Fatties wishing to shrink

[jasper]

Wasn't sure what to call this thread , for those of us currently on a weight loss programme of some sort.
At my third weightwatchers weigh in tonight I had lost just one pound but that's fine, considering the amount of Coronation chicken I scoffed at a friend's house yesterday.
Got a bit depressed today when I saw some pictures taken of me about 15 years ago when I was young and about three stones lighter...

Pleased to report have now lost 1 stone and half a pound in 6 weeks with WW. Feeling so much better. I'm doing some rowing and gardening but no other exercise as I don't have the inclination. R

I still have 1 stone of pregnancy weight & half stone of 'would like to lose' left. Did not realise how difficult it would be to find time to continue regular exercise once you have a baby. B-feeding didn't get rid of a single ounce, am hoping that packing in b-feeding will help a bit instead (not packed in yet (have mixed since 4 months), but dd is now 7 months so considering). Getting better with 'balanced' diet, still can't believe anyone can manage to eat 5 portions of fruit & veg a day! (Do fruit gums count? )

Not wanting to be critical of anyone's diet choice as I realise how difficult it all is, but these no/low carb diets really concern me. Carbs are the bodies fuel. This link is worth a look.

Anyone who's going for atkins/Low carb, please take care & if you feel ill, please give it up. It's not worth it.

I have 6 weeks to go until I return to work and that seems to be incentive enough to stick to the 1500 cal/day programme (lots of soup for lunch, and low cal microwave dinners) - I really don't want to have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe of work clothes! Actually when I got pregnant I chucked out half my wardrobe (you know, the things you only wear when everything else is in the wash) and promised myself I could buy new work clothes as a treat - but I didn't plan on them being a size bigger! Have also been trying to stride out with the buggy most days - I try and plan an excursion that gives the walk some meaning (we've been saying for ages that we need a new bookcase so today it was a walk up to PJ2 furniture shop). We don't have reliable scales but I think I've lost about 8lb in the last 3 weeks - my clothes definitely feel a bit looser.

Have to say I tend to agree with Elwar re the low carb diet and caution etc.

Can I ask how do you all decide what your ideal weight/ target is? I'm not really overweight but would like to loose a bit more (put on loads when DS was born and have already lost 2.75 stones since) but feel I should loose another few pounds but maybe that target is unobtainable. What is your ideal dress size? I am fairly big boned but only 5' 4" and a size 10 which seems fairly reasonable on paper but I still think I could do with loosing a bit but maybe I am kidding myself?

Have to say I tend to agree with Elwar re the low carb diet and caution etc.

Can I ask how do you all decide what your ideal weight/ target is? I'm not really overweight but would like to loose a bit more (put on loads when DS was born and have already lost 2.75 stones since) but feel I should loose another few pounds but maybe that target is unobtainable. What is your ideal dress size? I am fairly big boned but only 5' 4" and a size 10 which seems fairly reasonable on paper but I still think I could do with loosing a bit but maybe I am kidding myself?

I went on Dr Atkins for a while last year and felt really ill and had terrible tummy trouble. I gave up and didn't lose any weight. R

V impressive Rhiannon. I lost just half a pound at my last weigh in, but that was fair enough considering the weekend's consumption of wine.The weight loss has averaged at about a pounsd and a half a week.
As for low carb diets, I was very skeptical till I looked into them. The Atkins book gives an extremely robust defence against allegations it leads to health problems.
I do believe that some people just do not lose weight even on 1200 calories a day and perhaps low carb works better for them .There are lots of threads on this on mumsnet already.
I have always believed the problem with trying to lose weight is you can stick to whatever plan you are floolwing reasonable easily for about 90% of the time, but you can do a whole lot of eating and drinking in the other 10%

I am going to put my vote in for healthy well balanced diet combined with exercise. And that diet is going to vary from person to person. Certain foods make me sick - I did the atkins in March - lost 8 lbs in three weeks, and got very very sick! Have since gone to eating healthy - low fat proteins, veggies, fruit, whole grains foods and exercise every day - slower process, but am feeling much better!

Still struggling with staying away from the chocolate covered pretzels that whisper to me from the pantry every time I walk by...

I seem to be stuffing myself with chocolate because I need the energy and otherwise am living on sandwiches. Can anyone advise me as to what I can eat for energy that is better for me but doesn't take too long to prepare? (even cups of tea are beyond me at the mo....) I only put on half a stone during pregnancy but I'm putting more on now I'm not!

Bananas

Sandwiches are good if low fat fillings - try deli wafer thin chicken/turkey etc, with light philadelphia and tomatoes

Cereal - plus skimmed milk. I love choc minibix. Most (MOST, not all) cereals are around 100 cals per oz. Do weigh them though, because a guessed ounce can be at least double that in reality

One thing that I would say is that it is worth preparing a meal if you can, because if you stuff a snack in, you will eat it really quickly and want something else. If you eat a balanced meal slowly, it is more satisfying in the long run.

Anyway, I have just eaten 1/3 tub of Mango sorbet! Hypocrite I know, but I have fallen off the dieting wagon. It could have been Haagen Daas though

HTH

Lost three pounds at this week's weigh in - that's nine in 5 weeks and I am starting to feel a difference.
Ionesmum.....bagels , fruit, pasta with some pesto mixed in, pitta bread with cold meat/salad/cheese, yogurt.

ionesmum - I went through kilos of cherry tomatoes when I was losing weight! They're great to fend off a snack attack, are fat-free and are SO good for you!

Well done Jasper! It soon adds up doesnt it? Gradually do it and it'll be alot easier to keep off too.

I find it so much easier in this lovely weather to eat salads and fruit etc.

Thanks, chinchilla & soothepoo!

JasPAAAHH!! Good for you girl!! I am doing crap. Well, I'm not doing anything at all - except eating, so feeling well fed up at the state of my stomach!!
Anybody know where I can buy willpower?

LOL salalex; I was just about to send out a search party for you
Hmm, the willpower one is tricky is it not. It just seems to wax and wane for no reason. I am having a no willpower at all day yet I was all fired up for a few days last week.

I haven't lost anything this last week - hrrmph!!
My goal of the final 3kg by the 9th july (my b'day) seems unnattainable now. Anyone got any ideas for getting over a plateau? - I lost a stone quickly and can't seem to shift the last 1/2!
PLUS, AM VERY FED UP as my mother took me shopping yesterday to cheer me up and everything I tried on was too tight - came away with a pair of sunglasses and 3 g strings from m & s - not what you'd call a complete holiday wardrobe, then - but I'm sure dh would approve

manna what kind of a plan are you following?
Is the problem that you are sticking to your diet and not losing or is the problem that you can't stick to the diet?
Do you know roughly how many cals a day you are consuming? I keep reading that less than 1400 should be avoided as your body may go into conservation mode and hang on to your excess stores. I have no idea if this is true or not but it does have a kind of intuitive logic to it. However if you are on, say, 1400 cals a day and are sticking to it but have not lost for a few weeks, should you adjust your intake up or down?I don't have an answer to this I'm afraid.
Are you exercising much? Sorry this is the same old boring stuff you know about already.
I think the "secret" of losing weight is that there is no secret, it's just a bloody hard slog.
Also I do think you can go for weeks without losing weight and then suddenly it starts to drop off again even though you have not done anything differently.
One practical suggestion - "cycle "your intake over the course of each week - have 1000 cals one day, 1800 the next , maybe 1400 for the next, then1200 then 1400 then 1600...you get the idea. I remember dedicated body buiders at my old gym used to do this to lose fat. Again , I have no idea if there is any sound scientific basis to this but it is worth a try

I've finally done it at last, I joined WW tonight after weeks of faffing about and putting it of. Got a bit of a shock at initial weigh in but its made me even more determined.
So any tips would be great!

Leander I think the initial weigh in is universally a shock! I was about nine pounds heavier than I anticipated. I had always weighed naked first thing in the morning, and had not weighed myself for a few weeks. The fully clad evening weigh in was a big shock but did help with the motivation. How much would you like to lose?

I would like to lose about 2 1/2 stone maybe 3. I have dreams of when i was younger, i was a size 8 till i was about 22 then i just spread, i know i'll never be that size again but a 10 - 12 would be nice!

Off on hols for 2 weeks now, so all the beer and wine I will no doubt consume will not make me feel any better -well, not when I look in the mirror anyway! Will have to run about on the beach lots!
i know what you mean about motivation Jasper. I was all fired up when i joined WW, then after a few weeks - and 9lbs lighter - went out for a massive anniversary meal organised by dh - and fell off the wagon. You're right, it is a bloody hard slog. my eldest dd squeezes my stomach and then says I should go back to Fat Club - as we call WW. What a fine example I am, introducing them to the concept of weight loss clubs at an early age! See you in 2 weeks

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Just discovered W W wine and its really nice and only 1 point per glass!!!!