Feeling down about weight and body

[Theresalwaysmoneyinthebananastand]

I am not overweight or close to it, but I feel like I spent half my life bloated due to menstruation, heat waves, and so on.
Just sick of having a big bloated belly, wobbly huge thighs and bottom heavy.
I used to be a size 6 and wore skirts, shorts and so on, now I cover up all the time which is a shame.
I am big chested too so have to be careful which sorts of tops/dresses I wear, find myself trying to cover them up usually.
For breakfast I eat either porridge or Greek yoghurt with honey and fruit.
Lunch a wholemeal sandwich with protein or a jacket potato with cottage cheese for instance, and a packet of low fat crisps or nuts.
Dinner can vary, but tends to include protein, carbs and vegetables.
I snack on small pepperami sticks, cheesestrings etc as they're low carb and high protein.
I do treat myself each day to a couple of biscuits, or a brownie or something.
Don't drink any alcohol at all.

I do exercise, i don't constantly do high intensity workouts but I do weights, walk a lot, bike etc.

Today, I ate porridge with honey for breakfast, and an apple.
Morning snack- cheesestring.
Lunch- falafel and bean wrap.
Afternoon snack- pepperami.
Dinner- pasta Bolognese with veg and some cream custard biscuits for dessert.
Snack- baked crisps.

I don't think this is a horrendous diet, it's not absolutely perfect but I don't see how I could be so out of shape.
Appreciate any feedback and suggestions.

I've just googled that.. that's sad, I went to school with a girl who now looking back must have had that to an extreme extent, it's a shame for her.
I don't know if it's that, it's just more that I'm very pear shaped I think and carry weight on my thighs and stomach

Does your stomach hurt when you bloat?

I've had bloating my whole life. Like look 9 months pregnant bloating. Then I did a food intolerance test and stopped eating everything on it and it worked!

I'm intolerant to random foods like blackberries, tangerines, gelatine and shellfish. All things I ate without a second thought. It may be worth a try.

On the plus side I didn't get a single stretch mark during pregnancy because my stomach was so used to bloating.

Op, I totally know what you mean.

I'm not really upset about my size, it's the fact I'm so jiggly. It's upsetting because even in my early thirties with two preteen children, I was a very toned size 8. Now after third baby I'm pushing a size 12 and my body is just very different.. Jiggly legs and big wobbly belly etc. I'm 5"8 so I'm not overweight at all, but I really dislike my new body 😔

I already weight train, so..

If you’re apple shaped and trying to be skinny by limiting food intake, then your stomach will be the first to “show” (not that this should be an issue anyway but this is the crux of your post…)

But if you work out, build muscle mass, increase your calorie intake and especially water intake… then bam. You may be in the proportions you seek but that’s nothing compared to the real benefit of being strong and fit for what you need to do in life

The bloating is probably caused by all the beans and veg you are eating. Fibre ferments in your gut, producing gas.

I have it and the bloating has hot worse during periomenopause. I was bloated for 6 weeks this time around, as my periods are no longer regular. Bloody hate it because, as uou say, you just feel fat. No amount of cardio will shift it either.

You need to to drink a lot more water, much more, at least two litres a day and cut down on the fruit juice, diet soda and milkshakes. Fruit juice and diet soda can cause bloating and water retention. Water is the best thing you can drink, and often being bloated and retaining water is a sign one isn’t drinking enough.

If you are feeling bloated after meals, it might be worth look at FODMAPS as chances are, it’s something you’re eating that is fermenting in your gut.

I'm also sick of the constant weight gain before and during my period, it makes you feel like you've been overeating when you haven't, as I say it's about half the month every time and I feel like there's little that can be done about it sadly.

Sorry no advice, but same here. I drink only water and plenty of it, so I know it's not water retention.

I work so hard to eat well and exercise every day but my hormones make me look pregnant and then I want to give up.

Drink much more water.

Cut out the biscuits and crisps.

Have more veg, hummus, unroasted, unsalted nuts, unsweetened non fat yogurt. Try to cut back on gluten.

Can you swim? Use a treadmill or stationary bike at a gym? Lift weights?

Take vitamin B6 in the second half of your cycle.

Thanks for the tips!
Yeah hormones are a pain :(
I have a pool at my gym yes, so I'll try that alongside the weights

You need to completely cut out the fruit juice and the diet soda.

Drink water.

Fizzy, flavoured, unsweetened water will help if you like the fizz of the soda.

Obv no more milkshakes either.

Try yogurt kefir instead.

I second kefir to drink instead of milkshakes and ++++++ water.

I bloat too with hormones and carbs so I feel your pain. I'm 5'5" and about 65kg so could do with losing a stone really but I've stopped exercising and need to start again!

If your stomach is always bloated, then I would seriously suggest you see your GP to rule out anything more sinister.