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.

Sorry, that's Yorkshire Tea Biscuit Brew. (And I'm having trouble finding it. Says available in Morrisons but not online yet. Mind you, they don't deliver to my area yet anyway.)

Good luck at the doctors kittycat will be thinking of you.
Well done to everyone with the weightlosses so far.

Since giving up sugar completely I have found it so much easier to stay in control as I used to binge on chocolate and would eat whole multi packs of chocolate bars which I'd bought for the family. I would then go out and re-buy them as there would be complaints if we didn't have any treats and then I would go and eat them all again. Now I can have a house full of chocolate and as long as I don't have any at all I'm fine - but one bit has me back on the slippery slope.
I weighed in yesterday and I've gone down to 9 stone 3 pounds which is the least I've been in six years. I feel much better for it and my face is no longer bloated. I hope I don't sound all preachy by saying giving up sugar has been life changing but it really has - it's evil stuff. After years of getting nowhere with dieting I have finally cracked it I think. Hope this doesn't sound smug as it's honestly not meant to - I am just so happy to have found a way of life that works for me. At work no-one offers me cake or biscuits now as they've got the message that I'm now sugar free and have accepted it.

Hi Kitty - yeah, sorry dunno - Fibit Community might - start a thread!
I do tend towards a belief in low carb but sort get bored after a while. I suppose I'm just trying to be "normal" and healthy.

Fab work Mr Peevely! You're quite right and I know it! It's easier for me to just have none. Definitely been a slippery slope over the last few weeks with snow-related cake and sweetie eating. I do tend to overdo the dark chocolate as well sort of thinking it doesn't count.

Well day 2 of annual leave/spring cleaning here. Feel a bit sore from yesterday but onwards! Once the flat is clean and organised I will feel amazing and hopefully a clear head ready to be taken for a walk or a gym trip! And then feel even better - positive feedback!!

Is it too late to join this thread? You sound like you know what you are doing. I really don't. I'm losing 2.5 pounds a month! I was 13st 4 in January and 5'3". I've got down to 12 stone 13 through being a bit more careful. I've just started moving more so will see what that does.

I don't know what I'm doing really. I am holding most of this weight in my tum. I am regularly asked when I'm due. I'm 46 and feeling tired.

I'm not keen on going on a particular type of diet. I know I need to eat better so here goes. I expect I'll keep falling off the wagon. I've never gone to WW or SW but would appreciate some encouragement/support.

Your photos at the start of the thread OP are great.

Apologies, this will be a quick message as I don't have much time. I've just caught up on the past few days. I'm so sorry to hear about your mum Kitty. How is she doing now? I hope she can have a rest. I also hope the bleeding is nothing to worry about. Again, I know a c section is different from a hysterectomy (for many many reasons!), but I am still bleeding a little 5 weeks on. I think it can be quite common when you've had surgery around the general womb area. I really hope you are ok.

I also hope everyone else is doing well. Welcome Sheldon. Don't feel disheartened about the small loss: a loss is still a loss, and if you lose the same amount every month you'll be in a great place before you know it!

I'm feeling a bit down today. Firstly, my foot has really been hurting so I don't think the steroid injection has worked. It's melodramatic, but I feel gutted as I was looking forward to exercising without pain and wearing heels again! Secondly, I spent an arm and a leg on a double buggy and Mothercare have only delivered half of it . I keep calling them and they can't give me an answer about why it hasn't been delivered in full, I just keep being told I am "on a list of people we're going to call". It means I can't leave the house, so I can't get DS to nursery and can't attend appointments and can't do any gentle exercise or anything .

Sorry to the massive rant. Just ARGHHHHHHHH.

Welcome Sheldon! I often do laundry on Saturday night at 8.15pm. And I have one of those T-shirt folder thingies.

Re the photos - thank you! I think it's just about keeping going, and keeping going and trying again and not worrying if it's slow. If you do slip a bit, just get back on it. And think positive. You'll still lose 2 stone in a year at the rate you're going.

Have you been to the GP for a check? Sometimes feeling tired and bloated can be a sign of something, maybe even hormonal.

What sort of "diet" are you going for? High protein? Low cal? Just "b sensible"

Anyhow, as you can see we are a merry band of imperfect people but you are indeed welcome and you'll be thinner at the end of this year than you were at the start!

Hi Coffee! I feel your pain! Life is just a pain in the arse sometimes. Or the ankle! I twisted my ankle about 5 years ago and it's never been right since.

Well my flat has been taken apart, painted, cleaned and put back together again (nearly!) I am the queen of lists at the moment - things to do, buy, places to go etc etc. I have (physically) been working hard and in fact only grabbing (healthy-ish) meals to keep me going.

Hopefully my spring clean has brought on spring!!!

Disappointing weigh-in for me this morning! No loss, but maintained at 13'11, so could be worse. Super-stressful week just gone by - I always bloat like mad when I'm stressed, so hoping to lose next week.

Morning!

Not a great fortnight here. Dh has had the world falling out of his bottom for the last fortnight which involves waking me every two hrs to do the loo run. I only get five hrs as it is so I'm a woman on the edge at the minute! Needless to say I can say there is a correlation between lack of sleep and weight gain.
On a brighter note ww lady has decided to follow me down this slippery slope and weighs slightly more than me.

Dh has now decided all is not well and we need a healthier lifestyle. No shit sherlock.

Welcome Sheldon. I'm also 46, knackered and more off the wagon than on.

Hope everyone, and mums ,and small babies are doing well.

Chicken, my first thought was oh eck,people will think I've been tagged

Hi everyone, how are you all doing?

Kitty - I hope it goes ok with the consultant today. Let us know how you get on.

Chicken - Can't believe you described us as "imperfect". How very dare you .

Hope you're having a wonderful time at the spa. Very jealous! I can't believe how much housework you have done. Impressive stuff. We're about to put our house on the market and I can't face all the work we need to do (general tidying and painting...urghhh).

Doasyouwould - I'm sorry you haven't had a great weight-loss week. At least you haven't gained! I'm also sorry you've had a bad week Row.

I'm not really sure where I am at the moment. On Monday I weighed myself and it said 13 stone exactly, on Tuesday it said 13 stone 4 (!!!) then today it said 12 stone 13.5. I'm relieved, but am trying not to get too excited to be into the 12s as I feel I'm just going to fluctuate up over the next few days. If I can keep things going/be better, I will hopefully reach my end-of-April goal!

Hi everyone!

Sorry I've been quiet,I've been waiting for my new phone to arrive! It's here and I now have the mumsnet app! Haha! I've also been stuffing my face, not lost any weight but maintained and now back on the waggon! Not sure about anyone else but I fall off it a few times before I get super serious! Lol!

I've just caught up on everyone's updates! How is your mum kitty? Hope you are ok! Welcome to sheldon! Row I'm sure won't take you long to get back on it!

Sorry posted too soon! Coffee sounds like you are doing well! Don't forget water retention can make a big difference to weight,time of month etc! Keep going everyone!

Easier said than done when there's loads of Easter eggs in the house already!!

Hello you lot

I've decided to do healthy eating but only posh and tasty from now on. Like I'm making an effort. What Would Kate (Middleton) eat, if you see what I mean. (Inspired by the food hall at Dobbies yesterday.

So for dinner tonight, I cooked prawn stirfry with ginger and had it with wholemeal rice. (Prawns and veg actually from Lidl - shhh!!) So feeling quite smug actually.

I spend a fucking fortune on food though. I eat quite a lot of meat and fish and just eat a lot of food if you see what I mean. No way I could afford to feed a family too! (And this is mainly at Lidl could I fuck afford to do my weekly shop at Tesco anymore!)

Not weighed myself for a few days - will report back.

The flat is nearly back to normal now. And clean. So hopefully that plus these more springlike days will galvanise me. Just under 21 weeks until Britney. I work quite well under pressure me, so time to do this.

All bets off till April. Too much chocolate in the house. Am prepping healthy food for freezer,digging out my ps3 exercise tracker and buying a fit bit. Tomorrow I'm chopping up my knee support so I can run in it (can't even walk in it as it is)
Calorie burning tomorrow with a full day of house scrubbing, tree chopping and gardening.
Will weigh in April 1st and take it from there.

Chicken, I love stir fry. I should be super skinny if I ate only what I really liked and not what leapt into my shopping basket
Champagne and caviar are super posh by the way but not sure if mfp would know the calorie content

Hello everyone. Nice to read all of your updates. Chicken, are you going to see Britney Spears then? She's an awesome dancer. How's the posh food coming? Tasty I hope!

Hi Coffee, I'm sure you'll reach your goal by the end of April. Is it too early to say congrats on getting to the twelves?

Hi Sib, how's the new 'phone going? My mum is fine now thanks. They think it was arthritis pain that caused it. Better to be safe than sorry though. How are you doing?

Hi DoAsYouWouldBeMumBy, I don't think we've met before? Nice to meet you anyway!

Hi Row, It's no good that Easter is coming up with all that lovely chocolate is it? lol I want to try Asda's triple hot cross buns. I hope they keep them for a week after Easter as that's when I get weighed. Will be trying to resist my Easter chocolate all week 'till then too.

Well, went to the Drs about the bleeding. I had heard the NHS was in a state but didn't realise how much. She had no paper towels for the examination bed so had to spread out a plastic apron instead. She also didn't have the equipment to have a look up there so did a physical only. She suggested infection but told me to discuss it with my consultant on Friday (Just gone.) He gave me an examination and said the bleeding was from internal bleeding just leaking out and that you can bleed for 6-8 weeks post op. Good news though, I'M CANCER FREE! It's all out and I need no further treatment. Yay!

Hope you are all doing OK this week? I've been mainly sticking to my diet, went a bit over on a couple of days but should be OK. Have found something to motivate me though. Found an old camera the other day and charged it up. My niece found some old pictures on it today. There is one of me and her, just our faces, and mine is soooo fat! It really shocked me. I have some from now that are totally different but I'm going to print out the fat one as a reminder. Might stick it on the fridge.

*Asda's triple chocolate hot cross buns.

Sorry OohOohMrPeevly, didn't mean to leave you out! How are you doing? Congratulations on the weight. I do admire you, I don't think I could go sugar free. You are obviously making a great success of it though. Well done you!

Hi SheldonandPenny, nice to meet you. I hold most of my weight in my stomach too. I also get the feeling tired. If I can put it off 'till tomorrow I will! I do think some of it is the medication I'm on (Anti-depressants.) so I'm going to discuss that with my GP some time this week. How about you? Do you think it's anything in particular making you tired?
As for diets, I'm trying to stick to 1200 calories a day. It's not going too bad, weigh in is two weeks away! (I weigh monthly.)

@73kittycat73 Hallo! Nice to meet you! I've started the new week with firm resolution I've been off booze for Lent, which is good in a way, but tbh, it's made me eat more. Much more sweet stuff. So I'll be indulging in a bit of a wine/olive-athon on Sunday evening Hope to have worked it all off in advance. Going to the gym right now

Kitty that's excellent news. Cheered me up on a crappy day!

Have a nice time on Sunday DoAsYouWouldBeMumBy. I crave sweet things too...I drink Pepsi Max instead. I know it's not good for me but it's my only treat! (Don't drink, don't smoke, don't holiday or go out, etc.) I am looking at trying out a few teas instead. I wish I realised this before I placed my Sainsbury's order for tomorrow. Good luck with the gym!
Hi Row, glad to have been of service. Thank you too.
How is everyone doing this week? I've eaten all my calories for today but was having a massive sweet craving earlier. Didn't give in though. Rubs chufty badge Hope you are all doing OK?

Kitty - That's fantastic news! You must feel so relieved. Well done on resisting the sweet cravings: that's a fantastic achievement. I wish I were as good at resisting the cravings.

I'm really sorry to hear about the photo. It's horrible when that happens (see my comment at the end of this post ). Hopefully it will act as a good motivator? Yes - keep in on the fridge .

Doasyouwould - Enjoy your wine/olive-athon! Well done on the gym sesh. How did it go? Do you do cardio, weights or a mix of everything?

Row - Enjoy your Easter. It's maybe not a bad thing to have a week off to recharge your batteries. Hopefully you'll start April with renewed resolution.

Chicken - Don't get me started on the cost of good quality food! I should eat more good quality protein, but it's all so expensive. Funny that you mention about the cost of feeding a family, over half the money of our weekly shop goes on feeding, changing, clothing the kids or feeding the cats . Hopefully you feel a little refreshed after your week off?

I cheated and weighed a day early today. 12 Stone 13. Wahoo. I now just need to stay out of 13 stone territory. I also have 5 weeks exactly to hit my target of hitting 12 stone 7 by the end of April (I'll weigh 1st May). I need to summon some motivation...

I actually took a photo today at almost 6 weeks PP (I would post it with my face blurred out, but I'm so paranoid about someone I know realising it's me!). It's horrible: my belly and legs are so big (bigger than I thought) and my skin and hair are awful. I have such a long way to go to sort myself out . Sadly, I know all of this but still eat chocolate, crisps, cake etc (although I did just eat a banana instead of a biscuit, so small wins!).

Hi Coffee, nice to see you! Yup, the photo is a very good motivator. I have one on my kitchen cupboard, one the fridge and one on my desk. Stopped me pigging out last night! Well done on getting to the twelves! As for the photo, maybe you took it in a unflattering light, or angle? I'm sure you don't look as bad as you think. We are our own worst judges! Maybe pretend it's a friend in the photo instead and critique it that way? Don't forget you've not long produced another human being. Apart from an amazing feet your body is probably still adjusting, specially as you are breast feeding.
It can all be sorted out with time. Have you thought about a multi-vitamin or specific hair/skin supplement, or can you not take them whilst breast feeding?
Anyway, congratulations on the twelves again.

Good news and not so good news. Sunday I ran around for an hour and got out of breath with a racket in my hand while DH hit a ball in my direction. Monday I went to a Pilates class and Tuesday I feel like I have been punched all over. I also hit the chocolate buttons last night The big bag ones....all I want now is more chocolate....need to stay at 12st 13.5. I'll try to fit in something else tomorrow, i the bruised feelings go away!

Awww thank you Kitty, you seem like such a lovely, kind person. Thank you for being so supportive. You are completely right that I have 1) just had a baby; and 2) would NEVER think as badly of a friend as I do of myself.

At the moment I'm taking a breastfeeding-specific supplement, so I don't want to take anything else (besides, there's probably a fair amount of cross-over between the various supplements). I think, TBH, my problems come down to: 1) sh*t diet; 2) minimal sleep; and 3) my old age . I'm sure if I got 8 hours of sleep a night and just ate spinach and lentils I'd be positively radiant .

How are you doing today? Any plans for Easter?

How is everyone else doing? Anyone got any exciting plans for the long weekend? I'm sorry about the chocolate Sheldon but that's a great effort with all the sport!

Coffee, you hit the nail on the head.
More sleep
Better diet
Lose a few years.
My fitbit arrives tomorrow. Can't wait.