I am thoroughly depressed. I weigh 18st13lb!

[alessthandomesticgoddess]

The last time I checked (around three weeks ago) I was 18st3lb. I am now 18st13lb! I was weighed at the doctor when I went for a blood test and I just felt so disgusted with myself. I did have my coat and boots on so the doctor told me I could take around 3lb off but still - holy shit.

I am 5ft10in and a size 18/20. I am big but I am in proportion. I have fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis so exercise is a big problem for me. There are no swimming pools local and I don't drive. I need to exercise but I don't know how to without overdoing it and causing myself extreme pain for days on end.

I'm new to dieting. What do I need to do? I can't afford to have meals delivered or sign up to WW/SW etc. I need something I can do for free from home that won't leave me feeling starving hungry or put my body in too much pain after exercise.

I know it's a lot to ask but please, any help would be appreciated. I need a lifestyle change, not a diet at this point :(.

Why not try Weight Loss Resources

My sister has used it with great results and I'm about to start using it too. And it's a fair bit cheaper than SW/WW, etc.

Good luck with your weight loss, I am sure you can do it!

Is it a bit like MyFitnessPal? I have just downloaded the app for my phone.

I lost 2 stone in 7 months for my wedding a couple of years ago and I've managed to keep most of it off. I'm about 11 stone now and 5ft 5. For me, the only thing that worked was good old fashioned healthy eating (meat, veg, potatoes, fruit, yogurt...) drinking lots of water every day and exercising 3 times a week. plain and simple. There was no quick fix for me. It was hard work. But I loved the results once they started to kick in. For me, food has had to become a means to live healthily and not a source of entertainment or comfort and that's where I was going wrong. I had to stop feeling entitled to the 2nd or 3rd bag of crisps, the super fatty, tastey foods every night. Instead, I made it a treat at the weekend. Also, I swapped butter, full fat milk and white bread/pasta to flora light, red milk and ww brown bread and brown pasta. Take the healthy version of everything. If you want a fry up, grill it and have boiled eggs with some salt. Stuff like that. It all adds up and that's what made me loose the weight. Oh, and fast walking to good music on my iPod. Good luck. It will work.

I'm on a mood stabiliser for my bi polar that has a big weight gain side effect. Will I still lose weight while on the medication? Since I've been on them I seem to have gained this extra few pounds without changing my diet or exercise.

I'm on an anti convulsant for nerve pain which has the same effect Goddess. I also am restricted in what activity I can do. In your position I would speak with my GP again as they have exercise referral services for people with health conditions who need to lose weight and also often diet programs for the same group of people.

I have managed to start losing with weight watchers online and using an exercise bike - gradually increasing from 6 minutes to 15 minutes so far. Is that an option for you?

Aless why not pop over to the Paul McKenna thread? Lots of us are doing really well and you don't have to sign up for anything so it is very cheap.

I have an exercise bike here that folds up. It is definitely an option. I'll pop in to the McKenna thread too.

Do I just go to my GP and speak about needing to lose weight for obvious health reasons and my limits due to my conditions?

Come and join us at MyFitnessPal aless, the thread is really friendly and we have added each other as pals to keep up to date with one another, I'm amanda3266 so feel free to add me, I've lost 22lbs with that app so far, it's brilliant.

Your GP may be able to offer an allowance for Weight Watchers or gym membership I believe. Worth asking.

How does it work Dilly?

Hi godess don't be downhearted, you have had loads of health reasons why you have put on the weight & the drugs won't have helped but the good thing is you've recognised the need to tackle it and are being positive about your goal!

Don't get bogged down with faddy diets or fancy products. The main thing is exercise more & eat less which we all know but the motivation and getting into healthier eating habits is the hard bit (speaking from experience!) Something like the Paul M thread might help you, it's finding out what works for you support wise.

Maybe your GP has a practice nurse to support you? Ours has a weight loss clinic where you can go every week/fortnight to have a chat with the nurse & get weighed and talk over any health issues. Certainly have a chat with him/her if you feel it would be a good motivator.

Whatever you decide to do just remember it didn't go on overnight so it won'y go off overnight! Aim for a loss of around 2 lbs a week which is healthier & more likely to stay off than a larger amount.

Good luck!

MyFitnessPal is just calorie counting but it also adds on any points you gain from exercising to your daily allowance. I have quite a lot to lose so started on 1670 calories a day so any exercise cals took it up even further - it's now docked me 100 cals a day for doing well though .

The datatbase of food is huge and you can add anything which isn't already there (haven't found anything missing so far). I can be quite "snacky" and love crisps but knowing Walkers French Fries from a multipack are only 84 cals means I can factor them into my diet easily.

I have even had takeaways (tend to do this on the day I weigh and make up for it in the week). I save a good number of my calories for evening as that's my worst time of day and try to factor in a pampering bath if possible to stop me snacking.

I am 6'1 and started out at 17st 4lbs 5 months ago, I did weight watchers and have just reached my goal weight of 12st 11lbs. It was really simple, didn't require too much brain power to figure out points etc. I did lots of cycling to help my weightloss. Hope you find something that works for you

You can do it. It's hard when you have that much to lose but you can do it.

I am currently doing weight watchers as I need the discipline of a weekly weigh in but have lost weight in the past on my own. I cut out all "white crap" - basically anything made from wheat or sugar which cuts out a lot of crap. I am going to go back to doing that now along with the weight watchers as I have noticed that having bread and WW 'treats' and products means I am craving more crap.

An average day for me would have been porridge for breakfast. No sugar. I add fruit to sweeten.

Mid morning - a natural yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Lunch - soup and some protein or a wrap with lots of salad and chicken.

Dinner - something sensible usually with no carbs.

Lots of water to drink. Avoid 'diet' foods. Avoid as much processed foods as possible.

There is lots of support on here on various threads. The Nothing Tastes Better Than Being Slim one is nice. I used to be on that but dropped off.

Good luck with whatever approach you decide on.

Why not ask your GP if they can refer you to SW or WW. I know there used to be schemes to go for free for X weeks if referred through your GP.

If not ask if they can offer you guidance and weigh you on weekly basis.

You can join some diets online - not sure if that includes ww/and sw though.

I love SW. Its alot of cooking from scratch as opposed to using many jars of sauces etc but the food is good and there is very little weighing and measuring of most foods. I used to be a size 24 and over 16 stone (am only 5 ft tall). I have lost 5 stone through SW and eat loads and still have a bara of chocolate 3 times a week and a few glasses of wine.

I initially lost the bulk of this without exercise. But now I am excercising as well the weight is flying off, I am toning up better (had lots of saggy skin) and feel even better.

When it comes to excercise swimming would be your friend. I used to avoid swimming because of my shame at my size but tbh - I dont really notice what other people look like when in the pool and never received any awful looks or comments when I was bigger. How far is your local pool? Can you manage 1 day a week for starters? Do you have a partner and kids? Perhaps make it a weekly trip out for all of you.

I can manage swimming once a week but it's pretty impossible to make it a day out as you have to have a 1:1 adult to child ratio and we have two children who are pre-school and cannot swim. I'd have to go alone.

There's a gym a ten minute walk from here. £39 to sign up and for induction and then £14.99 a month on a rolling contract with all the classes included from there on. I'd like to sign up and say I go to the gym as I can find the time but I'm not sure what exercises I could do there that wouldn't make me leave in agony (and not the good kind). Would the instructors know themselves or would I have to find out and tell them the exercises I can/cannot do?

You can join SW and WW online but I worked it out around £40 a month with membership, a weigh in class and the food you'd buy extra. I don't think I can budget that far in to cover it all.

I'll definitely try the GP in regards to WW/SW. I hope there's something that can be done. I need support and with a meat loving, carb craving DF and children who love potatoes and pasta I fear it'll be a hard slog.

Definitely speak to your GP Goddess. Mine can refer to exercise classes inc yoga, pilates, fitness etc where the instructor grades each exercises so everyone can do it. Also he can refer to weight loss resources.

WW shouldn't cost too much though if you do it online. It is £10pm and you weigh yourself each week. If you sign up through quidco then you get £15 cashback towards the signing on fee. You don't have to buy special foods. You can eat meat and carbs, it just helps you get the right portions of the right kinds of food.

Is WW generally successful? I am very bad at math so is the point system very simple? I can add, subtract, multiply and divide :o. Also is WW good for a long term fix? I need something that overhauls my life. I'm used to big portions. I made myself two pieces of white toast with a smidge of butter and scrambled egg with salt and pepper for breakfast. Is that even healthy? I buy white bread as the DD's are fussy with bread so it seems easier.

Do you see what I mean? I don't even know what's healthy!

The point system is very simple for me to use. We are online members and all of the values are on there. DH also has an ipad app which he uses. It has definitely helped me to understand why I have gained weight when I realise that I was eating men's portions in effect with the wrong proportions on the plate. This is the first time that I have ever dieted and it is working for me even with my meds.

Your points are calculated based on your weight, age and height (I think - it does it for you). Scrambled eggs on toast is a good breakfast it is just that the bread does take up a quite a few points. For me on 26 points, 5 points on bread is a lot but if you are on 46 points (for example) then it is not a problem. You need more calories if you are heavier. There are different breads that are fewer points and you can keep it in the freezer and just take out what you need.

I'm going to read up and see if it's any good. I'll take it to my GP monday and if he can't help I'll just find the money.

Do you have to do exercise alongside the points system?

My mum has been doing a special diet for those suffering from RA, and it seems to making a difference to the pain and the weight is coming off very quickly as well on the diet. She has been able to stop taking nurofen which she is really pleased about.

Just to warn you its very restricted.. I think the first week involved 2 days of fasting followed by the rest of the week just eating quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.

The diet is sugar free, gluten free and dairy free for life, but many other foods are reintroduced gradually. Even if you don't do the diet, def consider going gluten free alongside say myfitnesspal.

My mum finds exercise hard due to the pain, and swimming really only thing she can do, but diet more important that exercise anyway.

www.clintscure.com/

I've got a friend who lost weight on mood stabilisers, it's hard work but possible. Don't worry about spending money - you can calorie count and read food labels for calorie/fat content for free, and there are websites like myfitnesspal or food focus you can use to help you calculate roughly how many calories a day to eat for a slow but steady weight loss. Agree with Buda about aiming for wholemeal rather than "white" carbs.

In terms of exercise - because of your health conditions I would speak to GP or practice nurse. But once weather improves, just 1/2 hour a day of brisk walking 5 times a week is a good start.

Acording to My Fitness Pal I'm allowed 1500 calories a day and that will allow me to lose 2lb a week. If I do the exercise should I eat the extra calories allotted or not bother?

foreveronadiet Wjat exactly is gluten free? Bread, cakes, biscuits, pasta etc? Even wholegrain? Is it found in other non obvious food too?

Gluten in wheat, barley, spelt and rye. Very very amounts in oats (although can get gluten free oats). My Mum thinks gluten makes her RA worse. Yes in wholegrains etc too.

Plenty of grains gluten free, and food packaging should say if it contains gluten.