Where do I start? Losing weight on a budget

[nadine90]

My weight has been steadily increasing since late 20s. Combination of factors, I assume my metabolism slowed, comfort eating after a bad breakup, lack of childcare to go to the gym (single parent), financial difficulties etc. I seemed to stop gaining at the 14 stone mark and have sort of settled into it. Well I stepped on the scales yesterday and am now over 15st - at 5 foot 5. I’m so annoyed at myself for getting here and struggling to know where to start to tackle this. I need to lose at least 5 stone to get back to a healthy weight/size. I’m a student on a low income, I can’t afford weight loss injections (I really wish I could!). I don’t drive, I have an expensive gym in walking distance (still half the price of injections), cheaper council ones a bus away (which I’m not sure I’ll stick to going to). I could walk for free, but how much walking is enough in lieu of gym/classes/swimming etc. Two very fussy kids to feed. I’ve got into such a rut. I know common sense is eat less cals than I burn. I’m wondering how other people on low incomes have kickstarted their weight loss journeys? Have you any tips? Any recommendations for filling, low cal/high protein AFFORDABLE recipes I can cook for just me? Snacks to replace chocolate? Thanks in advance!

Concentrate on your food intake first, exercise alone won't make a difference.

Start by keeping a food diary of everything (absolutely everything!) that you eat and - if you have time - why you ate it and how you felt afterwards. Knowing your eating patterns is a really good way of starting to regain control.

You can also log your food on My Fitness Pal (or similar app) to see what easy food swaps you can make.

Exercise is the most important thing.

Exercise - walking and some basic resistance training at home - will make a huge difference

Recent research has shown that exercise has a similar impact on appetite as weight loss injections.

Exercise improves sleep and lowers stress levels
Helps shrink fat cells
Maintains or increases muscle which in turn impacts metabolism
Changes your body shape
Is critical to weight loss maintenance

Make sure you take body measurements or perhaps find super tight pieces of clothing as body changes through exercise may not be fully evident on the scales.

Food wise the simplest steps are to either reduce portion sizes (I did that with smaller bowls and plates), only eat processed carbs / high sugar after you have already consumed vegetables and protein and reduce processed carbs as much as you can.

I agree that diet should be the main focus first. Walking is great for fitness and well-being, but won’t add much to your possible calorie deficit.

There are free versions of apps like MyFitnessPal as the PP has mentioned where you can track calories and compare to your TDEE.

You could have whatever the protein component you’re giving your children and have that with salad or veg for you instead of the carbs.

Portion size mainly if you can’t afford to eat really healthy. No snacks, 3 meals a day or two and lots of water/coffee, cut out sugar, switch to sweetener if really needed. Cut down on dairy, use my fitness pal.Walking is the best exercise you can do and it’s free. If you have a smart tv loads of exercises on YouTube.

Why am I not surprised that someone is trying to push their discount code, even when the OP has said that paying for injections is not possible!

Thank you all.
I really can’t afford the injections and I wouldn’t want to try and get friends to buy them as it’s such a personal choice and have close friends who have EDs. Perhaps if I’m still overweight after I qualify and am earning more I would consider them as a last resort then. I do use my fitness pal to track, but I’m not sure how accurate I can be logging things like butter/peanut butter/grated cheese etc. So maybe I need to cut those things down more. I will try and get out walking every day and cut down on carbs. I think part of my problem is not eating enough through the day and then overeating out of hunger. I’m also on medication for anxiety/sleep that I really can’t be without which does increase hunger.
Has anyone tried things like slimming world? I’m wondering if some extra accountability would help

Before paying for things like SW or WW have you had a look to see what your local NHS weight management service might offer for free? In my area there are apps and schemes you can sign up for via the NHS that otherwise would be paid for. Worth a look?

I did Slimming World and went from 13stones to 8 stones in about 6 months. I ate loads of jacket potatoes with baked beans and vegetables at first, followed by a muller light with a banana in the evenings. I drank loads of water and walked a lot. I reduced the potion sizes slightly every 3/4lbs. I am still a similar weight 5 years later, but I do roughly the same amount of exercise as before. You can do this x

*portion! It wasn't a magic spell!

Also, if you like cheese, weigh out a smallish amount, I think it was 30g back then. Grate it afterwards and garnish your food with it.

Have a look at @ ESGfitness on Instagram. She’s got absolutely loads of podcasts and free resources for losing weight in a reasonably sustainable way.

I do acknowledge my methods wouldn't work for everyone, it's important to find something that works for you OP.

Oh if only! X

Thank you, there is an exercise referral scheme which I’ve self referred for but it is a very long waiting list and none of the centres are close by (it’s the same council run gyms I mention in my op). It would be helpful, especially motivation wise x

Just reread and clocked you lost 5 stone in 6m! That’s incredible! I might join my local group just to see, I think having people to talk to irl would be helpful. I struggle to speak to friends and family as friends just tell me I’m lovely as I am and family are so judgmental it makes me want to demolish a giant bar of dairymilk in front of them as a FU 😅 x

but I’m not sure how accurate I can be logging things like butter/peanut butter/grated cheese

A cheap kitchen scale is your best friend! Guesstimating can be wildly inaccurate.

Why not try intermittent fasting? Its free!

Start by reducing your meals to only eat between 12-8pm so earlyish lunch and normal dinner.

You can then still eat with the family in the evening.

If you bulk up your meals with the veg component and drink more water plus the exercise this might well be enough.

Personally I find that breakfast only makes me hungier earlier, especially if it's carb based so I just skip it in favour of tea/coffee now and then only eat when my body tells me I'm really hungry which is usually between. 12-3pm.

This is not my area, but it was things like the Glogi scheme available in Brighton & Hove for example that I was thinking of:

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/support-improve-your-health/help-get-healthy-weight

I have one but the faff of scooping butter/peanut butter into a bowl and trying to weigh it before spreading on my toast - I just end up not bothering. Or I weigh it and then end up needing a bit more and then not counting it. But yes, obviously not knowing how much of these things I’m consuming isn’t helpful so I should probably avoid it on days I can’t be bothered faffing x

The Noom app is working wonders for me (not free, except for the trial 2 weeks but I am guessing probably cheaper than the injections.)

@nadine90 I put the plate on the scales and then put the peanut butter straight on!

What does it do? I have gone through the filling in bit of noom and then backed out when I realised the cost. I don’t mind paying if it’s worth it, I just couldn’t work out how it would help x

Intermittent fasting. It’s free!
Walking is free.

I think I need better scales, I will have a look for some. Thank you x