I have about 9 stone to lose and I need to make some changes now!!

[ReallyNeedToLoseWeightNow]

According to the NHS BMI calculator I am in the obese category and need to lose just over 9 stone to be at the top end of the healthy weight category 😬 Losing that much weight will be extremely difficult and will take years…
Having a quick look on Google it looks like it is realistic to lose 2 stone in 14-28 weeks so I am going to say that I will be happy if I have lost a stone by the end of August and 2 stone by December!! Obviously I will still have a long way to go even if I do achieve these goals but I think it is import to set realistic goals so that I can stay motivated and stick to it 🤞

I am going to start with 2-3 weeks of slimfast and then try to plan snacks and meals that match the slimfast calories once I am used to eating less. I am also going to try and start exercising and aim to start with half an hour 2-3 times a week and build it up as I get used to it.

I am so unhappy with now much weight I have gained, how I look and how I feel and I need to make some changes now!!

So easy. It’s the tiniest little needle on the end of a pen which you don’t even feel going in x

Why don't you start off with these changes then? Rather than also doing a stupid fad diet like slim fast. I'm a healthy weight and would probably not even last a day on slim fast, it's not nutritious or satisfying. You know what you need to do to get a kick start, you've listed it here.

If you watch Secret Eaters/ My 600lb Life or any other fat to thin programme it’s pretty easy to see the problem.
The link is always over processed junk food and drinks.
Theres no reason to have any takeaways is there ( aside from you fancy one). You can make burgers, fried chicken, Indian etc at home. It’s not the food you want, it’s the emulsified pulp mouth feel and marketing,
You can have cake, just make your own from flour, butter, sugar and eggs. Eat cream ( one ingredient) not shop bought ice cream

But also the jab is good. The needle is superfine and you don’t feel it.

Bless you love, I could’ve written this myself!! Honestly sat here nodding along to every word.

I’ve got about the same to lose and it just feels like this massive mountain doesn’t it? I keep saying I’ll start Monday and then it’s 3 months later and I’m still living off toast and Pepsi Max.

I think your plan sounds bang on — realistic and not too much pressure. I’ve tried going all in before and it lasts about 4 days then I’m back on the biscuits. Slimfast is a good shout to get into the routine, I did it last year and it helped me feel like I was actually doing something, if that makes sense.

Also love that you’re focusing on building up slowly with the exercise — I tried doing Joe Wicks once and nearly ended up in A&E.

You’re doing the right thing and you’ve clearly thought it through properly. Keep checking in, you’ve got support here. You’ve 100% got this!!

I think you need to address why you are eating so many take aways and processed food first. Limiting yourself to a couple a month isn’t doing that, and it won’t work. You need to change your attitude to food permanently, not just while you’re losing weight. It has to be a forever thing.

You said earlier that you rely on them because they’re quick and easy - so why do you need quick and easy food? I’m afraid you’re going to have to put some effort into buying and cooking healthy ingredients. And get into the habit of it. Otherwise you’ll just pile it all back on again.

Why do you say that? I get quite anxious about taking new medications and tend not to unless they’re prescribed by a doctor as you never know what the side effects will be 🤷‍♀️

Your doctor isn’t going to prescribe it though. Any questions need to be directed to your prescriber.

I don’t think the comment is fair. If you were not serious then why post on here? Mounjaro can only be prescribed by a doctor or a licences pharmacist which have strict criteria so hopefully that will reassure you slightly. It’s not for everyone and you will find your own way ❤️ (but it has been a godsend to me) x

That’s true actually, I’ll have to get some low calorie options!!

I definitely need to make my portions smaller!! I will also try filling up half of my plate with vegetables so that it doesn’t feel/look like I’m having a lot less to eat 🤔

What types of things do you have for your lunches and snacks?

Pom Bears are great!! I don’t like nuts unfortunately :(

This is what I’m thinking!! I can’t just stop having junk food and fizzy drinks altogether as I’ll just end up thinking about them all the time until I give up at some point 🙈

I just don’t think I really understand it as surely you’d either have to be on it forever or you’ll just gain the weight again when you stop? I think I am going to try and lose weight the regular way and if I haven’t lost a stone by August I will go to the doctors and ask them for advice 🤔

This might work for you but for other people daily weighing is very helpful. There's no right or wrong.

Mounjaro is prescribed by a doctor! Just not your local GP

Will you have to be on it forever then?

Maybe 🤷🏼‍♀️
it's better than being obese

I understand what you’re saying but surely most people don’t eat nothing but healthy food every day forever?

I definitely won’t be weighing myself daily though I would become too obsessed 😬

Everything that I have read says that to lose weight and keep it off, it is best to lose no more than 1-2 pounds a week 🤷‍♀️

But isn’t that different? You were prescribed a medication because you have diabetes rather than just taking it to make you feel less hungry so you can lose weight?

I think a lot of the time when I eat junk food/snacks it is more of a boredom thing than actually being hungry so it probably wouldn’t work for me anyway if it just stops you from feeling hungry 🙈

The slimfast is more to get me used to not just randomly eating all of the time but you are right that these will be the most important changes that I need to make!!

That's not how Mounjaro works. It balances your blood sugars among other things so you don't feel like snacking and you don't crave sweet or carby food like you do without it.

I mean good luck if you want to do slimfast and willpower. Evidence shows that neither of those options are long term effective. But give it a go if that's what you want to do. Much better to plan 3 calorie counted, balanced meals to hit 500 calorie deficit per day than waste time and money on slimfast in my opinion.

It’s so hard isn’t it? 😫

Thank you!! I think that’s exactly it!! If I tell myself that I can’t have any takeaways/fast food/unhealthy snacks/desserts and fizzy pop ever again then I’m not even going to last a week as it just isn’t realistic 🙈🙈 I think that’s how I feel about the slimfast too!! I need something easy to stick to to start this 🤔

Exercise is so hard isn’t it? 😬 I used to go to classes at the gym all the time before lockdown and then I just never really did anything much again 🙈

Are you trying to lose weight at the moment? We should try to support each other in our journeys as we sound quite similar!!

Keep it simple. Choose 7 meals you’ll really look forward to for the week. Add dessert if you want. But then stop eating. Nil by mouth as they say in hospital.

The point is to get your body in fat burning mode every day, which it switches to when it hasn’t had sugar for about 14 hours. When we munch from morning to night it doesn’t get a chance.

It’s life changing! But I appreciate it sounds weird and daunting. It’s completely safe and saves you loads of time and money.

I think it is mainly laziness tbh… the takeaways usually happen when we get home late/after a long day and neither of us can be bothered cooking a meal. I used to do batch cooking so I think I will start doing that again and then I can get things cooked on a day when I’m not doing much and it can be taken out, defrosted and heated up in the same amount of time it would take to order and wait for a takeaway!!

You will save so much money. Stop getting take aways entirely. Put the money you would have spent towards a nice holiday or something. Every week put away what you would have spent.

You can get healthier meals that take minutes to cook. For example you can get frozen paella and risotto bags in Waitrose. Even some ready meals are ok. Take aways are always full of calories!

Just go to your doctor now if you want referred to the weight loss clinic. Not much point in waiting until August, I have been on a list for 2 years so far with no appointments forthcoming. That said I have it under control myself now so when my appointment does come through I will decline of all is still going well.

There are lots of low calorie quick options. We also work long hours and so like the microwavable Tesco low calorie meals. Things like spag bol, lasagne, carbonara, tikka masala, all under 400 calories.

If we have more time we do stir fry with spiralised courgette instead of noodles.

If I need a sweet hit, hartleys jelly pots are good at just 7cal.

For breakfast I find a muller yoghurt with porridge oats and grapes/strawberries fills me up nicely.

If I'm travelling and so no chance for breakfast I'll have a meal replacement bar or a slim fast shake (although I use the tesco own brand versions as they're nicer).

I use my fitness pal to track my calories, I almost put myself into a competition with myself and that works..

Sure that’s why I said personally I feel. Each to their own x