looking reasonable while losing weight

[time4tea]

hello, I'm eating more healthily and less following putting on 4 stone having/bfeeding DS2. I've gone down from 14 and a half stone to about 13stone 3 pounds, from size 22 to 16. at last can fit into clothes from normal shops rather than big ladies shops.

but am still pretty bulky feeling (I'm 5'5'' so carry it fairly chunkily) don't want to get overwhelmed with thinking about dieting etc (so boring!) but hate feeling like a big sodding whale.

I've done the Gok and Trinny and Susannah style tips, follow them pretty well (I'm a large Pear, normally a slim Pear) but still I feel very lacking in confidence and want to change my attitude - I'll lose the weight, but don't want to feel miserable in the meantime (this was a big feature of my time after DS1's birth don't want to repeat it...)

but just knowing this stuff in my head doesn't help me feel much better.

just had a browse on the weightloss area of MN and no inspiration there

so any tips from you groovy mothers?

thanks
t4t

Well done t4t. I have just had my second baby and need to lose 1.5 stone. I was planning on doing it by eating 3 healthy meals a day rather than dieting as such. What have you done?

I have done all this before and told myself I wont buy anything new until I am such and such weight. I dont want to repeat that mistake as I tink this will take a while so this time I amgoing to buy clothes when I need them. Tesco have git some nice stuff in at the moment. I bought a lovely summer skirt for £12 last week.

hello micegg

I did it with GI Diet - fantastic, healthy stuff, and evened out energy dips/sugar cravings etc. no point feeling hungry and miserable. i tried weight watchers for a couple of weeks but became obsessed with food! I was STARVING!

You're right to get nice things to wear now. I've splashed out a bit on a couple of flattering things to wear - esp as I'm now back at work but occasionally I see myself in photos or whatever and think how did that happen? I look so unlike myself.

nice to know there is someone else out there. any tips to keep spirits up, any one else?

XXX

I did the Carol Vorderman detox when dc2 was 4mo ... lost a stone in the 28 days and have lost another 8lb by following it since.

While I was losing the weight, I bought some nice but cheap things from Primark, in the knowledge that they were short-term items. Instead, I spent the big dosh on skincare and regular trips to the beautician to keep my eyebrows groomed. I also bought a hugely expensive pair of shoes - i don't need to be thin to wear them!!

well done!

i lost nearly 3 stone after having ds3 after being overweight and very unhappy for years...

in the interrim, get a great funky new haircut and colour, and get yourself one or two new smaller items of clothing, and some new accessories.... a scarf, chunky necklace, little bag kind of thing.

its really satisfying being able to go out and but new clothes in a smaller size....tiz also a good way of maintaining your weight.

i sold my old big clothes on ebay...all the funky makes (fat face/bilabong type stuff) and made about £250....its another nice way to keepp yourself going...now the big clothes have gone, you can't keep them for "just in case i put on weight" days.....

keep at it!

melly - how did you lose 3 stone? in a nutshell

ate dust...

i did weight watchers....it took me 7 months.
i went from a size 18 to a 10.

i fel like a bit of a twat saying that tbh, but i am (dare i say it?) proud of myself.

my self esteem is still not great, but i don't apologise to people for the way i look anymore....

i found ww brill.
i also went to the weekly meetings, which helped a lot.

God, that is AMAZING, well done you!

do you think it is do-able without meetings?

Not sure it it's online, but should be, but The Times have a diet at the moment where you can mix and match your 3 meals day-you get a selection of breakfasts, lunches and dinners and can have any of them, your own choice.

Have you tried calorie counting? Have you got any "fat scales"? These tell you your body fat, weight, etc.

I find the easiest way is to cut out all processed foods/cakes etc, sugar and alcohol and eat only lean white meat and fish, eggs and low fat cheese and loads of fruit and veg. But you also need to add in some carbs, such as wholewheat cereal, bread and rice/pasta .

Sorry if this is what you already do!

of course it is doable without mtgs, but i really think the weekly weigh in kept me on track.

it helped me to stay focused, and also helped with keeping motivated...... i would say, go, if you possibly can to the mtg.

a good start is to write down EVERYTHING that crosses your lips during the day...the ww motto is "make wise food choices" and that too works....the "point" difference between a cheese sarnie and a ham sarnie is quite a lot....also, it makes you realise where hidden calories are....some bought sandwiches contain more points than a huge main meal.... that kind of thing. then, once you're in the mentality of being consious about what you eat, it sort of keeps you going....not in an obsessive way, but in a thoughtful way iykwim?

i must go now....my tea is ready (talking about food!) i'll be around tomorrow if you want to chat some more...

i had a friend who inspired me with her weight loss...i'd be happy to carry on the good feeling.

oooh, I am just starting ding WW - but at home with tracker

really need to lose at least 12lb in about 8 wks, hope it's possible!!

I've got over my tizz, doing the following:

bought a couple of new flattering tops (shirt dress, plus long bias cut linen tops from Kew - really nice for the bigger mummy-tummy)

am listening to a hypotherapy CD on losing weight by Glenn Harrold, very soothing and relaxing. certainly feel less het up about it all

and got some sleep!

so not sure which of these three is the main cause, but a few people at work said today how well I looked...

keep being cheeful