Fat and fed up

[MyFridgeIsRed]

Starting this as a bit of an accountability chat for myself, do feel free to join because I'm sure I can't be the only one feeling like this.
I've had enough being overweight, I'm only five foot two, and I'm close to 90kg.
This is the worst I've felt in a long long time, I've stayed between 80 and 87kg for the last 5 years and it's been fine, but now those extra few kilos are having an effect, maybe it's age (mid 30s) or maybe I've just had enough.
I don't even want to be thin, I just want to be 80kg again.
I find it hard because I'm very lucky that I don't have any concerns about how my body looks, I'll happily wear a bikini for example, no matter what my size is. It's just physically I can feel how much bigger I am and I don't like feeling unfit.
I won't use jabs, I refuse to do a fad diet or cut anything out, I know I need to reduce what I'm consuming and up my activity levels, but the reality is it's hard.
It's a bit of a difficult time in life right now, I've got a busy household, a full time job, there aren't enough hours in the day to be weighing food or cooking separately for myself.
So my goal from tomorrow is to have a sensible lunch, try and keep it below 400 calories, and a portion of dinner without going back for seconds.
Also zero snacking, or at least just stick to fruit, no more than 2 coffees (although I have no sugar and it's only semi skimmed milk), I don't eat breakfast anyway.
Charge up my watch and track my steps, dust off the treadmill and just hit 8000 steps a day no matter what.
If I can do that for a week I can reassess and add things in. I used to love a workout and the high it gives me.
So changing starting from tomorrow, small, consistent things that will make a difference.

Im
the same height as you and have been losing weight by eating a late breakfast, lunch and dinner of 400 cals each, walking 8000 steps at least every day. Just make sure your meals are mainly protein and fibre and it works. I’ve had no cravings doing this and normally I love my crisps and toast.

Sending you good vibes! I have lost a lot over the last year or so (95-65kg) and did admittedly use jabs alongside a total overhaul of lifestyle.

I was only thinking this morning what I would advise myself if I were to do it without and my personal experience is to have a massive, high protein breakfast. For me, that is a shake with protein powder, Greek yoghurt, berries, banana etc. but it could be something else. I wouldn’t say I was a breakfast person but taking in so much earlier in the day completely stops me from snacking or feeling hard done by.

I think the steps are a really good idea. I have also been doing a programme which covers strength and Pilates and have seen a massive change in my body composition even before the weight came off which was very satisfying!

Kindly, refusing to cut anything out and not counting your calories isn’t going to work.

You need to work out how many calories you need a day to lose weight, count your calories and eat healthily. Most weight loss will be from nutrition.
Exercise is a tool to use alongside it.

We all have busy lives and jobs, but you have to make the time for it. If it matters to you, you’ll do it,

Also, there’s no shame in using medication as a tool to lose weight.

I lost a huge amount of weight & had skin removal surgery in December. Since then I’ve really let things go & have gained weight over the last 8 months. As of yesterday, I’ve made a conscious effort to eat less. I’ve eaten dinner tonight off a side plate so a significant reduction of volume, calories etc.

Im with you on making an effort!

I hear you OP, with two young kids and working almost full time, I'm the biggest I've been and I really want it lose weight and her fitter. But everytime I try to get into a routine something gets in the way, like this week I've got some sort of bug so can't workout. No time/energy/motivation to calorie count. I keep thinking just eat less, move more. But never quite get it.

Hello, F&F up is exactly what I am. Just put on my jeans as a little fresh out and they hurt to close. Am 5 8 and to my shame have hit 200lb. I am obese. Age 48 and definitely peri and on hrt. My vices are cheese and binge eating. My cals are always over 2000k and I used to be able to gym/ walk that off or balance with very low days that is no longer an option. I am away this weekend and going to be fair- drinking more than usual but even that is not crazy. I need to cal count, eat 5 fruit and veg and get close to 100g protein. I do get 10k steps in but I could do with getting more and while I yoga and Pilates I also need to weight train steadily too. After this weekend I have a clear diary to really focus and will use here as a sounding board. I came here for group support and when I saw fat and fed up I knew I found my people. Thanks for setting this up @MyFridgeIsRed

A very sensible decision, OP. It will work wonders for your overall health. I am tall. I do not exercise at all due to a chronic illness. In the last 2 years I have gone from 125Kg to 78kg. I am very nearly at a healthy weight now. What I have done is reduce carbs like bread, potato and pasta and increased vegetables. I eat mainly lean protein. I have bulked up meals with lentils and other pulses - they are nutritious, low calorie and cheap. I also eat more nuts, seeds and olive oil (‘good’ fats). In summary a low carb Mediterranean diet.

There is no need to eat separate meals.

The British diet is very carb heavy. Carbs turn into glucose in your body. Refined carbs such as white bread and white pasta are converted into glucose extremely quickly and therefore spike your blood sugar. This is good if you happen to be doing very vigorous exercise, but otherwise the excess energy will be turned into fat. So if you do have carbs, focus on unrefined ones such as wholemeal bread and pasta. However some people will convert even these into glucose extremely quickly- I know I do because I bought a blood sugar monitor and wore it for a couple of weeks. It was eye-opening. (I don’t have diabetes but I think I would be heading that way if I had not changed my diet).

good luck, Op!

This should work if you stay in a defecit and only want to lose 2 stones. The question will be can you maintain and lose consistently, say at a pound a week based on your plan, although the first week should be bigger, it would be 6 months, and then you need to continue to eat much less than you do now to maintain.

you’ve not explained why you wouldn’t use the medication, and wish to do it in a way you personally find difficult, are you contra indicated or is it cost? There is no prize for struggling. The drugs don’t melt the fat off, they just enable you to stick to your diet, and not have the cravings and hunger that usually means we don’t succeed.

I’ve just started ordering frive meals as to be honest it’s not much dearer than shopping at the minute and the quality is 10/10 really tasty. Highly recommend. Have you looked into the oral wegovy if you’re doing it on Oxford online pharmacy it’s half the price of the injections. Might just help you get started (assuming there’s no contraindications).

I’d also add, that as much as weight is a personal preference, getting to 80 kg is still a bmi of just over 32, and in the obese range. No judgement on wishing this, but I’ve been there, and as we get older it does have significant health impacts. That do need to be considered, it isn’t about the aesthetics, it’s about our health.

If you take wegovy or similar it helps you do a 5:2 type diet that helps you lose weight a bit quicker than the daily large calorie deficit.

Did you know that using smaller plates reportedly tends to result in weight loss?

https://sparq.stanford.edu/solutions/use-smaller-plates-smaller-waist