Please give me some words of encouragement so I can lose weight to have a baby!!

[mampam]

I'm not really sure what to write as I have never really talked about my weight to anyone before other than GP/Practise nurse and they were very unhelpful.

Have tried lots of diets over the years Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conelly, diets from GP etc and nothing ever really works. I get to about 1/2 stone lost and never lose anymore no matter how hard I try.

I was once given a diet by my practise nurse, it was one that air hostesses use to lose up to a stone in a week. I had to do it over two weeks, I stuck to it rigidly and can remember being quite hungry for most of those 2 weeks, I put on 2 pounds!! I think I must be the only person in the world who can go on a diet to lose up to a stone and put on weight.

I've had my thyroid checked several times and each time they tell me it is fine. It's very frustrating not being able to lose weight as I eat fairly healthily anyway and certainly know other people who eat at least twice as much as me and don't seem to put on much weight.

I guess I had just sort of come to terms with the fact that perhaps I was just meant to be this fat, but I got married last year and although I have 2 dc's from a previous marriage DH and I would love to have a baby together (DH has no DC). When my last DC was born I was told that because I have such big babies (dd 9lb 4oz, ds 10lb 14oz) that next time I have a baby I will need to have a c-section. I'm well aware of the complications that can arise with being over weight and having a c-section hence why I know I need to lose weight before I can even consider trying to get pregnant.

Thank you for reading this if you've managed to get this far and I would be grateful for any help/tips/advice/encouragement/guidance that any of you wise mumsnetters may have.

How much do you weigh? (Or what's your dress size if you don't want to tell me )

It is possible to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy if you aren't slim you know.

How much exercise do you do? Perhaps focusing on your fitness and muscle tone rather than weight would help you feel better.

How heavy are you mampam, and how tall?
Could you perhaps keep a food diary (on this thread) so that we can see exactly what you are eating and advise accordingly? I used to find that helpful.

Did you have gestational diabetes with your previous pregnancies?

Sorry have just read your post properly re. csection

I would imagine that a c section isn't necessarily a dead cert. How were your previous births? You might not have such a large baby this time.

No I didn't have gestational diabetes. Was about 10 stone when I had dd and about 15 stone when I had ds. I'm 5'8" and weigh 17stone 10lbs but because I'm tallish I can carry my weight fairly well. ( DH doesn't even know how much I weigh!!)

I guess I don't really do that much exercise but DH and I are making it our mission to go out for lots of walks which we have started 2 weeks ago!

Exercise is the way forward, honestly. Diets just make you miserable.

Had a very bad tear from one hole to the next (iyswim?) and was in theatre for an hour afterwards being stitched up.

I have a friend who stuffs her face all the time and when she wants to lose weight she eats sensibly for about a month and weight just drops off her. I do find it quite upsetting when I think of what I eat compared to her, yet I'm the one who's fat!!! Maybe exercise is the only way, I'm not confident enough to join a gym though. Been there done that and I felt too self consious compared to the skinnies in there!!

I'm not so far away from you weight wise - a little bit lighter but a little bit shorter too...

It's so disheartening isn't it when you see weight dropping off people with what seems like minimum effort on their part.

Exercise could well be the way to go - doesn't have to be a gym, walking is a great start or how about exercise videos or an exercise bike?

Do you drink plenty of water? That's one of my fall-down areas - I am addicted to diet coke and that does nothing for me. I'm sure you already know that alcohol is full of empty calories - trying to cut down myself atm but was sabotaged by dh and a couple of bottles of Magners at the weekend .

Peppermint tea and green tea help with digestion, eat lots of whole grain food, fruit and veg and lean protein. Keep a food diary and write down every bite of every biscuit - it all adds up.

Thanks Tiger.

Think I will have to stick to walking at the moment for my exercise of choice as I have got videos but whilst I'm usually able to do the warm up bit I find vigorous exercise quite painful because I have quite a large bust!!(and yes it's painful even with a sports bra!!).

Will try the peppermint and green tea. Already eat lots of whole grains, always have wholemeal bread, rice and pasta eat lots of fruit and veg and always have lean meat. Will definitely try keeping a food diary too.

To be honest I don't really drink alot of anything let alone water. Somedays will only have maybe a cup of tea in the morning and a glass of orange squash in the evening!! How much water should I drink in a day?

hey mampam....

i found when i started doing weight watchers and keeping a record of everything i ate, i was really shocked by the amount of empty and snacking calories i was eating...a slice of cheese here, a funsize mars there, glass of wine in the evening, a handful of crisps, a quater of a piece of toast ...you know...those things that sneak in whern you're not thinking about it!!

you need to drink about two litres of water a day....try doing it with fruit teas, squash, flavoured water etc if you don't like tap water....that will help to fill you up, get your body working as it should, help you to feel brighter, and make your skin lovely too....

watch your portion sizes, stop eating when you feel full....

you have a great reason to focus on this...try not to think of it short term, but as a lifestyle change.....

walking is great exercise...try to walk a little faster each time..and a little further...incorporate it into the school pick up to make sure it becomes a regular part of your week...

make sure you keep a record of your loss...each pound lost will spur you on.

good luck!

mampam - I have at times been heavier than you, and have just had ds whilst weighing more than you did when you had your children.

Your next child may not be as big. My dd was 9lbs, but I had gest diabetes with ds, so had to be very careful about what I ate, and he weighed in at 8lbs 4oz.

I would suggest eating smaller portions of carbs and increase protein (lean meat and fish) portion sizes to fill up on instead. Also, with things like bread, have a look at the sugar content per slice. I was amazed at the variation when studying it recently, and couldn't eat things like baguettes, even granary ones, at all.

Agree that you need to greatly need to increase your water intake too - aim for at least a couple of litres a day. And if you drink fruit juice at all then stop - it's packed with sugars.

Drinking more fluid could really help - sometimes the brain confuses signals for hunger and thirst so quite often people eat when they are in fact thirsty. Good advice is to drink a glass of water if you think you feel hungry outside of normal meal times and only eat if you are still hungry fifteen minutes later. You may find that sipping on water through the day staves off hunger pangs anyway.

I had a lot of success losing weight years ago when I limited carbs after mid afternoon. I'd have cereal for breakfast, pasta/sandwich or similar for lunch and then a mix of protein and veg or salad for tea. I allowed myself one small choc bar or mini cake thing a day and ate loads of fruit. I really wish I had that sort of will power now.

CSWS - I lurked on your epic birth thread but never said congratulations on your ds - so congratulations!

Thanks TF .

Ok have decided that today's the day!! Have just finished my period and after a week of scoffing everything in sight (this always happens to me every month) have got on the scales and have put on 3 lbs!! Enough is enough!! I DO NOT WANT TO BE FAT ANYMORE. 4 of my closest friends are pregnant and I'm fed up of being jealous!!

DH has found an old exercise bike in the attic so this will be my place to start as walking is not always possible in this kind of weather.

Do you think it's possible for me to lose a stone by Christmas?? Maybe I should set myself a lower target of say 1/2 stone so as not to be disappointed.

PLEASE some kind words of encouragement. I can't do this on my own.

Hi, you can do it - a stone in 6 weeks is quite a lot though - 2lb a week is a lot. I was (am) at similar weight and lost a stone and a half earlier this year (for best friend's wedding). Davina's power of 3 DVD was great I found (and can still quote her ad libs). I did wear 2 bras and hang on when running on the spot (similar boob issue!) but really worked along with a website I found called weightloss resources. Hope that's not advertising and gets pulled but really liked the tracking calories. I lost quickly so stayed motivated. Don't know if that helps but hope so, even a little. Good luck. You can do it!

hi, i will do it with you if you like.

i aim to lose 7lbs by christmas.
ive been at weight watchers for a week so far, weigh in is tomorrow.

i need to get about 3 stone off to have a baby and would love some one to do it with.
what do you think?

Trickywoo, I will definitely check out that website, thank you. I never really thought about wearing 2 bra's! But will give it a try!!!!

deanychip, that sounds wonderful thank you very much. I would love to go to Weight watchers but unfortunately I work at the times of the weigh ins. I used to go to WW years ago. Any recipe's would be gratefully received. I find it really hard to think/find something interesting to have for lunch. I'm not a big meat eater so a ham sandwich doesn't really appeal to me. I also can't have anything too filling as I have to be at work by 6 in the evening so I eat my evening meal at 5. (that's only 3 times a week though).

GREAT!

ok, lunches...im not a big meat eater either so even easier.
On weight watchers i am having things like poached eggs on toast with tomatoes.
wraps with tons of salad
cream cheese (low fat) on toast with tomatoes/cucumber and branston pickle.
Im also doing allot more cooking

loads of fruit.and lots of water too.

got 2.5lbs off this week. (obviously wanted to have lost 14lbs in a week for the amount of effort ive put in )