newbie

Hi i'm starting my healthy eating plan tomorrow,have a huge amount of weight to lose ,8 stone,it seems impossible, would love to hear from anyone who has lost a lot of weight or anyone who has this amount of weight to lose

[Silvercloud83]

Good luck - I started yesterday so will be on the journey with you! 

[Hidden in reply to Silvercloud83]

Good Luck to you,lets have a great first week and hopefully have a wonderful weight loss xx

[Silvercloud83 in reply to Hidden]

Hi juliedawnc how has your first week gone? x

[Candystripe]

I've lost 6.5 stone juliedawnc. Another stone to go. If you want it badly enough it's definitely achievable. Good luck X

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Juliedawnc,

Welcome to the Weight Loss NHS forum.  Great that you'll be starting your healthy eating plan today.  Have you seen our Welcome Newbie thread?  Here's a link if you'd like to take a look:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Also, we're having the Monday group weigh-in sessions today, so if you'd like to join us for that, then here's the link, you'd be very welcome:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh....

Have a great week.

Lowcal

[Foodie87]

Hi juliedawnc

It's definitely an achievable amount to lose. I so far have lost about 6.5 stone with another 2-ish stone to go to my ultimate goal.

It took me a while to get here, I started at the end of October 2014 and had my ups and downs, but I'm approaching the finish line and I'm sure once you get your head around it, so will you.

Best of luck  

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello 

Lots of people do successfully lose weight and keep it off, 😊 This forum is full of great stories and inspiration 😊 I'm 9 months into a new way of living my life where I enjoy my food but I'm in charge!! Over 2 stone off, finish line in sight also  😊

Very best wishes 

[modge]

It is more impossible to win the lottery ,I say .

make some goals ...join in the great advice and banter ,be prepared for setbacks but you can overcome them.

Do this for yourself ,because its your L'Oreal moment ...you are worth it 😊

good luck x

[nina201083]

Hi juliedawnc I started last week and I have 8 stone to lose, I'm with you, we can do it 🤗

[Hidden in reply to nina201083]

It seems impossible doesn't it? but then so many lovely people on here have given me good advice and inspiration I am really going to try,Good Luck to you

[nina201083 in reply to Hidden]

Good luck to you, I have already lost 4lbs in my first week, onwards and downward from here 

[Purple_faced_woman]

Hi Juliedawnc, and welcome to a new way of seeing yourself.  I started out out at 121kg (just over 19 stone) last summer and had been up to 19 1/2 stone the previous year.  I am currently 103.7kg (16 st 4 lb), and had got down to just above 100kg (15 st 11 lb) just before Easter.  I am now working off the extra I put on with the disruptions from Easter away from home, my father's death and funeral and then 2 weeks on a cruise, and like me, you can do it.

You need to chop that big number of stones up into small chunks that you can actually visualise achieving.  For example, my overall goal at the moment is to reach 12 st 12 lb, at which I will finally be in the simply fat BMI category instead of obese.  However, that is a large amount, so my next interim goal is to get below that 100kg.  Once I get there, I will set myself a goal of being under 15 1/2 stone; and so on.

The same applies to the actual mechanics of losing the weight.  If you go at it like a bull in a china shop and try to do everything at once you set yourself up for failure - it all seems too much.  Little steps are the way to get there: add in a little bit of exercise every day - a friend of mine dances whilst she cleans her teeth, or waits for the kettle to boil or the microwave to ping.  If you don't usually make it to exercising outdoors, push yourself into a 5 minute walk once a day, just to the end of the road and back can make all the difference to your mental and physical health.  If you are feeling stressed or nibbly, that 5 minutes of fresh air can distract you and help you stay on track.

Always have a bottle or jug of water and a glass to hand to encourage you to drink more water and less unhealthy drinks.  Make healthy snacks you can dip into instead of sweets and chocolates.  I find batch cooking for the freezer helps me - I spend a weekend now and then cooking 4 double portions of several calorie counted recipes I really like (eg, Weight Watchers Fish Pie, Lamb Tagine, Lasagne, etc) and freeze them - so long as you remember to get them out of the freezer in the morning, they are available for you to cook a tasty meal with minimum effort after a day at work and limits how long you need to spend in the kitchen.  My husband has enjoyed these meals, too.

Most importantly, we all slip on occasions.  There are days when circumstances (good or bad, from celebrations to illness) make it seem impossible to lose weight.  The essential thing is to accept you are human and you make mistakes, to acknowledge what has happened, think through how you might manage it better another time, and then move on with the diet.  No sack-cloth and ashes, no recriminations and self-hatred - these are not helpful.  What is is to simply say "I can do better tomorrow" because you can and you will.  At times like these, coming on the website can be a great boost, reading other people's failures shows you are not alone and their successes prove it can be done.

Sorry if this is a bit long, but I hope it is helpful.  You can do this - let us know how you get on.

Julia

[Hidden in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

Thankyou for your good advice,its nice to know I am not on my own and well done for amazing weight loss up to now

[Purple_faced_woman in reply to Hidden]

One other thing!  It's a really good idea to measure yourself (at least bust, waist, hips, but other measurements if you fancy, eg, round your arm, round your thigh, calf, neck) as sometimes on a week you don't seem to have lost you can find your measurements have shrunk and this can help carry you through a disappointing lack of weight loss.

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

What a well thought out and inspirational response

[Lamiah]

Hi ....deciding to announce it here is a great first step! Good luck!

[Karen3169]

Hi Julie, I have the same amount to lose & would be happy to buddy up with you if you like. We could share hints & tips. Today is my first day & if I can just do the 1st week I will be happy to keep on going x

[Hidden in reply to Karen3169]

That sounds great,good luck for a fantastic first week,I will follow you x

[Karen3169 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. Hope you have a fab week x

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi Julie, I've lost 5 stone and have another 4 to go

We can do this!

[Janecad 1 stone]

Hi juliedawnc

I too have 8 stone or there abouts to lose, have always said that I have too much skin to get down to that weight but since joining this site (this is my 4th week) I believe that it is possible.

There are none of what I used to call "front row favourites" like at a club, just genuine support, encouragement and advice when needed. Go for it, good or bad weeks, that's life but you'll get all the help and advice here that's for sure

[Hidden]

Hi!

I also have 8 stone to lose. I've been on the plan for 8 weeks now and lost my first half a stone. I can't believe how easy it has been to lose that half a stone to be honest. Once you get into the swing of it (it took me about 5 weeks) it just starts falling off.

[fitbyjuly 7lbs]

Pound by pound wins the race it's a marathon not a sprint you will do it we are all with you xx

[mandyflatt]

Hi,I have lots to lose too,I hope your first week has gone well