to think that its fecking impossible for me to lose weight?

[immortalwife]

I'm so depressed about my weight gain in the last year. I was a prebaby size 12 and now I'm post baby size 16. None of my clothes fit. Can't afford new ones.

I did start cycling but the thing is I have pretty severe hyper mobility. My left knee is pretty much in constant pain. Its affecting most of my joints now. I do stretches and some light yoga to help with the joint pain (suggested by doctor).

What the heck am I meant to do? I don't want to starve myself with salad. I want to be FIT not just slim. I'm getting rather despondant about it.

Am I missing some exercise I should be doing?

swimming might be a option

Swimming (though it is hard to actually swim with dc).
Don't be hard on yourself.
Have you been referred to a physio for HM? They may suggest things too.

Swimming's good - but i- you have a dodgy knee do not do breaststroke. My DH has knee problems, and his physio emphasised this to him.

Weight loss is much more diet than exercise. If you aren't willing to modify your eating and you really haven't tried much in the way of exercise, then you aren't going to lose any weight.

What pp said. Exercise is important, but if what you really want is fat loss then trips to the fridge will count for more than trips to the gym.

Or if you are actually happy at the size you are but want to be healthy, that's great too, swimming sounds like a great option, or even aquarobics, if you can find a class at the more energetic end of the spectrum! Or have you considered Pilates? I love yoga, but have found that when I've been injured or have physical limitations then Pilates is more tailored and less stressful on the body. It'll also focus on giving you great core strength and pelvic floor, so with or without weight loss you'll have great posture and if you're lucky a very revitalised sex life too!

I don't over eat grockle - I eat 3 small meals a day of varied things. I just don't want to eat leaves for a year is all.

I used to be a competitive swimmer, my doctor thinks that's what's initially caused the problems doing strenuous 2 hrs 7d/w training during puberty.

I might try swimming again though. As long as I don't do breaststroke!

I think I have a Pilate's DVD somewhere actually patience!

Swimming may help, my friend has a knee op and gained a lot of weight. He would swim and he also did modified exercises. He swum loads but did floor work on abs and stretches, not putting any weight on his leg.

Have you tried taking glucosamine? It may help?

www.amazon.co.uk/Joint-Glucosamine-Sulphate-1000mg-tablets/dp/B006XXVM7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=Glucosamine++Tablets

This may also be an option? callanetics.org/home

Gonna be blunt here yes you are being unreasonable. Losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise.
You may 'only' eat 3 small meals a day but they probably aren't very healthy. Join somewhere like slimming world - actually stick to the plan and u will lose weight regardless of how mobile you may be.

My head has always needed to be in the right place to lose weight, not sure how you get to the right place but when I have lost weight I have generally ate more than salad leaves. I am the person who won't exercise when overweight, too embarrassed for Lycra (the weird way my brain works), so have always gone reducing calories rather than exercise.

if you've put on a lot of weight, you have been overeating. That is how a body gets bigger.

When did you have your baby?

You need to build up and not over-reach too soon; I've come back to fitness from excessive weight gain following c sections & other major surgery 3 times before, currently mid 4th time, so it is possible - it just won't happen with a finger click.

Start with walking - build up by adding an extra bit on every few days/week; as you get used to it walk faster and add in inclines if poss. Make sure you are doing core and strength stuff at home too, as that will build you up and get your supportive muscles working (squats, clamshells, press ups, tricep files etc). As you get fitter then add in variety with swimming and x-trainer/cycling - interval type training is best for weight loss and fitness.

You will get there, it just takes time - don't push too hard at the start though it you risk injury which will just prolong everything.

• triceps dips, not 'files' (autocorrect).

Perhaps you could ask about diet and exercise at your GP's surgery?

Or pop over to the weight loss topic for motivation and advice?

It's not about 'starving yourself with salad' or 'eating leaves for a year', as I'm sure you'll find out.

Good luck

It's only impossible if you tell yourself it is.

I used to say this when I was overweight all of the time. "I really want to lose weight but it's just fucking impossible. I've tried everything and nothing works." In reality I had given losing weight a good go once and lost two stone then got bored, gave up and piled it back on again. I'd done the whole 'diet starts on Monday' and lasted until Friday a few times too. Then I just got to a point where I was sick of it. I was, at this point, six stone overweight- heaviest I'd ever been. I didn't think I was that big, I was definitely lying to myself. I also underestimated how many calories I was packing away, definitely a secret eater. I thought I wasn't eating that much, in reality it was probably 5000 calories most days, portion control was my issue. My knees creaked and hurt, I hated the way I looked and I was embarrassed to buy clothes in that size. I caught sight of my legs in the bedroom mirror and was so horrified, also saw a photo of my arm that my friend had taken and I felt disgusted- my leg used to be that size pre children FFS!

So at the end of April this year I had a lightbulb moment and decided enough was enough, no more excuses. I wanted to be fit and healthy again, I wanted to be a healthy weight and nothing was going to stand in my way. Since then I've lost 5 stone, got a stone to go until I'm a healthy weight and I feel fantastic.

It's all in the mind. Diet is 80% of the leg work, it's not all 'eating leaves' and definitely no starving involved! But portion control is a big deal, I invested in small bowls and plates to help with this. Also just making small changes like switching oil to a cooking spray like fry light, switching milk from full fat to skimmed or better still unsweetened almond milk, not adding sugar to things etc.

Get out of the "I can't do it" mindset, tell yourself you can do it because you want and need it and it will happen. Exercise wise yoga, Pilates, swimming and even just light walking will be good for you. Plenty of great yoga and Pilates videos on YouTube to follow.

She's just turning 1 in a couple of weeks.

I don't over eat, I eat fairly healthily I think mostly low in fat meals high in fibre and protein, but I'm also not active due to my joint pain, and that's where I believe the weight gain has come from- I used to cycle to and from work but during pregnancy I got carpal tunnel and SPD so couldn't do it anymore and then joints just got worse.

My husband says he'll come swimming with me and dd, and look after her while I do some lengths. He said the Pilate's sounds good too haha.

Thankfully OH isn't bothered by my weight it is just me, I would just like to be a bit slimed and for that I need to tone up.

Sit ups and press ups are to joint stressy but floor exercises are fine so I will start on those.

You might not be eating enough. Eating healthily doesn't mean starving on salad. I used Slimming World and that taught me how to cook healthily from scratch. I kept my weight off for around 4 years before I became ill.

I've my fitness pal in more recent years and it makes me realise, that sometimes I just don't eat enough.

Go to Slimming World - they would laugh you out of house and home at the thought of 'just eating leaves'

Omg slimmer not slimed oops

Not to be rude but if you are overweight then you over eat. You are eating more calories than your body needs. That is over eating.

On another note, you should defo dig out the Pilates dvd. I have worked at a physio and this was always recommended for hyper mobile people to strengthen muscles around the joints. We never recommended yoga as this stretches the joints and loosens things up. I would suggest a one to one with a proper Pilates instructor rather than a crappy gym instructor just so you learn how to engage all muscles correctly.

Groovee I imagine there are very few overweight people who actually need to eat more. I'm not saying it isn't possible, just probably quite rare.

YABU It isn't impossible but it is really hard with that mindset. Like it or not, losing weight is simple, it is our emotions about weight, our own self worth food etc that complicate it. People are telling you that it is 80% diet and you're honestly telling us that you can't make any changes? I feel your defences from here.

I'm not saying it is easy by the way. But our mind blocks are creating the barrier to weight loss here.

Dieting isn't a case of "eating leaves for a year"

If you type into google "meals under 500 calories" there is loads and loads. Different diet techniques work for different people, what works for one person does absolutely nothing for another other than make them feel like they are starving/failing.
I'm a size 10, sometimes a 12 in jeans but I'm 5'9 so that is slim for my build ( I could do with toning up a bit though!). Things that work for me if I want to lose weight are: Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee, you won't notice after the first few cups, it just becomes normal. Don't eat bread, have pasta,rice or potatoes instead but bread seems to totally prevent me from losing weight. If you feel your meal looks small bulk it out with vegetables, doesn't have to be salad or boiled vegetables, things like ratatouille, roast vegetables, stir fry veg are great as they contain very little calories but are filling. Eat fish instead of red meat where possible. Drink plenty of water as being thirsty will make you hungry, I've heard good things about lemon juice and water as well. Soup is wonderful at this time of year. Most of all, don't give up because you don't see results within a couple of weeks, it takes your body a little while to adjust sometimes, so the weight might not start to vanish instantly.