Where to begin, how, to lose weight? - Weight Loss Support

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Where to begin, how, to lose weight?

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs
51 Replies

where do I begin... tree trunk legs, bat wing arms.. double chin, muffin belly with a muffin belly! feeling a tad gloomy writing that, but, where do I begin? How? What works? 13 & half stone.. and i am not tall.. several need to go. my first post, new. any tips, ideas, solutions..?

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ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa
4lbs
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51 Replies
BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministratorSS Supercook2 stone

Hello and welcome, ArtyMa 😊

This is a good option, straightforward, just real food phcuk.org/wp-content/upload...

You'll find all the information you need about the forum in our Pinned Posts healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... including a Welcome message. A good place to start is by joining a weekly weigh in on the day of your choice, and using the Daily Diary, where members share their meal plans.

This gives you a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true and, along with Pinned Posts, will show you how things work. I hope you'll become an active member and we will see you joining in around the forum 😊

PS the app doesn’t give access to all parts of the forum so we advise everyone to get rid of the app and log on to the full website using the browser on their phone

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to BridgeGirl

thank you, that was really helpful.

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministratorSS Supercook2 stone in reply to ArtyMa

You're welcome :)

SofaJockey profile image
SofaJockey

Lots of help to be found here. Some differing paths to take. Tried anything before that didn't work for you?

And this is a straight-forward outline that's pretty popular around here:

phcuk.org/wp-content/upload...

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to SofaJockey

thank you. no, not really been a dieter. I used to be very slim.. then, in last 5 yrs put on 5 stone. Was not as active after a bad fall.

SofaJockey profile image
SofaJockey in reply to ArtyMa

At least no bad habits then. 😄

Suggest reading the Daily diary and weigh-in threads as that will give you a really good sense of what people are trying.

I'm a 'Low Carb'er. We also have calorie counters. Main thing is to find an approach you feel relaxed with as you won't do it if it's miserable. 😊

Pink4eva profile image
Pink4eva

Hi Arty, welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of good advice and support here. I joined a few months ago and decided to follow a LowCarbHighFat way of eating with Intermittent Fasting. So far I have lost over a stone and I am feeling a lot happier in myself generally. Good luck with your weight loss journey😊

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Pink4eva

Hello. Thank you for replying to me. Congratulations on your success! Yes, I have now joined the LowCarbhighFAt group too. I am looking forward to losing weight.

Holly28 profile image
Holly28 in reply to ArtyMa

Where can I join it? I did a search and nothing came up.

Subtle_badger profile image
Subtle_badger in reply to Holly28

healthunlocked.com/lchf-diet

Holly28 profile image
Holly28 in reply to Subtle_badger

Thanks!

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Holly28

LCHF is on this site.. HealthUnlocked. I think, if you go to the home page, you may find it. I am still new, not sure what link I clicked to get on it. Let me know if you cannot find it still.. I will try to find a link for you.

Diane1962 profile image
Diane1962

Read delay don’t deny by gin Stephens it’s totally changed my life so much science behind this ( intermittent fasting)

Been a yo yo dieter all my life I’m finally free from diet mentality and now I’m resting and healing my body and loosing & maintaining my body weight

Join the Facebook groups and see for yourself from people like yourself it’s mind blowing !!

Good luck !

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Diane1962

thank you. I think this fasting thing may be some place to begin.

Diane1962 profile image
Diane1962 in reply to ArtyMa

Absolutely it gives your body time to heal and repair Maybe start with 16/8

Read the science it’s unbelievably !

Fabulous book podcasts and face book group

Good luck

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Diane1962

thank you. I am reading 'The konjac Diet, lose wieght with the no carb carbs." will check out more books after this one.

ELLS76 profile image
ELLS76

For me it has been writing down what I was eating so I can calculate calorie intake (was shocking at the start), weighing food for a while (I thought I was eating 150g of yoghurt and it was about double that!), weighing myself each week at same time, buying a watch to monitor my steps to get 10k a day and intermittent fasting that stopped evening snacking.

I also started doing yoga online each evening for 30 minutes. Felt great and stopped me just sitting watching tv.

I also accept I am building back good habits and that will take time as want permanent weight loss. Not fast results.

Really good luck.

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to ELLS76

congrats on your life changes. I have now a mini trampoline, used it first time today, so.. will begin to exercise a bit more now. thank you.

Smithy999 profile image
Smithy999 in reply to ELLS76

Hi, I'm using My Fitness Pal to record my calories, it's a free App. You can search for most foods for supermarkets and even homemade items and you can record your separate meals, snacks and drinks etc . I've found it really useful and will often look something new up now to check it out first before I eat it 😁

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Smithy999

I am glad it is working for you. I hope you are losing weight?

G1s2m3 profile image
G1s2m3

Hi 👋 you,ve made decision to be more healthy and I,m feeling the same as you. I never believed in comfort eating until I became very stressed. Keep reading the posts as there is always lots of great advice. I,m starting my healthy eating plan 2mrw and the amount of times I day that 😅 I seem to eat so much more at work where I,m a nurse and really want to cut out sugar. Good luck 👍

TheTabbyCat profile image
TheTabbyCatAdministrator10 kg in reply to G1s2m3

Hello G1s2m3 and welcome back to the weight loss forum. Please have a good read of the Pinned Post “Welcome Newbies”. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

as you will find that some things have changed since your last visit.

This is a very large community with lots going on. May I suggest you use the webpage as opposed to the app at least until you know your way around. Take your time and follow every thread so that you know exactly what’s going on.

Here’s the link for a “Tour” of the forum ,if you haven’t already taken it.

healthunlocked.com/?tour=true

If you are following the NHS plan please check your BMI on the NHS site and obtain the correct amount of calories for you.

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

The Daily Diary and the Weekly Weigh ins are very good places to begin. You will find the DD and WI in the Pinned Posts under “Events”

I find the Daily Diary a very good place to share my plans and get inspiration from other members, too. Once the day’s food is written down I’m far more likely to stay on track.

The key to success is participation, we are all on the same journey.

If you can’t find something just shout, there’s usually someone around.

I hope to “see” you around, Good Luck.🍀😉

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to G1s2m3

thank you for your service as a nurse. May you stay safe and well dear. Sugars... hmmm... I love cream cakes.. so, in keto, is cream and strawberries allowed??

In reading peoples posts here, after a fast, they crave less the sweet things, but.. if you are working in hospital, you need your energy. I am just learning, so new, but, I am keen. each time I look in the mirror.. I feel shame.. that I let me get like this.. I can give myself excuses.. but.. I am responsible for me.. and, I don't want to wallow in it.. but, shift into thinking positive about what changes can do.

small changes daily.. like.. what you cook with? I am on the look out for peanut oil, more use of sesame oils, coconut oil.. that seems to be great, olive oil on salads.. more raw food. smaller portions..

Prepare some healthy snacks and have them in little containers, ready for the munch! take some to work maybe.. I dont know, just shooting these ideas of the top of my head x

monday1957 profile image
monday19573kg in reply to ArtyMa

Hi ArtyMa and welcome to this fab forum!

In the past 18 months since I joined I've learned so much, have developed a more open mind towards when and what I eat - and lost 10.5kg.

How have I done this? By gradually altering and ultimately embedding healthier habits. I post my meal plans on the Daily Diary, which increases my self-accountability. I also fill in a paper diary each morning of the food I actually consumed, plus info from my FitBit (steps, activity, heart rate). Once a month I log my statistics (waist, hips, chest, thighs). Sounds a bit anal, but works for me.

I've cut out all beige carbs and find the healthy fats keep me full. I aim to eat between 10.30am and 6.30pm, then kitchen gets closed and teeth brushed. I weigh myself only once a week now. I don't count calories. I eat off a smaller plate and avoid snacks.

Sometimes I have the odd slice of cake if I'm out and the other day a friend cooked me a big bowl of spelt pasta as she thought I'd said gluten-free (as opposed to low carbs). It was fine - just go with the flow.

I walk every morning for an hour or so and follow it with 20 mins of yoga. I've been vegetarian for 38 years, too.

We're all different, yeah, I agree. But, like a few others on here, all I can say is, if only I'd known about lchf decades ago, I could have spared myself a lot of misery. If you're considering giving it a go, I'd definitely encourage you to do so. Then after a month, if you haven't got more energy or haven't lost a few pounds, then try something different.

All the best,

🌻

Ps look on DietDoctor.com for recipes and inspirational case studies.

Pps my heart goes out to you when you say you look in the mirror and feel ashamed. So I'm suggesting, don't look in the mirror for a bit, just focus on the numerous ways that you can take back control now, today and be proud that you're brave enough to make a change 🤗🤗🤗

G1s2m3 profile image
G1s2m3 in reply to ArtyMa

Thank you. I work in a care home and covid free throughout 😊 I for example ate avocado and poached egg on toast then at work had huge plate of chicken chorizo pasta and about 15 chocolate jazzie sweets. We can support each other on this healthy eating journey 😁

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to G1s2m3

I must admit... stress.. not that is an excuse.. but.. comfort eating is just that for me, comfort.. so, finding comfort in other ways.. eh. good luck.

Bungiecat profile image
Bungiecat

Try to cut sugar from your diet and try to walk more

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Bungiecat

spot on! yep. two things.. but wow!

Dracula07 profile image
Dracula07

Hello, me too!!!-all those things you said!!! Was 14st 07, now 13.07 and stuck, and sometimes keeps crawling back up. important thing is NEVER GIVE UP and don't beat yourself up if you've had a cake, just resume , re-set and get back on the horse!!

Drink more water and get more exercise of any kind, even seated videos are good, like Cardio boxing or seated aerobics if bad knees. Walking is good if you've got the feet for it and they haven't already gone! Swimming is marvellous but I'm afraid to go at the moment. Alter portion size definitely and maybe try not eating a large breakfast like they say, just eat fruit or piece of wholemeal toast and fruit, then have the cereal for a 'pudding' after mid-day meal.Then no snacking later on,drink of milk maybe.

God knows, but it is a battle of the bulges and we have to win this and NOW is the time!!!!!

Very best of luck.

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Dracula07

wow.. you did really well. I am saying to myself, I will get healthier, slimmer, and exercise will become easier... yes.. feet, I fell down my stairs early this year and broke a foot.. sprained the other.. then lockdown happened, it was too risky to go to hospital.. I was layed up, both feet, piling on the weight.. so.. it hurts walking, but.. going to do more.

thank you for sharing. We can be stronger together.

Dracula07 profile image
Dracula07 in reply to ArtyMa

OMG.... so sorry to hear that. You must have been in agony as well as terrified to go anywhere to be seen. I also broke my big toe (few years ago),-the oven door fell off on it- they said wasnt broken,so I went to work in agony, then they said it was broken, but too late to bind it. long story , anyway it' s thrown the rest of foot out out of sinc., so now 3 injections later, bad knees and insoles I can walk, much better now that I've lost the stone in Lockdown, cos I had a stick for a year before, so things do improve with the weight -loss.Try swimming , cos I was doing that before and that's definitely good if walking is painful.Also, the seated cardio-boxing or aerobics, cos there's lots of them online and you get to move every part of your body, its amazing, even though you're sitting down!! Not sure I can recommend a particular one on here, maybe not allowed.

You keep going and keep in touch. yes, definitely stronger together.!!Weigh in tomorrow

oh dear!!!!

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Dracula07

wow.. sorry to hear about your foot.

i fell down the stairs carrying a huge pile of washing, and was a nightmare. The hospital gave me a commode, a gutter frame, foot in plaster, other foot bandaged.. then I wore a big boot for ages.. layed up in the front room...

I did go initially to the hospital, but, my doctor and I both agreed, that follow up appointments, were too high risk, to attend.

But.. I am pushing myself.. and pushing through the pain.. same with movement..I feel the aches, and still do it. remind the body it has some muscle still!

At night, when the house is quiet, I listen to the radio in the kitchen and dance, with some Tai Chi/Qui Gong and Belly dance movements thrown into the mix..

I have just bought an indoor trampoline, a mini one.. apparently NASA say it is the best exercise to do.. says my Konjac diet book I am still reading/learning.

But.. will look at the chair exercises.. thank you.. my foot swells up by evening.. so.. yeah, sitting, not standing ..

thank you Dracula.. we got each other's back bat wings lol

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministratorSS Supercook2 stone in reply to Dracula07

Once you get stuck, I reckon you need to review if your plan is working, rather than just doubling down and trying harder with the same plan.

Maybe there's something in the Diet Myths post that will help healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

wiserlady profile image
wiserlady

I have lost nearly a stone in about six weeks - cut out snacks, cut out fattening foods, cut out sugar, smaller portions.

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to wiserlady

you make is sound so simple... 'cut out fattening foods'.. but, there are good fats, and I am learning that there are fats to increase, so that the body burns fat, instead of eating sugars, and weight gain. I am such a newbie, am sure this 'fat, good, bad', will become less confusing.

What did you eat? and... congratulations on your loss!!

RedUnicorn profile image
RedUnicorn

This is a really supportive forum. I’m not a good person to follow for inspiration as I’ve been here for 2 years and keep losing and regaining the same stone.

Much of this is psychological and I know what to do- it’s sticking at it.

I have found LCHF helpful and fasting. But whatever you’re happiest with and remember it’s not ‘ a diet’ but a new way of living, a healthier you.

Good luck!

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to RedUnicorn

thank you.. that is so true.. not a diet, but a way of living.. I like that.

teddy14 profile image
teddy14

Hi ArtyMa it's a case of trial and error finding what works for you, I am going to try not eating after 7pm, as when I was watching tv at night I found that I was eating sweets and crisps and never really noticed how much I was putting away, not good. Tomorrow is a new day 🌞❤🤞

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to teddy14

yes, that is my aim too. only tonight... well, I decided to make a healthy Miso/Tofu/veg soup, lots of preparing, didnt realise the time passing by, and then, it was gone 9pm.. oops.. I am learning, will prepare in the day, and make earlier. Good luck!

Joliv61 profile image
Joliv61Visitor

Hiya, welcome to the groups. I can’t advise about diets as I like my beer and wine, but I can recommend walking. I do 3 miles and have been pushing the speed up.

You’ll find lots of advice in here so pick out what works for you.

I’ve lost 2 and 1/2 stone so far but wouldn’t recommend the push that made me do it.

Good luck on your journey and keep us posted. 👍👍

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Joliv61

thank you! I did some walking today! wow.. 2 and a half stone.. you must be doing something right.. I would love to be able to say that! What apart from walking, is working?

Joliv61 profile image
Joliv61Visitor in reply to ArtyMa

Hiya, planning meals works well, and also make up lots of salads. That way I know what’s what on the meal front.

Also I’ve retired so no more meal deals when filling up the car on the way to and from work, sometimes it would be one for breakfast and one on the way back if I was working far away.

👍

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Joliv61

oh yes.. salads.. with home made colslaw.. yes.. they are good, forgot about salads, been so into making the soups!

Yeah.. that takes a bit of self discipline what you are doing. Well done!

Congratulations on your retirement!

Climb007 profile image
Climb007Restart April 2023

Good luck Artyma. This forum will be a great help.

You can and will do it

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Climb007

love the positivity! thank you!

Bee-bop profile image
Bee-bopMaintainer2st 7lbs

Just wanted to say I loved the look of Buddha's delight but, can't reply as I am not an LCHF member 🙂

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Bee-bop

I found it on Youtube.. Buddah delight.. yes.. I thought it looked really good too. Maybe join the LCHF? There is no harm in giving it a go! That is what i am doing, so many here are also on that one.. and they share some amazing things.. and that is just me dipping in and out over last couple of days.

Good luck!

Bee-bop profile image
Bee-bopMaintainer2st 7lbs in reply to ArtyMa

I am on slimming world and wheat and dairy free so have chosen not to try LCHF but your post showed up on here so I was kind of "oh, that looks really nice!" 🙂

ArtyMa profile image
ArtyMa4lbs in reply to Bee-bop

aaaw, thank you. When I am researching meals.. as I have a lot of new ingredients now.. I will try to add a picture/video that can give insight. not sure where to post those still.. but will work it all out.

Bee-bop profile image
Bee-bopMaintainer2st 7lbs in reply to ArtyMa

Sounds good, will keep an eye out for them, I love Chinese food 🙂

Foxandbadger profile image
Foxandbadger

I was literally you this time last year. I started the C25k programme with the first lockdown and I had to repeat a week here or there but completed it and continued running ever since a 2-3 times a week. I stopped eating take away and switched to healthier, but not diet food. I’ve lost 2 stone and kept it off, and I’m making another push now to lose another stone for the summer. After pretty much being over weight or yo yo dieting for the last 15 years it’s the first time anything has properly worked for me and I feel so much better for it.

If you make a start now you will

Already look and feel completely different by the summer, the main thing is to keep going even when you don’t lose anything one week.

I have a sweet tooth so I keep some sugar free jelly pots in the fridge and some individual bags of pop corn for when I need a sweet fix. I also had a treat or two every weekend, so a nice meal and some chocolate.

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