If you only had a small amount to lose (around a stone) what worked best for you?

[MissAtomicBomb1]

I'm 4ft 11 with a bmi of 29. Ideally I'd like to lose around a stone.

I've been using my fitness pal for the last few months. My calories are set at around 1200 a day. I don't eat breakfast, have a salad for lunch then the same dinner as the rest of the family, but a smaller portion. So a version of calorie counting but also fasting from 6pm until 11 or 12 the next day.

I've cut out snacks but have a takeaway & wine on a Saturday. I occasionally eat out but this isn't every week.

I'm really struggling to shift the weight at all. My weight has stayed pretty much the same. I'm 43 now and it's never been this hard to shift a couple of pounds 😞 I feel as though I can't cut my calories back much further.its boring as it is!

Looking for what has helped others. Don't really want to join a gym as I'm not sporty at all but will if I have to!

I don’t think you’ll lose on 1200 calories a day. I am 5’2” but have to go to 800 or 1000 calories a day to lose weight. I consume about 1400 a day to maintain.

I do pretty much as you're doing, but I accept that 1200 is only going to result in a very slow loss. I'm 5'4 and 64. I've been struggling since my daughter was born 22 years ago. It's much harder when you're older. I'm not overweight, but maintaining is really tough, because the minute you slip off the wagon you know it's going to be a real battle to get back on it! I'm constantly fighting a muffin top. 😥

I’m 5’2 and recently lost a stone working with an online nutrition and PT program. I was on 1500 cals initially and it tapered down to 1200 as I lost more weight but didn’t need to go below that to lose.
I think the key factors for me were:
12,000 steps a day
3-4 gym weights/resistance workouts per week
1.5-2 litres of water per day
tracking all calories meticulously - weigh food and record every bite! It’s so easy to forget or underestimate so the less you are guessing the better. This was very very boring and tedious but I do think it is vital.
finally, SLEEP - I was exhausted before and my coach evaluated my sleep and recovery and I started going to bed at 930 with no screens from 9pm. It revolutionised my energy, my eating, everything fell into place.

I'm 5' 5 and maintain on 1500, I do lose on 1200 but slowly, and it's better if I do 5:2 or cut down to around 800-1000

Edit to add this is with regular exercise IE gym

Dropping carbs and eating vegetables and protein. For me eggs for breakfast and then either chicken/beef etc protein and vegetables and salad.

With the eggs I’m not hungry until about 1 or 2 pm.

Slimming World - followed it to the letter and I lost a stone fairly easily (I say fairly because cutting down on the carbs and cakes was not easy for me!). Calorie counting is not for me.

5:2 diet and going to the gym worked for that, but slowly (took about 12 weeks)

Similar results with 12 weeks of 1200 cals a day diet but I found that more onerous than 5:2

I'm 46 (and just over 5ft) and have resigned myself that I'm basically going to have to spend 3 months a year on a diet to keep under 10 stone and drop a stone, then put it back on. Just trying to avoid having to lose more than a stone at a time

Body Coach app. You will lose inches rather than pounds which I am guessing is what you really want. I have been doing it for 2 weeks and although I have only lost a couple of pounds I have dropped a dress size and am back in jeans I have not worn in 3 years ! There's no calorie counting. Just low carb diet and HIIT workouts 4/5 times a week. I can already see my abs again after a 2 year absence.

I could do more if I exercise but I have a very sedentary lifestyle. I would love to make changes eventually, though.

I have been wondering about the 5:2. I think I need to do some research on it.

Slimming world.

I'm 51. In meno. 3 kids aged 26 20 and 16 due to get married in October. I've always had a high metabolism and been very lucky even after the kids. Always about 10 stone I'm 5'5". Meno has effed it right up! Went to 11.5 stone. I joined a gym for the first time I'm my life this year. I really don't like it but I made myself go 2irh rhe OH and ate much better and found that a couple of 5 mile walks a week made a real change in my body shape. Lost inches rather than much weight. I lost about a lb a week and in 8 weeks that made a dint. Now I'm stuck. And I gave up a bit. Other things to do atm. But I will get back to it and honestly the walking and about 1200 a day really done it for me