How to quickly and safely lose weight

[Buntybearbess]

I'm 4ft10 and weigh about 14/15st somewhere in between. I need to lose at least 4st before the end of July as I'm going on a beach and waterpark holiday with my size 10-12 best friend and our very very fit and attractive guy friends and I don't want to look like a whale or a beach ball next to them.

I have no idea how to do this though so any advice would be amazing.

Hi ive hear great things about the Cambridge weight loss plan. I'm considering trying it myself as I have 3 stones to lose.

@DizzyBeeme, awesome I'll look into it. I know that they don't care about how I look and in my best friends eyes I'm amazing because I'm so confident with who I am and how I look and have the attitude that if someone doesn't like the way I look then they can look at something else, while she hates feeling like people are looking at her and will most likely wear some sort of wrap/cover so she feels less exposed in a bathing costume. She doesn't understand I can feel like that and still be 100% insecure about all my rolls and pounds when standing next to someone else, I have also decided to myself that regardless of what happens or how much or how little I lose I won't cover myself up unnecessarily because that sends the wrong message to myself and her.

5:2 diet is very easy to follow. I have a friend who lost a lost of weight for her wedding using that one.

If you really don’t know how to do it alone I’d join Slimming World. You’ll get a book full of information on what to eat etc and weekly meetings where everyone has a chat - you’ll get some great tips and it’s a good motivational tool!

@BWcastle2000, fantastic will look into that one as well. I imagine I'm going to need to do some major calorie counting and get back into my weightlifting and power walking/running. It's ridiculous but it's just hit me that I'm really going to be the odd one out. Plus I think there's a theme park nearby where we're staying and we'll most definitely want to go and there's no way I'd survive the mortification of being too big for the rides.

I totally understand. I’m in a similar position weight wise and have booked a holiday in June with my family. I’ve started using My Fitness Pal (app) to record everything I eat / drink. You can set it to a goal
Weight and it will give you a calorie intake for the day. I’ve set my at 1500. I have also linked it to my Fitbit app so the more exercise I do the more calories it gives me to eat. I try not to use them though. I’ve lost 10lbs in 3 weeks

@redbirdblackbird, I've been to slimming world and for that the environment was anxiety inducing for me. I don't do well with crowds or the let's talk in front of a group or call on people by name.

@redbirdblackbird, awesome. I don't have a fitbit, but I do have my weights, so I'll be using them and doing a couple around my uni campus each day. I can lift for quite a long time without getting tired so I'm hoping if nothing else it'll tone my arms a bit.

Use My fitness pal then, you can manually put in weight lifting etc. I’ve been eating lean meat, fish and loads of veg lownin carbs like broccoli, green beans etc. The Joe Wicks lean in 15 books have some
Good recipes but some are quite high in fat (use of cheese, chorizo etc). If you go on Pinterest and search for clean eating ideas you’ll get loads.

I've just downloaded my fitness pal. Instead of following expensive diets I'm devising my own. Boiled eggs for breakfast. Fruit for snacks. Salad with a meat or fish for lunch and a grilled meal with vegetables or sweet potatoes for my evening meal. Plus 1 hour of exercise daily should do the trick what do u think ladies ?

Sounds good, I’ve been going to some classes and the trainer recommended having omelette with chopped veg for breakfast to really fill you up. I’ve had peppers, spinach etc in mine and then nothing till lunch. Don’t over do the fruit, a handful of nuts or olives is a good snack.

@redbirdblackbird, will download it now and start using it. I’m quite a good cook tbh and when I think about what I’m eating I eat quite well. Unfortunately at the moment I’m eating the stuff I’ve got leftover because I can’t afford to just bin perfectly good food but I’ve managed to add four different veg to it so it’s at least more nutritious 😂

@DizzyBeeme, that sounds similar to my plan. I’ve also bought some ‘herbal’ weight loss ‘supplements’. I doubt they’ll work but if nothing else I’m hoping that the placebo effect will set in and I’ll at least be able to remain motivated 😂

I’ve decided that at no point am I going to weigh myself. Instead I’ll measure inches so I don’t become obsessive over pounds because I’m aware that my personality has a strong OCD/addictive element and I don’t want to feed that, especially as two of my sisters have eating disorders and another is a secret eater with a horrific relationship with food. So every fortnight I’ll measure my thighs, hips, stomach and upper arms. I’ll also be walking/running when I’m a bit fitter and weight lifting so, so I expect I’ll also gain in some way as well.

I’d recommend Michael Mosley’s books for evidence-based, calm and positive approaches to weight loss (basically eat Mediterranean diet, intermittently fast and do some HIIT).

Lifting for ages sounds as though you might not be progressing. Are you familiar with Strong Lifts 5x5 (free on Internet) or Strong Curves (great book, worth the price)?

Yep, your lifting should be progressive. It'll help with your shape as you lose weight.

Starting Strength is also good.

I’m an inch taller than you op but a member of the under 5ft club too. Weight lifting is meant to be excellent for enhancing weight loss and giving better body results when you do lose, but I keep hearing it’s about 80% diet, 20% exercise.

Being short I think we really need to examine our calories. We are not ‘average’ women. The 2000 calorie government guideline is more or less absurd for us. I’ve been on slimming world since the new year and lost 15.5lbs so far, keeping an eye on my calorie intake to about 1,000 a day, never above 1200.

I think a focus on getting fitter and stronger is best

If it's all about food, it can become an obsession or a feeling of deprivation

If you eat for your sport, you'll make better choices

Well, that works for me. I would never go for a run after a fish and chip supper. Baked potato and salad however are great, does that make sense?

I hadn’t thought about the calorie thing, although when you think about it it’s obvious. Yeah my weights are quite heavy. I mainly do it as I’ve muscle/nerve damage in one arm and if I don’t it could deteriorate.

I’ve just joined the archery society at my uni so hopefully my arms will get stronger. I don’t really eat greasy/fatty or fried foods. I occasionally eat chocolate or biscuits. My problem is things like crackers or cheese. I eat a lot of veg and baked potato and roasted or steamed foods and generally have a low calorie count. But I don’t/haven’t exercised at all for quite awhile. But thanks to stress I’ve just discovered I’ve dropped from a 22 to an 18 in three months. Which isn’t great, purely because of how it was lost rather than anything else.

I want overal fitness and health to improve over time, but I really want to lose some substantial weight before I go on holiday as there is no such thing as a flattering swimsuit once your over a certain size. They’re designed to cling to all of your lumps, bumps and rolls 😂

Have a look at Exante, it's a VLCD. There's a very supportive Facebook group too where you can chat about it.

I bought a 4 week starter box for £70 (plus a tenner cashback on topcashback) and am really impressed. Have lost 15lbs in 3 weeks and don't feel hungry. Have probably had 3 or 4 cheat meals too.