Bad time of year to do this but I'm the fattest ever - join me in becoming strong, healthy and thin(ner)

[Archduke]

After a bit of a shit year, I seem to have eaten my feelings and put on about a stone. I'm currently 10stone 11lbs (almost) which on my small frame (5ft 3in) is properly FAT.

I would dearly love to lose 2 stone and get back to my fighting weight of 8st 11ish - I was last that weight when my kids were small, approx 9 years ago.

I can't do this alone and need someone to bore senseless with talk of vegetables, c25k or other mad diet schemes.

Anyone fancy joining me. I reckon I can loose 2 stone in about 10 years 4 months if I'm really hardcore.

Amazing Archduke, a massive well done from me!! Shows what you can do when you try, unlike me, who is still wallowing in chocolate biscuits...

Large glass of Pinot Grigio is good at any time isn't it?!

I weighed myself this morning and have lost the grand total of 100gms. So now have exactly 8kg to go before hitting my goal. Frankly my goal seems like a LONG way off at the moment.

I have just done W4R1 of C25K, it was hard as y knees are giving me gip. I did get a PB at parkrun this Sat though.

Ruby, don't give up! Maybe make some small, manageable changes for a while.

I'd like to be in but not sure I can do it

Long story short, I have quite a few overlaps with a lot of you:

5 ft 4
10 stone 12
40 next month
1 stone on in the past year
Feel fat
Eating my emotions.

It's too late for my birthday :( but I'd like to get to 9 stone 7.

I do run, though - training for a marathon! Before anyone says it, this is not a cast-iron guarantee of weight loss!

I'll post more later.

Hi Badhotfanny welcome aboard. I reckon you could loose 1/2 stone by your birthday no probs. Then you'd be only a few lbs off 9st 7lbs. Piece. Of. Piss.

Training for a marathon sounds amazing, I'm barely staggering along with the C25K - hats off to you. I am disappointed that it's not a 100% sure fire way to lose weight though, I was rather counting on it making me look lovely and scrawny easily.

I have been pretty good eating wise, although I made the mistake of going to an event last night and eating shitloads of canapes. They were tiny - hardly a mouthful really. Just quite a few of them.

Am sitting here now drinking my brown smoothy (should be green but added beetroot, now looks like liquidised poo). Kids eating pizza.

How are you getting on Archduke? I can imagine the liquidised poo looked a lot less appetising than pizza!!

I'm still pottering on and dithering; I don't want to undo all my hard work at Slimming World earlier this year, but neither do I have the motivation/ energy to start a diet properly! The boys are such flipping hard work that I'm knackered most of the time. Really, achingly tired out and shattered from no lie in or early night in well over a year (OH won't help with either). That's depressing me just writing it!

Anyhow, I'm thinking of investing in the Mutu system as I've read good things about it, and the online community sounds useful too. Just have to fork out £80 first

Nice weather there? Grey, miserable and rainy here, helpful for us tubby people who want to live in smocks and elasticated trousers!

Hi Ruby

Sorry to hear that you're so tired, small children and unhelpful husbands are a pretty shattering combination.

I've just googled the Mutu system, although my youngest is now 9yrs old, so way after an excusable post-partum period, I think I need to do that too!

I'm still on my C25K program - wk 5 now and am down to 10st 3lbs since I started this (loss of 8lbs in about 4 weeks). Actually that's pretty good isn't it! I was feeling fed up as it seems the weight is creeping off but 2lbs a week is alright

We are lucky here that the weather is pretty glorious - 32 degrees today and lovely and sunny. Cooler and wetter later this week but only down to low of 20 on Thurs. Bloody nice and so much easier to diet and exercise when not freezing cold.

I am still about 1.5 stone over my goal but am enjoying getting fitter. Is there any way you can get any help with the boys? It seems so unfair that you're run ragged with them and unable to do anything just for you. Take care Ruby.

I think 2lb a week is amazing!! Never thought I'd say it but I really miss the gym; after years of going 3 or 4 times a week, walking just doesn't make me feel as energetic

At least today OH emptied the dishwasher and vacuumed, which was two items off my chores list. I think he believes that the Tidying Fairy comes round and does it all usually...

I haven't done any of the Mutu exercises yet but have made an effort to eat less rubbish food - very hard with all the Christmas temptations around

Are you still enjoying the C25K?

Hi, I'm around 5ft4 n weigh around 10lbs9 but I've just had a baby I'm not fat but I am trying to become the size I was before which was about 8lbs10 which I was the most happiest with my size. Any help with weight loss?

Hi Mjoanneelizabeth congratulations on your new baby. Are you breastfeeding? If so I would take any weight loss extremely slowly, gotta keep those calories coming in so you can look after you lovely baby. I was lucky in that even though I was the size of a HOUSE just after my dds were born, the weight just pretty much dropped off when bfing - and I walked everywhere with the babies so that helped. I'm much fatter now than when my girls were tiny .

If I were you I would concentrate on as much good quality nourishment as possible, limit sugary snacks, and try to focus on good home cooked meals (if having a tiny baby lets you do that) with lots of veg and protein. Personally I would wait until your baby is weaned before embarking on any diet. Also you're going to need plenty of cake to get through the early months so you may as well not feel guilty about it .

Ruby I am LOVING c25k. I'm such a bore about it but it's fantastic. Today I ran for 8 mins straight, I never thought I'd be able to do that. I'm so chuffed, I've just got back and want to go out and do it all over again but I have to wrap some pressies and get off to work.

Diet going ok - had massive portion of butter chicken last night though - on a bed of kale and spinach rather than on rice and no bread or poppadoms. So not perfect - I do need to watch my portion sizes.

I'm glad your dh has been doing some of his share of the chores Ruby. Baby steps.

Can I join you?

I've been a proper lazy arse recently. I normally run loads, eat really healthily, only vice is smattering (rather large) of red wine. Work and general disaffection has meant I've gone from 30 miles a week to 3, only cook at weekends (although DH is an amazing cook during the week) and I'm at my heaviest ever at 10st 4 (5ft 5). Clothes feel awful, I feel dreadful and I've just turned 40. January means no booze, no meat (ex veggie, so looking forward to this bit!) and resuming regular exercise. Bring it on!

Woo hoo! Welcome aboard WildRunner.

Right you have until after Christmas to get your shit together and then we are going HARD CORE . How much do you want to loose? I need to loose at least 1.5 stone so this is going to take some time.

Am envious of your amazing-cook-husband. Mine last cooked (apart from bbqing lumps of meat) in about 2003.

Excellent - consider my shit in the process of being sorted! Need to get a stone off, and get back to my old mileage and speed.

Ah WildRunner, I'm 5'5" as well and at 10st 4 I look positively svelte!! I guess it's all down to body shape and what you're used to. I enjoyed running pre-babies and hope to get back to it some day, preferably before they're teenagers...

Weight loss efforts have been going ok (not great - too many Christmas temptations!) until a big row with OH this evening; no actual arguing involved yet but he's sulked off to the pub after being petty and spiteful. I'm really disappointed, we had a rough time a few months ago but recently things have been better, and we'd had such a nice day till he spoiled things being childish.

Oh and he never cooks - not for me anyway - he'll make bits for himself but I think the last thing he cooked me was an omelette when I came out of hospital last October!

I'll be honest, DH has done more than his fair share of sloping off to the pub in a peevish fit in years gone by. Things have got better, and I now couldn't get by (or remotely do my job) without his support.
Sounds like you've had a really tough weekend though - and a rough few months. Are you ok? Us 5'5" women need to stick together - though we may be small, we are mighty!

He finally crashed in at 12:45am - I'd already gone to sleep in the nursery - then woke us all up snoring at 3.30am!!

I'm just disappointed really that he was so petty and spoiled our day, that he buggered off without a word (after spending an hour in the pub earlier because his friends were only going to be there at that time - not true!), that he's moaned and moaned about how important work is and then gone in late today with a hangover... oh and that he's bought me nothing at all for Christmas because he 'hasn't had time'.

Oh dear, bit of a pity party there, but I am generally feeling better after starting taking my iron tablets again! Now to tackle the two stone I'd like to lose...!

How far do you usually run WildRunner? Are you looking to improve on speed or distance? Or just enjoy it more and lose a few pounds at the same time?!

Ruby my old darling, would you care to have a chat with the ladies on the relationship board? Whilst I ordinarily wouldn't presume to comment on your dh's behaviour . . . he does seem to be behaving with little kindness or regard for you. Here have some and sod it have too, it's nearly Christmas. You really do deserve more support you know. It's bloody tough with small kids.

I must say my own dh was a bit of a shit when the kids were tiny. I used to think A LOT about how much easier it would be on my own with the dds rather than dealing with his crap too. However we have stuck it out and he is mostly lovely now. What I mean to say is that not everything lasts forever, people and situations change and become easier, but please don't loose sight of your own needs and desires - bringing up a family should be a shared business and it sounds rather unfairly on your shoulders at the moment.

Good on you for the iron tablets, concentrate on being well and with as much energy as you can muster. If all else fails bundle the kids into the car and go and stay with someone who can look after you a bit - mum? Friend?

Wild Runner you'll loose a stone EASY in Jan. You sound like you've just lost your mojo. MOJO will return after Xmas blow out fo schiz.

I did a 5km walk today and then swam for about 30 mins, have eaten healthily too. I also made the kids have a no-junk-food day. So obv now they hate me. My staple dinner at the moment is a large bowl of kale or spinich topped with whatever the rest of the family are having - steak last night, bolognaise sauce tonight with no carby rice/potatoes/pasta. I am pretty hungry but i'm doing ok so far.

Onwards and upwards my friends.

Thank you Archduke for the virtual TLC I did post on the relationships board a fair few months back when he was making me feel utterly crappy, and I've also looked into leaving him, but things did improve.... he's going to cut down his working hours after Christmas which should help too. It is making me feel a bit sad that he's got me nothing for Christmas yet so I won't have anything to open on the day (we go to the in-laws and have a big family present-opening session!), but I guess there's still time..... I don't want that to sound mercenary but there's lots of little bits he could get me that I'd still appreciate, I've got him things both from me and from the boys.

Last year he got me a hairdryer - admittedly a nice £60 hairdryer, but that was it - and I had to buy it myself and wrap it, he just gave me the money!! Then on Christmas Day all his family were asking "so what else did he get you?" and there wasn't much I could say

I am in awe of your non-carb meals I followed a high protein, low carb diet two years ago in preparation for the IVF, can't even remember what I used to eat now apart from protein shakes! This was also in my gym-going days, oh how I miss them. My boys hate me for any meal that doesn't contain hummus, baked beans or cream cheese, so I'm with you on that!

Ow ow ow ow owwwwwww

My chuffing back has gone in to painful spasms. Can. Barely. Walk.

Have done a 15 min YouTube yoga for back pain session and taken 2 anti-inflammatories also had 3 cups of tea, none of it really helping though.

Eating going ok, exercise was going great - I did 10km with the dogs yesterday and then cleaned the house and the car (removing the puppy vomit from the seats ) but I think that's what's dun me in. I was hoping to go for a run today but unless my back sorts itself out I'm going nowhere. The bugger is I have to pick up a 3kg ham and a joint of pork from the village butcher this morning - and not sure I can get in the car.

Ruby have you given dh a list? Surely he can take an hour or 2 off to get to the shops? Mind you dh hasn't got me anything yet.

How's your back doing Archduke? Easy to overdo it at this time of year with all the fetching, carrying and general lugging about of stuff that mums are expected to do!! It's actually quite handy having a big pram in that respect!

I thought about pointing OH towards some things I'd like (new Fitbit, skincare stuff, new boots) but then he started moaning about how much money I've spent in the last couple of months; when I checked the account I've actually spent £700, of which around £120 was DS2's milk (DS1's is free on prescription) and included all our food shopping, Christmas presents for the boys and all their activities, plus anything I might need (toiletries etc). I didn't think it was that unreasonable when I broke it down but tbh if me asking for a present is going to start him moaning about it again, I'd rather not have one.

Hey ho, I wonder what 2017 will bring?! Are you still doing well with the healthy eating?

Placemarking to join after Christmas! I'm 5'5 and 10 stone (still a healthy bmi, but weights all in my tummy) had a baby 4 months ago and spend a lot of time eating crap. Booked a holiday for June so really would like to get into shape before then

Hello Raiseyourglass26 good to see you - let's get cracking whenever you're ready post Xmas, you'll look amazing on holiday in June. HEAPS of time!

Ruby my back is still stuffed, thank you for asking. Better than it was but still crap. I am so over it. I had a remedial massage yesterday which was lovely and the woman recommended getting my gait analysed and buying some orthotics as my ankles turn inwards. I'll do it after Xmas is all over.

I was up and in the supermarket at 7am this morning! Have done all the Xmas shopping - food and gifts - although not much for dh - not for want of trying but he's very difficult. He's training for an endurance race which apparently needs lots of expensive specialised equipment so I kind of feel we've already spend BIG on him over the past few months - is that mean? He does have some small things to open.

Ruby surely 90% of that $$ you've spent is on essentials - you can hardly count baby milk and food as luxuries surely? Mate you deserve a present, obv if you're hard up then it's stupid to get into debt (IMHO) but a thoughtful token is surely the minimum to expect. Here have some just in case he fucks up Xmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Hope you all have a great day - Archduke, hope your back is better and/ or you get a few 'medicinal' drinks to help!