I'm fat, please help!

[yaimee]

Hi everyone,
Earlier on today I weighed myself and managed to tip the scales at 18st, which, there is no denying, is extremely fat.
I'm absolutely mortified that I've let my weight get so out of hand and thoroughly miserable and unfit at this size.
I know what I need to do to change things, eat more healthily and do more exercise. I also know that for health reason, as well as my own happiness, I just need to get on and do this, and I keep trying, but I just can't.
It always goes the same, I make a good start, no silly dieting, just proper healthy eating and exercise, and I always lose a few lbs and am happy with the results, but then I get miserable and disheartened and I turn back to food for comfort and pile all the weight back on that I've lost and then some.
I think I just feel like it's such a gargantuan task that I'll never manage it.
I don't really know what help I need/want, but any kind words, not so kind words, success stories, hard truths you can throw at me can't make the situation any worse. And I'm just hoping something clicks with me, beacause things need to change!

Just to add, tips are also very very welcome, particularly exercise ideas that I can do alongside entertaining my 5 month old if possible :)

I can recommend downloading the Points Plus app if you have an Andriod phone. This is based on the WeightWatchers system but, apart from the App cost (about £2) it is then free. This has really helped me kickstart my weight loss and am down a stone since January which was when I was at my heaviest ever. My kickstart was finding out that my mum and sister had signed up to Weightwatchers and there was no way that I was going to be left as the chubby one. Not even knowing I was going to be dancing on stage was enough to motivate me last year, despite paying for the online WW system.

My weigh in is on a Saturday morning, in the privacy of my bathroom. For some reason, I am finding this an ideal time as, if I haven't eaten all my extra points during the week then I know I can have a nice take away on the Friday. Alternatively, if I am going out over the weekend, I know I can enjoy my weekend and then be a bit more careful during the week to make up for it. I have also started doing some Davina DVDs to help me get fit and tone me up. Could you manage something like this whilst your 5 month old is napping?

I still have 1½ stones to go so am hoping I can keep it going.

Good luck.

Hi I've got the same problem let my weight get the better of me every day was another day and I'm 12 post ds2 and 4 stone heavier than I was the day after ds1 was born

I joined closer magazine online diets on Tues got a ten week plan for £25 and paid £1 a week for exercise plans I went for low gi but there's low carb, totals vegetarian etc...

They give you a meal plan and shopping list with weight mesurments which helps me as I'm learning what I should have as a portion size
Recipes are great

I'm off for my exercise for today which is walking so ds is going in the buggy and off I go

Day 2 and I'm still feeling positive :)

You do a weigh in every 7 days and they give you a new plan based on your loss (or gain )

Hello Yaimee

I know how you feel. I have lots of weight to lose. Three weeks ago I was 17st 5, today I am 16st 11. Yikes. Long way to go.

Here's what is helping me. You have to break down the weight into smaller chunks. I have switched my scales into weighing in kg, as they don't have the same emotional loading for me as stones and pounds do (I had to convert my weights to write this to you). I have rewards planned for every 5kg I lose.

I know you say you don't want silly diets, just healthy eating, but frankly, that probably isn't going to cut it. When we are very overweight, we're in a very unbalanced situation. You can't redress a situation that is so unbalanced by applying balance - it's going to have to tip the other way for a while.

You need to find what works for you. For me, this is low-carb. For others it will be low-fat. Everyone gets a bit evangelical about their particular route, but we are all different. You need to find what is most sustainable for you and then stick with it.

Can't help with the baby and exercise I'm afraid. Exercise is good, no debate about that. But in terms of weight loss, especially if you have a lot to lose, diet is 90% important and exercise is 10%, if that. You can lose weight without exercise, don't use that as an excuse. You can't get fit without exercise, obviously, but you can lose significant amounts of weight without it.

Thank you everyone. When I said no silly diets, I meant things like meal replacement/ eating only cabbage etc etc, I'm really happy to hear what has worked for people in terms of low fat/calorie/carbs also happy to hear what everyone does for exercise and how people reward themselves. Thanks again!

I agrees msRinky this diet has reeducated me in healthy eating I can do this forever not just to lose weight then fall in to bad habits I'm learning health habits for life not using processed foods , keeping my blood sugar regulate so I don't get hungry and binge, smaller portion sizes , healthy snacks

Zumba is fab exercise and its FUN!
Have you got anyone to look after your little one for an hout to go to a class?

Good luck with your weight loss! I have lost 5 stone and still have a couple to go. Iv gone from a size 22 to a size 16 and how I feel is better than any food there is.
I know how hard it is, I have been where you are and turning to food for comfort was the easy option. Its the starting point that is the hardest part, when you start to see and feel results, it gets easier.

Can recommend the My Fitness Pal app. If you can make yourself log everything, even on 'bad' days, it's an incredibly valuable tool for losing weight.

Oh, and meant to say - what finally worked for me was not having a big build up to 'the diet' (during which I would eat everything and gain an extra 0.5 stone), but (a) reading Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels (lots about how diets screw your metabolism) and just wry quietly, in the middle of one day, beginning to log my calories. No fanfare, no build up, just starting to be a bit more careful about food and taking it a day at a time.

I can heartily recommend Slimming World - it really isn't a fad diet at all but makes you eat healthily (with good portion sizes & you never go hungry). I lost almost 5 stone after DC2 & rejoined after DC3 - I'm almost back at target now, this time losing almost 3 stone (thankfully hadn't put as much baby weight on this time!!)

Whatever you decide to do, you need to be committed to it. For me, it was a case of deciding that I was worth more than feeling miserable simply because of how I looked. I found Slimming World very easy, but I do think a big part of that was because my head was in the right place iyswim.

Good luck whatever you decide.

I lost a third of my body weight last year through dieting ( no exercise it makes me hungry). I went from 13 and a half stone to just under 9 stone. I didn't tell anyone I was on a diet and found that helpful as not talking about it all the time.
I planned treats for every half stone I lost and treated myself to non food treats such as candles, nail varnish and magazines along the way.
The diet worked for me because I took responsibility for what my hand put in my mouth.

I was at the nurse on tuesday and (along with a referal to the dietician with regards to my intollerences) the advice she gave me was that if I had carbs with lunch not to have them with my dinner and vice versa. She also said to walk as much as I can but with the weather being pretty rubbish here I have been doing 30 mins fast step on my ea active more workouts and are doing one of each shred level each week.

Don't forget that you'll look better, feel healthier, have more energy, reduce your chances of horrible diseases with every lb you lose, not just the whole lot.

So don't feel daunted, take it one step at a time and you'll get there eventually. Just imagine how much better you can look by the summer/September back to school/Christmas/this time next year.

go for it and good luck!

Fluffy, that's impressive! When did people start to notice?!

I started last Easter, no one noticed during the summer term. During the six weeks holidays I only saw a few close friends and then when schools went back in September and I had lost 2 and half stone absolutely everyone noticed. Even people I didn't know I knew! People are still noticing all the time and asking what diet I did etc. Actually looking forwards to when everyone gets used to the new me.

:)

Thanks for your help everyone, you're all really impressive and inspiring! Well done to those have lost or are losing or trying to lose weight at the moment! I'm going to stop whinging and get on with it now! Thanks again! x

i've lost 11 and half stone, i did it by walking, i wasn't that fast to start with and only walked for 15 mins from my home then back (so half an hour total) could you do this by pushing your baby with you? after a few months i started going further and faster. now i do between 7 and 10 miles every other day-sometimes more as i'm doing a marathon (walking) in 10 weeks time.
i also never went over 1750 calories a day and split that up into 4 small meals and 2 snacks.
i was 24 stone. i've now started the couch to 5k running programme and start at a gym tommorow.

the turning point for me/the motivation i needed was my dr told me i'd only have a short life if i didn't sort it. the thought of not seeing my son and daughters grow up and leaving them and my dh gave me the push i needed.

my next challenge for myself is (after done walking marathon) to run a marathon and see how i can change my body shape at the gym.

(sorry this is so long)

Wow Fluffy and MileWalker! that is inspiring!

Taking responsibility for what you put in your mouth is a big statement so I will remember that from now on.

Only have a stone and a half to lose but oh so difficult!!

MileWalker, you're amazing!. You must feel bloody great about your weight loss. Well done

I've lost 4.5 stone so far - started at 15.5 stone about 6 months ago. What kickstarted my weight loss was separating from my partner and really not having the cash to treat myself to nice food, plus I really fancied a new man and wanted him to fancy me . I know that's not particularly helpful.

I lost the weight by significantly reducing my portion sizes. I didn't have the money for diet food which was a real bonus because I used to eat low fat everything and then get bored and binge on food that actually tasted nice - so effectively eating more than I would when I wasn't actively trying to lose weight. It is amazing how far I can stretch our food budget now it's just DS and I. I just add extra vegetables to our meals and what would have been 1 family dinner feeds us for 4 nights. We eat exactly the same meals as we always did, even proper fried chips, just in much smaller quantities. We don't notice the difference anymore either.

I did absolutely no exercise at first either, mainly because my feet were always bloody killing me from the weight they were carrying. Now I'm lighter I do a lot of fast walking and that's helping me tone up. The weight loss has really slowed down during the past month but I'm wearing a size 14, I have a healthy BMI, I'm getting fit and I feel tiny compared to my former self. I would ideally like to lose another stone but I'm happy for it to come off gradually.

Well done MileWalker and DiddyKnockers.