A place where I can be honest and accountable

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

I'm starting this thread in the hope that recording my diet and exercise will make me more accountable and help me identify areas where I can improve. If anyone else would like to join in that would be great.

About me:
Name- snoopysimaginaryfriend
Age- 31 (how the hell did that happen)
Weight- 9stone 13pounds
Height- 5ft 2inches
Target weight- about 8 and a half stone although I know I might not get there whilst I'm still breastfeeding (boobs are ginormous at the moment, I miss my d cups!)
About me- currently on maternity leave with four and a half month old refluxy DD. My DH works long shifts and often does overtime so it's me who does all the feeding (bf most of the time), bedtimes, bath times, night waking etc. Plus housework. DD does not sleep through the night and I seemed to develop pregnancy related insomnia pretty much from the moment of conception so I'm tired most of the time. I am hypothyroid so I take levothyroxine daily. In the year prior to having DD I had three miscarriages and I think I used food as a bit of a crutch to cope with the grief. I had to take prednisolone for the first 16 weeks of pregnancy so that didn't help control my appetite. I also retained a hideous amount of water during pregnancy so I've already lost a good three stone but this last stone and a half is bothering me.


The plan

• cut out sugar. I can easily stuff my face with chocolate just because I am so tired but then I crash so it doesn't help me in the long term.
  
• walk 10000 steps a day. I don't have a Fitbit or anything like that so I rely on the pedometer on my phone and often leave my phone on the side all day so have no idea what I'm doing.
  
• drink more water. I often get to lunchtime and realise the cup of tea I made at 8am is now stone cold and untouched.
  
• get my five a day, mostly veg. I love fruit and veg so this shouldn't be an issue but it's an effort to make a nice salad when I can just open a chocolate bar.
  
• when DD is sleeping better introduce some HIIT
  

And that's it. Nothing too radical. I'd like to lose about a pound a week and be closer to nine stone by Christmas so I will post my diet and activities daily and do a weekly weigh in.

And if you have read through all of that, thank you for your patience

[Helpisathand13]

Well OP that sounds like a well reasoned and thought through plan! Id like to wish you the best of luck for achieving your goal and I shall be checking in for updates.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Thank you! I typed it out in the bath, had to make the most of the twenty minutes I get to myself at the end of the day hahaha

[Helpisathand13]

Just think if you reach your target weight you will have lovely time in the bath to yourself plus a bit more room in there as well to play with the bath toys! It is a weight loss win win! Now put down the chocolate and reach for the lettuce. I tell you what's nice if you do want something healthy but like sweet stuff, google energy balls or search deliciously Ella, some lovely recipes for easy to make snacking bits to munch on without the calories. Best of luck x

[Nearly40butnotyet]

Hi Snoopy
Our stats are almost exactly the same, I am 5 ft 2 and weigh 9 stone 11lb, but my youngest child is 5! . I put on 1.5 stone in the last year whilst on citalopram. I had to take most of my clothes out of the wardrobe and buy bigger ones. I have lost 9lb since august using my fitness pal and now 5:2. I'm finding it hard because at the same time I'm reducing my antidepressants and this is making me feel like I have a constant hangover and pmt.

My biggest downfall is wine. End of!!! It's a constant battle to stop at a sensible amount at weekends.

Good luck with your plan, it sounds doable as long as you allow treats for yourself occasionally as feeling too deprived might derail you. You can do it!!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Thanks help, I'll have a look at her recipes. I used to look at her blog quite often.

Hi nearly. Well done on your weight loss, especially whilst reducing your medication, that must make it extra hard. The funny thing is I can still fit in size 10s but they all looked ridiculous with my baggy belly and huge boobs. I completely cleared out my wardrobe and streamlined it. It's not capsule by any stretch of the imagination but I have lots of nice simple clothes that go together and it makes it so much easier to get dressed.
I don't really drink, can happily go months without any alcohol, so I'm not too sure what to suggest about that. Are you better cutting it out cold turkey or maybe have a glass then a glass of water and alternate?

I've just had the two year anniversary of my first positive pregnancy test so I've spent the last two years either pregnant or miscarrying. I think all the hormones and the grief mixed with scans, blood tests constant appointments have really affected me. I need to let go of all the anxiety and enjoy my DD now she is here.

[Nearly40butnotyet]

Hi Snoopy

You've been through so much. Try not to put so much pressure on yourself and as you say, enjoy your DD. If you can make some little changes and drop some weight that'll really help you feel strong and positive too.
I'm determined to get better at knowing when to stop with the wine, DH also bad but is a whippet do he gets away with it!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Oh nearly don't get me started with husbands that can eat what they want. Mine will eat double what I eat and then complain he's losing weight.

So today I have eaten:

Breakfast- porridge, four tablespoons of oats with semi skimmed milk, three heaped teaspoons of berries

Lunch- large bowl of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers with half tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle of salt. Smoked salmon and a pear.

Snack- an apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter.

Dinner- home made beef stir fry with carrots, peppers, cabbage, bean sprouts and noodles

3 litres of water so far.

Only 4000 steps outside the house. I had planned to go for a longer walk but my mum asked her if I would pop to the supermarket with her and that ended up being three hours plus of her picking up every item of baby clothes and going 'Oh look, how cute!!!'. But I've had no chocolate today and no chocolate yesterday so that's a step in the right direction.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Breakfast- 5 tablespoons of natural yoghurt sprinkled with cinnamon and three heaped tablespoons of mixed berries.

Lunch- big bowl of salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and pepper plus half a portion of left over beef stir fry from yesterday.

Snack- an apple and three slices of smoked salmon.

Dinner- the piddliest little chicken Kiev I have ever seen :'( with a couple of boiled potatoes with skin on and lots of boiled peas, carrots and sweet corn.

3 litres of water

7000 steps outside the house today, most of which was carrying baby in the sling

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Breakfast- 5 tablespoons of natural yoghurt sprinkled with cinnamon and five heaped tablespoons of mixed berries.

Lunch- big bowl of salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and pepper. Three sesame seed ryvita with a very thin layer of quark and three slices of smoked salmon in total.

Snack- three normal ryvita with a very thin layer of peanut butter and one banana

Dinner- mixed seafood in a tomato sauce with penne

2 litres of water

7000 steps outside the house today, most of which was carrying baby in the sling. I need to find a better way of monitoring this than the phone I never carry.

Today wasn't a great day but I am so exhausted I needed some extra calories so I tried to keep it nutritious.DH working a ridiculous amount of overtime and whilst it will be nice to start replenishing the savings It would be nice to have someone to help with the baby sometimes.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Yesterday:

Breakfast- nothing. Up all night with baby so just lay in bed playing with her, too exhausted to move.

Lunch- same as yesterday

Dinner- one prawn summer roll, one skewer of chicken satay, Vietnamese broth with veggies, rice noodles and a roasted duck fillet

Snack- banana on ryvita

2 litres water

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Weighed myself this morning, not a single pound lost or a single pound gained, quite disappointing.

My friend brought me some cookies yesterday so I may have a couple as it's the weekend.

[Bibs2014]

Can I join you? I started a similar thread a while ago and nobody posted on it

I just want to eat well and get some exercise in rather than be obsessed with the scales.

I've planned my meals for tomorrow:

Shredded wheat, skimmed milk.

Lunch is lentil curry and rice and I'll have some salad with it.

Dinner is beef stew with potatoes and veg.

Yoghurt and fruit for snacks.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Hi bibs, of course you can. I've missed the weekend, which is naughty, and I skipped meals and completely neglected my water because I was so bloody busy.

I may have to get grandma to look after DD for one night because I can't take being woken up every half hour much longer.

[Bibs2014]

My toddler woke up coughing at 5.15 and didn't go back to sleep so feeling your pain!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

bibs that's tough, how old is your little one?

I keep saying 'today is the day I start exercising' but then something always comes up. Saturday I was meant to have dinner with my mum but she was two and a half hours late home from work, yesterday DD didn't go to sleep until after 9pm. There's always something. I doubt I'll get anything done today because DH won't be home from work until 9pm.

[Bibs2014]

He is just over 2.

TBF he's a really good boy and generally sleeps through.

[Bibs2014]

I snacked on a bag of crisps and half a bounty but at least it wasn't a full bounty!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Little steps bibs, you had a little chocolate but you didn't have a family bag so well done!

I had porridge for breakfast, ryvita with peanut butter and banana and pasta with homemade tomato sauce and pancetta for dinner.

I spent seven hours deep cleaning the kitchen and just completely forgot to drink any water . According to my phone I only did 2000 steps, oh well!

[Bibs2014]

Good menu!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Thanks

How's your little boy feeling today?

I've got to drink some water today, feeling a bit headachey. Probably not helped by DH leaving his dirty work shirts on the hallway floor as he pulled them out of his bag this morning, do I look like the maid

[Bibs2014]

He's been a little tinker today!! I am on the bus on the way to see Bridget Jones and have left him with daddy - a much needed break!

Food wise - tomorrow is another day!

[Msqueen33]

I've had a rubbish food day. 7 weeks until my birthday it figure I have a good chance of accomplishing something by then though I find it hard. Two of three kids with autism food seems a reward of getting through the day.

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Glad he's feeling better bibs.
The cinema is one place I never go without- popcorn, chocolate, fizzy drink, love it! Let me know if the films any good, I like the first two.

msqueen that sounds tough. I know what you mean, it takes a second to open a chocolate bar but a bath or exercise or doing your nails just seems to take so much time

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

I will post my food for today when I manage to get this monster to go to sleep

[FantasticMrsFoxx]

Hi Snoopy, I've just read your thread and I just wanted to tell you that I think you need to cut yourself some slack! You are breastfeeding a 4.5month old but you are living off salad and ryvita and cleaning your bloody oven! Get some jaffa cakes down you girl!
I have a 20mo so I've been there:done that with the baby weight. (I've put half back on in the 9 months I've been BACK at work, so that's my current challenge)
My advice to you:
Don't scrimp on your meals. You should not cut your calories whilst you are still bf. I don't mean you should eat the whole toblerone, but don't survive on rabbit rations either.
Walk lots. I'd put Bubba in the pram (assuming you have one) as I think you'd be able to walk faster and for longer than using a sling. Daily fresh air also got my wee one sleeping through too - you never know...!
Fuck deep cleaning the house! Yes, it's exercise but so are tricep dips and bicep curls using your baby as a weight and I know which one I'd prefer (slatten!)
Check out buggyfit in your local area.
Log your food / exercise on MFP. You'll be able to track your achievements better than trawling back through this post.
Whatever you do make it sustainable for the long term.
Your dinners sound yummy btw!