I can't believe how much I weigh - please help

[BatFitch]

I came on here back in 2010 and was so determined to do this, and I don't know what happened
I came on here when I weighed myself and I had gone over 17st, I was so shocked. Previously my max weight had been 15 and a half stones. I've just weighed myself and I'm 17st 11lbs. I know exactly how it happened, I ate crap and didn't weigh myself.

I'm disgusted with myself. I need a diet plan. I've seen a few people's sigs where they've lost huge amounts of weight in the first week (7lbs+) - what diet are they using?? I need to get under 17st ASAP. I don't care how difficult it is.

Thanks guys

 

[BabyBlueEyes]

Hiya,

Most people who lose a lot of weight in their first week are normally on a VLCD which is a meal replacement diet like Exante, Lighter Life etc. You can also get a big first loss on a low carb diet. You should look at all the options first before deciding which one is for you because VLCDs can be quite expensive and aren't for everyone.

Good luck on your journey x

 

[BatFitch]

Hiya,

Most people who lose a lot of weight in their first week are normally on a VLCD which is a meal replacement diet like Extante, Lighter Life etc. You can also get a big first loss on a low carb diet. You should look at all the options first before deciding which one is for you because VLCDs can be quite expensive and aren't for everyone.

Good luck on your journey x

Thank you for the reply I just want the kick start to lose the first stone - after that I'm happy to do a normal low calorie, high exercise diet. I will look into them thanks so much

 

[JackieN]

what about slimming world? Its a balanced healthy lifestyle? x

 

[BatFitch]

what about slimming world? Its a balanced healthy lifestyle? x

Lol I just want to get out of the 17s quickly, after that I can slow down and do it properly think I'm just gonna have about 700cals a day (healthy cals), a vitamin pill, lots of water and go running...

 

[JackieN]

700 is unsafe unless its a proper VLCD I'm afraid You can use My fitness pal to work out how many calories is safe for you. I started at the same weight as you and lost 2 stone on Slimming world. People often have good losses on it which is why I suggested it and its safe I'm not preaching just saying 700 is way too low x

 

[BatFitch]

I've done 700 before and been fine for a couple of weeks, I don't starve myself just eat a lot of veggies and meat with a small amount of stodgy food. Eat when I'm hungry etc just healthy stuff like stir fries, grilled chicken and salad.
I make sure I get all my nutrients. Even the official diets aren't particularly safe that's why they're not allowed for long term use. Thank you for warning me though, I would always do the same xx

 

[Jettica]

Stop thinking about it as a diet. Make it a lifestyle change and you are more likely to stick to it. That's where I went wrong for so many years.

700 cals is too low. Especially if you are going to be running. Perhaps aim for 1200 so you NET calories are around 700 after exercise (still not great but better than an even lower net amount.)

You do know that you are more likely to put the weight back on after a small slip up if you eat 700 cals a day. Your body will be in starvation mode so as soon as you eat something high in calories when you feel weak your body will hold onto it because it won't know when the next good meal will be coming.

Definitely use My Fitness Pal and stick to the calories they give you.

Want to lose a lot of weight in the first week? Drink a ton of water and exercise five out of those 7 days. Strength and cardio. It'll be water weight you are losing but that's what big losses in first weeks usually are.

 

[Hider28]

Wouldn't recommend the 700 cals route either. I've done that before - and pretty much made myself ill. Your body is starved of food and it's a really difficult cycle. At the moment im eating too little at 1100 a day (with exercise) so can see where you are coming from but im trying to up that a bit to stop this routine from happening again!

For me, losing this weight is a lifetime choice now (instead of for an event/party/etc) - whilst my goals are particular events, I want to remain my goal weight and lower for the rest of my life rather than the constant yoyoing. The only way to do that im slowly learning is to eat less (but not too much!) and move more.

Good luck with it

 

[BabyBlueEyes]

If you do calorie counting (1200 cals a day) and are running, you NEED to eat back your exercise calories. It means your not eating too little and you'll end up with better loses. And Jettica is right, make sure your drinking lots of water, you'll be surprised how much it helps! If your serious about getting out of the 17s which is 11lb, VLCD is the way to do it. You'll probably lose it in 2-3 weeks and do it healthily! It's completely up to you what kind of diet you do, but make sure your not going to make yourself ill by 'tweaking' a diet which already works. Let us know how you get on x

 

[Bensnan]

Hi there BF. Please do it sensibly, because eating too little is not only bad for you, it sets you up for failure. Then when you fail it dents your self-confidence and you get into a vicious circle. I think the first few pounds will come off quite easily at 1200 cals. Good luck x

 

[MatthewV]

Good advice so far in this thread.

Back to basics though; just move more and eat less - it's that simple!

You lose weight on a calorie deficit, so work out roughly how many calories you need to take in to maintain your weight. Then, you can choose to either drop your calorie intake (eat less) or exercise more (burn off more calories).

It's hard to stay at a calorie deficit for prolonged periods of time which is why many people fail/give up. Try losing weight at a steady rate of 1-2lbs per week and you'll be at a healthier weight in no time!

Those who lose loads in just weeks aren't necessarily losing fat. You can't lose 10lbs of fat in one week for example - the majority of that would be water weight and such. You just can't physically drop 10lbs of fat in that short amount of time. It's unhealthy to lose weight that quickly too.

Eat enough protein, eat enough fat (remember, fat won't make you fat necessarily) and control your carb intake (remember, your body doesn't technically need carbs, or at least not as much as it needs protein and fat).

Good luck!

 

[Chellywelly]

i agree 700 cals is far too low, i tried that at 15st 8lb and i was STUCK there my body stored the fat and i became so furious with myself! i joined SW and over time lost a stone and i was constantly full of good nutritious food and i was going to the gym 5 times a week, im on S&S now because im impatient but im going back on SW after ive lost 2st because i really enjoyed been in control for once, i was anorexic when i was 16 so i know what been unhappy with yourself can do i was eating 300 cals a day and looked horrible, i got pregnant and banged weight on because i thought it'd drop off me after, i hate food but i also love food! dont do what i did and please make a sensible choice and i guarantee youll thank us all in the long run because not only will you learn how you can make your fav foods in a healthy way but its something you can live with for the rest of your life and know that youve changed everything about the way that you eat and not just a quick fix!

 

[susieb1]

Whatever you do don't assume going super low on calories will lead to the best results!

At first the weight may drop off quickly but having such low calories will only lead to your metabolism decreasing as your body attempts to save energy, which it basically sees as starvation mode!

The thing to remember is it IS important where your calories are coming from. Look at the GI of the food you're thinking about eating. A food with high GI or sugar leads to a spike in blood sugar. This causes insulin to be produced. Insulin will convert the excess glucose into glycogen and store it in the muscles or liver to act as an energy store. If you eat too much sugar or carbohydrates that can't be stored in muscles or the liver, the excess will be turned straight into fat!

The thing is if your body is used to a carby diet then your insulin sensitivity is huge, meaning your body ends up struggling to produce insulin (diabetes). Insulin is also important for fat loss however as it will lead to fat being taken from the body and being used as energy.

Low carb diets are often the most successful, so compensate by eating more proteins and healthy fats. If you aim for a diet of protein fat fibrous veg at around 1500-1800 calories you can't go wrong. You will see consistent weight loss! If you are working out lots then treat yourself to a bit more. But remember diet is often far more important in weight loss than actual exercise.

Hope this helped!

 

[littlemeercat]

Just to echo what everyone else has said really. 700 calories is way to low. I do slimming world, and lost 5 1/2 lbs in my first week. Other options and diets are available where you eat healthily and balanced from the start, especially if you want to start exercising as well. This has worked fine for me - I've lost 6 stone in just over a year.

Good luck

 

[losingthebulge]

Hello I lost a lot of weight during the first week but it was awful. I cut almost everything out and lived on jacket potatoes and salad. I retain a lot of water too so the bulk of the weight was that but I felt dizzy, irritable, tired etc. I would say to not jump on a drastic diet as when you come off it you're likely to just pile it on again. It's not a quick fix, you need to change your lifestyle. It may take longer but the weight will come off xx