Introduction

[Lauren83]

Hello,

This is more for my own records I think more than anything. I felt like writing all this down in a diary, but would feel embarrassed if OH came across it! Strange, considering how supportive he is that my issues with my weight still feel like they should be such a private thing!

Anyway, a bit of background. I was skinny my whole life, started putting on a little weight at uni, but it actually suited me better. I was probably on the unhealthier side of 'healthy weight', not through anything I did, just my metabolism. So getting a bit of a curve in uni actually looked better than 'stick thin' me.

I stayed slim until I became pregnant with my first, obviously gained weight through pregnancy, had an awful birth which resulted in him in the special care unit and me very ill and on various meds for the first couple of months after his birth. The result was that within a few weeks of having him I was back to my uni size, but it was an unhealthy weight loss and a thinness I associated with being very unwell.

A couple of years later and I became pregnant again. The weight piled on and stayed on and then carried on piling on!

My youngest is 3.5 now, we aren't planning on having more. My eldest started Primary school last September, my youngest will be starting next year. I am starting a new job at my little one's Primary school come September and we are just looking at booking a family holiday for next August.

I have tried several times to diet, exercise regimes etc. I might lose a few kilos, but then don't stick to it and it comes back on. But this time I am determined. I finally feel like I am starting to get my life back a little (don't get me wrong, I love my kids to the moon and back and then back round a few more laps, but being a mum has been all consuming for the last 5.5 years and now they are getting older I am discovering time for myself again).

So, to the stats:

Current weight: 105 kg Current BMI: 34.2 I am obese.

Target weight: 70kg Target BMI: 22.8 nicely in the healthy range.

So, 35kg to lose and am going to aim to lose it be next August...a tough ask, so we shall see!

Would love to hear some success stories to keep me motivated!!

Lauren

[Caz28]

Hi, no doubt you will get an 'official' welcome soon, but in the meantime have a read of the 'newbies' post in the pinned posts section on the right hand side of the page, and if you type in 'I did it' in the search facility top right of the page there are lots of success stories to read for motivation. Good luck!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome Lauren

Caz28 has given you some great pointers and I hope you've taken her advice, but if not, here's another reminder

Have a look at the Pinned Posts section, to the right of your screen, (bottom if you're on a mobile) and read our Welcome Newbie post. It has a link to the NHS 12 week plan, which is a great place to start. It doesn't give a specific diet plan, but gives guidelines for healthy eating.

Consider signing up for any, or all of our challenges, as they're fun and motivating.

We also have a monday group weigh-in and if you click follow on my profile, you'll get a notification when I post it on monday. You can have a look at the latest thread in the events section, to the right of the home page.

Be active on the forum, as that's where we meet to exchange ideas and get our daily fix of inspiration and motivation

Wishing you all the very best

[Hidden]

Welcome Lauren, this is a great forum for keeping a record, I also have a very understanding boyfriend but it's a bit much to go on about wanting to lose weight with someone who maybe worries you're doing it because of things he might say or do. Whereas on here it's as anonymous as you want it to be i.e. pretty anonymous, but we're all thinking the same sorts of things.

I also spent most of my life slim, and felt weird to suddenly put on weight (for me it was to do with health issues and associated medication etc...), then after a year or two realised it just wasn't reversing. The NHS 12 week plan is totally the way to go. I also recommend couch to 5k, that was a real motivating force for me. Lots of luck

[Pringles]

Well Done Lauren..... I weight the same as you and would also like to lose just as much weight.... Pls if you would like to bounce ideas and do this together that would be awesome....

Kate