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

I second sorting your diet first. That's going to contribute 90% to how your body looks. Ditch the cakes, biscuits & crisps - that in itself will save you loads of empty calories.

Intermittent fasting is great - of you haven't got binging tendencies and if you're not going to overcompensate. If you're new to it, I'd start with 13:11 or 14:10 perhaps :-)

Regarding exercise, use it as a tool to feel happier and better about yourself - not as a necessary tool to lose weight. Just move your body in ways you enjoy, at least in the beginning, be it dancing, yoga or walking..

Stay consistent
Make healthy choices most of the time
Don't beat yourself up when you "slip"
Stay positive
Stay consistent

Of course you can do it xx

Weight training will help you get motivated to exercise and eat healthily.

Try these:

Can I ask if anyone has any weight exercises, or people you follow. I have just got some kettle balls and there are so many exercises. How do you work out a routine? Typically how long? And how often?

Eat less! I know that sounds really patronising, but I tried intermittently for years to lose my post-kids weight, and found that none of the apps, calorie counting, fasting etc worked for me - I'd lose a bit and then put it back on. Finally, I decided to just - eat less. So, I consciously served myself a little bit less than I would have done before, every meal - particularly carbs, but I never tried to cut carbs out. So, if lunch before was a sandwich and fruit, I'd instead have an open sandwich and fruit (ie losing one slice of bread). If I was having pasta, I'd just have a big spoonful less than before. I never (or almost never!) had seconds. And I cut down my drinking from 5 or 6 nights a week to 3 or 4 nights a week.

Exercise - I don't do nearly as much as I'd like (sedentary job and busy with kids), but I did start walking more regularly (partly a lockdown thing). And I started doing a little regime of floor exercises nearly every day - only a few minutes, but some sit ups, press ups and weight squats. I don't do enough aerobic exercise (that's my next goal), but the exercises made a big difference to my muscle tone.

It's not a rapid weight loss - but I've lost a stone and a bit in 18 months and dropped from a size 12-14 to a size 10, and I feel great. For the first time, I'm really confident that the weight won't go back on now - I've got used to eating less and I'll stick to it.

Thank you!

Oops - that thank you was meant for @Moonflower12345

Am inspired to try weights having read all the positive comments here.

Incidentally, given you're a similar-ish age to me, I was talking to a GUM doctor the other day, and she was telling me about the importance for women of doing weight-bearing exercise before they hit the menopause, as it's a chance to build up your bone density before you start losing it. It was something I wasn't aware of - I didn't know you could actually improve your bone density through exercise. Another reason to hit the weights!

@Moonflower12345 am a massive Girvan fan too! Though my weights are at times less than a third of what she uses. @Mumbod2021 if you do want to take up strength training I highly recommend her EPIC programme. I have finally found my love for exercise doing this and have never been stronger.

Joe wicks 30 day book is good.
It shows you the exercises to do, with or without weights (just dumbbells). 30 mins each day. Really healthy food.
You will have more energy and get fitter.

I like his routine as each exercise is for 30 seconds then rest. So no counting reps, and it's not boring.

Lucy Wyndham read also has a good YouTube channel. A couple of her short workouts each day would be ideal.

I actually went from a VERY flabby size 22/24 to a 14 top/16 bottom (big belly as stomach muscles knackered) at 5ft 8 without losing much weight due to working out at the gym 5 days a week. Totally changed my shape despite only actually losing just over 2 stone as I can’t take my own advice on diet .

Thank you so much for the replies it is giving me some good ideas.anonymousa cutting carbs is a good suggestion I hadn’t thought of adapting things so they have less carbs thank you

@haaaahoooo we should be shouting about weights from the rooftops. The health benefits for women as we age from weightlifting aren't publicised nearly enough!

@ManxRhyme I use piddly 3 and 5kg dumbbells and have still seen amazing results! Come join us on the caroline Girvan thread in exercise!

You don't need to do anything extreme like cutting out carbs! A balanced diet is the key, it really is. Whatever "diet" you choose to do, make it one that works for your lifestyle and that you can stick to.

Look up the Blast programme with Annie deadman. I did it last year and lost 7kg. I’ve continued with the exercise and now have toned arms and muscles all over. My sore back and hips have gone since strengthening my back and core etc. I feel so much better and it’s great to see a change! I’m 57 and have become aware how important strength training is for a good future. Good luck.

@Rupertpenrysmistress

Can I ask if anyone has any weight exercises, or people you follow. I have just got some kettle balls and there are so many exercises. How do you work out a routine? Typically how long? And how often?

Look at Jillian Michaels Lift and Shred or Shred it with Weights. If you still have a DVD player then you can find them on eBay. I've just started Caroline Girvan workouts on YouTube. I bought my hand weights on Amazon and a kettle bell at Aldi. No gym membership needed.

Yup Joe Wickes stuff is low carb for 1/3 of the days meals.
Weights are definitely the way to go! Start with filled 500ml water bottles and go from there

@Missdotty

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 agree with this - eating proteins such as yogurts and eggs (no sugary yogurts though!) helps to keep you full without any snacking at all. With the Pilates or Yoga, I strongly recommend you go to classes - the videos simply aren't any good - you need a teacher to tell you exactly how to do each move - I've been doing P for 2yrs now and I'm so glad I go to classes - you think it's easy when you watch, but it's really hard work - my teacher always says if you think it's an easy workout, it means you're doing it wrong.

OP, here's a suggestion. Choose five things you could realistically do from all the ideas in this thread.

Write them down and check off your progress daily in a diary.

Get your children onboard to support you. Frame it as 'Mum is getting healthier' rather than a weight loss programme (don't want to encourage food restriction in young people).

Evaluate each week to see what is successful and whether you need to change any of the five things you're working on.

Be nice to yourself and give rewards for progress each week such as coffee with friends, day trip out with children, some make-up or flowers for yourself.

Avoid a diet, speak to a qualified nutritionist instead.

I’ve just read through the replies, most is absolutely terrible advice. Please do not cut carbs, the body needs carbs. At a minimum you should be eating 30g Fibre per day, and at least 90g of protein per day. These two things are very important. Like I said speak to a qualified nutritionist, they’ll help you with your diet, goals, etc, and work out your TDEE. The only way to lose weight is by being in a calorie deficit, and don’t do an extreme calorie deficit, that’s a recipe for disaster.

You also don’t need to be working out 4/5 days a week. Simply upping your NEAT will work wonders, aiming for at least 70k steps across the week. If you want to start strength and conditioning work, Which I highly recommend, please speak to a qualified PT and do your research because there’s a lot of bad eggs.

Good luck 😄

I would start pretty small. Can you get a pedometer (not a phone one or you don't have it on you all the time)? Look at your steps per day, it may be a lot less than you thought. Don't aim for 10,000 a day if that's too many, set a small goal, try to do that for a week. Then move up 500 til you are doing a few thousand a day. Walking, running, dancing, just move more.

You do need to look at diet- but as someone above said, you need to be sensible and careful and not just cut out something then binge later putting it all back on. I prefer calorie counting, taking account of calorie dense/good value calorie foods. Others like 5:2. You need to know yourself, where your weaknesses are and what's most likely to work for you. Even just making one change a week would help- so I'd cut out the crisps/cake for lunch, and make the lunch something like 2 eggs and a small slice of bread. Not two slices plus crisps. Fruit fine.

That's quite a small change, but you are consuming quite a lot of calories for no real enjoyment there. I'd save it all up for a delicious dinner!

It is possible to change your bod, but realistically and slowly, if you do anything drastic you will end up giving up, so the idea of writing down your two changes for the week (get a pedometer and cutting the lunch calories down) and doing more research to see what might suit you would be plenty. The trick is to make this the long game so it's simply part of your life, not some horrible diet/exercise fad.

Is it possible?? I'd say Yes, yes it is.

I read James Smiths Not a diet book and signed up for the freebie bits on his app to help with nutrition - he tends to advocate protein protein protein and calorie deficit.

I also found Sydney Cummings on YouTube who posts free daily workouts (and is quite weights based but I improvised to start with)

Followed her workouts all through lockdowns and came out the other side 2 and a half stone lighter but also fitter, stronger and more toned than I've ever been (and I'm nearly 43) I've got guns that I am pretty darned proud of 😁😁

I'm back at the gym now but still use the JSA app and do a Sydney when I can't get there.

I think the secret is finding something that you enjoy or find you grow to enjoy doing. But it needs to be both nutrition and food as others have said and Consistency Consistency Consistency whilst not beating yourself up when (inevitably - we are only human!!) you accidentally fall off the wagon.

Good luck!!!

I don’t think anybody said cut OUT carbs mindyourownbusiness22 It was cut down on carbs . You do realise there are carbs in fruit, veg, and dairy. The OPs diet is carb heavy having wheat products at every meal from her meal examples which is why she was advised to reduce them as you do lose weight and change body shape faster through low carbing. There are plenty of thread on here about it.

She also labelled her thread as wanting to TRANSFORM her body not just lose a bit of weight and get a bit fitter. That is a whole different ball game in terms of exercise as well.

So many bloody rude people on here!

You absolutely don't need a nutritionist, everything you need to know about nutrition you can google. TDEE, NEAT, what fat/carbs/protein is for etc. Even how many calories are in foods you eat everyday (this is a huge eye opener). Making better choices, slow release carbs and adding more veg.

You also don't need a gym, or a personal trainer. There are a million workout videos on youtube, take your pick. Zumba, pilates, barre, weights whatever you like. Aldi and lidl have cheap dumbbells now and again. Or try couch to 5k if home workouts aren't your thing.

But honestly, you don't need to spend money. That just isn't an option for everyone.

I think I have a decent body;
Don't drink in term time
Breakfast Mon-Fri is fruit (sweet clem @ 6 and bannana at 9)
40 squats and 4 min plank every morning before my shower
Run 20k on a good week (3 runs)
Try not to have seconds
Pudding only once a week.