Morbidly Obese and feeling it.

[timetoact16]

Hi, I know i need to apply myself wholeheartedly to doing something about my weight. Problem is I get distracted by everything else I need to do and spend too little time on personal well being stuff.I have a pretty good knowlwdge of the do's and dont's, but fail miserably with motivation.Time is running out I feel  to maintain health before something pops! as I am now in start of my 6th decade!

[ClarabelleKitswell]

Hiya! I've just joined today too and just wanted to wish you good luck. Love Clara x

[timetoact16 in reply to ClarabelleKitswell]

Thank you Clara. Believe it or not I felt so hopeless that I didn't have the energy to write much it just was enough to join and read a bit. However I am starting to soak in the encouragement and also little changes I am making here and there make me feel more like continuing the participation. I hope that you are also benefitting.

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Timetoact16,

Welcome to the Weight Loss NHS community forum.  Hopefully you'll be able to focus a bit more on your own things and perhaps gain some motivation from being part of a supportive and friendly forum.  Here's a link to our Welcome Newbie post:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

There are lots of things going on in the forum, and I hope you'll join in whatever you like the look of.  The NHS 12 week plan is a great structure and a healthy way to lose weight.  Many of us are following the principles of that plan.  

Hope to see you around and about in the forum.  Have a great week.

Lowcal

[Bu-dog]

Hi timetoact16, take some time to look around the site. You have already taken the first step by joining this merry band. There is lots going on here and plenty of folks to encourage and motivate you.

Check out some of the mini challenges. They are made to be fun and you can do as many as you wish. They are a great way of making friends and I find them quite motivating.

Wishing you all the best in your weight loss journey. We are all here to better our health and lose weight. You are not alone so come and have some fun 👍

[Hidden]

I am 68 so it is never too late to start changing your eating habits !!   When you feel like eating between meals - have a glass of water or go for a walk if possible.

I have managed to lose over a stone by just exercising (walking)  more and cutting out the few bad things I ate.  

You just have to be strong and understand why you want to lose weight.

Small changes can help motivate you when you start losing weight, so good luck with your journey !!

[timetoact16 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Mags for your encouragement.

[ClarabelleKitswell]

We're all in this together, and we all have to start somewhere. My first week is going to be about saying no to the things I used to say yes to,  that and some extra walking should hopefully help me get off the starting blocks.  Hang in there,  you can do xx

[timetoact16 in reply to ClarabelleKitswell]

Yes Clara I have been drinking more water, moving a bit more. Trying to swap to healthier options.

[timetoact16 in reply to ClarabelleKitswell]

I think that is quite a proportionate way to start Clara, just stopping eating the fattening snacks and getting used to saying no to these things. It is really possible although I often thought I couldn't. These habits are doing us no good at all, and for a few seconds of thinking up front before you /we actually eat the sugary or fatty extra non needed item, let's all try to stall, think, not pick it up, close the tin, fridge door or whatever, and instead take a drink of cold water from a jug/bottle already available in fridge, sip the water  and stand away rom the cake! Move off in the direction of something that will distract you and get something else done in your day! Best of luck to every one.

 

[TedEBear]

Welcome ... I'm pretty new here and am starting the journey also.

I wish you well, I'll be amount many here cheering you on and celebrating our achievements together!!!

x

[timetoact16 in reply to TedEBear]

Same to you Ted. Thanks

[timetoact16 in reply to TedEBear]

I can just imagine you standing there waving!!

[Hidden]

Hello,

I'd like to suggest that one advantage of being morbidly obese is that relatively small changes can make a huge difference to yout weight. Those of us with just a stone or so to lose have to do the dreary 2oz of peas business and count everything very carefully.  But while you are bigger,you should find that fairly basic changes will reap big rewards. I suggest:

- stick to 3 meals a day, make them fit onto one plate only. Have a satisfying meal, but don't snack at all between meals. I'd suggest ignoring the advice to have 2 small snacks between meals. It's better to have a proper meal and then let your body fully deal with it before eating again;

- whatever else you eat, make yourself have 5 portions of veg boiled or raw a day. This is filling, good for you, and contains virtually no calories. Treat it like a medicine if you aren't a natural veg lover, but obviously it's nicer if you can incorporate it into your meals and really enjoy it;

- avoid alcohol altogether. It's very fattening, and makes you hungry. It's depressing for those of us who like a drink, but it is actually easier not to drink at all than it is to try to stick to 1 small glass of something; save your alcohol for your celebratory glass or 3 of champagne when you hit target;

- you could try "compressed eating". I'm having a go at this at the moment. You set a time period during the day when you will eat, and then you just don't eat outside that period. I'm doing 9am to 7pm. I eat my 3 meals during that time, and just mentally close the kitchen door after dinner. The idea is that you give your body a small fast overnight, and this seems to reset the metabolism and be good for your health generally.

- try to eat slowly and really enjoy your food. You could set a kitchen timer and try to make your lunch and dinner stretch out to 20 or even 30 minutes;

I'd suggest, from personal experience, that instead of thinking about how little you need to eat to shift weight, think about how much you can eat while still losing weight. if you are shifting 2lbs plus each week, then whatever you are eating is doing the trick. if you lose less than that, then you need to cut back your quantities and maybe eat slightly different foods.

Good luck!

[timetoact16 in reply to Hidden]

Some very good ideas there and very helpful to think about.

[anne0901 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the good advice and ideas lots to think about as i need to loose about 4 stone   Anne

[Determinedchick22]

Good luck 

Think of the health benefits and how amazing you will feel when you lose the weight.

[timetoact16]

Thank you for the very positive message.

[timetoact16]

Yes now I think I can manage a more interested answer , yes I can just about imagine the health benefits, and I will look forward to the " amazing" whn I get there hopefully.

[F1DA]

Thank you timetoact. I just joined today and your message was the first I read and it felt like I was reading a message that I could have wrote. I have the same problems when I am back from work and have more work to do ready for the next day and am looking after a young family- it's hard to get anytime for yourself and being heavy anyway it's hard to motivate yourself because of being achy or tired. I'm hoping this if going to work for my as I'm aiming for the 10k for race for life in June. Fingers crossed. great comment and support everyone 😀

[timetoact16 in reply to F1DA]

Fida- Very best of luck to you. I am sure with family and work it is difficult, but even after a not so good day, don't let's be too hard on ourselves, get back to thinking positive, turn the negative feelings on their head and start planning for the next healthier day. Even if it's going through thefridge and chucking old stuff out, look and see what you have that's healthy, boil some rice or pasta and fling together with some healthy left over bits of pepper , onion, anything that  will make you feel you are engaging again. Preparation I think helps to avoid the slips. 

[Karen3169]

Hi there, I have just started today & know exactly how you feel. I have put myself last for years always helping others & now my health is deteriorating due to my weight. I have now decided I must think more positive & put myself first. I will be more than happy to give you support & swap any hints & tips with you. Have a fab week x

[Hidden in reply to Karen3169]

Hi Karen3169 I'm afraid I'm one of those people who always put everyone else first.

There comes a time in your life, when you finally have to say to yourself, it's now my time.

I can't blame anyone else for my weight gain, but I'm now going to be a little selfish and concentrate on Me, and I'm determined to lose 4-5 stone.

I do so want to start feeling well and healthy, and to start looking good in my clothes again.

I only joined a few days ago, but the support you will receive on this sight is first class.

I would like to wish you lots of good luck, have a great first week. xxxx

[anne0901]

Hello  like you i have just joined today and am probably feeling the way you do   scared apprehensive  but i need to do this for me  just wanted to wish you luck   Love Anne

[FINTY]

Hi I've just joined today and am thinking about setting a goal to start being a more organized eater instead of eating as and whenever I am lucky that I can't drink anymore due to acid reflux problems which makes drinking alcohol too painful I am just about hanging onto the 6th decade so I hope to be less in the 7th

[MrsSlimfast]

Hi I'm just joining today and can so relate to these messages.

[Sailsalot]

I have lost 2.5 stone and like you found it very daunting at the beginning. I did it for health reasons, late fifties and although nothing major wrong, was getting very aching feet and joints which I have to say are not a problem at all now 

What helped me was regarding it as a new hobby, read up and educated myself. I didn’t want to do a faddy diet, had done those before and put weight back on after. I wanted a new lifestyle/eating plan which was healthy and that I could maintain forever (also hubby and he’s lost stones too). The first time I weighed myself I was horrified, but a steady pound or 2, sometimes even 3 came off every week, seems slow at first, but if you plod on it soon adds up! I also cut out the alcohol, except on special occasions, as mentioned, even one glass makes you hungrier, even the next day. I felt better for that alone! Hubby took some persuading, but he is glad now and that is something we will definitely stick to.

Shopping is important, having lots of food you can eat in the fridge, make healthy meals from - I add loads of veg to every meal, also sometimes lentils, tinned beans like cannelloni, borlotti, I like natural Greek yoghurt which has more protein and add that with fresh fruit to high fibre cereal breakfast like All Bran . All main meals are fairly large and filling, I haven’t really cut anything out entirely, apart from mature cheddar which I just can’t resist, so safer not to buy it. I don’t eat as much bread, pasta, rice as before, have switched to filling salads, meaty soups or a few Ryvita with low fat spread/sliced tomato for lunch, or re heat leftover dinner from the night before in a microwave.

Wishing you good luck, once you get past the first couple of weeks of learning new shopping/cooking/eating habits you will be fine!

[Hidden]

Right. Get down and do 1000 pressups then after breakfast consisting of a glass of water you're doing a half marathon and then you are allowed a cracker, dry of course.....

But seriously.....I was in your shoes weighing over 25 stone but over a few years I've lost 145lbs and yes I do now run half marathons, and actually for fun.....

Don't diet. You have to give up dieting and then it all goes back on. Make simple changes. If you have sugar in drinks then cut them out. 6 teaspoons a day is the same as 10lbs of weight a year. Thats 3 cups of hot drink with 2 sugars in. Cut the sugar and in a month you won't even know the difference in taste. Swap milk in your cereal for almond milk or soy milk saving you 30 calories a day. Doesn't sound much but in a year thats another 3lbs you have not hat to lose. Just by those two things alone, without missing out on your food, you have saved almost 1 stone of weight that hasn't gone into your body therefor 1 stone that you don't have to lose.

Exercise is a great way to shift those extra pounds too but please note, IF YOU CANNOT HOLD A FULL CONVERSATION WHILE EXERCISING THEN YOU ARE EXERCISING TOO HARD....... Sounds stupid but your body burns fat as a fuel when you do low intensity exercise. Brisk walking and when you're able even jogging slowly is great for weight loss.

Good luck with your plan of action. Simple changes make a massive difference.

[Alisonwilky]

Hi,

I've just joined and I am very similar to you. I'm almost 60 and very over weight. I notice your post was four months ago and I was wondering how you have done so far. I don't seem to have time to get myself going enough to lose weight and I've always got something else to do rather than get myself sorted out and yet losing weight is the one thing I would love more than anything. I don't understand why I can't do it.

Let me know how you are getting on please. It will really help me.

Best wishes,

Alison

[FinnBran]

Having just joined and nearly 4 stone overweight also I am in my late 50s just over absorbed in work and I have neglected myself. Now the knee joints and my back are stiff so I feel I need to motivate myself toward a healthier lifestyle. I would love to know how you are faring out afer 4 months because of the similarities.

[lizzthebizz]

My tip (and it always works) is "if it's not in the house you can't eat it!" Look in your fridge and cupboards and just see what shouldn't be there. No need to throw it away but don't buy it again. Use up all the naughty stuff by allowing yourself one treat per day. Then buy healthy treats - fruit perhaps. Don't use the excuse that someone else in the house "needs" the stuff, they don't! (I am referring to crisps, chocolate etc. ).

[windtones]

hi,I have just joined.I am 62 not tall and very obese.My son gets married in exactly one year and I don't want to look like I do right now. Your post resonated with me.I too want to fix things before it is too late.I love eating and drinking all the wrong things and too much of them.I am hoping this plan will help.Good luck to all on this journey too.

[Ruby8]

Hi there, Me too! In my early fifties and wanting to take better care of myself, and get more out of life!

[Grannysqua 7lbs]

Hello I know how you feel I have good eating days and bad but the more I come on here the less bad days I’m having it’s great encouragement to stay on track keep motivated you can do it 😀