How did you manage it, what has helped you?

[yoyo1234]

I do not know how overweight I am (would assume obese-have not dared weigh myself in well over a year I would not be surprised if I have put on 3-4 stone). I catch sight of myself in shop windows etc and it takes time to recognise myself. What have you done to at least start on feeling better about yourself and getting healthier?

Intermittent fasting.

I've lost a stone in 2 weeks.

You can do it!

in two weeks 😱

Breast feeding so I would be scared to intermittently fast. Can you do it with drinking milk?

What is intermittent fasting ? How long is a fast?

I challenged myself to lose a stone so I would feel better in my clothes and have more energy. My main exercise was/is walking. I got to 2 stone fairly quickly (within 3 months) and felt so good I thought I'd try another stone. I'm at 4 stone-ish now since January. I've taken it a stone at a time so it didn't feel overwhelming, promising myself I could take a break if I needed it after each stone. I haven't needed it so far.

It HASN'T been easy (I hate when people say 'it just fell off!', it's bloody hard work!!), but it felt achievable because I wasn't putting pressure on myself to lose it all in one go.

I weighed myself. Had avoided doing it and just allowed myself to mentally avoid my fat.

Then I kept weighting myself every week. Eventually I had to conclude that I was fat and needed to diet.

I used to be slim so I thought about what had changed. Unsurprisingly it was that I ate too much

I set myself a 'non-drastic' calorie limit and stuck to it by logging everting I ate in an app. I also do 16:8 which is only eating during 8 hours of the day, so I start at lunchtime and am done after dinner.

I eat everything I like, nothing is off limits. I adore pasties so sometimes I just have croissants for dinner! I weight my portions and I now feel fuller in less.

I decided that I would loose weight very slowly and weigh myself twice a week (mainly for accountability).

I have lost a stone since the beginning of January which would be horribly slow for some, but suits me fine as I have changed my eating for life.

Hi MattDamon, I like the feeling of taking it in small increments and not thinking I want to lose so many stones (which feels overwhelming). What method are you using?

I like the idea of eating for 8 hours as that is a simple rule. Logging everything I eat would be terrifying and time consuming (biscuits, chocolate, crisps anything that is quick).

Intermittent fasting- easiest method to lose weight.

I'm calorie counting. I started out using shakes and one healthy meal a day to break the addiction, then swapped over to normal food. I try to eat as non-processed as possible now and have veg at every meal.

That small goal mentality really does help. When I get the urge to binge, I remind myself how much it will derail my progress and if I wait until I hit that next target, I can have a treat then.

Hoping to lose another stone by end of summer.

I’m doing my own version of intermittent fasting as I have no discipline yet. This basically means during the periods of not eating I still drink tea with some milk. It stops the hunger cravings and keeps me full. And I am still losing weight as I’m not eating after 8pm at night whereas before I would have had chocolate and a bowl of cereal and whatever else I fancied before.

I’ve also started walking 10,000 steps a day. This has been the hardest thing as I prefer lying on the sofa but after only a week of doing this my waist already feels slimmer and my legs feel less flabby. Hoping this will spur me on to do some proper exercise soon.

Thank you for responses. I am thinking of only eating for 8 hours a day but having limitless milk. I will also try to stop eating wheat.

I've just started my weight loss journey. 5 years ago I lost over 3 stone by giving up sugar. It was remarkably easy.

You can eat and drink anything as long as it doesn't contain sugar. I did eat fruit.

I also cut out processed carbohydrates but are complex carbs such as sweet potato.

I stuck to eating 1200 calories per day.

No alcohol as that contains sugar.

I felt amazing!!!

Chromium is a great supplement to take as it balances your blood sugars and helps those
cravings.

I weigh myself every morning. I know you're not meant to, because it fluctuates, but if I'm 200g heavier than yesterday I find it gives me a bit more will power to stay off the chocolate!

I don't do proper low carb, but I don't eat carbs unnecessarily. Ie I'll eat battered fish but not the chips as well.

And I drink a lot of water. Sitting in front of the TV in the evening is the worst time for me wanting to snack so now I sit there with a pint of water.

Intermittent fasting

I'm following the Meal prep king. The book is so good and the recipes are lovely. I've lost 3lb this week which I'm amazed at and I think the biggest help for me has been drinking LOTS of water!!

More great options , Thank you. I will try 1 week eating 8hrs only , no wheat, then weigh myself if I manage it (terrified of scales). Will the weigh weekly for 2 weeks if no loss maybe try to avoid added sugar as well as wheat.

@BlueButtercups

in two weeks 😱

Yes, but to be fair, I was about 3 stone overweight and I'm quite young so the weight does tend to fall off easily. Not as easy as putting it on, but life isn't that fair 😅

I'm upping my exercise now to get the final 2 stone off. I know this won't be as easy and it'll take me a bit longer, but I'm determined.

Getting the first stone off is so motivating, in fact just the first few pounds dropping off is a great motivator.

I don't weigh myself everyday, and I only weigh myself in the morning when I do weigh myself.

I’m on WW just now and also do intermittent fasting. You get extra points for breastfeeding. I’ve found the logging everything I eat really helpful for bringing my focus onto food and making healthier choices. But still having sat night pizza and pudding, just eating less around it to accommodate that. Steadily losing a pound or two a week and feeling better in clothes, 9lb down just now after about 6weeks.

1200 cals long term. Even then it's a constant battle (old, shortish and fairly sedentary).

I try not to snack between meals
Pay attention to portion size esp dinner
Walk everyday
Weight myself once a week in the mornng before eating or drinking.
Good luck!

I also try to keep other people snacks in a cupboard in the kitchen so I am not looking at them, so not tempted to start picking. I don't buy snacks for myself except icecream, my weakness!

I'm using my fitness pal and have lost over a stone. I stick to 1200 calories a day. I wanted to be able to eat "normal" food not do something like keto or fasting because I know for me it's not sustainable in the long term.

Weigh yourself before you start. Chances are you will lose the most in the first week and it will be really motivating to see those first pounds coming off. I just started this week and was terrified of stepping on the scales and facing it but I did it and I'm determined I won't see that number again. Right now I am taking it one step at a time.

My first goal is to lose one stone, I know I will feel so much better even if I only shift that much. I'm not following any specific plan, I know I was eating too much so I am just eating less.

Good luck, I know the feeling of not even recognising yourself anymore and it's shit.

Im in my second plateau ... its soul destroying.. 😩