Will be a size 12 by next summer!!

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

I have just tried to pick up some new summer clothes. Aside from my work clothes I seem to live in jeans and jogging bottoms etc, but its too hot for them though.

Popped into town thinking I'd pick up a maxi dress or two, and some linen trousers/shorts. Tried on a pair of size 20 trousers in Primark and they came nowhere near me!! admittedly primark do come up soon (I am wearing size 18 trousers from George today and they are fine)

Would love to just be able to go into a normal shop, and buy something that fits, without having to walk to a special section. I had a look at the inspire range in New Look today, and its just full of really unflattering tops that all look the same!

Would also be nice to be a bit more comfortable next summer. Feel extra sticky and horrible!!

Well ladies I hit the scales. Was bad but few lb lighter than I thought. Weighed in at 14st 3. I am 5 7.5 in height so I am aiming for 12st to start. So just over 2 stone to go. Yikes !
My worst problem times are mid afternoon when I would eat a packet of biscuits and tea and then night time pigging out. I have no control and cannot keep treats in the house as I just demolish them. My dh bought 4 bars the other day. I ate them all and had to replace them before he noticed lol ! So that's kind of carry on is stopping right now.

Cold heart, that's a nightmare of a shift pattern, especially in call centre. I swear that's what put the first 2 stones on. Can you eat a big protein/carb breakfast, then your normal dinner around 2-3 pm, and go for healthy nibbles at work:
-meat slices/chunks (chicken,ham)
-cheese cubes
-hummus with veg
-egg slices
-nuts

The when you get home eat something light? So you eat most of your calories before work and high fat/protein towards the end of the night?

lioness working in call centres is what led me to put the first 2.5stones on. When I first started working in one years ago I was a size 12 (with room in the trousers. 2 years later and I could just about get the size 16's on! Mixture of alternating shifts, there always being food for someone's birthday etc, and the free drinks machine that had very yummy (but full of sugar) hot chocolates. I have been restrained at my new place so far when it comes to the food that gets brought in - I haven't touched anything and I have only indulged in the saturday breakfast run once!
The evening shift has its upsides - I am generally busy all day long so I have less time to eat crap (so long as I remember to eat 3 proper meals, and not just grab food as I go)

This is along the lines of what I decided last night. Scrambled egg on one slice of toast or porridge for breakfast, salad and jacket potato or big bowl of veggie soup at lunch time, then at work I will take some fruit, a yogurt and a "healthy" cereal bar (one of the eat natural bars that are high in nuts instead of glucose-syrup). The hopefully I won't need to have much/anything when I get home at 9:30. Maybe just get away with a low calorie hot chocolate or glass of skimmed milk.

Thisisthelasttime can you find something to do mid-afternoon that will stop you reaching for the nibbles? I used to have this problem when working during the day. Since I have been at home/working evenings I don't get this. For me I think it was mainly boredom - using food to help break up the long working day! What are you normally doing when you have the tea and biscuits etc?

Colfeetwarmheart it's normally the time I would be helping with homework (although kids older now so that's not such an issue) , starting dinner or waiting in car on kids to come out from activities. Anyway very successful day 1 over yesterday.

Those all natural bars from what I remember are very high in cals and carbs. Why don't you measure out 10 to 15 almonds and cut up a cooked chicken breast into cubes and your fruit and yoghurt. Most diet plans recommend protein with each meal.

I will have a think and see what else you could snack on .

Carrot sticks and hummus would be easy. Marks do prepacked snack boxes.

I always find keeping busy helps. Maybe do a sudden on your phone or something whilst waiting in the car?

Yes the eat natural bars aren't any lower in cars than other cereal bars, but will hopefully be more filling so I just need the one. There's not much to tracker / alien bars so I can easily have 2 at a time.

I have got some sliced turkey in the fridge that I picked up yesterday.

I feel like c rap today though, so I have a horrible feeling that I will eat / drink whatever will help me get through to the end of my shift!

Oh I hope you feel better soon. It is so hard. Have had a good day today but visitors called with loads of stuff so have the remains of a lovely cake in the fridge. I'm so proud of myself as I only had a sliver of it. Problem is it will mess with my head tonight but dh and dd will polish it off tomorrow.

Am wearing knee lenght leggings and a tunic top today and at least I feel a bit cooler. Have to remember next summer !!

Hi, hope you don't mind me joining in. I'm in need of some incorragment or some advice to be motivated enough to reach the goal that's in my head :/ I'm a size 16 an its not the biggest I've been but it is the biggest since I've had our gorgeous kids. It's the biggest I've been since being with my partner of 10 years and I hate it. I also have m.s and on meds.....not that that's the reason, its cos I'm greedy and can't say no to choc and sweets. I'm really good at work and eat healthy its after when I'm home and in evenings....,we have weights and my partner has shown me how to do them for every part of the body and I done it once and can't seem to carry it on. Also used to love running and now don't wanna do it?? Something in my head is overriding my big plan of being a 12 again :( sorry for moaning just wondered if anyone had some ideas?? :)

Feeling a little better, right this minute, but not sure I am completely 100%. Felt rough as hell all friday, not too bad yesterday (even did a 1.5mile walk, pushing pram, in scorching heat!!), but really rough again when I woke up this morning! I am hoping that I ok tomorrow, as I am down to work 2-9pm the first three days this week. Have also got to do lots indoors......

Well done for only having a small slice of cake thisisthelasttime. Hopefully visitors turning up with lots of "goodies" isn't a regular occurence! If it is ask them nicely to not bring so much / take the remains home with them! lol

Hi loulabell of course you can join in. I started this thread in the hope we can all give each other some tips. And of course somewhere to unload/rant!
I would suggest that you start small lou - decide on one thing, whether it be drinking 2 litres of water a day, having 5 portions of fruit and veg, sticking to a certain no of calories, going for 30min walk, doing 10mins of weights....it can be anything. But just stick to 1 thing for now, and focus on that. Hopefully that might start to make you feel a bit better, and give you the motivation to add something else into your "plan". No point in planning to do lots of things if its going to overwhelm you. Good luck

Here is my plan for this week:

• stick to 1800 calories or less
• minimum of 30 mins exercise per day (fitness DVD, free step on the wii, brisk walk - doesn't matter what it is, as long as I do something EVERY DAY)
• drink at least 1 litre of water (in addition to tea, pepsi max, milk etc)
• take metformin twice a day (I have been put on this to try and manage my PCOS)

My plan is to nail the above, before I try to add anything else in, or increase the targets on the above. For instance, once I am religiously sticking to 1litre of water a day, I will then aim for 1.5litres. Once I am doing some kind of exercise every day for 30mins, I will aim to increase the time spent exercising, and/or add in some strength exercises.

I plan to stick to 1800 calories or less to begin with. I will reduce this as and when I lose less than 1lb in a week. I will reduce to 1700, then 1600, and then finally to 1500. I don't think its wise to reduce to less than 1500 a day on average, as I have personally found it too hard to stick to in the past. I'm also hoping that by gradually reducing my calories, that my metabolism won't grind to a halt.

Here's to a new week!!

Thanks coldfeetwarmheart, think I'll be starting with the water in the hope it'll stop me wanting to eat as it kind of fills you up.
Then maybe weights next week when I've nailed the water and not snacking.
I think your right, I overwhelm myself with these great plans I decide on and then don't even attempt one of them lol.
OK so 2 litres of water a day here I come :)

I think we are all guilty of that! Plan to do an extreme diet, do lots of exercise etc, and lose 1 stone in a month!! All while we sit on the sofa eating cake! haha

Hopefully drinking lots of water should be fairly easy to follow in this heat.

Hi again!

I have been feeling a bit rough over the weekend - think we all have a virus and I had to take baby DD2 (aged 7mths) to the GP this morning and she has an ear infection apparently. It does mean I didn't eat any dinner last night which I thought was good from a weigh loss pov, but I guess it's not the healthiest way to live! I have been a bit greedy today too (had a packet of crisps with my lunchtime chicken sandwich), and am using DD2's poorliness as an excuse which is rubbish.

I think it's a good idea not to go too drastic as then it is just too easy to fail and then totally give up. I am aiming to not snack between meals, eat loads more veg and fruit, and to drink lots of water as I am sure I don't drink as much as I should. We actually don't have any biscuits or cake or junk in the house now and we're totally skint as I'm on maternity leave, which means I can't justify buying any new treats, so hopefully I can restrain myself from the junk for a while.

Weigh in day tomorrow, and it's just over 2wks until my friend's wedding, so I really do need to be disciplined so I can squeeze myself into some nice clothes!

Hi all. All sounds like good plans. Well I'm starving at moment. Making a korma for family but I'm having a plain chicken breast and a potato and loads of veg.. Was reasonable over weekend though had a few mini bars too many but could have been a lot worse. So far have been excellent today and am really praying for a lb or 2 on Thursday morning. I really feel blobby. Really think carbs are my downfall and the weight from them clings to me.

will write more tomorrow. Have come home from work and am now in a foul mood - seriously considering leaving all DH's washing and ironing for a while, to see how long it takes him to notice. Got in after a 7 hr shift and he has done nothing! grrr!! I am resisting the chocolate and the baileys (and punching him in his sleep!!)

Before I got home I wasn't doing too bad. I haven't managed to fit any exercise in today, but I have drunk 1 litre of water, and not had any junk food. Unfortunately, I still feel rough. Legs are all achy, so I am off to bed. I plan to relax with my kindle instead of a dairy milk ......

Colffeetwarmheart I know how you feel. I nearly throttled dh yesterday morning as I went into the shower and it was filthy from him the night before. I had to get the cleaning stuff and scrub before I used it. They just don't think and then before I went off to work he told me I had been giving out to him all morning. I only gave out About the shower and by time I washed my hair etc I had moved on. Therefore he put be back in foul humour. Arghhh.
I have been really bad on water front so must up it now for today and tomorrow. Had a good day yesterday but still eating a little too much . I am so hungry in the evenings I find that the hardest.
Anyway better get up and moving. Will check in later

Hubby had done slightly more by the time I got in this evening, but not by much. I was too tired to shout at him though - just got on with a bit of tidying myself. To be fair not much needed doing, but it would be nice if he did something off of his own back for once. I am seriously considering some house rules when we move! He at least needs to pull his weight with the tidying/washing up etc. I did a 7hr shift today. Might not sound much, but that was after I spent all morning looking after a poorly DD, and cleaning lots of pee out of the carpet. I am tired. Then DH has the cheek to say he might "have a bath thursday when I'm home, because he doesn't get a chance when he has DD" - god knows why he couldn't have a shower during her 1hr nap! When I asked him he just said "I wanted to chill out" - that's nice dear. At least one of us does!

Anyway. I haven't been too bad so far this week. I haven't done any exercise yet (been starting work early this week, so hopefully it will be easier to fit it in next week), but I have been taking my tablets and drinking at least 1litre of water. I'm not quite sure, but I think I am under my calories too. Need to do some totting up tomorrow. But I feel I have eaten less (definitely less junk) and I don't feel as hungry.

What do you normally do in the evenings thisisthelasttime?

Coffeewarmheart I work during the day for 6 hrs and then I am usually home to do dinners and homework and then the endless dropping off to extra curricular stuff but it a bit quieter now for the summer. I help out with the village hall maintenance during the winter one evening but I might drop of the rota for that now as I'm sick of it. I try and walk for a bit (but not happening at the moment) I watch tv and that's when I get hungry . I just sit thinking about food. It's awful. I made a coffee last night and that helped. I went to a neighbours yesterday to drop off something and she had a tin of biscuits and bars. I cannot keep stuff in my house as I have zero willpower. I would love to have willpower.

Hi everyone. So the drinking more waters going well, need to lay off the coffee though as I have sugar in it bit been needing it this week as I'm just not getting any sleep with the littlens and weather being so hot!!
Eatings not brilliant, but not as bad as it has been so I suppose that's a bonus....other half been ill last few weeks so haven't had a great time but hoping by the time kids go back to school/nursery I'll be a little lighter :/ mmm we'll see lol.
Anyone else struggle in this heat to get motivated? I just find it to hot....or is that just an excuse I've got used to using :/
Just need to find the motivation I suppose, but I did find a zumba class near me that im tempted to try, just hate starting things like that on my own.
Hope the rest of the week goes well for you all :)

Loulabelle I agree with the motivation and the heat. I trying to be more conscious with my food choices.
Today I had
2 rashers baked beans and grilled tomatoe
Low fat yoghurt
70g brown roll with ham onion tomatoe and 1 slice low fat cheese
Bowl of fruit
Chicken breast , 3 baby potatoes and peas
Low fat yoghurt

Temptation to snack at night is a killer. But just had a cup of tea ??

I too get cravings, especially for junk, when watching TV, or mucking about on pc. If I am busy, I hardly eat! I do find when I do things like reading, or doing a cross stitch when watching TV, I am much less likely to snack. I envy those who can eat their 3 meals a day, and not think about food for the rest of the day.

The heat means I am less motivated to do/start exercising, though I do find I tend to eat less when it's hot.

I had a couple of hot chocolates from vending machine at work tonight. I regret it. not just because of the calories, but because the ton of sugar in them seems to have made my belly really bloat up. was very uncomfortable at work. Just shows I should stick to water.

I feel very anxious now. seeing friends this weekend, well dh's best friend and his wife and son. she's a size 10 and a runner (and a lawyer). I'm going to be the massive whale at the dinner table. panicking about what I can wear saturday and Sunday that won't make me look so huge and flabby!

Hi ladies.. Not having such a great week. Had dinner at friends house, she's lovely and gave me the food packets so I could scan them and work out calories (she's 5'8 and size 10, but maintaining by using an ap, so she understands what I'm doing), but OMG - her portion sizes are massive! Pasta dish was 800cals alone. I need to work up courage to ask for small portions from her (or just eat half, but that feels too rude).

I think I 've been overdoing water recently. Found myself shivering, pins and needles in hands and actual red marks where I could see the seams of my (previously fine) bra indented in my skin. DP googled and came back with 'over hydration' - apparently it causes bloating and other symptoms because electrolyte balances are off so water is held in tissues instead of being drawn out??

coldfeet try not to think that way... Can you post photos of what you have and we'll help you choose? Or do something with hair/make-up/jewellery to make you feel confident? (Remember, skinny women worry about body things too - above friend is convinced the arms look awful, and refuses to swim in a normal cossie - she wears shorts in the pool).

Good luck to everyone- we can do it! Currently using, "giving up because of one bad day is like slashing the other 3 tyres because of a puncture" to keep me going.

Lioness I live your motto. That is a great way of looking at it.

Coldfeet go and get yourself a blowdry doing some lovely make up on you and get yourself a fake tan. The cheap rimmel one is good. Also some high heels. Wear clothes that fit and not too baggy as I generally find these make you look bigger. I feel for you cos I know exactly how you feel.

Anyway on a happy note I was down 2.5 lb today so I was thrilled. However the kids has some friends over and there were some sweets stuff left over and of course I picked at it. Anyway I ate a few harbios , 4 lemon puff biscuits and 2 squares of choc. That's it now though as it actually made me feel ill.
Have to go do some committee work now in the hall so best get on with it.

Looks as though I have the house to myself when I get in from work tomorrow. I plan to try on a few different outfits then, to see what I like. I'm not exactly sure what we'll be doing this weekend, so that makes it hard to plan.
I know all women worry about their looks in some way lioness but for some reason this woman makes me feel really insecure. not sure why she gets under my skin more than most.

how much water have you been drinking lioness?

not sure I'll have time to visit hairdressers, but will wash, dry, and straighten my hair tomorrow, as well as having a face pack. I will also wear make-up this weekend (don't bother normally). can't do high heels anymore. I'd twist my ankle! lol

Ah, sorry cold feet that's different then! That really is rubbish and nothing seems to help much.

I didn't think I'd been drinking much water - the cold/pin and needles/bloating was after 2.5l. Everything I read says that's an appropriate amount to drink, but it doesn't see to sit well with me!

Well done thisisthelasttime 2.5lb is great! (You'd need ironclad willpower to pass up Haribo I think.)

Thanks lioness . Sitting down with 4 cream crackers now as I have been busy weeding my garden and I'm starving. Nothing in for dinner as have not shopped. May see what I can scramble up later.

Have you tried on any outfits Coldfeetwarmheart. I have a wedding next week but I have a nice stretchy dress. Am thinking of going away for a few days the following so really need to try hard for that.
So far today I have had

1 slice wholemeal toast, 1 egg, berries
Fruit for break
Toasted wholemeal sambo with ham onion and 1 slice low fat cheese
Muller lite yoghurt
4 cream crackers and tsp of jam

So just need to think up a dinner. Going back to garden some more now so be starving again in an hour . Must drink more water