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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you have to work hard at being slim

212 replies

Tobythecat · 31/01/2019 11:28

Do you ever eat cake/pizza? Im trying to lose weight and stop binge eating, but the thought that even if i become slimmer, will it mean i can never eat cake?

I really enjoy cake/pizza/pasta and would rather be a size 14 and eat these things once a week or so than be a size 8 or 10 and never get to eat them.

Interested to read your experiences☺

OP posts:
NameChanger22 · 31/01/2019 12:03

When I was slim I had to work really hard. I stuck to a 1200 calorie per day diet with 2 or 3 hours of exercise a day to stay a size 8. Then, I got pregnant and put on a lot of weight, mostly because I cut down the exercise.

Now to stay a size 12 I still have to exercise every day and eat mostly vegetables and under 1800 calories a day. I don't drink, smoke, eat takeaways, cakes etc but I'm still not thin.

When people tell me they lost a stone just by cutting down on wine or chocolate I get a bit annoyed.

SuziQ10 · 31/01/2019 12:05

Naturally slim and can eat whatever I like. Try to eat fairly healthily but do enjoy cake and pizza! And chips.
I do absentmindedly skip meals quite a lot, for example I probably only have breakfast 3 times a week. Occasionally no lunch. Sometimes it gets to 3.30pm and I realise I've only had a cup of tea and a satsuma all day. So while I eat whatever I want when I do eat, I often skip meals.

I have to work hard to put weight on, before a holiday or something when I want more of a bum / fuller legs, but it's really hard - almost impossible - without eating crappy foods and tons of carbs. I'm doing this at the moment and I've already had breakfast and lunch today and I will add an extra meal in somewhere .. two dinners Thursday.

Lovemusic33 · 31/01/2019 12:07

I have to work hard at it.

People always comment on how slim I look and they assume I’m just naturally slim, if I take a break from the gym or have a few too many treats I go up a dress size. At the moment I’m still trying to loose the Christmas weight and started back at the gym 2 weeks ago, before this I was swimming 4 times a week, I’m now going to the gym 5 times. In the summer I walk a lot and paddleboard so I find it easier to keep the weight off.

My diet is pretty varied, I try to be good during the week but eat what I like at the weekends (cake, the odd take away), which is fine if I exercise enough during the week.

halfwitpicker · 31/01/2019 12:07

My chickens are coming home to roost, and they are fat bastards.

^

Mawkish Grin

Waspnest · 31/01/2019 12:08

My chickens are coming home to roost, and they are fat bastards.
Grin

Waspnest · 31/01/2019 12:08

Great minds....

Babydreaming · 31/01/2019 12:08

I’ve always been very petite. I’m currently a size 6 and weigh 7 stone at 5ft3. I was a picky eater as a child and used to get called skinny at school and then people called me anorexic as a teenager. I’ve always eaten quite a lot. I don’t eat excessively but I will happily eat pizza, ice cream, cake, crisps etc! I’ve always had regular periods and have 2 children so I am healthy I’m just very petite! I have never dieted and never restricted what I eat. I consume about 2000 calories a day probably (although don’t count!) but am very active running around after 2 small children!

SubparOwl · 31/01/2019 12:09

Yep, have to manage my eating every single day. Confused

user1493413286 · 31/01/2019 12:09

I eat all of those things but in moderation: I have pasta once a week, pizza about once a month (oven rather than takeaway) and cake maybe once a week.
I have a little bit of chocolate most days as a treat but I fill up on proper foods. I do notice that people who weigh more than me eat bigger portions even if they’re eating more healthily than me

OhDearBeer · 31/01/2019 12:09

Size 6. Eat that stuff every so often, when I want. Otherwise life wouldn't be that fun.

Karigan195 · 31/01/2019 12:10

I have a thyroid disorder so yes. However once you reduce your intake your appetite will follow so if you get on to healthy habits you find it easier.

halfwitpicker · 31/01/2019 12:11

If I ate what I wanted I'd be a size 16/18 and a real mess.

Instead I try to stick to around 1400 cals per day and stay a size 8/10.

Yes I occasionally eat pizza and cake, but it tends to be homemade pizza and has to be really worth it to eat cake. I was recently at a really good restaurant in Dublin and sticky toffee pud was on the menu so I had that. Totally worth it.

The rest of the time I'm pretty healthy : I have a sedentary job so don't get much chance to burn calories off, so I just eat less of them.

OutPinked · 31/01/2019 12:14

Sadly yes and I do believe genetics play a part because both of my parents and all of my grandparents gain weight easily too...

I gained a lot of weight after I had my three DC in quick succession of one another and was the heaviest I’d ever been with a BMI of 38.6 so teetering on morbid obesity. It took me a year but I lost the seven stone required and felt amazing. I had to work extremely hard and was incredibly dedicated. During that year I’d say I had three or four slices of cake and maybe two take away pizzas. I ordered smaller pizzas than when I was fat and also note the slice of cake rather than half/whole cake I would have easily eaten before.

As soon as I let the strictness slide a little and started eating a bit more junk, drinking alcohol at the weekend again etc the weight started piling on again. It sucks but I do have to be strict on myself if I want to be slim, it doesn’t come naturally to me whatsoever.

dellacucina · 31/01/2019 12:15

No, but years of borderline eating disorders mean that I mentally (almost unconsciously) know the calorie count of everything I eat and I don't have to work hard to think about portion control. I generally load up on nonstarchy veg and lean protein when I want to feel full.

Many of my family members are very overweight so I am not sure whether I am naturally slim (I probably am though?).

I do eat pizza and pasta in moderation, and a few squares of dark chocolate every day.

At this stage if I eat very unhealthy food (particularly sugary carbs like pancakes with syrup), I actually feel terrible. I assume this would happen with anyone who abstained from unhealthy foods for a sustained period.

OutPinked · 31/01/2019 12:16

Also I had DC4 three months ago and I’m now ‘dieting’ again. I walk 16k steps most days doing the school run x2 and I’m eating around 1400 calories a day plus breastfeeding. I’ve lost 10lbs in 3 weeks so far but there ain’t much joy in it...

halfwitpicker · 31/01/2019 12:17

At this stage if I eat very unhealthy food (particularly sugary carbs like pancakes with syrup), I actually feel terrible. I assume this would happen with anyone who abstained from unhealthy foods for a sustained period.

^

Totally agree with this.

LanaorAna2 · 31/01/2019 12:17

My chickens are coming home to roost, and they are fat bastards.

GrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrin

morningconstitutional2017 · 31/01/2019 12:18

I've got down to 9 and a half stone from nearly 11 which took ages - at just over 5' every extra pound shows. It takes effort to maintain and I weigh myself maybe two/three times a week to stay on top of it. Not easy when you love crisps/cake/pizza as I do.

I try not to overindulge but if I do I make amends by going easy next day. Portion control is very important and it takes discipline.

But don't be joyless - I've a party this evening and I'll eat what I fancy without stuffing myself.

madcatladyforever · 31/01/2019 12:18

I am unable to lose weight or keep it off any more and just keep getting fatter every year so I'm going in for a gastric band this week.

greenttealover · 31/01/2019 12:19

5'3, 8.5 stone. I lost 2 stone doing SW as put weight on whilst depressed and all i ate was bad food. I eat pizza once a week (dominos/pizza hut) or one cheat type meal a week and manage to lost 0.5-1 pound a week still and do no exercise.

Dimsumlosesum · 31/01/2019 12:20

I used to be able to, and frequently did, and never put on weight. However now I'm mid 30s it's just piling on, though I'm not eating differently. Exercise will be my key as I refuse to starve myself for the rest of my days

BrightYellowHat · 31/01/2019 12:21

I have to work hard at keeping the weight off - and it's a losing battle at the moment! I've hit the menopause and odd things are happening to my body.
I will eat cake or pizza, but only small amounts.
My real downfall was cheese, but I am now lactose intolerant so that has solved that problem. Sad

planespotting · 31/01/2019 12:21

I think depends on age and whether you have had children.
After 35 and DC I am struggling, a lot

dellacucina · 31/01/2019 12:22

halfwitpicker no joke, i ate precisely that and a fair amount of coffee over the weekend and I felt like I was high (in a very bad way). I concluded it was the sugar rush combined with too much caffeine. So unpleasant.

Impicciona · 31/01/2019 12:23

I'm completely carbohydrate intolerant. If I stay low carb it's effortless, if I eat carbs I gain weight alarmingly fast.

I've lost 8 stone btw without a shred of exercise