How can I lose weight?

[SusanEM]

I've looked through so many health diets and exercise regimes and fad diets and just about everything but I have no idea if any of these actually work. I give up very easily so it'd be good if there was a plan that would help me lose weight quickly and then steadily over time so that I stay motivated as that's my main problem with losing the weight. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi SusanEM,

Have you tried looking at this website?

nhs.uk/LiveWell/Loseweight/...

Best wishes,

Lowcal

[gingernut49]

The 5:2 Diet really worked well for me and I really recommend it! I've lost three stone, going from a size 16 to a size 10, and now maintain by just fasting one day a week. It has many many health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

If you want to know more about it then Kate Harrison's book 'The 5:2 Diet' is on Amazon and gives all the details and there are quite a few Facebook support groups.

The principle is that you restrict yourself to 500 calories two non-consecutive days a week - the rest of the week you can eat normally (without going crazy!). Then, after you've lost the weight you want to, you maintain your weight loss by just fasting one day a week for the health benefits. I now weigh myself just once a week so I then know whether to fast one or two days the next week.

Yes, it does need some self-control on those two fasting days, but it does get easier as you go along and it works fantastically!

It's also one of the few diets that actually saves you money instead of paying out to Diet clubs!

[sndkk in reply to gingernut49]

How long did it take you to drop your weight when you started the fast diet and did you count calories/exercise during the week too? I know everyones body is different but I've just started this diet and struggling tbh.

[gingernut49]

After I watched the Horizon programme 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' last August I started eating from small plates and not nibbling in the evenings. I also joined Kate's 5:2 Facebook group. Kate brought her book out in October and I started doing it properly then. I'd lost all the weight by March.

I felt so good that I started the C25k running programme in January, having not run since school where I hated it! I now run around 30 minutes three times a week.

I mostly tried to keep within my TDEE calories every day I wasn't fasting

[gingernut49]

...because I wanted quick results. Now I'm maintaining I eat what I like and just fast one day a week but I keep a weekly eye on the scales as all my bigger clothes went to the charity shop!

[gingernut49]

The original programme is on vimeo and is very much worth seeing. It's changed thousands if lives!

[gingernut49]

By the way, I'm 63 and if I can do it anyone can!

[mamascouse]

fad diets are rubbish you will put on twice as much as you lose. Try portion control. You can get special plates on ebay that will show you what size you should eat of each group. I didn't realise how big my portions were until I used it, I'm losing weight gradually but have not gained the weight. I've lost nearly 2 stone in about 5 months. I still have a binge day every now and then but I go straight back on to a balanced diet and portion control. I've struggled to lose weight for more than 30 years, wished I'd have done this years ago.

[Hidden]

I use nutracheck to log my food and exercise and have just got to my maintenance weight. I eat the things I enjoy but in moderation e.g. I still have a chocolate and wine but don't consume as much as I used to. Portion size is the key and also not denying yourself the things you fancy as you will only crave them more.

[geemel79]

well my first though is thats youre asking about quick weight loss diets seems like youre not really ready to commit tbh, as little effort with maximum results well theres plenty of these available but as most people can tell you with these youre motr likelu to pile it all back on again and more so when you stop, for me ive never done diets before because i knew in myself i was happy enough with my weight and i wasnt really in the right place to commit to one, now I am work and family are now in a better routine as im no longer studying etc and this is about changing my lifestyle and managing something long term

until youre ready to see a longer slower goal in the horizon and not looking for a overnight miracle then i would say youre better off just upping your water intake and fruit intake for the moment as they are the simpest ways of introducing a little healt into your diet and the more you add these the less youll be prone to snacking and binging and gradually the more you will gain a better habbit small steps is the best long term solution

[SusanEM]

Thanks to everyone's replies! I'm going to take the best of all your advice and put it to work. As much as I want to change myself and my lifestyle I just didn't want to get disheartened if it didn't work. I'm gradually changing some of my bad habits and have bought in healthier snacks and lots of fruit to start. I will be doing some exercise, but again build into it gradually to help change my entire lifestyle. Thanks again guys, really helpful