New Member: Starting Tomorrow

[becca1282]

Hi all,

I am 29, 5ft 8" and weigh approximately 12st 10lbs (will weigh in properly tomorrow morning to check). I have struggled with weight a bit, not excessively just a stone or so over my "ideal" weight over the years (losing it, gaining it etc). I weigh the most I have ever weighed at the moment which I think is somewhat due to having an issue with a labral tear in my hip, for which I had to stop all exercise (I previously ran, played competitive hockey, swam and walked our dogs). 6 weeks ago, this was operated on. I have been off my feet more or less since and am looking forward to banishing the extra pounds I put on from comfort eating when bored/in pain and lack of exercise.

Although my physio and surgeon have not cleared me for any weight bearing exercise yet, I hope to start managing my food consumption better and perhaps add in the exercise later down the line when I am off my crutches and in less pain.

The NHS BMI guide suggests that I might want to aim to lose 2st 7lbs as this would put me smack bang in the middle of my healthy BMI range. Which would be 35lbs across the 12 weeks of the plan, so a goal of losing about 3lb a week would help me to reach that target. I think even if I only lost 2st or 1st 7lbs, I would be much happier as my clothes would fit and I would be back to my pre-hip weight.

I guess my main goal is to reset my eating habits for the long term. I eat quite a lot of "packet" or "pre-prepared" food such as pizza (which is a favourite of my husbands) and bread/cake/wheat type stuff. Although, I do make our own chips using potatoes, sweet potatoes and frylight in our halogen oven, and we eat a lot of veg although not a wide variety (sweetcorn, peas, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes are pretty much it - and its taken me a long time to get my husband to eat those!).

[Hidden]

I am a bit worried that a goal of losing 3lb a week might end in disappointment even at your young age when weight comes off more easily...hope you can manage your expectations! You sound as though you have a great positive attitude and you are obviously going to meet your goal one day though it might take a little longer than 12 weeks.

[becca1282 in reply to Hidden]

Yea, I did think 3lb a week is quite a lot. We'll see how it goes - even if I aim for 3lb and only get 1-2lb, at least it's heading in the right direction

[gingernut49]

I'm the same height as you and I lost three stone in six months on the 5:2 diet, going from 12 stone 4 and a size 16 to a size 10. It's very very effective and once you've lost the weight you just 'fast' (500 calories) once a week to maintain your weight loss. This little video explains it very well youtu.be/W9Aj6hRYg4A(Not working as expected?) but I'd be happy to tell you more. (I saved a fortune as well!)

[becca1282]

I weighed this morning 12st 11 and 1/4. I'm approximately a size 14.

[becca1282 in reply to becca1282]

Mostly size 12 clothes and few size 14 tops.

[pelj]

I think that weight might not be the best determinant for you as you were formally very fit and intend to become very fit again. It might well be measurements as well as how you feel. I am 5'9'' and am currently aiming for 12st 7lbs. I may then aim for a further stone. I do know that the mid-range suggested by the NHS would be unsustainable for me unless I upped my energy levels considerably - and my work isn't the kind of energy using activity that it used to be - even though it takes up time. I agree with gingernut about the potential for the 5:2 plan. I have been pretty successful via Slimming World. The structure of it (free and superfree foots, for example) may well suit a person with a fit and healthy life style as it guides on the kind of food to eat within flexible parameters. Its other strength is the truly impressive range of recipes which fit well into the plan. You might want to have a look at its website or to attend an initial meeting. You probably know enough to then work with this kind of forum, the NHS 12 week plan and determination to get to your goal - but I have found the meetings very positive and enjoyable - which I didn't expect. Good luck.

[becca1282 in reply to pelj]

Thank you - I have used slimming world previously and am indeed hoping to use those principles to get back on track again. It looks like I may be able to get back to hockey & running around February if I'm good until then!