to be ok with being my current size

[cjt110]

Before my son was born 3 years ago, I was 9stone. I am 5ft tall.

According to BMI and healthy weight ranges, this was near the top of the range but I was happy and felt slim. Since my son was born I have gained 2 stone. Partly due to age, an underactive thyroid diagnosis and just pure gluttony. We've been on holiday 3 times where a bikini/swimwear have been worn. Whilst I haven't felt great, I also haven't felt hideous. It's just my tummy that I have an issue with.

I have been trying to lose weight for some time and I cant. I'[m not going to blame my illness or anything but I just enjoy life and food.

I have gone from a 10-12 to a 14.

I feel OK in my skin on a day to day basis. Yes, I look back at old photos and wish I was that size again but I don't have the energy or determination to get back down to my ideal size. And I like my food too much!

Th only time I ever feel conscious is in swimwear/underwear. I've learnt to accept who I am.

So, is it ok to give up on that ultimate goal that I now feel isn't achievable?

Your personal trainer is talking out of his ass Raving!

This is nonsensical broscience

It certainly is not. Your body adapts to your routine and becomes efficient, i.e. it burns fewer calories doing the same thing over and over again. Sounds like you'd profit from a quick google search.

OP, would you include weightlifting in your routine?

It isn't always identified as being effective for burning calories, but it does, whilst delivering results that you can see and feel.

My relative is on the Posters for the NHS. He took up triathlons in his 60's, he has got rid of his borderline diabetes, high blood pressure, lowered his stroke risk etc. He is down to his ideal body weight, with really good fat/muscle ratio and bone strength.

If you can't manage more for a few years, you can turn things around later on.

MN is a bit hysterical about being as light as possible, or you're heading towards all sorts of issues.

RavingRoo that's a very catty comment. I'd question whether your PT knows what they're even talking about. How ridiculous to say that running slowly has no benefit. Being active as opposed to sedentary will always have benefit.

The greatest obstacle for most overweight people to getting active is attitudes like yours, belittling a disparaging them.

Obviously if you want to get good race times you will need to work on running faster, however you absolutely can get the health benefits of running by running at slower speed, slow running is significantly taxing for your heart and lungs as compared to walking.

Impacts are higher at higher speeds and for this reason slower running carries and lower risk of injury.

Let's big it up for the slow runners I won't have them sneered at on here!

I never personally found exercise (beyond say a 20 m walk to work) made much difference to my weight.

I had to not just eat less, but more importantly eat a bit differently. Less sugar for a start. Less bread.

OP, if your weight is stable and you are happy enough, then leave it. I suppose the real danger is it will continue to creep up. I find I have to keep an eye all the time to be honest.

I did weight watchers after my children. V dull but for me, v effective. I didn't do it until my youngest was gone 2y. By then though, I was properly unhappy with how I looked, and motivated . If you are not truly worried, then you are wasting your time trying.

You can bloody walk a mile in 10 mins. Should be running it faster

I ran the London Marathon averaging 10 minute mile pace (a long time ago). Some dickhead bloke asked the time I did and said "Pfft. I could walk it in that."

How many marathons had he run? Zero. It was unlikely that the fat little toad could run for a bus. Only dickwads make comments like that.

You don't have to go fast, you just have to go.

I find the exercise in particular cardiovascular exercise makes a huge difference to my body fat levels
However I understand that many people find exercise upregulates their appetite disproportionately so that they over compensate for the extra calories burnt

Personal trainers come out with all sorts of shit to make their clients think they need them instead of doing something alone like running.

OP I was in a similar situation to you. Though I wasn't running three times a week!

I started by walking everywhere rather than taking the car. I figured out that binge eating chocolate was my problem, my diet was ok otherwise. So I went cold turkey on the choc, and allowed myself to eat anything else, and a stone dropped off over 6 months without me noticing. Its been a revelation for me, chocolate biscuits can now sit in the cupoard for up to a week beofre the pack is finished, rather than 1 day!

So I would suggest see if there is one thing that is really a weakness and address that first.

Then start making other changes if needed. e.g. After that I have made small changes like salad for lunch a few days a week, changed from sugary cereals to porridge.

Hope that's helpful. If you are happy looking how you do now any weight loss due to healthier eating is a bonus.

Your attitude is very healthy and refreshing! BMI, although is a good guideline for health, doesn't take into account many factors and I say if you feel fine then you don't need to worry at all.

I've always been a bit on the bigger side, I know I'm healthy so I don't care what others think I should be.

Life is for enjoyment! X

I need to stop binge eating. Thats where m,y issue lies. But I crave chocolate and rubbish. I am currently subscribed to a weight loss programme and am not following it at all. Or kid myself that I am ... even after troughing loads of junk

This is your problem in a nutshell. All the diets and exercise programmes in the world won't work if you're overeating.

It sounds like you're supplementing your low energy levels with sugar. Eating sugar and carbs is one of the worst things for ME because it crashes your energy. You crave sugar because your energy is low but then you get a sugar spike followed by a crash and that continues the vicious circle. Too much sugar can also cause problems with your gut like candida overgrowth and IBS.

Personally I would get some counselling to address the underlying reasons for the binge eating. And change your diet to cut out sugars and refined carbs.

You should be able to sustain your energy better from complex carbs and more nutritious food at the same time cutting out sugar stops the craving for them.

MuseumOfCurry HIIT is worth a look. I id do the 30 Day Shred a while ago and found results. It was a killer but worked to help boost me.

Anatidae Yes, I may not be fast but I have gone from a none runner to where I am since August which I think is pretty good. My endurance has definitely increased. Not my time though.

Birdsgottafly I could include it, if I knew what to do! Hint hint

I really appreciate all the cpomments - even the not so helpful ones.

Have just been out and bought some lunch sized tubs so I can bulk cook some bits. Also going to meal plan. Will do my urnning and some HIIT at home to see if it helps.

You 'orrible lot I jest! have made me see that I am not 100% happy. And I need to do something

cjt100 just wanted to say thanks, as you have inspired me to get fitter. I previously got to doing 5k in about 36 mins like you but didn't keep going. I only lasted about 5 weeks so you are doing really well in that regard.

Thanks mama It helps me no end. I suffer from some MH issues and find running is my thing. Are you going to start running again?

That is the plan, I will have to let you know. Unfortunately it will mean getting up early and going out in this cold weather. But I have been putting it off too long.

mamapants I do the opposite end of the day. I finish work at 5 and either change and go straight from work or go running with my club at 645.

The running comments remind me a bit of some of the arguments about going into "starvation mode" and whether it's a real thing or not.

Rebeccaslicker I don't follow?

I would definitely recommmend hiit on the treadmill for 20 min as opposed to a 35 min jog . Sooo effective !

moonmaker Will it speed up and change the gradient? Is that what HIIT on a treadmill is?

Sorry - so some people claim that if you don't eat enough, your body will go into starvation mode and then when you start eating, it will pack on everything as fat.

Others say this is absolute rubbish and point to prisoners of war who certainly lost weight from starving and didn't blow up on release from prison.

It's the same sort of argument as "your body needs a shock, you can't do the same routine", "yes you can" that was set out above!

Ah ok, I follow now Rebeccaslicker

I think I worry about running at night on my own. I run with a group on a Monday but otherwise it's running in the dark on my own.

We do have a gym at the complex I live on which I can use. I haven't ever really got the gym and lose interest quickly in it whereas running, I have really got the bug.

moonmaker Will it speed up and change the gradient? Is that what HIIT on a treadmill is?

I would not change the gradient if your aim is weight loss.

HIIT on the treadmill is 3 x 3 minute sprints. You need to challenge yourself and keep going upon reverting to your normal speed. If your normal speed is 6MPH, I'd do 7.2-7.8.