I did it again just keep piling on the weight and now back to square one.

[Sarah46]

Ive been battleling with my weight the past 30 years it doesnt get easier. Tried all the plans and yes had success with some but it always goes back on plus more. I never feel full so always hungry. At one of my highest weights at the moment and not happy but also not sure what to try for the best. Even thought about surgery but havent seen anyone who has tried this option either. I want to get healthy for my neice and nephews and for me.

[Tiggerr]

Hello Sarah and welcome.

Thank you for posting. I think you'll find that most of us have gone through much the same route as you've described, so you're definitely not alone.

If one of the admins hasn't already, they will reply to this post with lots of great information and pointers to even more, that I know you will find very helpful.

Like you, I have dieted numerous times and as you say, put it back on and more. Even when I've lost weight (now that I look back) none of them were really successes or else I wouldn't have reverted.

The mindset here (at least, the one that I've adopted) is that this isn't a diet but it is a lifestyle change. Basically, a new way of life that is sustainable but at the same time enjoyable.

You will get lots of great support and advice from everyone here. They are a very friendly and helpful bunch.

Wishing you all the best on your new journey

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, Sarah

I was a yoyo dieter for 40 years, before realising that dieting isn't the way to go. It's exactly as Tiggerr has suggested

Please try again, before considering the surgical route.

Take a look at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread, then move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you

Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news

Take a look at the 12 week plan, as a lot of people have been successful with it, making sure to enter your details into the BMI calculator, to get a calorie allowance tailored to your personal requirements. Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate

We run daily weigh-in's and you'd be very welcome to join us. The threads can always be found in the Events section, to the right of the home page, bottom on a mobile.

We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too

It's only left for me to wish you well on your journey

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello Sarah46 and welcome to the forum 😊

I agree with Moreless and Tiggerr, it's about making permanent changes. What is different for me this time is following a generous plan that I can stick to for life. So check your bmi and find the target calories, (there is a link on the newbies post that Moreless suggested )

It may be more than you think 😊

Best wishes

Anna

[RobLandsdown91]

Hi Sarah,

Please do try again, before you consider the surgical route, I was so set on it, that I had a gastric bypass in October 2015, aged 23, it was the biggest mistake I've ever made and had to have it reversed a matter of weeks later because an ulcer developed in my pouch, which, in short means my stomach is damaged for life.

Lose weight on your own, it's so much better and means you don't have a surgeon messing around with your stomach

Best of luck,

Rob

[Pineapple27]

Hi Sarah46

I thought that you might find this past post of mind helpful?

Five years ago, I was considering a gastric by-pass as a last resort, but decided to give losing weight through diet one last try. The rest if history! healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I know two people who had gastric bypass surgery when I was considering it - they both lost loads of weight, but I see that one seems to have piled it all back on and (according to her Facebook pictures) seems to be eating all the wrong sort of things.

The other has kept off her weight..... but I know she continues to work hard in terms of exercise and moderating her portions.

Gastric bypass changes what you have to eat FOREVER and of course you'll have to take pills for the rest of your life if going down that route. It's most certainly not the easy way out!

[Sarah46 in reply to Pineapple27]

Thanks for your reply will try this site and the 12 week llan before I go any further. Seems surgery is not the best option from some of the replys Ive had.

[kalahuchi]

Hi Sarah,

you've had some fantastic replies already and I do agree that surgery really is quite drastic and absolutely a very last resort. Your goal of being healthy is the best motivator of all and I suspect that even after surgery, you would have to modify your lifestyle.

I have been obese pretty much all of my life but something seems to have just clicked this time so don't give up, it's just a matter of finding the right combination for you. Reading posts from people on the forum who are on a similar wavelength and getting/keeping the weight off really helped me to get some good ideas and the support from people on this wonderful forum is amazing.

The things that were different this time round for me have been that I haven't had a goal weight as such; I really wanted to lose 2 stone and keep it off but apart from that I've found a pattern of eating that I like and a calorie intake I can keep going in the long term so I've accepted that I can't ever go back to my old ways now. As the weight came off I experimented with finding exercise that I enjoyed so it didn't seem a chore, just a new hobby so that, again, it becomes sustainable.

For me, a breakthrough was cutting out added sugar pretty much altogether because I simply can't have just a bit the way most people can and I had to be brutally honest with myself and decide whether I really wanted to do this because I knew that if I kept sugar in my life, sooner or later I would succumb to it's charms!

I also got into a pattern of not eating breakfast quite accidentally, and only later found I was doing 16:8 fasting and that really works for me, although for some people the thought of skipping breakfast is a real no-no and that's fine too.

I think it's all about changing habits; when stressful times come around (as they surely do) it's being able to rely on those new, better habits to keep you going and to go out for a walk rather than eating mountains of cream buns to de-stress (that's easier said than done but I'm getting better at it).

I'd recommend the NHS 12 week plan and also the NHS BMI calculator to find your recommended calorie range - you just won't believe how many calories you're allowed but it does work! Personally I found it better to make lots of small, sustainable changes that built up over time, and stop at a weight that I can maintain than to go for being very very slim only to find I can't keep it going.

Good luck. This could be the start of a whole new you ....... x

[Sarah46 in reply to kalahuchi]

Thankyou so much for replying one thing I have found in all these years is that you feel isolated and you dontblike yourself which in turn draws you to comfort eat. Im a carer for my parents and work full time and fine it difficult to do things for me but today when I risked the scales and saw the weight I had got to I made a decision to start looking for help. So this is my first step and will try the 12 week plan.

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to Sarah46]

Remember to come on here and let us know how you get on 😊

[kalahuchi in reply to Sarah46]

I've been in a similar position and when you're caring for others it's very difficult to think of yourself and I do remember that downward spiral and isolation. Looking back I wish I'd taken better care of myself and I truly think I would have been a better carer if I had. Your parents love you and would want you to be happy and healthy too; they will take great comfort if they can see that you have a good life so that they don't feel a burden - I know my mom used to worry about me when I piled weight on and one of her friends told me how proud she would have been of me if she could see me now. I wept buckets as you can imagine.

You couldn't have found better support than this community. Good luck and I hope you will keep posting x

[Dips62]

I'm the same I was always the big one at school and now nearly 40 years on still struggling. But all we can do is keep trying. I don't think I eat more than my slimmer friends but I'm just unlucky and being fat is being me. I'm 2 -3 stone over what I should be and this is an onward battle. Just keep trying its all we can do. Good luck and keep going.