I am about to undertake a huge journey - and I'm scared

[Dollybird99]

Hi, My name is Dolly and I am a foodaholic.

Tomorrow, I am signing up for Slimming World (again), but this time I really really have to make it work. I am currently the heaviest I have ever been (18st 6lbs), and I am feeling my weight more and more, specifically in my knees and hips. I also have a very active 3 year old little boy whom I need to be much fitter for.

I am also at my lowest ebb in terms of my mindset - I feel depressed about my weight, but feel like I haven't got the energy or time to change things. I have a full-time job and already find it difficult to think of healthy things to make for dinner every evening, and trying to fit any exercise in is very difficult.

Please help me along the way - any advice or thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Dolly x

Hi Dolly.

Try not to think about the total journey - maybe break it up to 7lb at a time?

Can you afford to put £1 in a jar for every lb you lose? So you can treat yourself to a new top or something nice (non-food related!) to reward yourself?

If you work full time, you may find using a slow cooker helps so your dinner is ready when you get home rather than having to start from scratch?

When I go to work I take a bag FULL of free food (fruit, salad, fat free yoghurt a,boiled eggs etc) so I have plenty to snack on. I also take porridge oats soaked in fat free yoghurt for breakfast (35g porridge oats are a HEb)which are really filling.

Well done on admitting to yourself things have to change. New day new start.
Its hard when you work full time so planning is the key.
We all sit down and watch crap tv, we can plan what's going to happen then.
Make your meal's family friendly, make extra so you got some for the freezer/tomorrow. Plan breakfast lunch & tea plus what you want to use your syns on.
Be one step ahead with your planning. Bolognaise today is chilli tomorrow, roast chicken breasts today cook extra is curried tomorrow. Iyswim.
Recognise where your weak points are and plan them. Mine is Fri/sat wine & crisps. I plan to save syns for those days
Take one day at a time and don't beat yourself up.x

Hi Dolly

Dont be scared I was 16 9 (5ft 3) and had basically accepted I was going to be fat but was worried about my health a friend encouraged me to go and I havent looked back. I actually wouldnt stress yourself about the exercise at this stage, one thing at a time, after losing 2st 10 I am now finding that I want to do a bit more activity little bit of cycling, lot more walking, some swimming you gradually find yourself thinking of yourself a bit more kindly and you have more energy. I also work full time with Daughter and it is difficult to do everything. I would agree with annielostit and britishbakeoffblues organisation and using things like a slow cooker really do help I find the weeks I havent planned my meals are least successful.

Thank you so much to you all for taking the time to reply. You are all 100% right - planning, organisation and not rushing things are the keys for me.

I have a slow cooker, so I need to get off my lazy arse once my son is in bed and prepare for the next day. I also need to make my lunch the night before - that's also important for me.

I'm going to buy myself a jar and put money in every time I lose weight.

annie - weekends are my weak point - wine especially. I also actually love cooking, when I have the time and often plan 'special' meals for the weekend. I need to get out of this habit.

Thank you so much - i'm feeling much better about the journey ahead.

.dolly xx

Definitely planning is the key.

I also got into the habit of special food for treats. Trying not to do that although we do still go out to eat etc. I just try to eat free foods as much a possible. And I write everything down and measure everything, it is a faff measuring out a tablespoon of sauce or Mayo but worth it. You get to see how many extra calories you eat without realising.

You can still prepare special meals.
SW do loads of recipe books and they are very reasonably priced.
You can eat curry, Chinese, pasta, stews, soups, roast dinners AND you don't have to sit nibbling on a ryvitas while your family eat a lovely dinner!
Basic things I would suggest buying:
Knorr stock pots - free and handy for adding flavour
Pasatta - useful for making chilli or spag Bol
Schwartz slow cooker sachets - low in syns and are often tomato based which helps keep the syns down too
Jacket potatoes - can be used for making chips, roast potatoes (using fry light instead of oil),
I like the Linda McCartney rosemary and red onion sausages which are free.
Tomato purée
Porridge oats
Fat free natural yoghurt
White chocolate options powder
(Great for adding to the yoghurt!) cheap in Lidl recently.
Plenty of fruit
Stir fries with egg noodles are also filling, fast and tasty.
HTH

Hi Dolly! I am also going back for the umpteenth time tomorrow! Have had really brilliant results with slimming world in the past and hoping to do so again to shift some weight for 1. my holiday in September and 2. my wedding next year!! Need to make it work too. Best of luck with your new start.

well done Dolly.
it is going to be a struggle, but, if successful, the benefits will be enormous.
you will know from experience that you will have a good weight loss in week one and maybe week two.
then things slow down. it takes a lot of discipline. don't look at the bigger picture. take one day at a time. slip up, there is always tomorrow to get back on track.
if you can, not only attend for the weigh in, but stay for the class too. you will realise you are far from alone in your struggle, and will pick up some good tips on the way.
I call the scales the " scales of shame " though it didn't stop me putting some of the weight back on, but I will persevere or I know I will grow and grow much fatter.
the slow cooker is an excellent suggestion.
as I have been gifted, or is it cursed, with the ability to eat anything and everything at anytime, I cook enough for 3 days in one go on the slow cooker. I don't mind casseroles or curry for breakfast. dinner and tea for that matter.
I lost 3st but put 1st back on, and that was whilst still attending weekly classes.
you have to want to do this and have to go without excessive goodies, but you never have to experience hunger.
just think of the pride you will feel, feeling good about yourself and the enjoyment you will get, and indeed your little boy will get, when you lose some weight and are able to play physically active games with him.
you may be able to satisfy his playing needs at 3 years old, playing with 4, 5 and 6 years upwards is a different, but still an unbelievably enjoyable experience.
so good luck on your journey. commit and you cant fail.
there is only you who can do this.
be positive.

Thank you so much everyone - I really appreciate every message, and the time you've taken to reply. I've had a good start to the plan already and have done really well this week. I've also been out walking every lunchtime with a friend, who walks much faster than me!! That has helped enormously. I think that the more exercise I do, the more I want to look after myself.

I am currently planning our meals for the coming week, and will only get Sainsburys to deliver what we need. I'm also going to try and use my slow cooker more - this will give me a bit more time to spend with my son in the evening, before he goes to bed.

I also now have a holiday in Spain coming up in June - that I'd like to lose some weight for, so I am breaking it up into small chunks...!

Thanks again - if I can help any one of you anytime - you must let me know. You have helped me enormously!!

Well done Dolly! I'm
Glad your first week is going well.
Come back if you have more questions!