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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Anyone interested in joining WWB on a weight-loss support thread for the REAL heavyweights?

210 replies

WigWamBam · 07/05/2006 19:40

I can't take the credit for this as it's not all my idea ... but I think it might be a good one and wondered if anyone else with a LOT to lose would like to join with me and suejonez to shift some weight?

I'm not talking about being a size 14 and needing to lose a stone - I'm talking people who are size 22+, those who have a really serious amount of weight to shift. Skinny minnies need not apply Wink - I'm thinking that maybe we would have to be a minimum weight or size so that we know we're all in the same boat together, and we know that everyone on the thread understands how we feel and the problems that we face once we make the decision to lose weight. Perhaps people who need to lose at least 5 stone?

I weighed myself today and have scared myself with what the scales said, and so sue's email couldn't have come at a better time - but I am hopeless at dieting on my own, and thought that maybe the support of others who understand about having lots of weight to shift would be good. As suejonez said in her email to me, we know all about losing weight, we've probably done it a dozen times before, we know exactly what to do and how to do it. We don't need to be told what to eat or how to eat it, we just need the support of people in a similar position to give us the nudge that we need to get on with losing the weight. Standing in front of a WW leader is daunting, maybe owning up to your weight to me would be less intimidating (well, maybe not ... Grin). But at least you'll know that I have as much (and probably more) to shift.

If anyone's interested we could have a weekly weigh-in, whether we post our weight on the thread or just the weight loss would be something we could think about before we set up the thread. I would be happy to have people email me their starting weight and their loss, so we could have a weekly round-up of how we're doing. We could even do something similar to WeightWatchers - set interim targets, get a virtual gold star for every 7lb lost, you know the sort of thing.

Come on, I know there are a few of us very large women out there - shall we do something about it?

OP posts:
Blunderwoman · 08/05/2006 23:51

I'm in the same boat as flutterbee - size 24/26/28 depending on the cut and fabric and I need to lose half my body weight if I want to see my son grow up. I asked at the FPC about going on the pill two weeks ago and with a BMI of 40 she said no way! Sad

I comfort eat when I'm down (crisps and chocolate), I drink too much and I eat and drink at the wrong times of the day, ie too late in the evening. I'm gradually building up exercise (taking the stairs instead of the lift etc) and I want to join a gym if only I could find one that would take a big blob of lard like me. I have lost two stones since Christmas but there's still a long way to go. I'm 30 in November 2007 and I'd like to be wearing a size 16 jeans or less. I'd also like to complete the Great North Run before I'm 30.

Any takers?? Smile

Mytwopenceworth · 08/05/2006 23:52

i am with you WWB!

anchovies · 09/05/2006 00:34

Please can I join in? Had ds2 9 weeks ago and finally faced the scales this morning. Don't want to admit my weight but think that public shaming might help keep me on the straight and narrow! Currently weigh 16 stone 10 and am 5'7". My probem is basically just that I am greedy - I eat for every occasion, whether I am happy, sad, bored etc. Am seriously thinking about counselling? I am going to do weight watchers (but not actually go to the meetings) but need to take it steady as am breastfeeding.

Aim for this week is no cheese(!) and more walking.

serenity · 09/05/2006 01:01

WWB - £9 a month if you pay monthly, £8 pm if you pay per quarter and £7 pm if you pay for 6 months. I think they send you a paper food diary as well, so you can keep track of what you eat before entering it on the site.

I've bolloxed it already by finishing my birthday cake this evening Blush start afresh tomorrow I think Smile

schneebly · 09/05/2006 08:32

Hey guys
I have decided I am going to brave slimming world tonight despite the fact that I am 2 stone heavier than I was when I was there last year Blush. I need to get over my embarrasment and just do it because I am sooo heavy and unfit Sad Even that 2 stones makes a difference. None of my clothes fit properly or look nice and I dont have the money or the inclination to buy any more at the moment.

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 11:00

Morning ladies ... crikey, there's a lot of us here now!

FA, Kanga, you will have me sobbing onto the keyboard, you pair of softies BlushBlush Thank you xx

Blunderwoman, that's a brilliant goal to aim for - and something to help keep you focussed, maybe.

How was SW last night, schneebly?

I was thinking about aims for the week - and one of mine has to be to go to the shops after dropping dd off at school and not buy food. I have got into the habit of buying a magazine and a couple of packets of crisps or a chocolate bar to eat while I read it, and I'm doing that most days, almost a mini-binge every morning. I stood at the bus stop waiting to come home and got quite panicky that I didn't have any food in my bags - I have plenty at home, but I couldn't shake the panicky feeling and the sudden urge to have that nice, familiar packet of crisps. I'm OK now, the feeling has passed, but it really scared me.

OP posts:
suejonez · 09/05/2006 11:39

WWB - know exactly what you mean about the panicking becasue you didn't have your usual crisps/choc in your bag, I'm the same on the way home. Its a habit I need to kick, how about a treat if you go 5 days in a row without buying (thinking magazine not choc!)

Anchovies - glad someone else is just greedy - me too! I like food and I like it too much. Yes, I do have "issues" with food (comfort eating etc)but basically need to learn to manage it and stop the disaster scenario I generally construct eg I've eaten too much, I may as well pig out for England and make it a disasterous day.

My new philosophy is going to be that I am too good to stuff myself with high calorie crap, that I value myself enough to stop eating before it goes from greed to obsession. Does that make any sense?

suejonez · 09/05/2006 11:39

WWB - know exactly what you mean about the panicking becasue you didn't have your usual crisps/choc in your bag, I'm the same on the way home. Its a habit I need to kick, how about a treat if you go 5 days in a row without buying (thinking magazine not choc!)

Anchovies - glad someone else is just greedy - me too! I like food and I like it too much. Yes, I do have "issues" with food (comfort eating etc)but basically need to learn to manage it and stop the disaster scenario I generally construct eg I've eaten too much, I may as well pig out for England and make it a disasterous day.

My new philosophy is going to be that I am too good to stuff myself with high calorie crap, that I value myself enough to stop eating before it goes from greed to obsession. Does that make any sense?

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 11:42

That makes huge amounts of sense. It's like the comments earlier on about eating well while we were pregnant because we were doing it for the baby, but not being able to do it for ourselves because we don't value ourselves enough.

Perhaps we should - perhaps we should work on our self-esteem as well as our weight.

OP posts:
heavenis · 09/05/2006 13:20

This thread is excellent,just knowing that other people have a similar relationships to food is a big help.
The biggest thing I want to change is that i think if no one sees me eating then it doesn't count.

suejonez · 09/05/2006 13:25

Aha - the old anonymous eating thing. If I had to eat everything in public (bit like Henry 8th) I wouldn't have half the problem I do... but then it didn't work for him I suppose.

rosebea · 09/05/2006 13:28

I'm terrible and could do with a WWB, I'm a size 26 Blush never lost anything after having my girls and I'm breastfeeding so I really should have Blush
I make my family really healthy means, my DD's don't eat any rubbish at all but I sneak sweets at every opertunity and if I don't buy them I turn into a dragon Blush I could blush all the way through this confession.
Feels good to write it down though Grin

rosebea · 09/05/2006 13:30

Sorry about the mistakes in that post but I typed it quickly so that I didn't have to think about it. Sad

heavenis · 09/05/2006 13:34

Rosebea, I agree with you I let my children have sweets but I tell them they can't have x,y,z cos they've had enough. Wish someone would tell me that.Smile

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 13:35

I can sympathise with that post, Rosebea.

WRT eating standing up, I think that's close to home for most dieters! When I was doing Rosemary Conley classes, the leader read this to us once:

Diet Rules

  1. If no-one sees you eat it, it has no calories.
  2. If you eat a Mars bar with a diet Coke they cancel each other out.
  3. If you eat standing up, it has no calories.
  4. Stressed is just Desserts spelled backwards, don't get stressed, eat dessert.
  5. If you eat the food off someone else's plate, it doesn't count.
  6. Broken biscuits contain no calories because the process of breakage cause calorie leakage.
  7. Food used for medicinal purposes has no calories. This includes any chocolate used for energy, cheesecake, and Haagen-Daz Ice Cream.
  8. When eating with someone else, calories don't count if you eat as much as he does.
  9. Movie-related foods contain no calories because they are classed as entertainment and not part of one's personal fuel. This includes popcorn with butter, mints, Snickers, and Coke.

Most of the laughter was very nervous laughter when it came to numbers 1 and 3 ...

OP posts:
JackieNo · 09/05/2006 13:37

Been lurking on this thread - really ought to join, but still not plucked up the courage to. But on the self esteem thing, I quite like the approach of \link{http://www.flylady.com/images/bc_release.pdf\Flylady}, although it's a bit American. I read something in one of her emails about someone who keeps reminding themselves that food 'is not comfort, it's not God, it's just fuel' (I'm paraphrasing, but as closely as I can remember), and that's how I'd like to be able to think about it, while still enjoying it.

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 13:41

Jackie, just come along for the ride, join in with the chat. There's no pressure on anyone to do anything they don't want to or aren't ready to.

OP posts:
JackieNo · 09/05/2006 13:48

Thank you WWB - I will, if that's OK (or at the very least, lurk obsessivelyGrin). Not sure how much I weigh (been avoiding the scales) but am a size 22, and only 5'4. Guess I need to lose around 5 or 6 stone. Weight just keeps on gradually going up and up. Lost a bit while pg with DD, but have put it all on again and more since. I loathe going shopping for clothes. I have this image of myself in my mind as someone much thinner, then I catch sight of myself in a shop window or something, and see the realitySad.

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 13:51

Oh gosh, I can empathise with that. In my head I'm not fat, it's only when I see myself in the mirror that this old, fat, flabby woman looks back at me! My weight keeps going up and up as well, but I've got to the stage where if it goes up any more I feel it will be dangerous ... well, it probably already is, but it has to stop somewhere.

You're very welcome to lurk, if that's what you want - but it would be nice to talk to you sometimes while you're there!

OP posts:
suejonez · 09/05/2006 13:53

can I suggest one rule? - no perfect people allowed and that means:

No apologising for posts that are not perfectly spelled and punctuated, corrections allowed if you make a mistake that changed the meaning of the post. Otherwise we'll work out what you meant we're smart cookies Grin

no apologising for not sharing your weight if you don't want to

no apologising for falling off the wagon (share, discuss and move on)

In fact no apologising at all unless you've genuinely ofended someone and even then you don't need to apologise for your opinion just sorry that they were hurt by it.

PS Jackie I like the idea of the Flylady thing agree its a bit american, perhaps we could anglicise it - shall I have a go? What do y'all think?

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 13:54
OP posts:
suejonez · 09/05/2006 13:57

LOL

WWB, is this not the way it's done on MN, I'm new here I am...

Original poster
WigWamBam · 09/05/2006 14:00

Sorry, didn't mean to make it sound as if it wasn't the done thing!

I'm sure everyone here is going to be completely supportive and sympathetic to everyone else's feelings, but sometimes some posters aren't, and there's a bit of pedantry about grammar and punctuation to the extent that some posters have had the pee taken out of them for having poor grammar (I'm a pedant, I admit, but wouldn't ever have a go at anyone or make them feel bad for not having perfect punctuation!).

People get a bit shouty and angsty sometimes, but what's nice is that it's usually just all forgotten about away from the angsty thread.

OP posts:
Marina · 09/05/2006 14:01

Lots of friendly names on here...you just never imagine other Mners hating their weight like you do :(
OK, hat in the ring, will need to dust off scales Blush but know I am a size 18 and need to lose approx 4.5 stone. Will mail you with my start weight WWB and thank you for organising. Am spurred on by ds ("You're not fat mum, those are your cuddly bits") reaching the age where peers might start to comment nastily (apparently some boys in his class call a much slimmer than me teacher, Mrs Fatty Angry).
Want to be fit rather than pencil slim again. 10th wedding anniversary next month and I weighed nine stone on the day :(

Marina · 09/05/2006 14:02

Bumblebee Lady? Quintessential British summertime, helpful, round, beautiful insect :)

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