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?

If you worry about feeling hungry whilst eating healthily, check out the GI diet.

Oh im going with the one at the council gym. Im getting a discount in the membership so can do swimming,pilates and cross trainer everyweek at about 4quid a week.

I can't afford one to one!! I hope my "crappy gym instructor" led one (although she looks like she used to do ballet and seems to know what shes talking about.) Is better than me doing nothing

Really impressed with your weight loss poolo! Im about the same overweight. Only lost 10pounds so far though. Youve lost about a stone a month! Im making changes, keeping a food diary, started exercising so hopefully it will go on the right way...

I always hate it when people say "you are overeating" all the time.

I understand that the calories in are more than calories expended, but when you are a usually fit and active person who suddenly becomes extremely inactive (due to injury or medical issue) it is not so simple. You are expending the minimum calories possible as you are immobile, and yet your diet will probably remain similar to what it previously was as that has always been your 'in=out' weight maintainable diet before.
It is hard to process that when it happens so abruptly.

Immortal, has your weight stabilised? If so, then your in=out at the mo; you just need to tweak things: upping exercise will increase out, so clever calorie reduction will decrease in - this can just be as easy as switching out bread or sugary based stuff. Try and eat from scratch as much as poss, and do a food diary for a week to see what you can alter.

There is no option other than getting serious about restricting calorie intake. It sucks, it's really hard at first, but fairly quickly starts to get easier with practice and persistence.

Sorry yes my defences do go up when people say I must overeat! My mum and sister say it to me all the time - why are you still fat, have a salad, you need to lose weight.

Here's the thing typically I eat 1 or 2 weetabix for breakfast with skimmed milk. Sometimes put strawberries, raspberries or rhubarb on top (dad has an allotment). Lunch is usually sandwich contains tomato, pepper, low fat Mayo, (no butter), ham or chicken and some lettuce. Tea is 3 potato's, mashed cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and some meat. Small sprinkling of salt. I eat most meals with no sauces is gravy/ketchup etc .

I drink tons of water so I don't snack.

So yeah, don't really think I overeat. I do however need to start on some kind to body exercises.

Yes my weight has been stable for 9 months now.

I have hypermobility and I do gentle walking, swimming and Pilates. I also used to dance and once DD will accept a bottle or cup I'll start again.

Have a look at www.hypermobility.org for advice. There is also a forum where you can chat to others.

Hi OP - I also have hypermobility so I do sympathise and understand that exercise is difficult and limited. Especially with a one year old, you cannot risk aggravating your condition and the pain can be debilitating.

Mine is mostly under control at the moment but I have had my periods in a wheelchair or on crutches.

It sounds to me like you have fucked up your metabolism. This is surprisingly common, especially when you are mostly reliant on diet rather than exercise to control your weight.

I think you might benefit from all the French research about re setting your metabolism. It is possible but you have to stick rigidly to the rules, and they will sound very strange to you.

Paul McKennas system is based on the metabolism re setting method, with a bit of hypnotherapy thrown in for good measure.

I was a size 14 and have lost a dress size and about ten pounds in about six weeks. I find it ridiculously easy.Google it or join us on the Paul McKenna thread in diet.

One word that saved me when I was in your boat: Paleo.

Get your thyroid checked. I went from a size 8 to a 12 in a couple of months. Okay, so still on the slim end, but I've always struggled to put on weight and it was such a sudden gain. Anyway, I found out I was hypothyroid, put on medication, and was back to being a size 8 within a month. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's not about diet or exercise.

If your weight has been stable for the last 9 months then you are probably not over eating now, but what about in the run up to it? Have you tried my fitness pal for a week just to get an idea of your calorie intake? You may be surprised in that you are eating the right calories to maintain but not to lose weight.

In terms of exercise, yes you need it to be fit and healthy but not necessarily to lose weight. I have lost two stone over 3 months doing weight watchers and no exercise apart from the odd walk here and there. I would not advocate the no exercise, it's an area I need to work on, but I'm just saying that it's not an excuse.

If you are certain you should be losing weight on the calories you are having then it should definitely be a trip to the docs!

Good luck, I know it's daunting but it's worth it.

The mind is a huge influence in this. You might even want to try Darren Thingy's "I can make you slim" hypnosis cd and book. He can't do it on his own, but he can certainly help your mind. And if you've got HMS then get in with your doc and/or physio and tell them you want to start exercising, what's the best thing to do? You'll appreciate being a fitter mum, whatever your size as kids don't get any less active after age one!

I had hyperemesis for the whole of my first pregnancy and gave birth weighing a tiny size 8 (I was a size 14 well I became pregnant). Weight loss is all about not chucking junk down your neck. End of.

Try low carbing - then you'll see it certainly isn't about just salad leaves!

I always used to be afraid of being hungry, because a) it's unpleasant b) I wasn't used to it and c) I have been known to throw up when hungry and travelling or whatever. It got a bit easier when I accepted that being hungry sometimes is normal and not to be feared.

Your diet sounds absolutely fine so either you are eating more than you think (God knows society is currently set up to make us eat all the time - constant adverts creating times when we 'should' be snacking - 'Diet Coke break' 'a Mars a day' 'Fridge Raiders' anyone? - and there are 21 opportunities to buy food in a 12-minute walk from my house to e.g. my bank, and that simply wasn't the case 20 years ago) or something is wrong. I also agree that it is very hard to exercise with a small child, you're constantly exhausted but not from any actual movement.

How much time do you spend sitting down, and can you stand comfortably? I know I am sitting much more than I did say 15 years ago because of the Internet. I read more then, but was often reading standing up. Of course you can't read as much with a small child, but I know my mother didn't sit much at all during the day when she had children, she spent most of it gardening and the rest doing strenuous housework.

I have severe hyper mobility (EDS) and was told by physio that I was not to do yoga at all as joints were too unstable, so I would drop the yoga, have also been told not to swim.

I cycle and just go gently and have lost weight low carbing.

I would suggest reading "Escape the Diet Trap" by Dr John Briffa. It has some simple guidelines on what to eat/not eat for long-term weight loss without masses of exercise (although there is advice on that too).

I have been following the guidelines (not that religiously even) and have lost 3 stone in the last 4 months without any extra exercise, hunger, calorie counting, meal replacements, meal plans, meetings etc. I've still had takeaways and meals out but just changed what I order.

So far so good, and it feels sustainable because of the flexibility. I'm going to try and add in extra exercise now for fitness - I hope you find something that works for you

Have you tried just walking more? Like going out for 30mins brisk walk every day with your child? Building it up gradually to and hour or two. Proper brisk walk though, not just dawdling along. Get your heart pumping!

Also, do you drink anything apart from water? Alcohol? Tea? Coffee?
Do you have any snacks at all during the day?
Try writing up a food diary of everything that you eat and drink during the week. Maybe also an exercise diary. Report back here after a week and maybe we can help a bit more?

Plate size. I have moved to a side plate for main course.
No meals out. Or takeaway or sandwiches out.
Thyroid check.
Surely you are snacking a bit. And how long have you been eating these amounts? You need to cut 3000 or more calories per pound weight loss.
My fitness pal app.
If people you know say you are eating too much it sounds like secret eating so you are snacking/ tasting baby food.

(Breastfeeding worked for me, i was pre pregnancy weight in 10 days, but did find it crept back on.)

I think pregnancy affects long term appetite, i have certainly been hungrier.

Are you using brown bread/rice/pasta?

Also shopping online as you can avoid snacks/offers and add up how many naughty foods you have.

I also cut out OJ and smoothies.

Some meds affect thyroid (and you can get postpartum thyroiditus) like antiDs.

I agree that your metabolism sounds shot.
Can you increase your exercise-walking and swimming?
Lower GI also adjusts your metabolism
Swap weetabix for porridge,spoonful yoghurt and blueberries or omlette .
Lunch - homemade lentil soup with a sprinkle of cheese and an apple or pear
Dinner -casserole with pulses,lean meat,veg or fish salad andveggies (no spuds)
Water and herbal teas to drink -i get bored and rotate them.
Ps it might also be worth getting your thyroid checked .
My fitness pal is a great way of setting goals and getting a really good idea of what you are eating.

I think I'm having my thyroid and other blood tests done next week as I'm (too) exhausted all the time. I will swap the sandwich for soup and cut out potatoes for tea.

My hyper mobility is pretty bad so can't do "brisk" walking. I'm going to try cycling again on the canal side near my house, and take up Pilate's/swimming too.

I just want to be able to feel fit and more "me". And not be too done in to play on the floor when herself toddles around with a ball.

Paleo is the way. I have lost 2.5 stone since January with little effort.

Carbs are what is causing your weight to stay the same, exercise will make you fitter but will do little to lower your weight.

ok, so maybe not brisk as I would think of it, but whatever is brisk for you. Just try and get yourself moving more in whatever way you find comfortable. The thing is, once a week is just not good enough, you need to try and exercise every day if you want to shift the weight and get fit. Exercise outside now while the weather is still good. You'll feel better for getting in the fresh air.

This is what has worked for me.

Only healthy carbs - rye bread, wholegrain rice, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, sweet potatos that sort of thing.

I only eat full fat - milk, cheese, plain yogurt. I really believe the whole low fat diet thing is untrue. Full fat means you get satisfied more quickly and eat less I believe.

I never eat fruit yogurts, cereal bars, certain breakfast cereals as they are full of refined sugar. Porridge or eggs for breakfast.
Three nights a week I eat steamed fish with massive amounts of steamed green veg, been eating a lot of stuff like spring greens, samphire, spinach, purple broccoli. A small amount of fruit like apples, pears and berries in season but no tropical fruit.

I try very hard to avoid anything that is overprocessed, all ready meals etc. Cook from scratch as much as possible.

That plus swimming 2km swims two to three times a week plus one ashtanga yoga class, and I walk everywhere including the school run as I don't drive!

I have at last hit my pre-pregnancy weight, six and a half years later!!

Get over to the low carb bootcamp threads. I've lost 2.5 stone since March and it's truly not been difficult