Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[simonp]

My weight is about 11.75 stone.

I am 3 stone heavier than when I was 18.

That isn’t a bad thing. If I was that weight now, I’d be putting my health at risk.

[hellymedic]

I am about the weight I was at 18. (I dieted down from 10st 3lb to 9st 3lb, then regained the weight and hit 11st in my first year at university.

I've been around 11 stone most of my adult life but I'm around 10 stone now.

[citoyen]

Citoyen clearly has lost weight and kept it off.

Yes, but it is a constant battle to keep it off... I could very easily put it all back on again. It's too easy to succumb to stress/tiredness related eating/boozing.

I've had a few blips where it starts to creep up but it mostly fluctuates around the 68kg mark, and has been at that level for a while. I lack the self discipline to get it down any closer to my 64kg target. But I'm not too worried about that - 68kg is well within the healthy range for me.

I've been lucky to find an approach to weight loss that works for me. Clearly it doesn't work for everyone. I sympathise with those who haven't had my luck.

[Ningishzidda]

If yu'd concentrate more on reducing Bodyfat % by doing a lot of HARD WORK and eating less, yur weight would look after itself.

[citoyen]

Yes, because it's that easy.

[Bledlow]

Well, it is for me, & I've always struggled to understand how it's hard for other people.

I can understand those who can't exercise due to disability & eat for comfort, but find it hard to empathise or sympathise with others.

[L CC]

Thanks for that Bledlow.
My 3 sessions of weights and 100+miles a week aren't enough, so I'm clearly a lazy fat fucker who isn't doing enough.
Good job I don't want or need your sympathy or empathy, and in future,  could you kindly keep your smug lack of comprehension to yourself?
It is rarely that straight forward, and the whole 'I can do it so anyone can' patronising bollocks makes me long for the frying pan of SPANG.

[hellymedic]

You were looking pretty trim on the photo you posted on Facebook, boab.
I think the weights are making a difference to your shape and, by implication, your fat levels.

Losing fat is bloody hard work, especially if you want:
1) To keep the weight off - non-fat weight is easier to lose & gain but keeping properly lean is another matter!
2) To stay well enough to work, think and move and to resist frequent lurgies.

Running a consistent energy deficit can leave me hungry, obsessed by food, sleepy and constipated.

I can only really speak for myself. Weight loss might be 'simple' (especially if your mind oversimplifies matters).
It is NOT easy!

As a bunch, yacfers *are* less blobby than the general population. Stuck in a wheelchair, my eye level is rather close to people's belly levels. People seem to have ENORMOUS bellies nowadays!

Even if we are not losing as much weight as we would like (and I certainly am not), we are still making some progress avoiding the worst excesses of obesity.
Many of my former class or college mates are HUGE.

But the girl who married at 19 and had 12 children is a Size 8....

Keep going, boab; weight loss is not futile or hopeless.
It just IS NOT EASY!

[Ningishzidda]

You were looking pretty trim on the photo you posted on Facebook, boab.
I think the weights are making a difference to your shape and, by implication, your fat levels.

Losing fat is bloody hard work, especially if you want:
1) To keep the weight off - non-fat weight is easier to lose & gain but keeping properly lean is another matter!
2) To stay well enough to work, think and move and to resist frequent lurgies.

Running a consistent energy deficit can leave me hungry, obsessed by food, sleepy and constipated.

I can only really speak for myself. Weight loss might be 'simple' (especially if your mind oversimplifies matters).
It is NOT easy!

As a bunch, yacfers *are* less blobby than the general population. Stuck in a wheelchair, my eye level is rather close to people's belly levels. People seem to have ENORMOUS bellies nowadays!

Even if we are not losing as much weight as we would like (and I certainly am not), we are still making some progress avoiding the worst excesses of obesity.
Many of my former class or college mates are HUGE.

But the girl who married at 19 and had 12 children is a Size 8....

Keep going, boab; weight loss is not futile or hopeless.
It just IS NOT EASY!

A lot of chasing round after the kids, and not enough time to eat   

[Dibdib]

A little bit more off this morning, and - I think - the lowest I've been in a while. Not really dieting, per se, just trying to avoid the worst excesses of beer/pizza/cake and trying to ride my bike as much as I can.

4.1kg off so far this year, about 15kg to go 

[Andrew Br]

I don't post on this thread very much although I read it with interest.
After peaking at about 77.5kg last year I've managed to get down to 72.3kg.
At that level I'm no longer "overweight" according to BMI.
I'm aiming for 70kg by year end (summer if I can) but it's bloody hard work and I spend a lot of time hungry and thinking about food 
I think know that I need to vary my exercise regime by doing something other than riding the bike.
Running, even though I now hate it, would help as would some sort of upper body work out.
We'll see.

Keep up the good work folks, I know how hard it is.

[hellymedic]

Well done Andrew! I know how you feel but can't exercise myself...

[Wowbagger]

Yes, losing weight is extremely difficult when you either eat more than you should or spend a great deal of the time when you shouldn't be eating feeling bloody hungry and, because of that hunger, unable to concentrate on anything else.

[L CC]

If you're spending your time hungry and thinking about food your strategy is going to fail. Also running is not an upper body work out,  unless you do it like this:

[sojournermike]

If you're spending your time hungry and thinking about food your strategy is going to fail. Also running is not an upper body work out,  unless you do it like this:

There is something faintly disturbing about that picture!

[Andrew Br]

If you're spending your time hungry and thinking about food your strategy is going to fail.

It works for me (mostly  ) and the real key has been 5:2 "dieting".
If I don't eat during the day, I don't want to eat but, if I have even a small snack, then I want more.

Also running is not an upper body work out,  ..........

........ as would some sort of upper body work out.

It's subtle but it means what I wanted to say.

[L CC]

Ahhh. Whole sentences, who knew. Though you know you want to try the power wheel now you've seen it, don't you?

[Andrew Br]

Yes, but only after I've saved up for a Lego princess.

[SteveC]

Well, it is for me, & I've always struggled to understand how it's hard for other people.
I can understand those who can't exercise due to disability & eat for comfort, but find it hard to empathise or sympathise with others.

Back when the BBC website still had a large health section, I did an online test there about my eating habits. At the time, I'd just been seriously dieting and had come down from 17 stone to 11 stone something, so my eating was 'under control'. The test report was that, although I was obviously eating healthily at the time, I had 'problems with my attitude to food' (or some such wording, it was a long time ago) and that I should keep an eye on this. As I have now gone back up to around 14 stone, they obviously weren't totally wrong. I've no idea why I'm like that with food: too fond of the stuff (certainly), too greedy (probably), prefer short term satisfaction to long term gain, who knows. But it doesn't make it 'easy'.

[sojournermike]

Well, it is for me, & I've always struggled to understand how it's hard for other people.
I can understand those who can't exercise due to disability & eat for comfort, but find it hard to empathise or sympathise with others.

Back when the BBC website still had a large health section, I did an online test there about my eating habits. At the time, I'd just been seriously dieting and had come down from 17 stone to 11 stone something, so my eating was 'under control'. The test report was that, although I was obviously eating healthily at the time, I had 'problems with my attitude to food' (or some such wording, it was a long time ago) and that I should keep an eye on this. As I have now gone back up to around 14 stone, they obviously weren't totally wrong. I've no idea why I'm like that with food: too fond of the stuff (certainly), too greedy (probably), prefer short term satisfaction to long term gain, who knows. But it doesn't make it 'easy'.

When faced with an immediate choice his is a normal human response. The long term strategic part of the brain tends to be disabled when presented with immediately gratifying food, and can only dominate if planning away from the short term temptation. 'tis normal.

[Polar Bear]

Over the last 25 years the only times that I've been able to shed and keep off enough weight to only seem slightly overweight by the BMI measure is when I've been running regularly.   Swimming and cycling just don't burn enough calories for me.   I think that there is a significant reason for this:   Having been a marathon runner I was extremely conscious of my diet and I seem to slip into this mindset when I am in a running phase.   When I am off the running the snacks, booze, chocolate, biscuits and cake kick in in copious quantities.   

I wish that I could get my head around eating properly other than when I am in a running phase.     

Running is currently helping me lose a steady 0.5kg per week just now and I have managed to get down to a weight that I was last at, going the other way in March 2008.   Unfortunately, to get to the weight that I was when running marathons I need to shed another 25kgs.   The good news is that I'm aiming for a date with tarmac in April 2015 so I have another 54 weeks of eating properly and weight loss, hopefully.         

[rafletcher]

Well, somewhat surprisingly this morning's weigh in showed I'm back on track with a 0.6kg drop from last week. It's quite amazing how much it appears to fluctuate (not sire how much of that is due to using scales on carpet at home...) but whatever, the trend is still in the right direction.  I'll also try and emulate Bledlow by exercising more and harder  . Stress at work is generating that comfort eating craving occasionally, but thus far has been resisted, though a couple of chocolate digestives have slipped under the radar at home. A shame my wife has decided she likes them again! Otherwise I'm managing to stick to my revised eating regime, still enjoying everything, just less of it, particularly carbs and mayo.

[CommuteTooFar]

I weigh myself when I arrive at work so I have five readings written in my spreadsheet.  This week was unusual normally Wednesday is the heaviest reading.  This week was inverted with Monday and Friday being highest.  I suspect my Birthday celebrations has messed things up with a big midweek meal.

[sojournermike]

slight reversal this week. some bike but no running and client entertaining all Saturday...

[madcow]

Small drop this week. The comfort eating has eased as the stress levels fall a bit and the better weather means more bike time.
Even a full English breakfast on Sunday was balanced by 40 mile round trip to get it.
 After eating it, I decided that I wouldn't be having another for some time ,unless I'm on the bike.
Sometimes you can have too much food.