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?

Wow Miseryl that is a lot of work and it certain sounds like it is worth it. I am not sure I would have the will (or brain) power to manage that-especially at the moment. I am hoping if I can shift it in gradual steps I can get there. At the moment I think when)if I have the will power to weigh myself and get down to 25 BMI I will treat myself to a hairdresser appointment.

I don't think there are any quick fixes op. It takes a while to put the weight on and it will take a while to lose it again.

I am using the Second Nature app that is recommended by the NHS. I do not work for them I promise! It's a 12 week programme that helps you reset your bad habits and develop new long term healthy sustainable eating patterns. There are articles to read each week, tracking tools, recipe book and a coach and. a group chat/peer support option. New habits are introduced each week after a reset week. Going well so far!

Sorry meant to say Second Nature = £10 a week.

Second nature has had great results in trials. It’s a lower carb, Mediterranean diet. If you live in an area where the CCG commissions it, you can get referred for free by your GP if your BMI is over 25 or 30

(Different CCGs have different thresholds/ pathways I think). The National programme is called ‘Healthier You’ most GPs will know it and will refer, but GPs don’t tend to be great about talking to patients about weight so you need to ask to be referred.

I have been ordering the plant based meals from mindful chef.
Also have eaten fruit for lunch if needed. No breakfast.

I have lost 3 stone in 5 months. Having such healthy meals for dinner has enabled me to make better healthy choices for the rest of the day.

Wow littlejo67 that's a great weightless.
Thank you ifyoubelieveyouwill about the advice on Second Nature. It is near impossible (it feels to get walk in appointments with my GP which they may want for a weightless programme). Pre pregnancy I had a very healthy BMI (21-22) and also first time they weighed me (a few months into pregnancy) so I doubt they would refer without seeing me. I think the lockdown and breastfeeding (and the psychological feeling of always needing to eat/drink to maintain milk supply) is what has driven the weight gain / failure to lose baby weight.
Ps managed day 8

Opps missing brackets in the post above !

Don't do anything drastic while breastfeeding - you need to be well-nourished to produce nutritious milk.

I have lost quite a few stone over the last year and my top tips for now would be to increase your energy expenditure by getting aset of ankle weights to wear during walking in order to make the exercise more strenuous for your muscles, and get used to logging everything you eat. Rather than writing it down if that is too time-consuming, start taking a photo of everything you are about to eat- you don't have to share the photos anywhere online, just log them and be honest with yourself about how much you are eating. Just being conscious of what you have eaten so far in a day can help you to consciously decide that you don't really want another snack that is over and above your nutritional needs. These two actions started now will give you a good starting point to do some more significant changes to reduce your intake and further increase your exercise once your baby is a bit bigger and you have the capacity and opportunity to do more.

Slimming World has worked well for me in combination with breastfeeding, they have a specific program for women who do. SW it's self has become alot more focused on branded products in the last 5 years, but it's completely possible to do using normal unprocessed foods.
I weigh myself at the same time every day. My weight goes up 3 or 4 pounds for a week around ovulation, so depending on where you are at with periods and breastfeeding it's worth concidering to avoid disappointment.

Love the idea of ankle weights . I do quite a bit of walking as DB(aby) loves going for walks in the pram and will occasionally nap there (rather than on me!).

Thanks for the heads up Dowermouse about ovulation etc (maybe can convince myself it is that if I have weight gain - when I eventually weigh myself).

Trying to get ideas that don't include lots of branded foods or joining groups that may have lots of costs .

Managed day 9

Managed day 10

Well done @yoyo1234 - you are doing great.

Hi
I have done lighter life two years ago and went from approximately 15stone to 10stone 4 in 5-6 months and I didn't follow it totally after first three months.
Very hard but I was in right mind set to do then but couldn't do again as very restrictive socially when you out for meal etc.
In last two years have put some weight back on and now weigh 12st 11 so still over two stone lighter than two years ago but have put weight back on ☹️☹️
I am now tracking weight with weight tracker free app and my first goal is to loose 7 lbs slowly. Once I have lost that I will put next 7lbs in. I'm going to do this slowly and if you think if I lose a pound a week which seems slow I will be 30lbs lighter by Xmas.
Don't do fad diets. They don't work long term. I am proof of that. Slow and steady progress will be better and healthier and will be how you change your eating habits for life.

Ps also walking so good for stress and health. Just don't overdo it but try to walk minimum of 30 minutes a day and if you do more great.
I do it for health/mental health benefits rather than weight loss as I never find exercise gets much weight off.
My personal experience has always been 80 percent diet 20 percent exercise.
I just like to be out rain or shine.
Good luck with it all.

Thank you KihoBebiluPute. I think there is a bit of change maybe to my stomach .
I do a lot of walking (baby likes the buggy). I am thinking of investing in ankle weights as previously suggested (thanks everyone for ideas and suggestions and pros and cons).
Wow beetlesandants you did amazingly to lose 5 stone in such a short time and thank you for sharing about finding the diet socially restrictive and risky (for putting the weight back on).
I hope with the eating in an 8 hour window and just cutting back on obvious wheat I can keep it up long term. This diet is pretty much what I did pre pregnancy/pre lockdown without much thought (I miss the office sometimes and the socialising......).

I think at the end of 14 days I really should try and weigh myself (incase I reach a plateau and get no satisfaction from my efforts -or incase it is doing nothing or I am gaining weight!) .

Maybe get a pair of jeans you can't zip up and make that your initial aim as sometimes scales don't show inch loss and it can demotivate/demoralise if numbers not down.
But non stretchy jeans or whatever you like a good indicator which out getting obsessed with a number.
Good luckwith it and keep posting.
I will watch your posts as it keeps me motivated hearing other people's views/stories.

@beetlesandants that is really interesting. Dr J in his book Why We Eat actually says that Lighter Life is the worst diet he’s come across for putting on weight (and more) when you stop. He should know as he’s consulted with over 5000 obese patients as a bariatric surgeon.

I agree that swapping to a sustainable diet for life is the only way. I’m saving party food for parties!

I'm counting calories with MFP. I first lost some weight unintentionally via catching Covid then gained a few lbs back and realised I didn't want to go back to where I was.

So I stopped procrastinating and started counting calories with MFP, because it was free/easily accessible. I set myself a modest weight loss goal of 1/2 lb a week but it averaged out more like 1lb.

I've lost 1st 6lb so far which puts me at close to a 10% weight loss and safely out of the obese category. I don't eat radically different to how I did before as I cooked from scratch mostly, but have reduced the size and frequency of snacks and measure my cooking oil. I'm also going on more regular walks.

Another thing I did was commit to follow it for 4 weeks, because I knew the first couple of weeks would feel the hardest in term of hunger and getting used to logging everything. It's now been 16.

Day 11 managed . Not sure if it was a weight loss day though! Lots of chips and ice cream! At least I stuck to my 2 simple rules