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

@Moonflower12345 while it isn't an option for everyone and like you say it's all online, some people do really benefit from having the accountability to another person.

Knowing you've spent xxx on a session makes you turn up also a good PT can help avoid injuries if doing weights, and the nutritional person could help with tests to work out what diet is best.

I was busy eating high protein, good fats for years and training and have just been told through bloods that I have high cholesterol so have switched to a more Mediterranean diet, without some guidance or support I could of actually been causing a whole ton of issues.

But as you say there is now so much online it's confusing even to people who are well informed.

Everything in moderation and learn what makes up a healthy diet. Weight isn't all about a healthy body, you can be fit and weigh more and look slimmer, than someone who's unfit

Find something you enjoy, it doesn't have to be hours in a gym or running around the streets, it can be dance classes, horse riding, yoga. Start to experiment. I dislike exercise with a passion but found I love horse riding and there's a local dance class for people my age which I also go to.

I’d start with improving nutritional value in your diet. Can you replace the bag of chips? Can you eat fruit first and then half your normal portion of weetabix? How else can you make your diet more nutritious?

Next,I’d start with 30min walks thrice a week. I learnt over the years that the ONLY way to keep this walking thing going is music. Fast dance floor music.
Also can you take up a sport ? Swimming, badminton, tennis?

Weekly weigh-ins help :)

Lesley Sansome does fantastic walking videos on YouTube.

I would t go too drastic all at once

• porridge for breakfast
• keep your sandwich at lunch but on decent bread ( bakery) and no crisps.
• try and use less processed food for dinner ie make own sauces, and have half your plate veg.

Walk more.

Then gradually you can add extra exercise, maybe swap some lunches out for something else etc

@Rupertpenrysmistress Bodyfit by Amy on YouTube has loads of kettlebell workouts. I currently aim to do five a week as well as some of her kickboxing

Cutting down on wheat products and exercising is what's working for me. So stop eating bread, cakes, biscuits etc. You don't have to cut carbs completely.

Also, think before you scoff. Do you really need that biscuit? I got into a really bad habit of scoffing chocolate every day. Boredom, stress, etc . I didn't need it. Now I'm much more mindful of what I eat. I

Get up before everyone else and do a half hour workout. There are loads of freebies on YouTube.....mix it up a bit. Weights are amazing at any age, but particularly if you're around menopausal age. Plus, the mental benefits are awesome and you'll feel like you can tackle anything the day throws at you.

You got this!

As others have said diet is key, faddy diets however should be avoided.

Start with the key bits, plan your meals for the week, then tweak them to improve them, so make sure you are actually getting at least five a day (80g minimum for each portion). How are the carbs looking? I’m not saying cut carbs, but some people find their hunger and fatigue increases with carbs, so they often move carbs to their evening meal.

Snacks, well this depends on what you like, these are the sort of things I have, salted radishes, carrot sticks, berries, seeds, boiled eggs.

Make sure whatever you do suits you, remember when we change our bodies we’re making a permanent lifestyle change, so it has to work for you.

Small steps .cut out the snacks straight away ! Toad in the hole and roast dinners shouldn't be a regular thing if you want to lose weight. Maybe find a class you enjoy once or twice a week , exercise is good good the mind too and a bit of me time away from the kids will make you feel so much better.
Make small changes and stick to them and you will see results.
Spend some time and money on yourself if budget allows , nails , hair ( if that's your thing) , maybe overhaul your wardrobe and start wearing flattering clothes .
During lockdown I felt very low like this, I threw out all the old saggy cheap clothes and started wearing better stuff. I had so many unworn nice clothes that I don't know what I was saving them for . I don't wear a ball gown on the school run , but you get the gist!

[quote Moonflower12345]@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![/quote]
I remember reading an article by a personal trainer several years ago and this line stayed with me: "Men should train more like women, and women should train more like men."

So women should include some weight training rather than just doing cardio. And men should include some cardio (and focus on having the correct form rather than trying to lift extremely heavy weights badly!)

Timing for this thread is perfect. I've been swimming with dc on hol, I saw pics of myself last year swore I'd do something about it but didn't & now I'm heavier. 14st, wearing size 12 but some are too tight. Did Nutracheck trial last week and lost 1lb, which brings me to 13st 13, on hols this week but will start properly when I'm home.

I’m going to go against the grain and say that if you are eating in moderation and not eating tons of biscuits etc your diet is fine. It’s the diet that people in this country grew up on for years and weren’t overweight, we just move so much less and do less weight bearing work in our daily lives. I am basing this on the dieticians who regularly see my dad and say his diet is fine- my mum feeds us all well but the portions aren’t stupidly oversized and I think that counts for a lot! Eating mindfully helps too as does body acceptance and not getting anxious and stressed about food and exercise.

I know all too well the feeling of ‘lunch needs to be something I can fully create in 5 minutes’.

If you start trying to do loads of unsustainable things you just set yourself up for failure and if you are like me, start feeling guilty if you eat anything you actually enjoy or that has sugar in.

OP do you have a slow cooker? If so we could help with recipes for pasta sauces you could leave in them, then portion up and freeze to use instead of jars. Same with soup (swap weekday sandwiches to soup and a some crackers).

I've had great success on the Joe Wicks 90 day plan. There is also the Body Coach app now too. It's meal plans + exercise and the portions are tailored to your weight. The exercises are great and move up in intensity, mix of cardio and weights. Committing to something for 90 days I found was a really good boost, and I've continued with the principles since. The meals are good because they teach you how to fuel your body and you eat three big meals and snacks a day, it honestly didn't feel like a diet.

Intermittent fasting and yoga.

Definitely agree with small steps, and not trying to make massive changes too quickly which will be unsustainable and make you feel as though you’ve failed.

One thing that I would say was definitely worth the money for me is the Nutra Check app (£29.99 for a year, but you can do a weeks free trial)). Helped me a lot to limit some things and increase others - you do have to fill it in honestly though! I haven’t found anything I buy that isn’t included, and you can set up favourite combinations to add quickly. I might not get it right everyday, but the weekly report keeps me more or less on track.

If you’re craving the crunch of crisps, a couple of dry Ryvita make a decent and better substitute.

A ‘pastryless quiche’ is brilliant for breakfast/lunch - I make it with 6 eggs, courgettes, tomatoes, onion, extra mature cheese, various herbs/dried chillies (use any leftovers and veg you like). Bake in the oven until set, then can be cut into slices. Keeps in the fridge for 4 days, but mine never lasts that long - easy to put in a lunchbox and take to work too.

Keep a big airtight container of salad in the fridge - nothing fancy, maybe romaine/little gem lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, chunks of cucumber plus whatever else you like. If it’s there and ready to eat, I’m less likely to snack. Add a drained can of tuna/slice of pastryless quiche/leftover chicken etc and you’ve got lunch. Boiled/steamed new potatoes keep well too and bulk it up a bit.

Get an egg boiler! I do 6 eggs at a time and put them in the fridge - again, stops looking for other things to snack on and can have with salad, ryvita etc.

When you think you’re hungry, have a glass of water first - ups your intake, and I often think I’m hungry when in fact I’m thirsty.

There are some great links now here that I’m looking forward to checking out properly later (especially the workouts with weights which I really need to start doing). I know joining a gym works for a lot of people, but money is tight or you’ll struggle to find time to go (work, childcare etc) I’d start with the free stuff on You Tube first until you’re confident you’ll actually make use of a membership.

Good luck!