New Mum seeking new body by Christmas!

[CoraBear]

My baby boy is 6 months old and I am quite overweight. Ok, I'm alot overweight (takes deep breath) I'm 15 stone. At 5 ft 7 this is waaay to much. I am sitting here in the one pair of trousers that fit me and my DP's tee shirt because none of my tops fit properly. Basically my stomach looks like a deflated paddling pool and my thighs are so big that I'm fairly sure that if I sit down too much longer they will burst open.

After I had the baby I took the very grown up approach to weight loss and I hoped that if I ignored the problem it would go away and somehow I would have a body like posh spice-because all new mothers lose all the weight instantly don't they? Turns out they don't, and surviving on mini aero's didn't help. I weigh more now than when I gave birth.

I have a serious lack of motivation but I decided to see if I could lose some pounds before Christmas, as I'll be seeing people I haven't seen since I was pregnant and want to look casually fabulous. So are any of you interested in holding my hand, kicking my arse and generally helping each other to stay on track? I really want to do this but I know if I'm not answerable to others my resolve will slip.

I have my first weight watchers meeting tomorrow, which I'm dreading as it will mean that the leader will weigh me and know what a tubby fecker I am. So, if any of you weight watcher followers or followers of other plans would like to come and join me and share stories of jogging up and down while eating maltesers so the points are being eaten and burned off simultaneously or just have a rant about how unfair the world is when you're hungry, you are welcome.

Right, I'm off to remove all the biscuits, chocolate and sweets from my house before tomorrow. That's right, when I say "remove" I do of course mean "eat them".

[WinterLover]

Hiya, Ill join you. DS is 13 weeks old and im trying to lose some weight by xmas (2 stone to be exact)

How much are you trying to lose?

[CoraBear]

Hiya Winter,

I have a goal of three stone but I would be happy with two. It just seems like such hard work at the start when you realise how far you have to go. I tend to lose focus if my weight plateau's or I put any back on. Overall I would like to get down to 10 stone, that's my ultimate goal but that's not going to happen before Christmas.

Are you going to follow an eating plan or have you a will of steel and you're just doing the healthy eating thing?

[MamaGeekChic]

Can I join you too? My DD is almost 6 months and i'd like to lose 2 stone but realistically 1stone by christmas.

[CoraBear]

Hi MamaGeekChic,

Glad to have you're going to join. What method are you going to use? I was wondering should we all do a starting weight thing or is that a bit too scary? I'm going to be weighed every Tuesday at WW so I think that's the date I'll post that on.

I downloaded a WW app to help me figure out points and I went through my presses and have decided to eat the really tasty yet points heavy stuff. So, it's pesto for me tonight.

Is it really bad that the first thing I checked the points on was a bottle of wine? Looks like it's vodkas for me from now on.

[piratecaaaaaaaaaghhht]

do you have to be a new mum to join ?

[CoraBear]

Not at all Pirate. That's just the situation I'm in at the moment. Anyone who wants to can join in.

All I wanted was a thread where we could have a laugh, moan about being hungry and rant about the unfairness of the fact that you can be hungry for an entire week and still gain 2 pounds.

Hi Natasha, I'm convinced my clothes will never fit the same again. At the end of the pregnancy all I could think was "I can't wait to get my body back". I'm still waiting. There was some sort of mix up because I got a flubbery body that clearly I don't want.

[Aimster]

Oooh, can I join? I am trying very unsuccessfully to lose weight - maybe some arse-kicking from other people is what I need. And in return, I will be more than happy to listen to any amount of moaning about the hunger.

I am soooooo hungry right now. I usually have a first dinner with the DC and a second one with DH. I cut out the dinner with DC as of today... all I can think of is food, food, food and DH isn't due home for another 30 min yet. I'm on MN trying to distract myself .

[CoraBear]

Hi Aimster,

I have that problem too, I pick at the kids dinner then scoff my own. And my DP is a huge fan of snacking so that doesn't help. I need the motivation of fear, coming on here and admitting I put on loads of weight because I mainlined m&m's is not what I want to do.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out the exercise side to weight loss. I hate exercise, I like sitting on my arse watching Criminal Minds, do you think being scared burns calories?

[RefereezaWanka]

Still havent shifted the baby weight...and my 'baby' turns 3 next week!

I want to lose about a stone, but cannot seem to shift it. Something to do with inhaling chocolate, maybe?

Anyway, I'm in! Gonna do my Shred DVD this week and stop eating my own body weight in treats in front of the telly every night...

[CoraBear]

I read that as "Shrek DVD" and thought you'd found some new weird workout. I'm not brave enough to Shred just yet.

[foreverondiet]

I'm not joining in but this was me a year ago, am now at (actually below) target weight. My biggest tip is to weigh and write down EVERYTHING you eat. Forced you to focus!

re: first dinner issue best not to get too hungry, I have 2 ryvita and some fat free cottage cheese while I am preparing the DCs dinner, worth it so I'm not starving.

Everyone does it their own way but for me low fat low carb with protein at each meal is what worked. Along with exercise and calorie counting.

Good luck everyone!

[Aimster]

DH got home early so I dived off Mumsnet just after I posted last night to scoff down the quickest dinner ever. That's a good tip about the Ryvita. I tried to stave off the hunger during DCs dinner today by having a cup of tea. It didn't work because all I could think of was how I wanted a pack of few biscuits to go with it.

On the exercise - I actually started out trying to exercise rather than dieting because I hate limiting food. It didn't work. I'm too tired in the evening, and yes, sitting on the sofa watching TV is what I want to do too.

I think I'd need something stronger than Criminal Minds to generate calorie-burning fear... maybe I could stick a mirror in front of the TV while I eat. That would be a scary sight!

[Aimster]

Oh, I also have the Shred DVD. Have never used it but it's about time I did. Cora - do you have it?

I think we should all start reporting on what we're eating and how much exercise (Shred DVD / other) we're doing.

Watching Shrek won't count .

[Superene]

I had never been on any kind of diet, and am v weak-willed, but in Sept I decided it was time to take action (with no intention of doing any boring exercise). In 5 weeks I lost a stone, and heaved a less hefty sigh of relief. I refused to follow some ridiculous and unrealistic diet book. This is what I did...
No carbs (bread, potatoes, pasta, rice) after breakfast.
Big breakfast of cereal and yoghurt and fruit
No snacks, and no more polishing off the children's leftovers.
Soup for lunch, and fruit if v hungry
Normal dinner, except no carbs.
No more sweets or choc. Couldn't eat them - didn't buy them!
Wine allowed - I'm not pregnant for goodness sake!
Diet coke also essential.
Drinking loads of fluid helped too.

It worked brilliantly for me, and wasn't too painful after day 3. I was thrilled.
Still got a few pounds to go, but way ahead of my target of stone and a half by Xmas!

[CoraBear]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for posting Forever, it's great to see that results are achievable.

Superene- I couldn't low carb, I don't eat alot of them but I just love toast and rice and couldn't be without.

Aimster- I don't have the Shred dvd, I have a gymball exercise dvd that I didn't really use because it wasn't very hardcore but did it at the weekend and it slayed me. My poor thighs didn't know what had hit them. So until I get up to a level where I find that manageable I'll skip Shredding.

I went to my meeting WW tonight to find that I'm the glorious weight of 15st 2lbs. I've skimmed through all the books and I'm fairly sure I need some sort of degree in Maths to work it out, but give me two days and I'll be the Points whizz I used to be.

I'm starting off this diet in a a foul mood to be honest. My DP said he didn't think I'd stick to it. I'm so annoyed at him. I have supported his many crazy plans over the years and never waivered my support and all I wanted was him to listen to me being enthusiastic about WW and I didn't get it. In some ways I know that him not believing in me will spur me on, in other ways I think I might be going out with a moron!

[CoraBear]

The day started off full of good intentions at 4am when my son decided to wake up. Even though I am falling over with tiredness I've managed not to run for the chocolate. I've had lots of time to read through all the books I was given-having been up for 8 hours already-and I think I have it sussed. I'm liking all the extra points and the large amount of food I'll be able to eat. I think I'll stock up on quorn products they seem relatively low in points.

So far today I've had:
2 slices of toast with measured out tblspoon of peanut butter.
2 coffees.
1 scrambled egg with mushrooms and onion.

That's 12 points of my allotted 34.
No exercise done yet-unless strolling up and down with a squawky baby counts.

How is everybody else getting on?

[NewChoos]

Please can I join? DS now 7mo, I have posted on here before, tried to start ww when he was 10wo but gave up.....
I am bf and although trying to cut down feeds, so I get 36 ww points.
My problems are:
I'm greedy
I'm starving
I love chocolate & cakes
DS still waking 2-3 hourly (every hour last night!) and won't sleep in cot so I am vv tired.
Diets are boring - life is for eating, drinking and general fun times.

Despite all the above excuses, I am day 3 of ww
Bfast: choc chip weetabix and ss milk
Lunch: 2 babybel lights, 2 slices ham, mixed salad. Yoghurt
Snack: no points veg soup
Dinner: chicken stir fry and rice

I am 5f4 and currently 11.8 - oh the misery. I would like to say I am big boned but I am small framed. Would like to get to 10 stone and then reassess, 91/2 would be good but I think I like chocolate too much and I very much would like a few glasses of wine soon when DS stops bf the whole time

Good luck everyone :)

[NewChoos]

Corabear I had to ask my DH to stop saying 'you're fine as you are' because I need his help to be disciplined. Could this be yours OH way of saying he doesn't mind what weight you are? could you have a firm chat with him about how important this is to you and that you need his support.
Full sympathy re the tiredness - I am desperate for chocolate.

I am a big fan of the no points soup for snacking, this could be good for the mums serving up tea as well?

[hiss42]

Can I join you all? DS is 10 weeks old. Thought breastfeeding would magically give me my figure back, but not am still putting on weight as I'm up all bloody night bored and starving!

my main issue is carbs. I'm veggie and eat no protein and just end up eating stodge!

Am a bit depressed at the moment as DP has joined the gym, and goes at lunchtimes at work. He's very sporty anyway and he looks amazing at the moment! Now I feel even worse :( Not that I want to be fat slobs together but it's feeling like the ugly one!

I'm only 21 and still have a year left at uni and am now taking a year out.(reluctantly but I just can't leave DS!) I hate having a wrinkly front bum at this age!!!

[CoraBear]

Hi NewChoos and hiss,

you are so welcome to join. I too breastfed and hoped my body would be sucked free of fat. I was disappointed when this didn't happen, I also had a c-section so I couldn't really do much for six weeks and by that stage I couldn't just be arsed.

I had a chat with DP and I think he might think that I have alot of stuff going on at the moment and if this is just another thing for me to worry about. So he is forgiven.

Hiss-I'm vegetarian too and have fallen in to the habit of just eating ready meals and snack food, it adds up so quickly. Alot of the veggie quorn stuff is low points and they're dead handy.

Newchoos- That's great that you're on day three, I think that the tiredness is horrendous. My baby takes a bottle in the night but he's getting his top teeth and he can't settle and I can't sleep when he spends the night mooching and whimpering in his cot.

So here's the run down of what I ate today:

2 slices of brown bread.
1 tblsp peanut butter
Black coffee
2x sugars.

1 scrambled egg with onion and mushroom.

1 minestrone cuppa soup
2 slices of brown bread

Black coffee
2x sugars

Mixed zero point veg
Tomato and tabasco sauce
3x tortilla wraps
60g white rice

Jesus, that's alot of food. And I still have 5 points left. Not going to eat them though because I'm stuffed. But there's a bloody packet of crisps in the kitchen that is calling to me...I won't eat them though.

[gingerbubs]

Oh can I please join too? I'm very much in the same boat - DD is 6 months old and for ages I told myself I was at least not gaining weight due to bf'ing but actually I was just not getting on the scales... I'm 5'4" and I think about 12st10lb. Would like to lose at least stone by Christmas and carry on from there, not least as I can't afford new work clothes so need to fit into my way too small ones by February.
I might not be too good the next few days as DH, DD and I are on holiday visiting family, but will try to be semi good then starting in earnest when I'm home on tuesday. My plan is general healthy eating (in particular batch cooking so there is always something in) and some form of exercise every day, whether it's a walk, workout DVD, wii fit etc.
Could really do with shared motivation and kicks up the bum!

[gingerbubs]

Also, Tuesday weigh in would suit me too...

[CoraBear]

Hi Ginger,
I'm sticking to the healthy eating (mind you it's only day two!) but I'm having serious issue with the exercise. I feel like I never sit down and when I get a minute to myself the last thing I want to do is exercise. Is the wii fit any good? I was offered a lend of one but wasn't sure if it was worth it.

My weigh ins are Tuesday, it's far enough from the weekend to undo any damage.

[gingerbubs]

I wouldn't buy a wii fit for exercise, it's really not that much of a workout, but I figure it's better than nothing and more like a game so might be more inclined to do it. If you can borrow one I'd say might be worth a try as a starting step to even just get in the habit of doing something when/if you get a bit of time to yourself. DVDs are probably better though.