Please Help, I need to lose a fairly significant amount of weight, get much fitter (without further damaging my lower back) and give up smoking - first check point in 4 weeks!

[yorkishbirdy]

This may be long, but I have no idea what I am doing and really need help and advice!

I need to make some decent changes, my first checkpoint is in 4 weeks time and my end date is in 3 months. I have never been on a diet in my life and have no idea how to calculate calories, %fat etc etc. I also have damage to my pelvis and lower back so I cannot change my excercise levels without being very very slow and careful.

So, I need to lose 2 stone overall I would also like to take the opportunity to detox. a little? My initial thoughts were to stop tea and wine and up my water (how much are you supposed to drink BTW?) With diet I guess cutting out fatty sweet stuff? I hae been told to keep my calories below 1500 per day, is that right? How do I know what calories there are in fruit and veg though?

For excercise I suppose I am left with swimming? I thought I could just try it out and do as much as my body can cope with, building it up over time? Unless anyone knows of a way of excercising without moving either the lower back or pelvis (it is movment not impact that causes the most trouble!)

Oh and to top it all off, I am giving up smoking too (which I have to do, for various personal reasons - it is not actively killing me yet but I think I have used all of my good grace with that one).

So, how realistic is this? Can it be achieved, does anyone have any suggestions at all, meals, snacking, counting calories etc. Oh and I don't like the idea of faddy type diets, I find healty eating much more attractive!

Thank you so much if you have got this far, I really have no idea what I am doing and it is important to me to get this right!

Come to my 10yy thread if you like the look of it. It's not a diet, it's eating healthily and being happy. We don't drink in the week, we try to walk a bit.

If you have a look at an old thread (not recent one, we're all confessing on that one!) it;s in style.

I don't smoke but used to so I know that feeling. Thoroughly recommend Allen Carr's Easyway to stop smoking. I haven't smoked for 5.5 years now.

WWW - I have dropped in and had a poke around actually, it all looks great and exactly what I want to be doing longer term (after all this I want to make sure the benefits carry on longer term). However, I think the first bit is going to take a bit more hard-core sweating Thank you (and if I don't show up in three months time could you come and kick my backside for me please )

I have heard a lot about Allen Carr, I think I may not get on with it as I am a horrifically sceptical person, but it is really cheap on amazon and I have nearly ordered it about 7 times! Are you a "by-in" type person or a sceptic? I am so determined this time and I have given up for a long time in the past - mind you I am not sure if that makes it worse or better!

That's fine, see you when we see you! I have dropped 2 dress sizes on that and lots of people on there have lost weight but you've got to do whatever works for you. Good luck!

I was a REALLY HARD CORE smoker. 60 a day on a day when I went out. Silk Cut ultra low mind you but still, hard core.

WWW, how long has that achievement taken you? It does all sound like a lifestyle I could live with IYSWIM, it is just the deadlines that worry me!

Hmm, I think I will order the Allen Carr - after all the more strings to my bow the better!

A year so not that great. But I want to drop another 2 and then I'll be happy. Go for it with Allen Carr.

Fellow ex smoker here. I too could get through 60 ciggies on a night out and smoked for over 20 years before i gave up 4 years ago. Best thing I ever did for health and pocket! I just went cold turkey, bit depressing for 2 weeks and then got easier. I have tried the patches, they gave me weird dreams!

I need to lose weight, lots, so am going to check out the 10yy thread now...

WWW, that is not a bad length of time if you want to achieve results whilst also maintaining a decent lifestyle (IYSWIM) which is what I really liked about it!

Ellesbelles, I went cold turkey last time which was actually really fine, however this time I have had real trouble with it!

Had a bit of a chuckle when I began to read this thread as I had JUST finished ordering 3 fitness DVDS from Amazon! Am in the same frame of mind as you YB and really need to get fitter. Still feel heavily pregnant despite having baby 5 months ago!!! And I have promised my son that I will stop smoking in the new year ( he was most annoyed that I didnt throw all cigarettes out of house at midnight NYE) he hates me smoking and I really want to stop but the thought of stopping smoking AND dieting AND excercises really seems harsh.

It is nice to know that someone else is going to tackle it though and has inspired me to at least give it a go.

Is Allen Carr really that good?? I have stopped smoking before on the patches but caved in after 4 months which I could kick myself for. Cant stand gum, its bogging and lozengers tend to make my mouth feel like it is on fire after 5 minutes.

What is the 10yy thread? Am bit baffled with technical terms (blonde) so if you could give this donut a helping hand and let me know how to get there I would be grateful.

Let us know how you get on YB,if your anything like me you will be waiting till kids are back at school before starting because I just know my 10 year old will wet himself laughing at his unfit mother doing a dance workout.

Ooops can I just add that I DONT smoke in the house over the children....read thread above and it looked bad when mentioned all cigs in house. I, like many others stupidly stand in the freezing cold and rain. Just to feed nicotine habit. Just wanted to mention it incase anyone thought I was a demon mother who puffed all over her children

LOL, I am a freeze your ass off smoker too!

Ok, so, day 1, currently I have not had a cig, have kept calories right down and eaten healthy stuff (actually almost all fruit and veg ). I have also spent the day clambering around rock formations in the good old fresh air

I have decided to just dive in and go for it, I calculated my BMI which is not too bad really (only 26) so I have a feeling it may be difficult to shift (I think anyway...!)

I have ordered Allen Carr and a GI diet book, mainly because I am at a loss for decent recipie ideas! I am taking all the laughter and ribbing as a spur to keep going - after all in just a few weeks I will be running circles round them all

10yy is the 10 years younger thread, if you search 10 years younger you should find them, it looks great to me!

So you ordered one of the dancing workout videos then? I am not so sure about DVDs, I find I get embarressed - een if there isn't another person for 5 miles in any direction, tis very odd!

Anyway, good luck, I hope you manage to get where you want to be - you are right BTW, taking on too much can be self-defeating, I am taking it all on because I have a death wish

Hi again,

Glad to hear that day 1 has gone well.
I have decided that I will tackle the stopping smoking this week and wait for my Dvds to arrive before injuring myself with them and going on diet.

Bought patches today and I currently have my last cig waiting in its packet to be smoked. Thought id save it before I go to bed and have with a coffee, how sad is that?

I too have vowed to walk upto town (live at bottom of steep hill) instead of leaping on bus and using the weather as an excuse and I know that as soon as day 3 of not smoking kicks in, I will be hurtling off to B&Q to buy paint and wall paper to redecorate house because I will desperatly need to keep busy.

I know I am likely to make a total ass out of myself with dance workouts, what makes it worse is that there is a footpath right outside my house so will have to be V. carefull I cannot be seen. But im one of those naive people that believes reviews and I go and buy them, it will be in back of cupboard by the end of January!!

Anyway keep up the good work and I will let you know how the nicotine depravation and dancing is going.

Have you thought of cycling? I've suffered lower back problems but have hardly seen my osteopath since I started cycling more. On hold at present till DS old enough for child seat

Hi there - I'm afraid I can't help you on the smoking front but all the others are very familiar to me !! If you want to follow a healthy eating plan without having to count every single calorie maybe have a think about Slimming World. I have lost 3 stone with them over the last 18 months. The plan is based on eating lots of fruit and veg, lean meat, pasta and rice. There is a bit of weighing/measuring involved but not too much and you don't have to buy any special foods. You can buy their magazines in Smiths if you wanted to have a look at it before finding your nearest group but you will be surprised how much you can eat of good things, with a few treats thrown in. I am not a Slimming World consultant, but I am a convert and it really does work if you follow it.

On the exercise front, swimming and walking seem to be safe bets (I started going to the gym last year and really knackered my back so wouldn't recommend that option !!) but agree with BlueChampagne that cycling isn't to bad either but I am also in the same boat - on hold until youngest dd is old enough for a seat on the back. I think the secret is to not try to do too much too soon.

Good luck with it anyway !

Thank you BC and JC, sadly I cannot walk or cycle, well I can walk short distances but I can't cycle at all really. It is really frustrating as things are deteriorating much faster than I expected. 1 year ago I was fit healthy and could cycle anywhere

JC, I will have a look at Slimming World, like I say I like the idea of healthy foods rather than a diet - seems much easier to face!

Cantseemyfeet good luck with the smoking, sounds like a good idea to stagger the start of things a bit.

Well, I have managed to get this far without a cig, I have bought some nicotine gum ready for day 3. I have to say it is hard not to snack, I keep wanting things - "I want a cig, oh no can't, ok I'll get some crisps, oh - can't have those either. Right, I will hae a glass of wine....oh " which I think will be difficult in a few days time, but hey I am strong

Right then, day 3 and still no cigs and everything is starting to smell strange (in fact I am not really missing them )

I have eaten very healthy food and kept calories right down - until just now when I ruined the days work with 5 maltesers and 2 squares of galaxy Still I guess that is not too bad - as long as that is all it is? I will have to do a bit more excercise tomorrow to make up for it

I can't wait until the Children are back at school and I can get swimming, I think things will actually take off then (or come off )

ok, day 5 - I think I spent yesterday going through the wall from caffine withdrawal - ughh, that was horrible!
Still no smoking however the diet went wrong today - we had a day out as it is the last day of the holiday and cream teas seemed to just happen (I wonder if the hours we spent in parks etc before and after will cancel that out )

Tomorrow marks the start of the real drive though as I can start the swimming to get some real excercise - wonder if I can remember how

BTW - I know none of you are listening to any of this - it just helps me to have a confesional area!

Hi There - keep going - we are listening ! I am at work during the week, so can't catch up all the time but you seem to be doing a great job so far.

Don't worry about the odd treat here and there - as long as you don't loose the plot altogether and have a right old binge you will be fine. Good luck with the swimming - wish I had the time for it !!

Thanks JC! I think I have made up for my slip today as I started the swimming - it is great! (what is it about excercise that makes you feel like you have so much more energy? )

Still no smoking - is that 6 days even I am impressed with me .

Good job york!

Just back from the gym myself.

great stuff eleusis!

Still not smoking but failed to get to the pool today, why is it that life manages to get in the way so much of the time?

Tell me about it. I go on Mon and Wed. But have to skip tomorrow so I can go out to eat. REally, I have to go. I'm interviewing a potential new nanny. Fingers crossed!!!

How long since your last smoke?

good work with the smoking,. I am v similar in wanting to attain what you wish too!!

I also have lower back and pelvis porblems, as I had spd in pregnancy in 2001/2002, and its still with me.

Time has strengthened this area, yet omg it IS 2008 now, lol, some very gentle water aerobics hepled me. Swimming was out of the question for about 2 yrs tho.

doggy paddle is quite a good, one and one i am best at anyhow!! just kept my legs together as much as poss and flipped my feet. !!

fags well i am still on them.

weight wise, that starts 2morro as is my birthday today and having real food later!!!