Reasons why I need to lose weight

[Lovetodaydream]

I need to lose weight. Ideally 5 stone but I will be happy with 4. I am in my 40's now and I'm seriously feeling the effects of being overweight.

So, i need to keep reminding myself why I need to lose it;

• I want to be healthy for my kids, I can't imagine being told one day I am unwell due to something I could have acted on.
• My back hurts all the time, even after waking up.
• My legs are feeling the strain. Not my joints, my actual legs. I think a side effect of my back strain.
• I have a prolapse that is managed at the moment and I want to avoid it worsening if I can.
• I have PCOS so feel like I am constantly battling those symptoms, that would more than likely improve if I lose weight.
• I have no confidence in my appearance. Dress in drab clothes all the time.
• I feel like my face has aged and my cheeks have started merging in with my neck if that makes sense. I hate that.
• I'm ashamed of myself for getting like this. I don't want to live life ashamed of myself.
• I rarely have pictures taken with my kids.
• I carry my weight around my tummy, often asked if I'm pregnant. Awful overhang.
• Have health anxiety that is made worse because I am constantly thinking that if I was seriously unwell, I wouldn't know as I always put my ailments down to my weight.
• I have no energy, mentally or physically.
• I am really unfit. I walked 20 min today, i used to do this regularly before lockdown and wfh, I struggled with that distance today.
• I struggle getting out of an armchair.

So, I have dusted off my fitbit and charged it. Will walk everyday as of tomorrow and try to stick to a higher protein, lower carb diet where possible ( this is good for PCOS).

Any stories of encouragement would be good, especially those that lost weight and found their ailments improved.

Anyone want to join?

I've never been very overweight but I did lose weight and massively improve my PMS by giving up refined sugar.

The first week is really hard but after that you stop wanting it, to the point that when my dad came round with surplus jam donuts tonight, I thought yuk!

Cutting out the sugar has hugely improved my mood swings and energy levels, with an added side effect that I've lost weight.

Good luck OP, you sound very determined and I think you've got this. As well as fairly low carb, high protein for PCOS, take a look at 16:8. It battles insulin resistance and makes weightloss much easier. I also bang on about vitamin D a lot, but insulin resistance and weightloss is connected to hormones and vitamin D has a big impact on those. There are lots of good resources for 16:8 including MN board, Gin Stevens's Feast Fast Repeat book and Dr Fung videos. It's actually very enjoyable. Very freeing. Even if I didn't need to lose weight I'd do it🤣

Good luck OP! Your goals/motivators sound really solid and making that first step is really brave.

Don't be disheartened if you can't do your 20 minutes with ease just yet. Your body will build back up to it.

Morning, thank you for all of your responses. I am feeling motivated today, fitbit is on and will get a walk in whether it is today or this evening ( I may have to run my dad around during the day in my break).
Interesting about the 16:8. I will look into it. I have the MM low carb recipe book and will try to cook more from there.
I might check in every few days, i feel like I need to be held accountable!

You have to really want it

And it sounds like you do

So that is a good start

I am 6 stone overweight. Joined a gym 2 months ago and go 4 times a week. I didnt lose any weight because I didn't change my diet at all. Two weeks ago I stated calorie counting and have lost 6lbs. Its true that you can't out exercise a bad diet!

Hello there, and well done! I am doing 16:8, it works well for me. If you do this be prepared to feel deprived for the first few days (can’t remember exactly how long). It is as much the snacking nd over eating part of your brain trying to scupper your attempt. I have been doing this for a few weeks and now I have no issues with the fasting bit.
I track my weight and log on my iPad calendar each day because it stops me from getting upset with a daily rise because I can still see a general downwards trend.
Think where you will be in one month, two months six months etc to keep motivation.
Log everything you eat for a while, even milk in tea and coffee. Don’t eat exercise Cals, think of them as Potential bonus Lbs lost.
You know you struggle after one week of starting, be prepared and power through, you are strong and amazing, you can do it!
Finally, ENJOY THE FEELING OF BEING IN CONTROL OF YOUR EATING, and think about the long game.
Good luck! You can do this

Update. I feel like I have failed I did so well to start with, lost 5lb in a week and then totally fell off the wagon. I just don't know why I can't get motivated.

Sigh, start again tomorrow.

@Lovetodaydream don’t be too hard on yourself. The worst thing you could do is to give up. If you get back on it tomorrow it is a minor blip not a failure! Remember the long game and visualise where you will be in two, three weeks and months!
Be gentle fellow healthy eater!

Agree, don't be too hard on yourself. Sounds like you might have tried to change too many things at once to lose 5lbs in the first week? Which can be hard to keep up.

All the reasons you listed in your original post are fantastic reasons to become healthy. Try to think of those reasons instead of 'I have to lose x amount of weight'.

It doesn't work for everyone but maybe try ditching the scales for a few weeks? Concentrate on tangible goals like go for a walk 5 times a week, eat fruit and/or veg/salad with every meal, aim for 2 litres of water a day...etc. Just add a new goal every week or 2 and those good habits will start to form. Go off measurements rather than what the scales say.

Thank you! I needed that pick me up. Great idea about slowly making changes. I am definitely an all or nothing type of girl!
This week will be to walk and drink more water. That can't be too difficult!

I totally understand, I too am all or nothing. I’m trying not to be as it can’t be healthy to binge on chocolate/sweet stuff then eat clean for a couple of weeks before going back to eating crap (in my case). I find that once the smaller stuff becomes habit you just generally feel better and want to improve other areas. Drinking water is key for me to feeling healthy (no surprises there!). I can really tell if I don’t have my target amount as I feel sluggish and that makes me want to eat rubbish so I try to make sure I at least have my water quota every day (3 litres of still/tap water a day. Sounds a lot but the more you drink the more you realise how dehydrated you are!).

An easy way to lose weight (I know it works I lost 3 stone with it and still maintain with it ) is with Paul Mackenna I Can Make You Thin. He concentrates on our self esteem ( to accept your self, ). No CC or weighing food.

You have to be aware of your body, eating when hungry (slowly and mindfully, not in front of screens). Stopping when you're full. Eat healthily too, low carb is good.

1. I hate myself in pictures or in the mirror
2. I've got arthritis in my knees and I suspect my ankles
3. It looks like I've got gallstones and will likely need my gallbladder removed I want to lose about 4 stone,

Yes have a look at Paul Mackenna , it'll really help with your self esteem, and maybe go on the Food Combining way of eating which is healthy (it helps artthritis) . It means you don't eat protein and carbs at the same meal. I'm on a version of it. Also eat fruit on an empty stomach.

Spidey, how is it going? Mine isn't going great but will try harder next week. Aiming for 14k stepsna day this week.

I was like this during the summer, I binged on crisps and chocolate during lockdown, didn't do the daily exercise I just melded into my couch and got fatter.

I weighed in at 16st2lb at the beginning of August which was depressing, I also looked like the blob with no neck and 5 chins in all photos.

I started logging everything I ate and drank in my fitness pal, the first week it was just a tracking exercise to see where I was going wrong. Turns out I was eating twice the recommended calories and about 80% of that was refined carbs like bread, pasta, chocolate, sweets, crisps. It was easy to see that the only outcome of that would be to get fatter.

I have PCOS and insulin resistance so knew that the sugar was doing bad things to me, I had regular thrush, frequent urination, felt tired. I knew I was on the edge of diabetes I just didn't want to think about it.

I cut carbs down but not out, bread once or twice a week, pasta once, chocolate/crisps on rare occasions. Swapped for green veg so green beans or asparagus instead of oven chips for example.

I added 3 x 30 min workouts a week using the couch to fitness programme by OurParks which is free and starts easy then gets harder, or C25K depending on what I fancy doing.

It's now 3 and a bit months of doing the above and today I'm 13st13lb, I've hit and exceeded my first big goal which was to move from obese to overweight and I'm making progress on hitting my next target which is to get to healthy weight.

What keeps me going is weighing daily so I can see the scales move, taking pictures at the beginning of each month so I can see the improvements that you don't notice in the mirror and being able to do more, I can run in the park with DD now which I couldn't do before.

Here's my face progress pics, if I hadn't done the pictures I wouldn't think I looked any different as you get used to your reflection bit by bit.

photos.app.goo.gl/Wscr9wAN75dSyE7E7

I feel the same as you op. I've been really struggling to find motivation!! I just can't stop eating rubbish and I'm stuck in a cycle of lose 2/3 pounds then put then back on. I've got plantar facitis (sp?) i feel awful I can't get comfy at night, I've got young children and I lost my mum 3 years ago her health wasn't great and I worry if I don't sort it out now my kids could lose me early. This thread is really helpful I'll be watching with interest! Oh and can anyone recommend YouTube workouts for obese people?

Caronacockup.
Have you tried orthoheels in your shoes. They are amazing. I got this after wearing nothing but flipflips for months.

@Lovetodaydream

I need to lose weight. Ideally 5 stone but I will be happy with 4. I am in my 40's now and I'm seriously feeling the effects of being overweight. So, i need to keep reminding myself why I need to lose it;

• I want to be healthy for my kids, I can't imagine being told one day I am unwell due to something I could have acted on.
• My back hurts all the time, even after waking up.
• My legs are feeling the strain. Not my joints, my actual legs. I think a side effect of my back strain.
• I have a prolapse that is managed at the moment and I want to avoid it worsening if I can.
• I have PCOS so feel like I am constantly battling those symptoms, that would more than likely improve if I lose weight.
• I have no confidence in my appearance. Dress in drab clothes all the time.
• I feel like my face has aged and my cheeks have started merging in with my neck if that makes sense. I hate that.
• I'm ashamed of myself for getting like this. I don't want to live life ashamed of myself.
• I rarely have pictures taken with my kids.
• I carry my weight around my tummy, often asked if I'm pregnant. Awful overhang.
• Have health anxiety that is made worse because I am constantly thinking that if I was seriously unwell, I wouldn't know as I always put my ailments down to my weight.
• I have no energy, mentally or physically.
• I am really unfit. I walked 20 min today, i used to do this regularly before lockdown and wfh, I struggled with that distance today.
• I struggle getting out of an armchair.

So, I have dusted off my fitbit and charged it. Will walk everyday as of tomorrow and try to stick to a higher protein, lower carb diet where possible ( this is good for PCOS).

Any stories of encouragement would be good, especially those that lost weight and found their ailments improved.

Anyone want to join?

I feel like I wrote this myself.

First things first. More water, I'm so dehydrated my skin is drab and my wee illuminated.

Fargirlshrinking Wow ! Wow! Is all I've got to say on your face photos ! The difference between now and August is amazing! Well done you !
OP You can do this!..I would say that dont let one bad day where you fall off the wagon turn into two bad days..

@FatGirlShrinking

I was like this during the summer, I binged on crisps and chocolate during lockdown, didn't do the daily exercise I just melded into my couch and got fatter.

I weighed in at 16st2lb at the beginning of August which was depressing, I also looked like the blob with no neck and 5 chins in all photos.

I started logging everything I ate and drank in my fitness pal, the first week it was just a tracking exercise to see where I was going wrong. Turns out I was eating twice the recommended calories and about 80% of that was refined carbs like bread, pasta, chocolate, sweets, crisps. It was easy to see that the only outcome of that would be to get fatter.

I have PCOS and insulin resistance so knew that the sugar was doing bad things to me, I had regular thrush, frequent urination, felt tired. I knew I was on the edge of diabetes I just didn't want to think about it.

I cut carbs down but not out, bread once or twice a week, pasta once, chocolate/crisps on rare occasions. Swapped for green veg so green beans or asparagus instead of oven chips for example.

I added 3 x 30 min workouts a week using the couch to fitness programme by OurParks which is free and starts easy then gets harder, or C25K depending on what I fancy doing.

It's now 3 and a bit months of doing the above and today I'm 13st13lb, I've hit and exceeded my first big goal which was to move from obese to overweight and I'm making progress on hitting my next target which is to get to healthy weight.

What keeps me going is weighing daily so I can see the scales move, taking pictures at the beginning of each month so I can see the improvements that you don't notice in the mirror and being able to do more, I can run in the park with DD now which I couldn't do before.

Here's my face progress pics, if I hadn't done the pictures I wouldn't think I looked any different as you get used to your reflection bit by bit.

photos.app.goo.gl/Wscr9wAN75dSyE7E7

Wow you look amazing. What a difference.

I had 5 stone plus to lose so joined the low-carb bootcamp on the weight loss chat.

The first week or so is tough but it gets easier really quickly. I'm also doing 16/8.

I have lost just over 2.5 stone since May. I've stalled for the last few weeks and stayed the same but apparently that is to be expected at this stage.

Regarding water, the heavier you are, the more you need to drink - I have 3.5 litres per day. Again you're weeing every 10 minutes in the early days but your body does adjust.

It has changed my life. And I feel it is now a long-term way of eating rather than a diet.

Please take a look, it is a really encouraging group.

Forgot to say, rather than looking obsessively at numbers on the scales, look at other ways of measuring your loss.

Someone commenting that you look better, doing your belt up another notch, wearing something that didn't fit properly a few weeks ago.

Congrats to all you losers!!!! `just keep at it , it really does get easier eventually. I cut nearly all sugar and sweeteners, THAT really is effective for your skin,eyes, incredible for weight loss too . It's odd because I did it to save my teeth being bad , with lockdown and not being able to go to dentists!!

Try not to buy rubbish and you won't eat it!