Please help me get my sh*t together! :)

[chunkychocco]

Hiya! I've NCed as this will probably be outing.

I'm 5"5 and around 77-81kg (unintentionally chucked my scales out during a house move, whoops!) which is overweight. I drink maybe a bottle or two of wine a week, sometimes a bit more and sometimes none. I smoke socially, but can go through big breaks of not doing it so I don't think I'm addicted. I eat 2-3 takeaways a week and am trying to stay to a relatively strict budget to save up some money. My body type right now vaguely resembles the Pilsbury Dough Boy.

I'm planning on TTC late next year around my third anniversary with my partner, hopefully when things are a bit more sorted re; Covid as well as we are more financially settled. I'm also hoping to buy a house around that time and am currently in higher education- sorry no real value to that piece of knowledge but wanted to make it clear I'm not in full-time employment so have a bit more flexibility (or less flexibility technically, given that I can't touch my toes ).

I was wondering how the f* you get into the right mental state to flip your life upside down. I want to be healthy and strong, particularly if I'm hoping to carry a child for nine months (meaning I'm also not looking for a "quick fix" weight loss plan - if I can be 80kg and healthy then that's fine, I don't want to crash during pregnancy).

I think all of these problems could be sorted by fixing my mindset, but I'm wondering if anyone knows the first step to doing that?
Either for individual issues or the problem as a whole, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers!
Chunkychocco

You’ve taken the first step by deciding you want to be healthier, that’s great. I would choose a small goal to start with and slowly build up. For example, you might say one takeaway a week so you’re still getting a treat but not as often. It’s worked for me, slowly changing things rather than a radical overhaul. Good luck, as soon as you start to see a positive change you’ll get motivated to do more!

Thank you so much!
I think slow increments is probably the best way to get stuff done without making me get sick of it / burn out. Thank you!

Do you want a buddy to do this with? I'm starting Monday.

If you don't no problem just ignore my messsge. No need to try and put a polite thanks but no thanks reply.

I think you would find the 4 pillar plan by Rangan Chaterjee good motivation for making little changes that will make a difference.

Worth a look. Good luck.

Treat yourself to a pretty notebook and write all down the reasons why you want to get healthier. Create a 'to do' list of easy achievable goals. Change one thing you do that isn't healthy to something healthy, and do this every week.

@Leimarel

Treat yourself to a pretty notebook and write all down the reasons why you want to get healthier. Create a 'to do' list of easy achievable goals. Change one thing you do that isn't healthy to something healthy, and do this every week.

I'd love a buddy, @nancybotwinbloom if you're up for it! Would definitely be good to have someone to keep me in check

Never heard of Rangan Chaterjee - is he a writer? Thanks for the suggestion though, @RummidgeGeneral I'll have a wee Google!

@Leimarel Hahaha I do get slightly attached to making something aesthetically pleasing without being in any way productive unfortunately . Thank you for the suggestion tho, definite way to boost morale!

@nancybotwinbloom

If you don't no problem just ignore my messsge. No need to try and put a polite thanks but no thanks reply.

Blimey, you didn't even give the OP time.to take a breath.

Good luck with your endeavours OP.

I know but I hate saying no to people and I thought fuck I've just put her right on the spot!

If it was me and I'd didn't want to I'd be agonising over what to say so I gave her an easy option!

Op I need someone to keep me in check also as I'm a fucker for not policing myself!

Hahahaha @Crunchymum! Thank you though, @nancybotwinbloom and I will keep you updated

And don't worry I'm pretty hard to put on the spot! I'd love to yeah - feel free to drop me a message and we can have a chat about it! I'm terrible at policing myself and other people, but maybe I could sweetly persuade you

Ok I will message you tomorrow Im
panic drinking all the wine in the house along with the chocolate.

Now that I will actually be policed it needs to be gone!

@nancybotwinbloom Get it gone, girl! Don't let my name fool you, I'm the vegetable police

Noom? I had a 2 week trial and now use the free app so no subscription
I've lost nearly 2 stone another 2 to go, check out the UK Facebook page "unofficial Noom uk" lots of support there and most drink too!

@aceyace I'll admit I've seen the ads on Youtube but thought it was another wealthy-person-targeted thing What does it actually entail, if you don't mind me asking?

I was just thinking today I need to have a push on this.

I started already about 3 months ago. What I would say is....planning, planning, planning, and sort one thing at a time but sort it properly.

I did meal planning, booked online food shop slots in advance, batch cooking, log meals on fitness app, joined the MN lose 7kg a month thread in weight loss chat, started walks - booked them in the diary with walking buddy (DM twice a week 😂) now building up to baring flesh in the pool.

I bought Baby Making Bible and It Starts with The Egg, have dipped in and seems some good advice especially in Baby Making Bible on generally being healthy (Egg one is more about what vitamins to take).

I've been thinking about how to keep this all anonymous as we are all anonymous on here.

Is there a way for us all to snap chat?

That is what all the dickehead cheaters use?

We could all form a little group and offer encouragement etc etc.

Like I said earlier I am finishing wine here so it may not be my best idea but it might spur us all on?

@vizlsapup How are you feeling ? I don't mean "skinny" necessarily but do you feel better in yourself for exercising more and getting a bit healthier?

I just need to stop buying junk at the beginning of the week because I eat my entire kitchen and then immediately have to go get more food (except I'll just order in on the nights I can't be arsed). My calorie count is about as big as my phone number xx

@nancybotwinbloom I've got a snapchat but it's got my name attached unfortunately. I'd suggest Whatsapp but that's attached to name and number (and I'm keen to avoid Facebook as much as possible!). If anyone's got some suggestions that'd be fab though.

I'm not on Facebook either. Someone savvy will surely be along soon!

@chunkychocco its calorie counting basically- you can choose how much weight you want to lose per week the lowest calories would be 1200 a day which I am on, it's based on foods being "green, yellow and red" you can eat all three colours but red foods would be chocolate, cheese etc and limited and green veg, fruit, and some bread. Yellow is mainly lean meat, eggs etc.
I found the first 2 weeks a bit tricky but have settled into it now and don't eat all the junk food (many many biscuits), anymore although I still have some chocolate every day, you can choose to exercise and eat those calories as well.
The selling point of Noom is the psychology, a few lessons a day which are Americanised so I didn't particularly find them helpful, but I enjoy the fb group, many meal ideas and very supportive.

@aceyace That's interesting, so kind of a traffic light thing in relation to dieting. I'm coming from a position of having had an eating disorder which does tend to make restriction / dieting a bit of a fine line. I'll have a look though - if you don't mind me asking how long did it take you to lose 2 stone and what did you do on top of Noom? xx

@chunkychocco 7 weeks to lose 2 stone but I dropped a lot of water weight first so has evened out to 3lb a week BUT I still have 2 stone to go and happy with 2lb a week as I may slow down and weight gets lower,
Without doing any extra activities I do approx 6000 steps a day (3 miles) and fairly active with small children
I want to lose some more fat then will start resistance training with weights, along with building larger muscles with planks, squats and my favourite yoga as these are doable for me so I can see the difference between weight off and muscle on instead of muscle on under a layer of fat IYSWIM,
All clothes are looser, I was starting to feel like a fat sausage bursting out of its skin and now my trousers are falling down!
I've always denied that eating biscuits and cakes makes much difference but all I've done really is cut them out, I still eat bread and chocolate every day but by logging it all can stay within my calories,
After a while you get an idea of what calories in food
I suspect for you it's the takeaway, the salt content increases weight by holding onto water and calories are huge
Also recommended is drinking 2 litres + a day but just drink as much as you can building up slowly
Also, you need some scales- digital are best and maybe a photo to compare a month down the line

The nhs bmi checker also recommends a daily calorie allowance I think mine was 1600 so I can eat that and still lose weight