Did losing weight improve your relationship and life?

[Wintersun]

I feel so fat, frumpy and totally unsexy since I put on the baby weight.
I've lost quite a bit but do need to lose more.
I get really down about this and would love to hear all your motivational and inspirational words to encourage me on.

Yes it did. I didn't lose loads but I suppose I didn't have that much to lose. What I did lose put me into the slim category from the slightly overweight and lumpy category ifswim. But more importantly I was in control of my eating and didn't use food to change my moods. Suddenly from being a 39yr mum of three old whom people never even noticed because I thought I was fat, frumpy amd middle-aged I turned into someone who thought they were worth looking at and listening to....so as a result people do. I love catching sight of myself in shop window and mirrors - for the first time in my life!! DH and I have a much better 'relationship' in many ways - because I know I'm worth his time and attention which I doubted before. Shame I can't do anything about the suitcases under my eyes and the creeping lines

Think of losing weight as a very exciting project. And it isn't only the final goal that matters (I stil haven't reached that and probably won't) it's the fact that you are taking time to take care of you and investing in yourself. Mothers can so easily get drawn into thinking only of their families and forgetting about themselves.

BTW exercise helps - makes you feel better and tones things up. Not that I can talk as I gave up the gym back in September when I hurt my achilles and haven't gone back properly yet...but I will, honest..

Wintersun, the last time i lost quite a bit of weight i felt like a new person.

I started going out and got some funky clothes and met DH and the rest is history.

Ive now got about 4 stone to lose since having DD 2 years ago and now i want to do it again.

joelalie is right as women we do tend to put our families first and not make time for ourselves.

You can do it!!!!!!!

I lost 3 stone last year, it improved my confidence immeasurably so yes it did improve my life. I was fairly happy anyhow, but I feel better about myself and also mya bility to achieve, if thst makes sense.

peachy-what diet did you follow?

weightwatchers switch, I thought it was brilliant

couldn't hack slimming world but my sisters did it the other way round, the trick is to find the one closest to what you normally eat. I love carbs like pasta and rice but can live without butter and bread.

fairplay to those who lost weight, I need to but I need to really "want" to if that makes sense. If you really really want to I believe you can, go girl :)

I posted a message last week (which seems to have got lost in cyberspace!!) which amounted to the fact that I am a 45 year carrying around 3 stones too much and feeling pretty gloomy about the way I look - finding this post has made me feel insired to try that bit harder - I feel invisitble ie. fat, ageing mum which makes me very sad but thanks to all you have posted on this and if anyone else out there has positive stories I would love to hear them

sorry for typos in last message !!!

I lost 2 stone last year on the GI diet and the encouragement on mumsnet really helped. It's a brilliant diet which works consistently and stops you obsessing about food.

I've just had DS2 and need to loose 1.5 stone again. My motivation is knowing how easy it was to dress when I was smaller....in other words I'm too lazy to constantly have to think about it and I just want to feel great in nice jeans and a shirt. I also regained my interest in accessories which was interesting. When I feel overweight I just can't be bothered to buy nice bags/shoes etc.

So far...two weeks in...lost 8lbs so I'm absolutely determined that I'll be there by Christmas. Hope this helps...maybe try low-GI?

Robin3, tell me about GI diet, what did you eat for the two weeks? 8lb in two weeks would be fab.

Thanks Robin for that really love to hear good stories from people

losing weight is definitely improving my life. I don't care how many times I've tried to tell myself in the past that I'm happy whatever size I am, it's just not true! I've lost 21lbs so far - another 21 to go, but today I went to Debs and bought a pair of size 16 jeans, which is a size I've got been in for at least 8 years, and I feel over the moon! I look in the mirror and am starting to realise that already I really am a lot smaller than I was a couple of months ago. Call me shallow, but this makes me happy..!

Don't know about improving my relationship - it's good anyway, but dp is happy I'm losing weight - mainly because she worried about my health and she's happy I'm probably fitter and healthier being smaller.

Well done Dotty - am thinking of the GI diet and hoping to make myself feel better about myself my relationship with my dp is bizarre so dont suppose it will change that but hopefully make me feel a bit better about myself and not such an ageing old bag !!!

Answering the OP - God, yes it certainly did improve my life! I mananged to lose 4 stones 5 years ago by good old sensible eating and going to the gym 3 times a week and I felt on top of the world! I still had about 3 stone to lose but what an improvement in my confidence and self esteem.

I then met DH and the diet slipped and, when we moved in together I changed my job so could no longer find time for the gym on top of F/T work, 2 children, DH etc (excuses excuses eh?! ). the weight has gradually gone back on and I'm back where I was 5 years ago.

Not sure if it's anything to do with now being over 40 (will be 42 in 2 weeks time - harrumph!!) but I can't even start a diet, never mind stick to one and it's really getting me down to the point where I saw the Dr this morning to ask for help.

I'm so angry with myself for putting back on all this weight as I was a different person when I was slimmer.

Somany....sorry for late reply.

Best to get a simple book to follow for the GI diet. It mainly affects the types of carbohydrate you can eat, so new potatoes not other types of potatoes, porridge/all bran not flaked cereals, bulgar wheat instead of rice. Once you get in to the habit of substituting these things i.e. slicing new potatos on a fish pie or shepherds pie rather than mash or bulgar wheat with curry....it's very straight forward. You're trying to control the amount of insulin your body produces because too much insulin turns to fat. In Australia the GI diet is the official government healthy eating policy so it's not mumbo jumbo.

Rosemary Conelly and Anthony Worral Thompson also have GI books but not sure what they're like.