Hello Everyone,

I am the son of a serial dieter, my mother has attended many weight loss programmes, and some of them more than once over the years. I'm sure she has had some success, but not enough to carry on with whatever plan she is on at the time.

I'm 28, and since I can remember, weight has always been an issue. I'd be a millionaire if I got a pound for everytime she ate something bad for her and said

"nevermind, I'll start the diet on Monday"

It seems to me that weight loss programmes do work, but more important it is the motivation to actually follow the plan you are on by avoiding unsuitable foods and partaking in physical exercise.

My questions to you is:

In your honest opinion - what is the reason you have not lost weight?
(e.g. over-eating? emotional eating? not exercising? not enough time? lose motivation? Don't believe you can? etc...)

I'd really appreciate your feedback

What I'd like to do is blame it all on my thyroid condition.  I've had half my thyroid removed and take thryoxine. 

This does slow my metabolism down somewhat and initially before I was diagnosed was the reason for most of my weight gain.

However, the facts are that, because of that, I gave up and overate using it as an excuse.  I would eat whole large bags of crisps in one go, chocolate like there was no tomorrow.  Basically I hid behind my condition.

Alright my metabolism might be slow but that does not stop me from losing weight, exercising and eating the right things.  I might lose at a slower rate but I do lose.

Now I'm back on the Atkins way of life (note not diet) I have lost all cravings and don't overeat at all.  It's marvellous.  Your mum is lucky to have you for support but she does need to do this for herself. 

Keep supporting her whatever.

 

well said josie and very honest of u to say so

shippshape we all had/have our own reasons for putting on weight altho many of us have found lowcarb the answer. i can honestly say its the only plan i have followed where i dont have cravings and its thos cravings which are prob making your mum go off plan

if she could stick to lowcarb for at least 7 days she would prob find the cravings wouldnt be so bad and she could carry on, unfortunately everytime she gives in to those cravings the worse it gets so shes in a vicious cycle

all u can do is support her and maybe suggest she joins a diet board like this one so she can post a lot and keep motivated

Hi Shippshape

Get your mum to come and join us on this board, as you can probably tell from what Josie and Shy said, low carb really does work - it's certainly the only diet I've ever stuck to and lost all the weight I need and kept it off for over a year. 

Keep supporting and encouraging your mum, but at the end of the day she has got to want to do it for herself, for her own reasons. 

x