Diet and exercise

I had horrible headaches, worse than normal for a good 4 weeks after stopping coke and really had to push through it.

I'm not minimising your recovering from alcohol addiction by the way!

It makes me wonder what it is in coke that makes it that hard to give up?! It can't be great for us!

And 10 years sober js absolutely bloody brilliant!!!!!!!! That's done more for your health than you realise.

For weight loss I have found time restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting very helpful. You just set an eating window of eight hours (but if your new to this you might set yourself a longer eating window of 10 hours and work on getting it down to 8 hours). Say I can eat from 10am to 6pm, I'm a bit careful about what I eat but not massively, still have some chocolate, cake, crisps in that time as well as normal meals. Then from 6pm to 10am next day no food, only water or black teas/herbal teas, coffee with no milk or sugar. I found this really helped jump start weight loss then more motivated to exercise on top.

Oh, and don't do it all at once.

If you decide you need to lose weight, .need to exercise, need to cook better etc then attempt it all at once on one day and something goes wrong, you give up on all of it.

I wrote down what I needed to change, decided what was priority started from that point and made sure it became habit before introducing something else

I just bought an electric rice cooker which also functions as a steamer/slow cooker. I think it's going to be brilliant for easy meals. I don't dislike cooking, but I'm certainly fed up with endless meal planning.

There are loads of one-pot type recipes on Instagram, YouTube etc to cook in the rice cooker- mostly Asian, but lots of other stuff too. Whack in some rice, water and seasonings/sauce, then put veg or tofu etc in the tray over the top to steam or stir in beans etc. Press start. I'm dairy intolerant too, and I made an amazing rice pudding in it yesterday with coconut milk, orange zest and nutmeg. It's my new favourite toy!

I second this. I've been fizzy pop free for 7 months now and my Dentist saw a difference in my teeth last week.

I did it by not buying coke and drinking fizzy water. Sometimes I'd add a small amount of fresh juice and top up with fizzy.

Now I drink mainly water with cucumber in, peppermint tea, chamomile tea and lattes

There's not a park run near me but I'm always seeing people run so there might be a running club or something? All shapes, sizes, ages and I still think that I would be the one who would get laughed at.“

Very much doubt it. All I feel when I see large people running is admiration.

If you don't like exercise for its own sake you just need to find something to do whilst you do it. Walking/jogging/swimming - listen to music/audio books. Teamsports - go for the chat and social aspect. Static exercise bike - watch TV.
Alternatively go for something very intense so you get it over with quickly. HIIT/aerobics/weight training.

Loads of people don't enjoy exercise but do it because they want to be healthy and live past 65. I hate going to work but I do it because I need to eat and pay the mortgage. That's life.

Batch cook and freeze
Log everything with my fitness pal and there are lots of recipes on there
Don't buy crisps... if they're there you'll eat them
Get a soup maker, nice takes about 20 minutes
Another vote for yoga with adrienne
Listen to a podcast while you walk.... you will walk further
Create a playlist of upbeat music to listen to
Do squats while you're waiting for the kettle

Exercise for health...you'll get stronger and healthier for your children and model good behaviour. Walks at the weekend with the kids. Walk more generally. Find something you can commit to, swimming, tennis, c25k....

Food, you probably need more protein. Fish finger wraps with pepper and shredded cabbage.

Chicken fajitas.

Soup.

The Green Roasting Tin cook book might help - loads of recipes where you basically dump the ingredients on a baking tray and roast for 20 mins or so. Half of the book is vegan, half veggie so while some of the ones with dairy won't work for you there should still be plenty to try.

On exercise, I would recommend either making it part of your routine as pp have suggested or finding something you do with other people which makes it more fun and keeps you accountable. Plus keep trying different things - moving your body can cover so many different activities there's bound to be some that you enjoy more. Getting outside into natural surroundings is really good for your mood and can take you to some beautiful places. Listening to podcasts or audio books can make the time pass faster, particularly if you choose a book that you only listen to when you're exercising so it motivates you to get back out and listen to it.

Oven baked risotto. It's delicious and easy. Get more steps in.

I think you feel bored and like you can't be bothered because you're stuck in an unhealthy rut. What I've found about healthy eating and exercise is that the more you do it, the more you want to do it.
Rather than trying to find extra time for exercise I just incorporate it into my daily routine. I was never going to join a gym or go running but I walk to work each day, which is 50 minutes each way, and gives me 14000 steps. At first it was a bit of a slog but now I love it. Wakes me up before work and helps me unwind after work. The thought of taking the easy option of driving is now so unappealing. I'd feel stodgy and lethargic and would quickly put on weight.
It's the same with food. Once you start eating good, nitritious food, you go off the unhealthy stuff. Just Google healthy recipes. Look up Delicously Ella. All her recipes are vegetarian, gluten and dairy free. If you get her app there are lots of quick and easy recipes.

Where I live there are women only walking clubs. I found them on Facebook. They run at different times through the week and have different ability walks, that be worth a try?

I agree a Hello Fresh or Gousto box could get you in the habit of cooking as you’re starting from scratch. You can keep the recipe cards and graduate to buying the ingredients yourself from the supermarket once you find meals you like and get more confident.

I always recommend Rukmini Iyer recipe books on this sort of thread - the Green Roasting Tin is all veggie and the Quick Roasting Tin all under 30 mins. All the recipes are basically chop some stuff, put it in a tin, chuck it in the oven.

I also think a lot is down to how you feel.

Earlier this year I was really happy, life was going well, I was exercising 6 days a week, out on my bike twice a week, eating well. Then over the summer life just went to shit and so did my diet and exercise. I retreated in to myself, and now take aways have become a regular thing, I don't drink enough water (and I'm a water fiend usually), drink lots of coke and eat lots of chocolate and rubbish.

But add on to that, I've stopped caring about myself. So I also need to start caring about myself and being kind to myself.

It's hard to get out of that way of thinking ( I want to lose 3 stone by this time next year so I have to).

Get a bike

Google quick, simple meals that are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free if possible.start walking. Buy some dumb bells and do some you tube videos.

I'd focus on the diet first, you don't want to try too much at once and it's diet that'll bring your weight down. I know it gets banded around a lot but maybe try reading ultra processed people to see if it can reset your thinking on food, sounds like you mostly eat UPF.

If you can afford it, maybe a hello fresh subscription.

Also, buy a rebounder. Such a good form of exercise. High intensity, low impact, fun.

It’s all about having a routine for me or I will just snack when I’m home alone. I had to drum it in that 5-6pm is dinner time to make sure I cook.

quick, simple meals that are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free if possible

Jacket potato

butternut squash, chickpea, coconut curry - nice to cook it for a while but not ages of prep time

Roast (get some GF/DF nut roast or other protein element!)

Eggs - omelette with fake cheese? (I’m only GF so not clued up on DF)

Sushi (vegetarian)

Basically think of rice and potatoes as your carb element and build around that. I live off a lot of salad so no carb there.

Check out the Low Carb Bootcamp threads on here? I’ve not done it myself. Low carb is meant to be good for PCOS. Maybe not though as veggie, GF, DF and low carb though is going to be TOUGH!!!