Lots to lose - I need motivation and I need something I can stick to

[BigPandaTinyDragon]

I've had a really stressful few years - house move, death, divorce - plus I'm early 50s and have given up smoking. All of this means I'm the heaviest I've ever been and it's not good.

I've booked my first sunshine holiday for years in September and it's a great goal to try and get thinner/healthier for. But I've tried so many times and always get frustrated by the restriction and how much time I have to spend thinking about food when it should be the opposite!

How can I make it different this time? I'm thinking of trying Slimpod but my head already says it wont work so that feels like a barrier from the beginning. I've done well with WW in the past but again I hate the restrictive way of eating and all the counting/planning.

I really need this to work, I'm worried about my health and I've lost all confidence in myself because I look so bad.

Any advice very gratefully received :)

The only thing that has ever worked for me is 5:2 (eating normally on 5 days but restricting calories to only 500 on two non consecutive days a week.) The reason it worked for me was because I hate constantly thinking about restricting myself - I think it made me eat more because I kept thinking about it.

5:2 worked for me because on the (admittedly not fun) 500 calorie days, I would just think to myself that I just had to get through that one day because the next day I could eat normally. I lost half a stone in about 6 weeks (which is what I was aiming for.)

I did find Noom helpful, and also I’ve taken up swimming three times a week and walking and gardening. The swimming is exhausting because I’m not noodling up and down the pool, I make it a hard slog.

The exercise helps because you look more toned and trim quite quickly so I feel better and look better without actually losing much weight. And it helps me achieve net calorie deficit. And it’s motivation as I see what I look like in that damned swimming costume three times a week!

Sorry, just to add, I could potentially have lost more in that 6 weeks but on the 500 calorie days I wasn’t restricting my diet at all, so ate burgers and chips and drank wine etc. But ironically I think that helped me be much stricter on the restricted eating days. I also found that over the 6 weeks I got used to eating less and so by the time I lost the weight I wanted, my normal eating days were better that they had be and my appetite seemed to have fallen. That allowed me to maintain with no problems.

its not right for everyone but after my weight creeping up and up until I was in the obese category I tried Mounjaro. It’s been great- total game changer. I still have a long way to go but have been steadily losing for months and am confident I will get to goal as the Mounjaro just gets rid of food cravings.

All of this means I'm the heaviest I've ever been and it's not good

right first things first

the reason why you have piled on weight is because you ate far too much and did minimal movement

once you are honest with what the issue was… you can attack it. Otherwise the next hurdle in life and you’ll be in same position again.

It sounds like you've been through a lot and it's completely understandable to feel overwhelmed. Making sustainable changes to your lifestyle can be challenging, but it's absolutely possible.
Focus on Health, Not Just Weight: Instead of solely focusing on the number on the scale, shift your focus to overall health and well-being. This can include making healthier food choices, being more active, and managing stress.

@loveroflentils you're spot on but it’s harder to make good choices when things are stressful. Definitely food (!) for thought though, I can’t keep shifting the blame.

Hi, Only just seen this, sorry. I've done Slimpod with great success after nothing else worked or was sustainable. It's great because it makes you think about food less not more and v WW, no restrictions, tracking etc (which, like you, really did me in). Definitely worth trying it at least. There's loads of support too. I've lost all the weight I wanted to and more, am maintaining etc because I've actually changed, I haven't just managed to stick to a restrictive plan by sheer willpower. It's not a quick fix but you could make a big change by September as that's the core 12 weeks of Slimpod and a few more weeks away. You do need to throw yourself into it and it's a long term lifestyle change. Go for it!

If you don't like all the counting with WW and similar, then don't do it, because you won't stick to it. Personally, I do really well with mini-goals.

I did 2 shakes and a healthy 600 calorie meal until I lost the first 2 stone in around 11 weeks. It worked well because I knew there was an end date and it gave me something to work towards.

I swapped over to calorie counting and lost the remaining 3 stone over six months. I told myself I could take a break after each half a stone but I was usually so motivated, I kept going to the next target.

Think about what works for you and what doesn't and be proactive about it. I can't have little 100-calorie treats when dieting because they just make me want more. But it works for some. During the shake phase, I avoided eating out, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stick to a low cal meal. Only you know what your 'triggers' might be.

You can do this!

Thank you! I bit the (calorie-free) bullet and signed up to Slimpod last night. Not sure if I’m imagining it but I’m sure I’ve felt less inclined to snack so far today 🤔

I'm going to have a look at this. Like you I've tried everything.

Hi @BigPandaTinyDragon , how is it going on Slimpod?

I hardly dare say it but it’s going well! I don’t understand it but I just seem to be making better choices - I actually found myself taking the biscuit tin down the other day then thinking, no I don’t really want this.

I’ve had a relatively calm couple of weeks so that is always a bonus, will be interesting to see how well I cope when work is really busy or I have a lot of family commitments or something stressful happens - that’s when I tend to comfort eat.

I’d really recommend giving the trial a go, I don’t know if I’ve actually lost anything as I’m trying to break the reliance on the scales but it feels like something has switched in my head which is what I’ve been wanting for years.

@BigPandaTinyDragon That's fantastic news! So pleased for you. As per my post above I've done it with great success. I have the streak counter on for the weightloss pod (the only pod I use) and I'm on day 371 of SP now and have lost all the weight but it's had far more benefits than just that e.g. better health, stronger as I exercise regularly now, more positive and all round happier. I'd tried everything before SP and it's the only thing that has ever really resonated with me, has actually worked and feels sustainable. I didn't find it to be all about willpower, like you I just started to think I don't really want that any more (or "we don't do that now" as I've seen on SP). Definitely keep going!! (re the scales, I do weigh but only to see trends, not day to day numbers which can leap up and down, and it has helped me see I'm on the right track). To anyone else reading this, the free trial is worth a go at the very least. (I don't work for SP but I do want to shout about it because it has helped me so much!)

(@BigPandaTinyDragon I'm same age as you btw and it's definitely not too late to make a change!)

Can I join please! 😃

OP - you sound like you've had a tough time of it, I don't blame you for not focusing on your weight until now, that's a lot to handle!

I'm so so so fed up, had a rant to my DH this morning about how miserable I am, yet can't seem to do anything to change it.

I seem to stick to something new for a few weeks then dwindle out of it again. It's draining!

I've tried absolutely everything, from WW, calorie counting, fasting, 5:2, intuitive eating, shakes, you name it!

I need a lifestyle change where I can just trust myself to not eat crap and make good food choices! But I just have zero motivation and my brain hurts from constantly constantly thinking about food! Wether that's how much I've eaten, how much I need to restrict to lose the weight, how much I need to change. There's always something I need to think about and it's stressing me out big time.

For example, yesterday I went shopping, tried on a size 20 and it just looked absolutely AWFUL! And it made me so unhappy, but instead of being "right that's it!!!" I went and ate a whole pizza for lunch 🙄

What is wrong with me! 🤦🏻‍♀️

One meal a day. I find it the easiest way.

Agreed. It's the only thing that's ever worked for me. I've lost 6.5 stone so far and still going.

@Mumofone7 you sound so like me, it’s really hard isn’t it - the one thing I want to do is not think about food but everything seems to revolve around it. I would definitely recommend giving Slimpod a go (promise I don’t work for them!) It’s not expensive compared to other methods and I do feel like it could work.

Ah it's so stressful. I just seem to go round in circles!

I went out today and was set for a new day, ready to make good choices and feel better, but I fell at the first hurdle and had a massive slab of chocolate cake 😭 I don't even think I really wanted it! I feel like I need to fast for a day just to let my body reset. I've got awful tummy ache and bloating from all the rubbish I've eaten! Still doesn't stop me! I wish there was a switch in my head to make me stop thinking about food!

Haha, I'll give it a go, I need to look into it a bit more. The idea of the weightloss injections really don't appeal to me. I know they've worked wonders for loads of people but I just don't want to go down that route!

Hope you've had a good day!

I don’t like the idea of injections either, they don’t deal with why you overeat or eat the wrong things and I’m not convinced they’re a healthy way to lose.