Can you lose weight if you've always been fat?

Former Member

Due to recent events, I have started to view my life differently, to live a little for myself. I've pretty much packed in the beer and don't really feel like drinking much or taking drugs, I am learning more about my health and starting to crave the great outdoors...

I discovered today I am 12 stone 5 pounds... 2 stone 4 pounds out of my healthy BMI and two stone heavier than I would like to be.

I have been uncomfortable with my weight for a while and feel that it's time to change it.. Because if I'm not going to, who is?

My only concern is I have always been this size. I'm twenty six now and feeling quite unfit. Work just exhausts me some days and I don't really feel comfortable being in public at the moment, due to the way I look (I'm embarassed to buy new clothes ).

So I have joined the gym, I am eating a lot better... But really, I just want to know if there's anybody out there who lost this much weight having always been big.

I really don't want to screw this up. I wanna be healthy, happy and energetic and get back in to outdoor sports.

ETA: I wanna be 10 stone by June/July time

Former Member

Hi Namaste,

In answer to your question yes, yes and yes ... you can do it :thumb:
Joing the gym is a great first step, are you able to access advice from the gym? This can really help to achieve the best results.

You may not reach your target by June/July but you could be most of the way if you commit to a routine, losing maybe 1-2 pounds per week. Try not to obsess over the scales and go for how you feel, taking measurements can be a really good way to track progress.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you let us know how you get along

Former Member

You definitely can do it. A few years ago I was about 12 stone and struggled to get into size 16 trousers. Now I'm 9 stone and a size 10-12.

Cutting out alcohol will really help. I think you need to change your whole lifestyle though, I try to walk as much as I can..can you maybe just give up a few things entirely? I always give up chocolate for Lent, not for religious reasons, just for diet really. Good luck. It really does make a big difference, I used to hate clothes shopping, nothing fit, I hated looking in the mirror and not being able to wear fashionable clothes - now I love shopping and can go into any shop and buy whatever I want. It's really worth it.

Former Member

Yes, you can take it off. The question is can you keep it off without constantly dieting. I don't know the answer to that.

Former Member

Yes you can do it

I was always big. I haven't been this weight since I was 12/13 (that's really sad).
At my heaviest I was 122-124kgs I think, I dropped 10 by ... unsure really. Just happened. A lot of it was due to the work I was doing (walking 6 hours a day for 3 months).
Then I went on Weight Watchers and have lost 25kgs. It's taken 14months, and I still need to lose 15kgs but you get used to eating smaller proportions and making healthier choices.
The gym wasn't for me tbh, but I've taken up ceroc dancing and that's my exercise each week.

You can do it, just don't expect to be at 10st by July, you may be disappointed. I wanted to be at 75kgs by then too, but that ain't gonna happen.

Former Member

Yes, I was roughly 14-15st when I was a teen (aged between 13-16), I'm now at a healthy weight for my height. I can still be fitter (In muscle more than anything) but I'm not fat. My weight gain was mainly towards my new eating habits with starting secondary school, not doing as much exercise (in primary school all you seemed to do is run around!) and puberty. I didn't actively do much exercise or change my eating habits for the better. I did find myself eating more during these tmes, but I never ate over my GDA to the point of gaining more weight. It slowly and slowly came off over the years towards leaving school. Simply by being more active in PE, walking everywhere (Which I do anyway, unless I'm going into the city or something, but I still walk to get the train/a fair bit before jumping on the bus) and I have reduced my eating a LOT since then, but not unhealthy.

If you have a smartphone, try looking for a fitness app, to measure your GDA and exercise habits.

Former Member

i'm not that big but i know someone also big like
who decided to change their lifestyle to have better life
and they really do change from big size to physically fit size..

Former Member

You did the great job by joining the gym. I had a plan to suggest it but you already did it. In may view eat any kind of foods, but do regular exercises. which helps not only lose your weight and play major role in keeping our body healthier.

Former Member

hey,

you can do it hows it going?? x

I just want to know if there's anybody out there who lost this much weight having always been big.

my sister was big (not being mean or anything ) but honestly i think she was 20 stone at 16-17 years old. not good. she had always been big if my memory serves me right. She decided it was time to loose weight and it took a while but shes lost 8 stone and is now a healthy 22 year old. She feels better, looks MUCH better and has a fabulous life. So just to say you CAN do it x

Former Member

Namaste, how tall are you/what sex are you?

Of course it's possible. Just whatever you do, make an overall lifestyle change do not get sucked into the latest "fad diet" because inevitably you'll always end up back at square one.

Former Member

Well since 7th April I have lost three pounds. Not as much as I'd like (given I have had a couple of naughty days), but it's something!

I am booking myself on to 'spin class' to do indoor cycling and am thinking of going to do 'body pump technique' (I tried ordinary body pump and found it too hardcore, so a beginner class will be better)... So am thinking 2 spin classes, 1 other class and 2-3 ordinary gym visits, maybe to work on resistance.

Yoga or Body Balance is tempting.

Namaste, how tall are you/what sex are you?

Female and 5'3

Former Member

Don't mean to come across as if I'm being invasive, but what is your diet like? Any chance of posting up an average days full diet?

It's true what they say, at least 80% of training (as in going to the gym) is diet. Used to think the was overly emphasised, but cannot stress this enough!

And congratulations on losing 3 pounds already :thumb:

Former Member

Breakfast - 2 weetabix and soy milk, with a couple of flax seeds on top (a teaspoon)

Lunch - Salad/raw veg and 1 pitta bread, sometimes with tofu or a couple of falafels or hummus

Dinner - Stir fry/ beansoup/low calorie curry/steam veg and Tofu (or other protein source)

I snack on fruit, occasionally nuts, occasionally rice crackers or raw food bars (once or twice a week).

I can't see what else I can really do with my diet... I rarely drink coffee, but when I do I have agave syrup... I don't want to eat below 1200 calories a day because I don't want my body to think it is starving... But I have only been losing just over a pound a week... Hopefully starting new and more intensive classes will help.

I worked out my calorie intake is around 1200-1400 and my BMR is 1582... I try to burn around 400-600 each gym visit, but am working on varying my exercise so my body doesn't get used to it.

I'd probably do better if I didn't drink at all, but only drink once a week (vodka, lime and soda or wine).

Edit: I'm vegan, so am careful that I vary my diet

Former Member

Being fat is to a high degree genetically hereditary, but nothing is impossible. If you want to seriously lose weight tho, you should exactly check on your food intake (make a spreadsheet in excel how many calories you take it daily, how many gram carbs, protein and fats).

A friend of mine does this. He ingests every day about 2.000 kcal and tries to cut out fats as much as possible (ideally next to nothing). He works out at home and lost in the space of Christmas till march something aroung 10% bodyfat. And this is a LOT. Then again his nutrition is not for everyone. He loves his food, because he knows it's healthy, but most of it looks like mud to me.

Try to not have any kind of "slips" and eat up a bar of chocolate, because this ruins weeks of effort.

/e: Sounds your diet is quite alright. Now just give it time. There is no shortcut in losing weight, just hang in there.

Former Member

StrubbleS wrote: »

Being fat is to a high degree genetically hereditary, but nothing is impossible. If you want to seriously lose weight tho, you should exactly check on your food intake (make a spreadsheet in excel how many calories you take it daily, how many gram carbs, protein and fats).

I may do this...

I can't see myself ever having a stick thin figure (I'm aiming for size 10-12), but I'd like to be more trim and for my curves to show, as I have an hourglass figure.

My auntie is slim, my Mum is more my shape but was slimmer when she was younger, my Dad was slim too and my brother is. I know that I used to drink A LOT (get drunk maybe 2 nights a week on lager), eat chipshop chips 2-3 times a week, have crisps and sweets most days, lots of carbs... I think really it's my own doing...

I feel fitter, happier and more confident already!

Former Member

A pound a week is a good solid weight loss, and is a good target for weight you want to keep off. Yes, it means you have to diet longer - but also not as hard, so it's easier to stick to.

Former Member

Diet looks solid.

If you're not getting much out of your cardio, and you feel you're confident with it maybe look into HIIT - high intensity interval training.

Give it a google, a few solid weeks of that I bet you'll see a vast difference :thumb:

Former Member

Compared to your previous food intake, the new diet sounds good as long as you can stick to it and not feel hungry. Try drinking water if you think you're hungry as it might just be your body feeling dehydrated. To satisfy any chocolate or sugar cravings, eat two/three squares of dark chocolate (70% cocoa+).

Try to integrate exercise into part of your day - the gym might get monotonous after a while, however strong your resolve is! Do you have a gym buddy btw? Spinning classes do sound fun, have always wanted to give them a go! Circuit classes are also good for an intense workout.

Can you walk all or part of the way to work, or cycle? The pace of walking should be brisk, and fast enough to raise your heartbeat/make you slightly out of breath (not so you're rapidly panting but not so you're just sauntering along in your own time either!) Walk up stairs instead of standing on escalators/taking the lift.

As long as you eat healthily and up the pace of exercise gently so it becomes a sustainable part of your life, then it's a matter of time - results will show themselves sooner or later

Former Member

Namaste wrote: »

I know that I used to drink A LOT (get drunk maybe 2 nights a week on lager), eat chipshop chips 2-3 times a week, have crisps and sweets most days, lots of carbs... I think really it's my own doing...

Ok, this explains a lot and may be a blessing in disguise, because that's a GOOD reason to be overweight. If you cut all that out you'll definitely lose weight. Just hang in there, doesn't just take a few days.

Former Member

StrubbleS wrote: »

A friend of mine does this. He ingests every day about 2.000 kcal and tries to cut out fats as much as possible (ideally next to nothing). He works out at home and lost in the space of Christmas till march something aroung 10% bodyfat. And this is a LOT. Then again his nutrition is not for everyone. He loves his food, because he knows it's healthy, but most of it looks like mud to me.

Try to not have any kind of "slips" and eat up a bar of chocolate, because this ruins weeks of effort.

I disagree, I wouldn't cut fats out of your diet, just cut down on the 'bad' fats. You can eat chocolate and loose/maintain weight.

Former Member

:yes: but all things in moderation

Former Member

And if you have a craving, go for it. If you only deny yourself you will only want it more and then eat 10 times as much as you would have initially. (or at least that is how it is for me )

Former Member

my name wrote: »

And if you have a craving, go for it. If you only deny yourself you will only want it more and then eat 10 times as much as you would have initially. (or at least that is how it is for me )

agreed

Former Member

katralla wrote: »

I disagree, I wouldn't cut fats out of your diet, just cut down on the 'bad' fats. You can eat chocolate and loose/maintain weight.

I didn't mean cut out fats 100%. You obv need fats too, but try to reduce them, because you are taking way more fats to you than you realize. So if reduce them as good as possible you are still plenty taking in.

Former Member

I dunno though, I am of the school of thought for weight loss/maintanence that says cals are cals whatever the source.

Former Member

I am now walking to work, then back to the gym (around 4 miles per day 5 days a week) and then doing 20 min cross country on the bikes, 20 min glutes program on X Trainer then 15 min interval on X Trainer...

But am now reading that I need to do weights as well to get fit...

I weighed myself last Saturday and seemed to be the same weight Thursday night despite the exercise increase... Or maybe it is muscle, water, food, natural...

I am gonna keep up walking though!

And now I can touch my toes as well lol

Think I'll just focus on getting as healthy as possible and the weight will fall of naturally.

Former Member

I would go off how your clothes fit more than your weight. If your clothes feel a bit more loose of fit better than you are loosing weight :yes:

Also it might be a bit more reliable if you go by inches, so measure yourself weekly instead of weighing yourself

Former Member

katralla wrote: »

I dunno though, I am of the school of thought for weight loss/maintanence that says cals are cals whatever the source.

Yes, but fats have a calorific value about ten times as high as carbohydrates and proteins. If you are eating 2000 calories of fats you are not eating much. You are prone to take a load more calories to you when you eat foods rich in fat.

/e:

I read an article that most work-out, especially with weights does not lead to weight loss. It will just turn fat into muscles (not directly, but I guess you know what I am talking about). So it makes you fitter, but does not reduce the number on the scales. The diet is the much more important part.

Don't give up easily. If I'd drink a lot of water I can easily have a kg more. There is usually a noticeable difference before and after workout because of the sweating. Like I said, there are no shortcuts to it. Keep up the work, there is no way you CAN'T lose weight with a sensible and monitored diet and regular workout.

Former Member

The bonus of building muscle is that it raises your BMR, and it helps you look better when you lose weight, so you end up more toned looking rather than an empty sack. IMO

Former Member

Quick Easy Weight Loss

One can really lose weight if he his fat, but it depends on the diet and work out what he do. Diet is one of the key factors to reduce weight naturally without going to fitness center or aerobics. In addition to these one should cultivate the habit to intake more protein content substance which helps to maintain the cholesterol level and reduces weight gradually.

Former Member

I have lost around 6lb... I mean it's been 2 months, but I didn't go to the gym for a week and a half because I went on holiday and one week my mate stayed over and I could only do really short work outs...

My work trousers are feeling so loose.

I reckon I'll be a size 14 by payday. :cool: