AIBU to think I can lose at least some weight in 2 weeks?

[PollyCazaletWannabe]

I am going on honeymoon to Bali on 14th July (wedding was last year but we had to delay our honeymoon due to work). I was relatively slim for the wedding but since then have suffered two miscarriages, and with a combination of pregnancy weight and comfort eating I am now about a stone and a half overweight :( At 5 foot 1, it really does show and I'm a size 14, which I hate as I was a size 10-12 last summer! Anyway I have now only got 2 weeks until the honeymoon. I'm not working (teacher in international school so we broke up last week) and have easy access to a gym and a pool. AIBU to think I can lose at least some of the excess weight and become at least a little more toned in 2 weeks by eating healthily and exercising every day? And does anyone have any tips about how I can do it please?

I'd say you can easily lose half a stone. Cut carbs, increase fat and drink lots of water. Have a look at ketogenic diet/Atkins (induction phase)

Yes of course you can! I've lost about 5/6 pounds in three weeks just by cutting out added sugar products and not eating between meals. And as a shift worker I'm too knackered to exercise. Just go for it.

Sorry, just realised there was no need to put the honeymoon destination I just meant that it's a beach holiday so it makes me more self conscious!

Thanks beanjean and longtalljosie! OK so I've got
Cut carbs
Drink water
Cut out added sugar
No snacks

Anything else?

My go-to diet is weight watchers pro points. So much better than smart points or slimming world. You can find it on Facebook (groups) and there's a great app called ultimate food diary, which really helps. You can earn extra pro points with exercise too. Just shifted 4-5 lbs in 2 weeks

You can do it and you already know how! Eat less food and do more exercise. It hasn't failed yet. Good luck and don't be me - socialising, work, toothache and multiple family birthdays have totally kiboshed my pre holiday weight loss plans.

I'm going down the fake tan and cantilevered bikini route. Everybody will be wearing sunglasses anyway so that's an effortless stone off right there.

Exercise. Just because I'm so knackered I can barely put one foot in front of another, doesn't get you out of it

Sorry, just realised there was no need to put the honeymoon destination
Show off!

You can get half a stone off. Do all the exercise as it will improve the look of your body no matter what size you are and will make you feel more confident. Use mfp, it's free and great! If you are good at being strict (I'm not) then cutting carbs and sugar will be a winner.

Have a great time and don't feel too bad about yourself, sounds like you've had a really shitty time.

Exercise, right can anyone recommend some stuff I can do in the gym? I literally have never been to the gym before My main problem areas are my tummy and upper arms.

I'm 5ft and managed 10 pounds in a week. I'm a size 8 for context. Did a shake diet, found it easy, saved a lot of money as I usually spend a tenner a day for lunch at work. Put 2 pounds back on when I ate normally as obviously system was empty before but kept rest off.

Exercise. Just because I'm so knackered I can barely put one foot in front of another, doesn't get you out of it

Weight loss is mostly diet actually. I lost 3 stone on diet alone - I'm a lazy bugger.

Obviously exercise is brilliant but it won't help you much with quick weight loss.

You can download some very good free apps if you don't belong to a gym. There's 30days abs, 30days better butt etc.

BeepBeepMove which shake diet did you do please?

I would concentrate on weights or things like push ups, planks- using your own weight- instead of cardio given your time frame.

Weights... Like free weights?

Exante, I know some people hate it but it works for me. I stick mainly to their shakes, some meals are ok but better for me just 3 shakes a day.

A combination of strength training and cardio is the best way to burn fat, but diet is the most important aspect. I would cut carbs and sugar, limited fruit, keep to a mainly plant and lean protein based diet. Combine that with Jillian Michaels 30 day shred for exercise, might be easier to follow and more effective if you are a gym novice.

You can definitely make a really positive change weight/tone wise in two weeks. Don't be scared of weights...I was always nervous of lifting heavy weights at the gym incase they 'bulked' me...but if arms are your problem you need to lift a decent amount of weight to make a difference. And kettlebells are amazing for arm toning.

Don't underestimate the other things you can do in two weeks...drink litres of water to not only help weight loss but give your skin a boost.

I would also highly recommend a home made coffee scrub which I did last year before holidays. Really easy, just get a couple of jars of strong coffee (high caffiene content), about a quarter of that amount of sugar and tip them into a big jug then mix in enough baby oil to make a dry-ish paste. Then wet your skin and scrub with it all over a few times a week (face and all). It's a bit messy but I noticed such a difference...my skin was smooth and glowing (never had the same results with a bought scrub) and I could tell the difference in the cellulite on my thighs.

Best way to kick start it is to go to bed without dinner at least one night.

Don't be afraid of the smell of the coffee scrub either...your bathroom will smell like Starbucks but once you've rinsed off it leaves quite a pleasant smell...faintly coffee-ish but you won't be stinking of it which was what I was nervous of!

I am trying to do similar but one stone over a month (but realistically its not one stone its just to look more toned and sort out my squidgy belly). I am not working right now as well but need to do free stuff so me and the dog are having long daily walks and I am doing Yoga with Adriene daily (see on Youtube). I have the app and am doing Empower daily and my pedal pushers pulled up this morning much easier than this time last week. On the youtube channel, yoga for weight loss is on there and is free.

Hello PollyCazalet (Elizabeth Jane Howard? Love those books). I am so sorry about your miscarriages, I have experienced pregnancy loss too, and it's bloody awful.

On the exercise front, can I recommend Callanetics? I am a total evangelist for this form of exercise - if you haven't heard of it, it's a range of exercises that are extremely effective at pulling everything up and in! Even if you don't lose weight it really will look as though you have. And if you do manage to lose a few pounds, it should be even more evident. Between now and your holiday you could happily fit in six sessions (of an hour each) and that should honestly be enough to make a difference. I know I sound as though I am their sales person or something (I'm not). But honestly, Callanetics is the only exercise regime I have ever done which actually works (quickly) in the sense of toning and therefore makes you look smaller. And you don't have to go to the gym. I have been thinking about my upcoming beach holiday too and have done about six sessions over the past couple of weeks - my bum has definitely moved up my legs, having been sliding downwards for several years!! You could alternate callanetics with swimming or something?

Whatever, have a really lovely holiday whether or not you lose weight beforehand. Sounds like you really deserve it.

Check out Richie Howey on Facebook-he's straight to the point and he knows his stuff. Have a lovely holiday please take me with you

I did one of those forever living alone vera plans, C9. I shifted 8lbs in the 9 days and felt really great. Also got comments on how i looked better (skin and eyes)
No I'm not a rep, yes it's expensive.

Aloe Vera **