To want to transform my mum bod

[Mumbod2021]

I have a 9 year old, 11 year old and a 13 year old. I have never exercised, I am a size 14 with a mum tum and my thighs are big, I think I look pale and squishy and out of shape. Is there any hope for me? Diet? Exercise? Has anyone managed to transform themselves? I eat a standard diet, weatabix for breakfast, sandwich crisps fruit and a yogurt or cake bar for lunch, dinner dish bol or toad in the hole or roast etc snack on fruit or biscuits or crackers and cheese and olives. I noticed my 70 year old auntie has better legs than me abs I’m only 40. I don’t know where to start but I’m recently divorced and would like to love myself and my body again after always putting myself last. What’s the best diets and exercise for a classic mum bod? I want to be firm and toned, not as much worried about size, a 10 or 12 would be great, I’m only short and look a bit dumpy at a 14

What do you enjoy? Do you like meat, salad, roast veg type meals, or would you be better eating your normal food but less of it?

For exercise, what do you like, or what did you used to be good at? Something like Couch to 5k is great, or a home class like Jillian Michaels or Davina or whoever you get on, or if there’s a good gym or circuits session near you and you can afford it you could do something more tailored. Lifting weights is great along with some cardio if you like the gym.

Couch to 5k is good to do with the kids either running or alongside on bikes if you can’t leave them - the perennial problem of no time to yourself with being a single parent.

What I would say is it's only weight and if you want to shift it you absolutely can. Intermittent fasting such as 5:2 is awesome. Weight loss is pretty much only about diet and nothing to do with exercise. Ime exercise makes weight loss harder as it increases appetite and makes dieting rock hard. However exercise is great for toning, something like Pilates, yoga, or weights, squares etc you can do in front of the TV at home on YouTube or Les mills or similar sounds like it might work well for you in terms of childcare. And take opportunitues you can to exercise as a family such as swimming, junior park run etc. I had a similar transformation at a similar age, it can be done and with determination and motivation is surprisingly easy. A key for me is hydrating lots instead of eating when feeling a bit snacky! And don't drink any calories.

I've been swimming for about 3 weeks, I usually swim for 45 mins 4 or 5 times a week and I'm starting to notice a difference in my shape (I don't weight myself)

Sort diet first. Intermittent fasting and reducing carbs, upping protein and good fats. I think it's important to get appetite correction first and diet right then embark upon exercise because as PP said, your diet can derail quickly if you have increased appetite from exercise. And weight loss is almost all about diet, though exercise is important for cardiovascular and mental health.

I lost 5 stone and got a perfect body some years ago by going to Wu Shu Khan kick boxing classes. They were gruelling but I got .y body back. I absolutely loved it after the initial shock and used to go three times a week.
When I started the classes I was a proper pudding. A year later I had a body I never dreamed of.

Kwan

You need to do a combination of diet and exercise. If you only diet you could end up with loose and saggy skin, if you only exercise you could end up eating the wrong foods for weight loss as you feel hungrier. You need a nice mix of cardiovascular and toning, running and yoga or cross-fit.

Meditaranean diet - lots of vegetables, protein; few and only healthy carbs; little sugar.

Exercise!!! look up the following on YouTube and see which of them ring your bell:
Lucy Wyndham Read
Rebecca Louise
Growingannanas
Jake DuPree
Ranier Pollard

• (health warning - she's fierce!) Caroline Girvan

Sorted

Agree that weight loss is mostly diet! I am 41, 3 kids and lost 3 stone last year. Better shape than I have ever been in in my life, I almost have abs and after 3 c sections I never saw that coming!

I calorie counted, but best thing is to find what works for you and is sustainable. People will tell you CC takes ages, but it honestly takes me 3 minutes a day. However, if that isn't for you (each to their own, maybe you prefer 5:2 or slimming world, or something else!) I reckon that most people would see changes simply by drinking more water, making half of their plate at dinner vegetables and going for a 30 minute walk every day.

I also recommend strength training. Doesn't have to be heavy weights, I use 3 and 5kg dumbbells 5 days a week and am ridiculously toned now. It has completely changed my physique. There are so many health benefits from it I can't praise it enough.

Intermittent fasting

‘Mum bod’?

I think I just lost a few pounds vomiting at that term.

Swimming could work for me when the kids go back to school. With diet I think I will struggle as I’m hate cooking and am not very good at it. I use a lot of jars and packet sauces etc

Sorry for typos fat fingers!

I want to do this too!

@Moonflower12345 what weights workout do you do please?

Your typical day’s food intake appears to be almost nothing but highly processed carbs. Cut those out, make the majority of your carbs from vegetables, eat more protein to feel fuller for longer, make sure you get a decent amount of “good” fats which are also important for health and feeling fuller: very low fat diets don’t work long term. The best exercise you can do is weightlifting for toning, core strength and body confidence.

Time to learn proper basic food prep. Lots of sugar in jars. OK occasionally but that's where the squishy bod comes from, the water linked to the carbs.

Good thing is that cooking from scratch can be simple as it's not fancy. Have a wander through paleo food prep, add oats & decent carbs, do some weights, all good

So would something like porridge for breakfast, omlette and salad for lunch and salmon rice and veg for dinner work? What about snacks?

Some weight training helps a lot as muscle burns more calories than fat.

Try fitness blender in you tube as they are I my ten minutes long.

Exercise like cardio makes you feel good about yourself so while it won't always help lose weight when dieting it's always good to feel good about yourself!

Maybe I could join a gym with a pool so I could also do some weights

Anyone can learn to cook. Also remember it’s not about calories, it’s about health, and jars are full of unpronounceable shit to make them last and to taste good as they’ve been processed to death.

Dolmio is a great example, when to make your own sauce you just need passata, a good stock, garlic and some Italian herbs. I’m also a fan of a dash of balsamic vinegar too. Much nicer than jars!

Dr chatterjee talks a lot about nutrition and he isn’t a fan of snacks. Listen to his podcasts and read his book.

Your diet sounds really bland. You can eat nicer healthier foods.
Start with your diet.

@Muuuuuuuuum1 I started with the dumbbell programmes on the muscle and strength website. There are different programs, I've done them all and they are very good. They all have videos to show you how to do the exercises. Take time to learn them properly and maintain your form!

Now I do Caroline Girvan videos on youtube, they are amazing and I've seen great progress, however I wouldn't jump into these without having some experience of lifting weights and the basic movements as they are pretty hardcore (she does have a beginner series, but I would still learn the basics before having a go at that).

If you want to totally transform, you need to cut down on carbs massively from your current diet.

Bol without the spag (courgetti?)
toad without the hole (sausage traybake with peppers/onions/cherry toms, heap of greens on the side
salad and cold meats/boiled eggs/tuna instead of a sandwich for lunch
fruit/yoghurt/omelette for breakfast etc.
Apple slices with peanut butter, Savoy cabbage crisps, houmous/cream cheese on celery sticks.

Weights and HIT cardio 4/5 times a week

8 hours of sleep and 3 litres water during the day.