Any tips on losing a stone? (sorry, long!)

[xmascaroltygirl]

I haven't been on this topic before as I'm not quite sure how it works!

Basically, I'm completely fed up with this extra stone that I can't shift. With both my babies I kept on the extra weight (about 3 stones each time) until I stopped breastfeeding, then dropped 2 stones pretty quickly. But the last stone just will not budge, and it's now been 3 years. And now my weight is now starting to creep up as well.

I'd really like to start on New Year's Day and lose that stone, which would get me down to my previous weight and clothes size. The things that are stopping me, as I see it, are:

• When I cook for the family, I can't resist eating the same as them. After running around after everyone else all day it just doesn't seem fair not to get the same to eat as everyone else, or to have a tiny plateful while everyone else tucks into lovely grub (DH is rake-shaped )
  
  
• When the kids/life is getting me down, I often find myself automatically standing in front of the cupboard nibbling at snacks without even being aware that I've started doing it!
  
  
• I'm doing a college course that takes up every spare second of evenings, etc - and even that only gives me half the recommended hours to do it in. So I simply don't have time to exercise.
  
  
• For similar reasons, I don't have time to cook special meals for myself.
  
  
• I tend to crash-diet and end up feeling weak, shaky and hungry when my blood-sugar goes down, so binge on chocolate, to which I think I might be physically addicted!
  
  I know that a stone doesn't seem like much, but I honestly found the first couple of stones easier than this last one. Given the above, does anyone have any motivational advice - or would anyone care to join me?
  
  Xmascaroltygirl (a.k.a. Scaltygirl)

[Twiglett]

Well you could try a slimming club

I find Slimming world quite conducive to family cooking as I'll just have the same as everyone else in the main but watch the potatoes/rice if on meat day (ie I'll eat loads of chicken / lamb with veg and count the potatoes) or I'll eat loads of rice and stuff

rather than cooking different for me I actually cook the same for them .. so I'll do a shepherds pie with quorn and we can all eat as much as we like

HTH

It can be so frustrating that last stone can't it (well I imagine it can be .. I'm still bf'ing and nowhere near just a stone to lose)

[MarsLady]

I'll join you. Would like to shift the weight that I got with this last pregnancy. Mostly in my tummy, but whatever. Would be interested to hear what tips you get and join you. I'm crap at things like this though because I love food. Just want to be able to wear short skirts again (they look daft with a tum like mine). Ah the joys of childbirth.

[xmascaroltygirl]

Cool!

ML, have you looked into clubs, etc at all? I hadn't really thought of it, mainly because of the time issue and partly because I'm not the world's most sociable . A friend of mine did Weight Watchers but I think she says they only take you down to the top end of your ideal weight range...?

As I mentioned, I thought I'd start by working out what's been stopping me from sticking to a diet more than a couple of days. What d'you reckon does it for you IYSWIM?

[MarsLady]

Lack of time (5 kids incl 10mo twins), love of food, booze, lack of commitment etc etc......

[xmascaroltygirl]

LOL, ML - just that, then? .

Seriously, I'm going to do this... one suggestion I've had was to overcome the resentment by giving myself non-food "treats" linked to how much I've lost - e.g. if I stay under 9 stone for 3 consecutive weeks I'm allowed... er... haven't got that far yet, but things like nice bath stuff, etc.

(BTW I know that 9 stone sounds pretty light but I am very short.)

Shall we meet on Saturday (NY day) for a weigh-in and maybe do weekly ones after that?

[MarsLady]

Oh dear Lord what have I committed to?

Yes, why not. Now do we need to state our starting weights or just that we've done it?

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Try drinking a glass of water before every meal - a pint if you can amnage it - and have water every time you snack. I find this fills me up and stops me eating as much. Also, it is good for your overall well-being. I can't see how diets work, especially if they are not very pleasant. Stick to eating what you normally do, but cut out as many unhealthy snacks as you can and try the water.

Mind you, I have the opposite problem ATM: losing too much weight.

[MarsLady]

Shall we swap for a while then lonelymum? I could do with your problem and you could do with mine lol

[xmascaroltygirl]

Whatever you fancy, Marslady - I was going to state mine (can't face weighing myself until New Year's Day, though, which is when I'm planning to start) but don't feel that you have to! I know I'm in the region of 9.5 stones just now (5 ft nothing tall) but may be in for a nasty shock on Saturday...

Water is a great idea, Lonelymum, especially as I never remember to drink the stuff normally.

[Demented]

I'm joining Slimming World ASAP to shift my last stone, they are offering membership for £5 in January, then I think it's £3.95 a week. I think Yorkiegirl is restarting MN Mamas in January too which has been a huge help and support, would recommend joining!

All the best!

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Not sure about that! It is such a novelty being able to fit into size 10 clothes - I remember my humiliation when I could no longer fit them aged about 14. I was so embarrassed in front of my stick thin best friend, like being a 12 was something to be ashamed of! But the memory lingers and now I feel a silly pride at being a 10 again. I don't suppose it will last as I am not very good at taking my own advice re the water.

[Gwenick]

I'd love to join you :-)

5yrs ago when I married DH I was just over 7st (sounds tiny I know but I've got 'light' bones and I'm only 5ft). 1yr later after having my first DS I weighed..........weight (haha) for it - 12st!!! It took me 2 1/2yrs to get back under 10st..........then fell pg again. That time only went up to around 11st - so not so much gain.

I'm down to around 9st 7 or 8 now (give or take a little over Christmas).

I'm hoping to start (again) properly on 1st December too (AND quit smoking eeek!). For cooking I use menumailer - they're all pretty healthy meals - family likes them and healthy for me too.

I've also found a food diary for myself to be absolutely vital. Basically everytime I eat ANYTHING - whether it's a 3 course meal (I wish LOL) or 1 Jelly Baby I write it down - and what time of day it was. When I lost the weight up to now from DS2 I found I was able to try and find healthier snacks to eat at the times when I was likely to pig out.

We can diet together if you like - CAT me if you want - I'm aiming for about 2st over the next year - 7 1/2 stone sounds like a nice weight to be again.

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Oh the other thing you could try is not eating after 6 in the evening. I think that is how I lost some of my weight. I eat with the children (never later than 6) and only snack on a small amount of chocolate in the evening, if I have anything at all. I heard once someone saying that if you want to lose weight, you should never eat after 6 because you won't burn up those calories, and I do believe it (in my case anyway).

[MarsLady]

The not eating after 6 will be hard, because I fit eating in when I can at the moment as by the time I've sorted tea for the kids the DTs need bathing and then attempts at bed.

I think I will post my start weight but at 5' 6" I'm definitely over the 9st mark. Hoping not to scare myself too much, but will definitely do the water thing. Not drinking nearly enough.

[xmascaroltygirl]

Thanks so much!

Gwenick - sounds like we're the same weight and height, but I'm just hoping to end up between 8 and 8.5 stones as I'm not so finely built. What's menumailer, btw?

Tips I'm going to try so far are:

-Water before meals
-Not eating after 6pm
-Writing down what I eat (that's a great one as it might help with my autopilot problem by forcing me to think about it! )

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Good luck with it. I would be fascinated to know if my tips about drinking water and not eating after 6 actually help anyone. I am not an expert on losing weight (mine has come off without any intentional effort) but I have always thought if I suddenly ballooned to an enormous weight and had to lose it again, I could never stick to eating lettuce leaves and Ryvita. Whatever you do has to be something you can keep doing.

[MarsLady]

Am finishing the last of the Quality Streets as we speak. Never buy these but my sisters were here and they always bring lots of sweet things.

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

But it is past 7:30 Marslady! Now eating a meal is one thing but snacking on Quality Street! Send them down to me.

[xmascaroltygirl]

Thanks, LM! . I think that's been my problem as well - I love food and feel cheated if I have to stick to tiny amounts of something that I would never normally consider eating. I suppose it's a question of changing habits as well (like my cupboard fetish or my tendency to scoff the children's leftovers ) rather than crashing into something that's impossible to maintain and then just going back to previous patterns when you can't stick to it any longer. Will keep you posted!

[MarsLady]

On route with non-sleeping twin

[xmascaroltygirl]

MarsLady, the presence of Quality Street and similar leftovers in our house is precisely the reason why I'm starting trying to lose weight on Saturday rather than right after Christmas. No way was I going to work my *ss off (sadly, not literally) getting ready for the festive season and then not get to eat all the yummy food we have left over.

So... do we stuff ourselves silly on Christmas treats for the next few days, then weigh-in on Saturday when it's as bad as it's going to get?

[MarsLady]

yes yes yes! I wonder how much damage I can do????????????

[Gwenick]

Menumailer is an American recipe mailer I subscribe too - costs about £10 for 6 months - and each week you get 6 recipes and the shopping list of things you need. There's the 'regular' menumailer (which I subscribe to), and the Low Carb one (which I don't LOL).

As for the eating after 6pm thing - that's been proved wrong - it doesn't make any difference - have a 'google' and there's lots of stuff which shows there's no real link - the main thing is burning more calories than you use - so even if you eat STACKS of food - if you do loads and loads of exercise (like my brother) you can still stay slim LOL.

[MarsLady]

signing off now to stuff my face (actually DH wants to do his Ebay). Must put DTs to bed as well. Will sign in and post on Saturday and join the mamas thread.

[xmascaroltygirl]

Right, it's a deal, then!

I'm off round to my niece's house now with a bottle of absinthe (!) See you guys later...