How did this happen and...

Try low carbHotTamales Reduce or give up bread, rice, pasta, potato etc. Works very well and easy to do.

Pilates isn’t strenuous and most people would benefit from Doing the gentle stretching and strength building exercises two or three times a week. Try to move to a more plant based diet or if that isn’t for you just don’t eat anything that has more than 3 ingredients on the packet - no processed food in other words.

Try swimming. It’s worked wonders for me.

A walk every day would be a gentle start along with use a smaller plates for meals.

I second low carb I’ve lost 2 stone and reversed my diabetes. No white carbs so not rice, pasta, mashed or jacket potatoes, no sugar. Don’t have diet drinks they are just as bad as sugar ones. Eat meat, fish , eggs, cheese, nuts, avocados for good fats. Pile on the salad and veg. Good granary or whole meal bread sometimes but again no white. Fresh fruit no puddings . Worked for me and I don’t miss all the white stuff. Also losing weight has improved the pain from my back problem no end.

Just watch your portion sizes. Cut out the things you know are full of calories. Eat sensibly. Don't eat between meals. Keep as active as you are able.

There is no need to go "on a diet". As you begin to feel better/stronger then you will be able to gently increase your activity again.

Nothing drastic, just healthy eating, more (double?) veggies, more water and move around a little more. Build up your strength with several short walks rather than one longer one. The weight will slowly come off. Maybe try yoga when you feel stronger.

Try SOSA stands for solo salsa - it a dance based low impact exercise - you don’t Need a partner and is women only - doing this has lost me 1.5 stone and come off bp tablets plus being a bit more careful what I eat

I agree low carbs worked for me after years of yoyo dieting

Low carb...pilates, swimming, walking...slow at first...it works wonders!

I suppose I'm wondering how big you actually are? Maybe you're OK? I doubt if many of us are the same size we always were. If the doctor has advised against strict dieting and exercise maybe you should take it easy, cut back on the obvious calories and make sure you add in as much walking as possible in daily life- eg always take the stairs, park at the far end of the car park etc etc. That can add up more than you think.

I have found it fairly easy to lose some weight and now keep it off by eating a little less and walking a little more, Slow and steady works best I think.

If you drink alcohol, stop. it's one of the easiest ways to lose pounds. The body doesn't know what to do with alcohol so it stores it as fat.

Good to hear that you are on the mend and able to address other things. I was advised to try Thai Chi. It can be done standing or sitting and incorporates breathing techniques to help you relax, along with gentle stretching movements. The class near me does Shibashi Thai Chi which is mostly Qi Gung so not as strenuous as pilates. Hope you can find something to suit you.

Ha ha its funny you should say that !! I recently moved to the coast and every day (except in pouring rain) I walk along the sea front as briskly as possible ! (!) then come home for lunch, then out again in the afternoon ...I now only have myself to worry about so can eat healthily (looked after sick husband for four years ...never had time to think about me) so I have lots of salad, fruit, good food and exercise ...so WHY have I put ON weight ….I think I better go back to the unhealthy lifestyle

Have a look at Michael Moseley's Blood Sugar Diet books and web site. I chose to follow this after an osteopath told me about the devastating effect sugar has on joints. I found it amazing, felt less 'grungy' and effortlessly lost a stone. It means really cutting down on simple carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc). Some delicious, tasty recipes using regular store cupboard ingredients. Good luck!

Interesting thread. It helps to think 'Would an athlete eat that?'- And I think the cut the carb folk are onto something - just generally better for you. No carbs is too hard and not natural, but if you keep it to spuds and rice you avoid lots of additive and processed stuff. (And forgive yourself when you fall short, we all aspire to be too good).

Lower (not low but less) carbs and fewer meals did it for me. I don't like to go to bed hungry but can happily skip breakfast - and, often, lunch. So mostly I eat a decent dinner in the evening having gone through the rest of the day on tea and coffee. I've dropped 10kg in my sixties.

Good luck!

I gave up foods with added sugar. Basically, this means I no longer consume sweets, puddings, biscuits, chocolate, cakes and pastries. I didn't eat shed loads of them before but cutting them out has resulted in a weight loss of a stone. The only effort involved is in resisting the lure of sweet things but I wanted the health benefits more than I wanted the momentary pleasure of tasting those foods. I do still eat bread (I know it has a certain amount of sugar to enable the yeast to work) and I have a glass of red wine a few evenings a week. I have porridge with fresh fruit most days and my diet includes meat, fish, eggs, cheese, fruit, vegetables, salads, beans, pulses, olive oil, rapeseed oil, milk, natural yogurt, wholemeal bread and possibly other things I can't call to mind right now. I don't go hungry and the weight has dropped steadily.

My advice: cut out the white stuff! (That includes the unrefined sugar too, of course!)

Slimming world healthy eating plan worked for me. I have lost just over 3 stone so far.

I've never eaten breakfast, and I'm not an evening nibbler - so Michael Moseley's 16:8 diet suits me, and I've gone down two dress sizes in 18 months by (usually) sticking to this way of eating .
It's the first time that I've found a way of eating that I can stick to - and it's really helped, as my knee pain has almost vanished..!

From February I've dropped just over three stone by following the 16:8 plan, and not even strictly I might add, plus lowering carbs and alcohol. I still have the odd glass of wine, or sherry now it's coming up Christmas, but all in all it's just been a case of being sensible. Good luck

Try replacing breakfast or lunch with a Nutribulit vegetable and fruit smoothie.

I use a mixture of spinach, avocado, banana, rapberries, blueberries and nuts, or anything you like really.

This makes a lovely thick gloopy drink that I find very filling.
Also, it’s healthy too. If you prefer, make it with all veggies, but I prefer to add a banana for a little sweetness.

Try it. You will definitely lose weight. I don’t need to lose the weight, but I like them as they are nutritious.

I began WW (formerly Weight-watchers) just over a year ago and with their guidance and support I have lost my excess weight. I wouldn’t call it a diet as you can eat everything you want but what does change is the quantity you eat. Personally I have found it an easy plan to follow and I anticipate this will need to be the way I eat for the rest of my life. Whatever you choose, good luck.