Weight loss for those with a 40+ BMI

[TrinityWaves]

Anyone else at the start of their weight loss journey with a BMI over 40?

I thought starting this thread might make me more accountable.

I'm 5ft 5, weigh 265lbs, I'm in my early 30's.

I'd love to chat to others in a similar position, almost all my friends and extended family are slim! (My DH is also trying to loose weight, lower BMI than me though.)

@SchrodingersImmigrant I'm very skeptical about this sort of thing but I have ordered some. Fingers crossed and thank you.

@HulahoopsBBQbeef
Can I ask if you were left with saggy skin?

And apart from ( I assume) appearance, how have you improved?
Health?Fitness? Give me something to cling to!

[quote FlatEarthling]@SchrodingersImmigrant I'm very skeptical about this sort of thing but I have ordered some. Fingers crossed and thank you.[/quote]
If nothing you can at least have tasty drinks. I think here are studies now supporting it, but I often go by "grandma's" tips and so far ok. Hopefully it will help

@FlatEarthling yes unfortunately saggy skin! It’s something that upsets me and is a trade off for weight loss. I have heard that some people don’t. I’ve always been obese so assumed that I had just stretched my skin beyond repair!!
But despite this I do feel that it was worth it.
I do have more energy and I feel like I have an extra spring in my step. I just used to feel so sluggish before.
The biggest benefit to me has been the confidence boost really. It’s taken a long time for my brain to catch up to my body. And I still see myself as huge. But I’m no longer getting anxious if I climb soft play equipment or worry that if I go on a ride with my kids they won’t be able to fasten my belt! (Pre lockdown obviously).
I think it’s always a battle. It feels a little harder in some ways now. The fear of gaining is constantly there and I’m not even at my target weight yet!

Have been reading mumsnet for a while but never joined but saw this thread and took the plunge! Struggled with weight since my 20’s good at losing 2 or 3st then regaining!

Stress eater so current circumstances not helping! Really Struggling to get motivated!

Just weighed myself after months of ignoring it and back at my heaviest

5’1”. 221.6lb so I’ve joined MN and hope I can join you all and get healthier as sick of feeling fat frumpy and stressed!

Not sure how yet but will update further tomorrow!

Thank you everyone for the motivation I managed a work out for first time since March! was low energy and interrupted by dc but better than nothing!!

How is everyone? Do you find dieting over the weekend easier or harder?
How do your diets fit in with family meals?

It's pasta here tonight. I wanted to have courgette instead but can't get any! Our village shop in tiny. They won't have any. I might try pastas sauce over mushrooms instead????

You could swap part of pasta for extra mushrooms. That sounds nice. I never swap all pasta for courgette. It wouldn't fill me for long enough so I do part and part.
I keep some calories for a day off.

May I join please? Just found this thread but got weighed last Monday. I was 250.4 lbs and am just 5ft 4 and 51 years old going through menopause. That gave me a bmi of 43

I have always been overweight and about 3 years ago did the blood sugar diet and lost 24lbs in 8 weeks. I hate counting calories and I really want this to work this time so am trying to get my head in the right place and do this right.

I am vaguely following slimming world but not doing low fat. I am also following 16:8, I find that missing breakfast is not t too bad once you get used to it. I have upped my fluid intake drastically and am not snacking. I am trying to reset my hunger signals because then I find it easier to realise when I'm full.

I'm not eating sweet stuff because then the sugar cravings get really bad, I'm one of those all or nothing people. When I'm on it I'm REALLY on it when I'm not it's bad! I want to change the way I think about food and not eat because I'm bored or upset or angry, I just want food to be fuel.

Early days for me, I'm hoping to lose exactly half my body weight and get down to 125 pounds which is smack bang in the middle of my bmi range. I'm planning on it taking me 2.5 years and aiming for just 1lb a week, which is eminently achievable. If I do it quicker than that, great, but I'm not getting hung up on how long it takes me just as long as I get there.

@Harpydragon Hi we are similar in age, menopause etc.
I've never been thin but I have high blood pressure now so I have to make urgent changes.

I identify with 'all or nothing' though. That's me all over. Diets work when I'm in the zone.

Currently in the zone!

Hi! Hope it's okay if I join in. I'm 36, 5'8 and 279lbs.

Just done my first week of the blood sugar diet and lost 8lbs. My PCOS went mental after my daughter was born and I've had some mental health issues that I comforted myself with food.

I did the blood sugar diet before the first lockdown for 4 weeks and lost 3 stone, so I know it works well for me. Just need to finish it this time and then switch to 5:2. I tried WW, Slimming World, all sorts of diets in the past but if I don't have a strict routine and plan I just can't stick to it.

Welcome everyone! I'm managing the snacking better but think I need something more drastic for the first few weeks to get me going. I'm going to look at this blood sugar diet, I've never heard of it JakeChambers.

@JakeChambers 3 stones in 4 weeks!!?.??? Tell us more!

Hi, I'd like to join you all please.

I am 46 years old and 5ft 7. At the start of Jan I was a BMI of 41.3, I started a VCLC diet on 2nd Jan and am now down at 37.4. I'm currently furloughed and have no routine at all and became incredibly lazy so am trying to force myself to do 10,000 steps at least 5 times a week.

Whilst clearly knowing I was overweight I was scared to face up to by how much and avoided the scales for a long time. I finally got the courage to weigh myself and was quite horrified at the number on the scales.

When I was younger I never worried too much about putting on a bit of weight as I was always able to lose it quite easily, but since hitting 40 it got so much harder, and then I just sort of gave up and it just kept piling on. I've now decided enough is enough, and this is the year that I am going to sort myself out and get to a healthy weight.

I look forward to getting to know you all.

@FlatEarthling @Trinitywaves It's a Michael Moseley diet. The 8 week Blood Sugar diet. Primarily for pre-diabetics but if you have PCOS you can be insulin resistant, which I am. Its low carb, but not to the extent of keto, and very very limiting on calories. Only 800 a day.

I don't find it as bad as it sounds, even though everyone I tell is horrified. It's only for a strictly limited period of time, and there's a plan for weaning yourself off it and into "normal eating" after which I don't see often with other diets. Today I had granola and yoghurt for breakfast, crustless quiche and beetroot for lunch and spaghetti bolognaise with swoodles as the spaghetti for tea. Don't feel hungry, just craving crisps Tomorrow is boiled eggs, stuffed mushrooms and sweet & sour stir fry pork.

@FlatEarthling - definitely harder at the weekend for me!

Have decided to make small changes initially so this weekend more physical activity!

From tomorrow I’m cutting the carbs - I lost 2 st in 8 weeks on the blood sugar diet end of 2019 loved it I didn’t focus on the calorie counting but did 16/8 at same time as portion control and avoiding the biggest carb offenders - never felt better ! Then Christmas came - and 2020!

need to get myself sorted is good to share the journey ! Hope everyone has a good day today!

@Thisseatisnotavailable So how much have you lost this month?
Are you just drinking vitamin shakes?

Can I join?

Last March, I had a bmi of approx 50, weighed twice my healthy weight. I have some issues with mental health, and a diagnosis of binge-eating disorder. I lost some weight initially, then started gaining and losing a few pounds over and over.

My bmi is now 43, but I'm struggling to maintain a loss of even one pound weekly.

I want to get below bmi of 40, which means losing 22lbs. Then I will reset to my next target. Can't imagine ever being a healthy weight, but any weight loss is better than none.

@MrsTidyHouse hey! I was exactly the same, except that my weight had no underlying reasons. BMI 51 in April. That's a very good loss you have so far! You should be proud.
There are always some wobbles along the way. I had weeks when I barely lost any and then it all suddenly dropped where it was supposed to be. Don't get discouraged by these wobbles.
It will take time and work, but you can get go the healthy weight. It's just not as straight path as many of us hoped for, especially with added mh issues.

[quote FlatEarthling]@Thisseatisnotavailable So how much have you lost this month?
Are you just drinking vitamin shakes?
[/quote]
I've lost 25lbs.

I'm using a company called Slim & Save, I have 4 shakes a day plus a veg & milk allowance. It's called there 'Simplicity' plan, there's also a 'Lifestyle' plan which is 3 shakes plus a 200 cal meal. Essentially the same as the Cambridge diet, just cheaper and you buy online rather than visit a consultant.

I've had a good day with food but have barely moved. I'm at just 2000 steps.

@FlatEarthling

I've had a good day with food but have barely moved. I'm at just 2000 steps.

That's about 1500 more than me

I am planning to start C25K tomorrow though, so I figured that I needed to conserve my energy. I'm also on a work day tomorrow (I'm flexi-furloughed and only work about 1 day a fortnight), so it's going to be an exhausting day .

@Thisseatisnotavailable good luck with starting c25k today! I’m considering it too Altho may need to wait for warmer weather!!

had good food day yesterday and had a boogie with my ds to get moving then had bad news last night my db (who has Down’s syndrome) has had a positive covid swab 😢

Instantly wanted chocolate (code name purple broccoli in our house) - luckily didn’t have any in!

Got to try and keep it together

@iam4500 that link doesn’t work but will google Dr Oz

Can I recommend a few things to you all?
I'm guessing you've all tried restricting lots of times and it hasn't worked?
Read up and try to focus on improving your microbiome. Look at adding wonderful things to your diet and body-Kerfir is a really good place to start. And plenty of whole foods with good natural levels of fat and fibre. If you can improve your gut diversity you will lose weight without trying.
And understand ultra processed foods are designed to be addictive, companies make them with zero regard for your health, and profit from your poor health, it's terrible and you deserve better.