Help!!

[glenthebattleostrich]

Hello,

I need help to get motivated again to loose some lard!

I lost 1.5 stones last year using MFP and walking. Was feeling great, dropped to a small size 14 and was heading nicely to my target weight. Then Christmas came and I fell off the wagon spectacularly.

Every week since then I've started being good one day then it's all fallen apart. I need motivation and a kick up the (ever expanding) arse.

So I've restarted with MFP today and tomorrow I'm digging out the dreaded Shred DVD. Please yell at me to make sure I do it. Also anyone out there willing to be my diet buddy?

We are thinking Brisbane or Adelaide at the moment but quite interested in Darwin too. I spent about 3 weeks in Darwin when I traveled around Oz and loved it. But I was there in August when the weather is lovely, I'm not sure how well I would cope with the wet season. But we are up for an adventure - one of the reasons we are moving is that life has become so bloody boring! Work life in the UK is very pressured and I feel all I do is work very hard to maintain a very average lifestyle while missing out on time with DD.

Having my once a week glass of vino at the moment while DD naps and DH paints the front porch to impress potential buyers! Good day so far, tea and one slice of 'nimble' bread toasted for breakfast, black coffee and panetone in Nero's for a late breakfast (DD gobbled about a third of the panetone!) and corned beef and tomato sandwich for lunch. Doing roast chicken and veggies for dinner and this week going to ban after dinner snacking and see if that helps.

What are your reasons for wanting to lose weight apart from upcoming wedding? My big ones are (1) fertility - I had IVF for DD and have just had a failed IVF cycle. I am not hugely overweight (BMI 26) but consultant has said that getting even half a stone to 10lbs off could make a difference and (2) have struggled with my weight all my life and really want to set a positive example to DD. I want her to have a female role model who is healthy and fit and not constantly moaning about her thighs or talking about food.

The main reason is to be a good role model to my DD. Most of DH's family are seriously overweight (including DH unfortunately) and do diets for a bit then put all the weight back. It's really unhealthy and I don't want her thinking that's the norm. I want her to have a really healthy attitude to food and think I need to lead by example. And vanity, I'm sick of looking in the mirror and seeing this huge tummy, I want to look nice. Your reason is much better! Good luck with the IVF, I hope your more sucessful on your next cycle.

Kids are great for diets aren't they, DD steals all my 'nice' food.

The walking is starting to pay off, my legs look better which is nice. And my jeans fitted a bit better this morning so even with the scales not moving I know something is happening so I'm spurred on for today.

Been really good so far today (stayed under 2000 kcal yesterday but not a great day if I'm honest). Cheerios, plum and banana for breakfast, tin of oxtail soup for lunch and got some pulled pork in the slow cooker for tea tonight. Need to make some bread to go with it, some nice soft white rolls, yummy.

I'm hoping it stops raining soon, I need to walk to the postoffice (about a mile away) Then my exercise is done for the day :)

Hope you are having a fab day.

Yes kids are good for diets. We haven't given DD much sweet stuff yet so I don't eat it in front of her as I think it would be just unfair. You would think that fertility would be a good motivator but actually in my head I just feel resentful about it as have been trying for 6 years and it just feels like it's all up to me. I have to diet, stop drinking, take vitamins, fertility drugs, have invasive tests, inject myself etc etc and all DH has to do is produce the occasional sample! So now having to lose weight as well seems all too much sometimes.

Vanity is also a biggie! I really love nice clothes but wont buy nice stuff in big sizes...shopping is so much more fun when you are a size 10-12.

Have had no sweet treats today - museli and yogurt for breakfast, small portion of spag bol in work canteen for lunch and v healthy chicken stew for tea. Just coffee/tea in between and one oatcake mid afternoon.

Stick with it tomorrow!!! I think feeling your jeans are looser is better than the scales coming down - means you are replacing fat with muscle which is the way to go.

Can't imagine how hard that must be, I'm sorry you have to do that.

Had a pretty good day, had merangues for sweet treat instead of chocolate.

Stepping up the exercise tomorrow, starting stomach crunches and push ups before breakfast (I used to do it pre child). Also got walks planned in for every day this week with friends so we are spuring each other on.

It's alright really - just have days when I moan about it. I should be grateful it has all worked and I have my lovely DD but a bit hung up at the moment about wanting a DC2.

Good plan having people lined up as exercise buddies and impressed with the crunches plan! I still haven't managed much beyond walking.

Good day today, museli for breakfast, ham sandwich and yogurt for lunch, more yummy chicken stew for dinner with carrot and parsnip mash. Strawberries and yogurt for dessert. No snacking at all!

Moan away, it is a horrible draining process from what I understand.

Walking is one of the best exercises, I'm lucky I can build it easily into my day because I work from home, I'm impressed you manage to with working full time and your DD. I was dragged on a 2 mile walk yesterday and have another planned for today, hoping the rain holds off long enough to take the kids to the park too. If not we'll be doing dancing (usually me jumping around like an idiot and the kids ignoring me!) I'm up to 15 crunches, 15 lower ab bicycles and 15 pushups so don't be too impressed!

Not too bad a day yesterday cheerios for breakfast with fruit, sandwich for lunch and small portion of lasagne for tea (made with skimmed milk and lots of veggies so a bit healthier). Did have a cake at softplay but stayed within my calorie limit.

Today, I've had my cheerios and a couple of plums, it'll be pasta for lunch and fajita's for tea. The snacks are getting cut out from Monday. I find the best way for me is to slowly cut back and push the exercise as much as I can.

Hope you have another good day x

I build walking into my work day. It's a 12 min walk from home to tube and then just under ten mins at the other end to work (this is walking fast!) so get about 40 mins in 4 blocks in the day. Then I walk whenever possible to meetings so usually get in 2-3 extra 15 - 25 mins walk per week and if I am getting the bus somewhere I get off a stop or two early. At the weekend I always aim for an hour both days. I used to have really toned arms and they are total jelly now so need to do some weights but haven't got around to it yet.

Ok day today - bit late getting up so no time for museli - had 2 scotch pancakes on the run and a banana mid morning. Lunch was a prawn sandwich and black coffee and dinner veggie tomato stew w baby potatoes. Just had 5 M&S wheaten crackers for a salt kick. Debating a skim milk hot chocolate.....hmmmmmm I keep meaning to start doing WW points (old style) but haven't done it yet - I suspect I could have the hot chocolate and be ok!

Good luck tomorrow - you are doing really well to stay within your calorie limit.

So weighed myself this morning and no change from last week. But three people at work today commented that I look slimmer today so that made up for the scales disappointment!!

Good day on food, banana and two tangerine for breakfast. Small portion of mousaka with salad for lunch, one restrained chocolate from a huge box of chocs my boss brought into work, apple, roast chicken, spinach, green beans and sweetcorn for tea.

Hope your day went well.

That's good. I'm still unchanged and was feeling pretty unmotivated. But new week, back to good intentions!

Slice of toast this morning, a couple of biscuits for lunch and homemade thai beef burgers for tea, in a wrap.

Sorry i've not been posting, been manic with work and all the other stuff then was out for my friends hen do yesterday, had far to many cocktails (possibly why i didn't eat much this morning!)

Hope you had a good weekend

Hen night with cocktails sounds like fun! How were the new shoes?

Ok weekend food wise. Did not get much exercise though as the weather was terrible. Have adopted an attitude of having just quarter or half of something if I want a treat at the weekend. Definitely going to start tracking points using the old WW system tomorrow. I found before with WW that I was often eating too little on diets which works for a while but eventually your metabolism just slows down to match. Staying motivated is difficult -sometimes I just say to myself that I am only doing this today and I can abandon the diet if I really want to tomorrow and that helps to tick off the days!

So here goes for a positive, one day at a time week where we both stay on track!!

The hen night was great but i suffered for it! The shoes were amazing, looked fab and hardly hurt!

I've really struggled this week, not posting hasn't helped. Been a bit better today but not much :(

Work has been manic, had lots of adhoc kids this week so had 3 under 2 both days, so no time for proper food, just unhealthy snacks.

I've taken some healthy food out of the freezer for tomorrow. The food plan is:

Breakfast: Scrambled egg on toast
Lunch: Soup
Tea: Thai beef red curry

Snacks: banana, apple, pickled onions, carrots.

All quite simple quick meals so I should manage.

Hope you are well and doing better than me!

Good grief - I could not cope with 3 under 2's!!! I can barely manage my 1. Do they all at least have a nap at the same time???

Today went well until I started trying to catch up with work tonight and had a hot chocolate with a kitkat at 11pm . have just logged out now and decided to check here before going to bed to give myself a kick start for the morning. Tomorrow will be museli w blueberries, baked potato and salad for lunch and whatever DH cooks for dinner. For snacks I have bought a bag of apples to bring to work and I'll probably mainline coffee as I have back to back meetings all morning.

I bought a new skirt from Hobbs for work and it arrived today - it's lovely and just fits (size 12). So must keep going as it would be better if I did lose a bit more. I was going to link to it but its vanished from the outlet section so must be sold out now. Was reduced from £110 to £45 so doubly smug - bargain and it fits

Good luck tomorrow and I hope you get a couple of calmer days soon.

Wow, I'm really impressed (and gald I'm not the only one up till silly o clock doing paperwork!)

I love Hobbs clothes but they don't look right on me when I'm bigger so I'm doubly jealous!!

Must admit I'm looking forward to Friday, I'm not working, have a couple of activities with DD but then have a whole 2 hours where it is just us. If it's nice we are going to the park, if not we are going to do some crafts. My Sister is being induced as I type so we need to make a lovely card for my new baby neice :)

Can't believe you were up last night too! Am off to bed now as totally exhausted today.

Did so so today - ate well all day but had a packet of softmints after dinner and now my teeth are on edge from the sugar. One of the doctors at one of my meetings today had lost a lot of weight so I was saying I want to lose a bit more and she said I need to up the intensity of exercise as dieting is probably not effective as my metabolism has adjusted. She suggested doing lots of fast squats with a kettleball or dumbell - she said to do 7 sets of 7 quickly with a short break between sets and repeat 2-3 times a day - she swears this will make a difference and will be more effective than a half hour run a day!!! She even did a demo of the best technique at the meeting!

So I am going to test the theory - started today in the bathroom while DD was in the bath - was hilarious as she started doing them too using an empty body wash tube as her weight - I am feeling slightly achy in both thighs and upper arms now...

Is your new niece here yet?? Does your sister live nearby? Nothing beats the buzz around a brand new baby does it?

Ohh, I'll have to give that a try, my friend wants me to go to zumba with her so starting that when her teacher comes back from holidays.

My little neice is here, she arrived yesterday. They live 150 miles away so will be going up next weekend to visit. They want their little girl to get used to her before they are decended on. I have been promised lots of photos though.

Not a bad day food wise yesterday, was too busy to eat most of the day so ended up snacking on fruit mostly to keep energy levels up.

Have a fab day x

Congrats on your new niece - I totally get where your sister is coming from - when DD was born we told no one for 24 hours as we just wanted her all to ourselves and didn't want to even respond to texts!!

Eating went ok yesterday and today - have been overdoing the squats with weights though and have a sore back! Weighed myself today and down a miserly 0.2 of a kilo but at least its going the right direction.

Really glad its a bank holiday w/end - have a lot of bits of chores to do tomorrow, birthday cards to send, wardrobe to sort out etc but then will hopefully just chill on Sunday and Monday.

Hope all going well with you.

Woo hoo, I lost 1lb :)

Had a bad couple of days, horrendous PMT so eating for England.

Getting back on track today, shopping yesterday so stocked up on lots of healthy food and snacks. Also lots of cup-a-soups so I have food for when I'm working so I don't fill up on junk food as the kids nap.

Cleaning the house today, then taking DD out for her birthday tomorrow, hopefully the weather will be good. Might try to get out for a walk today too, the sun is actually out!

Have a fab weekend

Yay - well done on losing a lb!!! Has been a busy weekend. Started sorting out my Aussie visa and what a nightmare for one that should be fairly straightforward. Two big forms to complete and I have a list of 8 questions about 1 form and 10 about the other form to ring the embassy with tomorrow - they'll be sorry about the complicated forms by the time the call with me is over!!

Food wise doing ok and have been walking every day. Made some oat and raisin cookies for a treat. Love long weekends - have told DH I want a 4 day week job when we get to oz.

How are you getting on today? I had a tough day at work but did well on food - poached egg on toast for breakfast, lentil and aubergine curry for lunch, DH's v delicious sausage and tomato casserole for dinner (only had one sausage!) with rice. 2 apples for snacks.

Bed early tonight - really need to start getting more sleep!

You've done really well, better than me!

I've not done too badly, porridge for breakfast, crabsticks and rivita for lunch and chicken curry for tea (home made), some iced gems and fruit for snacks and half a peanut butter kit kat. Did do 2 40 minute walks though, and I had 3 under 2 today so was pushing a double buggy with a 20lb baby on my front, quite the work out!!

Got another busy day tomorrow so need to remember to fill up on fruit and stock my bag so I keep snacking to a minimum. It's DD's birthday on Thursday so need to go get the ingredients for her cake, bits for her birthday party, take her to be weighed, bake birthday cake and take it to friend to be decorated (it's going to be a teapot, her current favorite thing in the world), wrap presents, sort party bags and try to fit in caring for another littlie. Luckily the child I have tomorrow loves to be out in shops, it is her favorite thing according to her mum. And the mum requested I take her to be weighed soon too, so I don't look like too bad a childminder ;)

Need an early night too, DD has cold so isn't sleeping too well and DH is off early for a meeting in London Town!

Enjoy your early night and have a fab day tomorrow

Well food didn't go well yesterday, but I was running around all day so think it ballanced out (or rather hope it did!)

Breakfast 2 crumpets and some fruit, lunch cheese straws and an apple turnover (oops), bacon and mushroom omlette for tea and a bottle of cider.

I did have to go out to get bits for DD's party bags and things for her party today and then to baby clinic to get her weighed then out for a nice walk (did about 3.5 miles in total just on walks yesterday) and chasing 2 toddlers all day. When my mindee left for the day I also had to make Cara's birthday cake (banana cake, yummy) so ended up scraping the bowl and eating that too.

Today I've had some ryvita and a cup of tea for breakfast and will be having soup for lunch. Don't think I'll get out for a walk the weather is horrible so we'll do action songs today (me hefting a 1 year old around for half an hour should be a good workout).

How are the visa applications going? I hope the consul could help. I hate filling out forms, they are such a pain.

Have a fantastic day

Hello
Sorry have not checked in for a couple of days. The form filling is completely tedious! I finally got through to Oz embassy today and they were v helpful. Just have to get all my documents certified by a public notary now.

Had a good week with food and lost 1kg so I was whooping around the bathroom this morning after a couple of weeks with v slow progress! Today had usual museli, fruit and yogurt for breakie, fish and salad for lunch, 3 biscuits (woops!) and having grilled chicken w veggies for dinner. Your exercise is putting me to shame - double buggy plus carrying another one!!! That must be having an effect.

Any nice plans for the weekend? We are taking DD swimming tomorrow morning and I have to catch up on some work as I'm behind with two of my projects but hoping to relax a bit as well.
Weather looking nice down here at the moment so hope it clears for you too!

Just realised you will be having your DDs party this weekend - Enjoy :)

We are going oop north to visit family for DD's birthday so we'll be having 2 birthday parties for her (my parents and in-laws won't have a joint one, they are so competative grrr). Then we are out on Saturday night for a friends birthday party.

Hoping to get a nice walk on the beach if the weather is nice to escape family.

Also going to visit my new baby neice, so excited about meeting her :)

Have a fantastic weekend, don't work too hard and remember you need time to relax too.

Hope the multiple parties went well and family stuff wasn't too full on. Our extended families are in Irl and NZ and I missed them on DD's first birthday although I know if we were close to either group it would drive me mad!!

Was your new niece gorgeous - absolutely nothing as lovely as that new baby smell!!! Makes me broody even thinking about it - 2 of my SILs are pregnant and both due end Sept/early Oct when we will be in Irl so I have them warned to pop on time

Food ok over the weekend. Today had museli for breakfast, 6 inch chicken subway for lunch and grilled steak w baked potato for dinner. Had a glass of wine and a couple of squares of dark chocolate in the afternoon. DH commented that I'm looking slimmer this weekend so that was nice.

So here goes for a new week - I keep saying I will up the exercise and this week I will do it - feel free to kick my arse if I don't!