Is it worth doing?

I have lost a stone by fasting using the 5:2 method and giving up breakfast on week days. The notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is outdated and a fast of 18 hours between evening meal and breakfast is very beneficial. I have nothing except water and black coffee between 6pm and 12 noon.

minimo, I was feeling like you should I sod it till Jan but joined Slimming World. Found it easy to do and don't need to starve yourself. Lost 20lbs in 10 weeks, so plenty of time for you to lose a bit before (you know when).

I agree lose the weight now and when Xmas comes you can enjoy the food. And come January you will find it easier to lose just what you put on over Xmas.

I lost my Mum in April, and have given myself 6 months of 'me time' I have eaten and drunk what I fancied (including 3 holidays and an '0' birthday. Weighed myself on Monday have put on 9lbs!!! Not unexpected so will just be careful for a while definitely cutting down on the vino! Do you think we are all trying to live up,to so called 'older celebs' and magazine pictures. Somebody once said if you are too skinny your face suffers. I do not expect to be a size 8 again but at 5'2" I am happy with a 12 top and 10 bottom, just need to reduce tum a bit.

I was thinking "sod it" too but you've all helped me with your positive attitude. I have lost about half a stone (target one stone) and I'm stuck. I'm going to halve my portion size and try the fasting between 6pm and noon. Thanks again - I feel I'm not alone anymore!

So sorry about your Mum! It's good that you have had the 'me time' and holidays. Good for you!!! Putting on 9 lbs isn't too bad at all and your size seems good for your height.
My weight unfortunately had gone way over and I was feeling 'heavy', sluggish and unhealthy. So needed to 'bite the bullet' and get some off. Keep on looking after yourself.

Go for it. I read a really good motivational item three weeks ago:

It takes 4 weeks for you to notice the difference
It takes 8 weeks for family and friends to notice the difference
It takes 12 weeks for the world to see the difference

I promptly signed up to 'Lets do this'
lets-dothis.org.uk/
which really helps.

I'm very conscious that if I can take a bit off before a 'difficult' period like Christmas and holidays it is much less to work on afterwards. Also as a heart patient I know the dangers of excess fat around the organs and in the arteries. Good luck

Minimo - No no no. You must not give up on yourself! Choose a strategy - implement plan - and keep busy enough not to back slide. May the Force be with you!

I have learned a way of eating due to 40 years of severe eating disorder. In hospital, feeding tube up nose type of serious.
After useless advice from medics etc I taught myself, must admit I am not able to follow it often but know it does work.
Don't look at eating as a "on diet" "off diet" situation.
Take things one day at a time being careful and aware of what you eat.
Make each meal or snack a choice . Choose to be on the lower calorie side most of the time.
If you have a high calorie snack or meal then make it a decision and then you will not feel like you have lapsed or let yourself down because you are not "on a diet". You are making sensible decisions to either indulge or not indulge.
It stops you feeling out of control after eating a high calorie meal or snack because you know you put some thought in to it.

You decide. That makes it a manageable eating process for every day of life.

minimo it depends I suppose on what your Christmas will be like - for example are you going somewhere and want to have a new outfit and look slinky? That might give you some motivation and if you do it now you might not have to face doing it in January which is horrible on so many levels. I usually try and eat healthily and do a bit better before Xmas as we will be seeing family and I don't want my skinny sister to crow. This year we are doing Sober October and eating healthily but not too obsessively as I want to see what difference not have alcohol calories will make. I probably drink more than most people on here so it should make some impact but it will be interesting to see.

Had blood tests in March which showed that I was prediabetic. I know I'm massively overweight and have mobility problems so exercising is difficult. However it was a real wake up call and I vowed to myself that I was not going to go on and develop full blown diabetes ( I was only one point inside the prediabetic range ), so I started cutting carbs and eating more healthily. I've lost 2st since March and am already feeling the benefit on my mobility Have to have repeat blood tests soon, so watch this space, but I'm on the wagon now re my eating and lots of changes. You can do it I know

totally agree gmelon. I've had an eating disorder as well, but my brain seems to have clicked into a new mode and has found my ' I'm full switch'.

Minion, just think how good you will feel with a few pounds off by Christmas. Go for it now then you will have a head start by January to carry on. Good luck.

How about just eating a balanced diet instead of partaking in all the faddy slimming worlds and 5.2 diets. I "trained" myself by starting to eat a balanced diet 2 years ago and lost the weight I needed to, I have stayed with the balanced diet and have stayed the same desired weight. So I would say get through Christmas and save the balanced diet til' January.

I've spent a fortune on slimming clubs. When I first started I wasn't even overweight. I've lost stones and gained stones. In August I decided to go it alone. I've lost 9lbs. That might not sound much but I'm really determined this time. I have a holiday in December and want to wear my shorts in comfort.

Have lost 46 lbs on Weight Watchers and am desperately trying to lose a stone more before Christmas.

Kate16 and elfies, I'm assuming you're both new to Gransnet, so welcome, and I hope you enjoy it!

But if you want to start a different discussion, you'll have to start your own threads, I'm afraid. minimo has asked for support on losing weight on this one, so that is what other people will be focussing on.

Just go to Forums on the toolbar at the top, choose Chat from the list of Forum Topics, and you'll see a yellow box to click on, Start a New Thread. I'll look out for it!

I totally recommend Slimming World. I too was worried about diabetes and wanted to get my BMI down.I t's not about dieting but emphasises ways of cooking meals using healthier methods and less fattening ingredients. The recipes in their magazine are delicious and I have never been hungry following their plan.I do think though that you can become a bit obsessed! Still it works for me and I say "sod it" too on occasions. The main thing is you think before you put rubbish into your mouth! Also there is a financial incentive which for me also works, stay at goal weight and you don't have to pay!

We both lost a lot of weight using My Fitness Pal App. You eat ALL items you normally do, but by recording the calories you can manipulate your diet easily. If you want a mince pie, eat a mince pie, but when you record it you can see how many calories you've got left for dinner and juggle accordingly. So, no strange diet items, just the things you like, but in quantities that are conducive to weight loss.

I keep using the principles of the 5:2 diet and my weight does not vary much. If after a holiday you have put on a bit just go back to the diet and be good. I find the fast days easy to manage.
I think using the 5:2 helps you to feel you will not need to snack.

Don't wait ,until Christmas to shift the weight, start now. My main goal at Christmas is to enjoy it without putting any weight on and so I build in a treat every day such as a Waitrose mince pie at tea time (best in the world). Plan your menus and eating before the day. Sounds OCD ( and is) but it works.

I have to be a bit careful as I'm type 1 diabetic and weigh between 7st 10 and 8st 3 (just over 5 feet). I walk as much as I can, do a weekly aqua aerobics class and not a big eater. At one point I was a bit heavier than I should be, but my GP surgery paid for us to go to Weight Watchers, which I found fantastic - lovely range of meals for us all, including veggies/vegans/carnivores etc and tasty desserts.

I went back on the 5:2 diet this last week. When I did it before I went from a 'just about' size 14 to a comfortable size 10. I should have continued with 6:1 but didn't! So now what I lost has gradually gone back on.....

I lost 3 stone early last year , I was feeling great . Then 2 stone sneaked back on . Last night my daughter showed me a video of someone dancing , and I didn't know who it was - it was me from last year - slim and fit !
It's inspired me to kick start my LCHF diet . I might manage to lose 2 stone by Christmas ....... good luck to everyone !

I joined SW too and don't feel like I am dieting. Almost lost 1 stone in 9 weeks through eating healthy choices a walking. Once you put your mind to looking after yourself you can improve your whole well-being. Loving the complements I am getting an now a smaller dress size. New wardrobe soon