Hi everyone. I am a 48 years young woman who after being overweight my entire adult life, has finally been backed into a corner. I recently had an over 40's health check, which found high cholesterol and other "abnormalities". I have a Gp appointment on Thursday to discuss things, but I am wholly expecting borderline diabetes to be thrown at me too! Given that my mum has heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes - amongst (many) other things, I feel very stupid- and very angry- at myself for damaging myself in this way. I don't want to be a statistic and die in my 50's-that scares me witless. I lost nearly 7 stone in 2007 yet I have put most back on. Stupid stupid stupid! It feels like such a mountain to climb. I don't smoke, rarely drink, but food is a pleasure! I love cooking, textures and tastes. This is a HUGE challenge for me and I need as many helpful tips as I can get to do this. This is no longer an option but rather possibly a life saving journey! Any words of wisdom would be gratefully received......
Newbie: Hi everyone. I am a 48 years... - Weight Loss Support
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Hi Pottypud - firstly pat on the back, you are here now and everyone is very friendly and supportive. Just climb aboard and let everyone else help you on your way.
Top tips at speed (as I'm supposed to be doing the accounts - ooops!) are that most of us are doing some or all of the following:
Using my fitness pal or similar to track activity and calories.
Following the NHS 12 week plan.
Trying to step up the fitness - a bunch of us check into Lizzy's kicking the kilometres thread to tell her each week how much we have moved about. The accountability makes you get out and about with a pedometer / tracker so you can "share" with happiness on Mondays!
Record our weight every Monday (LOTS of us do this - so do join in) in response the Monday weigh in thread that is posted by Lowcal and pals. Again the accountability helps you "be good". The lovely people who run the thread make the time to make sure everyone gets a positive "chat" to set them on their way for the week. It's crazy but you wouldn't believe what a difference it makes.
Popping on to these boards as often as we feel like to share our difficulties, triumphs and disasters. You'll find everyone very positive, encouraging and helpful. This is definitely a "no flaming zone" - just very warm and welcoming! If you are having a bad day - shout into the internet and then someone will take the time to pick you up and set you back on your feet.
For the record I'm 48 too - one stone down and one to go. Losing weight this way has been so much more straight forward than all those stupid WW and SW classes I've done in the past. I really feel that I am getting my head around it all this time, all much more grown up, - and there's always some one on here that you feel is on the same wavelength as yourself.
So welcome and GOOD LUCK!
xx
Welcome too - lots of us started our journeys as a result of doctors appointments - we've lots of us had a reality check like that. In my 30s, only 2 stone overweight, yet my blood pressure was too high, my digestive system was struggling, and with diabetes in the family I was worried about where I was heading. Don't worry though, food can definitely still be a pleasure. There are lots of creative ways you can cook while keeping the calories in check, creative low-cal 'treats' you can make and store in the freezer to keep yourself energised throughout the day, and lots of motivation to keep going with it all on here. Lots of luck, and maybe see you at tomorrow's weigh-in (look out for the thread on here in the morning) 
I have been here a few weeks. Stick around and post a bit. It helps the focus. Welcome
Hi Pottypud, no point being angry with yourself. Just accept where you are and start working on doing something about it 1lb at a time.
This is a fantastic site and with the support of people here, I and many others have shed a good chunk of lard
You've done it before so you know what to do but maybe think more in terms of lifestyle change than diet. Like you I've lost weight through dieting but put it and more back on.
Walking is fantastic exercise - download mapmywalk on your phone, pop your trainers on and get walking. Try to do 20 - 30 mins a day - it will make a huge difference both the your weight loss and general health.
As you love cooking why not see this as a new cooking challenge and an excuse to buy a few new books (maybe even some for xmas). I try to eat similar things to what I did before but much less - portion control is a big deal for many. There is no reason you can't have a lovely tasty meal but just make it much smaller and fill up on water and things like sugar free jellies until you get used to eating smaller meals - probably took me about 3 - 4 months to get used to eating less.
If you go to your GP with a few plans in place hopefully they'll know your serious and offer you what support they can.
Good luck
Portion size is my biggest problem! I am going to halve what I eat and see how I go. I usually walk at weekends up to 7 miles but I have a knee injury at the moment which is an inconvenience. As soon as it improves I am going to build up the walking again. I wish I was a gym bunny......!
I recommend weighing things like rice & pasta and using smaller plates is a good move to trick you into thinking you are eating more.
Good luck with your journey.
Hi Pottypud,
Welcome to the forum, and it's great to hear you're already feeling a bit more positive. Hope your knee injury improves soon, so you can enjoy your walking again - sounds like you've enjoyed some lovely long weekend walks in the past, and hope you'll be able to do that again really soon. Sensible that you're planning to build up gradually.
Hope to see you around and about in the forum, and hope you might join in our Monday group weigh-in, if you like the sound of a group weigh-in. I always post the thread before 7am on Mondays, and we're a friendly group!
Have a great first week.
Lowcal
I plan to weigh and post tomorrow. Do I just come onto this board and put the weight up or is there a special place ?
Sometime around 7am Lowcal puts up a post on inviting anyone who wants to checkin to the Monday Weigh in - it's easily the most popular thread so it will stay towards the top of your newsfeed all day as lots of people come and go. Just find the thread, hit reply and you'll be on your way.
Sometimes people can't find the thread or get mixed up - and then they just put something on as a post. That's not a problem - someone will find you and say nice things!
It's good it starts so early - you can confess all, straight off the scales....!
Hi! You could either post in your own indivual post - some people do that, and enjoy their own space to post and receive responses - and the post where it's a group weigh-in is always titled the same - i.e. "Please Join Me for a Monday Group weigh-in (current date in brackets)" and it's always posted before 7am, so you could look out for that one if you want to join the larger group weigh-in.
Alternatively if you click on 'follow' my name (Lowcal) then you'd be automatically notified when it's posted.
So, whichever you choose to do, enjoy your weigh-in - and good luck!
Lowcal
Ok thanks everyone. See you in the morning for my starting weight (said with some trepidation!)
Like you I had lost weight a couple of times in my 40s and regained over half half the weight lost. Once it's gone keeping it off is a battle too, think of it like alcoholism, not recovered just in remission!
Hiya, this is a good place to be for motivation and tips, folk are great here. I'm obese, so I have a lot to lose and I have found this site invaluable for support, as you can tell already from the replies to your post.
I skimmed through and couldn't see that anyone had mentioned it, apologies if they did:- have you checked your BMI to know what calorie range you should be eating every day? That was my starting point, and I was pleasantly surprised. The bigger you are, it seems, the more calories you need to eat to start out with, and it will gradually reduce as you lose weight, you can keep checking it along the way. I think if you plunge yourself in and cut back too much, you might stick further down the line as you have nothing more that you can cut, if that makes sense? I am sticking within the recommended calories for me personally, I haven't been hungry and it is slowly working. Slow and steady is the best way to do it, unless your GP advises otherwise, of course!
NHS BMI calculator is here, in case you need it:
nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyw...
Good luck.
Thank you. Will take a look now. I feel ready for this now! 😊
Welcome....im also seeing doc in couple weeks to discuss my cholesterol....and other blood results!! Im recently turned 50 agh!! Good luck with your weight loss...after reading your replies im also thinkn of hitting scales this morning for the monday weigh in!!
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