Mutual support thread for those currently losing or working towards losing a lot of weight

[UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme]

This is a mutual support thread for anyone who wants (and needs) to lose a lot of weight, is mid way through losing a lot of weight, or is nearing the end of a big weight loss and wants to continue to support and be supported as maintenance approaches.

The previous thread has been massively helpful to regular posters, as we share both our losses and our plateau or gains, congratulate or console, and talk about what works for us while understanding that different things work for different people, and we are all different ages, all have different families/ households/ people to plan around, different commitments, different working lives and different health conditions which partly determine our approaches.

We are all on this journey together - this thread is for us to encourage one another, post updates, chat about what we're doing, how we're doing, share stories and thoughts and sometimes wander slightly off topic if we want, but everyone posting should be somewhere along the journey towards escaping high BMI obesity.

The previous thread was started by someone who no longer posts and initially asked how to lose 9 stone - it developed into a support thread for people with varying amounts left to lose but all of whom started out with at least 5 or 6 stone + / 30 or 35 kg + to lose, very roughly...

No links to selling sites or unsolicited "helpful" lectures please - mutual support from existing and new posters all actually living this big weight loss now, or just starting out, welcome!

Previous thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/3894410-i-need-to-lose-9st-help

@Rebuildingconfidence, 2 kilos is over a pound a week, really not bad!
@BippityBoppity87 TBH , I’m glad you are eating something!

@Zebracat thank you sadly (or perhaps gladly for my bank balance) skirt week is a few weeks off yet. It's my big reward for getting under 80kg / BMI under 30 (79.5kg).
Well done on your nice loss this week. Enjoy your rhubarb!

Hello

I would love to join this group for inspiration, support and advice.

I've got a lot to lose, but that is secondary to health. I'm 5'6", started at 112kg and I'm now just under 100kg.

I've had various health problems over the last 18months. I was lulled into a false sense of security and thought I was through the worst and then, just over 5 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with MS. In trying to avoid some very nasty medication I immediately started to follow dietary advice for MS and have been eating extremely healthy anti-inflammatory food and have slowly managed to up my exercise from 20min/day to 2x45min/day, mainly brisk walking but occasionally HIIT on an exercise bike. I also have 5 kids so I'm always on the go. Currently my daily step count averages 16,000.

I have now lost 12kg in 5 weeks without trying to lose weight. My focus is on health and avoiding another flare up. I'm trying to eat more but it's hard as I am now vegan, avoiding all processed food and my diet has enormous amounts of fibre in it so I'm often absolutely stuffed.

I know the speed of the weight loss is unsustainable and I want it to slow down so I'm not left with lots of saggy skin but I also really like the fact that I've made a big start to the weight loss and feel so energetic.

Although I'm losing so quickly I'm full of energy although my head is often tired due to the MS. In general I feel great.

Hi @Savannah5. Welcome and wow to your weight loss. I need an anti inflammatory diet too, I have quite bad gout. I avoid purines and refined sugar. I keep meaning to research properly but don’t. I think it’s really exciting that the medical profession are now recognising the impact of diet on different conditions. So I think we can all learn a lot from you, but also everyone here is lovely so I’m sure you will get stuff from it too. I also have 5 kids , only a returned 20 something and a year 12 home now.

@Zebracat thank you! I just want to break through to double digits, but I seem to struggle to stick at anything.

Will be back on IF tomorrow. My motivation is my birthday in December. I want to be happy with how I look, not hiding away from photos and trying to camouflage my belly.

@Savannah5 welcome and well done!

So it looks like I've put on 3lbs. This isn't right, I'm getting sick of this. Doesn't make any sense. I really want to ring the GP and explain what's going on as this doesn't seem right to me at all, I'm quite upset. I know my thyroid is fine as that's been checked in the past

@BippityBoppity87. You really don’t need to worry. You said you were having a takeaway? I had one a few weeks ago, and although I ate a Very modest amount, also gained. It’s generally because they have a higher salt content, and this leads to water retention, just drink plenty and eat and it will drop agin. Also remember that for most people, weight loss isn’t a smooth progression.

@BippityBoppity87 sorry you've had a gain! Have you considered contacting your GP anyway for a referral to something like slimming world or weight watchers? I know they're not for everyone but I think they're helpful with "resetting" your approach to food in a way. At least this is what I've found. Try not to obsess over those 3lbs! As said, it is likely salt induced / water retention. Try to eat normally over the next few days and drink enough water and I'm sure things will rectify themselves. Also, you've lost roughly a stone and a half in a month haven't you? And that's amazing! I really don't think you should be worried about your body not losing enough quick enough and, in the interest of a bit of tough love, you're being too hard on yourself!! Look how much you've lost in such a short space of time and where you'll be in another month or even six, you should be proud and not upset ❤️

STS for me this week. I'm in denial about it 😂 I've upped my calories slightly this week and think I'm ovulating so could be that. I've lost another inch from my hips, my rings are looser on my fingers, my jeans feel slightly looser around my waist and less suffocating when I put them on so... The scale can bugger off! Hope I see the loss next week instead and focussing on non-scale progress this week instead to keep me motivated! 💪

Does anybody use at home scales that claim to measure muscle Vs water Vs fat when they weigh you? Mine claim to do this but I assumed it was nonsense so I've never used that function but am now considering it and wondered what other people thought? Just want a way to see if I'm gaining muscle/losing fat or a bit of both (or neither as the case may be!!).

@WeightlossKin. Yay for non scale victories. I only need one rest in a 2 minute plank now, and Dh says the grunts and moans have decreased by 90%. 1have eaten a lot of sugary stuff today. Crumble for breakfast because it was there but then Dd had made a Mississippi mud pie, and would have been hurt if I hadn’t had some. It’s the sort of thing I loathe, but I got it down. I am actually under my calories for the day though , because of a small lunch and a bowl of soup for dinner. Don’t like how I feel now, sluggish and slightly sick with a headache. But she had taken a lot oftrouble with it.

@Zebracat 😂 well done on the reduction of grunting noises and complaining. That IS a non scale victory. Is your DH joining in these planks so he can understand the pain?! I hope today is less sugary day for you, and that there's no crumble or Mississippi mud pie hanging around for breakfast! The pressure when other people make things is difficult isn't it? Hope you feel less sluggish and everything today ready for a new day!

Can I join? I need motivation!

I’ve got a huge amount to lose. I’ve gone from 18stone5 to 16stone10.

I now keep obsessing over standing on the scales every day and getting upset when it’s gone up. And then thinking fuck it and eat chocolate. I’m self sabotaging and I need a kick up the arse!

Yeah I know. I need to chill out a bit. I've calmed down now. I'm trying to up my steps. At the moment I'm averaging between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day, but I really want to aim for 20,000 at least once. Will be a small victory haha, but I don't like gyms or swimming that much, but I like walking everywhere. So that's my main form of exercise. I'm going to try and not weigh myself until Friday

Welcome @Pepsee and congratulations on your weight loss to date. You will find both daily and weekly weighers on this thread. Some feel that weighing themselves daily makes them more accountable. But others, like me, don't like the angst of the daily fluctuations and we weigh on the same day and time every week. It sounds to me like maybe you should give weekly weigh ins a try and see you f you prefer that.
@BippityBoppity87 - I'm glad you have had perspective. It's good to up exercise. But also be kind to yourself. Losing a lot takes a long time and you are far more likely to last the course if you are forgiving of yourself and don't expect too much too soon. You've had a great start to your weight loss, but blips are inevitable. Maybe consider increasing your exercise in a planned gradual way rather than all at once?

Thank you @alphaechokiwi

Yes it has been gradual, I work in bar, but have gone down to part time over the past few years, so I'm used to a lot of walking. I do have knee problems though. Think they said it was (Palleto? Can't spell 😅) Joint dysfunction, so basically my knee caps are to the side instead of being centred and a bit limited in what I can do, but obviously losing the weight will help massively in that area. So I try not to push too much as I don't want to damage my knees even further

@BippityBoppity87 - I've also got troublesome knees. It's so frustrating when the motivation is there..... Good luck with it this week

Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing well.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme glad you'll be sticking around! You have such a good attitude to losing this weight, it's fab to have you here! And you're right that this isn't over when the scales get to a certain number.

@BippityBoppity87 I'm glad you seem to be feeling a bit better. The weightloss journey has plenty of ups and downs, but I think an important part of it is looking after your emotional self as well. There are a few of us that love walking here as well. If you want to share how you're getting along here with that. It is difficult with bad knees as well though!

@WeightlossKin years and years ago my mum had scales that did that. At the time I was about 21, probably a bit overweight but not too worried about it. I was very active, doing a martial art and working really hard at it. I felt sting and stuff. Anyway I used the scales and it said I had a higher body fat % than my mum! I was not happy and never used the scales again. They may well have been right though, I have no idea. Sorry that story is not helpful at all!

Hi @Pepsee and welcome! You've had an amazing weightloss so far! Well done! It's so difficult when the scales show a gain, but I think it's inevitable some times - our bodies aren't simple test tubes where things are predictable, there's a lot going on!

Hi @Savannah5 as well! Your weight loss recently has also been amazing! I presume the weightloss will slow down automatically as your weight decreases! It sounds like overall you've made some really positive changes to your lifestyle, which is good.

I last weighed myself on Wednesday, and had gained 500g. Not a!axing, bit I think was probably just one of those things that will even out in time. Anyhow, I'm sure I will gain a bit more as I am on holiday!!! I am going to try to be reasonable. We haven't brought loads of snacks this time, and I'm off alcohol at the moment, so that will help. But I'm not going to worry too much. Long covid is still very much present, so I'm just going to take this time to really relax and enjoy myself. Even if I can't do much in the way of exercise I will get loads of fresh air, sit on the beach and paddle in the sea!

Also, this is what I saw when I had my cup of tea this morning!

ScottishBeth lucky you on holiday by the sea! I haven't seen the sea for almost 18 months and I really miss it... Its hundreds of miles to the sea from here though. I was hoping to go to the UK in the summer, but the UK is now listed as a "special" risk with extra quarantine restrictions by Germany, because of the new mutations, so it seems incredibly unlikely I'll be able to take the kids with me if I do go, and going alone would feel weird and uncomfortable I suspect... hmm...

My youngest passed the 3 day entrance exam for his new school, and a somewhat unprofessional teacher told DD he was"the fittest" of the children taking the tests - somewhat reinforced DH and my suspicions that the teacher recommendation against him was unfair! This was also reinforced by the fact all the not 100% German boys from his primary were at the exam, and not one of the German kids... I wonder how the others did... Only 21 children took the exams

I was on a night shift Thursday to Friday so didn't weigh, then I forgot today until mid morning, by which time I'd drunk a litre of water and two cups of coffee, which hopefully account for the extra kg I saw! Will weigh "officially" for the week tomorrow morning first thing!

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme - I am so pleased to read that your son has passed his exam. You were so worried and upset by the whole thing. You must be so relieved.
@ScottishBeth - I hope you have a lovely holiday.

Phew, so happy to hear from everyone, thought you all had left. Love the hot tub picture, @ScottishBeth. So pleased to hear your boy done good @UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme. I think I would complain about that teacher, although I’m not generally one to complain(except this week when I copied in the Director of Children’s Services and the Children’s Commissioner to an email and got instant results for my inherited child after 9 months of nothing).
I weighed myself this morning in case I can’t tomorrow, and I was 94.4, a loss of 1.1 kilos. Quite surprised because I did get a bit derailed by sugar, but I also did my 4 front crawl swim sessions. I think I’m a mesomorph. And my GP has upped my thyroid medication. So I feel like I am finally getting somewhere.
I have sometimes felt that I was a bit crap compared to @UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme and @alphaechokiwi, who have lost so consistently( and eat less than me!) so it is good, but I hope it’s also encouraging for others who are losing weight more slowly. And I know comparison is not where this is at, but I’m not alone in doing it.

Great loss @Zebracat! I love it when I get a whoosh. Hopefully the adjustment to your thyroxine will help a bit.
From past experience, I'm consistent untill I spectacularly fall off the wagon and don't get back on.... that's my particular downfall.... I'm trying my best to try to shift my thinking to guard against that all or nothing approach - time will tell.

@alphaechokiwi.Thank you so much, you and Hare are always so supportive. You have really helped me stick with this. I think you are there with the thinking part. I think the key for me is remembering that this is not a diet. I hope that I will be able to maintain a healthy weight when I get there, and that means finding ways towards normal now, and noticing whatI do. I was cooking on Thursday and found myself sneaking pieces of cheese. I had to have a little conversation with myself about why that was not helpful behaviour. I do find cooking difficult in terms of proximity to food. Guess that’s why there aren’t too many thin cooks!