Introducing myself

[Clairefg1974]

Hi struggling with my weight wanting to lose 2lb. A week

[Pineapple27]

Hi Clairefg1974 and welcome

Slowly, slowly!! 2lbs a week is a BIG ask, and if you fail to achieve that, you may quickly give up...

It took me 130 weeks (2.5 years) to lose 4.5 stone. That was on average less than half a pound a week. But of course, some weeks I lost more, some weeks I gained.... but - I just kept on going!

You will find this a great supportive environment to lose that weight.

When I started my weight loss over 7 years ago (aged 49), I had 4.5 stone to lose. I lost most of my weigh using a website: weightlossresources.co.uk (which I still use to this day!) but I enjoy the support and posts on here alongside using the other site.

I have a disability that I was born with (shortening of all four limbs as a result of the drug Thalidomide my mum took when pregnant with me). As a result my mobility is minimal - and was further reduced following a serious head on car crash in 2002 when I broke my ankle. I went on to have my ankle joint fused and am still in constant pain with it.

I started my weight loss journey at 14 stone - over 7 years ago. I am just 4ft 8” tall and so was classed clinically obese.

I had been trying to lose weight all of my life since the age of 9. My disability makes exercise difficult (I am very sedentary and use a wheelchair outside of the house).

The one thing that I realised very early on in my journey was that I was just eating FAR TOO MUCH! I was a short, middle aged, sedentary female and I was eating the same as 5ft 9" active man (my now husband!). No wonder I was piling on the weight!

I started my journey at the end of February 2012, and managed to lose 4.5 stone in 2 and a half years through calorie counting and logging/weighing all of my food. That works out at 130 weeks, so on average my weight loss was less than half a pound a week - of course some weeks I lost more, others I gained... but I am trying to impress upon you the importance of just keeping on going, even though the weight may not come off as quickly as you would like it to.

I cannot stress enough how important this part of the weight loss journey is - being able to recognise just how much we are eating and address that. It is not about cutting out any foods but about being able to make informed choices about the foods we eat Also about learning how to behave differently around food. Just because food is in front of us does not mean to say that we have to eat it! Being able to exercise control and moderate intake is paramount.

I re-gained some of the weight I lost, then lost it again and have now managed to more or less maintain for the past 6 months at around 10 stone. Still considered "over weight".

Ideally I would love to drop another stone to 9 stone and maintain there.

The other great news is that it is entirely possible to lose weight without moving! Of course though, there are lots of advantages to moving a bit more - but it doesn't have to be as formal as going to a gym or out for a five mile run. A good session of house work, mowing the lawn (when the weather permits!) or even a cooking session will all burn calories and have the advantage of making you feel much better emotionally too! It's good to find something that you LIKE doing, that is enjoyable and that you are likely to sustain on a regular basis.

My weight loss journey has been long, but I am still learning new tips and tricks to help me along the way and what's more, still enjoying the challenge! I would say that my behaviour around food has changed massively - I have learned to respect food, to "break" it's control over me, and to be able to modify how I behave with food. Just because food is within sight doesn't mean I have to eat it! I don't see eating the way I do as meaning that I am missing out any more - in fact I am now able to enjoy my life and have regained the ability to do things that I struggled to do or even found impossible to do!


Here are a few of my past posts which I hope you will find helpful and inspiring. I won't try and tell you that my journey was easy - and you'll see that there were many blips along the way, but 6 years down the line, I feel about 20 years younger than I did when I was lugging around 4 stone more.

Please do pop back to the forums and share your journey with us - we are here for you, day and night and happy to share your success or support you when you need it.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum Clairefg1974 😊

We've found active participation to be key to success, especially with our weigh-ins and Daily Diary. Follow this link to our chat thread and a list of all the activities we run. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

If you haven’t already, then please read the Welcome post here which has lots of useful information about all the things we have on offer healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

For your own privacy and safety online we suggest that you lock your posts by selecting ‘members of my community’ when you write a new post. Please read our security post here healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... especially as your post isn’t locked and you’ve shared an easily identifiable name and your photo

Best wishes and have a good first week

Indigo 😊

[Minniewinny 5 stone Maintainer]

Welcome Clairefg1974

Enjoy the encouragement and comradely that this forum is best known for!!

It certainly helped me when I got involved. A weigh in day and the daily diary were key in helping me get organised. I still do two challenges each week..

Enjoy, engage and stick to your plan.. whichever choices you make.. The forum is your new friends x

Cheering you on 🎉🎉🎉

[Clairefg1974]

Thank you all

For being so friendly and helpful

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

Hi Claire. I think initially 2lbs a week is quite realistic as you will be eating differently and with a altered mindset but don't be discouraged if some weeks you don't attain your goal or put on a pound or 2 . Allow for a social life too. If I go out I have a decent main. My stomach capacity has shrunk so now this is easy . Update us all with your progress and any tips . Think summer !