How can I lose weight quick? Help!

Leonora2 As you said in February there was 12 weeks to your holiday, did you enjoy your holiday in May 22 and did you manage to lose the weight as you wanted?

Half portions, or what I call ‘mouse amounts’. Almost everyone nowadays eats far too large a quantities of food and way too many cakes, biscuits, chocolate, crisps and drinks too much alcohol etc, etc.

To add - I lost of lot in the first couple of months

I have a fairly irregular lifestyle and don't want to be thinking about dieting/eating the whole time or give up stuff for ever.

I've found the 5:2 works for me as you only have to think about it for 2 days a week and live normally the rest of the time. I've come off it when I've been on holiday and didn't put any weight back on. You do feel rotten when you start out on it, but that doesn't last.

Weight can plateau or go up on the 5:2 but the overall trajectory has been downwards. May be better to monitor progress by measurements.

BMI has gone from nearly 30 to 24.5 since March, with about 6 weeks off. Am now at a size where I can exercise more easily.

Oops. Zombie thread.

Start walking.
Even if its just round the block every evening.

In January my DH decided to try and lose weight as it was that or buy new trousers! He used the NHS weight loss app to count and record calories. By the end of February he had lost a stone and a half. He also used the step counter on his phone to try and walk more and together we did the Joe Wicks senior challenge on You Tube. Only 10 minutes a day but it really helps with mobility.

The 5:2 diet works for me, but with one difference. On the 'fasting' days, I don't avail myself of the 600 calories allowed: I drink water and tea, and eat nothing at all. I find that if I eat anything on these days, it just makes me feel hungry; whereas if I have nothing, I sail through. Easiest diet scheme I have ever tried, and I have been on it for 10 years.

Cabbie21

I sympathise and am in the same boat, though not going to France this year! I do eat healthily , cook from scratch, no takeaways or ready meals, fruit and veg every day. Yes, I need to cut portion sizes and should move more, but it is not easy.

I'm the same and am on a warning from the doctors.
We eat very healthily and DH is very slim, but he fills up with vegetables and I can't because of other health problems. Do Slimming World do an online version I was thinking of googling that? Then I would be cooking different food for two people.
If I cut down on portions I live on a bottle of Gaviscon for a week. So sorry no solution to your problem but I can empathise.
Buy some nice new clothes and enjoy yourself.

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Dosent really matter madgran*, quite nice to read peoples ideas on how they keep trim...we can still pick up the odd tip....

I tend to do low carb and portion control , when im really strict i calorie count, i know 1 or 2 on 'pears'thread count their calories daily to keep tabs........weight goes up and down, i weigh daily just to keep tabs.

Oh dear ..didn't notice the date JaneJudge Oops!

The woman went on holiday months ago

You have been bombarded with mainly excellent advice.

I just wanted to add that please don't eat too much fruit or vegetables such as parsnips, potatoes and carrots.

The above are all high in sugars which turn into glucose which turn into fat!

Fruit does have the benefit of fibre and I am not suggesting you don't eat them, just don't eat too much.

Almost everyone thinks that eating fruit is a 'good thing'. It is - but with much moderation! I know this sounds daft but it is true!

The real villain is carbohydrate. If you can reduce that, you will lose weight much faster (but, writing from personal experience, it's really hard!)

Good luck with your eating plan, whatever it is and I am sure if you even lose a few pounds you'll feel better and will have a fab holiday.

Tina49

Exercise would definitely help, especially if you are eating a healthy diet. Eat less (fill up on fruit and veg) / walk more. You can do it!!

Don't fill up on fruit. It's full of sugar.

I don't think exercise helps one lose weight but it is good in other respects such as keeping muscles and bones healthy.

The only way is to eat less. This is obvious when you look at people who don't get enough or only just enough to eat.

Good luck.

Exactly this Leonora

just cutting back and eating healthier does not make me lose weight, my diet is actually quite healthy but I just eat too much of it

Smaller plates
Eat more slowly
Cook less dinner (no second helpings)
Praise yourself for small wins.



I am doing this.

If you ONLY reduce portion size you will have to start losing weight.
Try to only cook what you eat. Count potatoes into the pan and be just a bit meaner with yourself.
I've been weighing pasta and reducing what I put in the pan by just a few grams every week. I am someone who eats a "healthy diet" but just too much of it. I am not even a "snacks" person but i am too fat to be healthy.
By reducing portion size slowly I am no hungrier than before to be honest.

It may not achieve everything in 12 weeks but will gradually help you I'm sure.

I believe that something is better than nothing. Give yourself a pat on the back when you do without something too. Those of us who love food do also love "seconds"!
Try to cook so that there are no seconds!

Good luck.

Yes, portion size is my main issue, but I just refuse to use boilable pouches for anything.

One friend is struggling with losing weight, counts calories, small portions, grilled everything, low carbs- but

completely destroys the results with wine and gin. Never drunk, very capable and functioning big drinker, 1 bottle of wine a day + a few gins here and there.

(don't get me wrong, I am not anti alcohol and certainly not teatotal, but...). As mentionned on another thread about T2 diabetes- same in this context. Lots of calories and lots of sugar.

Cabbie21

I sympathise and am in the same boat, though not going to France this year! I do eat healthily , cook from scratch, no takeaways or ready meals, fruit and veg every day. Yes, I need to cut portion sizes and should move more, but it is not easy.

Try using a smaller plate and not allowing yourself second helpings

grannyrebel, I don't believe in diets because they're not sustainable. How come I lost 2 stone 8 years ago on the 5:2 diet and haven't put a single pound back on?

As i have shrunk several inches, I am considering going back on it to lose another 7lbs.

Possible solutions:

Cut your portions and stick to it. Look up recommended portion sizes

2. Use low fat/reduced fat products for key items - cheese, spread instead of butter, yoghurts etc. whilst also resucing portions

3. Use appropriate protein portion sizes to fill up with lots of vegs
eg salmon fillet and lots of vegs, not lots of butter or sauces added to vegs

4. Microwave pouched of grains are good for cutting portions of rice etc - 1/2 pouch with fish, or an easy fresh tomato sauce. (look up a recipe online)

Most of all you need to make the holiday your incentive for doing this though!! Good luck

Sorry I posted twice on this subject .
I thought that my first effort had failed !

My diet has not gone well today !
Stress has made me eat chocolate and crisps .

3dognight

I’m sure you will enjoy your holiday as you are Leonora

Perhaps just having been on hols will motivate / kick start getting abit slimmer and fitter?

I haven’t really got the answer- apart from portion control, and maybe abit more walking. I know it’s hard to fit in with a sedentary job.

Somebody will correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe walking to be good for backache?

Main thing is enjoy your holiday!

I have osteoporosis in my spine and walk 5 miles every day to stay pain free without medication for it
My mum has the same condition and would rest rather than move and was in awful pain constantly.
If I sit for too long the pain will start . I move and it goes. It's worth trying OP?

I gave up eating bread as I was having tummy trouble and lost weight rather quickly. I went down a size in a couple of months. Now I'm on my own I can have vegetarian meals too.