I'll pass on the invitation to join in a group effort, AiY, because I've more or less done the weight-loss job these days. But all power to your elbow, and the very best of luck with it all.
Gersemi wrote:I actually managed to lose a stone in the year up to the first lockdown. I had been diagnosed as 'pre diabetic' and I attended a course of advice on, basically, eating better, losing weight and excercising more. Since March last year I have put on about 4lbs and counting . . . and my excercise levels have gone down.
Would that be the 'Healthier You' programme? I was told by my GP surgery to check it out about four years ago, and it looked really good for "
social animals" - but I quickly realised that the competitive shame of group weigh-ins, zumba classes and advice about not eating takeaways really weren't for me, and that I would rather do the weight loss myself. Mainly through (very, very approximate) daily calorie counting. I lost 24 pounds in 18 months, of which only two pounds have crept back on in the intervening three years. I am still working on the other six pounds, but my doc is happy.
Ultimately, choosing the best route is a matter of self-knowledge. Some people find that the group dynamic is a better way forward. (BTW, the Healthier You scheme has gone 100% online now, so you get to keep more of your privacy.) For me, though, it was mostly down to identifying my weakest spots (cutting out beer, stop snacking on cheese and bread), and cooking just about all food from raw ingredients, the way I always have.
Do take a look, though, at the current theories about how a maximal diversity of gut bacteria can make the difference between fat and thin. And don't be persuaded that rapid weight loss (more than two pounds a week) is workable, because the weight rarely stays off. A gradual pound or two a month is much more likely to stick. So to speak.
BJ
. I could do to lose that weight. Which means more exercise, an improved diet and less alcohol.