Hello

[chi33y88]

Hi all, my name is Chi. I'm desperately looking to lose weight for health reasons and I need guidance. I've tried a number of things but I can't seem to be consistent. Please tell me where to start. I want to learn. Thank you.

[Ceals]

Welcome chi33y88 so good of you to join us you will get so much support and advice here, just come on regularly and make the most of it.

Come and join our Newbie Club, which is a good place for you to connect with members, who are also just starting out, or re-starting. Just post a few words on the November Newbie Club thread to introduce yourself and respond to others there you will soon feel part of the club.

Follow this link to the Newbie club: healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Please read all the information carefully, it is very useful and can be referred to whenever you want to check something.

The FAQs are a veritable mine of information check them out here:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I wish you well on your journey.

Ceals

[chi33y88 in reply to Ceals]

Thank you Ceals

[Pineapple27]

Hi and welcome chi33y88

When I've been asked how I have achieved my loss....

(1) February 2012 Joined an on-line weightloss website (weightlossresources. co.uk). Still a member!

(2) Using the site, worked out how many calories I needed to eat to lose ONE pound a week (based on my TDEE)

(3) Started to weigh and log everything I ate, every day. Still do to some extent....

(4) Planned and cooked healthy meals from scratch, using the recipes on that website and others I found on-line (you have the ability to create recipes using that website, so you know how many calories per portion a recipe is)

(5) Only started to exercise once I had lost 2 stone (swimming for an hour once a week at a disabled swimming session)

(6) From about 2013, used 5:2 Fasting as an additional tool, which helped me to conquer the mental hold that food had on me - I worked to make myself stronger than the food! I would conquer a Fast Day and not let the food ruin my efforts!

(7) More or less gave up alcohol completely (nowadays, I've actually gone off the taste of wine.... very sad!)

(8) Started to increase the amount of exercise I did. Used a personal trainer for a few sessions to identify exercises that I was able to do, and also learned about HIIT training (high intensity, short bursts of activity, which brings your heart up to aerobic level and back down)

(9) Recognised that I cannot eat out every week.... I used to plan every trip out of the house to include some food, ie, trip to town = lunch in a pub, trip to the garden centre = cake and coffee.

(10) More recently, I have used the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet. This way of eating was developed for and aimed primarily at those with diabetes or who are pre-diabetic. It follows the principles of the Mediterranean Diet, but aims to cut out grains (no bread, oats or rice), potatoes, pasta, sugar and sugar products, fruit which is high in sugar (think tropical). Also cutting out processed foods which contain a lot of added sugar (lots of ready made sauces, condiments), bread, cakes.

It's undertaken in 8 - 12 week "rounds" where calorie intake is limited to just 800 a day. Not as difficult as it sounds, as because you are eating foods containing lots of "good fats" which keep you feeling fuller for longer, you don't need to eat as much quantity wise! Read more here: thebloodsugardiet.com

(11) Just kept on going and never gave up, even though I've had holidays where I've piled the weight on, and we (myself and my husband) had his terminally ill mother living with us for over a year who required significant care towards the final months of her life.... I JUST KEPT ON GOING. Any loss, however small, is a move in the right direction.

I should add (regarding the graph) that I'll never be within the "healthy" range, as my height was determined by disability (I have about 20cm missing from my femurs/thighs). I have two sisters who are 5ft 10" and a size 12/14, whereas I am 4ft 9".... and weighing just over 10st I am a size 16. I am hoping to get to 8st 13lbs (just so I can see 8st something on the scales!) and then maintain between 9 and 9 and a half stone.

[Hidden in reply to Pineapple27]

Great information and advice. Thanks.

[chi33y88 in reply to Pineapple27]

Thank you Pineapple27. Very informative and detailed. I really appreciate your support.

[Hidden]

Hi and welcome!!!

[Bevoly]

I find remembering the numerous tablets and hospital appoints that I used to attend helped me to get started. Rembering the pain and endless cancelled social events due to arthritis keeps me going. I follow similar experiences and day to day routines as pineapple. I'm no saint I yo yo diet regularly. a year ago I couldn't even do one sit up..I now do it in the gym twice a week for 5 minutes constantly at a time and I do 10 full body rotating sit ups before bed every night no problem. It's good to hear compliments of how great you look when the pounds drop off but try to remember why you wanted to do this especially on days you want to binge. When I consciously do this I have good days. I used to take 14 tablets a day and was in hand support braces for my hands and was in pain all day every day. At my first Consultant appointment I asked them to amputate my hands as my wrists hurt so much. 5 stones later I'm on one tablet a day and my pain is fine. My aches have reduced from 12/10 to 2 and sometimes 1.. So for me I would say follow pineapple'so great advice but don't forget why your doing this. As your pain eases you will feel a amazing. Welcome to a great site with fantastic people☺☺

[Tiggerr]

Hi Chi and welcome. Did you find the Newbie Club post under 'Pinned Posts'?

[chi33y88 in reply to Tiggerr]

I did. Thank you.