6 stone to lose - my journey!

[StanleyOscar]

Hi everyone, long-time lurker here but decided to pop my head up and talk about my weight loss journey which I have just begun.

49 years old, yo-yo dieter for approx 20 years. Never have much problem loosing weight, just can't keep it off. So, I joined Slimming World on Wednesday and have around 6 stone to lose. So far I have lost 3lb, which is to be expected in week 1. Very much enjoyed the group meeting, and the meals/recipes are good too.

So far, so good. Anyone else on their journey too?

Absolutely!
I went to the cinema last night, just took a couple of fibre bars and a can of Pepsi max to nibble on. Could easily have gone horribly off plan, but stuck to it!

Wow you’re all amazing, what an inspiration. I have about 6 stone to lose. It feels a huge mountain to climb. Do you mind me asking if you are left with a lot of loose skin on your tummy after such an amazing loss?

I am still overweight, which may be helping, but no I don't have loose skin. I can see and feel hard muscle under my skin for the first time, and the difference between skin and muscle is obvious now in a way it wasn't before. I wouldn't say it's loose though- not in a thin, baggy way at least!

I still have the 'apron' I developed after pregnancies. It's not noticeably more hanging,though.

The weirdest bit has been the loss of my bum! I've always had a big bum- muscular as well as padded! Either because of a few year's inactivity due to illness, or the more recent weight loss, my bum has fallen off!! It happened to my dad when he was much older. Basically my bum is much flatter than before. No looseness hanging underneath, though!

Hi all!

Am still here and cheering you all on.
Have so far lost 3kg which isn't a lot I know! But something and I'm feeling pleased :).

@StanleyOscar sorry to hear of your discovery of the hernia and hope you manage to come to the right decision for you after some time to think.

For what it's worth you will be in a much healthier and stronger place to have surgery now than you would have been at your original weight so that's something you can be proud of.

How's everyone doing?

Thanks for the reply @picklemewalnuts

Morning team!

Thought I would pop in with an update as I haven't been very active on here lately. A year ago, on my 49th birthday, I weighed in at 18st 13lbs. On Sunday, on my 50th birthday, I predict I will weigh in at 12st 13lbs!

Over the past 2 months I haven't put on weight, it has pretty much stayed the same, which is fine. I can quite happily live around 13 stone which is considerably better than the 18st 4lbs I was last May!

I've not reverted back to my old eating habits, just maintaining and also keeping fairly active. I tend to put on a pound or two, then drop back a bit. My waist is still slowly shrinking too, might be able to slip into a 30in waist jeans soon?

When I have an event coming up, such as xmas, a party or, as is the case on Sunday, my 50th birthday, I tend to build up what I call 'Fat Credit'. I diet to lose a pound or two, and then after eating fun foods, in moderation, I only put back on the weight I have lost, rather than go over my ideal weight. If I can't lose a pound or two before an event, then I don't pig out.

I was planning on a few days of celebration, meals and good food to celebrate my 50th, but I have already decided to real it back a bit and go steady. I really can't put a value on how good it feels being this weight, and fitting into any clothes I want. Food just doesn't do it anymore for me, long may it live!

@whattowear21 @picklemewalnuts @WheresMyTweezers - How are you all doing?

Start weight - 18st 13lbs (February 2021)
Current weight - 12st 13lbs
Total loss - 84lbs

Hi @StanleyOscar good to hear from you and that you're finding maintaining pretty straightforward. I haven't lost any more, but I have maintained, and as you say, I'm getting much better at anticipating when I'll go overboard and pulling it back in advance.

I'd like to lose the same again by summer, but I know it will be slow. I think I've entered peri-menopause and while I don't want to give TMI, for approx 2 weeks out of 4 it feels very much like early pregnancy with swollen breasts, hunger pangs and certain smells just knocking me sideways, but the way I see it, 0.5lb every fortnight is better than 0.5lb on! Might get myself some more sensitive scales so I can see the minute changes

Morning both!

I'm sitting nicely at my current target. Still obese, but not visibly so and significantly lighter than I was. I'd love to lose another 4lb and get to 6 stone off and in to 'overweight' but it's not happening at the moment. I'm about the same weight as you, Stanley! My ideal weight would be another 2 stone off, but that might not be realistic. And it's definitely not realistic right now. Perhaps in the future.

I'm not feeling as confident in my eating habits as you, Stanley. I still have days where food falls into my mouth when I'm not looking, and the urge to eat is overwhelming. I have managed a few meals out where I've made good choices, and a few where I've planned to indulge a little. My danger zones are in the house and mainly in the evening. I have strategies, but they aren't good enough!

I'm going to keep on working at managing that- perhaps seek counselling, read the 'why we eat' book, and restart clean eating in the hope that there's something about those processed foods that's driving it. Problem is, if I binge a few fibre bars or muller lights it's much less damaging that the other things I might eat instead. So it's a balance between weeding them out and keeping them in!

I may make some binge boxes- boiled eggs with lots of salt, fish sticks, plain yogurts, berries, sweetcorn type stuff.

Yes @picklemewalnuts that book is really helpful in understanding why your body makes you think you want certain things (basically - at least for those of us who've yo-yoed over the years and invariably ended up fatter after every diet - your body is a huge liar and this partly explains why "intuitive eating" has never worked for me because if I ate when I felt hungry I'd eat round the clock!).

Yesterday it was only waiting in for a delivery which stopped me from going to the shop for a slab of chocolate which I felt like I was going to die if I didn't have. I didn't die though. One of my favourite things when I'm having a sweet pang in Greek yoghurt, frozen blueberries, sprinkle of oats and chia seeds, tiny drizzle of honey - really filling and hits the spot. But I've run out of yoghurt...

It's so frustrating. I know I'm not hungry. My body isn't sending hungry signals in the form of rumbling tummy etc. But all I can think about is food. My teeth want to grind and chew, and swallow, my tastebuds want something... I've thought about dummies, chewing gum etc.

Anyhoo... that's why it's going to be a lifelong management issue, I guess.

I'm making progress though.
I am identifying moments when I'm not tempted, when I'm enjoying making active good choices.
I am maintaining a good exercise plan, focussing on strength and stamina- which are ultimately more important to me than my weight.
My weight wasn't a problem until I lost strength and fitness and couldn't cart my body about effectively.

@picklemewalnuts I know exactly what you mean about hunger and that's what we are having to battle with every day for our entire lives. I tried changing my train of thoughts over the past 6 months but to no avail. My brain is wired to love the food placed in front of me, it gives me comfort and for the time I gorge on it, it makes me very happy. In the end I had to resort to NO NAUGHTY FOODS IN THE HOUSE.

Throughout this entire diet my enjoyment for foods hasn't changed, but what has changed, for me, and we are all different is the ability to resist buying the foods I know I shouldn't eat, and therefore not bringing them into the house to graze on. Also, for me, I am ensuring I am keeping busy day to day, that keeps me active, fit and stops me eating bad foods.

I think the cold weather and dark early nights don't help at all. I am glad I did the main bulk of my diet through summer/autumn as I think winter is a challenge.

That definitely helps me- I'd love to operate like that! Worst case scenario I'd do an emergency run to the corner shop, but that would be far less frequent than my current slip ups! Unfortunately my other half doesn't cooperate. He buys more junk than he can eat, and exercises amazing self restraint around it. It then sits there tempting me. Hey ho.

Many things would be different in my house if I had the sole say! We'd eat clean, there'd be no junk at all. No tv, either. No clutter. Sadly he's a collector/got hoarding tendencies! It's a compromise!

@picklemewalnuts - You raised a very important issue there - family support. That's something I didn't mention before, and that's possibly why my diet has been more successful this time. There is only my wife and I home here, and she always says she is overweight and needs to address the issue. When I went on this diet last year, she joined in, primarily because I cook the meals and so it would make it easier to prep one recipe rather than two different meals. She has lost almost 2.5stone and looks & feels so much better for it.

The only slight issue I have though, is that when we go shopping, I ask that she doesn't encourage me in any way to buy any junk food. Sadly she will still pick up a bag of cookies, or doughnuts and say "shall we? we have been good this week." I really don't need the temptation, because as soon as the food is in the house...it's fair game and I'm at it! If I were an alcoholic, I am sure she wouldn't offer me a tiny bottle of gin or whisky.

So yes, family support is very important.

Exactly! I feel the same way.

Mind, a big shift for me was to realise that 'fairness' doesn't come into it. There is no 'my share' of a bag of cookies.
No 'my share' of a desert.

All the junk food are someone else's, never mine! Doesn't stop me having a bite, or a corner. At least I don't eat a full portion anymore.

I'm making burgers tonight. Mine will be in a wholemeal pitta, there's in a white roll.
I'll have lots of salad, gherkins, and mushrooms in cheese sauce. Maybe even a slice of bacon!

It will be delicious and healthy. I'll have fruit salad and Greek yogurt with nuts later. And on Wednesday I will be feather light 🤣