How long to drop a dress size...

[bobdog]

....with sensible eating, no alchol except at weekends and moderate exercise.

Never having felt the need to diet before children but over the last two years the weight has slowly crept up and I now have to face the fact that I'm a dress size larger then my wardrobe. How long roughly can I expect it to take to get from a 14 to 12?
Is it better to track progress and how do you do it, I've currently no scales in house,can I just do it on measurements?

All top tips greatefully recieved.

I am no expert but I have read a lot of stuff. I would say that a weight loss of 1 to 2 lb a week is reasonable. I went with the objective of getting back into my old jeans (which I loved) rather than a target weight though. So yes, you can do it with a tape measure. Measure whatever you want to target (tummy, thighs etc).

After my DS's I did it different ways:

1. I did LOADS of star jumps and sit ups (remember to keep your legs bent), lots of walking and relatively healthy eating. It worked a treat.
2. Being unable to do lots of walking (DS1 doesn't walk fast enough!) I decided to diet. I went with this eat 6 times a day thing - 3 meals and 3 snacks, but all quite small and relatively healthy. So for snacks think yogurt or fruit cake or fruit. Normal meals but small portions. Plus I did some light exercise in the house (steps on the bottom stair holding DS2, squats while singing at bed time etc).

You can probably find details on diets on the internet. I found diets difficult to stick to and went for basically being a healthy eater instead. My DS2 is 13 months and I'm back to a size 10 in my old jeans.

Remember to limit the alcohol too!!

I read that you should only do the measurement once a week otherwise you won't notice the improvement (forgot to say that)

Lots of small meals & snack fits in with the constant feeding of a 4 & 2 year old, I'm looking to build in the exercise to the day, school run/park/swimming although weather is foul this week.

Yes. I have a 1 and 3 year old and it worked well with them. I think it was called the eat all day diet and it was in Zest (the magazine) that I saw it. I have Zest on subscription as it motivates me to keep up the healthy eating.

I have recently given up booze, having previously been a half a bottle of red a night gal. And I have lost 4lb in about a month. Wine has around 650 calories a bottle!

I have also tried walking alot more, a walk to work is 20 min or if I am doing the school run walk the long way round so it's a half hour walk not 15min.

I think little changes that are sustainable in the long run are the best way to go. Good luck.

I found weightwatchers worked best for me - drapped a dress size in 6 weeks and 1 stone then went on to lose a further 3/4 of a stone. Best of luck.

Have just been swimming with the girls, not much calorie burning but I feel better and they really enjoyed it.

I think when I posted the question I was hoping for an answer along the lines of "you shall fit your dream dress a week on Tuesday" but the weight has gradually crept on over the last few years so it probably best if it gradually creeps off.

The funny thing is the whole family benefits from this, the girls already love swimming twice a week and we walk half way to school because to be honest I find the car park scrum more stressful then walking the last ten mins down the footpaths. Have just realised though that I have to be a bit more conscious of it all as the years tick by.

PS Will I ever get my waist back or is that a whole new thread?

If you had one before it's possible!! I have mine (for now). I think it might be more down to genetics than anything else (my mum is still slim in her 60's).

How are you doing? Do you have a plan?

My plan - put a lot more effort in!!

So trying to get a lot more exercise in, increasing the distance we all walk to school and doing the return journey to car with two year old on shoulders for fat burning speed and weight workout at same time.
Trying to get child care cover so can go to local trainer led workout once a week.
Clenching all known and unknown muscle groups at random intervals.
Have lovely, too tight, dress hanging on front of wardrobe to motivate I know it would look so much better if I was thinner/taunter/not so tired

Going with small meals and lots of small snacks ( all fruit) all on a proper plate at table so no grazing.

Hope I get some results before I lose motavation