Help - how can I lose 8 stones and feed family ??

[traceyinrosso]

I must lose some weight for the sake of my health and sanity but have tried so many times and just put more on still so hard to get motivated. Am at heaviest ever (except when pregnant) and feel my weight is holding me back - everything is something I will do when I have lost weight. Also my 13 year old daughter is starting to struggle with her weight - no big problem but want to help her so she doesn't get into bad patterns and end up like me ! Have done weight watchers but always hungry! Have done slimming world briefly but found this very difficult to feed everyone else who don't want quorn etc but suited me fine. Any one got any ideas ?

i found a kind of "i make the meals, so i choose what we get" talk helped a lot lol
if anyone in the house (just dp really) doesn't like what I am cooking he can make his own! but i am a bit harsh like that ;)

exercise too, i found that to be the main thing tbh. far more so than the eating. i just started walking everywhere instead of driving and it has been great.

good luck

What do you normally cook?
Can you adjust your food to make it healthier?
Use less fat.
Eat less red meat and more chicken and fish.
Cut out creamy sauces.
Cut out pastry based meals.
Serve more veg and salad.

Have you tried a low gi based diet? Its meant to be very good at keeping hunger at bay and most people lose loads of weight on them.

Think exercise will really help but am so overweight that it almost feels like I need to lose some before I can summon up enough energy to get moving. Anyone else managed to lose this much weight without going insane/feeling totally deprived ?

To be honest Wintersun our main meals aren't too bad. We all like pasta have pastry only occasionally if I make a quiche and kids love a sunday dinner but youngest 2 are very fussy. I really struggle to get them to eat enough veg although not too bad with fruit although son will only eat apples ! My problem is comfort eating - well to be honest I eat if I am happy, overeat when fed up and binge on rubbish when stressed. When I have successfully lost weight I have had to really cut back to point of being miserable and getting lots of headaches but once initial stone come off this has seemed only way to maintain any sort of loss. This is depressing when you have so much to lose.Like most mums I dash here there all time between dance classes,rugby,cricket so me time non existent

I lost 7 stone after my son was born but it was slow going. I got to my goal weight when he was two and a half, but I didn't start dieting until he was 6 months as I was BFing. I also had a couple of diet breaks during that time. I think that the first two weeks are the hardest, then once your body is used to getting less or moving more then you manage to cope better. It also helps when your clothes start to feel looser or other people start to notice. I need to lose a fair bit of weight again after my little girl was born in October and find I am struggling with starting a plan. It's hard, I know, but it can be done. Putting your life on hold is so not worth it but I completely understand.

Marthasmama - did you follow a specific diet or go to a class or just eat better ? Feel if don't join class or something won't have motivation to keep it up but then I find the whole slimming class so mind numbing and talk to you like you are thick. I know what i should eat but its getting the motivation and support to cope with the hard days and the days when the sugar cravings get to you and the weeks when you don't lose despite being good

I went to see a nutritionist who told me to cut out wheat and dairy. She also looked at my diet and gave me general advice about healthy eating. I have joined WW online as I don't want to go to a meeting and be weighed with everyone else. On the whole though, I just ate things that are naturally low in fat. So lots of salads, lots of stirfrys, lean meat, fruit and veggies. Sucess in losing weight will help to motivate you as you go and if you have weeks in which you don't lose weight, try doing something different, up your exercise, eat a little more to boast your metabolism. And most importantly, don't deny yourself little treats, oh and reward yourself with little presents/indulgences like a magazine and bubble bath or a massage. That way you celebrate the little successes which also keeps you motivated.

Thanks for that. I find that I get myself in the mindset where I feel deprived then I get real cravings and don't want an apple/yogurt/no point soup ! Perhaps just chilling a bit and cutting back rather than going mad might be a more realistic long term plan.

Yes, I totally agree. Sometimes a sodding apple just won't do it! No reason why you can't have a little bit of dark chocolate on occasion..... it is good for you after all