Can someone come and advise me?

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I'm trying to slowly lose weight, I'm not keen on joining a diet or eating plan, I've done those and although they worked I don't find them a long term solution.

My first step was to cut dramatically back on junk food, namely chocolate, puddings and sweets. Since having my 4th child I have developed a huge sweet tooth.

I'm finding myself really hungry all the time, I'm breastfeeding a very hungry 8 month old that doesn't eat much solids and still feeds from me a lot in the day.
I try to do a small amount of cycling (4K) or swimming or walking everyday, I have EDS so I can't do a huge amount without spending the night in pain.

My day goes a bit like this,

Breakfast - 1 slice whole meal toast with an avocado and a small slice of water melon and a coffee (milk no sugar)

Then come 11 I'm hungry again so I have carrot sticks or similar.

Lunch - green salad with 2 boiled eggs and a satsuma. Coffee

Dinner - we have a hello fresh box so it Varies greatly buy yesterday we had salmon, garlicky veg and boiled potatoes.

I have a lot of coffee in the day but o have a glass of water between each cup to try and balance it out.

My main struggle is late afternoon, the children eat together then we eat later and when I'm feeding them I find it really hard not to pick at their dinner.

Can anyone advise what changes I can make to drop the weight, I have 2 stone ideally to lose but at the moment nothing is going, I'm static.

[MrsHooolie]

I am starving by 5/6 so often DP and I will eat then (he is always hungry),there's no way I can wait til gone 8pm to eat when I've had lunch at 1.
For breakfast perhaps you could also have some full fat yogurt with berries/nuts to keep you feeling fuller.
Or,a protein shake,either with your breakfast or when your kids are having their tea to tide you over?
Certainly sounds like you should be able to lose weight with what you're eating.
Hopefully someone more knowledgable will come along soon.

[Mrsboathook]

Sounds daft, but if you're breastfeeding and eating nothing but what you've written down, then I suspect you're not eating enough! I roughly estimated you to be eating about 1200 cal maximum (depending on salad dressing!). You're probably using 500 cal breastfeeding. I'd add in some more snacks- nuts, hummus that sort of thing. I lost consistently when breastfeeding when I ate about 1800-1900 cal per day (obviously depends on your current height and weight too). Hope this helps!

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Yes I agree that breastfeeding such a hungry baby is making me hungry, it's the afternoons that get me, I can eat lovely healthy food then come about. 4pm I'm reaching for the chocolate and the kids leftovers. I think I'll have to prepare some carrot sticks or similar to much on at that time, if I go for nuts and seeds I can easily eat a whole bag in one go which is a lot of calories!

[TheGoodEnoughWife]

Although you don't want to follow a plan it really is hard to tell how much you are eating without spending a couple of days writing down EVERYTHING.

The not eating enough to lose myth is just that, a myth, if you take in less than you use you will lose weight. (This was a revelation to me having spent years trying to eat less but enough iyswim)

Just a couple or few days logging everything would give a clearer view. You already know your trigger points so planning for those really good idea too.

[ihatethecold]

Your breakfast isn't filling enough.
Try having 3 eggs scrambled or turned into an omelette with some ham or avocado. You won't need to eat till lunch.
You don't look like your eating enough. I would be ravenous by 3pm on what your eating.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I don't mind logging what I eat at all, I use mfp anyway. By not wanting a plan I meant slimming world or weight watchers, I've done SW with great results but I always end up thinking that I can't do it for the rest of my life, I don't want to feel like I have done something bad when I've eaten a dessert with a meal out which is what I felt when I was on a strict plan and going to groups.

[sleepwhenidie]

I don't think calorie shortage is a myth, some people's bodies are super efficient at downgrading metabolism if there's a perceived shortage of food - and at no time would this be more likely than when you are bf! That isn't a lot of food for a bf woman.

I would start by adding in more good fat, it looks like there's not much there.

I would have a couple of eggs with breakfast.

If you still feel the need for a mid morning snack, have the celery/carrots or the satsumas then (instead of at lunchtime). Fruit can be digested more easily when eaten alone.

Have your potatoes at lunchtime rather than dinner time and dress your salad with EV olive oil. If not potatoes, throw in some cannellini beans.

You (quite understandably) get hungry around kids dinner time, plan for it with a mini meal/snack and sit and eat it with the kids (don't underestimate the psychological significance of this rather than picking at it standing in the kitchen, you will feel much more satisfied!) This could be half an avocado with some tuna or smoked salmon, some apple or celery spread without butter, crudités with houmous, a small bowl of watermelon with a bit of crumbled feta (and mint if you have it), a couple of oatcakes with cheese, a bowl of Greek yoghurt with berries and maybe 10 raw almonds/nuts.

Drop the starchy carbs from summertime, you don't need the energy then, better keep them to breakfast and lunch, make them useful

Try this for a week or so and see how it goes.

[sleepwhenidie]

Sorry, should have said celery or apple spread with nut butter not without butter! Choose a brand that doesn't have added sugar or palm oil.

[RookieMonster]

I don't drop weight whilst bf in the first year. I admittedly don't try very hard, but it definitely comes off easier in the second year, when baby is properly eating solids. Maybe just give yourself a bit more time?

Also, consider 16:8 way of eating. I eat during an eight hour "window" each day (generally from noon-8pm) and struggle to overeat really. I'm currently on a plateau because I eat too many nuts and carbs have slipped back into my meals but I am not worried. Focus on eating whole foods, cut back on all added sugars, and you'll get there.

[sleepwhenidie]

Sure and summertime=dinner time

[TheGoodEnoughWife]

I think everyone is pretty much the same re metabolism. Yes, some people will say they 'eat anything they want' and don't put on weight but if you investigate further you find that their 'everything' is very different from my 'everything' lol

The OP says she gets snacky around kids teatime. People tend to overeat once they get to that stage so I agree more food earlier in day.