I think the general rules are try to eat better and move more but make sure you are thinking about how you can do it long term (a lot of people fail because they push to hard at the start, get burnt out by it and then give up).
The most important thing is to find what works for you and fits best into your life, including your girlfriend and the baby when it arrives.
DanA lot of bad advice in this thread. 1200 calories a day is not going to be sustainable.
Ignore the fasting, no carbs etc shite. Just keep track of your calories and keep them down, that's all it comes down to. Work out what your maintenance calories are, eat less than that and try and move more.
Eat less and move more.
Yep this, maintain a calorie deficit and you’ll lose weight. Walking is the easiest form of moving more, wack a podcast or music on if you get bored. Unsustainable goals will just make you bounce back harder.
Got a Friend in meHi all.
My girlfriend is expecting my first baby in July and I want to lose 2/3 stone in the next 5 months.
I have very bad physical health, I'm waiting on two operations, have nerve damage in my spine as well as fibromyalgia (which really affects me)
Can anyone recommend a way for me to achieve my weight target please.
Good news, it's easily achievable by having calorie deficit (eating less calories than 'required' each day).
There will be lots of advice thrown at you, but a little tip from me is that I was more successful with weightloss by eating the food I like but changing the content of it.
Example:
I like a Fry Up on a Friday, and in the past I'd have (amongst other items):
2 Aldi Linconshire sausages (180 Calories per sausage, 360 calories in total). Switch to 2 Aldi Skinny Sausages (73 Calories per sausage, 143 calories in total). Saving 217 Calories.
2 Aldi Thick-cut Back Bacon (127 Calories for 2 Slices). Switch to 2 Aldi Bacon Medallions (54 calories for 2 slices). Saving 73 Calories.
Do that for all the food you usually eat and you'll be surprised how many calories you can cut from your diet.
PS. Also, cook your food in an Air Fryer where possible.
Best advice on here 👍
It depends on what meds you’re on for your fibro/nerve damage and other ailments - some of which are weight gainers, and some of which make you ravenously hungry no matter how much you eat.
Mindset is every bit as important as the diet though. My wife has fibro & nerve damage and a titanium scaffold on her lower spine so exercise is a no go. The meds and lack of exercise piled the weight on and everything she read told her she’d never lose weight. A nurse at the local hospital basically fat shamed her at a clinic and she came home in tears but determined to prove her wrong (she said it didn’t help that the nurse in question was fatter than my wife).
She researched medications and changed some and stopped others (not recommended unless you’re clued up) bought an air fryer and made similar changes as suggested above. She’s lost around 7st with little to no exercise, no fasting, no fad diets and no problems.
Good luck and congrats on the pregnancy 👍
I signed up to Slimming World a few years back and lost a couple of stone, it encouraged me to make some lifestyle changes that included healthier eating habits.
I still go and have maintained my weight loss overall, the odd blip here & there is resolved by my continuing to attend.
Walk and keep active in whatever way you can. Diet is massive so cutting takeouts and eating food that is simpler, cutting down on dairy and sugar and eating lean meats and veg with simple carbs etc. more little and often than large portions. Cutting down alcohol to little or nil as well is a help.
I lost over 3 stone in the last year so the above worked for me but I also managed to get into the gym at least 3 times a week and other cardio stuff mixed in but main thing for me was diet.
Hi mate,
Sure you’re getting lots of advice.
Happy to offer some directly, off forum if you want 🙂
FYI I’m a PT - yoga teacher so can potentially offer (non medical) advice on your movement constraints too.
freedomyogasteve on instagram
KRO
I would say the advice of Bronx Hat is the best because it’s sustainable and you still get to eat things you enjoy.
Steer clear of diet versions of things though as quite often they’re packed with sugar to replace the fat.
And, if you haven’t already done so visit your GP to get your bloods done and get the ok to start exercising.
As others have said, walking will be your best bet given your current physical health. I recommend sticking to a treadmill so you have the support of the machine in case you feel like you need it at any point
If you're really serious about losing weight quickly, stick the incline on the treadmill to the max (usually 12 or 15) and walk at 2.5mph+ for 30 minutes straight. It will take some going to get your lungs and perhaps your leg muscles up to speed, but it's a very effective way of burning high calories without running. Mentally, it's quite easy
Also, you need to induce a consistent calorie deficit. Cut out the pop, beer, chocolate, sweets, takeaways, freezer meals. If you have to eat out, just order one menu item; don't overorder and overeat. If you can, skip the chips/fries/carbs with your meal and eat the entree itself alone
It's hard work but once you remove the crap from your diet for a few weeks you don't miss it
Oh, and the line you need to repeat in your brain is, "it's for my kid..."
Best of luck with the weight loss and your nipper. KRO
DanA lot of bad advice in this thread. 1200 calories a day is not going to be sustainable.
Ignore the fasting, no carbs etc shite. Just keep track of your calories and keep them down, that's all it comes down to. Work out what your maintenance calories are, eat less than that and try and move more.
Eat less and move more.
Works for me.
Yeah I'd say work on 1600 calories a day and try and walk at least half an hour. Both perfectly doable.
Congratulations and good luck.
Got a Friend in meHi all.
My girlfriend is expecting my first baby in July and I want to lose 2/3 stone in the next 5 months.
I have very bad physical health, I'm waiting on two operations, have nerve damage in my spine as well as fibromyalgia (which really affects me)
Can anyone recommend a way for me to achieve my weight target please.
Cut out booze, cheese and bread.
I've done dry January and lost half a stone, I'm sleeping better and my blood pressure is now normal for my age.
I've not exercised any more than normal but have gone from 14st 6lb to 13st 12lb in four and a half weeks.
If you want to add in some exercise then walking, swimming or cycling is good as it's all low impact.
Good luck
KRO
I know somebody who has subscribed to Greg Wallace’s diet site, about £50 I think. The balance of the meals has been calculated by a nutritionist. You have 3 meals a day and big portions. He is losing weight and never hungry. I suppose it is just cooking from scratch no sugar etc but he likes it as the recipes are all there in one place to choose from.
Calorie deficit with a steady increase in activity.
As a man you need 2500 calories a day, so I would aim for 1800-2000 calories a day (this is sustainable compared to the 1200 suggested), this puts you in a calories deficit of 500-700 calories per day. You don't even have to cut out foods you like just watch portion sizes.
Every 3500 calorie deficit is the equivalent to 1 pound of fat loss so you should lose 1 pound of fat per week and thats not counting the increased activity, say maybe a 30 minute walk daily, increasing as you get more fit.
You should see a steady and healthy weight loss over those 5 months.
Also don't weigh yourself everyday, your weight can fluctuate based on many different factors. stick to once a week, at the same time and track your progress that way.
I haven’t read all the replies so sorry if repeating. First stop is go see your GP and get a full checkup and ask for advice. As someone mentioned it’s all about a life style change and not a crash diet. Exercise - walking at least 30 minutes a day, swim once a week, cardio and do light weights. Hydrate about 2 litres of water a day. Diet reduce trans fats and alcohol intake. A good reference guide “A Man’s Guide to Healthy Aging - stay smart, strong and active” (Thompson & Kaye) Good luck and KRO.