Has anyone given up on losing weight?

[Peae]

Just that really. I mean, I know for health reasons I should continue to try to improve my diet, but I’m genuinely starting to think I will never shift these stones.

I have an d have now decided to go for a gastric sleeve.

No, because I’ve lost weight before so I know it can be done. I just need to try harder as it’s got harder to lose as I’ve got older. But almost everyone can lose weight with willpower.
I will keep trying!

Not given up but i don’t have high hopes.

I’ve become barrel shaped, assume it’s thanks to the perimenopause. I joined a gym a couple of months ago and have been doing classes 4-5 times a week, cut my alcohol consumption and not lost a single lb.

I have. I've lost and regained so many times in my 57 years. I lost 5.5st and kept it off from age 50 to 55 and I felt so well and loved getting dressed every day. Sadly, friends, family and casual acquaintances repeatedly told me I was too thin. I felt foolish, knowing I probably didn't look my best but everyone must have thought that i thought I looked amazing! It was, however, incredibly hard to maintain and when a new Medication increased my appetite I didn't fight it. I feel sluggish and fat but haven't the energy to go through it all again.

I have at the moment. I've lost and regained the same 2 stone so many times now. I know I look and feel better when I weigh less but life is so hectic at the moment and I'm not willing to give up the few things that bring me enjoyment - I.e chocolate, wine and the occasional takeaway. I hope that as my young dc get older and I get a bit more 'me time' I might find the willpower to try and steadily lose again but right now, meh.

@DGPP i have read so much about it not being down to willpower, because no willpower can compete with our obesogenic environments our stress-ridden lifestyles. And I have done so much to address this, including changing job to one with 50% my previous salary.

I was thinking last night I might have to accept myself at this weight. But this morning the scales were the lowest they have been in a while.

That being said I have had gastric sleeve and am on a maintenance dose of ozempic

@Muchtoomuchtodo i hear you regarding being barrel-shaped! I have literally grieved for my pre-menopause size 8 figure ☹️☹️

(And just to acknowledge everyone who has replied. I hear you).

I have been completely off the rails for two weeks (months?) now. I just needed a fucking break from it all.
But summer is beckoning and I am back to my heaviest, so I continue with the Little Habits and Little Changes.

I’m struggling with this too, really unhappy with the weight gain over the last year, from size 14/16-20/22. Really want to reverse it, but struggling to manage it. As I have got older (55+) it has has got progressively harder.

wish I get surgery but can’t afford it, injections are not long term as weight returns when they stop. But I like the idea probably as it feels easy.

im not good at exercise and already cook separate meals daily for autistic eaters. Just can’t do 3 separate meals daily.

im too sedentary and eat too much chocolate 🍫 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have tried mutual support groups on WhatsApp and what not, but I reckon from the research I’ve read, I would probably really benefit from a face-to-face group.
Ive even dreamed of attending AA and saying vodka instead of chocolate. (And I really don’t mean any disrespect, I’m not being flippant).

I stopped dieting about 5 years ago. I’ve been powerlifting for 3 years. I stopped weighing myself regularly and focused on other things like my strength, body shape and nutrition - particularly focused on increasing my protein intake and reducing my carbs, especially refined carbs to fuel my exercise rather than dieting to lose weight. In the last two years I’ve dropped a dress size, significantly increased what I can lift. I feel better in myself and more confident…and I weighed myself for the first time in ages recently, in the last two years I’ve lost 3 stone! If you’re fed up with dieting and diet culture, I recommend checking out Rebelfit.

The problem is that there is too much bad advice out there by companies and individuals wanting to sell various products. Similarly there is bad advice by many people on here doing various fad diets that will 99% of the time be unsustainable (yes IF I am looking at you too).

Do as follows

Eat lean meats, fish, veg, nuts, seeds, some but not too much fruit, potatoes, rice and pasta.

Cut out processed food as much as possible. Try to avoid snacking on cakes, crisps etc

Cut out alcohol, fizzy drinks and limit fruit juices etc as much as possible

Try and do some high quality exercise a few times a week. ie not slow walking and calling it a workout.

= lose weight

I do wonder if I can keep doing this, it takes up so much of my mental energy. But I also know it’ll impact my health if I don’t and then I worry that I will always feel like I’m on a diet to maintain if I do manage to lose weight.

Weightlifting was great for me in my thirties. Kept me strong and slim and confident for years.
i still weightlift twice a week nowadays, but it’s not beating this tummy.

I didn't even bother trying. Honestly, I feel like there's an element of self harm to it. If I accidentally lose weight and someone comment ls I binge eat. I actually lost 3 stone in pregnancy and regained it plus 3 additional stone. I eat because I'm unhappy. I look at myself which makes me even more unhappy and I eat more. If I think about diet I eat. If I'm sad I eat. Of I'm happy I eat. On the plus side I don't drink, smoke or take drugs. I would love a gastric sleeve but it's impossible to actually get a GP appointment to dicuss anything.

Can’t believe I never thought of this! I’m cured!

I do wonder if I can keep doing this, it takes up so much of my mental energy. But I also know it’ll impact my health if I don’t and then I worry that I will always feel like I’m on a diet to maintain if I do manage to lose weight.

I agree with this completely, apart from I’d replace, “always on a diet” with “always having to avoid bad choices”.

@NeurodivergentBurnout I'm also a big fan of not weighing, it's been such a revelation! You realise there's a kind of slavery to the scales that most women are party to.

With some exceptions for people like athletes, there's no need to weigh yourself if you are in touch with your body. You can just look down or look in a mirror naked instead to find out what you need to know. And look at how your clothes fit and whether your body is doing what you need it to do. That way you're not a slave to an ever-fluctuating number.

I hear you @ChangeAgain2 !

I don't see that as giving up, it's just taking another path. If you don't mind me asking, are you not considering Wegovy/Mounjaro first?

I know everyone is different but I have lost over 8lbs in a month with Slimming World; I have completely changed how I eat. No mindless crisps, chocolate etc and far more veg.

Agree with pp that less in + more exercise = loss of weight but it really isn't that easy, some people have restricted movement or hectic lifestyles etc.

i've just completed a month on 1200
calories and not lost a thing, i'm not willing to drop to 1000 or below so i'll give up (again)