New Mum seeking new body by Christmas!

[CoraBear]

My baby boy is 6 months old and I am quite overweight. Ok, I'm alot overweight (takes deep breath) I'm 15 stone. At 5 ft 7 this is waaay to much. I am sitting here in the one pair of trousers that fit me and my DP's tee shirt because none of my tops fit properly. Basically my stomach looks like a deflated paddling pool and my thighs are so big that I'm fairly sure that if I sit down too much longer they will burst open.

After I had the baby I took the very grown up approach to weight loss and I hoped that if I ignored the problem it would go away and somehow I would have a body like posh spice-because all new mothers lose all the weight instantly don't they? Turns out they don't, and surviving on mini aero's didn't help. I weigh more now than when I gave birth.

I have a serious lack of motivation but I decided to see if I could lose some pounds before Christmas, as I'll be seeing people I haven't seen since I was pregnant and want to look casually fabulous. So are any of you interested in holding my hand, kicking my arse and generally helping each other to stay on track? I really want to do this but I know if I'm not answerable to others my resolve will slip.

I have my first weight watchers meeting tomorrow, which I'm dreading as it will mean that the leader will weigh me and know what a tubby fecker I am. So, if any of you weight watcher followers or followers of other plans would like to come and join me and share stories of jogging up and down while eating maltesers so the points are being eaten and burned off simultaneously or just have a rant about how unfair the world is when you're hungry, you are welcome.

Right, I'm off to remove all the biscuits, chocolate and sweets from my house before tomorrow. That's right, when I say "remove" I do of course mean "eat them".

Thanks for all being so welcoming , as the kids are back to school on mon , going to really start the journey to hopefully get the scales going in the right direction ! Hope you all have a great week ahead happy slimming ! X

Good morning,

Right, see this , this is the line I am drawing and from now on I am sticking to a diet. I am not capable of having one bar of chocolate or a few crisps so I'm not having them any more. I am sick to death about the fact that how I look in a mirror defines my mood for the whole day. I went out for brunch yesterday and changed outfit three times before we left as I was convinced that everyone in the restaurant would be staring at how fat I am. It's ridiculous.

So I sat down last night and had a really hard look at how I eat. It's cyclical. "OOOhh I lost three pounds so I can have a bag of m&m's", "I've put on two pounds I can't eat anything but salad for the next week 'til I lose those two pounds" and then I hit the m&m's again.

So it has to stop.

From now on I am allowed fruit or soup until dinner time and then I can have a normal, portion controlled dinner that has to be eaten within an hour and then that is it for the rest of the night. I'm going to attempt to not eat past 8 o clock at night. The hour eating time is to ensure that I don't graze. From the moment I put a bit of food in to my mouth that is not fruit or soup, that is when the dinner clock begins ticking. I am dreadful for picking at stuff while I'm cooking and I am sure it adds alot of extra calories that I don't really see. I'm still going to have coffee and diet coke but I plan to cut right down on them.

Yes it's restrictive, yes it's going to be hard but being fat is restrictive and it's hard. I'm also going to keep up with my exercise, in fact I have aqua fat tonight. And I'm using the football thing that's on as an excuse to leave my DP to watch it while the baby's in bed and I'm going to go to the gym or do a workout in another room.

I have a feeling I'm really going to stick with this, I truly can't go on as I am. I am turning in to a person who nearly didn't spend time with my family because I couldn't find anything to wear. That's not right, I don't want to be this person anymore. Neurotic and skinny is fine but neurotic and fat is just ridiculous.

I hope I didn't bore you all silly with my epic post. Good luck today everyone. Hope you're all well.

Hi all,

just a quick post to say that Day One went well yesterday. I was hungry but nothing I couldn't handle. I'm heading in to Day Two filled with optimism.

Hope everyone's getting on well.

Hi,

So day 2 of my new plan is over and I was alright with it again today. The memory of feeling so ashamed of my size is still fresh in my head so it's easy to stay on track.

I had melon and grapes for breakfast (ice cold from the fridge, they were gorgeous), minestrone soup for lunch and 30 grams of pasta with a ton of veg in tomato sauce, an enormous salad and some garlic bread for dinner. I am so full now. I think an enormous salad is the way to pad out a meal without resorting to huge portions of pasta or rice.

I was a bit hungry today when the kids were having their biccies when we were out in park but I didn't bring any for me so I couldn't be tempted. I think resorting to stealing a biscuit off a child would be a new low.

How's everyone else getting on?

Sounds like a good plan cora, and what you had to eat yesterday actually sounds yummy too.

I've been doing a bit better with not eating so much junk this week. But I'm still eating my main meal too late at night (I like to wait for dp coming home from work so we can eat together) Last night we didn't sit down to eat til almost 8pm though.

I'm back doing the sit ups - I stopped them when I had the tummy bug so I'm thinking if I keep up with doing them twice a day, plus a 30 minute exercise once a day I'll be fit in no time :)

Hope everyone is doing well.

It's hard to eat earlier in the day when there are kids pottering around isn't it? I've taken to having a cup of coffee or tea while my DP is having his dinner. I'm being a bit selfish at the moment. You will be as fit as a fiddle in no time SayHello, how many sit ups do you do per day?

I've found my plan really easy to stick to. I've been hungry here and there but nothing too scary. And I've weighed myself on and off and the weight seems to be coming off, but my official weigh in will be in Monday. Due to the fact that my diet during the day can only consist of fruit and soup it takes any hard work out of it. I'm not trying to figure out how I can stretch my points to have chocolate, because I'm not allowed it-end of story.

How's everyone else getting on?

OH MY GOD!! After thinking I've done better this week with my eating, I step on the scales and have gained 2 and a half pounds :( how the hell did I manage that!!!

I just do 2 sets of 60 sit ups Cora and I've now added some squats and other little exercises in to my regime haha. It's so funny because my little girl always joins in and copies and counts for me. Clearly isn't working though since I have gained so much!

Hi,
I've just about had the week from hell at work, super busy, long hours and an earful about something that wasn't done that a- wasn't my responsibility and b- wasn't possible anyway. Not sure how much longer I can juggle my very stressful job with family life :( I am fed up of thinking about work when I am not there! Rant over (for now!)

Anyway, I stayed the same. Cora I am so impressed with you, so impressed I am going to try and join you. I think we have similar eating patterns.
SayHello - how can that be possible? Weigh yourself again tomorrow, could be water?
I think I am going to treat myself to a mulberry purse in the sales to cheer myself up....

Well after being so fed up about putting on weight I have now made it even worse. Over the weekend I just gave up and ate whatever I wanted :( seriously feeling like stopping trying now because I'm just annoying myself!!

I'm going to give it another go this week though as I know how happy I'd feel, I was so close to having lost a stone and I want to get back to it.

Poor you NewChoos, that sounds like an awful week. It's bad enough getting in trouble at work but even worse when it's not your fault. Hope you can get something sorted.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Hi all,

Are you ok Choos? You sound like you're having a tough time of it. Did everything get resolved in the end? I think we have similar patterns when it comes to eating, I reckon you should give it a go. It's not too difficult, because there's only soup or fruit options before dinner it means that I don't look at anything else on the menu or in the press.

SayHello, just look at it like a blip, you had a weekend of going crazy and now you have to start it all over again. Don't let it de-rail you completely. You were doing so well!

I weighed myself today and have lost 2 lbs, which isn't a massive amount but the physical changes are insane. My stomach is really flat now (well, compared to what it was) and I easily slipped in to a pair of jeans that I couldn't put on last week. I'm not sure why I only lost 2 lbs and look so much better but I'm pleased enough.

Today didn't go so well, I snacked a bit during the day so I'll start again tomorrow.

I hope everyone else is well and that this week goes a little better for us all!

Yay that's fantastic Cora, I am so thrilled for you. What's your total loss now?
I think having a not as good day every now and then is good for fooling the metabolism...
SayHello you can easily get back in 'the zone', you are doing so well.

LittleChoos has another infection so I haven't been at work, Friday made me realise that nothing is good enough, I really put in long hours and I can honestly say work very hard, never have lunch breaks, always running through the door at the last minute to pick up LittleChoos from nursery and this just can't continue. Think my boss has probably cooked his goose by being an idiot on Friday and I am starting to seriously consider my future there.

I am going to start Cora's plan (patent it Cora?!) as soon as I can do a food shop, maybe later today as LittleChoos currently eating an oak cookie and watching cbeebies so must be feeling better!

I ordered my purse and going to book a few days in August for us to look forward to. Thinking nice hotel with a spa attached, somewhere we can do lots of nice walks and not rush around...
Have a lovely day in the (fingers crossed) sunshine

A holiday away sounds like it might do you the world of good Choos. I think you should seriously consider leaving your job if it's making you that miserable, nothing is worth it. But then again I have a terrible habit of quitting jobs when they get annoying, my tolerance for annoying things is very low. But re-evaluating things is always good. nothing is forever so a change might do you good. Could you possibly take a career break to give yourself some time?

I'm glad Little Choos is on the mend, I hope he gets better soon.

I have no idea how much weight I've lost as I went through a phase of losing some weight, then putting it back on plus an extra pound. It was very depressing. I've lost 2 lbs on this plan but I'm really starting from the beginning all over again. So I'm 14 stone 6 lbs. Ugh that's so depressing. BUT I am happily settled in to my plan today and I feel great, I have so much energy. I should patent it. I'd have to think of a snazzy name for it.

Ohhh, I thought of a snazzy name.

"Stop being a whiney fat cow and eat some grapes."

Or maybe:

"The Put the cake down chubby Diet."

Or:

"Stop blaming your baby for your waistline, he's 14 months old Diet!"

Though the last one is very specific to me, I think they're all quite catchy.

Cora I think we should keep the thread title - I think we could manage a new body by this christmas maybe?!

But seriously- isn't our weight just a side issue. No 1 we're trying our hardest to be good mums.

I had ongoing debates re my job and it's worth (for about the past 10 years!) as we will be TTC later this year - sensibly I should stick at it for now, 80% of the time I think it's a great job, the other 20 it's stressful and demanding and more of a PITA than dieting!

ps think I am actually 2lbs heavier than when started, so on my terms you are achieving a lot!

Oh no, I wasn't thinking of changing the thread name. I think it makes us look like we're getting ready for Christmas 2012. I was trying to think of new names for my diet plan. You know the way they all have snappy names now. I'm forever hearing women in the softplay saying "I'm following Run Fat Bitch Run" or "I'm on Carbohydrates Addicts Diet" etc. If I have come up with an eating plan I need a name for it.

Weight is definitely low on the list of my day to day worries, my current fear is that if they need to take blood from my son at his next doctors appointment all that will come out is calpol. He has a teething temperature so he seems to be constantly having a spoon of the magic pink stuff.

That's exciting that you are going to ttc. We're hoping to try next year at some stage. But with every stage that passes life with our son gets easier so I'm kind of scared of going back to baby stuff again-even though I am seriously broody. We need SayHello here to tell us having two kids is great.

I hope everyone had a good day today!

Oh I see! Sorry- well I think they are all equally snazzy, the 'Stop blaming your baby' is particularly apt for me!

TTC - well it scares me too, but we feel we need to try sooner rather than later (I'm older than you!).

Calpol - tis a wonder drug :)

Well done on the weight loss Cora, that must feel great to see all your hard work paying off. I'm very jealous of your willpower just now, I seem to have lost mine.

It does sound like a holiday is what you need choos, maybe a break away from work will do you good. That's exciting that you want to start trying for another baby too :) I know it can be scary but I've honestly found my second easier than my first. I guess because I was more laid back and knew what I was doing this time. My girls are 2 years apart and it's so lovely to see them try to play together now and they get so excited when they see each other.

Btw is there really a diet called "run fat bitch run??" I have to try that one haha.

My willpower is borne out of a great sense of shame. Believe me I would not want anyone to feel the way I feel about myself at the moment.

Everywhere I look at the moment a woman has their nose stuck in a copy of "Run fat bitch run". Apparently it's a how to guide to get you motivated to take up running as a form of exercise. I have a feeling I would read the book and leave it on the shelf. Unless I have hounds of hell on my heels I don't think I will be running any time soon.

I have bought huge fruit platters off the shelf of shame in the supermarket, shelf of shame shopping is my new addiction- I stand there marvelling at the bargains. And I keep them in the fridge and they stop me hitting the biscuits. Ice cold fruit is so refreshing and the fact I don't have to do all the chopping and peeling is an added bonus. It really has helped out a lot and the fact the stuff is discounted means I can afford it!

Hope everyone has a good day today!

May I join you all? My DH also says things like "skinny women don't do it for me" and "well I think you're wonderful as you are" and as lovely as that is it's not helping willpower-wise.

Realistically I need to lose a good 3 stone as I am starting to look increasingly like that marshmallow bloke from Ghostbusters and I am aware that I have been avoiding social situations that weren't absolutely necessary this last week or three.

Just knowing that there are others out there like me..who like TV, a glass of vino in the evening and aren't particularly keen to start jogging has cheered me up already.

I can't lie, the diets not going too well and I really doubt I'll lose any weight at all before my weekend away. I'd been hoping to be 6lbs lighter but at this rate I'd be happy if I lose the 2.5 lbs I gained last week :(

That's what I need to do Cora, get snacking on fruit instead of grabbing a bag of crisps or a biscuit. I actually love fruit and always have it in the house for dds anyway.

Hello anklebitersmum, yep you are on the right thread here. I love tv, wine, takeaways and chocolate :) I can't see me taking up jogging any time soon...

Hi anklebitersmum, you have found the right thread, I have literally just stepped away from the tv and wine to potter around on the internet. It's not like I'm cheating on my diet, grapes make wine, henceforth therefore wine is fruit. Oh yes, that's my logic for today. I need to lose around 4 stone but it is far too scary to think of it in those terms, I'm going at it one pound at a time. Your DH sounds lovely, but I know what you mean, sometimes it would be easier if you knew they didn't like it so it would spur you on.

SayHello, I love fruit too, but I love love love crisps so I keep fruit to hand at all times. I think you shouldn't be too hard on yourself, you have done so well so far. Everyone has a week or so when they eat what they like and then get the junk food guilts, but you wouldn't be human if you didn't (or on this thread). Try to use your weekend away to focus yourself to eat healthily, if it helps imagine what foods you'll indulge in on your weekend and then you might find it easier to avoid snacking.

I was invited to lunch by a friend who is on weight watchers today so it was great. We had salad and that was it. The kids ate fairy cakes at one stage but we spurred each other on to resist temptation. I have another fruit platter chilling in the fridge so that is my snack for tonight.

Well done to you Corabear for resisting fairy cakes. Happily they're not a vice of mine, however like you I too like like like like liiiiiike crisps. I have banned them from the house. Luckily the kids love love love fruit so the lack of crisps is not a drama but if I am hungover a little under the weather I think about them in a Homer Simpson & donuts type manner.

Hangovers and crisps are a match made in heaven.

I'm searching for motivation today, maybe one of you could kindly kick me in the arse to get myself organised. My DP keeps pestering me to go to aqua fat classes and while I do enjoy them, they start at 7.30pm which is usually the end of a very long day and I'm finding it a struggle to summon the energy to go. I am knackered by then and the thoughts of getting in to swimming gear, going to the pool, exercising and then all the palaver of getting re-dressed is just not what I want to face at the end of a working day.

He thinks I should be skipping off to them but I am so tired. I think he doesn't get how hard it is to run a home, mind my son and then take care of my niece. He also thinks because I work from home that I can somehow take it easy. Now I know I am mn'ing now but that's because I need to vent and my son is on my knee. It's as if DP thinks we have house work fairies and they have the house looking nice after he leaves it in shite and heads for work. The reason I'm tired is because I'm doing everything by myself. GAH!

So, please tell me to go to my class. Give me words of motivation.

Go to your aqua fat classes cora, you will enjoy it once you're there and will feel so much better after it. Also, it will shut your dp up from pestering you to do it haha. I need to take some of own advice and start going to a class too.

I get what you mean though, after a busy day you just want to chill out. It sounds bad but I love once my kids are in bed and I can just relax on the couch :) however, that is why I cannot lose any weight so don't listen to me too much!!

As for the housework I think that if you're working from home then the housework should be split equally. How are you supposed to keep on top of everything while working, just because you are in the house you still have a job to do.

Sorry, changing the subject a bit but how long did it take you to qualify as a child minder? I'm thinking of a career change and have always wanted to work with children. I'm thinking that if I start studying now, by the time my eldest is at school I'll at least have a plan of what I can be doing.