Where to start

[vb1986]

I just don’t know where to start 😞 I NEED to lose weight, I NEED to be healthier, I just spend day after day crying about it and eating...where to start...exercise feels hard and impossible, even small walks, I get desperately sad when I think of the ‘bad food’ I can’t have anymore...I just...I know I’m rambling sorry x

[Lytham 3 stone]

Hello and welcome, you could make a start by joining our weigh in today? Here's the link, hope to see you there! x

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

[ChunkyDuck]

These sound like pretty normal feelings, don't worry. If it was that easy then nobody would ever be overweight would they !

Losing weight doesn't need to be miserable. I'd start by finding some recipes that you think look really tasty, I find slimming world, NHS smart recipes and weight watchers sites to be really good for this. You can eat cake, curry, pizza, pasta, potatoes, hearty stews, creamy chicken etc and still lose weight, it's definitely not all lettuce and plain turkey breast, more about just changing recipes up a bit.

People try all sorts of things like paleo, vegan, low carb, low fat, intermittent fasting etc, but I'd recommend you stay away from things like that until you've healed your relationship with food. No food is 'bad food', you don't have to give anything up! Try to look at it less like 'I ate a full bar of chocolate I'm such a failure I'll never lose weight I'm just too greedy' and more like 'Okay I had more chocolate than I should, I probably need to eat a bigger breakfast or maybe eat more often to prevent cravings'. You sound like you could definitely do with some support and encouragement

Good luck!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Welcome back, vb1986

The advice you were given 2 years ago is still relevant healthunlocked.com/weight-l... and I'm sure that if you immersed yourself in forum life, you'd find things much easier.

Here are a few other things that may also help:

helpguide.org/articles/diet...

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013...

healthunlocked.com/lchf-die...

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

As a reminder, all of the information you need about the forum can be found in Pinned Post healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... and we hope you'll be joining all the Events, Challenges and Clubs that we run, especially a weigh-in and the daily diary.

If you haven't already taken it, here's a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true

We've found active participation to be key to successful weight loss and, of course, it's a good way to get to know people, find inspiration and share support and encouragement.

Wishing you all the best

[Hidden]

It’s very hard isn’t it I get up I’m the morning when I starting thing what to eat health and what timed and what times bed lol

[Oilandwater]

I totally get you! Over the last few years my weight has massively crept up too...for a long time I didn’t care, I loved eating all the bad food more than I wanted to be healthy but I stated walking with friends at the crack of dawn, in the pitch black during the January lockdown. I always made sure they included at least one hill incline and would try to walk for anywhere between 1 and 2.5 hours.

And then, with no pressure at all I started adding a little running at the end, I’d Say goodbye to my friend and then stop start run back to mine (I was barely making 1 minute runs without feeling exhausted)

I found I wanted to eat better on the days I walked. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand for me. I’m either Really good or really bad.

After introducing myself to you this time around is inspired to start a Couch to 5K. I’ve now just completed week 6 which means I’ve just done 25 minutes non-stop running! It’s crazy to think I’ve done that but the pride I’ve got from this program is filtering into my food choices....I actually said no to Easter chocolate tonight because I didn’t want to eat all my run calories..I worked hard for them!!

Another thing that’s worth Mentioned is that because I Have a fair chunk of weight to lose (at the beginning I wanted to lose 5 stone) I knew it would be hard to stay completely on diet for the whole duration so I told myself I’d be super good Monday - Thursday and on Fri/Sat/Sun I’d eat whatever meals I wanted (but no binging/snacking/stupid portions - I’d usually have M&S pizza Friday - bakes potatoes and something delicious Saturday and a roast dinner on Sunday - with pudding!). Then that changed to just a Friday and Sunday when I felt I didn’t need 3 days of treats. 🤣 Giving myself these days helped me stick to it throughout the week and on Monday I felt I’d eaten what I’d craved and was ready to start again.

I’m now 2 stone 4 pounds done from starting mid January.

You can do it too! You just need to get your head in the game and take back control of your diet!

♥️♥️♥️

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg in reply to Oilandwater]

Hi Oilandwaterand welcome to this amazing forum. Well done for your weight loss up to date! Over 2 stone in 4 months is pretty good going!

As this is a very large forum with lots going on,I suggest you spend some time clicking about to find your way around. It's easier if you have a lap-top as there are several threads. If you’re using another device I strongly suggest that you use the web page as opposed to the app at least until you know your way around.

Have a good read of the pinned post “Welcome Newbies” and follow every thread.

Here’s the link to the pinned posts, healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

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

healthunlocked.com/?tour=true

I strongly suggest you read and contribute to the Daily Diary and participate in a Weekly Weigh in.

You will find there's loads of tips about better eating, from other members. Sharing your daily menu not only helps you stay committed, it can help other members too.

Good luck I hope to "see " you around.

[TheAwfulToad Visitor]

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

Honestly, you seem to have bought into some unhelpful memes about "dieting" that simply aren't true. To become (and remain) fat requires some fairly specific actions, and if you stop doing those things, your appetite will start working properly again and your body won't need to retain all that excess flab. As you begin to lose weight you'll feel more inclined to move around and exercise. It'll all drop into place.

Here are two of the most unhelpful ideas about losing weight:

- You have to eat small portions and be hungry all the time.

- You can only eat nasty things because nasty things make you slim.

These are completely, absolutely false. The problem you have at the moment (I'm guessing) is that you've spent many years eating unhealthy food, and your body has adapted to it. It'll take a bit of time for you to retrain your appetite, but we're talking weeks, not years. And proper food tastes good. The bland, tasteless pap that diet books love is not just boring, it's unhealthy. And it keeps people fat.

So start at the beginning. A good first step is learning how to make proper scrambled eggs. Search on YouTube for Gordon Ramsay's recipe. It's easy, it's tasty, and it's healthy.

Start by eating that for breakfast. Eggs are rather rich, so have some vegetables or a salad on the side. If that sounds odd, just bear in mind that there's no law that prescribes what people have to eat for breakfast.

Then go through your cupboards and throw out the trash. White bread. Breakfast cereals. Cakes, cookies, crisps, pot noodles, and anything of that sort. Anything "low fat" or anything that's full of sugar (there's a surprising overlap between those two categories). Chuck it all in the bin and commit to never buying it again. When you next go shopping, buy fresh vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.

If you fill up on proper meals you will rapidly lose interest in stodge and sweets. At some point you'll be able to enjoy a slice of cake or a bowl of ice cream without it taking over your life. But begin at the beginning.

[gman1961 Restart April 2024]

Good luck vb1986,You are in the right place for support and advice .

Gary

[Weakwillednomore]

I know how you feel! Before the first lockdown I was doing well. Slow weight loss, I was exercising regularly and felt quite good about my body. Now all gone to pot 😟. I have a big birthday next week and have promised myself that I am going to turn a corner! I need to treat myself better to feel better. Today I’m going to start writing down everything I eat and see where I go from there. I don’t know if any of this seems familiar to your situation but hopefully it’s a reminder that so many of us feel just like you. You are not alone. Just maybe need a bit of a kickstart 😘

[Summerliving]

What you describe is exactly how I was back in January. I decided I needed to change and started by using the NHS weight loss app where you simply count calories. You put all your details in and it will give you a calorie allowance so technically no food is off limits. Its just one step at a time, I started with calorie counting then introduced walking then onto couch to 5k. I started at almost 18 stone and now 2 stone down. If it was easy everyone would be a healthy weight. Just take 1 day at a time and believe in yourself, good luck.

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg in reply to Summerliving]

Hi Summerliving and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum. Well done for getting organized with the NHS app and losing those 2 stone. You're so right when you say if it was easy.........

May I suggest you spend some time finding your way around the community, there are lots of feeds to follow and there's lots going on. The pinned posts is a good place to start.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

From there you'll find the posts for the Daily Diary which I find useful for sharing my plans as it seems to hold me more accountable. There's also the Weekly Weigh in. There's one for every day, you'll find all the groups incredibly supportive, we find that active participation is the best way, so just choose your weigh in day and jump right in.

I hope to see you around. Good luck.🍀

[Grigid Moderator 4 stone]

Oh you poor love, it can be so overwhelming when you feel you have a huge task to get where you want to be. My spur has been a blood test result that indicated I might be too overweight (no prizes for that deduction).I've tried to look at it this way; it took a long time to get to the weight I am, so losing it won't happen over night. The NHS app is great for keeping track of your calories (and exercise). I checked my BMI on the NHS app (NOT happy reading), and was surprised that it worked out for me how many calories I actually could use in a day and still lose weight (and how generous that was). Planning my weight loss journey this way has helped me with realistic, not overwhelming, targets. The app said "you should aim to lose 12lbs", and that's what I've focussed on.

I didn't start exercise straight away, instead I waited a couple of weeks and then introduced first a power walk DVD, then a couple of dance DVDs which I do, for now, every other day, in the privacy of my own home, with the curtains firmly shut!

So far, in 6 weeks, I've lost a stone. My new target is to lose another 12lbs.

Incidentally, I haven't told anyone that I'm on this journey, let them find out for themselves!

I also think there is a real problem in our society with body shaming, and telling you that you look "amazing" when you lose weight puts an image into your mind that you looked awful before. This is not the case, we are all beautiful - what makes a difference is how you feel inside, not how you look outside, and weight loss does generally have positive affects on how you feel physically. I found myself almost springing up our practically perpendicular stairs the other day - a very pleasant surprise.

And whilst we're on a roll, we shouldn't call some foods "bad", it's just the amount of that particular food that we eat that might be an issue.

Last bit of my ramblings, turn the "need" to lose weight into "want" to lose weight, it really will help psychologically.

Good luck with your journey

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg in reply to Grigid]

Welcome back Grigid it's good to see that you're well on your way to losing weight. As some things have changed since you were last here may I suggest you read the pinned post "Welcome Newbies"

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

The Pinned Posts is where you'll find all the useful posts including the Daily diary and the Weekly Weigh Ins. We find participation is the key to success so please join in.

I hope to "see" you around. Good luck.🍀

[Zip54 19kg]

Hi, it sounds as if someone else might be telling you that you Need to do this but your inner feeling is of resistance so all the reasons why you shouldn't are jumping up and shouting. Perhaps you may find it interesting to imagine yourself actually at a lighter weight and how you might feel and act. This visualisation really works for me when all my 'buts' start popping up - there is often a fear for me and they are generally about protecting myself however imagining being in a different state - the other side of the fearful activity - often reduces the fear.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

Whilst you are rambling you are thinking . Not allat once though. Concentrate on the food you eat and portion sizes . Menu plan and buy for those meals . If you haven’t bought it you can’t eat it . You will be more motivated and have more energy to exercise once the weight starts to decrease. Plan your day . If you are indoors buy a jigsaw or a book, do some crafting - something to occupy your mind . Timetable in a long bath or a short walk after your evening meal . Sip fruit tea or a low cal hot chocolate drink at nighttime and have a plan to not eat at all after say - 8pm. It takes some getting used to but when I see photos of me 18kg heavier and now feel more alive / confident etc then the gradual changes have helped me so much . Keep in touch with us all. We have all been in your shoes .