Your mistakes

[derbygraham]

Hi

I learn from mistakes, mainly those of my own making. I wondered if you would share your mistakes and how you avoid them.

thanks

Graham

[S11m]

Too much exercise...

I am 70, and I was disabled for five years, but, when I had lost some weight and had a new pacemaker, I was able to walk again.

I increased my walking until I was walking 50km a week - but that was too much, and I now walk 30 or 40 km a week.

I have also been overdoing the stretches, and have eased back to a previous level.

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum derbygraham 😊

I try not to dwell on mistakes, but I do try to learn from them. The biggest lesson has been to have enough to eat, and the second is to use the forum.

You will have been given links to our Pinned Posts in your Welcome Message when you first joined, please read them carefully as they contain a lot of information about finding your way around. In particular, please read the security post as I see you haven left your post open to everyone not just members of the forum. 😕

Nothing beats joining in with forum events and activities for motivation, especially the Daily Diary and the Group Weigh-in’s. Have a look at the Whats Happening Chat Thread for a full list 😊

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

This is a very busy forum with lost going on so please ask if you have any questions.

Best Wishes in your weight loss journey

Indigo

[S11m in reply to IndigoBlue61]

"Dwelling on mistakes" is not good - but, hopefully, we can learn from mistakes, make changes or adjustments - and move on.

The smart thing to do is to read this forum and learn from the mistakes (or "experiences") of others.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

I'm with IndigoBlue. The main mistake I learned from was trying to be too restrictive with my food and thinking that was a way to lose weight. That, and the mistake of thinking that eating low fat products was healthy

All the best to you, derbygraham

[2718281 in reply to BridgeGirl]

+1, I've found that a less restrictive approach is working much better for me too

[TheAwfulToad Visitor]

Well ... I was a bit slow on the uptake, but after 10 years or so of eating low-fat products and watching my portion size (in my 20s and 30s), I figured out that since the advice wasn't working, the advice must be wrong. I spent many of those 10 years wondering what was wrong with me until it finally clicked.

[Zaq12wsx Maintainer]

Too much, too soon.

Over the years, like most I’ve tried to do too much and far too soon. Food restriction as well as exercise.

This time around I changed that. I implemented changes gradually and exercise the same way.

I thought of where I’d like to be and what I’d like to achieve, then halved it.

In my head I thought that if I could meet each goal and maintain that for a period of time, it would be a success, ergo spur me on to continue and build on that success.

It worked like a dream.

I wanted to be able to walk to work everyday so I started by walking just one day a week, cycling the rest as normal. Managed that for a few weeks, then increased it to two days, and so on. My job is on my feet all day so it wasn’t easy, but as the weight dropped off it became a breeze.

I now walk every day, work all day on my feet and am doing C25K every other day, and a 4K walk on rest days too. I swim 1k once a week too.

I approached my food the same. Am now an accidental pescatarian and loving it!

5 stone off, healthy weight and have maintained for just over a year.

Life is good 😊

[2bFabnfit]

My mistake has been to (repeatedly) diet to achieve a healthy weight. By diet I mean cutting out food groups, counting calories etc.

This has lead to yoyoing, as soon as i take my eye off the ball, the lbs go back on.

I have learnt to embrace life, but be continually mindful about what I eat in total. Nothing banned. If I am going to a party I enjoy it, I plan to do so by being extra careful a day or two before and after. I think about total food and drink consumption over a week rather than a day. Nothing is banned. I eat asking myself if the food is providing needed nutrition. I ask if eating it is loving myself and helpful for my health and wellbeing.

Since the beginning of September i have lost weight every week by being mindful and kind to myself. Some weeks i have lost up to 2lbs other weeks it has been ounces but i have lost, and enjoyed life and social occasions along the way. I embrace my new lifestyle and have felt no time pressure to reach my goal, but to change my relationship with food long term and in a sustainable way, which doesn't negatively impact my enjoyment of social occasions and celebrations.

As a serial yoyoer i plan to keep this up as a permanent lifestyle.

Another previous mistake is stopping weekly weigh ins.

Once back to a healthy weight (I have just reentered the healthy band my current bmi is 24.8, I plan to lose another 7 lbs and then permanently maintain my bmi between 22 and 24) In order to achieve this I must now weigh in weekly, for life!

Last time around I maintained for a year or so, then got cocky and stopped weekly weigh ins. Then woke up a couple of stone heavier and unable to fit in any of my beach wear!

This is my lifestyle for ever, from now on. Friday weigh in is crucial! If I have gained above my maintenance zone, a small adjustment within my mindful eating should address the issue easily and immediately. This way I will remain healthier, still be able to enjoy all foods and social events but never again need to lose a couple of stone !.... I embrace a healthy lifestyle whilst acknowledging a life long battle with my weight, I need to do it this way to win the war and never to battle again.

Thanks for asking the question, writing my answer has helped me consolidate my learning from my past mistakes!

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to 2bFabnfit]

Great reply

[Lzlycraft]

I have joined a couple of slimming clubs in the past, along with my friends. Each time we join we are not only a bit older but also a bit fatter!!! Clearly, in the long term they are not for me because they promote a diet mentality. My husband reckons they rely on the repeat business to make them successful!! This time I am doing it using this site, these posts and working on my healthy mind. So far so good, and I feel so virtuous cutting down on sugar and refined carbohydrates. I now reward myself with lovely treats instead of spending money on the club and their merchandise.