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

@MamaNewtNewt
Lovely update. You are really doing well. So glad progress is occurring.
@Rebuildingconfidence, oh bless.Is it cucumber or celery that was always promoted as negative calories?. I do enjoy sugar snap peas. I have kept up my swimming, but I am also really struggling with snacking. Today has been better though.

Hi @Zebracat glad things have been a bit better for you. Snacking is the worst habit to break I think. When I truly can't shake the urge I keep some olives in the fridge. The strong flavour means that I can have a few and feel like I've had a proper snack. I'm wondering if you have solved the wedding outfit dilemma? That Toast jumpsuit is following me around the internet now! I'd be tempted but I know from bitter experience that as a pear shaped shortie I would not pull it off
@Rebuildingconfidence - once you get started again you will feel better and more positive. And be kind to yourself. I don't think this is the first attempt at losing weight for anybody on this thread. We've all struggled and wasted chances. What matters is getting back on the wagon. Your past mistakes will help you be more successful next time.

Weighing in a day early today because we're going away for the weekend. 80.2kg - I'm happy with that.

@alphaechokiwi - thanks and glad you are happy with your weigh-in - hope you have a lovely weekend away.

@Rebuildingconfidence - it’s awful when you see photos and all you can focus on is how unhappy you are with how you look. Hopefully you can use it as motivation and eventually look at the photos and see past that to the moment it captures. It’s good to have snacking options. Obviously fruit and veg snacks are the best but if you need something a bit more what about things like rice cakes or something like blended dates, nuts and cocoa (can’t remember the exact recipe)

Thanks @Zebracat I’m getting there and just happy to be on the mend although it’s a bit of a long road ahead.

MamaNewtNewt it sounds as though you're doing so well!

Rebuildingconfidence I'm sorry you're feeling down. Often we don't see our family members or even acquaintances the way they look in photos though - because in life we're animated which changes everything, so its pretty likely that the people you were with weren't seeing you as the camera has captured you, if that makes any sense. I actually still have a photo of myself at my biggest, with dc3 at Europa Park, up in the kitchen - I may have been 18.5 stone but I was happy, my children were happy being there with me, and its part of who I am. I haven't changed my photo on the "who's working today" board we have for the residents at work either, for the same reason - I'm not ashamed of it, its part of my life story, to change is to be alive but you have to change from something to become what you want to be next.

Dates on their own are actually a good sweet snack - I always used to reach for processed crap like shop bought biscuits and chocolate, I hadn't eaten a date in decades but they're really good! A small quantity of protein and unprocessed fat is also more satisfying than cucumber eyc as a snack, though obviously cucumber is excellent if you aren't actually hungry but just feel that absolute compulsion to eat something! I eat a couple of walnuts, a few almonds and a couple of cashews as a snack if I want to, dates if I absolutely need something sweet, a plain Greek yogurt with a banana if genuinely hungry. Its taken virtually a year now, but my taste buds have honestly changed and these are now genuinely what I want! However I know I could fall back into old ways so easily at any point, so I'm resolved never to eat a shop bought biscuit alone and keep processed snacks as something I only eat in company, so there's no temptation to binge!

Zebracat if you'd like any of the dresses could you PM me? Time must be getting tight, and things can take a while from Germany to the UK atm. Is the wedding in a week or two weeks?

alphaechokiwi 80.2! So close to your next target! Have a lovely weekend away!

Welcome @WheresMyTweezers - sounds like a balanced approach. But I would say that, as it's very similar to mine!

@MamaNewtNewt glad to hear you are home! Hopefully you're recovery will continue, and it'll be good when you get the boot on! Also fantastic weight loss.

@Rebuildingconfidence I hope you're ok. I agree sleep is really important - it will help with weight loss I think. Also agree with what @alphaechokiwi said - there will be ups and downs, the important thing is keeping back on it. And with what @UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme said actually! (On that note I have to say I'm not sure I'll ever be able to genuinely want snacks like that, tbh!)

@Zebracat I hope you're doing ok? It's good you've been keeping going with the swimming!

Well done on the weightloss @alphaechokiwi as well! Also have a lovely weekend!

On that note I weighed myself this morning and I have stayed exactly at where I was a week ago! I am genuinely delighted! Had a very indulgent 3 day weekend since my last weigh in. I've got no big plans coming up over the next few weeks, so should be able to really focus on losing some weight.

It is very slow coming off. I haven't even hit my first milestone yet! But at the moment I feel positive. I am still going, still consistently recording (virtually) everything I eat. I do feel like this is something I can keep going. It would be good if I could find another strategy to speed things along though! I will have to have another think.

Hallo everyone. Glad to hear the good news from most of us.. @UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme: so sorry, I can’t find the pm button!
It was a very kind offer and I do like the dresses, but I have settled on my clothes now. I’m not entirely happy with them, but they are ok, and I need the headspace for other stuff, like flowers and the darling girls 18th birthday... I’m just under last weeks figure today, and I do hope to keep myself there , but it means I’ve STs the whole month. But I look better, less wobbly and my clothes fit well.. I am really pleased to have averaged 4 swims a week, so maybe this is my pattern, to lose 2 or 3 kilos 1 month and consolidate the next month. I think I have finally got my medication sorted out and that will help. The wedding is next weekend and we are taking a short break afterwards, so my hope is to come back from that at about the weight I am now, and then crack on towards the 90 kilo mark.. I wish I was an excel sort of person, I can’t even remember what I need to be to come out of obese.

Ha, just looked it up 86.7 , feels a longway off, from 94.9, but I do want to make it this year!

@Zebracat I'm glad you've found something to wear. Ultimately the important thing is the wedding, so it's good you'll be able to focus on that now. And I'm sure you will look lovely anyway.

It's hard when you STS for a few weeks, but you've had a lot on. Hopefully as you say once you're back from you're break. Especially as your medication is sorted!

Still 103kg today but ok with that as I feel I am back on track.

Thank you all for the snack tips!

It's mindless eating out of boredom / stress that is my downfall so going to stock up on cucumbers this week!

ScottishBeth it's great to sts after a few indulgent days, means you got straight back on track after, well done! Good luck with the next few weeks.

oops, not sure why I hit post instead of starting a new paragraph!

Zebracat glad you've found something to wear, I hope you can relax and enjoy the actual day and the things you had to soet out aren't too stressful.

Rebuildingconfidenceso glad you feel back on track, well done!

@Rebuildingconfidence See if I want a snack or to stop snacking, I usually have a black coffee with a bit skimmed/semi skimmed milk. I find that helps a lot. I also keep some blueberries/blackberries in the fridge if I fancy something sweet. Or I make low sugar jelly and keep it in the fridge. Think it's only 10kcals a serving. Also water! Sometimes you think you're hungry, when really you're just dehydrated

Something nice happened!
I thought 5ft 7 was 170 cms, but it’s not, its 174, so to get to overweight, I need to lose 4.4 kilos, not 8. Isn’t that cool!

@Zebracat - what a lovely mistake! 4.4kg is so close. The opposite happened to me a while back. I thought I was 1m65 but I'm actually 1.65 . My BMI went up and my goal weight went down....

Oh Alpha, that is a bummer. Altho I wish I’d known sooner, so motivating, so maybe if yours had been right you would have just given up! As being much too hard..

I'm long over it!!!! But it must be a nice boost for you. 4.4kg is so do-able

My post makes no sense!!!! I'm actually 1.63m having thought I was 1.65m....

I'm the same. For years I thought I was 5'5. I'm sure I was measured years ago and they said I was 5'5. Nope, I'm actually 5'2 So according to my bmi, I should be between 7 stone 6lbs and 9 stone 7lbs (or there abouts) fat chance of that happening! I'll be happy if I'm about 10 stone. Just 7 stone to go 😅

Can I join? I started at 15 stone 4, and 9 stone 7 is the top of my healthy range.

I did notice,but didn’t like to mention it. In my head you are the maths whizz, cos I know you like a spreadsheet! Although of course that is a proof reading error.

Wow, so many people are the wrong size. That funny.
@SnowyMouse, welcome, we love new people, and the old people of course. How tall are you ?

I'm 5'2"