Positive no shame weight loss?

[WatchOutLurkerAbout]

Ok, so hoping I'm not alone and can find someone with a similar mindset!

I am plus size, have been since I was about 18 (thanks alcohol lol). I'm learning to love my body, it is strong and sexy in my way. I'm fine with that, I can walk for miles and get up stairs so none of this skinny is healthier no matter mindset what here. It's been a long hard journey to begin to like my body and I don't want to suddenly undo all that.

However, I have to lose 4 stone in less than 5 months to start fertility treatment. I'm not doing the paid plans - been there done that got the overpriced cookbooks. I am watching my calories and putting in a lot more exercise and different types.

I want to do my best to stay positive, to actually keep learning to like my body etc. No guilt or shaming. Sooo is anyone in the same boat? Fancy chatting and helping each other through it?

Hi turtle that's rubbish after you'd psyched yourself up! Hope you've had more luck!

I had my Pilates on Monday and about half hour of it was various planking positions and my god I'm in absolute bloody agony! I hadn't eaten or drank enough before I went - first day back at work distracted me. So I was really ill yesterday from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Pushing myself to go swimming tonight to keep up with my exercise every other day and weekend off but I'm really dreading it. I'll probably be going about the pace of a snail.

How's everyone else's week been?

I did it! 30 minutes of swimming and I am not going to be able to move tomorrow

Well done watch! Hope you're ok today. I did a lot of walking the last two days and I was at the physio yesterday so I'm sitting in the car, in the carpark where I do my hill run, trying to make myself get going!

Hi Turtle. Sounds like a good start with your exercise. I can't wait til I get the go-ahead to start swimming again. One step at a time will hopefully get us all where we want to be.

I did a 30 minute workout at home with my exercise ball etc on Tuesday evening, following online instructions. Legs and abdomen were agony yesterday so I guess I did something right! It's eased off a bit today so I'll do more this evening. Foodwise, I'm trying to be as good as possible without feeling too restricted. Just had a chicken salad for lunch but the weather is so cold and miserable that I'm fighting the urge to supplement it with crisps, chocolate or something stodgy. Got a veggie/bean stew waiting at home tonight.

Well it's been a bit challenging here in sunny San Francisco. Lots of socialising with colleagues, happy hours and dinners out. Have been trying to keep as low carb as possible but have definitely blown my calorie limit for the last couple of days. We went to an amazing steak restaurant so I had a petite fillet with grilled shrimp and sides of roasted Brussels sprouts and cremini mushrooms. I did avoid the delicious looking fries and mashed potatoes though. The food was amazing but was swimming in butter...

On the plus side I've been moving much more and have set new step limits the last 4 days in a row.

Will get back to my strict regime when I'm back at home.

Wow chequer well done on the steps but don't feel guilty for enjoying meals out etc. It's not as if this is your normal every day life of excess lol. I've never had shrimp I went vegetarian when I was very young. Always wondered what they're like lol

Yay go turtle keeping going at home is harder I think. I found swimming after a day of rest really helped my muscle soreness. Plus another activity and getting moving. Bean stew sounds gooood!

Did you manage to get out of the car mother hill run sounds like hell to me but my cousin does ultra marathons, fell running and wild water swimming so all I see is the extreme ones lol.

I'm trying hard not to emotional eat tonight - my big problem. Had a shitty week and my mums just piling on the emotional blackmail so I'm such an emotional wreck I could eat my weight in sugar right now

Turtle, yes, it's so hard not to reach for a warming cup of tea and all the a couple of biscuits so it doesn't feel lonely. I mainly drink herbal tea these days as dunking a hobnob in warm perfume just isn't the same

Oh, chequer, I'm so jealous of you being in San Francisco! I would love to go there. And those hills definitely gave your steps a boost in efficacy!

I did get out of the car! I was very slow, but I did it. Tbh, I feel a fraud calling it a hill run...it's a local park with some hilly, woody bits, nothing remotely like actual fell runs. A friend does ultra off road marathons - they are proper bonkers. Anyway, I also walked up to collect the kids from school so I think I did about 13k steps today all in. So I'm enjoying my half scone (I gave dh the smaller half )

Hope you're ok, went. Other people's emotional bs is really hard to manage. Is there anything else you like to do to help shake it off? I was thinking of starting knitting again so my hands are occupied in the evenings and I'm less able to reach for the biscuits.

Mother definitely agree they are bonkers lol. She goes wild swimming when the water is 2 degrees in just a swimming costume and a woolly hat!

I've cooked tea which isn't like me lol I do not enjoy cooking. I've found some people on Facebook that are in a similar boat to us lot and we've set up a group so I've got you guys and that group now to help distract me. I've also got a pile of new recipe books I'm going to go through. Distraction distraction.

I'm also allowing myself a cup of tea and a small slice of cake as a reward for hitting my target for iron today! I've not had iron in anything this week and being borderline anaemic and vegetarian it's harder to get it in my meals.

OP, have you heard of Nicola Salmon? She's a body positive fertility coach and she's recently written a book. Might be worth a google - I think she's pro intuitive eating etc. Good luck!

Walking day today, about 6km. We had a gorgeous family evening - DC and I went to meet dh after work (took the bus and train, so much excitement) and went for dinner then an incredible light installation at a local country house type place. Really enjoyed the evening and now having a relaxing hot port by the fire.

Happy weekend, everyone.

Sounds idyllic mother!

Three nights in the row of yummy home made meals. Feeling very proud of ourselves lol as we are definitely a takeaway couple. I've spent the last few days pouring over recipe books, got some ideas then went to Lidl and stocked up on basic food items and a ton of veg. Now just picking recipes that match what ingredients we have.

These are the books I got. The Miguel Barclay and roast tin one are amazing for quick easy no effort nights. Soooo tasty!

Nice, Watch, what did you cook? If you're up for recipe sharing, I'd love some inspiration.

I did a 30 minute hiit workout this morning. It was bloody hard but I felt good after. And now I can enjoy my glass(es) of red.

This is what I had tonight. With one flatbread a tbsp of yoghurt works out about 550 calories. Which is pretty good. It was soooo tasty and filling and I had some leftovers cold and it was good cold too would make a nice cooked salad

That meal looks delicious @watch which book was that from? The Miguel Barclay one sounds good if you just shove everything in the oven!

I had a stupidly busy week last week, didn't eat fantastically but not terrible either!

I got myself a slow cooker yesterday and have given it a try today. Won't lie, it was okay but definitely not great, full of veg though, but definitely need to find some good recipes.

I finally got round to buying some scales (£12.99 in Aldi and they do body fat, BMI etc too and actually come with batteries!) And was pleasantly surprised. Haven't weighed myself since before Christmas and I was a couple of kg lighter than I expected. My BMI is currently 30.2, so have a nice milestone coming up of being overweight not obese!

Have made time to go swimming tomorrow after work, am going to head straight there as otherwise I definitely will end up sitting in the sofa instead!

I need encouragement to get back on the wagon. The weekend wasn't too bad exercise-wise. Did some hill-walking on Saturday (around 2 miles all in but steep inclines) and the a longer (6 miles) flat walk on Sunday plus more home-based exercise (crunches, planks etc). I had a bit of a foodie blow out though - ate way too much bread, red meat and shared a cake with a friend (although better than a whole one to myself, I guess).

Tried to get to that exercise class again last night only to find out it was cancelled again. I know I should have gone for a run or something instead but I was cold, it was pouring rain and I'd already had a bad day at work so I just went home to my sofa. Ate pasta and had a G&T. The pasta sauce did have loads of veggies though and I refused the gingerbread and chocolate truffles that DH brought out later as a TV snack (trying desperately to find the positives).

No chance for exercise today as work is really busy - I'll be sitting at a meeting table all day and won't get a lunch break. I also need to see/help elderly parents this evening so won't get home until late. I brought in a salad though and have also planned a salad-based dinner.

Had a proper naked look at my body in the mirror last night and got really upset; it's so bloated, far and unattractive. It doesn't feel like my body and I want to be me again - why does getting there have to be so hard???

Hello all. I would like to join you please if I may. I have been increasingly aware that I was gaining weight for a while but was in denial until Sunday night when suddenly I decided to deal with it. Have been avoiding the scales for months but stepped on yesterday morning and I am the heaviest I have been in years. No wonder my clothes are uncomfortable.

I need to lose 17lb initially. I both gain and lose weight very slowly so I expect it to take me 4 months or so. I joined weight watchers yesterday. I am disappointed that it has come to that but I have been fiddling about on my own and not really sticking to anything properly for months. I need the discipline of weight watchers. I am doing it online only.

Oh and I have a severe back problem which means I can't exercise. At the moment I can barely walk! Such a shame as I love exercise. So, for me, it all comes down to diet.

Can I join? I only have about a stone to lose and am not that big but I really need to be accountable to someone. My starting weight is 140lbs, but I am short and carry it all on my stomach. I also want to do walking, swimming or gym work every day mainly because i’m not very fit. Also i’m peri menopausal and conscious that my body’s going to change so I want to be stronger and fitter.

Op, after a lifetime of being larger, about 10 years ago I lost nearly 5 stone on a low cal diet using my fitness pal and reporting on a Mumsnet thread. It took about 18 months - so fairly slow - but it sounds like exercise wise you are in a much better place than I was. I don’t want to blow my own trumpet but just point out that it’s possible to lose weight and largely keep it off (although not easy).

Ah, Turtle, sorry you're feeling crappy. I didn't have a great weekend either, and then yesterday was a complete disaster (anyone for three daim bars in a row 🤦 I'm blaming my period). The only thing to so is try to forget it and just start fresh, one choice at a time. Well, that's my plan. You've done well so far, so a blip is inevitable and you just need to start again. And remember, this thread is for being kind to ourselves, no self administered bearings here!

Hello red-eye and stealth.

I’m in!

I’ve got 3 stone to lose. 5 months pp (c section) with horrific recovery so any exercise other than walking is not an option yet.

Planning to get married in 2023 in Caribbean so I just need to lose 1 stone per year... 😂 sounds so doable like that. But ideally want it all gone by end of year. I have done it before.

Similar to pp once I know I’m eating better I feel like I need to go on a binge before committing to diet. I will be a sensible adult one day!

winging that's from the one roasting tin recipe book. Seriously good. I found the same with my slow cooker. I found it really hard to make tasty food - much prefer my instant pot!

turtle those are positives! Don't beat yourself up for not doing "enough". Praise what you have done and keep going! Think about when you train people in new skills you don't tell them off for only doing things wrong you use positive reinforcement and praise and they achieve much more. That's what you need to start trying to do. It's hard!

Hi redeye how have you been getting on for your first few days?

Hi stealth thank you! It's nice to know other people have managed it on a similar plan. I've found swimming a really good way to get back into fitness and not feel horrendous.

Ugh I know how you feel mother serious sugar cravings as AF approaches. I've found snacking on plain popcorn to keep my hands busy help.

vilanelle whereabouts are you getting married? We went on honeymoon to Barbados and my uncle got married in St Lucia.

Well I am ill. And my son is ill. And I've eaten cake and pizza and generally glued to the sofa for four days. Feel like hell. I've missed my Pilates, swimming and everything. Trying not to feel guilty and just allow myself to be ill but it's hard work to fight the patterns of a life time.

Well only on day two but they have been two good positive days

I am feeling strong and in control which is what I need to get this sorted.

Sorry you are ill. Hope you are on the mend soon.

Thanks lurker I need to dig my swimming costume out. I’m sorry you and your ds have been poorly. Don’t worry that you’ve eaten crap, it’s just a blip.

It’s interesting people up thread talked about exercising before the diet to give them a boost and I have always done the opposite- dieted to a reasonable weight and then exercised - because I felt self conscious. Anyway I have a Pilates class tomorrow morning so that should be motivating.

I'm still seriously unwell and it's driving me insane. I'm eating rubbish food - hello toast and honey - and actually missing getting out and moving.

I've gotten this book on recommendation from a blog I follow and finding it really interesting so far!

How's everyone else getting on?