Dave looking for a new start

[Dave1000]

Years of over eating, under exercising other than extreme bursts I.e. 5 months training and 1000 mile bike ride over 2 weeks and then nothing just doesn't make sense. A lack of will power combined with a love of food and a disproportionate opinion of quantity sum up why. I have a wonderful supportive wife, 3 great children and 4 grandchildren I absolutely adore. If anyone recognises my position and my underlying wish for change, please chip in. Support from others would be great. It's taken me a long time to reach the size I am now. I appreciate that there is no quick fix.

[Andyt2120]

Looking at your photo Dave I think I was about your size when I started. I am a bit of a foodie. Loved eating out a lot and massively over eating full stop with no exercise at all, at least you did some.

I wish I could give you the magic pill to change. For me it was a holiday photo when I finally realised how bit I'd got and that something needed to change.

I am now 14'months in and almost 8 stones lighter. 3 lbs more to get to healthy BMI.

For me I started cooking a lot more but healthy ingredients. For me it is will power and a challenge to myself. Just as your big bike ride was a challenge to you, my challenge was to get to about 15 1/2 stone at first but as I got nearer this weight I decided my next challenge was to get to my healthy BMI and maintain it. Nearly there.

It's not easy and it's still a battle with myself walking past a Cornish pasty shop or chip shop. It does get easier but still have those battles with myself.

I'm quite lucky in that I'm not that bothered about sweet things so giving up all forms of processed sugar was not that bad.

I will not attempt to tell you what to do to loose weight as everyone is different and we all have different ways of doing it. It's the head part that is the hardest, getting your mind right to start and keep at it.

For me it was like I had flicked a switch in my head to make me change. Look for your own switch and keep it turned on.

I allow myself the odd treat and go a bit mad on holidays but the challenge then is to quickly loose any weight gain and so far by being really strict after any gain I've lost it again very quickly.

I wish you all the best Dave, you have reminded me of where I was and believe me that if I can do it then you can too. Go for it.

[Dave1000 in reply to Andyt2120]

Andy

Thanks so much for your great words of encouragement. I would be delighted at this time to be half as successful.

Regards

David

[Dave1000]

Thanks so much for your kind words

[mandy_ydnam]

Hi Dave

I think a lot of us ended up in the same situation as yourself for the very same reasons of over eating and lack of exercise, therefore we can relate to you.

The fact you realise its not going to happen over night is a big part of moving forward as I for one was always looking for the magic pill or quick fix and it never happened.

I have lost 3 stone doing slimming world which I would highly recommend to anyone. The food and recipes are family friendly therefore you wouldn't have to cook separate meals for the family.

I have now started calorie counting too which is making me focus more on portion control so the last few stubborn pounds are shifting now.

Everyone is different and have to find a healthy diet that suits you. But if you need any help just ask and there will always be someone to answer.

You sound very focused and determined this time and its always better when you have someone to support you, so I'm sure your wife will be there to help you along.

I feel so much positivity from yourself, good luck with your weight loss journey and I will be following you on here to see you success

You can do it

[Dave1000]

Mandy

Thanks for your encouragement. Stepped on the scales this morning and 6lb down in first 2 weeks and probably only the first week of tracking my food. I have used Slimming World on two separate occasions, once successfully and once not so much so. I think probably it time for a return with renewed focus. I look forward to sharing the journey with you and others.

Dave😃

[andrewleeone]

Hi Dave You sound a lot like I was a while ago. I had a really healthy diet, for three people! I know you are posting in healthy eating but surely you are talking about learning about nutrition, exercise and weight loss. For what its worth here's what got me from somewhere similar to where you are to where I'm heading now.

I took up mindfulness which helped me understand my thoughts and feelings about activity, eating, stress, drinking etc and enabled me to make much more considered choices bout all of these.

I looked for a weight loss program which would work. I'd learned that there was research that joining an ongoing program had been shown to be one of the best ways of losing weight and keeping it off. When I was searching on line I found this forum and I found the NHS 12 week plan. I thought 12 weeks - I could give that a go and get started right now. I was looking at what help I could get from my GP - they can fund things like gym membership and weight loss classes as well as provide their own, but the 12 week plan was there so I downloaded it, read through the posts on the weight loss forum and got started.

I had to face up to a load of things.

I was eating too much and had no idea what was a really healthy intake for me. I also had no accurate idea or concept of how overweight I was. I did want to really do this but I went out and bought some really accurate scales - really accurate. I took measurements. I worked out a calorie target 1500 a day and a set of meals I'd enjoy which would give me that.

I excluded several things from my intake completely - Booze - bread of any description -cheese - etc etc etc. I was really tough on myself but I thought its only for 12 weeks so here goes.

The first two weeks were a struggle but I sorted myself out and pretty quickly got the food working, levelled out my insulin & blood sugar to healthy levels. Hit the 1500 cals a day. Weighed and measured everything - have you any idea how tiny a healthy serving of muesli is?

I lost weight!

Next thing was facing up to my in activity. I got an activity tracker. I cycle already and I thought that was enough. I found and did C25K and I run 6K three times a week and I'm getting it to the point of it being a habit.

I started and I'm still working on strength exercises - weights daily but thats way behind other changes.

I'm now starting a mindfulness training program to do that properly.

I'm in week 12 and I think I have 10 kg to lose to get to a healthy weight.

Its no longer a struggle its just a very easy nourishing way to live.

I use the forum a lot!

12 week NHS wight loss plan - C25K - Mindfulness.

And finally - I reckoned I was 25KG overweight. Thats a bag of cement. That was what I was needlessly carrying around every day 12 weeks and over half of thats gone now.

Use the forums and good luck with whatever you do!

[Dave1000 in reply to andrewleeone]

Andrew

Thanks for your excellent email and taking the time. I have so far particated with the forum, used Myfitnesspal reducing to between 2000-2300 calls per day when it's showing I should eat 2900 to lose weight at a steady 1-2lb per week. So far I haven't read the 12 week plan and obviously I should do this, thanks for the reminder. I am significantly more overweight than you are, and without wanting to be kind to myself I felt it better to gradually lose weight rather than to try and shock my system into initial rapid weight loss?

I did take myself several years ago to a Paul McKena Weight loss day. He made a lot of sense but at the time maybe to many others, not really to me. I obviously need to find something that works, and just as importantly something I can commit and stick to.

I would appreciate any help or guidance anyone can offer. Thank you so much.

[andrewleeone]

Hi Dave! The best single thing I did was to get a set of the Weightwatchers scales from Argos. They cost about £30 but the reviews were very very good. They are accurate and consistent. If I lose 200g, they tell me. If I do something, like exercise, or stick to my calories I see a result. Even a small one. I find that really re-inforcing of the choices I make. I can see the point in going for a run in the numbers staring up at me. I had some cheap scales to start with and they were hopelessly out. The accurate ones just feedback the outcome I'm looking for after I've taken an action. I also measure. If I relied on how I looked in the mirror or how I felt I was doing I'd have given up on week two! If I do something and cant detect an outcome I find it hard to keep consistency. If I do something and see an outcome I've found consistency easy.

I did get stuck for about ten days when the weight didn't seem to shift but then the weightless picked up again. I'll start week 1 again next week and I expect to shed about 1KG a week. I'm now the lightest Ive been in decades. I did think that getting to a BMI Healthy weight was fantasy but now I'm just going to carry on until I get there which will be in about two months time! I know I can do it now.

The other thing I'm enjoying right now is the new Jamie Oliver Book - Superfoods which has calorie counted meals and menus which are really interesting and are growing my repertoire of healthy meals beyond grilled chicken and salad! Its worth catching on-line (Broadcast C4 on Mondays!)

Enjoy!