Really down about my weight - can anyone help motivate me to eat low carb and suggest exercise for limited mobility?

[AuntieMaggie]

I am really down about my weight - I'm down about most things at the moment as I have a lot going on at home, work, with my health and so on. I know low carb works for me but struggling with motivation to stick with it as it's so much harder than just grabbing that sandwich etc. I'm not struggling with cravings or anything it's just the convenience especially as I'm juggling work, a young toddler, etc. I tried juice plus cos I thought it would be easier but I was hungry all the time.

I think part of my issue is that I can't exercise properly so I feel like there's no point. I go to the gym a couple of times a week when I'm not in too much pain but can only do weights as I'm still suffering joint issues from having my son 18 months ago.

Has anyone been in a similar position that can offer some advice?

BIWIs bootcamp starts in a couple of weeks, maybe reporting back to a group will help? Preparation in advance is key to prevent slip ups, as I've learned the hard way! Juice plus is bollocks and being hungry all the time isn't the key to weight loss and long term maintenance of your weight. If you are low carbing properly you will not need to exercise

Do you have much to lose?

I had loads of success on Boot camp before I got pregnant but the last few times I tried I managed for a while but then something has happened that threw me off and I struggle to prepare as I don't have much time.

If i'm honest I probably need to lose about 5 stone but half that would make me happy.

Low carbing does generally work wonders for weight loss but afaics it is very very hard to stick to. There are so many completely banned foods ... I know I would drive myself demented if I even began to try it.

I make myself lol doling out advice like this - but it sounds to me as though your first port of call should be addressing your mental health, rather than focusing so doggedly on your weight. Good mental health and healthy eating usually go hand in hand, ime.

Also, the gym sounds tough on joints. Is swimming a possibility?

I can't swim as it's my hip that's the main problem so even kicking is out but I can squat for England!

Low carb also suits my pcos. My mental health is shit atm due to a number of reasons and I'm having some counselling for that.

Oh gosh, I can completely empathise with the convenience thing. I've been lcing since January and have lost 3.5 stone now. Whenever people ask what I miss I always say 'the convenience' and then they go !

Some practical tips on that issue. I often used a bag of pork scratchings as a meal replacement when I'm pushed, I know it's not ideal but it works in a tight spot. It's also worth keeping a few bags stashed in handbag/car etc for when you're out and about and can only find sandwiches.

Keep a stock of things like packs of sliced meat, olives and cheese in the fridge to just grab when you're short of time. Omlettes and scrambled eggs are really quick for a light meal.

Get to know your local low carb friendly cafes/take aways etc. Eg our local sandwich bar place also does salad bowls which are a great 'grab on the go' lunch, I know which pubs will substitute chips for side salad, Morrisons is great for the salad bar and their hot take away thing (even if the small city stores) etc. It helps to know where you can turn to when there's nothing in at home.

Don't worry too much about exercise. Do you use mfp? There are some low carb support groups on there are there are tons of people who just aren't exercising for whatever reason and still losing weight. Sorry if I'm stating the bleedin' obvious but have you thought about swimming?

x-post re swimming! Take a look at some of the groups on mfp, lots of pcos success stories on there too.

Auntie, if yu are starting the next bootcamp, you wont be alone. I am unable to exercise at all and also have shite mental health. We can do it together

I would echo going to the pool. You don't have to swim lengths and use a kick that aggravates your hip, but exercising in the water will be supportive for your joints, and even if you are just doing arm work in the shallow end or using the resistance of the water to walk to and fro, it will be beneficial. There are usually aqua size teachers available who are expert on working with people with joint issues - lots of people take to water based exercise to relieve pressure on joints etc. contact your local pool and ask to be put in touch with the aquasize teacher to discuss exercises you could do which would be appropriate and would not exacerbate your spd.

Thanks ladies. Do you know what really annoys me? That classes aimed at people with limited mobility/health issues are during the day!

You don't need to do exercise at all to lose weight, although if you can do some then it's good for your health and for your mental health too. I recommend shopping online. I always buy from Tesco and when I order a shop I just need to go through my list of favourites and add what I need. So you only need to sit down once and work out what's low carb (the info is on their site) and what you like. Lots of low carb snacks is the secret to success. When I first started I used to keep a pack of Peperamis in the car so I always had something low carb to eat. If you're at work then have a stock of nuts and olives in your drawer. Once you're into the swing of it it should get a lot easier. I find that I regard carby stuff as non-food now. So if I walk into say Costa, the sandwiches etc. don't register any more and I look for things I can eat rather than what I don't eat.

thanks again ladies

shiteforbrains I need your recipes and meal plans or better still for you to batch cook for me you must be so pleased at losing all that weight - congratulations!

Aww AuntieMaggie

Firstly, don't worry about exercise - it's only 20% to do with weight loss. It's your diet that's more important.

And it's quite true what Mintyy says - but you also know this to be true - that the world isn't made for us low carbers. We have to plan ahead.

StuntNun's suggestion of online shopping is a really good one, because you can make sure that you're organised to always have low carb stuff in the house. Make sure you have plenty of low carb treats/snacks as well, so that there's always something to grab if you're hungry. Forget the strictness of Bootcamp to start with until you're back in the swing of things, so get yourself a whole load of nuts (assuming that you like them!), or cut up lots of cheese into dice, or some olives.

You've done it before so you know it works - and you know we'll be there for you to help and support you.

Finally, have you done any reading about low carbing? Personally it's the longer term health benefits that keep me going - even when I might go off piste every now and then, it's what always keeps me coming back!

If your hips are still shite after giving birth (mine were too), then I really recommend going to a women's health physio. I went to a private one because the NHS provision was so terrible in my area. They didn't seem to do any manipulation. All the pelvic floor exercises in the world aren't going to put your hips back in place if they've slipped out during pregnancy. The private physio felt for my hip bones took a lot of feeling! and said she could feel that they were squint. She manipulated me and got them straight again. It was really sore that night, but a few days later everything had settled down and suddenly there was no pain - it was amazing! Sadly because I'm still breastfeeding there's still a lot of relaxin in my system and so my hips move out of place whenever I do a lot of hoovering or mow the lawn or something, but it's a million times better than it was. I'm still going once a month to keep me in line until I stop breastfeeding and it can all settle back for good, I hope.

The other element is that if your hips aren't aligned, then your pelvic floor is never going to be properly supported because the muscles are being pulled sideways and can't be as effective as they should be. This was an issue for me that has been solved, thank goodness!

I know this has nothing to do with low-carbing, but it might help with your exercise problems.

Thanks TooExtraImmatureCheddar I had nhs physio for about a year, weekly for the last 3 months of that and have just had scans done following an orthopaedic referral (which they wouldnt give me until 6 months of not bf)... its not skeletal and the radiographer let slip what they thought it might be at my last scan which I made the mistake of googling and if it is that the only option left may be surgery as I've had all the other treatment options I'm trying not to think about that though as I have another operation coming up which I need to deal with first.

BIWI thank you. Yes I have read about it and I know from before all my own blood results, blood pressure, health etc was better eating this way. I enjoy this way of eating it's just hard. I will try this week - have got a big tub of olive mix from costco (I love it!). I've ended up eating bread occasionally which I don't do by choice and is the worst carb for me because when I've been out and about with the small one it's so easy/cheap to stick a couple of sandwiches in a bag to take with us.

shiteforbrains I'm sat here smiling because what you described for the batch cooking is what I do for my little boy but I make a veg ratatouille and then make veg curry and veg lasagne out of 2 thirds of it... didn't think about doing it for myself! But actually he could have anything I batch cook too as long as it's not too spicy. (just noticed I don't mention what dp can eat ha ha... mind you he's one of these blokes that even though he doesn't drink a lot if he cuts out beer he instantly looks half his size and his daily/hourly weight loss updates are killing me!)