Probably a whole year...

I have underactive thyroid and had given myself a year. I started last June at 12st 7. I thought I might make it to nearer to 11st by xmas but I made it to 10st 5 I was thrilled!.. I'm at 10st now.. so 2 and half stone lost.

I wanted to be 9st something again by my next birthday in June but looks like I might make it by the end of Feb (hopefully if my TOTM doesn't play up too much.. its been a week late the last 2 months so had nearly 3 weeks of cravings, bloat and water retention instead of 1-2!) so the weight loss as slowed down this last month and I'm lucky if I lose 3-4lb in the whole month! :sad: I am 42, it could be the peri-menopause I guess or the effects of dieting and exercise for 6 months when my body wasn't used to it before. (I've been low carb/gluten free too since last august too).

I've had a break for a week and now trying to get back to it. I had read about some people with hypothyroidism having issues with wheat which is why I switched to low carb/gluten free. The first few months June-august I had only lost 3lb a month then last week of aug i started trying no white carbs at all at first and dropped half a stone in the first week, 4lb second week.. then was doing about 2 lb a week for the first few months.

I was having 2 treat meals a week but decided to go strict again to try and get another couple of pound off so I can reach my mini goal of been '9st something' for first time in about 16yrs, by the end of Feb! :happy:

Shakybabe - I might try giving up carbs then, I do have cereal for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit for lunch and normally for dinner pasta or meat and veggies...but i'll see what I can replace them with.

It's mainly wheat that is the issue usually rather than ALL carbs... I have Rice Krispies or Oats for breakfast (just avoid wheat based ones) or sometimes just fruit, lunch is salad or soup, a few days a week I have gluten free bread/pitta bread or corn tortilla with salad in or sometimes just something like cheese on gluten free toast for a change. .. dinner is lean white meat or fish (not breadcrumbed or battered) with salad or steamed or roasted vegetables.

I still have treats.. 'mrs crimbles gluten free double choc brownies' are gorgeous! .. and today I made a little pizza using a gluten free naan bread as the base and roasted off mushroom, pepper, tomato and bit of sausage.. then piled it on top with some grated cheese. and put it under grill... I usually make sure I do exercise on these days so still have around 500 cals spare.

you know at asda and stuff they have a salad bar and you get the plastic containers to just fill with salad?.. I'm sure you can buy the containers on their own too, and just put your salad in it in morning before work or night before just don't put any dressing on it.

Leftover veg/taties from dinner could be turned into soup and taken to work next day if you got a microwave there? You don't need to cut out bread completely just don't have it everyday PLUS wheat based cereal for breakfast PLUS pasta etc with dinner. just have carbs with one of the meals and see if it helps for a few weeks?

It's good that you're setting realistic goals. I know a woman who expects to go from a size 26 to a size 10 in time for her wedding less than a year away.

For people who get discouraged when they realize how long weight loss can take, I'll pass on what a personal trainer once said to me -- it took you years to put *on* the weight, so it will take a while to come off, too.