Help me lose 20 pounds without exercise (disability)! How?

[PuppyLuck]

I'm approximately a size 16. If I was a size 14 all my clothes would fit easily. I'm in my late 50s I should add and have a disability which means I can't really exercise. A walk to the corner shop is really all I can manage, maybe some stretching (I keep meaning to start!).

So ...... any advice how to lose weight in this scenario? Ideally something that has worked for you long-term too.

If you want more details about me ....

I eat reasonably healthily, mixed diet, but obviously too much in some way. I would like to lose some weight but would struggle to do anything drastic long-term which keeps me hungry I think.

Given my age, mobility, is the reality I would find it too hard? Should I simply accept? Has anyone managed to lose 20 lbs in similar circumstances? Did you go fast or slow? Did you manage to keep it off too?

Cut out all processed food including flour/sugar. That's the easiest and simplest. Or low carb, I've got reduced mobility and low carbing works a treat for me.

Exercise is really good for you but it 's a bit of a red herring weigh-loss wise OP. It's almost all about diet. I'd really recommend the book 'Why We Eat (Too Much)' by Andrew Jenkinson. Other than that, just cut down massively on highly processed foods, sugar and refined carbs.

Not knowing about your disability makes it tricky to advise but anything you can reasonably do in terms of load bearing - weight exercise will have benefits for later life, regardless of your BMI. It's obviously difficult, but do try and get some advice on exercise that you might be able to manage, whether that's swimming/yoga/seated weights. A completely sedentary lifestyle in your fifties can cause big problems in your sixties and seventies, far more than being simply overweight/borderline obese (assuming your health difficulties aren't life-limiting and you don't slip into diabetes).

Yeah, cut out processed food and follow a low carb diet. I find The Fast 800 works well for me. I would also aim to exercise too though as it would be beneficial. I have disabilities too, I’m doing chair based exercises.

I've got ME/CFS, so am pretty limited. Though food intake is more important than exercise in weight loss, I think exercise can up your metabolism a bit and help keep you focused and fit too. But unfortuately that option is not available for me.

But thanks for your replies - appreciated. I guess low carb is one way to go, but it seems very "disciplined" shall we say. I know, I know, I want my cake and eat it .... Did you manage low (ish) carb long-term? It seems to me it is a 'discipline' as much as anything.

I am also fairly low-carb as it is ... though I could do more. In the last few months I've relaxed a bit

First things first.

Find our your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) there are tools to approximate this online

You're BMR is your rate of calorie metabolism at rest.

If you eat calories near-to your BMR, you will likely be in calorie deficit (which is the only way to lose weight). Even if you are not very active, you're still moving, awake, walking and standing from time to time, which burns calories.

Calorie counting is the clearest way to go, simple calories in vs. calories out.

Secondly, the only way to sustain this over the long term is to enjoy what you're eating... Meal planning is a must to make sure you have a plan for a few days ahead, of things you're going to enjoy.

Calorie counting and eating dust and lettuce is miserable and therefore unsustainable.

Calorie count. I lost 21lbs in 3 months on 2000 calories a day. I dud work out 2 or 3 times a week, and average around 10k steps a day, so you would probably need less calories but as long as you are in a deficit , you will lose.

I've lost 22lb since 10 Jan low carbing and no exercise (other than walking) as I've had a fractured metatarsal since late last year which hasn't fully healed.

A new low carb bootcamp is starting tomorrow - it's super helpful having support, recipe ideas etc. I'm never hungry low carbing and sugar cravings do lessen or disappear so doesn't feel 'hard'. I'll try and add a link.....

Secondly, the only way to sustain this over the long term is to enjoy what you're eating .... And planning.

^ good point. eating dust and lettuce isn't going to work for me.

Thank you Summer, sounds a good idea. Though I'm going on holiday in a couple of days, maybe when I get back I can check it out, or just read it when I'm away ...

I can't link it but if you search for 'low carb bootcamp' it will come up. Hope to see you there

Log your food intake for a month with a site like myfitnesspal.com. This will draw you graphs showing where your intake is too high. I found that I was eating loads of carbs during the day but very little protein. I swapped things gradually and have lost over a stone and kept it off for coming up to a year.
Take a look at the ingredients list of what you are buying. If you are eating a lot of artificial sweeteners, these artificially spike your insulin response which makes your body convert more energy into fat. I have stopped buying low sugar products and now bake a loaf cake each week. I have a slice after my main meal which satisfies my need for a sweet treat. If you keep on analysing what you are eating and making small changes you will make progress.

Please list for us exactly what you eat in a day. Make sure to include all drinks

Hi growinggreyer I don't have sweeteners anymore for that reason. However, that also means I've returned to sugar in my tea and coffee!

mackthepony

yesterday -

a large slice of sourdough with marmalade - B
home-made risotto - L
natural yoghurt and chopped apple - D
two fingers of fudge - S
tea and coffee x 3 with sugar

^ I usually eat more protein and less carb, though I have recently been slipping up on sweet tooth

day before -

two poached egg on toast - L
large feta cheese salad with side Kettle crisps - L
crispbread with cottage cheese - D
yoghurt and 1 x piece of dark choc - S
tea and coffee x 3 with sugar

Please be gentle! I know some naughties in there. Also, I can't drink tea or coffee without sugar is another thing ... so not sure how to get round that.

But I'm getting some good tips here, like growinggreyer finding something small that satisfies my sweet tooth important. I've usually had a piece of dark chocolate though recently I've widened that which probably needs reining in.

Work out how many calories you use on a daily basis (you use a fair amount just to stay alive) and eat fewer than that. It's really that simple.

I lost three stone when I had crippling back pain that made all movement painful. For me it was about identifying the source of my overeating, being properly honest about it. I would still try to be as active as I could, I did mat based movement with a specialist teacher and chair yoga. But mainly I I addressed my eating habits, cut out alcohol and reduced portion size. No magic fix but I'm so much happier at a lighter weight.

I love nutracheck, like my fitness pal but better, it’s £3.99 a month or 1 year for £23.99. Search for the food, the picture comes up, just add it to your diary and it does the rest for you, works out your calories / macros. It has a forum on the app too and people post daily. Good motivation reading and seeing others results.

Its basically calorie counting.

I like intermittent fasting too, I sometimes eat between 12-6pm. But sometimes get a bit greedy in my eating window. So I’m back to nutracheck for now.

Low carb works best for me. It is a bugger to maintain (and I am currently off plan and suffering for it - my gallstones like low carb), but I can eat the same amount of calories on nonLC and not lose, whereas I lose well on LC. Basically, I've fucked my body up eating too much crap before, and now it doesn't cope with it! 😂

Could you go swimming, OP? There are special 'disabled people' sessions at our pool. That might not help weight loss, but any exercise you enjoy will be good for your health long term.

Mumsnet low carb boot camp starts tomorrow.

Lots of great recipes and support.

Great for clearing brain fog and increasing energy with CFS. I was diagnosed 20 years ago.

Looking at what you've been eating I DON'T think you're eating too MUCH in terms of volume. The only things I'd change are:

Whack in a bunch of vegetables - every single meal - think "how can I get some vegetables (or lower sugar fruit like apples and watermelon) into this?"

Swap (yummy yummy delicious) sourdough for a brown flat bread... boring AF... but in the short term it's worth it.

Cut out any refined sugar, this one is hard - you can replace it with something like Stevia (basically vile) but I've felt 100x better without refined sugar in my every-day diet (I still eat a slice of cake at a birthday, or whatever my hosts serve at a dinner).

Example day for me (losing weight, still podgy) - I probably eat more volume than you, but it feels nutritious.

B: Porridge made with almond milk + fruit.
S: Apple dipped in peanut butter (the good crunchy stuff)
L: Chicken salad with lime dressing (cucumbers, peppers, baby spinach, carrots)
S: Hardboiled egg in brown pitta with cucumber (egg mashed in mix of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise).
D: Chicken and bean bake (tomato sauce w. chipotle paste, onions, peppers, leeks, garlic).

I drink my coffee black and without sugar, it's an acquired taste, but it's now my preference.