Yet another newbie - also needing to lose half of her...

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

Hi. THere are so many forum sections that I don't really know where to start and say hello !

Basically - I'm very overweight and desperately want things to change. It pretty much all started out with a whole catalogue of disasters about 10 years ago. I really didn't cope and took to comfort eating. I piled on the weight.

I finally took control of myself last year and with complete change of diet managed to lose about 3 stone. However, we lost my gran, grandpa and an aunt all inside 3 months last year and I fell back off the wagon without even realising.

I really need a kick in the right direction.

I'm back on the wagon now - but really need some support, guidance and direction :wave_cry:

I've been "good" since the beginning of the year. Lost 7lb in first two weeks.. but somehow managed to put on 5lb in TWO days - eating barely anything and as close to zero carbs as possible. Is it possible to have that much water retention just before that time of the month ??? I can't believe I can possibly have put on that much that quick. My intake is very low and I'm putting in a fair bit of excercise (walked 4 miles home from the horses on Sunday after 1 hour riding and 2 hours mucking out the field.) I'll walk 30 mins or so most nights - more when the weather is better ... plus as soon as the nights are lighter I can spend evenings riding etc..

 

[Elie]

Hi and welcome to Minimins!

You found the perfect place to start your diet. The girls on here are so supportive and always there to help.

It is very courageous to come and talk about your eating problems. I was like you. I was binge eating all the time, and then realised that it would kill me.

So I am trying to change, and you can do the same.

You should have a browse around all the different forums. Some stories are truely inspirational. Everytime I am feeling a bit down, I come here and read

Good luck with your weightloss and don't hesitate to post as often as possible.

Elie

 

[Starlight]

Welcome aboard

Are you following a specific diet or just watching what you eat??

I would totally advise STAYING OFF THE SCALES between weigh ins. Pick a day for your wi & weigh yourself once a week. As youre seeing your weight can fluctuate so much from day to day its hard to get an accurate result and seeing it going up can be really soul destroying.

Look forward to hearing how youre doing

 

[Cherish]

Hi Sarah!!!

:welcome:to the madhouse, lol!!

I'm sorry to hear about your recent losses, stay strong.

You definetely seem to be very active so that plays in your favour. Are you gonna join any Slimming club. I think it would help you a lot to join SW, that combined with the amount of exercise you do will have you skinny in no time, lol!!!

Tomorrow is my first day and I'm really excited!!

Take care and keep us posted.

 

[Russiandoll]

Hi Sarah
Welcome aboard. Sorry to hear about your losses.

Well done on taking control and making the decision to get slim and healthy. Looking forward to getting to know you better

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

I'll be honest - I'm AMAZED there are so many people on here and so many seem to have so strong motivation.

I'm not in a group or on a specific plan. I did ok flying solo last time until my life went all to pot and I fell off the wagon. It took me putting on just over a stone after having lost three before I noticed - but at least I'm back on track.

I think I'm currently on a just about time of month blip and having a panic :embarrassed:

Once by the initial few days and getting back on track, I don't struggle to keep with a healthy diet... I'm just really scared of falling off again as I SO badly want to get my weight under control.

My husband has gone out tonight to the pub for a meal for his club group meet. It's a once a month thing for him and OH's usually go. It's not really my kind of thing, but I usually go as I socialise so little. I think my weight makes me want to avoid people if truth be known.

Basically, tonight I've stayed in. I told him I didn't want the temptation of a meal out. Not for some time anyway (though it's been a long long time since we last had one together).

I know for fact I don't drink enough. I just can't drink plain water. I've had 3 cups of tea with nothing in it today at work. Since seeing how much you lot drink - I've managed 3 pints of sugar free orange squash tonight. Is the squash really bad ?? That would normally be a weeks worth or more for me !

To eat today.... I've had a sharon fruit, a handful of cherries, 3 pickled onions. 1/2 a cos lettuce with a little low cal dressing and some cherry tomatoes.

Yesterday, I had a medium sized bowl of homemade chicken curry (more mushrooms in mine than chicken) - mainly sauce which apart from spices was almost all cooked and pureed onion and tinned tomatoes - oh and a mini nann

I'm not actually hungry at all - I'm way past that stage - though I'm fit to burst after all that squash !

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

I tried to post a minute ago and for some reason, it's not showing up. Do posts need to be approved before they show ?

Basically -

No - I'm not following a plan. I work six days a week, so at the minute it would be very difficult to join a group.

Husband has gone out to a club meet to a pub for a meal tonight. OH's are welcome - but I decided to stay home and avoid temptation.

I've had a sharon fruit, handful of cherries, 3 pickled onions, 1/2 a cos lettuce with a little low cal salad dressing and a handful of cherry tomatoes today.

I dont drink much - I just cant drink plain water. However, since reading the board, I realise I'm drinking no where near enough and have managed 3 pints of sugar free squash tonight. Is that ok ?

How can I manage to put on 5lb literally overnight.... or is that normal when nearing that time of the month ??

 

[Mini]

Hi Sarah,

:welcome:

How can I manage to put on 5lb literally overnight.... or is that normal when nearing that time of the month ??

It is very normal to retain water during totm and 5lbs. to 8lbs. would be normal, some do gain more.

However, we lost my gran, grandpa and an aunt all inside 3 months last year and I fell back off the wagon without even realising.

Very sorry for your losses, you had a rough old time of it:hug99:

I'm not in a group or on a specific plan. I did ok flying solo last time until my life went all to pot and I fell off the wagon. It took me putting on just over a stone after having lost three before I noticed - but at least I'm back on track.

Well done on getting back on track.

Here is a guide, just click on the link below to help you make your way around the boards.

http://www.minimins.com/introductions/787-mini-s-guided-tour-minimins-website.html

Be sure to join in on any of the threads and if you need any help be sure to ask.

Love Mini xxx

 

[Starlight]

You wont have put on 5lbs, itll be a combination of things, water retention etc. Your weight can really really fluctuate from day to day and from time of day, thats how your better staying away from the scales. You might find tomorrow youve lost it all and then some but its not a true reading

Have you thought about following a plan online, a lot of people on here are doing things like WW SW etc without going to classes

 

[Russiandoll]

That's a good suggestion Starlight. Having a plan in place gives a feeling of control which is empowering. It's hard to stay focused when you feel like you're drifting without a clear direction. And then if you don't get good results, you feel like you've failed in some way. Having a plan to stick to gives a kind of security.

Also, I hope you don't mind me saying but you don't look like you're eating enough to supply all your nutritional needs.
I'm eating very little but am on CD 790 so my three packs are supplying all my nutrition - the food I eat is an extra bonus.

Why not consider one of the online plans like WW, SW or even Closer diets (heard that's quite good).

 

[Starlight]

.

I've had a sharon fruit, handful of cherries, 3 pickled onions, 1/2 a cos lettuce with a little low cal salad dressing and a handful of cherry tomatoes today.

Wow I just noticed that.. is that all you had to eat today, that definitely doesnt sounds anywhere near enough.

Not eating enough can have the same effect as eating too much, bizarre tho it seems.

It sounds like you maybe do need to look at following something more structured

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

it FELT a lot - but I agree that there is little nutrition. Having been trying to avoid bad carbs and having had a mini nann with my homemade curry the night before - I felt the need to compensate for it....

Saying that - in the main I've been currently working to about 800kcals as an average and avoiding bread like the plague as it's my main weakness.

 

[Russiandoll]

I don't like to sound like a nag Sarah but an 800Kcal diet is considered a VLCD and will compromise your health unless you're taking the nutritional packs (such as those on CD, LL and LT) which provide the nutrients and protein necessary to stop you from slipping into starvation mode and lose muscle.

To lose weight on a conventional diet with food, you must eat sufficient calories to burn fat whilst preserving muscle as far as possible.

I'm insulin resistant and diabetic so I also have to avoid carbs but not all carbs are bad. Normally (when I'm not on a VLCD) I avoid the poor quality refined ones (white bread, pasta, rice) because I whack on the weight if I eat them and I find it hard to lose if they're in my diet. But I do try to have some limited good quality ones ... a little wholemeal bread, lots of veggies, some fruit etc.

Please consider something less harsh - you'll find it very hard to sustain the regime you're currently on long term and you may find yourself even more disheartened if your body goes into starvation mode and you stop losing weight despite eating so little.

Hugs

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

I'm here for the comments - I can take it. Say what you think please - I'll not learn otherwise. The input is very much required.

I want to be a success story and not a failure.

I'll look into a regimated plan / advice.

Thank you

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

I should also say - in general - I've not been restricting my fruit / veg intake.... but am trying to avoid potatoes / bread in the main as they seem to give me really bad gastric reflux (totally stopped since I've been avoiding them).

I'm not avoiding limited amounts of rice or pasta with various other veg - just the cream sauces, jarred supermarket stuff - and going for homemade sauces / soups - plenty of fresh fruit / veg and pulses.

I've just found what I THINK may be a perfect bread substitute for me if I really crave some carbs.

You get raw puppodums to fry at home in a packet. They work DRY (no oil) in the microwave. They're gram (chickpea) flour based and 35 Kcal ea - very little in the way of additives etc.

 

[Russiandoll]

Sounds good.

I think something that might be useful for you is to have a think about exactly what it is you want with regards to weight loss. Do you want a fast result? Or would you prefer a more relaxed approach where you have to make small but effective changes in your lifestyle because what I'm getting here is that you're sort of straddling the fence a bit (ouch! ).

If you want a fast result then perhaps you should consider a VLCD - either sole sourcing where you lose a guaranteed 1st per month or one of the slightly higher Cambridge plans which offer excellent fast results but are all nutritionally complete.

If you'd rather take it easy and learn lessons about your relationship with food along the way, then it might pay dividends to get a proper plan in place ... you've already started with fantastic basic principles and maybe applying those to a set plan will help give you confidence because it's tried and trusted.

You've made a brilliant start and your enthusiasm is inspiring. Looking forward to getting to know you better

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

uhmm..... can I have both ?

I'd like fairly fast results - to keep me motivated and enthusiastic... BUT I also need to sort out my relationship with food.

I know I can sort out the fluid intake thing without too much trouble - I've had around 2.5 litres today and am still at work. I can work on another 1.5ish before bed.

I'd like to see fairly quick results and then work on a maintenance plan if possible. I can live with strict. I dont think I could stomach shakes. If there was an alternative - tablet form maybe ? I could cope with total meal replacement. I wouldn't have worries about that.

I can cope with low calories and could cope with a strict regime now I've got my halo straightened again.

I honestly thought I'd cracked it after 6 months last year of excerise regime and "my own" diet plan. I felt so much better for it.... but having to deal with 3 family deaths threw me unexpectedly into a depression and I ended up back in my old ways without realising - or caring. It was my way of coping. I can admit that now.

What do you think my best options would be - is there possibly a way of combining a VLCD with essential nutrients WITHOUT gagging on shakes ?

 

[Elie]

Starlight, one of the regular poster, has lost a HUGE amount of weight using WW.

arty0011:Go Saraharty0011:

 

[Russiandoll]

What VLCD did you try?

It's possible to lose quite quickly on a conventional diet (Starlight did on WW) but it's more likely to lose it more slowly than a VLCD - nothing wrong with that of course.

I may have worded the 'sorting the relationship with food' thing a bit wrong ... we're ALL supposed to be tackling that whatever plan we're following but some deal with it better as a learning process WHILST eating food ... others need to step away from the food arena to evaluate the links between food and emotions.

Like you, I had a terrible year with several deaths to deal with and ended up regaining 5st in 10 months. Clearly, I haven't dealt with my demons yet.

It's a long arduous journey.

 

[Starlight]

If you really cant stomach shakes Im not sure how youd do on CD etc.

Granted, for most people, WW doesnt have the fast results but it is an option. Ive lost as you can see from my ticker, almost 9 and a half stones in just over a year on it. So it is doable. A lot of people rule things like WW out when they have a lot to loose but it IS a definite option.

I llke the fact I can still eat loads, but at the same time WW has re-educated the way I look at food. I know I couldnt do CD or LL, although the fast losses have been tempting at times lol

Ultimately its a case of deciding which diet is best for you, your long term goals, and your lifestyle.

I do definitely think though judging by what youve been eating that a more structured plan would probably be a better idea