Obesity - retiring and can spend time on my health - help needed.

I lost 4 stone in 11 months on the 1:1 plan (Cambridge diet).
It worked for me, I'd tried everything else.
It starts as bars and shakes, but there are many other products and once you've lost some weight you introduce "normal" food back into one, then two of your daily meals.
I started March 2020, literally just a few weeks before lockdown and I swear that helped as I wasn't tempted by any socialising events etc.

By Feb 2021, I'd lost the 4 stone.

I only eat between 9am and 6pm and the dog has never been walked so much.

I've kept it off.
I had a torn meniscus which had been listed for surgical repair but that got cancelled due to lockdown so I persevered with the eating plan and it never needed doing.
The relief on my joints was incredible.

Certain diets work for certain people and you end up trying an awful lot before you find one that works for your body type.

My late mum used to say (apologies if this offends anyone, she was of a certain age)
"There are no fat people in a famine"

I use an app called My Fitness Pal, the free version and I log my weight and what I eat on there, since I started using it a few years ago I ve lost 2 st 4 lbs

The best book I have read on this subject is Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr. Andrew Jenkinson. He is a bariatriic surgeon who has listened to his patients and researched why there are so many more obese people now than there were forty years ago. Dieting is a big part of the problem as our starting weight goes up each time we start yet another diet. As said upthread, he comments on the likes of Slimming World and Weightwatchers and how they succeed in the short term but the vast majority of people regain all the weight they lost. His view is that this is what these systems are based on as they are businesses and want your money as you keep returning. He also shows that the biggest problem is sugar and not fat and shows why fat has become the villain of the piece. I can thoroughly recommend this book. It is a eye-opening.

Try this chap martinhigginscoaching.com/

All the advice on this thread is good - he helps you achieve it. And life after retirement is fun with his advice. DH and I are ten years down the line ... check out the website and see what you think.

With exercise start slowly. You don’t need to walk 10000 steps. 3 x 10 minute walks a day make an easy starting point. Hopefully your fitness will improve. There are lots of online seated exercise videos to build up your strength. Other posters have covered the diet side of your post. Good luck. Enjoy your retirement.

GrannyBear1

I can recommend Rosemary Conley's website.
rosemaryconley.com/
She focusses on older people now and her website has loads of suggestions for exercise for all, even including chair based and for those with osteoporosis. There are recipes on there as well with advice for losing weight.

Thanks for that. I’ve still got her Hips and Thighs diet book!

I found Noom good. It is on line. It is basically calorie counting but there is a lot of support and psychological help. There are guides who answer mails and also support groups with other users including special groups for older people, people with health problems and so on..

Don't get these jabs unless you are diabetic. Keep moving by walking,gardening,swimming etc. Cook from scratch and batch cook,volunteer,meet up with friends....

Have a look at the Zoe website Zoe.com
You will lose weight and feel absolutely amazing. I have been a member for a year a a half and I can't recommend it highly enough. All scientifically backed up, really easy to follow, no counting calories, just delicious food feeding your gut and teaching you how/when/what to eat. It is a bit expensive, but the weekly podcasts are free, the app is personalised to you (lots of research on identical twins responding differently to the same food etc.) Have a look!

I walk daily using Nordic walking poles- the extra cardiovascular benefits are very good. I also try and fast for two days a week which also helps.Serving meals on smaller plates also works. I enjoy a gin and slimline tonic and the odd glass of red wine so do not feel as if I am depriving myself in any way.

I don’t know where you are located OP but in Northumberland we have a group called ‘Women’s walk and talk’ walks are arranged all over the county, usually 2 or 3 a week ranging from 2 miles to 7.5 miles. Free for anyone to join as and when they feel like it. Usually there is a pub of coffee shop on route where we stop for 30 minutes for a drink too.

There is also a men’s group too.

Michael Mosley's Fast800 diet is brilliant, tasty, healthy and filling, and easy to follow. There is a book and a website. I use it to maintain blood sugar levels too. I must admit I kept to 1100 cals not 800.

Forget Points and SYNs. The only way to lose weight is to be in Calorie Deficit i.e the body expends more calories than you consume. I found using a calorie checker like My Fitness Pal and Nutracheck apps on my phone very helpful. I used the free version at first but then thought the full App was worth paying for, as it's far cheaper than Slimming World and weight watchers, who charge a lot each month but offer no free ongoing support when you reach your target weight unless you continue to pay.

To lose a one pound a week you need to eat 3500 less calories a week ( 500 a day) less than you currently do, and maybe up your protein intake and reduce amount of carbohydrates. Fresh fruit and vegetables
are healthy but eat more veg than fruit as grapes and bananas add calories quite quickly. The Apps work out the protein and consumed for you when you add your food items.. you will be shocked at how many calories you have been consuming at first. .The Apps have thousands of fresh foods and branded goods in the data base so you just find the food or drink item, work out your portion size ( using scales if necessary) and add the food to the daily counter .

To lose weight I needed to lower my calories to 1200 a day, 3 meals ( portion controlled) a day, stop eating late and no snacks other an apple. I increased my exercise and took up running at age 62 using couch to 5k BBC App.. I run 5k 3 times a week, play tennis and badminton , and aim to do 10.000 steps a day. You can get a simple fitness watch on Amazon for around £30 easily.

Ideally if you can afford it, buy some digital scales for food and a digital bathroom scale, and a fitness watch. You should be able buy all 3 items for less than £100 from Amazon or elsewhere.

I agree with the others who have mentioned the late Michael Moseley's just one thing. I still clean my teeth standing on one leg to improve my balance.

You have to really, really want to do this though as its very hard after a lifetime of gradually putting in weight. I also had to accept that my ' weight maintenance' calories intake is between 1700 to 1800 as my metabolism has slowed down post menopause ( hence the gradual accumulation of middle age spread ).

A friend of mine lost a lot of weight alongside her husband using the Apps and a step counter, where she had previously failed with WW and SW. They both had a daily calorie target and kept tabs on each other's daily limit . They went out for walks together to ensure they both got to 10,000 plus steps. They got a bit competitive over the steps and exercise! ( In a nice way) . It does help if you have someone who also wants to do the journey with you.

Good luck

I can recommend Rosemary Conley's website.
rosemaryconley.com/
She focusses on older people now and her website has loads of suggestions for exercise for all, even including chair based and for those with osteoporosis. There are recipes on there as well with advice for losing weight.

Could you explain why SW and WW didn’t work for you? Like jaxjacky I lost a lot of weight with WW (six years ago) and it has stayed off. A friend was doing SW at the same time and didn’t lose anything like as much. Her diet was definitely higher in carbs than mine.

These plans take a lot of the boring stuff out of trying to lose weight because they calculate your calorie intake and exercise requirements for you. I did it online so there were no dreaded weekly weigh ins to face but some people prefer to have the support of others in the same boat.

Why not give one of them another try and Don’t Give Up!! 👍😄

I've just joined SW. I did try some years ago but soon gave up. Most diets didn't last long whilst working. But the doctor said I was fat (well, obese but I don't like that word) and to loose weight. They then said as I'm over 30 BMI I could get 12 weeks free at SW. So I thought, if it's free.... and I'm finding it quite easy to follow that I'm now home and can concentrate on following properly. I've also given up ultra processed food which has help with gut health and tiredness. So maybe ask for a freebie?

There are lots of interesting health vidéos
On YouTube. Start watching some, it can lead to interesting choices

Yes to Michael Mosley (I've gone down from 5:2 to 6:1) and to those who said you have to change your mind set. It's the only way.

And I don't eat anything after our evening meal until a small yoghurt, a little maple syrup and milled flaxseed the next morning. I'm getting used to feeling a bit hungry, but before this, I ate because I wanted to - not because I was hungry. On the other hand, I still have a daily glass of wine 😅

Yup - eat more healthily and keep moving! Not rocket science. If only it was easier done than said 😢!

If you don't buy it, you can't eat it! Works for me (as a life long chocoholic, this has been really difficult!). And do at least 3,000 steps a day - in short bursts if necessary. I can't do long walks any longer, (flipping Long Covid), but I've moderated my diet by having less cheese and almost no chocolate so I've not gained any excess weight. It's not easy 🥲

Most boroughs have specials schemes to improve health for older people. This can include free classes etc. check online.

Join groups that keep you moving. Go to your local library or Google it.
I've joined a ladies only walking group, a over 50s flexercise class, yoga, badminton and I volunteer at church.

NannySharonof3, as others have said, having a health check is a good idea, to see if there’s a particular reason for the lethargy. Then I’d recommend trying to get out in the fresh air for at least a small part of every day, and looking on YouTube at all the free exercise videos to find some exercise that would suit you and you’d enjoy doing. Starting your day with 30, or even 15, minutes of movement can lift your mood and get you in the right frame of mind to look after your health.

For me it’s Fabulous50s, Walking with Rick, and Leslie Sansome’s walking videos, but there’s a huge variety out there, dancing, yoga, chair exercise, step… They all recommend checking with your doctor before you start.

He’s not for everyone, but I’m a big Michael Mosley fan, and his ten minute Just One Thing podcasts give lots of ideas for improving your health with minor changes. I’d recommend his 5:2 diet plan as well - again, it doesn’t suit everyone but it worked for me and many others.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s something you enjoy!

Bigred18

Michael Mosley's Fast 800! Intermittent fasting - I eat between 10am and 6pm, NO snacks. Lost almost 3 stones this year. And exercise. Good luck.

This is correct. This is the only proven way to lose weight.

My philosophy is don't worry about your weight being not the same as others. Do whatever brings you joy. Dance and swimming are good exercise. Tai Chi is a great way to start your day. Contact your GP about lethargy - blood panel test would be good. Just enjoy yourself and your retirement. Only exercise if it's fun.