New Mums still seeking new bodies - this time we'll do it.

[SolitudeSometimesIs]

So a new thread, a new more motivated state of mind.

We will be skinny. No more excuses.

Well done Green on 2lbs! Keep it up!

Sol it sounds exhausting. Take care of yourself. Sorry for sabotaging suggestion, but maybe a planned indulgence once a week is better for motivation than keeping it so strict all the time? Just a thought

How did your fasting go last week Beyond?

Have been busy so no time to post... Lost another lb last week, although on thur fast I've only had 200 cals. Apparently it's common for weight loss to vary week to week, but 1lb is an average. Strangely, it still keeps me motivated. Maybe because you don't feel like you're on diet, but still losing weight, albeit slowly. I think the initial 4 lbs loss really helped.

Well done Toes. I am going to try a fast day tomorrow - I am not managing to reduce to 500 calls though (but am still bf).

Hi all,

had a very stressful week. There was no let up and I have no idea what I weigh (there was a flooded bathroom so not sure if the scales is even alive). BUT I am doing James Duncan starting on Sunday and I plan to do it for 2 weeks. We have 2 parties coming up and I want to look good. I bought a pair of trousers that make my legs look great but there is some serious muffin top so it's a necessity.

Huge congratulations on your weight loss Green. You are doing so brilliantly. You must feel great every time you step on the scales.

Toes that's great that you feel like you're not on a diet, but you're still losing weight.

How did your fast day go Beyond?

I saw this posted on another thread and thought it might be apt with our non-sleeping babies (I hope this link works) http:m.youtube.com/watch?v=F-MCdcwbbp4

Hope your week improved Sol. Good luck with the James Duncan. Good news on the trousers, do you have a top in mind?
I am planning on having a very austere 4 weeks to make up for my lack of focus the past 2 weeks.
Hope you are both doing well Green and Toes.

Hi all,

first day of James Duncan again (I had an enormous pizza last night as a final hurrah!). I am planning to follow it 5 days per week and then have the weekends off as we have something on every weekend from now until Christmas and I can't be one of those people at a party who asks for a fruit platter. Now don't get me wrong I'm not going to be diving in to takeaway and tin of celebrations every Saturday and Sunday, I'll still be low carbing.

I weighed myself this morning and I have put on 4.3lbs since I finished JD the last time. So I'm not going to count anything as weightloss until I hit 191.3 lbs which is what I was when I finished JD a few weeks ago. I don't have a goal in sight weight wise but I have clothes I want to fit in to.

How goes your very austere weekend Beyond? I think a few weeks focus and we will be doing as well as Green and Toes.

Off to have unlimited fruit for lunch. The joy!

Oh Lord it's only 10.34 am.

This is going to be a very long day!

Yesterday was a complete disaster. Children fighting, husband being an arse, raging PMT and non-sleeping baby. I had some pizza, a small bag of maltesers and some soup. Feeling very deflated today.

My mood is swinging between between super motivated (I've bought all of the stuff and pinned the diet sheet up to the inside of the press and I really want to be skinny) to feeling absolutely crap about myself and not seeing the point in even trying to diet.

I know part of it s related to the hormonal-ness but I'm really struggling. I am sitting here writing this as I plough through my bowl of fruit and my tofu is ready to be marinaded. I will stick to the plan and I know I'll feel better when I start to see the pounds fall away, but right now I feel like it's too much to do.

Sorry for such whingey post, but I could never be so self-indulgently ranty to anyone in real life, they'd tell me to shut up!

Hope everyone else is getting on better than me and finding their motivation. Feel free to kick me in the arse and tell me not to be such a brat!

You're not being a brat Sol, but i can give you a kick any way? Your rant sounds very justified anyway. My DH was being a moody git yesterday it must have been the day for it! But it's not like you've ate loads and a Sunday is a bad day to start (everyone knows you start on a Monday!).

The hardest part is definitely starting a diet, just think of next Monday and how much lighter you'll be. (Hope I don't sound like a patronising cow) It is so hard though. I really envy those people who just 'cut down' and drop 3 stones. it's not fair. Good luck with it.

How's the austerity going Beyond? Hope you fasting is still going well too Toes.

I'm still in the low carb zone. Replaced quite a few Exante meals for real food and upped the calories. I lost 2.5 lb this week! I was 14 stone 0.5lb this morning, So i think that's 20.5 lb in total . I hope to get into the 13 stones next week.
I'm planning to have a few days this week just eating Exante and the rest having 2 low carbs meals and 1 or 2 Exantes. DH is away from Wednesday-Sunday so I won't have to deal with his mournful face when I decline his offers of a takeaway!

Sol, no kick from me, all perfectly justifiable reasons for struggling. I'm struggling a bit too and also got pmt. Well done for sticking with it. Keep going, we can do it!

Well done Green - so impressed with you. You are doing amazingly well.

Sol - Maybe we need to do something drastic for a kick start, well you are doing James Duncan, so maybe I just mean me

Thanks Beyond. I think (and hope) that I've resigned myself to the fact that I have to stick with it this time. I really can't stay this size as it just makes me miserable. I've had to admit a lot of things to myself to get to this state of mind. I repeat them to myself daily, like a mantra! I'm terrified that I'm going to give in and pile the weight back on again.
I'm seriously thinking that I have to start exercising again next year. I'm ashamed to admit that I have a treadmill in the garage that I haven't used in almost 2 years . I've cleared a path to it and I'm going to have to start using it again. Even if it's just on a weekend when DH is in to watch the children.
Sorry for the self pity! I hope you have a good week. What are you thinking if doing for your kick start?

Yes dig out the treadmill Green and I'll find my wii fit (somewhere).
I keep toying with doing exante. I am low carving this week and will see show it goes... Can't remember if I confessed had put on 2lbs, anyway, aiming with losing those and hopefully another lb this week :)

I wish I understood the psychology of fat/think/dieting. I know if I was 2 stone lighter I'd feel so much better about myself but it doesn't stop me eating the wrong things....

I know, I was just thinking 'if it was as easy as cutting down we'd all be thin'. When you speak to 'proper' thin people though, it seems as if they are programmed differently either mentally or physically.
I found some pictures yesterday. I think I'm about 10-10.5 stone in them. I do look much better. I wasn't huge at 12 stone, but at 5ft 4 I'm aware that it's definitely overweight. I used to kid myself that it was okay as I'm an hourglass so could carry it off .

The Exante might be okay as a kick start for 2 weeks? I can't say it's delicious, but it's easy and I don't have to think too much about it. I'm trying to wean myself off it and onto 'real' food slowly. The low carbing definitely works though. I lost weight doing the 17 day diet after DD1, that might be worth looking into too? It's low carb and quite hard core, but you can eat quite a lot and I lost weight quite quickly.

Thanks for the arse kickings, I really do appreciate them. I stuck with JD yesterday and woke up this morning weighing 192.7 lbs, so that's good. My motivation is non-existent at the moment but I will stick with the plan because I want to see change. Hopefully when I'm feeling a little more together I will appreciate my weightloss.

I am the ultimate emotional eater. I celebrate things with food, I mourn things and make myself feel better with food. There are meals that I have an emotional attachment to; foods my Mum used to make, meals that I would eat with DH when we were broke and newly dating, little things that I make my kids - and when I feel a certain way, these foods provide me with comfort. Sadly none of these foods are salad .

But I am trying to re-negotiate my way with food. Yesterday would have been the ultimate day to not even bother. But I bothered, I ate my salad and melon like a god dieter. I will do better.

I think exercise is a great idea Green, and a treadmill at home will at least give you some privacy while you work out. You'll be a new woman by Springtime next year.

Beyond I think you should try JD with me. It's the ultimate kick start. Or maybe Exante would be a little better actually, Green is the ultimate poster girl for it's results.

It's only 38 days until Christmas!

Total overuse of the word "ultimate" there. Sorry. Nor am I a "god" dieter, I am so far from being a dieting God it's not even funny. "Good" was supposed to be the word.

Day 2 of JD is done. I am currently in bed while DH watches football downstairs. Day 2 went well, I couldn't eat my full quota of food as I was full, but tomorrow is a mostly fruit day so no doubt I'll be regretting that decision then.

I was thinking about what you posted above Green about proper thin people and how they are programmed differently. I know 2 people who view food as fuel and that's it. They don't derive the same pleasure I seem to get from really delicious food. They seem to appreciate that the food tastes nice and that they enjoyed it but they are definitely not as pathologically obsessed with food as I am.

We had a meal for my Mum and I looked up the restaurants menu online and drooled over the possibilities and when I mentioned this to my Aunt she was baffled as to why I would do that. She ordered just a main course and a glass of wine and was happy with that. She didn't eat the artisan bread put on the table as she didn't want to fill up, even though everyone was commenting on how delicious it was and she didn't partake in the "Ooh what did you order? That looks amazing" chat that inevitably occurs among the whole table when each course arrived.

She is a tiny size 8, naturally very thin and small framed and she is never torn when it comes to what to order as she just picks something that sounds nice. I'm not entirely sure how she is my Aunt as we are clearly 2 completely different people, but I think with naturally thin people maybe the food obsession gene is just missing (I bet it's a really chubby gene too!).

Well done Sol :)

Too weak with hunger to post more, had porridge and soup so far today...

Well done to both of you. I'm also feeling hungry. Sick moaning children have stopped me eating this afternoon.

I like the idea of diet gods, surely Victoria Beckham has to be one?

190.8lbs, lightest I have been in ages. Feeling very tired due to new job and home life generally but feeling very happy. I have no idea how much I lost this week because I wasn't counting it until I got under 191.7 lbs. Got in to a size 14 jacket and I could zip it up - so I bought it. It's a bright red duffle coat, it is awesome.

I have a bit of a question that none of you need answer with details if you don't want to, but a simple "you're weird" or "you're not weird" answer will do. I have pretty much dropped 2 dress sizes yet my stomach is still quite sticky out. It has no muscle tone and is a bit saggy. I find it hard to get trousers that make it look all right. Anything under the belly button and I have a huge muffin top anything high waisted and I have poochy belly going on. Does everyone have this? Am I weird? It's like I'm concealing a large jelly underneath my clothes. Is it going to be like this for ever?

How's everyone else getting on?

Wow Sol that's brilliant, you must be so pleased. Your coat sounds lovely too.

Have you checked your stomach muscles for separation? Mine sounds the same. I have the overhang from the sections and I'm guessing pregnancy I general and I have a separation in my stomach muscles which makes it stick out. Especially above my tummy button. It's very 'bouncy' when I press the top half of my abdomen where I used to be able to feel the muscle underneath and it didn't 'bounce'. Does that make any sense?

Anyway I did loads of research after DD1 on closing the gap and strengthening the muscles and started doing this programme mutusystem.com
It did start to work but I stopped when I became pregnant again. I keep meaning to start it again. It is pricey but I'm sure the owner does a special offer for 'Black Friday'. I can tell you more if you're interested.

I've had mega PMT the last few days and ate a slice of pizza. Going to the in laws tonight for fish and chips. I'm sharing with the children. Going to have some chips though. Then I'm going to stick to just Exante next week. I want to lose another 7lb before Christmas.

What's your new job? (Nosey)

I'll have a look at that link, thanks Green. I never thought that I might have seperated muscles, I suppose there's a very strong possibility considering my pregnancy. I have posted cs overhang too, it's unpleasant to look at.

I don't know if you can describe what I have as a job. I don't get paid. My friend needs someone to mind her son til she gets home from work so I'm doing that. She lives across the road so it's fairly straightforward and only for the short term, but having an extra person in the house has been quite full on.

I hope your chips tonight are nice. Enjoy them and then get back to low carb tomorrow. You will definitely lose 7lbs by Christmas. I'm 13 stone 6 lbs at the moment, I'd like to be in the 12's for Christmas. Weekend off JD now but I'm not going carb crazy.

Have you any outfits in mind for Christmas? I've a few parties I'm going to so I'm hoping to find some nice dresses.

There will be a video on the site showing you how to check for separation Sol. I think most people end up with it after pregnancy, but obviously the bigger it is the more your stomach sticks out. Did you say that you have back pain too? That's also a sign.
It really is a good sensible programme. The 12 week programme is the one I have and it builds up slowly until it becomes quite intensive. The food advice is mainly just eat clean foods, but there is good advice on posture etc. I do recommend it (and I'm not a one for exercise) I will definitely have to motivate myself to do it again. But next year! I'm not doing anything till then!
Oh and they have a (closed) Facebook group for members, so you can ask for advice. Lots of people put before and afters on . So that's good too.

The chips weren't that great, pretty greasy. So I picked the fish out the batter and stopped when I was full. I'm panicking slightly but I'll just try to be really good this week.

I have nothing planned at all for Christmas, so I'm not buying any clothes. (Unless you count toddler parties).

I remember you saying you were looking after another child. That's really nice of you. I'm not a great fan of little people so don't think I'd be wanting to look after one that wasn't my own.

I have a "bad back" now. I thought that was a hangover from my SPD, it's all in my lower back, hips and pelvis. Pregnancy absolutely ruined my body, from my teeth to my skeleton - everything has been ruined. Thankfully my children are gorgeous and adorable so they were worth it .

I think it's good that the chips weren't great. It shows you that the food you used to love isn't entirely as delicious as you remember it. Don't panic. You didn't have a major carb-fest, you simply had some food that you haven't had in a while. It will be fine. You are doing such a fantastic job and you said that you will be back on Exante next week so it will be no problem. I have absolute faith in your will power - it's what keeps me on the straight and narrow!

I have to buy new some new clothes, I had a look through my "skinny" wardrobe and most of the clothes are a bit too skimpy for me. It's been many years since I wore my skinny clothes and very few of them are age appropriate now.

My minding my friends child is actually good, she's a recent single parent and she is amazing in my eyes as she has picked herself up after a hideous marriage and is needing all the support she can get. But I am so tired from having another person to care for. I miss my afternoons of sitting on my bum and having a rest.

I forgot about your SPD. Yes it is a good thing that children are so beautiful. I think I faired quite well after pregnancy (compared to some) apart from gaining too much weight. But to be fair if I hadn't have let myself go so much after getting married the pregnancy weight probably wouldn't have been so damaging. Never mind, my long term plan is supportive underwear and to tuck it all in wherever possible!

I know what you mean about skinny clothes. Most of mine are now from 2000-2007 so probably out of fashion or not shape/age appropriate. It will be fun trying stuff on though. Are you going to get much? I think I'm going to wait till stuff is too big from now on. Everything seem to be covered in snot and food so it seems pointless to buy much.

You sound incredibly kind to do that for your friend. It sounds like she's had a rotten time. But yes I understand you missing your afternoons. I think we all like to rely on having some time to relax every day.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

Oh and the chips were genuinely rubbish. It's not that my tastes have changed that much. Although I've always preferred cusps to chips really!