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.

Thank you so much Kinky! I've booked the Crown! Perhaps Britney will stay there too!

Coffee - sorry to hear of your bad luck. Personally I would chucked my friend under the bus. I went to Vegas by myself. I'm going to Scarborough by myself but Glasgow with 2 friends.

How long would it take me to walk from Crown to the venue?

MAJOR UPDATE: I managed to get an "ultimate uprgrade" for my Scarborough ticket so, that's right, I'M DOING MEET AND GREET AGAIN!!

Soooo jealous!!! I had the same thing three days running: logged on as soon as tickets went live, wouldn't let me get any then a short time later said they were all sold out . So gutted. I just can't afford the re-sale costs of tickets, especially with travel and a hotel on top. Gutted.

Anyway, less exciting but how has everyone's weeks been diet/exercise/money wise? Obviously expenditure on Britney tickets isn't counted .

So I have applied for a promotion but it would mean moving house so even if I get offered the job I will have to see what the salary is etc before I would take it. I’ve been very consistent with gym this week and eating has been a little better, although not ideal. I’ve lost 1 pound.
Onwards and upwards!

Hi all, loving the Britney fan chat . Chicken - I remember your thread about the meet and greet last year.. what did you wear in the end and more importantly what will you wear this time??

I'm still here, plodding along. Not sure how much, if any, weight I've lost but I tried on my boden jeans on Friday which were previously my "fat day jeans" but had become unwearably tight... I'm not going to claim they were loose, but they look OK so I'm pleased with that.

I'm actually finding not snacking to be not that hard, which surprises me. Having said that, I think it's often the point where I think "ach, this is easy" that I start veering off track and making excuses for falling back into old habits ("my relationship with food is fixed so I can eat what I like" ).

Anyway, my aims for February are:

• Most importantly sticking with the no snacking and no alcohol on school nights
• drinking more water/herbal tea and fewer calorific milky drinks
• making healthy food choices at mealtimes, especially when I eat out
• drinking a bit less on Fridays and Saturdays

Well done on the weight loss Peonies and 🤞 for your promotion.

I hope everyone else is doing well..

Hi Coffee! Sorry to hear Ticketmaster has not been your friend! Keep trying, some people will realise in a few weeks that they can't use their tickets eg they're going on holiday instead that week.

Congratulations Peonies! And great work, keep keeping on! 1lb/week is still 4 stone in a year!

Blat - well remembered. In the end, I wore an elbow-sleeve-length black glittery top from Tesco of all places. It made me look thin and funnily enough she was wearing black too so we match in the photo. I also wore dark jeans and high sparkly heels so that I felt taller/thinner but also comfortable (I might have struggled to feel right with a dress - my legs are not my best feature)

This time goodness knows - I will, of course, have a banging body by then so will have much more options.

Glad to see we have (nearly) made it to the end of January and are lifting our eyes to February and its promise of a little more daylight!

I went for a walk round a local park today. Yesterday I stocked up on some clothing and a rucksack for my rambling!

Also did a big food shop and have got some veg for making smoothies. Got some powdered newt toenail or some such green powder stuff from Holland & Barratt to chuck in.

Had a pub roast with my family today after the walk but it was fine. I ate little before and after. No dessert, don't drink anyway and gave some of my yorkshire pudding to my brother and dad!

Loving the Britney chat

Birthday weekend away this weekend but in the Lakes with lots of walking and not much food. Unfortunately Kendal mint cake and Grasmere fudge have followed me home.

Chicken it's on the South Cliff and the venue is at the North Bay. It's quite a walk - about 30-40 minutes through town. If you walk to the station and then straight down Northway and Columbus Ravine (A165), it will take you to Peaseholm Park (opposite the venue). Have a look on Google Maps and you'll see. Crown Spa is marked on it. If you fancy the longer, scenic route walk around Marine Drive - so you essentially follow the seafront right the way around the castle headland to the North side. The venue is behind the 'corner' with the shops and the hotel apartments.

Thanks Kinky! I'm happy to walk

Hi everyone. Loving the updates. I'm just about coming to terms with my Britney disappointment. I'm trying to focus on the money I'll save....

Peonies - Any news on the promotion? I hope you get it. Keep us posted! Well done with the gym and exercising. Not bad for the end of January lull.

*Blat - Great news about the Boden jeans. With just a few small steps they will be loose in a few weeks! Keep at it . I have my "fat girl jeans" which I obviously can't fit into now. After DS I got back into them for about 2 months before I needed the maternity jeans again. Hopefully this time I'll get back into them a little sooner, and then after a few months get back into my "chubby girl jeans" (the jeans that I got when I first started gaining weight pre-pregnancy, but that aren't as big as my "fat girl jeans"). Then hopefully by the end of 2018/early 2019 I can just get into "jeans".

Also Blat, I think those are really good goals for February. They're totally do-able so you're not setting yourself up for failure, but if you stick to them you will notice a difference.

Chicken - I fully expect you'll have a banging body by August. Are you not going for the bikini top, hot pants and python look? That's obviously what I was planning on wearing...

How's the rambling going? Your "powdered newt toenail" comment made me laugh. A few years ago I put all sorts of H&B sh*t into my smoothies.

Row - Hope you had a good birthday. Great news about all that walking! As well as being good exercise, it'll do you the world of good just getting out in the fresh air. Hope you're having a good week (appreciate it's only Tuesday lunchtime...).

Things are ok with me. I haven't been very good at all diet and exercise wise so am now 14 stone. I'm just so huge now I struggle to even get off the sofa. I'm also really tired, especially from the insomnia. Oh well, hopefully only two weeks to go and then I'll (hopefully) be looking at recovery and then building up gentle exercise again.

On a tangent, sparked by the jeans chat, I need to completely overhaul my wardrobe. Some of my friends made me feel really sh*tty about the way I look and dress (not directly at me, but they made a big fuss about how glamorous our other pregnant friend looks and how stylish she is...then kind of looked me up and down like "Oh hey Coffee, you're still alive then?"). I also need to get a new job this year in quite a competitive industry and all the people who will be going for the same jobs will be early/mid twenties and probably super glam and skinny in gorgeous outfits because they won't have to pay £100/day on childcare. I need to look less like an overweight, frazzled mum !!!

Ideas for what to wear to Britney?

Morning all

14st 10 this morning! Am busy emptying the house of treats, obviously can't have them about as I have no self control

Doesn't affect dds crisps and dhs chocolate as not a fan of walkers or cadburys thankfully. Ditched the running as it was killing my knee then found i had to run to pick dd up from guides as i was late and the running was easy. Not out of breath at all. My knee is paying me back today though.

Have a good weekend all

Hi everyone!

Well yesterday I went to the cinema and then to TGI Fridays with my family - had a BIG burger (but no bun) with bacon, mayo etc etc. Have had too much bread this week too and was 11st 5 this morning again - most of it is water retention from the salty stuff I ate yesterday - my ring was tight.

...and anyway I was off out with the Ramblers again today - I even have the blisters to prove it! Yep, just getting to grips with all the gear and stuff.

So 28 weeks til Britney and I will definitely have a banging body. I might even put 2001 VMAs Britney (the above one with the snake!!!!) to shame lol!

Really enjoying following all of your updates everyone. Can you feel spring in the air? I even bought myself some daffodils!

And Coffee, don't be so down on yourself! You just need 1 or 2 really great outfits that you feel comfortable in. And fuck the glamorous youngsters. They are probably thinking they'll never get it because they are inexperienced.

Awww thanks Chicken. I know I sound really shallow and looks shouldn't matter, but I do reckon many people make snap decisions about how competent you are based on how 'groomed' you look. Grr...

Did you see anything good at the cinema? I hope the burger was good. One blowout meal won't kill you! I'm sure the bloating is salt, or the effects of eating more bread. How is your weight now? I hope you've had a good few days.

Omg I can definitely feel spring in the air. It's such a gorgeous day today! A bit strange as it has been snowing here the past few days. I may try and waddle outside with the toddler and get some fresh air.

Row - Great stuff with the running! Shows how fit you must be. Knee problems are the worst. I've been told I should probably stop running, but I love putting on my music and getting out in the fresh air and you can't really do that with any other sport.

I can't believe you don't like Cadbury's though...

Hi!

I saw The Greatest Showman - it was fab - great costumes, dancing and singing!

I went for a ramble on the Sunday - didn't feel hard at the time but I was a little sore the next day. Have just bought new hiking boots so excited to give them an outing after I've broken them in. I've also, despite my better judgement, bought a new fitbit - the Charge 2. It was a pain in the arse to set up as it wouldn't link to my computer but sorted now. It seems to log steps when I'm only doing things like ironing. But it will be good on my long walks. Twas £99.99 on Amazon, seems to have been reduced in price.

My weight was 11st3 this am. Need to kick my arse into gear - I've been snacking in the evenings and eating bread. Gotta stop!

Bought myself some daffodils to signal that spring is on the way!!

How is everyone else?

You can tell I'm so excited about my daffodils that I told you about them twice! And my ramble! I'm getting forgetful!

Anyway, in terms of getting the banging body, it really is now or never. If Britney can't make me do it, no-one can!

Morning all

It's the snacking that's the killer isn't it? Case of ill just have....... Then all good thoughts are out the window. I haven't snacked for three days and I'm starving. Just had a bowl of porridge at 430 am, (oats and water nuked in the microwave no sugar or milk). For work I have a a cheese ham and salad wrap and a banana. That's it till I get home at 2pm. Then im faced with the fridge which i need to avoid till 5pm when its teatime. Dont do after tea snacking as I'm too knackered to care

My daffodils are starting to come I but at the minute I have snowdrops, theyre Lovely!

Ninjas eleventh birthday in a month and a full day out with family. Will be 14st 7 or less by then!

How you doing coffee?

I'd like to join in here too if that's ok - having read through this thread I feel there seems to be just the right balance of dieting and Britney talk. I was 11 stone a little while ago and am now 9 stone 10 lbs but I am aiming to get back to 9 stone which is my favourite weight of all time (clothes especially jeans look nice). I am 5'6". I am also following a low carb diet plan so no sweet stuff. I have recently discovered paleo pizza mix on amazon and also low carb wraps - both of which have been a revelation.

Hi Ooh. I think it's very important to make sure there's the right amount of Britney chat on any thread, or indeed in real life...

Well done on the weight loss so far. That's great! I'm also 5'6" and looked my best around 9 stone 3 (oh those were the days). Right now though I'd kill to be in your position at 9 stone 10! Or even the 11 stone you started off at .

Hi Row - I totally agree about the snacking. Until recently I always used to do very healthy meals, but I've always been terrible with snacking. Well done on not snacking for three days. That's a big achievement (to a fatty like me anyway!). Hopefully you'll see a change on the scale. Good look for the !4 stone 7 target!

I'm ok thanks, thanks for asking. In quite a lot of pain and am SO READY to meet our baby. I've been getting so anxious about all the things that can go wrong, and have been generally feeling rubbish, so my diet has been terrible for weeks . I also can't wait to get this c section over with, start recovery and then start building up my fitness again (and getting a rocking body would be nice too)

Hi Chicken - Glad the film was good! I hope the Fitbit is useful too. I find mine is quite good for making me get off my sizeable arse a little more. So if I've done 9,500 steps I'll make the effort to get up and walk around to get to 10,000...whereas if I didn't have the Fitbit and didn't know my steps, I'd probably just stay sitting on the sofa.

I'm sorry about the snacking. It's so hard to break out of the snacking mindset. I hope you get your mojo back soon and are able to get into the 10s.

Ha ha, you obviously love spring and daffodils . In your defence, this time of year (when the flowers are starting to come out and there are a few bright days) is lovely. Not to mention life seems so much more positive when it stays lighter for longer!

Welcome Mr Peevly! Yes, you started off where I am now and am where I need to get to. 9st is a good weight for me - a sexy weight that blokes like (I'm only 5'2 ish) whereas 8st something is a bit too skinny. Obvs the main thing is that I am healthy and happy though and getting a some shagging

I'm delighted that everyone is enjoying the Britney subplot to this thread! She posted a pic of herself in the gym "getting ready for summer".

I've got a long walk set up with my rambling group tomorrow (new kit to try out too!) and I'm going to do a big shop and ditch the bread, snacking and naughty extras.

There's about 28 weeks to go so plenty of time. If I start now.

When is the baby due, Coffee?

14st 8. Going the right way

Well done Row!

What do you think is having the positive impact?