Losing Weight - please help getting desperate!!!

[lulu40]

I know there are various threads about this already but can some of you please help with what gives you motivation or indeed once you have started the dreaded diet/healthy eating plan!! to keep on going. I find myself every single week starting over as I just cannot stick to anything. I am at my absolute heaviest now including being pregnant and feel so ugly/fat and old for want of a better expression. I dont want to be anything ridiculous like a size 10/12 a size 14 would be just fine as some shops only sell clothes up to a size 14 - I need to lose about 2 stones - not a lot of time for exercise also because of work/son etc etc - any suggestions?

Hi lulu40 I really sympathise because I've tried lots of diets and none helped. Don't try to diet when pregnant but get one of the books about how your body reacts to food by producing insulin. (The Glucose Revolution, Leslie kenton's book The Syndrome X diet or the GI Factor. Follow the principles about eating complex carbohydrates rather than simple ones. Its a healthy way to eat so you can do it when pregnant as long as you don't watch calories. Also come to the January thread and get some support.

Sorry about the confusion but I'm not pregnant what I meant was that the only time I ever weighed this much was when I was pregnant - thanks for your tip Wendym.

lulu40 - If you're not pg, then the world's your oyster in terms of dieting. If you've read the other dieting threads, you'll know that I'm trying the Atkins diet at the moment. I've been on it since Jan 7 and have noticeable results already. I know I go on about it, but for me it has been a godsend. I too, have found it really difficult to stick to more conventional low fat diets, as they make me feel depressed and hungry, and inevitably I would give up after a few days and pig out, so then I'm even worse off than when I started. I thought I'd give Atkins a go as I'm 30 this year so would like to celebrate my birthday looking fairly good, instead of a fat, frumpy bag. If you haven't heard of Atkins, it's the low carb/ high(ish) fat/protein diet. A strange way of eating I know, but it does work. I'm also doing more brisk walking when I have the chance instead of driving which is good fat-burning exercise. The Atkins book is on offer with The Book People at the moment for £2.99. If you want any further details let me know and I'll be happy to help.

pamina - I will be sloping off to a quiet retirement home for my 30th. Just me, kids and dh (who wouldn't dare mock the elderly!), The Golden Girls and Chas 'n' Dave on the old joanna!

Only joking - I'm going to have a big p**s-up at my house organised by myself no doubt, as I don't think anyone else will be arsed to do it. The lengths I'll go to for a drink, eh!

Ah, but I could drink you under the table, my girl!

True, but I've got a plentiful supply stored up in my thunder thighs for times of drought (do you spell it like that, my mind's gone blank?) just like a camel!

lulu40, I'm going to try and imagine myself naked before I eat anything to truly remind myself not to eat if I'm not hungry!!! if that doesn't work, I'll have to accept my nicely rounded natural shape!

Wow SueW, I'm impressed, well done to you for your weight loss. Hope I might beable to report some stunning statistics too soon. Love the idea of the lardy statue, now that really would be a good incentive NOT to eat!

SueW, what an inspiration you are... Well done you, thanks for sharing your experience with us. I will be where you are at by the end of the year... Good luck Lulu40

Well, SueW was at the Christmas lunch in London and she really does look fantastic. What on earth do YOU go to Weightwatchers for, SueW! That is a really inspiring post. Lulu40, I'm in the same boat as you, so good luck. I'm going to bear SueW's tips in mind from now on - in fact, I might even print them out and stick them on the fridge.

I lost nearly four stone in six months. I had tried lots of diets before this and none of them had had lasting success. I have kept this weight off for two years now.

I found that the key to my success was to learn to love my body. The posts below about reminding yourself what a fat pig you are to help you stop eating really upset me. When I was thinking like that I would starve and binge as I went through a cycle of punishing myself and then misery eating. In a way the eating was punishing myself as well, I used to cry while I ate chocolate.

I only got out of this cycle when I read a book on Neuro Linguistic Programming and decided to talk myself into a healthier body shape. I designed myself a healthy diet and decided that I would not punish myself, if I failed to stick to it I would just try again. Whenever I got hungry I would give myself a healthy "treat" like dancing to my favorite song or having a bath with some nice smellies. I walked with my son until the wheel fell off the buggy, we explored the town until I got to know every street. Most of all whenever I got on the scales I told myself that I was a worthwhile person and I deserved to have the body shape I had chosen.

When in pizza express asking for a salad with the dressing on the side I had to tell myself over and over again that the salad was a treat leading to slim thighs whereas the pizza would be a punishment would mean another week before I reached my goal.

When this works and you loose the fat and see your body toning up it is the best thrill in the world.

That's true ChloeR, losing the fat and seeing a new body emerge is very thrilling and does encourage you to keep going. Having said that, I'm not in my usual enthusiastic-about-dieting mood today as I'm feeling a bit poorly. The glands are all swollen in my neck, my throat's sore and I feel generally like a pathetic wretch - other than that, I feel great. There's no time to be ill when you're a mother!

Thanks everybody especially Sue you are an inspiration. I'm finding it easy enough at work where I used to reward myself with a choccie bar and can of coke at lunchtime but night times are still a bit of problem. I hunt around the kitchen for some new to feast on!! I think by the end of this week I will have consumed anything remotely fanciable!! Was going to swim today but have started a cold - yeah another excuse - I'll keep you posted. One of my main reasons for losing this 2 stone is so I will not be so big if I ever get pregnant again - been trying for a few months now - not as easy as it was first time round- and to all you young chicks out there 30 is nothing I will be 40 in February and am really feeling old!!!

Sorry, bit late with my compliment but I saw the before picture of Suew and then again at the meal and I was like, are you sure that's you??!!!

I have too lost some (not quite as impressive as Suew) Last March I weighed 14 stone 4 and am now 11 stone 7. At 5'10" I am well in the right weight for height guidelines now but just want to get rid of another half a stone to a stone. I've not really been trying too hard after xmas, cos the constant round of 'ooo haven't you lost weight' from once-a-year friends was enough to make me forget about trying for the rest. I've been avoiding these threads for ages but now need to face up to my fears and hopefully look great in strappy summer vests (Sorry for mentioning that S word, but I can't hide in my long, woollen coat forever) SO today I'm saying that I'm gonna start trying again. Suew, if you need to lose about the same as me then maybe we could keep each other posted -bit of a friendly competition?

Here's looking to Summer

While reading this I was thinking I haven't got an occasion to aim for, then I remembered - the Mumsnet get together! It's going to be a long haul this time, as I'm on medication to slow my thyroid gland down. At the moment I'm not feeling too bad about my weight as it's staying roughly the same. I think the bacon butties for breakfast (at work) will have to go.

Gah! Kind of wishing I never asked you suew, ha ha! No, seriously I'm aiming for 11stone so will try for that - ok, challenge on!