2018 - Thread 2 of Help Me Mumsnet I have 4 stone to lose and 10k debt to pay off

[ChickenVindaloo2]

Hi everyone,

It's the day after the day after Boxing Day, Thursday 28 December 2017!

Just over a year ago, on Boxing Day 2016, I was 14 stone exactly (My highest weight ever was 14st 5, I'm 5 foot 2 ish). So I needed to lose 4 stone just to get to a healthy weight. After a false start, I lost 3 stone, getting down to a low of 11 stone exactly through stopping binge-eating. I also went to (private) CBT therapy and started going to the gym. I had popped back up to 11st3-4 in the run up to Christmas, mainly as a result of complacency and dropping the gym visits due to the dark evenings.Having eaten more than usual and some salty foods over Christmas itself, as of this morning, I'm 11st 5. I need to lose at least 2 stone really to be a healthy weight and perhaps 2.5-3 to achieve peak gorgeousness!

(I also had £10k worth of debt, mainly on credit cards. I re-mortgaged and I now have £5k on a 0% credit card for 2 years. I've worked out I need to pay it off at £200/month)

In terms of weight loss, the general rules are to err on the side of low carb, unprocessed food. I need to get in more salad/veg and restart the gym sessions. I also need to watch portion sizes and ditch the snacks, treats and extras.

Rowgtcfc has been an amazing help throughout and I hope she will join me on this shiny new thread! Would also be delighted to see new comrades of any size, shape or "diet" plans!

I've attached a pic of me at my heaviest plus one at the end of last year.

Thread 1: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/2811974-Help-me-MN-I-have-4-stone-to-lose-and-10k-debt-to-pay-off?pg=1

Some of my best tips which I hope help!

• every day is every thing. it's what you do every day over the course of a year which makes a difference. In a year, what will you wish you did today?
• it's ok to just not eat crisps/chocolate/sweets/cakes/biscuits, easier, even, than trying to moderate
• eggs for breakfast
• salad and veg are your friends
• low sugar but good fats is anti-ageing too!
• You need less food than you think. You won't die from hunger.
• The secret is: there is no secret. Most slim folk have to prioritise it and work at it.
• Practice being slim. Act like you're slim.
• Do what suits you, find your own path. Eg don't assume breakfast is vital for you.

Hi, I’m sitting in the car feeling
HUgE after Christmas with family... your thread is really interesting. Can I just ask, how was the CBT?

Hi Fatbergs and welcome!

The CBT was good. Signing up for it (and paying for it! £750 in total for 10 hrs) showed me I was serious this time after years of yoyo dieting. The therapist didn't tell me anything I didn't know already but it was good to have someone who was 100% independent and 100% committed to helping me talk everything through. She did point out some errors in my thinking eg "I'll never be a naturally slim person" by pointing out most people work at it. And that I have just as much right as anyone else so prioritise being slim - eg I took out a Women's Health magazine subscription even though in my head only "naturally slim, sporty women" do that. It was just a bit of support and accountability to get through the first few weeks.

Do you have any particular thoughts about tackling your weight, Fatbergs?

As an adult I have swung from size 8 to 22 so it’s been a very dramatic life of the old yo-yo! At The moment I am 80kg, heavier than I’ve been in years and am visualising myself slowly deflating. To be fair I put on about 20kgs this year because I just looked so lined and ancient so initially I was deliberately putting on weight. Also renovating a house means having to live on cheap n nasty convenience food, you could say it’s been the perfect storm. But I’m on it, and I admire your Can-do attitude

Very well done chicken. Followed your original thread for a while but thought it has gone poof. Didn't realise you moved it. Can I ask how you got past your alcoholism? If you don't mind sharing. All the best for the future and achieving your goals.

Good stuff, Fatbergs, I calculate you're about 12.5 stone so not in dire straits. I put on a lot of weight in 2014 when I lived in a houseshare and didn't have the right conditions for shopping/cooking for myself.

Hey Wrongwayup, nice to see you! The thread got moved from Chat so it didn't die after 90 days. To answer your Q, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous after the worst bender of my life which included a physical tussle with my parents. I was drinking 100 units a week. That was 3 years ago next month and I haven't had a drop since. I was ready to quit. Feel free to PM me.

So, you quit debt and food AND booze? I'll have some of that willpower pls!

Amazing stuff!

Haha Fatbergs! Not quite!

With booze - it was a choice between: quit, die or end up in a mental hospital or prison. No willpower required! I've never really wanted to drink since that awful night in January 2015.

Debt - I'm still in my overdraft every month!

Food - a work in progress!

3 years ago though, I was a in a much, much worse place in many ways so I'm glad I've come through that!

And we will ALL be in a much better place a year from today. But we have to make plans and put the effort in, it won't happen by itself. One of my other favourite sayings if "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail".

So I've got my smoothie maker out and am off to charge my fitbit!

I'd like to join you if that's ok.

In September I weighed 16st 8lb (5ft8), size 20, worked hard until December when I slowed down but weighed this morning and I am 14st 7lb so I did quite well, I now wear size 16, although can fit in a big 14. I would like to be 10st, so another 4 and half stone to lose. Ideally all in 2018.

Debt - Basically need to clear overdraft and save a lot as we intend on moving in a couple of years. I am a terrible spender.

Welcome Bored! Sounds like you and I are in similar places. We've made good progress but more to do. We are safely down the side of one mountain and eyeing up the next! 4 ish stone is do-able in one year. And YY to clearing the overdraft once and for all!

This morning, after an explosive toilet visit (I took alli a couple of days ago when I had a fatty meal at relatives' house) I am 11st 3lbs. Keep meaning to re-lose my gym virginity but there is fairy heavy snow so it seems daft to get the car out. I'll pop out on foot to the shops to stock up on Pepsi Max (my one vice) and then do a work-out at home. I have a wee stepper, some hand weights and bands plus a 1980s style thighmaster!

Joiningnin as well. Impressed by your achievements!

Thanks and welcome Hippy! Would you like to share a little of your story with the group?

I have been overweight and attending slimming groups since I was 8. 45 years!!!! Very much stuck in the gain a bit lose a bit cycle with the total increasing each time. In February of this year, after a shoulder injury I hit my all time high of 18 stones 1. I low carbed for my son's wedding in May and got down to 15.10. Don't look hideous in the pics but also don't look fabulous.
Started putting it back on straight away and by November 1st I was back up to 17.5.
November 13th I had a severe gallstones attack(only my 2nd ever ). The next few weeks were pretty horrific and long story short, culminated in emergency surgery in mid December. I am now down to 15.9. Clothes fit and I can see an end. In my head I actually believe I can do it. I have 6-8 80 litre storage boxes of clothes to fit into. I feel hopeful for the first time since I was last at a good weight when I was 30.
I have always been blessed with good health until this year and it has really given me a wake up call. I am worth losing weight and enjoying my life. I am worth wearing the fabulous clothes that I own. I am worth more than a part time life of being afraid to join in in case I look silly/can't do it because of my weight.
My 2 goals are 2 more stones off before my holiday at the beginning of April and to try paddleboarding with DS2 and DIL this summer.
Thst was an epic post but rather than apologise for it, I am going to copy it onto the firzt page of my lovely new notebook!

Aww Hippy, don't you dare apologise! That all sounds very positive - you have a goal in mind and a nice new notebook! What else could one possibly need?!!!

Turns out my fitbit is fucked and out of warranty. I'm not going to bother getting a new one at the moment. My phone is too old for the app to work properly either. I'll revisit it when I get a new phone.

Have managed to have a shower and walk to the shops (in the snow) today which is about 200% more activity than yesterday!

Ah I remember your initial thread - lost it after a week or so and had wondered how you got on! Huge congratulations, you look great!

Thanks Peonies! Feel free to watch Season 2 unfold...

I will join you all too. I have really struggled to lose weight and I have followed a few threads on here in the last six months. I've done a couch to 5k which was good (and joined a running thread), but I've slowed down with running (to nil) and do no exercise AND have indulged a lot of junk eating this month of December :(
So I'm jumping back on the wagon so to speak and will follow a low carb plan and get back into some form of exercise (not decided yet). I really have no excuse. I'll weigh in first thing in the morning and bring that figure here next time I weigh in.
I am also paying off debt in small amounts but my main financial goal is to stay within my means and pay off certain commitments I have right now around school fees and other things. So I need financial reminders for this too. I hope you don't mind me joining.
I think my goals are to pay for financial requirements without any hiccups,
do regular exercise again 4-5 times per week and reach my goal weight by April 2018 (I've been trying to reach this since September this year, but it's been very slow and I have been really trying - I am 40 something now and weight loss has not been easy).
I hope that all makes sense.
Nice to meet you all by the way.

Hi Fire and welcome to the thread and back onto the wagon! And nice to meet you too!

Sounds like you've made some progress and are ready for the next part of the journey.

Money and weight! They seem to go together...

Look forward to hearing how you get on at your weight in and what exercise you decide to do.

I've booked 2 exercise classes for next week. One aerobics and one step class.

I tried doing a few things at home tonight and am making a list of exercises that I can do eg:

• using elastic stretch band thingies to work my triceps (bingo wings!)
• thighmaster
• squats and bum clenches (don't like lunges as much, I think they're bad for my knees)

Also, I'm going to try and do the splits each day! I'll get closer and closer day by day!

Oh God, I just signed up to my local Ramblers club! Hills and dales here I come!

11st 1 this morning and feeling positive!

Hi! You've done so well Chicken! I read all of your first thread the other night and it's amazing how much you achieved in 2017 (not to mention kicking the alcohol a few years ago).

Well done on joining the Ramblers too. I hope it's fun!

It's nice to hear from all the other newbies too . Would you mind if I joined you all? I can't do an awful lot right now, but I want to join on the basis it's a marathon (over 2018 onwards) and not a sprint...

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and will be having a C section mid-feb (hence why I sadly won't be able to do anything too strenuous for a few months!). I am keen to try and eat as healthily as possible until then. DS is 14 months and with that pregnancy I gained just under 5 stone and got up to 15 stone . I managed to shift 3 stone before the second pregnancy, but it was extremely hard work whoever said breastfeeding makes the weight drop off LIED, especially as I had a particularly brutal emergency CS and couldn't even do gentle exercise for months.

My short term goal is to not let my weight get higher that 14 stone this time (I'm currently 13 stone 5ish). After that, my goal for 2018 is to get back to a 'normal', not 'overweight', BMI at 11 stone (I know BMI is b*llocks, but it seems a good benchmark for now!).

Finance wise, I need to be careful with frivolous spending over the next year. I don't have any urgent high-interest debt that needs repaying (student loan, bank loan which I will pay off in 16 months and a never-ending car loan). I'm currently not working (lost my job when I told them I was pregnant again - story for another day!) then would like to take time off with the baby from February, so I'm not able to earn anything or save money for a while (not to mention the fact childcare for two will cost more). I hardly ever buy expensive treats (clothes for myself, hair & beauty treatments etc) but I am bad for buying the odd Caffe Nero coffee every few days or thinking "f*ck it" and having a ready meal rather than cooking something cheaper & healthier.

Above all, my goals for 2018 are to:

1. feel confident enough to have my photo taken with my children (I always avoid the camera and HATE all photos of me) as I know I'll regret not having photos with them later down the line; and
2. go to a Christmas/NYE party this time next year and feel like I actually look like a functioning, vaguely acceptable human being (rather than hibernating in front of a box set, like I did this year!).

Hi CoffeeandCupcakes and welcome to the thread!

Thank you for your kind words.

Wow, seems like you've had a hell of a lot to deal with recently, with a little more excitement to come. Congratulations on your pregnancy! Fingers crossed for a smooth birth.

Sounds sensible, not letting your weight get too high during pregnancy and then having a realistic goal for getting it off.

That's shit about losing your job. I've had some dramas in that area of my life in the last couple of years so I'm hoping for a stable-employment-based 2018.

Here's to lots of photos with your lovely children and a fabulous you come Christmas 2018!

Thank you Chicken. Hopefully 2018 will be a good year for us all. Good luck with the stable-employment!

Well done on getting down to 11:1 . That's fantastic!!!

Managed to have cake and hot chocolate today . Whoops! Healthy homemade fajitas for dinner tonight...

3,000 steps done so far today. In an ordinary world that's pretty poor, but given I'm a fat, pregnant, achy person I'm pleased. Just need to find the will to move a little more...

Placemarking to come back and join you inspirational lot later

Chicken- it's really good your weigh in. You have done very well. Keep it up. My weigh for today is 167 pounds and overall I want to drop to 150 pounds and maintain that but I'm not sure how long it will take. It might even take me the year . Anyway I bette start somewhere. I'm off to read more of your story Chicken as someone else mentioned on here. I need some inspiration. Best of luck and I look forward to getting to know you all.

chicken would I be allowed to join in? I have 10 pounds to lose and am combatting PCOS in an effort to conceive DC1... would love to have some company and support!