Starting the Journey..... Another weight loss story....
Discussion
NoVetec said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Well I set out to lose 6 stone at the start of April, to get from 18and a half to 12 and a half stone. I was hopeful I could achieve it in about 18 months. So 4.5 months in, I'm 15'6, so just over half way. Obviously the next 3 stone will take me much longer.
I've achieved this by a holistic approach. Of course, them main thing is making every single day, without exception, a calorie deficit day. Eating less than I use. Every weekday morning before work in the gym, Parkrun and a bike ride on Saturdays, and a 5 mile run on Sundays. Never using lifts, always the stairs. But also, drinking loads of ice cold water, as every calorie counts. And mentally embracing hunger, so I don't see it as the enemy, but as a friend.
With the feeling the hunger side of things, have you found you feel less hungry overall with exercise and burning fat? I get what you say about the mental side of things. Physically I've found my hunger less ravenous during and after losing a few stone. It's still there, just much more manageable. Believe an increase in insulin sensitivity is the main driver. I've achieved this by a holistic approach. Of course, them main thing is making every single day, without exception, a calorie deficit day. Eating less than I use. Every weekday morning before work in the gym, Parkrun and a bike ride on Saturdays, and a 5 mile run on Sundays. Never using lifts, always the stairs. But also, drinking loads of ice cold water, as every calorie counts. And mentally embracing hunger, so I don't see it as the enemy, but as a friend.
I need to lose weight and have decided that, rather than watch the football or the Grand Prix on the sofa drinking beer (which has become a bit of a bad habit), I will watch them while walking on the treadmill, increasing the gradient for every goal or fastest lap.
Also planning on running and kettlebell exercises.
But cutting back the booze (and snacks that tend to go with it) will probably make the biggest difference for me.
Also planning on running and kettlebell exercises.
But cutting back the booze (and snacks that tend to go with it) will probably make the biggest difference for me.
ruggedscotty said:
Hunger isn't your friend.... its the crusher that kills it for many.
Go to the dentist, feel the pain, the more pain the better as he is doing something, suck it up and enjoy the pain.....
yeah right....
I want to succeed and not burn with the hunger, need to work on rapid weight loss to get the ball rolling and then keep it going, get that weight down.
Got a target and Im going to get there. work on it pound by pound.
The problem is you, like me, need to lose a lot of weight. You 8st, for me it was 6 (now 3). The only way to do that is to eat less than you need to maintain your current weight, and that means being hungry. If you are constantly looking for ways to stave off your hunger, you're going to struggle. Go to the dentist, feel the pain, the more pain the better as he is doing something, suck it up and enjoy the pain.....
yeah right....
I want to succeed and not burn with the hunger, need to work on rapid weight loss to get the ball rolling and then keep it going, get that weight down.
Got a target and Im going to get there. work on it pound by pound.
You need to find a way of managing the hunger. For me, I 've found that actually making it a welcome guest has worked. I now like being hungry, and feel a bit guilty if I'm not. I'm sure there are other ways to deal with it too, distraction etc. You just need to find a way of coping with the hunger that works for you. But what you can't do is alleviate it with food.
It’s actually okay and natural to feel hungry, I do and I do not rush for the snack cupboard, I wait till it’s time to eat. Feel hungry, eat a apple and wait. It’s that simple.
Problem theses days is we have too many choices. Life’s a BBQ, people want a big of everything. Tough, you can’t have everything.
Problem theses days is we have too many choices. Life’s a BBQ, people want a big of everything. Tough, you can’t have everything.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The problem is you, like me, need to lose a lot of weight. You 8st, for me it was 6 (now 3). The only way to do that is to eat less than you need to maintain your current weight, and that means being hungry.
No it doesn't, if you go the calorie counting route and plan your meals and snacks properly.Sporky said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The problem is you, like me, need to lose a lot of weight. You 8st, for me it was 6 (now 3). The only way to do that is to eat less than you need to maintain your current weight, and that means being hungry.
No it doesn't, if you go the calorie counting route and plan your meals and snacks properly.Losing weight is hard. Personally, I think you're better off accepting that it's hard, and dealing with the hardship. As I said, make hunger your friend.
No matter how you cut it, losing weight means living your life in calorie deficit, and that means being hungry a lot of the time.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
If you do that, which is rare. People completely underestimate how many calories you can consume "being good". Some fruit here and there, a couple of Ryvitas with sliced ham, etc. on top of 3 meals a day.
Which is why calorie counting is the only approach that works and ends up with you developing good habits regarding food.You don't need any of the silly fads like apple cider vinegar (good luck finding a proper study supporting that one), iced water, cabbage soup, blah blah blah.
Go for it and good luck!
Avoid my mistake of losing 9 stone and then piling 8 stone of it back on over the next 3 years.
The hungry beast will just lie dormant inside you no matter how much weight you lose.
I cycled and went to the gym 4-5 times a week, cut out all booze and all takeaways and lost my weight in about 2 years through hard work and determination.
I was constantly exhausted from lack of sleep from my young kids, long work hours and every spare minute riding or at the gym.
One day something clicked and I hung my bike up in the garage, chucked my gym gear in the bin and went back to being happy and fat.
My relationship is in a much better place now, I'm happier in general and obviously feel less tired.
Downside is I'm fat again and all my new clothes no longer fit.
My kids are now sleeping better and work is a little less hectic so I'm going to kick start myself again in September, hoping to learn from my previous mistake of trying too hard.
Avoid my mistake of losing 9 stone and then piling 8 stone of it back on over the next 3 years.
The hungry beast will just lie dormant inside you no matter how much weight you lose.
I cycled and went to the gym 4-5 times a week, cut out all booze and all takeaways and lost my weight in about 2 years through hard work and determination.
I was constantly exhausted from lack of sleep from my young kids, long work hours and every spare minute riding or at the gym.
One day something clicked and I hung my bike up in the garage, chucked my gym gear in the bin and went back to being happy and fat.
My relationship is in a much better place now, I'm happier in general and obviously feel less tired.
Downside is I'm fat again and all my new clothes no longer fit.
My kids are now sleeping better and work is a little less hectic so I'm going to kick start myself again in September, hoping to learn from my previous mistake of trying too hard.
Sporky said:
You don't need any of the silly fads like apple cider vinegar (good luck finding a proper study supporting that one), .
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar#section5There's loads of stuff on the internet about acv and various claims, some no doubt fanciful. But the effect on blood sugar and insulin spikes is pretty much acknowledged.
But having read about this going into it, how much is placebo effect, I can't say. And yes, I've lost 3 stone, but I've being eating less and doing more, as well as taking acv. I think it's helped me, but even if that's all in my mind, so what. Bottom line is it's helped me manage hunger, especially after a meal.
Coin Slot. said:
My relationship is in a much better place now, I'm happier in general and obviously feel less tired.
I'm surprised you feel less tired. Hauling around an extra 8 stone all day must take effort. I've not lost anything like you, but a 3 stone lighter, I feel far less tired, despite doing far more exercise than before. But despite feeling less tired, I sleep better. TwigtheWonderkid said:
No matter how you cut it, losing weight means living your life in calorie deficit, and that means being hungry a lot of the time.
I have been trying to lose a bit of stomach fat recently and I am not sure I agree.I mean; if you eat a sharing bag of crisps, drink 2 cans of coke and half a bottle of wine a day then you could cut those calories out and it would have absolutely no impact on how full you felt, but that could easily be enough to pile on the pounds over a couple of years.
I think it is pretty easy to chip away at a couple of hundred calories here and there, switch to foods that make you feel satiated for longer and you don't really feel hungry - at least not in any kind of meaningful way - feeling properly hungry means you are going to make worse choices, and can lower your BMR and put you on a negative feedback cycle.
As ever, though, everyone find dieting different and if some ACV and ice water diet is your jam then crack on, but I think dialing in the basics is the best way to go for most people.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The problem is you, like me, need to lose a lot of weight. You 8st, for me it was 6 (now 3). The only way to do that is to eat less than you need to maintain your current weight, and that means being hungry. If you are constantly looking for ways to stave off your hunger, you're going to struggle.
You need to find a way of managing the hunger. For me, I 've found that actually making it a welcome guest has worked. I now like being hungry, and feel a bit guilty if I'm not. I'm sure there are other ways to deal with it too, distraction etc. You just need to find a way of coping with the hunger that works for you. But what you can't do is alleviate it with food.
I disagree about getting used to being hungryYou need to find a way of managing the hunger. For me, I 've found that actually making it a welcome guest has worked. I now like being hungry, and feel a bit guilty if I'm not. I'm sure there are other ways to deal with it too, distraction etc. You just need to find a way of coping with the hunger that works for you. But what you can't do is alleviate it with food.
Most people eat the wrong things, rather than eating too much.
They eat because it tastes good or it’s a reward, rather than because they’re actually hungry
If you eat the right things and exercise, you should be able to lose weight and not feel hungry for prolonged periods of time.
gregs656 said:
I mean; if you eat a sharing bag of crisps, drink 2 cans of coke and half a bottle of wine a day then you could cut those calories out and it would have absolutely no impact on how full you felt, but that could easily be enough to pile on the pounds over a couple of years.
Cutting that lot out might mean you lose weight, or it might mean you put on weight more slowly. It depends on what else you are eating and what exercise you are doing.But in a nutshell, to lose weight, you have to live for a prolonged period in calorie deficit, and that will usually leave you hungry.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Cutting that lot out might mean you lose weight, or it might mean you put on weight more slowly. It depends on what else you are eating and what exercise you are doing.
But in a nutshell, to lose weight, you have to live for a prolonged period in calorie deficit, and that will usually leave you hungry.
It was just a simple example.But in a nutshell, to lose weight, you have to live for a prolonged period in calorie deficit, and that will usually leave you hungry.
I think I basically disagree, if you are clever about it you should not constantly be feeling hungry in any kind of meaningful way and IMO it is exactly that kind of dieting that leads to yo-yo weight loss.
SlidingSideways said:
AlexC1981 said:
because they spike your blood sugar and you will have cravings when you come down.
They also spike your insulin levels, and the body won't release fat when your insulin is high, it's too busy storing more of it!Cravings are a matter of personal control more than anything else. If you'd never experienced the delights of, say, magnum ice cream, you'd just register the feeling as extreme hunger. Quite easy to find and eat something only moderately carbohydrate to satisfy the sugar need.
gregs656 said:
I think I basically disagree, if you are clever about it you should not constantly be feeling hungry in any kind of meaningful way and IMO it is exactly that kind of dieting that leads to yo-yo weight loss.
I started at 18.5st. OP is 25st. We didn't get like that by eating moderately, but by eating far too much, and not doing nearly enough. To go on a strict calorie controlled diet, say 1500-2000/day, when you've probably been used to 3 times that, is going to leave you hungry. In my personal experience. I think the key to success is accepting that, and dealing with it.
If you're at that sort of weight you shouldn't be dropping your intake that low.
Fudging together various numbers that I remember from the thread (and apologies that these probably aren't right for anyone), let's say 20 stone and 6'4". That gives a BMI of 34. Recommended intake (from the NHS) is therefore 2308-2967 kcal a day so that you lose 1-2lb a week.
Why? Because that's a sustainable rate of loss, and won't leave you hungry and miserable. As your weight drops so does the recommended intake.
Going straight down to 1500-2000 kcal a day is a recipe for failure.
Fudging together various numbers that I remember from the thread (and apologies that these probably aren't right for anyone), let's say 20 stone and 6'4". That gives a BMI of 34. Recommended intake (from the NHS) is therefore 2308-2967 kcal a day so that you lose 1-2lb a week.
Why? Because that's a sustainable rate of loss, and won't leave you hungry and miserable. As your weight drops so does the recommended intake.
Going straight down to 1500-2000 kcal a day is a recipe for failure.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I'm surprised you feel less tired. Hauling around an extra 8 stone all day must take effort. I've not lost anything like you, but a 3 stone lighter, I feel far less tired, despite doing far more exercise than before. But despite feeling less tired, I sleep better.
I probably should have made myself a little clearer, I'm a different kind of tired now as silly as that sounds.Before I was tired and ached, now I'm just tired.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
throt said:
Feel hungry, eat a apple and wait. It’s that simple.
It's not that simple. An apple is 100 cal. Feel hungry 5 times a day, 5 apples, that's your diet f
ked. You need to find a way of not eating when you feel hungry. You want your body to burn fat, not apples!It’s all about how much you want it. If you really do then you will find the will power.
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