Don't know where to start really...

[Naetha]

I'm 5'8 and 14 stone, and I want to get to 12 stone, trouble is, I don't know where to start.

I've got DS 2, and DD 6 weeks, and exercise as much as I can children and weather permitting. Realistically, this usually boils down to a half an hour walk three times a week and usual running around after toddlers. I'm reasonably fit, but the amount of exercise I'm doing isn't enough to make me shed pounds.

I know my problem is food - I like eating, a LOT. I like big portions, I like sweet food, I like chocolate, I like cakes, I like everything!

I don't really want to try any fad diets, because realistically it has to fit in with normal family life, and I don't want the weight to come back when I stop. I suppose I'm mainly looking for hints and tips on gently slimming down. I'd like to be 12st by July.

Incidentally, I don't have a clue when it comes to food, so although I know that fat = bad, I don't know if eating carbs after midday or green beans under a full moon is a good or bad thing!

Please give me your advice!

A question - do you really want to lose the weight? It is hard work and very boring, but can be done if you want to. There is an equation here:
Desire to lose weight>desire to eat=weight loss
Desire to eat>desire to lose weight=weight gain

If you really want to lose that 2 stone, there are almost as many ways to lose weight as there are overweight people. What is right for one person is not necessarily right for another. 2 stone loss by July is very do-able by any means you choose.

2 years ago, I lost 6.5 stone in 10 months using the low GI diet. It worked for me and I have never regained the weight. I won't clog up the board with loads of info on this - it is readily available online from many sources. I would add that whatever weight-loss choice you make, portion control is necessary.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and if you don't really want it just yet, don't worry, but don't even try - seriously wanting to do it for yourself is the only motivation

It's great that you like eating. People who don't like eating are seriously wierd, in my opinion. If what you're saying is that you can't bear the idea of going hungry then I'd also suggest that you think about adopting the principles of 'clean eating' and Low GI menus

Central to the whole thing (and something you could start now) is to fill your plate with vegetables at every opportunity.... that's your 'big portions' taken care of. When you're eating large amounts of vegetables you're getting a full tummy, bags of terrific nutrition and not many calories.

Next step is to make your meals long-lasting and satisfying... for which a combination of fibre (wholegrains, vegetables, pulses), protein and fat really do work wonders.

It's great that you like cakes. A healthy diet can include the occasional chocolate or a small cake, no problem. It's when they make up the bulk of your diet that you've got the balance wrong.

And finally, you do have to control the portion-size, the calorie-intake... With your stats and being pretty active you could probably start the ball rolling quite pleasantly on 1600-1800 a day. Online resources like www.caloriecount.com can help you keep track.

Everyone should eat the same food or it gets silly. Larger members of the family (husband?) have bigger portions than you. Children obviously have much smaller amounts. A mistake a lot of people make is thinking they have to starve to lose weight. Not true.

Good luck

Can I just second what Chil1234 has said? It isn't a question of dieting which is more of a short term solution and will most likely lead to you putting it all back on and more. I have struggled with portion size and the amount of chocolate and cakes I eat for a long time until I read about eating clean and tried to adopt that sort of approach. Eating every three or so hours has really helped as it seems to have lessened the cravings I would get for the sweet stuff, and making sure that every meal and snack you have combines some carbs, protein and fat definitely helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Try and eat 'good carbs', ie wholewheat pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread, sweet potatoes, green veg etc etc, put more veg on your plate and perhaps try and save the treats for the weekend, or a time when you can sit down and really enjoy them.
Best of luck.