The Not So New Mums. Our kids are getting bigger. Christmas weight loss thread. (Edited by MNHQ)

[SolitudeSometimesIs]

It’s been 6 years since the first New Mums thread but this year will be the one where we get skinny for Christmas!

We’ve tried pretty much every diet going and have supported each other through the good times and the bad. This will be our year, motivation is high and panic has set in.

Happy New Year everyone!

Did you all have a nice night? We stayed in with a curry and a few bottles of beer, not too exciting but the thoughts of going out to a pub just filled me with dread.

Today is my final day of eating junk. We have the end of some chips and dip and a Camembert to be dealt with and then all the nice stuff is gone.

This week my plan is to build up my stash of veggie dinners and lunches so I can just defrost them in the morning and avoid eating 7 bags of crisps because I can’t be bothered cooking. The ban on alcoholic drinks during the week will be brought back in too, I don’t drink loads but it’s really expensive so I’m looking forward to saving some money too.

I’m going to cut my hair and dye it, and sort out my eyebrows too. Maybe a little bit of self care will make me feel a bit more positive about myself. I find the evenings are my time to snack, so if I spend that time on me, as opposed to doing housework which is thankless, I will be too busy to eat.

I was trying to think what I would like to get out of this year, and it’s control. I want to be in charge of my own life for a bit and stop blaming my weight on the fact I don’t have time to eat properly or the fact that I don’t have time for grooming because I’m too busy with the kids. I’m prioritising sitting on my arse and moaning rather than taking back some control over myself and my bad habits. I want to be more together, more positive and happier with the way my life is.

Sorry for the big post where I’m probably making no sense. But I needed to get it in writing so I can read back over it when I need a boot up the bum. I’m going to lose 2 stone as a minimum this year. That’s goal number one. No excuses!!!

Will post more later.
Here's wishing a very successful and happy new year for us all.

I joined weight watchers today. My weight day is a Saturday.

This will shock you - June 2017 I weighed 9st 10lbs today I weighed 11st 3lbs how shocking is that????

I have put on 1 1/2 stone in 6 months and I have never exercised as much as I do now. It really goes to show that it is mainly food.

Happy new year everyone.

We also had a very quiet NYE. I don’t actually think I’ve been out for NY since 2003!

I’m feeling better now, thank you. No bruises except for my knee (must have been because of the fat padding it out).

Your plan sounds really sensible Sol. I know exactly what you mean about control. I make so many excuses not to start diet/exercise properly. In fact I’m doing it today.

I’ve soo much to lose. I’ll start with 2 stone too.

Hi Rachey. I’ve put 3stone on over the last 2 years so your gain doesn’t shock me! Did you sign up for WW classes or online?

I’m still considering trying it again.
I found I did better going to classes initially. But my DM also went and I found that I felt pressed by her to do well. She still goes to the same group, which makes me not want to go. ( I don’t want an evening class as I don’t want the DC involved in dieting, I may look into weekend groups).

Anyway, I think you’ll easily lose the 2stone by September (is that when you get married?)

Butlins looks great, everyone seems to rate it for holidays with children. DH is snobby about it though (he won’t go to Centre Parks either). Which one do you go to?

I haven’t weighed myself yet. I’m going to tomorrow.

Happy New Year!

I love that we are all approaching this year with enthusiasm

Like your plan Sol also think your grooming plan is good.

rachey you will soon lose it. I think your time frame is achievable.

Glad you are not too bruised Green it must have been a shock.

I weighed in this morning and seem to have put on 7lbs I did pretty much eat whatever I wanted to these past 3 weeks.
I am going to do 3x fast days (800 cals) a week and going to try and low carb and stick to 1500 cals on the other days.
I have 2 stone to lose.
This year we are going to do it !

green I joined meetings, I feel I need the motivation of getting weighed to stop me from failing if that makes sense?

I totally understand about attending the same time as your dm, I think a weekend is a good compromise. I would hate to go at the same time as a family member.

I get married in October, I have lots of friends asking about it but I haven't done anything I'm not get let my self get stressed and bogged down with it. I'm more worried about everyone having a good time.

Butlins can be a little rough round the edges but I've noticed the same with centre parcs. It's just easy with young kids

pom yes I have a great feeling for us this year. I feel so relieved I have you guys as I can't be honest about my diet struggles with my friends as they are all naturally slim.

I'm glad you think 2 st by October is achievable I'm petrified of looking fat in a dress

Rachey I put on 14lbs on a two week holiday nearly 2 years ago and I’ve never shifted them properly. Food makes a huge difference, but it’s just so delicious. A Saturday weigh in will probably keep you on track over the weekend too, that’s where I fall apart.

Glad to hear your not too bashed up Green. I would definitely avoid the class your Mum is in. I wouldn’t feel comfortable knowing anyone in my class, I need to be able to relax and work on it by myself.

Pom 7lbs isn’t too bad. You’ll have that gone in no time, you’re so motivated. Do you fast on weekends?

Two stone seems to everyone’s goal. I know we can do this. I’m determined to be a size 14 by May.

Ok. So today is the first day of eating healthily and making better food choices. I have defrosted a veggie soup and I have rice to put through it to bulk it out.

I had planned to start properly on Tuesday but fell off the wagon due to meeting friends etc, so it has become clear to me that forward planning is going to be essential. I’m going to order a few Exante bars for me to eat at my morning break in my new job and hopefully they will help me avoid the cakes and biscuits that seem to be plentiful.

I’m also going to start doubling up on dinners when I’m making them so I have some to freeze for a later date. Any good meal ideas would be appreciated.

My grooming regime is off to a good start though. Eyebrows and nails have been done and I bought a gorgeous hand cream that I put on at night to sort out my old lady hands. Also planning to do a cull on my wardrobe as I realised I had several pairs of jeans in there that will never fit me again.

We can do this!!!

Sorry to keep posting, I’m trying to keep motivated.

I weighed myself this morning and I’m 1lb down. I woke up starving this morning which is probably because I didn’t spend all evening snacking. So I had a big breakfast of quorn sausages and mushrooms and coffee. I’m trying to avoid bread.

I also spent last night putting together an inspiration board on Pinterest. Lots of pics of spring/summer styles I like, hair colours/styles I want to try and (I know this is probably pathetic) but I put together pics of celebrities that have a figure I want. I can look at it then when I’m in need of motivation.

I put together an exercise board too. So quick exercises I can do when I have 5 mins. I’m thinking of trying a plank challenge for beginners. So you plank and then up the amount of time you can hold it by 5 seconds every 3 days. They recommend doing it 5-10 times per day to see results. It sounds doable.

I hope everyone is having a good day.

You’re doing so well Sol. Have you started the new job yet?

I have similar boards on Pinterest! I’d love to be a cross between Marion Collard and Gemma Arterton

I can’t think of many exciting freezer meals. I did find some on Pinterest ages ago where you prep fresh ingredients and freeze them in a ziplock bag. Then they get tipped into a slow cooker when you want to eat ( Search for crockpot freezer meals). I tried it, lots of prep involved but easy to cook on a busy day.

I still haven’t been motivated enough to start any sort of dieting, everything just seems chaotic at the moment.

I did read up on the new WW plan at my parents yesterday. I realised I hate the meetings as my DM starts telling lots of boring stories about people in the class if I even mention it!
But life is short. Parents won’t be around for ever, so I think I’m going to bite the bullet and just go to the class with her.
I live in a small town so I’m bound to know people in whatever class I go to. I might as well go to a convenient one!
( I’m still not 100% on this though!)

sol wow you sound so motivated and organised, and 1lb loss is great in such a short space of time.

green I need to get into Pinterest. Maybe you could use your mum for motivation?

Ok I weighed 11st 3lbs on Tuesday and at weight watchers weigh in I was 11st 2lb. Slightly disappointed as I have been so good and have exercised every day this week (except Monday) but thinking about it it's only been 4 days

pom how are you getting on?

I am not at all focused and have struggled all week, I was a bit stressed at work which always makes me reach for bad food, also very tired as DD not sleeping well. I will try and low carb tomorrow and weigh in on Monday anyway.

Well done on your losses Sol and rachey
Could you do ww online Green and do something fun with your mum instead?

I planning to be really focused next week

I have a crap sleeper here too Pom. You have my sympathies. You end up searching for a carb/sugar/caffeine fix to get through the day, and the days can seem so long. It’s so hard.

Green Id like to look like Kourtney Kardashian I think it’s because when I was younger and skinny we looked quite similar, same colouring and similar face, now I look like her when she’s pregnant

Rachey don’t be so hard on yourself, you seem to be working so hard. Have you seen any wedding dresses you like?

My weekend was ok, a bit too much snacking but nothing major. I made a healthy version of the takeaway that I wanted so I think that’s a step in the right direction.

I start my new job tomorrow. I’m cutting and colouring my hair this afternoon and I’ll iron a weeks worth of clothes so I’m at least a bit organised.

Here’s to a good week for us all!

sol good luck on your 1st day of work tomorrow. Kourtney is hot pregnant or not, I don't look like anyone famous. I have pretty strong features and I don't feel I look very feminine.

Oh what did you make? We made home made pizzas on Saturday, the boys loved rolling out the dough and making their own toppings so now every Saturday we are doing a "fakeaway" dc1 wants a "McDonald's (he has never eaten one but all his friends talk about them all the time so he is feeling left out) so we are doing burgers n chips nxt Saturday, I've even brought happy meal style boxes from amazon. Me and oh are trying to give up meat so we are doing spicy bean burgers instead.

I have had a little look online at dresses but I need to try them in to get a sense of what suits me, I will then try and buy the dress I like on eBay. I refuse to spend over £500 on a dress I will wear for a day. No matter how good it makes me look/feel

pom sorry to hear your stressed at work? Is it work load or just general stuff? My first day back tomorrow and I'm dreading it

Is there a reason dd not sleeping?

Your plan of 3x 800 cals sounds good and achievable.

green are you and your mum competitive? I could never do anything with my mum as we are both very Competitive, I'm dreading telling her I'm on ww as I will be like a failure if I don't lose.

Today hasn't been too bad, I had mushroom omelette for breakfast, vegetable crudités and hummus for lunch and dinner was butternut, chickpeas and spinach curry with s wholemeal Pitta and jelly for desert

Good luck today Sol

Morning rachey and green

Back later- on train !

Good luck for today Sol. I hope your Monday’s aren’t too bad either Pom and Rachey.

You need Pinterest for wedding stuff Rachey!
My SIL bought her dress from EBay. It was from a bridal shop, I think it was just one of the dresses they have for people to try on. So it is worth trying some stuff on in store and keeping an eye out. Do you still like the Needle and Thread dresses?

I don’t think I look like anyone famous, but I do like to pin pictures of celebs with similar colouring to myself. Not sure why, it just seems to happen.
Kourtney always looks good Sol!

I hope your DD starts to sleep Pom, is it because she’s been off school?
DD2 is difficult to get off to sleep. She also comes into our bed every night and kicks all the covers off.

I’m starting to think that WW might not be the best idea.
I’m not competitive with my Mum. She just enjoys talking about the diet and what people at the class have said. Unfortunately it’s often just a case of being ‘talked at’ and she doesn’t listen to anything I might have to say. She’s been much better recently, but when I mentioned it again she started explaining it all and telling loads of boring tales.

So today I’m just trying to eat regularly and healthily.

I spent my childhood tagging along to WW and SW meetings. At the age of 3 I remember my Mum justifying why she’d gained weight that week and I felt so sad for her. She’s been going to WW (on and off) since it first started in the UK (and she’s quite proud of it!)

My first diet started when I was 15 years old (and 9.7 stone).

I’ve spent my whole life thinking (and being told) thin=good. fat= bad.

I’m tired of punishing myself with diets/binges.

I do need (and want) to lose weight. I also need to stop putting myself down and stop being so unkind to myself.

Sorry if that was slightly ranty!

I’m going to tackle the last of the school holiday destruction and I will try and post again tonight.

A fakeaway night sounds fab Rachey. I made a tofu curry with noodles. It was amazing and really hit the spot. You’ll save a fortune too. We rarely get a takeaway as it’s so expensive. My wedding dress cost less than €200. It was from coast and I loved it. They really don’t need to be like an episode of Say Yes to the Dress, although that’s my guilty pleasure so feel free to go on it
Your menu for today sounds delicious. And as for not looking feminine, I feel like that when it comes to how large I am, its like my weight strips me of a classical feminine look. I look like a big rugby player 😂

Green, you should do whatever eating plan you will be more comfortable with. It sounds like your Mum has her identity entwined with weight watchers and you’ve grown up with the shadow of that, I can’t imagine for a second you needed to go on a diet at the age of 15. Perhaps just some healthy eating will be the right thing for you at the moment. I know that I definitely binge and starve which is so so bad for my body, and considering how amazing my body is (as in the human body is a wonderful thing, I did not mean I had an amazing figure) sometimes it needs a big belt of good, healthy food and nutrients and to lay off the crap.

Work was great today. It was so nice to meet lots of new people and try something new. Although they bought me a cake to welcome me and I had to try some.

Glad you had a good day Sol, sounds like a good team.

I’ve decided that I’m going to spend this month improving my diet and starting to exercise.

Sorry for the rant earlier, you’ve put it more eloquently than I could.

(My parents didn’t force me to diet at 15, we did height/weight measurements in a Biology lesson and I realised I didn’t have much to lose to be like someone I thought looked great. Then I liked the positive comments when I lost weight. As a Science teacher I made sure I never made children weigh themselves!)

Your post was really good Green I definitely agree with putting yourself first and being kind to yourself. I do try to not be a negative influence on DD or DS and I'm pretty sure they don't know mummy diets. I wonder if for you, it will be more positive to do this on your own (well with us too!) rather than attend with your mum.
I think your DD and mine are twins, mine still comes in every night and is also a kicker of covers and of me ! I think it's just become a habit now and I don't have the energy to break it at the mo.
Sol so pleased your first day went well. You are sounding very groomed. When are you weighing in?
rachey how was your first day back, hope it went ok. I agree with you re wedding dresses. I think you can find some bargains in shops too. Mine was around £400 and that included alterations. Like your home takeaway idea. Might steal it !

Work is just a bit political at the moment and a colleague is exhaustingly argumentative - all of the time !

I've struggled to diet but weighed in and have lost 2lbs. 26 to go!

Still trundling along with eating less carbs and sugar here. It’s not terribly exciting but I’m snacking less even though I miss my glass of wine and packet of crisps in the evening. I’m not going to weigh myself until tomorrow or Saturday, I’m trying to go as long as possible because I don’t want to get disheartened. It’s going to take a long time to shift all my extra weight and Indont want to end up obsessed with the scales. My goal would be to not weigh myself for a month, but not sure I can go that long.

Oh feck, DS2 is out of bed again. I’ll post more later.

What exercise plans have you got Green? I haven’t started my plank challenge yet, no other reason than I can’t be arsed, I’m so lazy.

Sorry to hear your colleague is being a pain Pom. It must make for a terrible atmosphere in work. Are they arguing with everyone or just you?

DS2 decided to stay up half the night and have a little baby rave for himself, flicking on and off his bedroom light. I look like a zombie today.

This week has been a total failure Sol. I’ve no real idea about exercise yet. I suppose the first step is to actually do some!

I ventured to our new Aldi yesterday and bought loads of veg, not ate much of that yet. So obviously the diet isn’t going that well either.

I think second children must be more difficult, DD2 is testing me this week!

Well done on losing the 2lb Pom. Your work (and colleague) sounds exhausting.

How is WW going Rachey? Are you having no meat at all? The new diet seems to go quite well with that, just wondering how you are finding it generally?

I think I’m just destined to be fat forever, I can’t summon up any energy to tackle it at the moment. Work and children seem to be getting in the way. I hate this month, it seems so unproductive. It was dark at 2:30pm today. Depressing.

Sorry Guys been a busy week at work, and I have lost my phone so have had no Mumsnet on the go.

green I totally resonate with what you say, I saw my mum yo yo all her life (and is still over weight) and I am worried I am following in her foot steps. I think you are right a happy and healthy outlook is better.

I totally agree ds2 is a little monster, he is by far the tougher of the two of my boys.

sol I am so happy that you have had a great week at work, being happy within your work makes a huge difference to your home life. oh no sorry to hear Ds2 is not sleeping well. How are you getting on did you weigh yourself in the end?

green well done on your 2lb loss, its great that you feel that you havent really been dieting. Sorry work is crap at the mo, i feel for you as my work is so up and down, i have no idea why I have been in the same place so long.

WW........I am actually enjoying it, not sure if its first full week motivation but I feel quite focused. I have my first full week proper weight in after my inital ww weigh last saturday. I am very nervous.

I havent given full up on meat as I am worried that I should wean myself slowly (have read a bit about it and some people have suggested slowly limiting as can make you tired ect) so I had my first bit of meat since New Year Day this evening which was chicken sausages. But i have to say I havent missed meat, just chicken.

I will post more tomorrow, I get weighed after my circuit class tomorrow, wish me luck

3lb loss. And it's my time of the month.
I'm now 10st 13 goal is to get to 9st

That’s great Rachey. Are you doing the Flex plan? If so how do you use your points?