To ask for your help?

[hazleweatherfieldgirldetective]

I'm overweight. Okay, obese. I weigh about sixteen stone and am only 5'3 so its not great.

I used to be thin but had to starve myself to achieve it. My weight always hovered around the 12/13 stone mark if left naturally however during my pregnancy with DS (now days away from turning one) the only way to ease the sickness was to graze constantly on starchy food. Then, after he was born, I spent my maternity leave picking at unhealthy food and snaffling biscuits at baby groups.

I don't mind how I look. DH jokes that I'm like dark matter; to look at me you would never think I weigh as much as I do. However I desperately want another baby. I hated having to attend the fat clinic whilst pregnant with DS, the consultants were vile. I also had a failed induction and crash section due to eclampsia which I know was probably to do with my weight.

Tuesday is a new year and I'm determined for it to be a new start. But... I don't know what to do. Should I

I gave up smoking last May, and put on 3 stone. Eeek.

I have always battled with my weight and have tried both SW and WW in the past. I prefer SW.

Am also looking to lose in the new year, and make 2013 the year I really do get to a healthy weight and STAY THERE!

For me a healthy diet is only part of the equation. Exercise is also vitally important. I try to run. When I first started running I could only manage 30" - 1min at a time and would walk-run-walk building up the running in 30" bursts initially. Try the "couch to 5k" running plan, it worked for me, and it's completely free, try googling it or look on runners world, or the running bug websites. You don't need gym membership, just a pair of trainers and a watch (failing the watch you can count in your head, but it's not terribly accurate!!). I also do sit ups and push ups at home - again, no special equipment needed, it's free and done in the privacy if your home.

Finally weight loss on a budget - I promise you fruit and veg are waaaay cheaper than takeaways, biscuits, ready meals, etc. As a poster above said, Don't try to eat less, replace high sugar/fatty foods with healthier options, eat more good things. Weigh all your foods and keep a food diary. It has been scientifically proven that dieters who keep a food diary will lose, on average, 8lbs more than those that don't. Thats got to be any easy cheat?

And don't beat your self up about your weight, you are sooooo not alone x

Oh good luck OP! SW is great! I love rice, potato, pasta dishes and I can eat as much as I like as long as they are cooked without oil/ fat. It's healthy eating, nothing faddy, you don't measure out. Just cut right down on sugar/ fat, convenience foods are pretty much out but you can have treats as long as you count them.
Good luck, you'll do great!

Some good advice.

Weightloss is definitely achievable on a budget - you're buying and eating less food if nothing else!!

Good luck.

Oh and avoid all diet foods like the plague. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

The couch to 5k is great and is free to download.

I'm using my fitness pal. Dh is doing it too.

I've lost 24lb since the summer with myfitnesspal and by cutting down on sugar.

Has been really painless.

I lost 5 stone calorie counting. I got the Collins gem calorie counter from waterstones, about £4 I think. In the front it tells you how to calculate how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. If you knock 1,100 off that you can lose just over 2 lb a week. As your weight goes down you reduce your calories.