Bad time of year to do this but I'm the fattest ever - join me in becoming strong, healthy and thin(ner)

[Archduke]

After a bit of a shit year, I seem to have eaten my feelings and put on about a stone. I'm currently 10stone 11lbs (almost) which on my small frame (5ft 3in) is properly FAT.

I would dearly love to lose 2 stone and get back to my fighting weight of 8st 11ish - I was last that weight when my kids were small, approx 9 years ago.

I can't do this alone and need someone to bore senseless with talk of vegetables, c25k or other mad diet schemes.

Anyone fancy joining me. I reckon I can loose 2 stone in about 10 years 4 months if I'm really hardcore.

[Archduke]

My plan is C25K - just done the first session - I'm not in the UK so it's 4.30pm here. Be generally MORE ACTIVE, walk the dogs, not laze about in bed.

Cut sugar out - unless in fruit.

Eat green smoothies for breakfast and lunch.

Small delicious low cal dinners.

No junk.

More Veg.

Take shitloads of laxatives and take up smoking

[TheresAlwaysTimeForTea]

Hey arch there's a bunch of us trying to lose a stone before Xmas - we have a thread. Come join us. It should appear under weight loss or on the active threads. Lots of support there!

[HalleLouja]

I was the same weight and height as you and wasn't ridiculously fat. Maybe it's all relative. I was a 12/14. Anyway 3 years ago I did couch to 5k and weight watchers and it changed my life. I now run a lot and have managed to keep the weight off. It took a few months to get the weight off but was worth it.

[Zoflorabore]

Hi op I'm re joining slimming world on Monday, they have a new class which is at 9.30 am which is perfect for me.
I'm also the heaviest I've ever been but much much heavier than you, by about 7 stone
There - I said it. I'm so embarassed.
Mine is very much a problem for my health, I have fibromyalgia and sciatica and the pain I have down my left side back hip leg is horrific. I take enough painkillers to sink a ship but have come to the realisation that the pain has worsened this year as I've put a stone on.
I would love to join you :)

[Archduke]

Oooh a stone by Xmas, great goal. Will find you TheresAlwaysTimeForTea

Congratulations HalleLouja that's fantastic - I wouldn't say I'm ridiculously fat. I'm not (yet) obese, but I am definitely sliding down that road if I don't put the brakes on now. How much did you loose?

Fundamentally I am greedy and lazy, which was fine when I was young but now I'm firmly in my middle years I can't just wing it anymore.

[HalleLouja]

I lost a stone and a half. I was 11 stone when I started....

[Archduke]

Ooo hello Zoflorabore your health problems sound really difficult to live with, have some NOT !

We can do this you know. Easy. No problem. It will be Ace. In 6 months we will be these marvellous lithe, fit, healthy creatures and you can ditch the painkillers.

Whilst my health issues are nowhere near as tough as yours, I do have a bad back which I'm convinced is exacerbated by my enormo pot belly and poor posture so am trying to remember to stand up straight and clench my core muscles.

Yesterday I did my second C25K run/walk. It was harder than the first one but doable. Are you able to exercise Zoflorabore ? I am inspired by HalleLouja and <a class="break-all" href="//twww.c25k.com/ben_video.html" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this video. If you have a spare 5 mins do watch it.

[RubySlippers77]

I would love to join you Archduke, can you send some motivation my way?! I have twin boys who have just turned 1, lost a stone and a half with Slimming World earlier this year but have put that half back on I'd like to lose it again PLUS another stone before my 40th birthday in April. You'd think that would be an incentive but noooo, I feel like I'm drowning in cake…..

I really miss going to the gym - OH is too unreliable to allow me to go regularly, I had to give up my membership - and have thought about getting out a workout DVD again, but it's tricky with toddlers around. I used to stick them in their jumperoos and go for it!

How is the healthy eating going? Are you somewhere warmer than the UK?!

[Archduke]

Hi RubySlippers, great to have you on board. I have HEAPS of motivation to throw at you.

First of you sit down shut your eyes. Whilst it's quiet (congratulations on the twins btw you must really need some quiet time) really concentrate on a picture of yourself at your 40th birthday party. Imagine a beautiful spring day, where you are wearing your foxiest outfit, your hair and make up are perfect and your figure is at your absolute fighting best. That spare 1 1/2 stone is a mere memory. Your skin and eyes glow (as much as they can if you have 18 month old twin boys). You feel fucking fantastic and a whisper goes around the room "wow look at Ruby, who would of thought she's 40" etc etc .

Now DITCH THE CAKE. That's really not going to help. I'm really sorry you had to get rid of the gym membership bloody dh. What exercise can you do? Can you get a friend to have the boys while you join me in a C25K program? Or rug them up in a joggging buggy?? Dreary I know but I lost shit loads of baby weight pushing my toddler and baby into the village when they were small.

I'm in Oz - sunny and warm here and my kids are old enough to leave at home alone so I have absolutly NO excuses.

[Archduke]

As I'm Billy-no-mates I'll use his page as a diary - although if anyone's reading this do join me.

I started on Friday at 10st 11lbs, weighed myself this morning and am 10st 6.5 lbs. WOOO HOOO a mighty loss of 4.5lbs - I've had a bit of gastro (God Bless You sick kids) which is currently raging around my kids school, so I haven't felt great and have laid off the wine almost totally.

Today I'll walk with my mate and do my next C25K session as well.

I am having a green smoothie every day and upping my veg intake, lowering the carbs, no SUGAR, cutting down to a bare minimum the WINE. We are currently skint so no wine in the house and fruit and veg is cheap so huzzah and hurrah. Because I was feeling so shit all the time I haven't had my normal 6 cups of tea and 3 coffees per day so I'll reduce that too. More water, less caffeine.

Am so virtuous.

[RubySlippers77]

Arrghhh!! Well done Archduke, I am not so virtuous I did 2 x 15 minute DVD workouts for the first time in ages so was pleased with that, but couldn't entirely kick my cake habit...

It's flipping freezing in the UK and just the weather for yummy hot chocolates, unfortunately! Mind you I was in Perth last month and it was chilly there too!!

Tomorrow I may pluck up the courage to weigh myself

[Archduke]

Hi Ruby

Weigh yourself! It will either be ok or awful which is good as it's MOTIVATING!

My friend recommended the Target Weight App which I've downloaded and put in my stats. Apparently I need to loose 25lbs ffs how did I get so lardy which I'm aiming to do before my birthday rolls around early next year.

5km walk completed in the rain, now out to do my C25K before I loose motivation.

[Archduke]

Just completed session 3 of C25K. Feel FANTASTIC.

[HalleLouja]

Archduke it is a really fab programme. Have a look if there any local C25k / beginners running groups near you. Having company is fab too.

[RubySlippers77]

No weigh in here yet... I was up most of the night with pukey babies and then neglected the scales in favour of washing my vomit-scented hair!! Who says parenting isn't glamorous...

C25K is great isn't it? I'm not a great runner so 5K is about my limit. Next year I want to get back to it when (hopefully!) the boys are sleeping better.

I downloaded Target Weight Archduke and am good to go when I'm feeling brave. A friend of mine from WW years ago has just lost 75lb with them, what an inspiration!

[Archduke]

Oh vomity hair. Grim. I remember those days, when it went everywhere. Poor you and poor baby. Thankfully my girls are now old enough to get themselves to the loo when gastro strikes.

I did W2R1 of C25K this afternoon and have just got back from a 4K walk with a mate who is having husband ishoos so the Kim's flew by.

I've also signed up for a Parkrun - have I said that already??

Food was ok today all healthy stuff and not too much.

Ruby weigh yourself then you know the worst and if your mate can loose 75kg then surely we can shift our fat arses too. Does she have any tips btw?

[RubySlippers77]

More puke last night, but thankfully only one baby this time! Took him to the GP today in case it was his ear infection returning, but thankfully not, must just be a virus.

I've been cleaning out the loft today, it's tiring but not actually that many steps on my Fitbit, unfortunately!

Weighed myself today, I am 11st 6lb, pretty much where I thought I'd be but still very depressing. 22lb to go to target - I'd better move away from the Christmas cake and mince pies right now.....

[Archduke]

Well done Ruby! Plucking up the courage to weigh yourself is really tough!

We have about the same amount to loose. Fatties unite! We only have our lard to loose.

Right 22lbs at 1.5lbs a week means we will be be teeny weeny fit strong tough birds by the end of Feb. EASY.

NO MINCE PIES Ruby. That way madness lies. Do you like soup? Lots and lots of lovely veggie soup.*

I have been doing fine food wise, lots of veg yesterday, porridge and fruit for breakfast, banana for lunch (was working and then xmas shopping) then Chicken curry on a bed of purple Kale and Spinach for dinner - no rice, no naan etc. Tea and water to drink. Will try to do the same today.

I didn't walk or run yesterday, will do so today after dropping the kids off.

Hope your babies are better soon Ruby. Poor wee sausages.

*Actually I think soup is the Devil's work but I know it's warm and filling so prob good for winter diet. Mince Pies much nicer but maybe have them one day a week only.

[Archduke]

The thing that cheeses me off (today) about dieting is that I'm so chuffing cold all the time. I'm sitting here at home trying to do some work and my hands have virtually frozen up from malnutrition.

[Archduke]

Hellooooo me (and anyone else)

I got on one of those machines that give you a heath update this morning. Apparently although I am still fat - or overweight - according to my bmi, I have a normal body fat content of 31% - I cannot believe that 1/3 of me is FAT. Jesus. On the positive side I have a heart age 10 years less than my actual age (hurrah) and lovely low blood pressure.

If you have one anywhere near you I recommend it. This one was in the local YMCA gym.

Oh it also weighed me 2kg heavier than my scales at home, which is a bit depressing.

However I am still exercising - did ParkRun yesterday and a 6km walk this morning. Eating is going fine - although I am bloody ravenous at times. Lots of veg, some protein, and carb no shit processed rubbish. No booze.

[RubySlippers77]

My scales have that body fat facility too Archduke; apparently in a moment of madness keenness I set them to show me it every time I weigh myself, and do you think I can remember how to switch that bit off? No, of course I bloody can't, so I can tell you that I am 33% body fat

I know what you mean about being ravenous, when I was following a high protein diet for IVF I was often peckish for some toast/ biscuits/ cereal, anything snacky that would keep me going. I found it particularly hard finding snacks when out and about, at least I could keep suitable stuff at home.

I've started a 'fab at 40' countdown - only a few months to go! - which hopefully will help me focus. Would love to join a Parkrun... never thought I'd say it, but I really miss the gym!

[Archduke]

Get thee to ParkRun Ruby - is there one near you? Shame the weather is so shit and cold. I got some pics sent to me from the parkrun I did. Far out I look like shit. VERY depressing MOTIVATING.

I did an 8km walk yesterday and will try to fit in my next C25K this afternoon after school pick up. It's blardy hot here though.

Food going fine, trying to eat my body weight in veg. Although went to a Chocolate Factory on Sunday afternoon and failed to resist all of the free samples. But I'm not really counting that.

Still fat though.

[RubySlippers77]

I'd like to try a Parkrun but OH is often too crap busy to look after the boys for a couple of hours! I'm hoping he'll agree to have them Saturday morning so I can go back to aerobics; he only has to give them breakfast and get them dressed, can't be that difficult can it?!

Flipping freezing here, -2 during the day!! I am still feeling fat and crap, the boys have been hard work recently and over a year without a full night's sleep is beginning to take its toll

[Archduke]

Oh Ruby, that sucks. The freezing weather, lack of sleep, unhelpful dh . . . If you just left - merrily waltzed out on Sat morning with a cheery wave, would he have the boys? Or is he busy out of the house? A couple of hours off to do your own thing isn't too much to ask.

Don't get down about the weightloss/exercise, it can always be delayed until weather warmer, boys sleeping - v hard to starve oneself when weather icy and you're exhausted.

Are you Oop North or is the weather that cold all over the UK?

[Archduke]

I weighed myself this morning and am 10 st 3.5 lbs a loss of 7lbs.

HALF A STONE

Whoop whoop

Only another stone to go before I'm back in fighting form.

Off to a exercise class this morning and have been doing my C25K - oh, and Parkrun this Saturday.

FAR. OUT.

However, I do feel hungry and could happily sink a large glass of Pinot Grigio (not now, obvs, it's only7.30am where I am).