Weight Loss Thread - 2013 Edition

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  • humdrummerhumdrummer Posts: 4,487
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    Hello, my name is humdrummer and I'm a chubster :(

    (Re)Joined Slimming World last night after resisting and resisting. I had done so well years back and got down to a really good weight. Then I went on holiday for three weeks to a place where food is a major thing and just never went back.

    I have since put on more and more and more weight. I did try to go back to Slimming World in the interim but, I just wasn't feeling it and definitely wasn't 'gelling' with the consultant.

    I've tried every avenue, calorie counting, paleo, slim fast, 'no diet' diet, 5:2, etc. I could go on and on...everything, bar surgery, has been attempted.

    I joined SW last night as a newbie, wiped the slate clean with a new group, new leader in a different part of town and the feel of the group was so different - I 'almost' felt inspired :p

    I've gone out and shopped and am having cheesy pasta bake tonight. Seems nothing but 'eat well and cook your own food' really works. I've got 4 stone to lose, no reason other than over-eating for those 4 stones so...here I go. Hoping to keep in with you guys and share tips and successes and stuff. Some of the weight loss you guys have posted has been awesome - well done.
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    Welcome Humdrummer.

    If you're going to be focussing on eating home-baked food, then I personally recommend looking into what sort of recipes you can cook that don't have that many calories. As I posted before, I had a home-cooked chickpea + veg curry for lunch. It was about 227kcal per portion, and while I wouldn't claim it had a 'subtle' blend of spices :D, I personally thought it was delicious. I ate it with two 'Bilash' chapatis from Aldi, which are 128 calories each, and it was a really nice meal. Even better, I've got a second portion of it in the fridge for another time :)

    Curries might not be your thing. But there must be something that is. And apart from the odd dish (e.g. Sainsbury's vegetable chilli), there seem to be lots of things that you can make for yourself where you can control the calories much better if you make them yourself. E.g. I find that often just cooking without fat/oil where appropriate often works well, e.g. soups, and it's possible to make very low calorie food. In the curry I made, about half the calories came from the chick peas. If I reduced them and bulked it out with vegetables, I could get that number lower.

    I'm now in an odd mode. I'm weighing myself again, but am about at target. (I'll find out tomorrow). So, at the moment, some days I'm being flexible. Most days I'm still staying at my dieting number of 1800kcal a day (medium tall male, but on other days I'm eating my maintenance calories. I don't pre-plan it, but just decide what to do on a day by day basis. Today I suspect I'm going to hit 1900kal because of what I plan to eat later. Gym visit planned for tomorrow morning :) I shouldn't have eaten those four squares of chocolate, but since my maintenance level is 2308kcal (according to here). If I flip occasionally between 'weight-loss' days and 'maintenance days', then I can just pull an additional 500kcal out of the hat when I want to, for no long term loss.

    Having said that, one of my main worries was that I've not actually successfully dieted before. I did try once before, but it didn't go well (long story). So I was sort of worried that at any moment my weight loss might reverse. It's only now that I'm really gaining confidence. (Before a fall? :) ) But I was worried about any back-sliding being a slippery slope, so stuck to the numbers every day except for two 'reward' days that I didn't really enjoy that much when it came to them.

    In hindsight, I think I could have been more flexible with my dieting. In order to get to my target weight, I needed to diet a certain number of days, which was (estimate) about 100. I suppose there was no particular need to have all those 100 days in a row, and I could have eaten maintenance level some days. However, I've wandered off on a tangent about myself, and if you have 4 stones to lose rather than the 2 stones I had to lose, you may not want to spread it out too long.

    I've read elsewhere of what people call 'zig-zag dieting'. That's where the calorie limit is a weekly limit, but the calories are assigned unevenly to different days. I'm still working out how my maintenance might work, but I might occasionally do zig-zag weeks. Among other things.

    I do think that socialising weight loss, talking to other people about it, really helps. This thread has been my dieting social group, and an in-real-life group would be fantastic too. I'd guess that's what you'll find with the slimming world. I really found this thread helped a lot, and I'd like to very much thank everyone on it. Not that I'm planning to go anywhere as I wanted to continue my weigh-ins and discussions as part of the maintenance process.
  • lulu25lulu25 Posts: 552
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    Hello,

    Well done to everybody losing weight!
    I haven't been on here for a few weeks as I fell off the wagon (although it could have been worse :D), good news is that even though I haven't lost any weight, I haven't gained any either :).

    I am back on it today, however, I have loads of easter chocolate to eat so have decided to allow myself a small amount every day until its all gone :p
  • kyresakyresa Posts: 16,629
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    humdrummer wrote: »
    Hello, my name is humdrummer and I'm a chubster :(

    (Re)Joined Slimming World last night after resisting and resisting. I had done so well years back and got down to a really good weight. Then I went on holiday for three weeks to a place where food is a major thing and just never went back.

    I have since put on more and more and more weight. I did try to go back to Slimming World in the interim but, I just wasn't feeling it and definitely wasn't 'gelling' with the consultant.

    I've tried every avenue, calorie counting, paleo, slim fast, 'no diet' diet, 5:2, etc. I could go on and on...everything, bar surgery, has been attempted.

    I joined SW last night as a newbie, wiped the slate clean with a new group, new leader in a different part of town and the feel of the group was so different - I 'almost' felt inspired :p

    I've gone out and shopped and am having cheesy pasta bake tonight. Seems nothing but 'eat well and cook your own food' really works. I've got 4 stone to lose, no reason other than over-eating for those 4 stones so...here I go. Hoping to keep in with you guys and share tips and successes and stuff. Some of the weight loss you guys have posted has been awesome - well done.

    Welcome to the club. I'm also a slimming world'er and have lost a stone and a half since Jan 08th this year :) Keep focussed.:D

    I found extra easy a bit hard to get my head round but now I love it. And isn't not counting calories great :D eat what you like just change the way you eat it :) (I did a fab slimming world trifle at the weekend.. was divine and only 3 syns per portion!)
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    Welcome back Lulu.

    If you haven't gained any weight, then there's no real harm done really, just a short delay. In fact, it might even be good practice for maintenance in the future.

    Congratulations for handling your Easter chocolate in a more sophisticated way than I did :)
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    I have gone down 2 belt notches since Jan.
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    I have gone down 2 belt notches since Jan.

    Congratulations. Is your username an indication of how you managed this?
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    WinterFire wrote: »
    Congratulations. Is your username an indication of how you managed this?

    I have been into weight training for the past 15 yrs, but have only ever trained for strength, as opposed to 'bodybuilding'. Its my diet that I have changed to lose fat, not so much my exercise routine. I am getting married next month and am off on honeymoon for 3 weeks shortly after, so that was a bit of a kick up the arse for me.
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    Weight-loss disaster.

    I have discovered that the scales I have been using give very different results depending on where I stand on them. Up to 2kg difference.

    If I try to centre myself and stand upright on them, I weigh 78kg, more than I thought I weighed last week.

    This could explain why the gym scales weigh me higher. But now that I know that moving around changes my measured weight like that, I'm not happy about continuing using those scales.

    I would use the gym scales, but it's tricky to use them regularly on the same day as I don't visit the gym that regularly. It depends on what else is going on.

    In any case, I need to go back to full diet mode. Starting today! Only a few kg to lose, even if I lean forward on the scales which increases my weight, but a bit disappointing. I suppose that it serves me right for being too self-satisfied about thinking that I'd reached my target.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,704
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    Hello :) I'm new to this thread and was wondering if anybody had any knowledge of shedding weight with PCOS?

    I've been struggling to shift a stone for years, no matter how well I ate and how much exercise I did I could not get my weight below a certain number which as you can probably imagine drove me crackers. It also caused me to get a little obsessed with slimming pills and laxatives, plus weighing myself circa 6 times a day. I tried to not eat more than 600 calories a day (as needed to keep my calorie intake low enough so that my body couldn't go into starvation mode, most days I'd eat 500/550 calories which became surprisingly easy by only having black decaf tea for breakfast, salad leaves with grated carrot or beetroot for lunch and dinner no carbs, just veg with a little fish or chicken, at weekends I'd eat a slice of brown bread with my salad to stop my husband worrying/moaning at me , if I did I'd take an extra laxative at night. I know it was not healthy and after an ear bashing from my husband I went to the docs.

    A year later (now) following countless trips to the docs as I realised something was wrong as I should be tiny, a different doctor suspected PCOS and asked several questions about many things and it turns out I have many of the symptoms (he, as was I, rather flummoxed as to why 4 different doctors missed it..) was sent for a scan and surprise surprise I've a high number of cysts.

    He's put me on Metformin, I'm in my third week of taking them and am now on 3 tablets a day and have lost 4lbs (this is over my period too, where usually if I have one I gain about 6lbs..) I've not changed what I eat/drink nor exercise levels BUT I can't drink alcohol as after half a glass I feel hammered and the next day I feel dog rough, so I'm now tee total for the indefinite future :( and although I didn't eat much chocolate before I can't touch it now as it also seems to disagree with the Metformin.

    I just wondered if anybody else on here has PCOS, and how they are finding it to lose weight? And is anybody else on Metformin for PCOS? If so, how long did it take for the excess weight you shouldn't have been carrying come off? I guess I was expecting miracle results and that after a week of taking them I'd have lost a lot more than I have in 3 weeks. I'm not a patient person which isn't helping :o:(

    On the plus side, I'm just relieved to have answers as I was being continuously patronised by family/friends (and some doctors) about my weight not budging. Its as if they didnt believe what I actually eat and instead imagined me sat on my backside drinking beer and eating pizza and doughnuts all day :(

    I'm no longer taking slimming pills/laxatives and am making a big effort to eat carbs more often (I can't eat wheat as it bloats me out, so have since replaced the slice of granary with a small baked potato).

    Its taken me a while to write on here as I've felt like an idiot for my desperation to lose weight in the past, but I have now and am glad I can finally close that chapter thanks to a brilliant doctor who actually listened to me and finally be the size I should be.

    Only a dress size to go, hopefully by summer I'll be a small 12 rather than a small 14.
    I have a pair of short shorts I'm desperate to wear! They've been in my wardrobe for yonks and it will feel amazing to finally wear them and feel good about myself.

    Sorry, I think that is my longest ever post :o I shall stop now.


    Edit, last thing! I know at the beginning I mentioned eating healthily and then obviously I said how few calories I was eating. I just wanted to clarify, I was eating a healthy balanced diet and eating around 1200/1400 a day whilst exercising for at least an hour a day but was STILL gaining weight, that is what triggered the stupidity and purchase of slimming pills and low calorie intake. I know now that eating so few calories coupled with slimming pills/laxatives and exercise wasn't healthy, but at the time I felt it was the only way as I'd hit rock bottom and was desperate as the healthy way just was not working. Am just thankful I have such a supportive husband as he's been my sole support through all of this :cry: now I have a good doctor too and things are finally looking up.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,704
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    striing wrote: »
    I don't have PCOS but I have other related issues and all I can say is I sympathise. It's tough when things you can't control take over your body. I would say though, if you're as size 14 don't let it take over your life. You will be stuck with this condidtion but it's not as if you're a size 18. If you can't wear short shorts it's not the end of the world. It's far more important to find a way of managing that doesn't involves laxatives/slimming pills etc (it sounds like you're doing that now by going to the doctors). I was about your age when it first sunk in that I was going to struggle with weight for the rest of my life - and I also ate very little for a while and still only lost 10lb. It's a balance when you have something like this - keep your weight to a reasonable level but don't get obsessed. And don't make the priority being aesthetically thin, just healthy. Sorry that's probably not the response you were looking for.

    You are right, after my husband explained how worried he was it sunk in that being healthy for my son (and husband) is the most important. I did reach a size 18 which is when I cut down to 1200 ish cals a day, from 1500 and started the more intense exercise and still only reached 16. I got from a 16 to 14 whilst in desperation mode.

    I don't want to be thin, I just want to be a size 12 again like I was a few years ago. Although, like you say, I may have to accept that it won't happen. It just doesn't help when close family constantly make comments about how I look because they compare me now (being an adult with a child!) to when I was in my late teens/early twenties and a size 10/12.
    My husband keeps telling me to ignore them as they are ignorant, but its difficult.
    At the moment I am just keeping away from them as its best I only surround myself with positive people who can and will support me (which is not many :o ) rather than put me down and make me hate myself.

    Thank you by the way, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. :)
  • JoTaylorJoTaylor Posts: 9,870
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    You are right, after my husband explained how worried he was it sunk in that being healthy for my son (and husband) is the most important. I did reach a size 18 which is when I cut down to 1200 ish cals a day, from 1500 and started the more intense exercise and still only reached 16. I got from a 16 to 14 whilst in desperation mode.

    I don't want to be thin, I just want to be a size 12 again like I was a few years ago. Although, like you say, I may have to accept that it won't happen. It just doesn't help when close family constantly make comments about how I look because they compare me now (being an adult with a child!) to when I was in my late teens/early twenties and a size 10/12.
    My husband keeps telling me to ignore them as they are ignorant, but its difficult.
    At the moment I am just keeping away from them as its best I only surround myself with positive people who can and will support me (which is not many :o ) rather than put me down and make me hate myself.

    Thank you by the way, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. :)

    I've not really got anything very helpful to bring to the table but just wanted to say good luck!!! I rejoined WW last week and I'm the same as you - I want to be back to a certain weight for my hols to L.A. in August. I can't go to the land of size zero looking like I do!! They'll have a circus band playing behind me thinking I'm a freak show! :D

    Speaking of size 0 though I know Victoria Beckham has PCOS so whilst she is a freak of nature the capacity to control it must be out there.

    I have a friend with PCOS and I know that carbs really are the enemy for her. I've known her eat a couple of slices of bread and (hand on heart here) gain 5-6lb the day after. Carbs are in so much that you don't think about like fruit so it must be a nightmare.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,704
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    JoTaylor wrote: »
    I've not really got anything very helpful to bring to the table but just wanted to say good luck!!! I rejoined WW last week and I'm the same as you - I want to be back to a certain weight for my hols to L.A. in August. I can't go to the land of size zero looking like I do!! They'll have a circus band playing behind me thinking I'm a freak show! :D

    Speaking of size 0 though I know Victoria Beckham has PCOS so whilst she is a freak of nature the capacity to control it must be out there.

    I have a friend with PCOS and I know that carbs really are the enemy for her. I've known her eat a couple of slices of bread and (hand on heart here) gain 5-6lb the day after. Carbs are in so much that you don't think about like fruit so it must be a nightmare.

    Thank you :) although size 0 is too thin for my shape (I'd look ill) its good to know that it can be controlled properly once diagnosed !

    I didn't realise carbs had the potential to be so disruptive to pcos, that explains an awful lot! I'll be more careful about carbs again I think. I guess its the insulin link?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,704
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    striing wrote: »
    How tall are you? (Size 12 sounds thin to me - but I'm 5'9''.)

    But yes keep away from people who have unhelpful comments to make, especially if they don't have any hormonal/gynnecological issues to deal with and therefore don't understand how powerful they can be (I hate it as I'm a feminist by nature but I can't deny that the reality of both the physical and psychological impact. :o:D).

    My understanding from a friend with PCOS is that, like many drugs, Metformin sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. If you're getting an effect already it sounds like you're going to be lucky (if your child is your genetic/birth child then hopefully this luck will hold up for treatment now).

    I am also trying to get back to the weight I was in my early 20s. But if I can't get there I'll settle for my early 30s! I'm about to investigate whether I can get better medication.

    I'm 5'4, so technically a 12 is still a bit big according to the nhs and their daft range of what's normal, but it suits my shape best and any smaller just makes me look ill in the face. Size 14, which I am now puts me on the chubby side and as I'm far too old for puppy fat I really need to try and shift it.

    My son is mine genetically/by birth, it seems from what the scans of my ovaries plus blood test results showed that he is a mini miracle (we weren't trying, he just happened and was a massive surprise, I hadn't been diagnosed with pcos at that point, I had been convinced I had a thyroid problem).

    You are definitely right about people not understanding the power of hormones, I tried explaining to a few that I knew there was a problem with my hormones but didnt know what but they were so patronising and just repeated the 'eat less-move more' mantra again and again (even though I'd mentioned that I couldn't eat any less without passing out- their ignorance and rudeness will never leave my memory, nor will I be able to forgive them I don't think).

    Good luck with your weight loss too, this seems a very good thread for motivation and support (I've lurked on it on/off for a while, but got bored of lurking and posted.. See what I did there? :D:o hehe)
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    striing wrote: »
    When you're talking about a few lbs you're never going to get an exact measurement, other then for that moment in time. It varies depending on time of day, what you're wearing, obviously what you've eaten/drunk etc. Even for me at my weight, I can weight myself first thing, have a cup of tea and then weigh half a lb to 1lb more! There isn't an exact weight to be anyway, everyone has a leeway of at least 2 stone to still be a healthy weight.

    If you want a specific weight why not get the nurse at your GP do it on the scales they use that you sit on - that won't be affected by how you stand?

    Cheers Striing. I think that the scales at the doctors vary too much with leaning and foot placement. More than I expect the actual daily variance of my weight will be. I think the gym scales will be a better measure. I'll give them a go when I visit the gym tonight.

    Welcome to boredof_lurking. Good to hear that your husband is supportive of you.
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    Long story how it happened, but I let my son pick out a fruit or vegetable that I promised I'd try.

    He chose physalis, AKA cape gooseberry.

    According to information I found online, these admittedly small fruit have two calories each! While they're small, they are quite tasty and tangy. And make a good snack when I feel I'm not hungry, I just want to eat something. An alternative to the gherkins I often eat at such times.
  • Sez_babeSez_babe Posts: 133,998
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    OK, this week hasn't been good - I'm starting on Monday!!!
  • WinterFireWinterFire Posts: 9,509
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    Sez_babe wrote: »
    OK, this week hasn't been good - I'm starting on Monday!!!

    Good luck Sez_babe. Though, please excuse me for being cheeking and saying 'why not start tomorrow' :)
  • EastEnders-1105EastEnders-1105 Posts: 11,022
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    I'm 5'4, so technically a 12 is still a bit big according to the nhs and their daft range of what's normal, but it suits my shape best and any smaller just makes me look ill in the face. Size 14, which I am now puts me on the chubby side and as I'm far too old for puppy fat I really need to try and shift it.

    My son is mine genetically/by birth, it seems from what the scans of my ovaries plus blood test results showed that he is a mini miracle (we weren't trying, he just happened and was a massive surprise, I hadn't been diagnosed with pcos at that point, I had been convinced I had a thyroid problem).

    You are definitely right about people not understanding the power of hormones, I tried explaining to a few that I knew there was a problem with my hormones but didnt know what but they were so patronising and just repeated the 'eat less-move more' mantra again and again (even though I'd mentioned that I couldn't eat any less without passing out- their ignorance and rudeness will never leave my memory, nor will I be able to forgive them I don't think).

    Good luck with your weight loss too, this seems a very good thread for motivation and support (I've lurked on it on/off for a while, but got bored of lurking and posted.. See what I did there? :D:o hehe)

    Hi,
    Just noticed the NHS think size 12 is big!! where does it say this on there website?
    im 8st 8 and i wear a 12 (although i prefer baggy stuff to tight)
    im 17 and 5ft 1

    Congrats on all you looseing weight and hope you all reach your goals
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 387
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    I was on the Cambridge diet for 4 weeks and lost 17lbs! I finished this 3 weeks ago and have lost another 9lb since due to healthy eating restricting carbs and light exercise! Water water water!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,704
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    Hi,
    Just noticed the NHS think size 12 is big!! where does it say this on there website?
    im 8st 8 and i wear a 12 (although i prefer baggy stuff to tight)
    im 17 and 5ft 1

    Congrats on all you looseing weight and hope you all reach your goals

    Sorry, I'll clarify. My weight when I'm a size 12 is too big for me, it puts me at the top of the overweight section of the daft bmi chart. I'm a small 14 at the moment and I'm technically obese according to them. The nhs don't mention dress sizes as such (although they do take waist measurement into consideration apparently, mine is 30.5" at the moment so the doc said he isn't worried about my bmi too much, my hips/chest put me in a 14 as I'm very hippy/chesty.

    Don't pay attention to bmi, I wish I never did. 8st 8 is pretty much the perfect weight at 5ft 1, the size 12's must drown you!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 349
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    Welcome to boredof_lurking and humdrummer (and any one else I've missed as I've only skimmed the thread).

    I've maintained last weeks weight, which I'm taking as a positive as usually after my cycle I put on a pound or 3! First half of the week was a bit of a disaster, second half much better.

    I've started 'jogging' in my exercise routine and I'm doing it in 1min bits, alternating jogging with hoop/walking/squatsetc. I've enjoyed it so far but don't want to push myself too much to start and injure myself so will take it steady.

    I am starting to wonder though if I'm never going to lose this weight!

    Good luck this week every one :)
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    Had a weigh in today, I have lost 28.6 lbs since Jan.
  • EastEnders-1105EastEnders-1105 Posts: 11,022
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    Sorry, I'll clarify. My weight when I'm a size 12 is too big for me, it puts me at the top of the overweight section of the daft bmi chart. I'm a small 14 at the moment and I'm technically obese according to them. The nhs don't mention dress sizes as such (although they do take waist measurement into consideration apparently, mine is 30.5" at the moment so the doc said he isn't worried about my bmi too much, my hips/chest put me in a 14 as I'm very hippy/chesty.

    Don't pay attention to bmi, I wish I never did. 8st 8 is pretty much the perfect weight at 5ft 1, the size 12's must drown you!

    oh thanks
    best to ask questions no matter how stupid

    Dont really drown me really some tops do sometimes but its certain brands if you get what i mean?
    like i got 2 tops from primark and they are a 14 which are not as baggy as im used to were as i have some new look tops and they are 12 and they are baggy and really long

    BMi doesnt take Muscle mass into consideration so even if your normal weight (like say Jodie Marsh whos really muscly) the BMI would say she is overweight and if its kids who are playing Wii fit and it says that well thats asking for trouble

    Thanks for clarifying
    wish you luck on All your diets
    i will be lurking and posting every now and then to give you All support
  • ladydedlock77ladydedlock77 Posts: 1,473
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    Hi all I am new to this thread and looking for some advice on the Atkins diet. I started it just over a week ago and 4 days in started to feel very dizzy and lightheaded. I googled and came across articles about the Atkins/keto flu and most suggest it lasts about 4 days. It is now 5 days since the symptoms first started and I still feel like hell. Whilst I do not have to go out I can tolerate it but I am worried about when I next have to go out as I have panic attacks too. In fact I am finding it hard to work out whether what I am feeling is Atkins flu or panic though I never usually have panic attacks at home. Has anyone suffered anything similar?
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