’t add up. But there are of course rare exceptions. From your photo, it’s not just a bit of extra weight (I really don’t mean that in an unkind way, just a factual observation) that’s quite a significant amount of extra fat around the middle which carries health risks in itself, not great on top of your diabetes. If despite eating less than you put out in energy you are storing fat to that extent you should see a health professional about it again. No one on here can help you at the end of the day if exercise and eating less genuinely isn’t working for you. We’re all just pissing in the wind with our suggestions which of course all basically amount to the same thing - if exercise and diet isn’t the answer for you I don’t know what other magic advice are you hoping for? The only other thing I can think of is lipo I guess.

I've lost newly 7 stone and I still don't have a flat tum. I have some loose skin I'm getting a tummy tuck next year.

Slimming world !

You mention that you are borderline hypothyroid? Have you looked into subclinical hypothyroidism? There was some debate about treating sub clinical with thyroxine but now it's thought it should be treated. Do you see an endocrinologist for your diabetes? It may well be worth getting their opinion on your thyroid too and checking your bloods again.

I lost 1 stone when I started levothyroxine. People really don't realise how much weight you do gain when your thyroid either isn't working at all or is a bit sluggish. Your endo and DSN will be wanting you to loose weight to help with your overall health. I would get in touch with them and get some bloods done again for them to review.

I don’t eat breakfast as I IF. For lunch I have a sandwich or wrap - if I have bread it’s granary bread and the filling is usually egg, chicken or tuna salad. I will have some Greek yogurt with berries and pumpkin seeds as well.

If I want a snack later I have an apple with nut butter.

For dinner I have either pasta and pesto or a jacket with homemade chilli. Sometimes I have beans on granary toast if I’m late back. I also have salmon with new potatoes and roasted broccoli.

If I want something sweet after dinner I will have a small bar of dark chocolate.

I drink tea throughout the day and usually around 4 -5 pints of water.

I have horses so for exercise I walk around the perimeter of a 6 acre field twice a day everyday.

Im aware that there are too many carbs in my diet but at the moment I am not low carbing.

I spoke to my GP a few weeks ago about my thyroid and he said it was acceptable. I know others on here have mentioned getting it tested more in depth but I don’t see how I can make them when they say it’s fine!?

I also have diabetic reviews every 6 months and they weigh me so they know how much I weigh? They always say do your best to lose some weight but never offer anymore help even when I ask.