If you desperately need to lose weight and money is not an object....

[LowerBackPain]

Hello! I am 5'3 and my weight is 12 st 8 lb.

As the title says, I am desperate to lose weight and be fit. My youngest is 2 years old and I am tired of feeling miserable about being fat. I am addicted to carbs and sugar. Have done every diet and plan, and they work for a bit and then I gain all back again.

Have decided that now my priority is lose weight and being fit, so I have hired a personal trainer 3x a week. Will start counseling for the addiction and to address emotional eating. Luckily I have some savings that I am planning to use them to get to my goal but the reason I am posting, is that I do not know what else I can do? I work FT and have 3 kids, so time is an issue, but will take days off if needed to get me started.

Sorry for the rambling, any suggestions most welcome! I forgot to mention that I had some cosmetic treatments of those machines that apparently help to lose inches by using radio frequency, vacuuming and other stuff, but did not make much difference. Was even considering bariatric surgery but reading some information I apparently don't qualify because my BMI is "only" around 30.

Many thanks!!

Well done on deciding to be proactive.i personally prefer to count calories,and I've lost 3 stones 1 lb in 13 weeks,i also cycle 5 evenings a week.
If you put your height,weight,age into a tdee calculator it will show you how many calories you need a day just to live,take 500 off that amount daily,and that's the amount of calories you need to lose 2 lbs a week.

What is the core of your bad eating habits?
Too much, eating crap, bit of both?

You could look into a diet chef type service although you would need to make sure it takes into account that you'll be doing a lot more exercise than you've done previously

Or sign up to The Body Coach for their food plan?

Thank you for replying! I have been a yo-yo duster all my life, but it got really out of control during the second pregnancy - I entered into the obese BMI and have never managed to go back to normal weight.

The source of my problem is too much and binge eating. I do not drink alcohol or smoke, but the urges to eat when user stress I thin must be similar as those from a alcoholic person. I know I am hurting myself but cannot stop. Some strange self-sabotaging behavior.
Now I worry about passing down bad habits to my children. My oldest innocently asked me why my belly is so big, and it broke my heart. I wanted to have a tummy tuck but the surgeon said she will not do it until I lose weight, as it is dangerous and not a solution.

I guess I will start with a very low carb diet, which has worked in the past. And need to prepare mentally to really commit to it. Thank you for your messages, I really appreciate it.

Sorry for the mistakes.

Why don't you come and join us on the Bootcamp thread? We're actually just entering our last week of this Bootcamp, but there are lots of us who will continue after it's finished, so there will be plenty of support.

Diet is much, more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss, and if you've identified that sugar/carbs are your problem, then it makes sense to ditch these first.

I've just lost over 10% of my bodyweight in 12 weeks using Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation. It's bloody brilliant with great meal plans of recipes you actually want to cook and eat and which the family don't even notice are diet meals. You can choose from a variety of exercise plans and get mindset videos each week to help with the mental prep. I'm going to sign up for the next round to try and get to my weight loss target (another 2 stone).

Thank you Biwi, how does the boot camp work? Do you have a meal plan that I can follow?

Thank you Pigeon, I am going to take a look at the 12 week body transformation plan.

I know all the theory, the problem is to put it in practice.... It is my biggest failure in life. I appreciate the advice though : )

Here's the latest chat thread

If you click on the link to the spreadsheet in the OP, and then look at the tabs at the bottom, you'll find Bootcamp rules there.

Hey OP, I'm scrolling through the diet threads, trying to find a miracle cure and came across your thread, I could have written it myself. I'm thinking of doin the same, getting a trainer... How are you getting on?

One of the things that helped me massively was to go and see a nutritionist, I could have read books instead, but I went for 1 to 1 sessions and came away with a tailored plan that was workable for me, in a way she also gave me some counselling about why I was overeating and noticed trigger points that I had missed (I had to keep a food diary). We also talked about 'health' foods that were in actual fact filled with sugar, or needed to be eating in moderation. I went for follow ups too, it was one of the best things I ever did.

At the same time I did Pilates and personal training, I felt fantastic pretty quickly, then the effort of eating better all became worth it and the weight came off without me having to go hungry. I also found Ocado helped, rather than browsing and picking up impulse buys I started shopping from cook boos and just buying what I needed.

I just finished 6 months of 3 PT sessions a week - and weigh exactly the same.. yes I am fitter and stronger but not really very much smaller.. as the old saying goes, you cannot out train a bad diet. I would focus more on the issues around food etc but still do PT as the highs are good to keep you on track but wont get you to you goal without significant intervention with changing your diet

Thank hoy Bare and Manc- you are absolutely right, exercise cannot replace a good diet to lose weight. I am domingo the PT and continued with the PT two to three times a week, but find that I just cannot muster the willpower to stop eating. Have also started to see a counselor to help with emotional eating. In theory I should be doing fine, because I really want and need to lose weight I just cannot do it. It is affecting my marriage, my self esteem and I feel guilty for the bad example I am giving my children..... But thank you for taking the time to post!

Hi Saggy, sorry to report that since posting I had lost 3 kilos and put them back. It is a struggle just to keep my weird without gaining nevermind losing all that I need... I have not given up but it seems that there is always some kind of family or work emergency that interferes with my focus and determination

Did your pt give you a nutrition plan at all? I've had a coach for over three years sets all my meal macros etc a good pt will do this designed pacific to you

Thank-you all for taking the time to respond/update. I too have weird diet issues, constantly eating badly, and I'm ashamed the example it's giving my kids and don't want them to inherit my issues.

I tried an (expensive) nutritionist, but after 'prescribing' me a trillion supplements, I lost the mojo. I can't seem to get a diet plan 'off the shelf' as I'm a veggie and don't eat eggs (unless they're in cake!).

I think I'm going to give the PT a go, when I feel better, I tend to eat better. Here's hoping anyway!

Hi Saggy, just came to say that I have be doing a very low calorie diet for a whole week now and I am feeling so much better and in control. Do not know how much it will last, but I am in ketosis now and the cravings have stopped so I am able to deal with hunger and eating very little carbs.

In one week I will go back to the nutritionist to find out how much I have lost. Long way to go but at least have managed to start again..... good luck!

Hi, I just wanted to report that I have lost 4 kilos and I am for the moment in track and feeling well.

Hi I'm 5'2" and was the same weight as you in March. I now weigh 10st10lbs. I started off with Weight Watchers, lost 19lbs on that and then the rest following the Body Coach Lean in 15 books. I've found the low carb easier to follow as I don't crave sugar like I used to and feel fuller.
I work out 4-5 times a week but only for 20-30 minutes. I follow the Les Mills on Demand subscription service which is £10 a month or I do Jillian Michaels workouts on YouTube. The change is amazing. I lost loads of inches, most notably from Lean in 15.
Good luck, it can be done but you just have to find a way to get in the right frame of mind x

Hi Bambino, congratulations!!! what amazing results. I know what you mean, once I went low carb I had a complete the lack of cravings and the emotional eating has been under control. I am hoping to lose another 7 kilos with this VLCD and then move to a more high calorie keto diet. I hope I can keep it up. I feel so much better already. Sleeping better and generally happier.... but I am so mindful of my weaknesses..... one day at a time I suppose. Thank you for your comment!!

lowerback
its all in your head
not your body
you have to want lean and mean more than you want crisps
once you set the right target in your head, all else is easy

its not even about "losing" weight
its about picking your happy weight
and doing what is needed to be there

you can
you just can

Thank you Talk! I am the OP - and I like the idea of a happy weight. I feel much better already and think that I must have lost a stone already. Do not have cravings which helps but I still struggle when I see carby foods that I love and made me happy. But so far have managed not to cheat for three whole weeks! I am now more confident that I can reach my goal. My trousers fit much better and even though I still have lots to lose, my face has lost that swollen aspect that made me depressed each time I looked at myself in the mirror.

So just wanted to say that. Will update when I go to the nutritionist to get weighed next week. Thanks!

Just seconding low carb bootcamp.

It'll change your life.

Well done on making a big decision for a healthier lifestyle. The most important thing is that you change your outlook and lifestyle, yoyo dieting doesn't work because it's a temporary fix, you need to change habits.
Regarding exercise, a 20 minute brisk walk can be just as effective as an hour long session if you're short on time. Or try some youtube HIIT videos once kids are asleep, again only 20 minutes and very effective.
As someone earlier said, you cannot out train a bad diet! A nutritionist or councillor would be great, but really you need to want to make the changes. For me, breaking that habit by going cold turkey works. Cut out sugar and processed carbs for 3 days (it'll be hell) and after that the cravings will fade away.
Most importantly, allow yourself a cheat every so often. Having dessert because you're out for a friends birthday doesn't mean you're off the wagon, we all fall off sometimes. Get up the next day, go for a walk and get back to it. Good luck!!

Tired..I just wanted to share my story with you. I started a Very Low Calorie Diet last August by the end of September I was 2 stones lighter...kept this weight off but stopped the shakes and ate properly.

Fast forward to January and I was hospitalised due to gallstones, again in March where a gallstone had blocked my bile duct and my liver was starting to shut down ..I was yellow.

Gallbladder has been removed but my consultant said that the most probable cause was my very low calorie diet.

Just be careful and listen to your body. I know how hard the struggle is though