I am 9 ish stone down today.

[bahhamburgers]

I am so proud of myself.

I don’t really have anyone to tell in RL and I’ve had a LOT of stick for my weight loss recently.

December 2018, I was pushing 23 stone (I gave up weighing myself at 22.7 as it was too depressing, but I got bigger after that, so I’m guessing 23 stone) I’m 5 foot 4 and was a size 22/24. I had gained 12 stone in 4 years because my life went to shit, basically, and I ate crap and drank lager to escape.

Initially, I lost 6 stone and I fell pregnant December 2019 at just over 16 stone. I suffer from HG in pregnancy, so I don’t gain an ounce in my pregnancies due to sickness for 9 long months. I stayed 16 stone until May this year when I decided to change my life.

I cut out all processed food and cook everything from scratch and do intermittent fasting - which isn’t as dramatic as it sounds as I was diagnosed with coeliac disease two years ago, and I don’t want/like (and can’t afford!) the gluten free alternatives, so it’s been easy because I just have to. The option of gorging on McDonalds, pizza and cake after a crap day has been medically removed from me 😆

Today, I weighed 13st 13lb and I am so happy. I know 2 stone since may isn't exactly setting the world alight, but like I said, I’ve changed my life and attitude to food, I don’t see myself as being on a diet. I enjoy food, and enjoy cooking as does my husband (who has lost 30lb since may and is now at his “goal” weight).

I can move so much more freely now. Even at 16 stone, the walk up the hill to school used to leave me sweating, unable to talk and panting. Now, I hardly notice I’ve got to the top and it’s so liberating.

But, I can’t seem to tell anyone in RL. Everyone seems to be so negative. I’ve had friends come out and accuse me of using weight loss jabs or accuse me of having WLS and lying to them about it. It’s so hurtful. I even got told I was too skinny and that I looked ill the other day. I’m a size 14/16. I am in no way skinny!

I just wanted to say to anyone struggling that it is possible. Something just clicked one day. I am 43 and I feel better than ever. I want to get back to a healthy weight of 10 stone, but I know I will now. I’m no longer fighting against myself.

I know what it’s like. My father died in January, he had dementia for the last few years and it’s just me, it was horrific. I know it’s not the same as when it’s your children, but everyday was such worry and stress.

I do OMAD, mainly. Low carb. Lots of fatty cuts of meat, Greek yogurt, nuts. I eat lots of green vegetables. I’ll have plain soured cream with it or make a creamy sauce.

So it’s usually salmon, steak or chicken with lots of vegetables roasted in ghee, with Greek yogurt and nuts. I make my own hummus sometimes and I’ll have that with carrot and celery.

I don’t buy anything processed or with more than one ingredient. I make curries and chillis from scratch and have them with veg, I stir fry cabbage in coconut oil or ghee.

It’s second nature now and I crave steak now, not sweet foods as mad as it sounds!

I don’t have a lot of loose skin to be honest. I’ve had three sections so I so have a bit of a belly overhang from those, but I had that when I was thin too!

Oh god, if I can do it anyone can. It’s just about being consistent I’ve found. And I realised that I had to change my life. I do enjoy what I eat, don’t get me wrong, but food is now something I do to fuel me and get nutrients in, nothing more.

@bahhamburgers huge congratulations. Please remind your critics you are not on a diet you are on a healthy eating programme and losing weight slowly and steadily. When I first started reading this thread today I thought you meant you'd lost 2 stones in 10 months (hadn't realised the thread started in sept 23)and was about to congratulate you for doing so well and I wished I'd lost 2 stones in that time...

Anyway I still wish I had. My problem is alcohol unfortunately. Too much so I need to take this on board.

Re the coeliac. Mum was diagnosed at 82!!!

I think you're very sensible not eating the GF food...it's rubbish. There are plenty of alternatives to eat and steak sounds delicious!

I'm 5'4 and 15.11 and need to get to about 11.7 which is still overweight but I'm 60 and will be comfortable at that weight.

You look fabulous in your photos...you look like me in the pre weight loss one 😢

I think you've just given my head a wobble.

Keep it up and congratulations to your husband on his sobriety.

You are both stars.

I used to drink a lot. I stopped completely cold Turkey. mainly as my dh had a real drinking problem and stopped too. I didn’t want to enable him to fail by still drinking.

Im not going to lie, I missed alcohol at first. I still do sometimes.

82 years old, that’s crazy!

Fabulous achievement, both you and your DH. It's such a shame your friends and family are being so negative - it can really only be jealousy, or your success has forced them to take a long hard look at themselves and they don't like what they see.

I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and my family were my biggest cheerleaders.

@WinterLobelia mine came on straight after covid at 60 in 2022. I was sat in Berlin eating a croissant and suddenly went really dizzy and buzzing round my mouth- almost like an electric shock. Then again 6 days later eating a piece of cake followed by an immense back of the head headache and a weak leg . After that suddenly got pins and needles all the time and dizziness and neck pain. Initially thought I had MS or something neuro degenerative but after multiple tests only showed up a bit of pre diabetes (now reversed) and high cholesterol doctor told me to try GF. Everytine I now have anything with gluten accidentally (or occasionally on purpose to test) I get the same things- GP told me she is seeing it way more in older people these days and isn't sure if it's Covid or the fact many of us have eaten a lot more of it in recent years with pasta, cakes, pasties etc. also wheat these days is often modified

Really well done @bahhamburgers ! I'm so happy for you! ❤

Just thought I would update as my BMI now no longer says obese, just overweight!

I know BMI isn’t the be all and end all, but mine was 54 when I started, now 29.6. I’ve seen obese flash up on my weight tracker for so long, it’s a joy to see over weight instead.

So, in a month, I’ve only lost 2lb. I am 12st 5 now. Still looking slimmer though, I’ve had to get rid of loads of clothes that are too big.

The coat I posted a photo of me in at Christmas is now so much looser - I can wear a big hoody under it now (fucks sake, it’s the end of April!)

Ive been reading a lot about cortisol and slow weight loss recently. my life is all high stress, especially over the last few years and nothing I can walk away from, it’s all down to me to sort out (legal matters etc).

Anyhow, still cracking on. I feel amazing though, so that’s something.

I just want to reach my goal of 10 stone by December.

Congratulations on keeping it up

Well done you, what an amazing thing. May I ask how you’ve lost this amount of weight? Was it calorie counting, meal replacement, lots of exercise or something different?
Also, is there a link between high cortisol and slow weight loss? I live an incredibly stressful life, and like you, cannot really do anything to change it. But it would help to know if there is another obstacle I’m up against!

@Mydoghealsmyheart yes, apparently there is a strong link.

It’s very boring I’m afraid. I eat no processed food, sugar (or fake sugar), no alcohol and only drink water abs green tea. I only use ghee, olive oil and coconut oil.

I usually do OMAD.

what I would typically eat in a day is:

A whole pot of kefir yogurt (or I’ve started drinking the bottled stuff)
Handful of almonds
a large steak/plain beef mince/falafel/red lentil daal/salmon/chicken with roasted veg (sprouts, cauliflower usually, or I will stir fry a cabbage).
A couple of times a month. I will make a beef or chicken curry with rice, or have a jacket potato with tuna (I am such a massive loser now that rice and potatoes are my “treat” meals once in a while 🤣).
I will have home made hummus and carrot sticks or I will make carrot and celery juice.
I also drink a tablespoon of olive oil with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, turmeric and a dash of black pepper (the Indian women in my family all did this, I just followed!)

If I really can’t be arsed, I’ll buy ready cut up carrots, hummus, aldi sweet potato falafel and maybe some salami and that’s my main meal along with the Kefir which I always have on an empty stomach.

I have said before, but I am coeliac and I don’t want to eat all the awful additives in gluten free food, so that cuts out bread/pasta (gf pasta is the work of the devil)/cakes/pizza/biscuits etc so that makes things a hell of a lot easier for me.

Well done and keep up the good work!

This is fabulous to read, OP. Well done!
I fairly recently lost 8 stone (from 19 to 11), probably by similar means to you - dietary changes, exercise and cutting out the crap. I've loved the gradual sense of being able to do things more easily - walk up hills etc.
As for the things people say ("You're too thin" when you're still a few stone heavier than they are), try to shrug them off. I think that sort of stuff has a few sources - envy, people feeling unsettled by the way you've changed, people's general fascination with others' weight - none of it needs to take away from the positives.