Diet and exercise tips.

[Keepcalmanddrinkgin]

I need help! Have finally decided that enough is enough and I'm going to attempt to lose my baby weight (1yo). I'm a size 12 or 14 and I know this isn't bad but I'm 5ft2 so I feel I look out of proportion. Also, all the weight seems to be squatting around my middle area (especially hips and tummy). Before ds I was a size 10.

Anyway I would love to slim down a little bit and was just wondering if anyone could share with me on how they lost their baby weight? I don't like extreme diets, my mother has suffered with eating disorders and I'm scared it might open something that has lay dormant in me. I don't have time for the gym, if I'm not at work I have ds. It's going to be tough!

I've lost about 5lbs due to running since January. I go first thing in the morning before the children are awake and do about 30 minutes 3/4 times per week. I thought it would do wonders for my legs but it's around my tummy and my hips that I see the biggest difference.

I swim 50 lengths of 25m pool every morning, I lost 3 stone over 18 months. No change in diet.

Watching with interest as i'd love to hear what works well

First of all, don't "diet". Eat healthy, balanced meals and snacks and watch your portion size. Diets don't work because as soon as you return to normal eating you will regain the weight.

I am loving Tracey Anderson's Mat Workout DVD. I started off just doing certain sections and have finally built up to doing the lot (as evidenced by my groaning tummy muscles this morning!). She also has a Dance Cardio Workout but that takes a while to get on with.

The 30 Day Shred is great

Do you have a nct buggyfit near you? Basically just fast walking around large parks with little ones in buggy

Could you use nap time as time for say 45 min fast walk or excercise DVD

If your DS will sit in a pram happily, you can't beat hours and hours of brisk walking, as much a you can do. I lost about 2st after DS1 doing that (no chance after DS2 as he just screeches in the pram. Sigh).

Shred is brilliant, or running before everyone gets up - I get up and run at 5:40 three times a week, as if I don't go then, I don't have a chance.

The thing that I've found has helped this time (with a baby who won't sit in the pram) is accepting that actually if I want to lose I have to put in time and energy, not just hope it will happen if I turn down the odd bit of cake. And I have to prioritise it in the same way I prioritise showering or eating. There was no negotiation on my exercise time when I was on a weight loss mission

Oh, and the My Fitness Pal website/app is awesome.

Pram walking worked for me. I walked an hour and half each day. Lost two stone in about four months. Did also bf and watched snacks and wine.

I have found the middle section is hard to keep toned. Im back at aquafit.

I've been doing c25k but struggle to fit it in. I'm in awe of you who get up early to do it. I'm trapped in a cycle of being exhausted, can't get up, no energy.

I second my fitness pal. Have been doing for a week and lost five pounds. Finding it really easy to use and even better if you can get friends on it too. You can view each others food/ exercise diaries and send supportive messages.

Give up sugar! Works like magic and you feel so much better too - sugar makes you fat, did you see the recent 'men who made us fat' on BBC1?

BBC 2 - sorry - its still available for 19 hours!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jxzv8

Myfitness pal is amazing for making You realise how much you actually eat

I've lost 10 lbs and kept it off

Thank you for all the tips, it's a massive help seeing how other people lost weight! I have downloaded my fitness pal and will be walking instead of taking the bus. Thank you again!

I'm going to watch that programme tonight, hopefully it'll scare me into not eating sugar!

Eat 'normal' food I have lost about 7lbs recently by stopping the obsessing! I was saying to dp last week that i love toast and jam and he said just bloody eat it. I have had a slice of granary with real butter and strawberry jam every day for breakfast and I have still lost weight.

I have lost the last stone of baby weight by going to Zumba twice a week, walking loads, eating less carbs especially bread and eating smaller portions. It was a very gradual weight loss, a stone in about 6 months but, it didn't make me feel deprived of food or exercising insanely. I did do the 30 day shred for a couple of weeks but hated it as it was so repetitive. I'm still also BFing a boobie monster who is nearly 2yrs, so I feel like that is helping my weight loss too, while I eat a normal amount of food now (before I was struggling to lose as I would over eat).

Smaller portions really works. If you think back to meals when we were younger eg in the 70s they were much much smaller. It means you can eat yummy food rather than a bucket of tasteless stuff. I don't eat any carbs after 2 becasue they make me sleepy and it does lead to a flatter stomach

My downfall is pasta and cheese. I could eat cheese with every meal. I really don't want to do mad diets because it would just make me miserable. I'm definatly going to eat normal food in smaller portions, walk everywhere and cut out sugar. I have one of those exercise wheels that you use to sort of slide in and out so it looks like you're doing press ups. I don't know the proper name for it but I've heard good things about it.

NO extreme or FAD diet. You need something that is balanced, rich in nutrients and easy because let?s face it; it?s not easy with a baby to look after! I lost about 27 pounds on a simple weight loss diet, which had me eating protein rich food and healthy carbs such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Typically a meal in my house today would be: Breakfast- Some kind of eggs usually, Today we had eggs Florentine with turkey bacon and coffee without sugar. Lunch- a combination of meat with vegetables. We usually include a salad or soup with all our meals. Today we ate red chili and ginger chicken Shirataki noodle soup with ginger and lemon frilled chicken. Dinner is the same. Today we ate Moroccan turkey kebabs along with a tossed lettuce salad. Snacks are usually celery or carrot sticks with low cream cheese, maybe a couple of ham slices or a low-fat yogurt. See? It?s important to keep it healthy and interesting.

I am your height and at my heaviest was nearly 13 stone. I have been losing weight for a few months now and am now at 11stone 5pounds. Obviously, I still have a long way to go, but I have got myself a cross trainer and do a bit each day, when I have a quiet 15 minutes. This is good because there is no need for child care or gym fees etc.

I have also drastically reduced sugar in my diet. I cannot say that I have given it up entirely, but I have cut down a lot. I have also cut out bread/pasta/potatoes. I eat around 1200 calories per day, but they are made up of vegetables, chicken, fish, yoghurt and other generally healthy things. I do still eat a daily curly wurly and vodka with diet tonic as a treat.

Would echo what others have said about not being on a 'diet' - just eat v healthily with minimum of white processed carbs. However, I would definitely advise my fitness pal for at least a few weeks to make you really aware of how many calories you are consuming. Mfp is also really good at showing how your calories are distributed among the major food groups relative to RDA (made me realise I was massively under eating on protein and overdoing the carbs which I have now rectified).

Exercise wise: shred and other Jillian stuff amazing. Most important thing is what hopefully said though - making exercise a complete non negotiable part of the day.

I think you also said you felt tired all the time? I've been taking spatone iron supplement since jan and it has changed my life in terms of fatigue. Might be worth a go?