What to do when very overweight, zero will power and very unhappy?!

[chalkyc2]

I feel like I need to be shocked into action - nothing seems to spur me on. And yet I am probably classed as morbidly obese and seem not to be able to do anything about it.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this...I feel like I'm way beyond the usual eat less move more. I need to lose around 8 stone (gives you an indication of the scale of the problem - an entire extra person!). I struggle with exercise as over the last 7 years have developed chronic Achilles and plantar fasciitis type pain. And despite lockdown am time short and work busy - along with home schooling supervision.

I've just been looking at the surgery thread. I think I need to give regular loss another try though. What are peoples thoughts on the fast 800 blood sugar programmes? Another gimmick? I don't really understand why I can't deal with my weight - I'm so embarrassed - I don't have any mental health issues and am an educated professional person and actually used to be very sporty and fit.

Please if anyone could direct me as I feel really lost! Half the time I think oh what is the point but really after gaining an extra 15kg since last March this can't go on....

Minor blip last night with 700 caps of crisps & chocolate but weekly calories ok as I had a few low days.

Back on track today, went to M&S and got lots of discounted fish for the freezer. Had too much prawn rice & no veg for tea & only 6k steps. Hoping it's not icy in the morn. If it's too icy to walk, what do you guys do?

If it's too icy to walk, what do you guys do?

I've been doing laps of the dinning room table.

Dh was having a g&t last night & I asked for just tonic. With ice & citrus it was lovely. Felt so indulgent I thought it was fancy tonic from the gin club but he said it was just Asda slimline!

@buckeejit a few different things dependant on mood and time.

Couch to fitness video - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?fbclid=IwAR3yy-UnDb-FABEih_aZaxZyy8-7r4TLMNvacIocybBwVHWlxeZXmHaFEZE&list=PLzyGqy4hi5yAr4wQImo5HgwZIZ58PVyY-&app=desktop

These are great, same principle as C25K in that they start easier and get progressively harder, 3 x 30 minute workouts a week 1 x cardio, 1 x core, 1 x Glutes.

Lesley Sansone 'walking with Lesley' video on YouTube. Basically marching on the spot with other exercises built in, like arm raises, knees high and such like.

C25K on the spot, so walk on the spot, run on the spot when the app tells you to.

Maybe read or listen to mp Tim watsons book Downsizing. He was extremely overweight but turned it round himself. I read when I stated weight loss journey only had 2 stone to use but broadly did what he did and it really worked and is sustainable. Good luck

Took me 3 months to lose the 2 stone but I’m impatient !

Thought I'd do a quick catch up - finally decided to sign up to the v fast 800 - felt like I needed to do something really controlled. Paid for the online plan to add to the control! My phone now tells me what to eat 3 times a day and gives me a shopping list!

2 weeks done and 5.5kg down. Only..er...45 or so to go....😬

Wow - great start, @chalkyc2! I'm doing my own version of fasting- I eat whatever I want and however much I want at lunch and dinner and nothing else at any time - i.e. fast from 8pm to 12 noon and no snacks between meals.

That's great op, you've done so well, brilliant!!

I completely understand as I have also struggled massively with motivation and have started so many times and not kept on. I have started last week.

I have recently started to look at it more as a health issue. I have masses of fat around my belly; my knees hurt when going upstairs and I feel tired after just a short walk. Those issues alone should be enough to motivate me. I am also 100% fed up of being someone whose thighs rub together and get sore in the heat.
I find hearing and seeing those before and after stories quite inspiring too. I am also stepping away from low fat snacks etc and am sticking to meals. Once I start eating, I tend not to stop so having definite times to eat helps. If I am tempted at other times, I have a coffee. I am also trying to get myself out of the house at tricky times. For me this is late afternoon and before dinner so I get in the car and drive to the sea and walk along the seafront. By the time I get back it is time to cook evening meal.

Don't give up. You just need to find what works for you. I am sticking to just two healthy but filling meals: lunch and dinner.

[quote HalfShrunkMoreToGo]Blank spreadsheet is here on google drive if anyone wants to download and use it

drive.google.com/file/d/1mjaVTijjOxYjXruqLq14A113BVyhDBph/view?usp=sharing[/quote]
Thank you so much for the spreadsheet, it's exactly what I'd been looking for, but was too stupid to create for myself!

I've just used the TDEE calculator (thanks for posting the link!) and my maintenance figure is 1,586 so that would mean only 1056 calories a day to lose weight I'm 5'3 and 177lbs. This thread has motivated me though so thank OP and the rest of the supportive posters. I need to get on this.

I meant to ask if anyone can point me to a simple "how to" set up spreadsheets please? I've always wanted a financial one and there are other ways to use them to stay organised. I was impressed by the one linked by the kind poster earlier but would like also to learn the basics myself. Can it be taught online do you think? I don't mean to detail this thread at all - it all ties in with what I want to do using March as a starting point.

@Izitso Microsoft have excel tutorial videos available free on their website. Once you have a basic idea of what you want to do it's easy to google and find step by step instructions.

Some useful basics to look up videos on are:

• conditional formatting : where you assign rules to a cell or selection of cells that have them changing colours or font if they meet certain criteria, for example turning red if your balance goes below zero.
• formulas : SUM, AVG, using the formula wizard
• filters
• sort
• graph/chart wizard

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo
Thank you so much for taking the time to post that - I am excited to give this a go...TODAY! Maybe I'll end up as talented with spreadsheets as you are It's kind and helpful to share what you've shared. The TDEE calculator has me baffled at 1056 allowance but I'm going to try 1200 calories a day and move more. Thanks again!

@Izitso I think you're going too low with TDEE

The basic rule of thumb is you take your maintenance number and deduct 500 for a daily allowance if your goal is to lose 1lb a week.

That would give you a target of 1260 a day, however your basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories your body uses just functioning, keeping your brain, lungs, heart, skin etc going) is 1417, so I think you should aim around 1300-1400 calories a day and see how it goes.

Another way to work it would be to increase your activity level. Sedentary is literally that you move the minimum amount to get through your day, so going from bed to work, up and down to toilet, moving to kitchen etc. If you are actually more active than that then your TDEE will be higher.

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo thank you for your wonderful spreadsheet. I have downloaded it and am looking forward to using it :)