I have to lose some weight but how? !

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

I hate the sight of myself. I'm at least two stone overweight and I can't seem to shift it. I've tried low carb, slimming world, I can't stick with anything for long, I give in to sugar cravings.

Anyone else have a couple of stone to lose? Maybe this could be a support thread. .

I'm 5 foot 7 and weigh 12 stone 8.5. Id be happy to get down to 10 and a half stone. I've even considered throwing up as I can't seem to stop myself eating junk.

I'm 52 which probably isn't helping . I can't exercise much due to health reasons.

I may try a shake diet or vlcd, need to see quick results or I just give up

Any suggestions?

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

Yes that makes sense, not seeing it as a diet would definitely help.

[TheMysteriousJackelope]

I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure.

I decided to cut my sodium intake. I am in the US and the commercially produced bread here is high in salt. Cakes and cookies also use salt and baking powder so high in sodium again. By focusing on cutting out sodium rather than 'dieting' I found I was cutting out crisps, salted nuts, butter, most cheese, cakes, cookies, and a lot of bread (which I used to eat with butter as my go to snack).

I increased my water intake, cut back drastically on coffee, and cut my alcohol to one or two days a week instead of one beer a day. A 12 oz bottle of beer is about 250 calories so I've cut about 1,000 calories a week just with that alone.

So far I have lost around 16lbs in 6 weeks.

I don't regard it as dieting. I do eat a small amount of chocolate each day which takes care of the sugar cravings. I also added 20 minutes on a rowing machine every day. I cut out breakfast which for me was really just white toast and butter - not particularly nutritious. I now eat a smallish lunch, a small snack at 4.00 p.m. and a decent evening meal.

Again I don't regard this as a diet, so I don't get the whole 'I'm on a diet, this is soooo horrible when will it end' vibe, I've just changed the way I eat, added fruit, and taken some things away. My blood pressure is because I am older, if I lose weight I can probably come off the meds, my 'diet' therefore isn't going away, this is how it is for the rest of my life or I can face a stroke or heart attack. That is quite the motivator.

[CiderwithBuda]

Wow Imo. That's bloody amazing and inspirational. Well done you.

[ImoAsta]

Hi All,

I'm 5ft 7in used to weigh 21st 7lbs and in total have lost just over 12st. I am now 9st 4-6lbs depending on the day.

What I did was start small, i started using myfitnesspal app to track my food and worked out I was definitely not eating enough good fats and protein but was eating a lot of carbs. It also helped me see what was in the food I was eating and educated me on what my body needed. This helped me slowly overhaul my diet and I felt a lot better for it and that feeling better helped me continue. (I also used to drink about 2ltr of full fat coke a day which definitely stopped).

Also when I started I didn't go to the gym but I forced myself to walk a little everyday, increasing the distance and speed when I was more confident or comfortable.

When I got down to about 19st I did start going to the gym but I know that isn't for everyone.
Nowadays I do try and swim once a week and do a Pilates class, but that's mainly to keep my mental health upbeat.

Losing weight for anyone is a struggle and you do have set backs. But it can be done!

Xx

[C0untDucku1a]

Ive no idea what slim and save is. How you lose weight, and keep it off, is to objectively look at your lifestyle and identify the issues, want to change them and then actually changing them.

I Would suggest you keep a food diary. A very accurate one. I can almost guarantee your portion sizes are too big. Most people have a really skewed idea on what is an appropriate portion size of food for them. Anack of fruit or veg.

Secondly, an active diary. How much exercise are you actually getting? How can you incorporate more into you week easily?

[CiderwithBuda]

A friend really struggled with drinking water - it made her gag. She went to a hypnotist and it really helped. She drinks water now no problem.

As well as slices of lemon you could add any fruit. I have a big plastic jug with a lid and I fill it with water and some slices of orange. That's nice. You can also buy water drinking bottles on Amazon with a bit in the middle to infuse fruit. Oh - if you drank from a sports water bottle would you still be able to smell it?

You can do low carb but not as extreme as lchf and you would'nt end up with bad breath. I'm sort of doing that - no white bread, pasta rice etc. I know someone who lost three stone by just cutting out crap carbs and sugar.

I was pretty bad a few weeks ago with bread and sugary stuff but it didn't take long for the cravings to go.

[Loubilou09]

You do realize that there are masses of artificial sugars in a slim and save packet right?

[Loubilou09]

Yorkshireborn - who are you addressing in your last post please?

Your posts are really strange to be honest. You say you are going to do slim and save on the one hand and then appear to be having a go at someone by saying you are not prepared to risk your health by eating artificial sugars. You also mention bad breath which obviously comes from low carb diets which is exactly what slim and save is....

I am so glad I took the time out of my life to try and help.....

[DakotaFanny]

I did slim and save for a while a few years ago. I stopped when I fainted (only time ever) and am convinced it messed with my metabolism as it took me about two years to be able to lose any weight again through more traditional methods. I also know someone who ended up in hospital with bowel problems from using a similar product.

It does work, but for me, the costs are too high.

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

No one seems to notice the smell except me but I have a very sensitive sense of smell and it causes all sorts of problems. A slice of lemon is a good idea.

[rosie1959]

I have in the last few weeks joined Weight Watchers Loosing weight does seem to get harder the older you get I used to be able to drop the pounds quickly but at 58 it does seem harder
I am doing the no count plan to avoid all the weighing and counting so far have lost 13lbs
Dieting for me is a frame of mind shove too much bad stuff in and you don't get results I find by leaving out all the cakes chocolate ect out it stop's the craving because one bit of chocolate is never enough
I really want to loose wait and the only person who can stop me is me
Have just finished work due to redundacy so I am going to put the extra time in to help lose more more walking gardening and decorating never been one for the gym
Does water really smell never noticed that one try adding sliced lemon and ice

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

Yes I do want to lose weight but what's the point in lying to myself again. . Or piling more weight on because it didn't work? I'm not prepared to compromise my health by eating artificial sugars, and I don't want bad breath and I have sensory issues around smell and taste that mean I struggle to drink water without being sick because of the smell.

I'll try a version of no sugar first but drinking black decaf coffee and bovril instead of water.

[Loubilou09]

Waterworks is absolutely 100% right. The only thing that will work is when YOU REALLY want to lose weight. I have talked about wanting to lose weight for years and years and years, I can lose a bit but then I put it back on again because I only try for a few weeks.

Eventually something clicked six months ago and I thought right this is really really it, I am going to finally lose this weight. I really believed I could lose 3 stone in 6 months but it has taken me a lot longer and instead of giving up, I just keep plodding on with it. I have my days when I eat a bit more than I have planned for and days when I think buggar it but on the whole my focus is and continues to be that I plod on until I get to my goal. Key to this one is giving up alcohol, that has really helped. Not only with the reduction of calories but also the focus on exercise, eating right etc when you are not a bit hungover at the weekends.

The amount of excuses I used to make now make me have a wry smile to myself and the amount of excuses I hear and read also make me laugh. At the end of the day there is only one thing standing in the way of your weight loss and that is you.

[Sample1936]

Depends on the brand. Waitrose low calorie asparagus cup a soup for example is 1.6 gram sugar but heinz tomato 11g.
I mostly drink marigold bouillon. Or herbal tea.

Give something a go and see if it works then document what didnt work what went well because everyone is different in how they manage to cut the calories (be it ww, sw, low carb/gi, raw, paleo, shakes etc).

Start with the one you feel is most promising.

For me, exercise makes me look better but eating less is what gets the numbers down.

[WaterworksFireworks]

Yorkshireborn - do you really want to lose weight? As a poster earlier said, you seem to have a reason why each thing won't work. Unfortunately if you want to lose weight you have to stop making excuses and just get on with it (and this comes from someone who has been overweight their entire adult life, I know how hard it is, a lot of my plans revolve around food, I love food above anything except for the people in my life!)
You just to need to pick one plan and stick to it and you WILL lose weight.

[wetcardboard]

I've lost 10 pounds since february without trying just by giving up sugar/processed food. I honestly can't believe how much difference it's made and how easy it was - I don't feel like I'm on an actual diet, as I eat big portions, lots of fat etc.

I had terrible sugar cravings too. All the time. Since giving it up I suppose my body has adjusted and I no longer crave sugar. As a treat I still allow myself to have a nice dessert if I'm at a restaurant, but I find they are now too sweet for me.

If you've tried other things and they haven't worked, maybe try no sugar?

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

I read somewhere that sweeteners cause the body to put on weight too plus I don't like the taste of them and am sceptical about how safe they are

I found low carb high fat quite expensive and difficult to cope with when out and about

[PrimalLass]

I'm overweight by about the same amount so say this from a kind place. Read back through your posts. You are making excuses to put off the inevitable tricky few months of having to deny yourself what you want. Bad breath? Get some gum. Don't like water? Add some sf squash.

I'm doing low carb high fat. Am 3 weeks in and the sugar cravings are totally gone. Haven't even been able to think about a glass of wine, which is a miracle for me. Everything tastes too sweet. I can't eat nearly as much food as I did.

I need strict rules. Everything in moderation does not work for me.

You'd likely me much happier on meat/eggs/cheese and veg than nasty shakes.

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

Thanks . I'll try the slim and save for a week to kick start my diet

[PhantomBlooper]

Shake diet I did was Slim and Save. It's a quick fix, but you've got to be committed to changing your outlook on food.

Ketosis causes the smelly breath for some people. I brought breath spray and that helped. For me it's been a side effect I can cope with as the weight has fallen off me. But if you can't commit to cutting right down on carbs afterwards then it's pointless. I don't eat bread or pasta or anything that is just bulk. I don't eat low fat stuff as it's all artificially sweetened and makes you crave more.

I have proper butter if I do, eggs, meat, fish, cheese, veg and leaves like spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. I have cut out alcohol except for on special or planned occasions. I don't miss it most of the time and feel so much better without it.

[diodati]

I don't always get to 5000 steps but at least 3000! Still losing. I take multivitamins & force myself to drink lots of water.

[Silverdream]

I think it's about changing your life style rather than dieting.
Don't buy the food you shouldn't eat so it's not in the house.
Plan nice meals and make it a challenge to make the tastiest low calorie dishes you can.
You need to retrain your taste buds. I think it takes about 3 months before taste buds renew or change. You need to not it the high sugary salty junk food for that length of time before your taste buds and your brain stop craving it.
I did this with sugar in tea. Drink it for ages thinking this is fowl then suddenly it was nice and when I was given a cuppa with sugar in I found that disgusting instead.
Buy low cal yogurts the choc and orange more unusual flavours. Stick a lolly pop stick through the lid and put in freezer. They take half hour to eat frozen rather than a minute. That's a great snack.
Knit , colouring books keep your hands busy when sat watching tv. Walk for half hour every eve. Weed the garden if you have one. Tv is a trigger to eat so minimise how much you watch.

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

Well done Not sure I'd manage that many steps though.

[diodati]

I've lost 10 kgs since February by sticking to 1,000 cals/day max & 5,000 steps/day using a Fitbit. It's tough but effective.

[Yorkshirebornandbred]

Thanks. I've followed low carb high fat before but found it made my breath smell, so not keen to try again. Any recommendations for a good shake diet ?