My BMI is nearly 40

[Arrarker]

I was a fat child, fat teenager, fat adult.
I was going to be thin by 40, then 50. Those ships have sailed.
I've eaten myself to illness. My hip hurts, my knees can't do stairs. My blood pressure is high.
I have tried slimming groups, pills, meal replacements and hypnotherapy.
I hold down a professional, serious job. You would never know my daily mental struggles with food.
I had kids in the park call me names etc. I seem to be immune to feeling the self consciousness of obesity. I don't stress over it emotionally. But I can feel my body now telling me that I'm have hurt it. The aches and pains have erupted over the last year.

I bought an excise bike. My skinny husband is assembling it now.

So today's the day. I'm not going to snack. If I can get through the day and just have 3 small meals and no desserts I will be pleased.

My birthday is August 15th. I'm going to focus on that. Stick to a diet for 5 weeks.
I can't think about the bigger picture.

5 weeks.

I have lost 12 pounds, it was 13 but I'm back up a pound today. No idea why, I'm still being pretty good. I have been on quite a few walks and used my exercise bike, although I'm not getting even a tiny bit breathless on either so not working hard enough.
One week to my birthday!

I have no intention of having weight loss surgery. It's too risky. And I would probably be the type of person to liquidise Mars Bars anyway.

I do need to try to normalise my eating and that's what I have been doing this week more than the last two. I'm less strict. Yesterday I weighed out 25 grams of crisps from a family bag, whereas normally I would the whole lot. The previous weeks I wouldn't have had any.

The weight loss is so slow now, which I knew would happen. I'm ignoring the 1lb gain as I know it's natural.

I prefer a sprint to a marathon. I'm not a patient person but I don't have much choice.
I can't be this fat forever.

Congrats, Aararker - that is a phenomenal loss in 4 weeks, you've done really well. You also seem to have a sensible approach to it which will help your mindset in the months ahead. It will be nice in another few weeks if you stick at it to say you have lost stones, and not just a stone (although that's a great achievement too).

12 pounds, crikey that’s massive. Well done. Are you going to keep going?

You're doing AMAZING op. It's so frigging tough losing weight.

Brilliant news Arrarker, 12lbs is a pretty decent loss.

I'm continuing to tweak my diet. This week it's giving up jars of pasta sauce and making my own. It's turned out pretty well.
Considering I've got a rotten cold and just want to eat chocolate I'm happy that I've resisted although I did make a vegan pizza tonight (but only ate two slices).

I'm debating whether to buy scales. I would like to know I'm losing weight but have a tendency to get obsessive about weighing. I also have teenage daughters and don't want to encourage them to do the same.

Thanks all.
I'm another 1lb UP today!! Frankly I don't think I'm eating enough to warrant this and despite a high fibre diet ( I'm vegetarian) I'm probably backed up!

@Zebracat - how are you getting on?

@KateF - I have a teenage DD too but she's lanky like DH.

No one knows what I weigh. I try not talk about dieting and eating but it's obvious I'm not eating what I was. It's such a dilemma. You could have a certain item of clothing you use as a guide, maybe jeans that are too tight? Or try your measurements? Everything I own is elastic!

I have at least 5 more stones to go. I'm feeling ok but need a bit more motivation, the weight gain was disappointing. I miss the initial thrill. I'm starting this week at the same weight I was 7 days ago.

But slow and steady is best for long term maintenance

That is a great weight loss you are encouraging me. Really well done.

Could you increase the exercise by a few minutes per day.

With regard to the evening meal could u batch cook and have one or two that would be quick to assemble?

May get your husband to cook one eve per week. He sounds quite supportive.

That moment got free up a little bit of time for more exercise.

@Londongirl888 - I'm delighted if I'm encouraging anyone! How much are you trying to lose?
DH doesn't cook. He doesn't like it either but I love it ( most of the time). I suppose he can do oven chips or pasta with a jar of sauce. He'd make me a salad if I asked but he's painfully slow.
He is currently adjusting my exercise bike as I'm using it at the max setting and it's far too easy. So quite supportive in that sense.
Unfortunately he doesn't care if I'm fat or thin. This has been a point of contention in our long, long marriage. If he was 6 stone overweight I'd be worried for his health. He just says it's my choice what I eat. Which it is but...
He'd be one of the people who would tell an addict to just stop.

Slow and steady is all very well but my god it's dull!!

My birthday is in one week. I'm aiming to lose 5lbs. This is the 2 I regained and a new 3.
We are having a few days away ( hopefully) so I won't be dieting as we are in a hotel but I will not snack between meals ( maybe an ice cream?) and we plan to be out walking.

Egg mayo salad for my lunch today. Everyone else had cheese and onion pasties! I had half a large chocolate cookie. No clue what's for dinner.

I have will check Bmi table and would like to lose 2. I am aiming for a stone and will re-evaluate at each stage

For me I run (plod) 30 mins 3 times a week did it on couch to 5k cycle round the park twice a week.

I find lose menu planning works for me otherwise I miss meals

Bought WW magazine and will sign up online. I need the discipline of knowing what I eat

Would like to lose 1lb a week minimum. I will lose nothing for 3 weeks then lose 6lb so that is not motivating

Must just keep going it can only be healthier to lose some weight

Londongirl I would be really happy with a steady 1lb a week. Good luck with the WW plan.

I've had a good weekend, no lapses, and whether it's the hot weather or something else my appetite has definitely decreased. This is great as I take mirtazipine which is a bugger for increasing your appetite and consequently weight gain. I've also done loads of gardening so upping my activity level without having to go out in public. I'd love to cycle to work as it's only a couple of miles but I have to cross a busy dual carriageway and I'm too scared of the traffic.

@Arrarker, thank you for asking. I am ok. But it is dispiriting to stay well within limits and gain weight. I weigh daily,if I try not to I just over eat and don’t weigh at all.I weigh in Kilos, and I have lost over 4 kilos ,but I have such a longway to go. I have eaten a huge roast dinner today. It was lovely, not beating myself up about it, but weighing myself tomorrow will not be fun.
I also have a teen here. She has been underweight so we keep lots of biscuits chocolate and full fat milk here on the advice of the dietitian who said just to feed her whatever she would eat. She’s at a healthy weight now and it’s time for me to move us towards the kind of healthy diet that I need. So we’ll see how that goes!
I’m gradually waking up to how fat I am. Not in a self loathing way, but just in some wonder that I was able to not see myself clearly for so long.seriously, how could I struggle to tie shoe laces and think that I needed slip on shoes. Wtf.

OP come and join us over in Fast 800? It's a diet born from Newcastle Uni Medical School and it shifts weight quickly, which is health enhancing and motivational.

How did you get on @Arrarker? The thread has gone quiet. I hope your birthday celebrations went well and that you are still on track. Weight loss is never a quick fix so hopefully you’re still making progress.

I'm 7lbs down. It was 11lbs but my birthday killed my enthusiasm.
I have strained both my knees as well! This was walking miles and miles over my birthday week.
Definitely harder as time goes by as the initial results are motivating. But one or two pounds is not as much of a push.
As my knees are trying to kill me I need to plod on.

Hi all and very well done Arraker
I’ve been watching a YouTuber called Beatrice Caruso who is losing 100lbs very sensibly. She’s very funny, but the thing I like the most is she is very relatable about why she eats, when it is hard and she falls off the wagon etc. Just wanted to recommend as I (rather weirdly maybe) feel like she is my weight loss buddy. I am 3 weeks into intermittent fasting and using MFP and 9lbs down. 3 st to lose still.

Well done @Arrarker. Half a stone is a good start. It can be demotivating when the scale doesn’t move quickly but weight loss is a slog. I think slow and steady makes it more likely to stay off too.

Well done @Arrarker
I know how difficult it is. I was reading an article this week that said obese people were far more likely to die from Covid and was thinking "that means me" and still stuffed my face that evening.

Hi @Arrarker I can hear your determination and your struggles so clearly from your posts. My BMI is not as high as yours but I am in the obese catagory and desperately trying to get back to overweight. I've struggled with my relationship with food my while life and tried pretty much every diet under the sun, as well as hypnotherapy, you name it I've tried it. Been a yoyo dieter since age 12 and as we all know you just end up heavier each time. My joints ache and I now have swollen ankles from fluid retention.
On another thread someone mentioned the book Sweet Poison and I am attempting to eat in the way the author outlines. Essentially no refined sugar. Its not been as hard as I thought. Certainly not as hard a a low carb diet which I could never handle.
Good luck with your efforts, happy to chat any time if it helps, I get it.