To be a fat bastard and do nothing about it.

[Lizmay12]

So I've put on 3 stone since I had my children. I'm constantly down about it always moaning. Feel absolutely shit about myself. God forbid DP tries to be nice and surprise me with organising a childcare and taking me out. I spoil it whinging about my fat belly and having no clothes to fit me. All this and I do absolutely fuck all to change my lifestyle.
I eat to much shit and moan about being fat.

Yes I am being VFUCKINGU!!!!!! Why can't I change my ways !!!!!

Lizmay12 when you look in the mirror tonight you will already see someone different. You will see someone who has taken control of their life, instead of a helpless bystander. And that's going to look really great to you!

I started losing weight by changing just one thing.

In three months I've gone from 15.12 stone to 13.5.

I gave up coke. That's it.
After years of being fat to now be really losing weight is amazing.

Ive made my own sauces for pasta now.

Still eat McDonalds once a week! I'm gonna push that to once month now.

Then slowly start cutting out other things.

Diets have never worked for me. So just taking one step at a time allows me to lose weight while slowly easing of junk food.

Is there anything you eat or drink most days you could give up.

If you are addicted to fizzy drinks like me one tip I have is fill empty bottles with water and freeze them. Ice cold water hits the spot.

Thank you Oswin

I am massively addicted to Diet Coke I drink this over water.
I used to think it's better than full fat but researched its and its not good for me. going to change this.

Take up doing something with your hands in the evening - knitting, crochet, making cards, painting your nails - something you can't eat while you are doing. Oh, and yes to dumping the diet stuff! I have read that the sweet taste makes your body expect sugar, and it gets 'cross and confused' when the suagar doesn't hit, making you more likely to then go eat sugary stuff.
I am starting on a similar journey.

I was going to come on and suggest the current 5:2 thread, but Izzydawg beat me to it.

I've been on those threads for 4 years now - losing 24lbs in the process, and maintaining my weight for 3 and a half years - and I have to say it's the friendliest, most supportive, most non-judgemental thread on Mumsnet. That's why I stick around.

I'm a pound off of 18st. I'm 5'2". Super morbidly obese is what they call it if anyone calculated my BMI which I would rather prefer they didn't as I don't want to have to cringe through it feeling judged. Lucky me.

I've battled with my weight all my life. Comfort eating is my Achilles heel, unfortunately. I'm presently long term unemployed and living overseas. I feel so sad and so lost.

My fattest ever was 17st 7lbs. So I've eclipsed that now. Although 'only' a size 20 in clothes (same size as my wedding dress, some women aspire to be the same dress size as the day they married !). At my previous fattest I was a size 22 getting on for a size 24.

Can't believe I ran the Paris Marathon just six years ago in 2010 in 5hrs 37mins. Three years previous to that in 2007 I had a mile stone birthday weight loss challenge to myself to get to 10st by that date. Well, I got down to 10st 13lbs so I sorta did it !

It's easy to get down hearted about how fat I am now. However, I've seen similar threads to this and it seems that just get on with it, no more excuses seems to be the go.

Whether it's post baby weight or any other weight gain/lack of fitness. No matter one's age and circumstances or what they've gained or lost in the past just make a plan or a pact and action it. Just let the past go and focus on what you are doing now reads across to all sorts of situations.

I've got a hypnotherapy/mindfulness cd which is useful for clearing my mind of emotions and letting me feel my natural hunger and full up signals. It's also a good subconscious motivator for exercise and making me feel good and positive about myself in a subtle way.

I've had it so long the original one was a cassette I got in 1996 !

I cook and eat healthy food. Like I say it's the overeating/comfort eating I need to address. Stop looking for a solution in the fridge as they say. Your problems will not be solved by putting food in your mouth and all that.

This morning I went to a boxing based exercise class, so that's done. I will do a seated exercise routine at home that I have a dvd for. I walked to the gym and back.

I just need to keep on keeping on. Like everyone else, it's hard to find the motivation.

I haven't read all the thread..

I'd recommend MyFitnessPal and dieting slowly. I only needed to loose a stone but I still took 5 months to do it. MFP is brilliant and once ou get used to it its easy. My meals were ok but it was the little extras that were amusing me problems. Just stealing a few chips from the kids plates or the occasional biscuit. IF you cut the crap then you can really concentrate on enjoyinh your meals. Personally, I don't rate the 5-2 diet but it obviously works for some people.
I got my motivation by reminding myself that I was loosing weight to make myself happy. I was doing something for myself that was going to make me feel great. It wasn't a lot of weight but it's made all the difference.

You just have to decide to do it....

Best of luck OP some great advice here!

Another one here for MFP. When losing weight I limit myself to a set amount of calories per day. I like the fact that I can eat whatever I want provided I stay under my goal. So if I fancy a treat ill have it, I'll just have to make it up somewhere else - for example, if I want the high calorie chocolate/ crisps/ whatever I'll have them, but that's less calories left for the day so it may mean making a sacrifice at dinner time, like having just chicken and vegetables, no potatoes or rice or whatever. The fact that there is nothing off limits works for me, it's just about choices

I also have my iPhone's pedometer linked to the app, which records my steps and calories burnt against the daily calorie allowance and calculates it all for you! Like pp mentioned I try and walk as much as I can to get the steps up!!

The final that has worked really well for me would be fitness videos! I was never one for the gym, as I found it so boring and would go once or twice and then stop. Now I hook up the videos to the Apple TV, there are so many on YouTube - burn to the beat is amazing, they are really short, fun and encouraging. I started by doing 20 mins, I can do over and hour now without getting out of breath and I feel so much better for it.

You can do this op!!

LizMay you can do it.
I've been stuck in a rut for 2 years. I need to lose 2 stone so I'm not overweight and 3 to be my old size.

2 weeks ago something clicked. I was just sick of it so I've started this slow journey. 10000 steps a day, I'm exhausted and so my house was a tip. I can't do it all but now I've decided my weightloss is my priority.

I've lost 3 pounds but I'm not dieting. Just using my Samsung to log my steps and my food. Similar to 'iaintgettingonnoplane' I eat everything within reason. I don't just count calories though

I meal prep. My breakfast snacks and lunch for tomorrow are already packed. I don't allow myself to get hungry. Last week I wanted a donut so I had one. But another day I saw a chocolate had 135calories and I thought I would rather have a carrot (40 calories) so my blood sugar doesn't spike. Baby steps.

I'm crossing my fingers for both of us. I really want to maintain this.

I do think you need to try and stop thinking of food as a treat though because then you're sort of making it forbidden. Plus you're not a dog so you don't need to treat yourself with food. Once I get going I find that the feeling I get from finally being in control and knowing I'm finally making real progress is enough to sustain me.

I also find if I have that sweet stuff now I get a massive headache soon after, you need to remove your "reliance" on it. A good book that really helped was "eating less: say goodbye to overeating" by gillian riley

I have lost 7 stone. It isn't easy, and the road is a very hilly one with lots of ups and downs but it is worth it.

Set realistic targets. don't plan to lose all the weight by Christmas and then be disappointed when you don't. Set smaller, easy to achieve targets.

Make small changes, plan meals, increase activity. All little things which can make a big difference.

I started of using MFP but I am now a slimming world member. I don't follow it religiously but it does help keep me focused.

Ultimately though knowing what to do is the easy bit, the hard bit is taking the step and doing it and keeping going. Good luck

My Dh was watching the great north run yesterday and told me that there was a woman running it who had a two year old who doesn't sleep. We have a nearly two year old who is a terrible sleeper and that's been my reason (or excuse?) for not exercising and eating far too much crap. It's so difficult to motivate myself these days, I used to run marathons and half marathons, but I've literally done nothing (well, I've walked places and been swimming once!) since she was born. I'm so fed up of my wobbly bits but I just can't stop eating crap, especially in the evenings. Thanks for starting this thread op, some really good ideas here. I think it's time for me to sign up to do a run and find something that I can occupy myself with in the evenings.

Great idea to order a fitbit! I got one and that really ebay kicstarted me - its a great motivator. Maybe we should set up a fitbit group and we can be friends on our fitbit and set challenges etc. Anyone up for that?

5:2 didn't work for me personally - what did was low carb. You can also check out the Low Carb bootcamp threads. The upside is that you can eat as much as you want, but as the protein keeps you full, you will get used to smaller portions and at least I haven't put any weight back even though I'm no longer low carbing.

Sir are your thyroid levels adjusted properly? My thyroid packed up permanently and I had it removed, but once I got the thyroxine right, I feel just fine. By right in my case I mean that my TSH has to be lower than recommended - if it creeps up to 3, I feel horrible. But most doctors would consider this perfect.

We have a nearly two year old who is a terrible sleeper and that's been my reason (or excuse?) for not exercising and eating far too much crap

We have a 3-y-o and a baby and both DH and I race most weekends, usually distances upwards of half marathon. It's tough to get out to train when you're knackered, but once I'm out there it's "my" time and it really helps to get my own space away from the crying, the feeding, the thrown toys, the shouting... I'm more mentally equipped to cope after a run. Plus being fit obviously helps with the exhaustion.

It's tough, obviously. DS was a terrible sleeper and DD recently went through an up-every-hour phase. But the thing is, sleep deprivation is tougher than any race you'll do.

I arrived at the start line of my last half having fed DD four times during the night, and barely getting two hours broken sleep. That shit makes you stronger - the run was a breeze in comparison!

Go for it, CAZY777 - an autumn 10k and a spring half could do you the world of good, physically and mentally.

Thanks Runningupthathill, I used to love the feeling of completing a run (not so much at the start tho). How do you find the time to train?

The only time I have is the commute and lunchtimes, as I work full time and DH works evenings.
So I run to/from work and on lunchtimes, plus a long run on weekends. DH and I also alternate who gets to do Parkrun.
When I used to work further away I'd get the train halfway home and run the rest.

op, I sympathise. I spent ages last year lying in bed with DS2 and doing that thing where you read a story out loud but think of something totally different; in my case it was all about how wonderful my diet would be and how much exercise I'd do when I started tomorrow. My kick-up-the-bum moment came 2 months later when I realised that I could have lost some weight by now if I'd just fucking got started

I started calorie-counting in early January and had lost 18kg by June. I'm not really dieting any more but have taken up running and a weekly fitness class. I'm one of the laziest people around so if I can do it you definitely can!

By the way, I tend to fit in a run immediately after the kids have gone to bed, or else I squeeze in a fitness DVD session (30 min max) when there's time. As with so many things, it's feasible if you are determined to do it.

I think 'treat' is a very bad idea. Junk food is really addictive and not something you can just eat a bit of.

OP I'm about 3 stone heavier than I want to be. I decided to lose the weight at my own pace by making small changes, and making sure any exercise I did was fun to me.

I started riding my bike to and from work, including 2 long, fun rides home per week. I'm also a massive foodie, but instead of cutting out/down anything specific I just decided to only eat the food I really enjoy, and not eat for the sake of eating.

The other thing I'm doing is trying to have a real-life example of weight loss, not just the mass lost. I have a bridesmaid dress that I wore in May and I thought I looked like a balloon in the pictures - last time I tried it on the top wouldn't even stay up, so I'm pretty proud of that.

The most important thing though was changing my attitude. No more feeling sorry for myself, no more looking in the mirror and thinking 'what a heifer', just focusing on the good bits and seeing the rest as a challenge that I'll conquer eventually :)

I think unless you learn how to moderate "junk" foods then you are doomed to fail.

Very few people can just cut out all "junk" (whatever that is). And a little bit of what you fancy does you no harm. Denying yourself is what is going to lead to binges

The key for me OP is to not think about how far away the target is. You can feel good on the journey too which will spur you on. You won't feel different overnight but after a few weeks of clean eating you will. I'm 3 weeks in and already look much healthier, lost all my bloated look, things fit better etc. It keeps me motivated to see these changes! In 3 weeks I've gone from hiding away a lot to going out more. Making a positive change is so good for your confidence.

Maybe the first step would be to accept yourself as you are now. Go shopping and buy clothes you feel comfortable and look great in. But a few day outfits and a going out outfit, so you can be ready and out the door instead of worrying about how you look.
Then when you are ready, you will make the changes you need to. You could start with baby steps. Get healthy snacks in so that you're not grazing on stuff that you'll feel bad about.
I usually make a big pan of soup at the beginning of the week and then I can help myself when i don't know what to eat.
And get some exercise. It's a good time to do it while the weather is warm. Enjoy how your body moves, and know it will get easier and more comfortable. But don't be tricked into thinking it will burn more calories, as it really makes a negligible difference that way.

Feeling positive !!
Went for a run fast walk before work this morning. It was really really hard to get my arse out of bed but gosh I felt amazing when I came home.
I feel a lot calmer as well. Best part was when one of my colleagues said I looked FRESH this morning....bloody hell. Not been referred to as fresh looking since before having dc.

Feeling hungry now though. So logged on here instead - win!

Oh I've downloaded MFP.
It looks really good. I love how it calculates calories in food and carbs etc.

Good shout!