Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[L CC]

The biggest problem for most people who want to lose weight is appetite management.

I want to not want to eat. How do you do that?

Way back then I asked this question.
For me managing your carb intake is an answer.

Calories in Calories out is unhelpful. It gives far too many people the opportunity to feel like a failure, because it relies on willpower, which for most people just doesn't work.

We know it doesn't work, in real life, for most people, because EVERYBODY knows how it 'works'.... and yet many and more of us are still overweight. And spewing out the same unhelpful advice continues. I wish it would stop. It's judgemental, it's oversimplistic, it's ammunition for smug lucky people who don't have a problem managing their weight to attack people who do.

[Ningishzidda]

The most simplistic description of weight management I have every heard came from the consultant urologist at Solihull Heartlands NHS Trust.
He said " Eat less, exercise more."

[hellymedic]

I have just pigged out most of the weekend in Stone.
It was so nice to eat LOTS of mashed potato last night.
I can't exercise at all, so more doesn't come into it.
Back on the sensible eating tomorrow...

[SlowCoach]

Hmm, I seem to be back to reading this thread again. I've finally admitted to myself that I need to start monitoring my weight and getting rid of some of the flab again. For those that know me, it would appear that I don't have a major weight issue. However, that's not really the case.

Some years ago I realised that my weight had crept up over the years from the 75 kg I was when I got married to well over the 92kg mark (I don't know how far over, because there was a long period when I didn't dare get on the scales to weigh myself - I call it my denial phase). There wasn't a dramatic increase - just a pound here and there, but it all adds up with time. I put a lot on after my father-in-law died. I'd spent the previous 10 months pushing him and his wheelchair up and down the hills and over the cobbles at least 4 days a week. Pushing is pretty good exercise and I didn't realise how much extra I was eating to compensate. We had a 2 mile circuit (for rain and snow) and a 4 mile one for the rest of the time. I should have cut back immediately after the funeral, but didn't realise for some months and kept to my old portion sizes...

About 5 years ago I finally admitted to myself that I really had to do something about it. After a couple of years of serious attempts to diet I was down to 74 kg - which was a much healthier level for me (I'm 6'0"). I dropped 4" in waist size in the process, losing quite a bit of my beer gut on the way. I'm the first to admit that it was hard and painful, and the will power slipped on quite a few occasions. However, I felt much happier in myself with the new lighter weight me. Part way through my on again, off again diet I established a personal target to aim for, which was to be the same weight at my son's wedding as I was at mine. I achieved it... just. I think having that target benefited me enormously at the time. My weight loss improved dramatically once I'd set a goal. I didn't slip half as much.

The problem is, that once I achieved my goal, I've let things slip. Two years later and I found that I didn't dare get back on the scales. I'm nowhere near as fat as I was, but my trousers are getting rather tight and I've had to slip the belt a couple of holes. I started the diet a month ago and 2 weeks later dared to get on the scales. I was just under 80 kg. So now it's back to the My Fitness app on the phone, salad for lunch, no bread and weighing out my portion sizes for everything I eat (if I don't they tend to grow in size as I deceive myself). I'm also getting up earlier every day to go for a half hour jog/walk before work. A little extra exercise isn't going to hurt. My new target is to get down to 75 kg (my wedding weight), before the first grandchild is born. This is a big ask - I've a lot to lose pretty quickly and with the food fest of Christmas coming up I may well not make it. However, if I don't do something, I'll be sliding back to flabby old me. That's the last thing I want.

Wish me luck.

[hellymedic]

Good Luck!
Enjoy Christmas but
1) Suspend the diet for just three days of your choosing
2) Choose a maximum number of mince pies for the whole Festive Season
3) Avoid naughty snacks between meals on all but your three Christmas Feast days
4) Never eat till you're stuffed there's little pleasure and you'll have to pay it back with a longer period of dieting.

Is the grandchild expected or hypothetical right now? Is there a due date?

[SlowCoach]

Expected with a due date of less than a month after Christmas... Hypothetical would give me time...

[hellymedic]

Hypothetical would allow procrastination.

Losing 6kg in as many weeks is ambitious and possibly not very healthy.

Initial weight loss can be rapid so you might be in with a chance but I wouldn't be too harsh; accept good progress even if it's slow.

There's also always a real possibility that child might arrive in fair order any time within the next few weeks; you don't want to be beating yourself up if that's the case. There will be other priorities.

[SteveC]

MrsC saw her rheumatologist last week. "You are obese. This will not help with bad joints."
This has been the kick-start we've needed, so, from the new year we'll be back using Weight Watchers again.
We managed serious weight loss about eleven years ago, but I've put back half and she's back to nearly where we started.
The reason we're not starting now is that we need to get our heads round the 'new' points system; we understood the old one quite well, but it's all changed.
So if I start muttering about 'plus points' and 'activity points' or whatever they're called now, you'll all understand. 

[hellymedic]

I will stick with my
less food
less junk
not too much carb
Weigh myself occasionally but keep an eye on the inches/ tape measure
regime.

I will have to be a bit careful forever but hope to stop reducing next year.
Maybe.

[SlowCoach]

Losing 6kg in as many weeks is ambitious and possibly not very healthy.

Initial weight loss can be rapid so you might be in with a chance but I wouldn't be too harsh; accept good progress even if it's slow.

It's not quite that bad. I'm trying to lose about 4.5kg. I reckon that my initial rapid weight loss will have allowed me to shed about 1.5kg before I next weigh in on Wednesday, which will leave me about 7 weeks (if the baby's on time) to lose the other 3 kg. This would be steep for me (I'm normally 3 weeks per kg if I don't slip), but just about doable if it wasn't for Christmas in between. I'm just going to have to hope that the baby will take after his/her father and be late for everything...

[SlowCoach]

I will stick with my
less food
less junk
not too much carb
Weigh myself occasionally but keep an eye on the inches/ tape measure
regime.

I will have to be a bit careful forever but hope to stop reducing next year.
Maybe.

I admire your will power. Good luck.

[hellymedic]

I will stick with my
less food
less junk
not too much carb
Weigh myself occasionally but keep an eye on the inches/ tape measure
regime.

I will have to be a bit careful forever but hope to stop reducing next year.
Maybe.

I admire your will power. Good luck.

Thanks!
January 2012 - 74kg
October 2014 - 61kg

Eventual goal 58kg - getting there...

[hellymedic]

Down again!   

Will enjoy selected indulgences over the Festive Season.
But it will be selective and selected.

[SlowCoach]

Well done!

After seeing a rapid weight loss over the first couple of weeks I now find myself, as expected, starting to level off. As long as the trend is still downwards, that's not really a problem.

I needed quite some motivation this morning, though, to get out for my early jog through the sleet...

[hellymedic]

Sleet is the coldest form of precipitation IMO,
Everyone needs extra motivation to go out in THAT!
Slow progress is still progress. I might be losing less than 5kg per year but I'm still 14kg less after three years, during which many others have got fatter.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Interesting comments on the “fat-burning zone”:

http://road.cc/content/feature/138083-fact-burning-zone-fat-burning-myths-busted

[hellymedic]

Interesting comments on the “fat-burning zone”:

http://road.cc/content/feature/138083-fact-burning-zone-fat-burning-myths-busted

I read that and thought "That's all very well but IME high intensity exercise leaves me ravenous and craving carbs while low intensity activity does not, especially if I'm not cold."

I have been eating BIG seasonal meals over the last few days and have rediscovered the pleasures of feeling FULL.

I have a few more days of festive feeding (tomorrow, Dec 25 & Jan 3-6) but intend 'sensible eating' the rest of the time.

58kg is not far away and I WILL achieve it in 2015!

[Fab Foodie]

Interesting comments on the “fat-burning zone”:

http://road.cc/content/feature/138083-fact-burning-zone-fat-burning-myths-busted

I read that and thought "That's all very well but IME high intensity exercise leaves me ravenous and craving carbs while low intensity activity does not, especially if I'm not cold."

I'm not sure what to make of that article.  It seems counter to what I've learned and experienced.  Like you, shorter high intensity exercise gives me extreme munchies leading to calorie overcompensation.

[Fab Foodie]

On the topic of weight loss, I've just achieved my first ever weight reduction.  I've lost about 2" of my waistline simply by avoiding major carbs so:  No bread, Pasta, Rice, Cakes, cereals and minimal potato.  No more sugar in tea of coffee, no desserts, no sodas diet or otherwise.

Once coming down of the sugar/insulin roller-coaster, I've found my appetite has moderated, I feel more alert and less bloaty.
It's really not been difficult to maintain either.
I'm eating eggs, meat, dairy, with lots of salad and fresh fruit (in moderation) and increased vegetables.  Simples.

[Ruthie]

On the topic of weight loss, I've just achieved my first ever weight reduction.  I've lost about 2" of my waistline simply by avoiding major carbs so:  No bread, Pasta, Rice, Cakes, cereals and minimal potato.  No more sugar in tea of coffee, no desserts, no sodas diet or otherwise.

Once coming down of the sugar/insulin roller-coaster, I've found my appetite has moderated, I feel more alert and less bloaty.
It's really not been difficult to maintain either.
I'm eating eggs, meat, dairy, with lots of salad and fresh fruit (in moderation) and increased vegetables.  Simples.

How have you implemented this lifestyle change ff?  Do you find you spend more time preparing food?

[hellymedic]

On the topic of weight loss, I've just achieved my first ever weight reduction.  I've lost about 2" of my waistline simply by avoiding major carbs so:  No bread, Pasta, Rice, Cakes, cereals and minimal potato.  No more sugar in tea of coffee, no desserts, no sodas diet or otherwise.

Once coming down of the sugar/insulin roller-coaster, I've found my appetite has moderated, I feel more alert and less bloaty.
It's really not been difficult to maintain either.
I'm eating eggs, meat, dairy, with lots of salad and fresh fruit (in moderation) and increased vegetables.  Simples.

How have you implemented this lifestyle change ff?  Do you find you spend more time preparing food?

Similar to the 'Avoid CRAP Foods' diet which is my model.
C = Carbonated Drinks (actually, drinking sugar in any form)
R = Refined Sugar
A = Artificial 'food'
P = Processed food.

My stews are the only thing that use much time; throwing food into the microwave or gas oven are not labour-intensive.

I will probably not weigh myself until 31/12/2014.

[simonp]

The salad I made today wasn't labour intensive:

Lettuce, tomato, pomegranate, mozzarella, avocado, carrots, pine kernels, artichoke hearts, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper. Would be fine in a low carb diet (but not keto).

Don't fret folks. I had toast with my boiled eggs this morning and rice with the chilli I made this evening.

[simonp]

Not losing weight as such but, I seem to be getting leaner.

That wasn't really happening so obviously with my lifting program until I started doing more cardio to burn off some more energy. I did consider starting to count calories again, and I may have to be more strict to get properly lean. I've mainly been doing spinning classes and intervals on the treadmill, and of course the rowing machine. The rowing machine is problematic after my chest + abs session or my arms + abs session. The abs are so hammered that I can't pull properly due to core strength being ruined.

[hellymedic]

My hips appear to be 1cm smaller.

[SlowCoach]

Things are looking good for you, Helly. Even though the last kg is always the worst, your target for the end of 2015 seems eminently reachable.

I'm now only 300gm off where I wanted to be in mid January (and below my intermediate target for the end of the year). The question is - how much will I put on over Christmas? At the moment the 2 biggest changes I've made that seem to be working are:

1) to make and take in to work a salad for lunch every day. I've given the coffee bar staff strict instructions not to sell me anything other than tea, coffee or fruit. Not sitting down to a cheese savory or corned beef stottie for lunch makes a huge difference.

2) to go for a morning jog every day

Whether I'll manage to keep this up over the holiday period remains to be seen.