If you've lost two stone, come and tell me the benefits in your life

[growlingbear]

I have zero motivation and willpower. Definitely not a yoyo dieter. More like a never-dieted. But I now MUST lose two stone. I want some motivation. What's different in your life?

I want to be able to do plough pose in yoga without suffocating on my own fat.
I want my asthma to improve.
I really really want more energy.

Also - what plan did you use and how are you keeping the weight off?

I'm not blaming DH for my lack of self control btw, but it is harder with all this addictive carb stuff in the house.

More energy, brighter eyes and I look fabulous in a bikini.

I started Slimming World in March and I am 2.5 stone lighter. I have gone from a 16 to a 12. I feel so much better in my skin, clothes are comfy and fit me properly, I feel attractive, I can see my face features again.
My mum joined the same time and she has also lost 2.5 stone, from a 16-18 to a 14. Her sleep apnoea is better, she has started walking again, she’s wearing far trendier clothes (thanks to having my cast offs) and she is interested in life again.
We can all get stuck in a rut sometimes, you have to make a conscious decision to do something about it.

I’m not there yet, but I’ve been following the Slimming World plan for 6 weeks and I’ve lost 9lbs.

I can’t believe how easy it is. Hand on heart, I’ve not felt hungry or deprived once.

I’m already feeling so much better. My clothes are more comfortable, I’m finding running easier, I just feel more like ‘me’.

19lbs to go!

growlingbear I think you might be my kindred spirit. I feel exactly like you. I’m 41, three stone overweight though I’d be happy to lose two. And I just can’t find The Thing to make me care enough to stick to it.

PM me if you fancy a support buddy!

Ha @Tingface - do you reckon we'd be any good for each other? I just couldn't promise I'd be much of a motivator to you.

Maybe I should try Slimming World. But I'm really resistant to the idea of an actual diet because so many people put on more weight afterwards. I want to lose weight by just eating a lot less and moving a lot more, making healthier choices but not making anything forbidden or sinful. Though I might have to go cold turkey on crisps and salty snacks.

Following. Baby nearly a year and I still have 1.5 stone to lose (only 5’1 so I look like a barrel) I know what I need to do but boredom / tiredness lead to food occupying much of my thoughts most day !!!

I have lost a significant amount of weight several times in my life. For me it’s about being in the right headspace as much as anything. I’ve been on a diet about a week now and am already failing. I need to find something that allows me enough to eat without feeling hungry, not having to plan too much or think about it. I’m not an unhealthy eater, I think my portion sizes are too big. It’s the thought of months and months of dieting that I find overwhelming. I’ve never been this fat in my life.

@Honeysuckleandroses - that's pretty much how I feel, except I'm not a yoyo dieter. I'm never in the right headspace. You need willpower to diet and I think I use all mine up elsewhere. And it's the months and months of it that overwhelm me. So I really need to work out how to shift my mindset on this and turn it into a positive experience during the weight loss process. I already eat healthily - I love all vegetables and fruit. lean chicken, grilled meat etc. But I eat rubbish on top of them. And I drink. I need to cut that out again. I do feel better and less likely to snack in the evening when I have dry months. Though the tea-consumption goes through the roof.

Small changes make the biggest differences. I've lost 36.8lbs since my heavies and 23.3lbs recently. I've still got a way to go mind. Biggest changes so far? I look more like how I think I look in photos, my clothes fit better and some are even getting baggy, I do t get the "dread" walking into certain shops (though I still do in others, seriously the largest size is a 14?!)

I've cut out carbs and processed food. Though the main switches have been taking milk and sugar out of my coffee, no snacking after dinner etc. I started with intermittent fasting and then gradually moved to do keto as well and I've seen results quite quickly. The key thing is to change your lifestyle and look at it less as a diet. Also don't deny yourself things. I was away this weekend with my family and ended up eating a burger with bread, toasted marshmallows etc which aren't very keto but the situation was a one off.

I feel better when slimmer and fitter for many of the same reasons as others - energy, looks, health. I like to feel proud of what my body is capable of when I’m fit.

But as a pp said I think it’s dangerous only to think of these long term goals, it’s too easy to get disheartened or give up. Actually I think it’s better to focus on the short term benefits you can feel almost immediately.

Sugary foods and junk carbohydrates (eg white bread) are the things I find almost impossible to do in moderation. I find I need to go cold turkey on those. When I do, and when the rest of my diet is decent, I have more energy, less cravings, my skin is clearer and I feel much more in control. With exercise I find any cardio exercise gives me a real mood boost. So I think focusing on those really helps as they are such immediate rewards.

Small thing - if I’m struggling with evening cravings I sometimes brush my teeth straight after dinner - then it feels like the food is done for the day

Actually I think it’s better to focus on the short term benefits you can feel almost immediately.

I really like that way of thinking.

I think I need to give up sugar, crisps and white wheat flour. Just those three things would make a massive difference. Mainly because they are what trigger cravings. Other foods I can eat and enjoy but stop when I've had enough. I have no stop button on crisps or other crunchy savoury things. Don't even like bread much, but refined flour things like crackers and pasta massively trigger my cravings. Same with sugar.

The weird things is, if I look back over a day's food, often the least nice thing I ate was the cheap choc ice from the freezer because DH bought some, or a couple of biscuits. I don't actually like processed food if I stop and think about its flavour. But it definitely sets off a buzzer in the brain.

You can do it Growling !
I lost almost 2 stone 8 years ago. Just by deciding not to snack between meals (and that includes evening snacking). I allowed myself fruit or veg stick as snacks if I really had to have something, and I also let myself have cake/crisps as long as they were part of a meal, rather than a snack.

I found that I mostly craved unhealthy stuff in between meals rather than at mealtimes so would often choose not to eat crisps etc at lunch.

My DH was v supportive and didn’t keep on offering me treats in the evening. I tried not to have the things in the house that I most craved eg cheese and onion crisps, but bought versions eg nik naks that I wouldn’t usually fancy for the kids.

Over the last 8 years I’ve occasionally felt a little plumper round the middle and been conscious to go back to no snacking etc to lose half a stone, but in the main it’s stayed off. That’s probably partly because as well as no snacking, I became very active, joined a netball team, started running, all of which I’ve kept up to some extent.

I’m not skinny and won’t ever be, but I really enjoy that clothes seem to fit better -

You won’t regret doing it!

Watching for inspiration
Some of you guys are just doing common sense things.. well done. X

I’m halfway though losing two stone and already feel like an absolute ninja. I didn’t know how much energy I didn’t have until I got it back. I feel so much brighter and like I can take on the world!

Slimming world for me

That's quite a few votes for Slimming World.

I definitely have no energy. It shocks me how weary I feel all the time.

I can go to the beach and not worry about a student seeing me in my swimsuit.

I can paint my toenails

I can walk up the stairs without my knees aching

Very inspiring!

Day 3 of zero snacking which is longer than I've managed for ages. Yesterday I really scaled back the carbs and surprise surprise felt only genuine hunger when I was actually hungry, instead of the usual growling craving to cram in as many carbs as possible. For dinner I had a cheese and veg omlette at about 7pm and nothing else at all and didn't feel remotely hungry until half an hour ago.

I’m persuaded to try SW by this thread.i went along to a meeting a while back but felt it went for me as they were pushing lots of unhealthy choices and i didnt like the talk of Syns. Could those who have tried it explain why it worked for them please?

Honeysuckleandroses I did SW for the first time years ago, and their pushing of bloody Hi-Fi bars and muller lights really put me off joining again.

But I was desperate, so I went back six weeks ago and I’m so glad I did. They’ve given it a total revamp. You don’t have to choose ‘red days’ or ‘green days’ any more.
All pasta, potatoes, rice, fat free yoghurt and cottage cheese, most fresh fruit and veg (I think only avocados are restricted), pulses, eggs, lean meat, fish and poultry are free.

You get a daily allowance of dairy and bread/cereal.

Then you have to cut down on crap - and that’s it.

I eat loads, am never hungry, have daily treats and I’ve lost 9lb in six weeks.

It’s basically a standard healthy diet - I just need the guidelines and accountability. I never stay for group though. Not my bag.

Thanks Pink. That’s how I felt too. The thing is I really can’t eat carbs so I don’t know how that would work for me. Any pasta or potatoes would do for me.
I know what you mean about the group too!
Well done on your weight loss! That’s great.
I might just give it another go...

Is there a reason you can’t eat carbs? I can’t imagine life without them...

For me SW pushes the idea that if something doesn’t have any nutritional value, then it’s not going to help you lose weight.

Before I was snacking on popcorn and rice cakes as they are relatively low in calories. I was surprised they have a syn value, and realised it’s because they aren’t giving me anything. I now snack on raw veg and fruit. I haven’t had a cold in over a year and I absolutely believe it’s my change in snack choice.

It’s all stuff we’re told in general, just puts it down as rules!

I ignore all the stuff about hifi bars, they’re just chemical and crap. I have real food, and real treats that actually taste nice, but manage my intake better!

Ps. I have a jacket potato with butter every day at work for lunch and I have no problem losing weight it’s the icecream that’s the problem Just syn the butter 😀