Serious lifestyle overhaul needed!

[Hammy12345]

I need to massively change my lifestyle or I am sure I will end up having a heart attack or developing diabetes in the next 10 years or so. I am 5 stone overweight, lack energy and have massive sugar and carb cravings by the evening's which I find so difficult to manage. I have bipolar disorder and PCOS which don't really help with the weight problem. By the evening I feel too knackered to go to the gym and have the kids in the day so can't get there then. I don't really want to go to SW or weight watchers, but just don't really know where to start. I'm sure exercising would give me more energy but it's getting the energy to go in the first place. I cook homemade healthy food for our meals, and was a Nurse so not uneducated on nutrition. I just don't know how to control the urge for sugar and carbs at night and get the energy for the gym! I am completely committed to changing things and would be really grateful for some hints on how to get started!

Do exercise with the kids - how old are they? Bikes round park or toddlers in a bike trailer, swimming with them, even going to the rec to kick a ball about

Find a good vitamin tablet and also take vitamin d

Drink lots of water and cut out caffeine and added drinks sugar if you can

How old are your children?

Thanks, my children are 2 and 5

So, eldest is in school (obviously during term time)? Does your local gym have a crèche? Could you arrange to drop eldest at school, then go to gym?

I think sugar and carbs are simply addictive. I had real problems with sugar, so just make a point of not having anything sugar heavy in the house.

I also find, if I eat dinner at 7ish, I'm less likely to start picking at 9pm.

Yes, there is a gym very close to home with a crèche. I am currently at one that has no contract so could see about changing. Will also try eating dinner later, at the moment I do tend to eat early with the children. Thank you

I'd forget trying to get to the gym fir now and just try to run around with the kids (maybe get a Fitbit so you can set yourself goals?)

Then try to cut out refined sugar...it will be hard, a few days if he'll, but once you've got through those few days the craving will be gone.

Start the day with a good breakfast and drink 2.lt water a day. When you have a craving in the evening drink water instead.

May I gently suggest the 8 week blood sugar diet. It was life changing for me and many others. I am a mum of 6, loved the exercise and felt so much better sans sugar. Difficult first few days - you will pee for the UK, but my, you feel amazing once you get in to it.
The most empowering thing I have ever done!

You say you're completely committed to changing...just so long as you don't have to exercise or follow a diet plan.

Sorry if that's harsh but that's what I read in your op

You know what you need to do. Go cold turkey on the sugar. And do some exercise.

So what's really stopping you?

And I realise that sounds really brusque. I'm doing 8 things at one, sorry.

I'm also 5 stone overweight with bipolar and an addiction to sugar/carbs.

From Monday I'm planning to make some lifestyle changes, one thing a week as I find making a big overhaul in one go too difficult. Maybe we can be online lifestyle change buddies?

That's ok, what I meant really was that I didn't want to go to weight loss meetings and was looking for a long term lifestyle change rather than one of counting points and syns. I used to really enjoy running and was doing 10km three times a week. I guess it's just a case of forcing myself out of the door and getting back into a routine of it. Thank you though for your plain talking!

MyFitnessPal app has been a very useful tool for me to take a reality check on my daily calorie intake and adjusting it accordingly.
Walking your older child to school with wee one in a buggy for a few trips a week would also incorporate exercise into daily life.
Have you also got a bit of me time? I ask as you're a mum of quite young children and often overeating can be a warped method of self care- so you may be needing to treat yourself kinder.

I will look at the blood sugar diet, I think I have heard of it, Dr Michael Mosley was involved with it?

One issue here is that bi-polar meds have a side-effect of causing enormous carb cravings. They just do. I don't know a single person who is bi-polar who hasn't had that issue. And if you are on lithium it's even harder as that screws up your thyroid. I'm not suggetsing it's impossible, but it's not just your 'fault' or lack of willpower OP.

One thing that might help is to recognise what the carb cravings do for you mentally and find other things that trigger a similar sort of endorphon release. the obvious one is exercise but if you are knackered, one thing you could start by doing is drinking two pints of water after dinner, then watching youtube videos of singers you find really attractive. Getting a nice innocent crush on a rock star is an appetite suppressant. That sounds mad, but it helps physiologically as you get an endorphin or seratonin or whichever c hemical it is release from the feelings of happiness you get form listening to your favourite songs. Then you could move from those to some healthy eating affirmation style meditations, still without moving a muscle, and when you've done those for a while, try one of the 5 minute HIIT exercies videos and build up from there.

Something I do (I am overweight and like you hate dieting, but at least have managed ot maintain and not gain for a while) is add tiny amounts of movement to routine things. So I do squats when cleaning my teeth, side stretches while the kettle boils, calf raises while waiting for DC to finish in the bathroom.

It's not much but it's better than nothing, and if you are 5 stone overweight, the upside is that even tiny amounts of exercise have massive benefits as you are doing powerful weightlifting every time you move around.

Sorry about all the typos. I'm knackered.

As I say, I'm just trying to be blunt. Wish someone had been with me.

I've had a pisser of a day. DD2 at docs, massive work load. Long drive. Shitty meeting. Long drive home. Knackered.

But I went to the gym. Yes I was knackered. Yes I didn't want to go. But sometimes you have to force yourself.

I don't wish to sound sanctimonious. But if you really really want to make a change you have to force yourself. Until you want to. Get your trainers on and start C25k.

The exercise is only part of it though. It's the food that's the key. And with sugar and carbs the only way to crack them is to either cut them out completely or drastically reduce them. The less you have the less you want it (just one other way that cake is like sex )

You can do it op. But it takes real effort. I'm not sure that determination came over in your op.

Take the long term view. I was about 3 stone overweight at the turn of the year and decided that I would get fitter and eat more healthily - just move when I could and eat healthily most of the time. I thought I was in danger of getting diabetes and I was winded going up a flight of stairs. I have lost 22 pounds so far by making sure I do at least 10000 steps a day and sticking to 2 meals within a 12 noon to 8pm window. Small consistent effort has done it for me. I can't go on a diet - at some point you come off them. Better to make a lifestyle choice and just make small incremental changes. I take every opportunity I can to walk and eat healthily, with the occasional treat. What you ingest is key. Exercising is great, but you can't out train a bad diet. Unless you are a cyclist in the Tour de France of course. Losing 22 pounds slowly has been completely painless and I will carry on until I lose the remaining pounds. I am in no hurry. I feel like I have been reborn. The effect on my mood which has been in the doldrums for years, has been nigh on miraculous.

Take it a pound at a time and don't rush it. Treat yourself with kindness not sugary treats. You can do it. You don't have to make weightloss/fitness dependant on getting to a gym.

Yes, the diet by Michael Mosley. Buy the books, read them and DO IT! I guarantee you will be back to thank me. I am no diet junkie or yoyo dieter. This diet makes total sense and really works, not just as an initial 8 week weight loss boost but you then move into maintenance or 5:2 means of eating.
You will not know yourself!
Also... so impressed at the 10km walks! I could not do that! Have a look at MM thoughts on HIIT exercise.

Sometimes when you crave carbs, you think you need them for energy but you might just need a rest or sleep. Try going bed earlier if you stay up late.

Thank you so much everyone for all your really helpful advice. I have decided to follow the blood sugar diet and am on my second day. Will keep you posted how I get on!

Can I just add that walking is massively underrated as an excellent excercise and mood enhancer. Costs nothing although if you can download a good audiobook to an iPod, iPhone etc and stick your headphones in while walking, it makes it easier to motivate yourself to go.
Obviously this would mean you would need some help looking after your 2 year old.
Best of luck x

Those with pcos are advised to do low carb diets. I cured my diabetes with low carb high fat in 3 months and lost 5 stone.

Ignore all the standard NHS nutrition advice, it's flawed and of no use to someone like you.

Could you be prescribed metformin to help?