Getting going with weight loss

[jazzyh]

So... since the birth of my daughter (17 months ago) my weight and general health has really not been a priority.
I've developed a huge junk food problem - I live off white carbs, normally have at least one treat bag of chocolate a day, mainly drink Diet Coke, eat lots of processed food and have a couple of McDonald's a week.
I'm three stone heavier than pre baby and having problems with my teeth from all the sugar I'm eating.
I've had postnatal depression so I think that's played a big part, but I'm feeling much better now and really feel I need to tackle this both for my own health and to be a better role model for my daughter.
Knowledge about nutrition / exercise really isn't the problem for me (previously I was pretty healthy and I have an exercise qualification 😬). The thing I'm really really struggling with is motivation. I've joined slimming world, weight watchers, body coach and Noom and just not done any of them at all. I don't think I really need a diet, I just need to start changing these awful habits.
My question is, has anyone got any tips for getting going? For example small, manageable changes you made that helped build motivation?? I know that essentially I need to make changes but for some reason I'm feeling really stuck.

For me, meal planning really helps. If I can just look at the fridge to see what to cook (and have ordered everything I need in advance) I’m much less likely to go for beige freezer food or take away. Also batch cooking healthy things so I’ve only got to cook a portion of rice to go with chilli etc.

Hiya - only you can answer this. You might need some help to get there but you need to determine your reason for taking action. This is the foundation of what keeps you going to reach your weight loss goal. What happened, or is happening, that is causing enough emotional pain in you that made you decide you need to take action?

What is the emotional reason that will keep you consistent every day and keep you on track when changing your habits, especially when your motivation and energy is low?

For me, it was after seeing a photo of myself and then came the fear that I was letting myself down, my partner and my kids, now and in the future. That drove me to make the change and stick to it.

Check out this YouTube video to understand the power of knowing your “why? It is boxing themed which may not appeal, but I find the message behind it very powerful.

Happy to help further if I can. Good Luck!

Start right now, don't plan for it tomorrow or next week, you don't need to get anything to make it happen, you already have what you need.

So have you had your dinner yet? If not what are you having, is it a healthy meal or could you make a couple of small changes to make it healthier?

After kids are in bed, what can you do to occupy yourself so you don't just eat out of habit? If you don't have anything that you want to do, do you have some carrots in the fridge you could chop up to snack on?

Have you had much water today? If not, go fill up a glass and get sipping.

I'm 4 months in to my healthy living change, have lost 3 stone, gone from obese to overweight and from a size 22 to 16-18.

I accidentally fell into Intermittent Fasting because I don't eat breakfast, and I reduced but didn't completely cut out carbs. I have PCOS so carbs have always been a problem for me. I stick to around 1500 calories a day, log everything I eat in MyFitnessPal and do at least 3 lots of exercise a week, sometimes walking, sometimes walk/jog, sometimes a free video on OurParks (couch to fitness).

Once I got past the first 3 days it has been relatively easy. The first 3 days were hard as my body was craving the sugar so I felt ravenously hungry all the time. Then it just stopped and I felt good.

I would start by thinking about what you can add to your diet, rather than what you need to take away. Basic things like make sure you eat veg or salad or fruit with every meal. Make sure you have some protein with every meal. Make sure you drink a few big glasses of water a day. It feels like a gentler way to introduce healthier habits than just ditching everything that's bad for you in one go.

At the same time find a way of counting your steps (fitness tracker or app on your phone) and build up to 10k a day initially. Once that becomes a habit, increase it.

Once you've embedded some healthy habits, you can look at stopping the unhealthy ones.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply - all the replies so far have been really helpful and given me some ideas!
Planning is something I need to definitely do more - I kid myself that I don't have time (which is rubbish) and then it's all to easy to maintain old habits. I also do need to put some work into planning alternatives to drink / eat as it's not second nature to me any more.
I think I'll spend some time writing down my reasons for doing this to keep as a reminder. There's so many! To feel healthier, to be a good role model, to fit into my old clothes, to be able to get fit again, to improve my self esteem... there's so many reasons.
I like the idea of adding rather than take away - it feels much less overwhelming.
Thanks again 😊

You might not be the same but I found with little steps I gagged and lost 2lb gained 1, list 4 gained5. I did ‘lose a stone in 21 days’ Michael Mosley. I lost a stone in about 24 days. I then started couch to 5k and doing zoom pt twice a week (you could go hit at home). I’ve lost about 11lb more in the following 9 weeks. It reset my body and the quick loss was motivating. Obviously a lot of initial weight loss is bloat and water but I’ve reduced body fat by about 8% and I now eat 1000-1500 calories a day but save some fir weekend wine.

Gagged? Faffed

I’ve had takeaways too just not as often. My motivation was reducing bmi Incase I got covid.

Start right now, don't plan for it tomorrow or next week, you don't need to get anything to make it happen, you already have what you need.

I so agree with that! I started Saturday evening.

Thanks @superram, I'll have a look into it. This strategy has always worked when I needed to drop a few pounds in the past

Thanks @SchrodingersImmigrant and good luck to you!

I have started saying no food after 7pm, no to junk food (chocolate, crisps, cake), and trying to fit in a small run each day.
I am allowing myself snacks if they are relatively healthy - toast, fruit, nuts etc, a drink once or twice a week, and any meal I fancy (pizza/ chips/roast all fine).
Seems like a compromise I can keep to.