Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[hellymedic]

Losing weight on little/no exercise is easier than you think!

it's easier to tolerate being 'a bit hungry' and you don't get catastrophic 'bonk'.

Make sure food is out of sight and out of reach between meals.

[Paul H]

I decided - again - that something must be done. I was talking to my Aussie daughter about this and she, who works in health policy, suggested an online programme called Noom* as it has, apparently, had a lot of good results.

How's that going?
Considering something along those lines and Noom is one of those on the short list.

It's OK, it you can stomach the USAnian-ness of it.

Since early July I've lost about 1 st 10lb.

Congrats on the weight loss.
Despite the success, your opinion of Noom didn't appeal, I've signed up to give Second Nature a try.
I can do the weight loss without help, once I've determined to, it's the long term sustainability that I've not mastered.  I've achieved my ideal weight three times in the last decade, but never maintained it for a year. 

 

[hellymedic]

IMHO sustainability is a matter of habit.

I lost about 15kg in 2012-13 and have kept at least half of this off up to now.

I'm not exercising at all because I can't and what applies well for me might not necessarily work for those on the move.

I think the interval between feeds is critical. Unless you are exercising intensely, you do NOT need to eat more ofter than every 4 hours; if you can extend this gap, even better.

When you do eat, make sure the portion sizes are small to medium, with modest carbohydrate portions.

Keep food out of sight & reach between meals. Have meals sitting down, in company, using proper cutlery & crockery.

[L CC]

Second Nature stresses the importance of building good habits. That's mostly what it's about - we all know what we should be eating, it's getting into the habit of doing it..

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

9 kilos lighter since buying the turbo trainer in March. Not a big eater/drinker anyway.

[crowriver]

WFH seems to take up a lot of time, not all of it productive. I'm eating fewer sweets, chocolate and crisps, having generally more balanced meals. However I'm hardly cycling at the moment, and not much walking either. I have lost about 5kg since I hit peak weight in May during the first lockdown, but only because I've been doing 5:2 intermittent fasting. Otherwise I'd be even more whale-like than currently.

Something of a contrast to seven years ago, when I managed to lose about 13kg within a year. I was riding quite a few audaxes, and generally more active. I think age is a factor too though - seems to be getting harder to shed the kilos as each year passes...

[De Sisti]

At the angiologist today, he asks my height and weight and I tell him, adding "BMI's a bit higher than it should be", he says "nah, it's fine, you're thin". I say " ?", he says "yeah, slightly overweight is thin these days".

During a telephone consultation, my GP says that I have to lose weight, stating that according
to the BMI stats she has, I should be no more that 72kg (I am 5' 7'' and weigh 78kg). I replied
that the BMI stats have been called into question and that I haven't been 72 kg since my late
teens.

Even at my fighting weight (2003-2009) I was between 73 and 76 kg. I told her that I was
fairly muscled (and as body-conscious as a teenage girl). She replied that I shouldn't worry and
that if I was happy with my weight then it's ok.

[Edit: After hip replacement operations in 2012 and 2018 I had to inject myself with a blood-thinning agent called Fragmin. Its effect on me was that I lost my appetite. Each time I was using it I lost close to 7lbs.]

[rafletcher]

Well, good news and nearly good news. I passed my original target weight, by quite a margin, but it looks like I'll fall slightly short or my revised, and admittedly quite ambitious, year end target. Mainly because I elected to start Christmas this past weekend, and so some wine (the first alcohol in 6 weeks) was had, along with a couple of mince pies and some panettone. And with a couple of days off, small lunches too, only compensated for by a couple of 40km rides.

The most disappointing aspect is that, despite losing nearly 2 stones from my heaviest tis year (sounds so much more impressive than 12kg), when I look in the mirror I still look fat 

I need to lose at least another 6-7kg I guess (and probably nearer 10kg, although my wife might consider that too skinny, despite being a size 8 herself!), and hopefully that'll make more of an  impact visually.

For now, hopefully I'll be able to maintain weight over the holiday, and start a new press for reduction in the New Year.

[Paul H]

The most disappointing aspect is that, despite losing nearly 2 stones from my heaviest tis year (sounds so much more impressive than 12kg), when I look in the mirror I still look fat 

The mirror lies, really, either way we see what we're expecting, at least to some extent.  You're more likely to see the difference in photos than the mirror, though if your experience is anything like mine, it's others who'll notice more than you. 
Well done BTW

[hellymedic]

The tape measure is a fair arbiter of fatness. I'd say clothing is too but lockdown has put us into more stretchy casual clothes.

Still, neck/collar, waist and hip girth will give you a good idea...

[rafletcher]

Thanks both. Definitely better by the tape measure test - at least 4" off the waist. I guess what it is, as I've lost the overall covering of fat (my wedding ring is now consigned to a drawer awaiting reduction as it started slipping off!) the remaining areas - moobs and gut - are more obvious.

[hellymedic]

[Repeated Seasonal Warning]

Do not be dismayed/upset if your seasonal indulgences result in substantial weight gain.

Most is glycogen + water and will be shed once healthier eating patterns resume.

[Lightning Phil]

My ring finger is my arbiter of fatness.  My wedding ring easily comes off, so my fingers have less fat than any time since I got married. On my upright bikes I now need to wear gloves to keep the ring on.  Who knew fingers carried so much fat? Weight pretty stable since the initial loss up to April 20.

[hellymedic]

Fingers carry fat and fluid.

As medical students, we were taught to check pregnant women's rings for tightness as sudden swelling could indicate the fluid retention of pre-eclampsia, a condition which threatens health and life of mother and child.

[hellymedic]

Wrists are also indicative.

Fewer folk wear watches nowadays but significant fat loss might require you to tighten your strap a notch or two.

[rafletcher]

Wrists are also indicative.

Fewer folk wear watches nowadays but significant fat loss might require you to tighten your strap a notch or two.

Yep, the bracelet on my “good” watch is really quite sloppy now.

[hellymedic]

Thanks both. Definitely better by the tape measure test - at least 4" off the waist. I guess what it is, as I've lost the overall covering of fat (my wedding ring is now consigned to a drawer awaiting reduction as it started slipping off!) the remaining areas - moobs and gut - are more obvious.

4 inches (10cm) off the waist represents a significant loss of unhealthy visceral fat.

Which is good.

[nicknack]

I'm wearing my wedding ring now after many years being unable to.

About 18 months ago a cardiologist told me that my heart was no worse than it had been for a while and the trouble I'd been having was mostly down to me being too fat and lazy. Well, he didn't put it quite like that but that was the gist.

It took me to the beginning of the year to start to do something about it. Since then I've gone from 110.2kg to 92.4kg this morning, prompting my phone to inform me that I was now 'healthy'.

I haven't been that for a long time. So, "Whoopee! "

[L CC]

Fingers carry fat and fluid.

As medical students, we were taught to check pregnant women's rings for tightness as sudden swelling could indicate the fluid retention of pre-eclampsia, a condition which threatens health and life of mother and child.

As a pregnant woman I had to have mine cut off. And then again after I broke a (different) finger. I think life was telling me something- this ring is not for you.

[Wowbagger]

Good stuff, Nicknack!

I had my wedding ring cut off because it would have cut my finger off through rheumatoid arthritis swelling otherwise. My dear wife couldn't get hers on her ring finger so started wearing it on her little finger. It kept falling off. Old romantic that I am, I bought her a gold chain for it and she now wears it round her neck.

I have slowly lost weight since early July and I'm now about 111 kg.

[Paul H]

I've put my scales away for the year, both the food and body ones.  The cupboard is filled with festive goodies, some of which like bread, cheese and beer, I've hardly touched since July.  If it's all gone by Tuesday, that's Ok, but there'll be no more...
Started the year at 119 kg with the intention of getting down to 100 before some summer tours, but when it all went mad the weight went in the opposite direction and by July I'd added 9kg and the intention to be able to touch my toes changed to just being able to see them.  Riding stopped being fun, so I stopped riding.  Tried a few things, some of which have worked in the past, but couldn't settle into a routine, ended up just going back to the basics of counting and logging every calorie and aiming for a 1000 a day deficit.  It works for me, though it's tedious, I'm now down to 98kg, and will be a happy to start 2021 at anything under 100. 
I would still benefit from loosing another 5 - 7kg, but it isn't critical.  Staying below 100 is the big challenge, and I wish I was confident about doing that.  I've had a look at some of the programs, Second Nature, Noom and I'm on a NHS Diabetes Prevention course, but it all seems to be stuff I know and the difference between knowing and doing...
Anyway, rambling over, well done to all those who have made progress, and good luck to all in 2021.

[Lightning Phil]

Fingers carry fat and fluid.

As medical students, we were taught to check pregnant women's rings for tightness as sudden swelling could indicate the fluid retention of pre-eclampsia, a condition which threatens health and life of mother and child.

So it seems though my fingers have always seemed slim, but clearly even slimmer now.

[hellymedic]

I've put my scales away for the year, both the food and body ones.  The cupboard is filled with festive goodies, some of which like bread, cheese and beer, I've hardly touched since July.  If it's all gone by Tuesday, that's Ok, but there'll be no more...
Anyway, rambling over, well done to all those who have made progress, and good luck to all in 2021.

[OT] I presume you won't be following any fiddly Festive recipes then...

Enjoy your festivities!

[Jakob]

Wrists are also indicative.

Fewer folk wear watches nowadays but significant fat loss might require you to tighten your strap a notch or two.

I dropped a hat size too, which kinda surprised me.

[hellymedic]

Wrists are also indicative.

Fewer folk wear watches nowadays but significant fat loss might require you to tighten your strap a notch or two.

I dropped a hat size too, which kinda surprised me.

I never thought of that! The scalp gets less meaty with age though.

Fat changes on the face have always been a nutritional giveaway.