hiya to everybody, I have been reading your posts over the last week or so & I'm finding them so inspiring 😊 so here goes ..... I'm overweight , have been for a few years now but I've put on quite a bit of weight over the last two years . (was pregnant with my daughter who is now 18 months) anyway I'm desperate to lose my weight , I suffer from asthma and I was born with a heart defect , I survived heart surgery 4 times as a child and my mum always made me aware of food and healthy eating . Because of this I was always a healthy weight , quite petite and slim , but my mother never cooked with salt and would never buy processed food. I think as I got too my teens I totally rebelled from all the protection and being told I couldn't have the things others had . So became my weekend wine habit . I have 3 children now which I amazing as I was too I wouldn't have children .... They were wrong and I have always proved docs etc wrong my whole life , that's why I am now so fed up and depressed with how much weight I have put on. I'm ashamed of what I've become. I feel so embarrassed writing this because I am so lucky and grateful for what the nhs has done for me and I feel I'm letting myself down and all of the people that have helped me. I'm worried I will have a stroke or heart attack and I wont be able to be around for my children. I have gotten myself in a rut of eating on the go as I'm so busy all of the time. Unhealthysnacking, large portions ( I do cook wholesome, healthy meals) and i drink about 6/7 glasses of white wine over a weekend. My partner works really long hours , I basically do everything in the house / with the kids alone , which I actually enjoy and am proud of but I don't get any "me" time to go to any exercise classes / gym. When can I fit exercise in? I also struggle with tea times , I run out of healthy recipes , or my boys say they don't like the healthier food so I give up. I really could do with some support and encouragement. I know how vital it is for me to lose this weight , not only for myself but for my children , any advice would be much appreciated please xx
Fed up with being fat ☹ : hiya to... - Weight Loss Support
Fed up with being fat ☹
Hi and welcome starsparkle 
Well done for taking the plunge and joining in. You'll be aware that this is a very friendly and supportive community and we want to see everyone succeed
It's never easy with young children, but it's all about taking one step at a time and changing things gradually. You could start by reducing your portions/stopping the unhealthy snacking and reducing your alcohol consumption. Those three steps, would probably make a big difference to your weight and put you back in control. Once you get used to them, you can start incorporating other small changes to your meals. We have a smashing collection of healthy recipes and the internet is awash with them, or you could tweak your regular meals, to make them more healthy. Maybe replace some of the carbohydrate with more vegetables and if the children don't like them, hide them in sauces
You don't need exercise classes, or the gym, to be able to get fit. Taking the children to the park and running around with a ball, or pushing them on the swings, is fun for everybody and gets you moving. You could do exercise DVD's when the kids have gone to bed, all go for walks/swimming/trampolining. Where there's a will, there's a way
Take a look at the Pinned Posts section, to the right of your screen (bottom, if you're using a mobile) and have a look at the Welcome Newbies thread, it has a link to the NHS 12 week plan, which is a guide to healthy living, rather that a specific diet plan.
Consider joining any, or all, of our challenges, as they're fun and motivating.
Join us for the monday group weigh-in. If you follow Zest , you'll be notified when she posts the thread. However, the latest thread can always be found in the events section, to the right of the home page.
Be active on the forum, as that's where we exchange ideas and get our daily dose of motivation and inspiration
Wishing you all the very best
Yes, great idea about going to the park. Shooting hoops is fun...that's inspired me too!
Welcome starsparkle!
This really is a great place for support and down to earth advice! Joining online is a great start, perhaps it means you are ready to start your journey - with people who know how difficult it can be
Some really good advice,for all of us, from moreless
Best of luck!
Hello Star sparkle
You certainly have a busy life. However you must do this for you nobody else, and I have every faith in you. You can shine like a diamond!🎆
Sounds like your mum did a good job with nutrition. Maybe it's time to stop rebelling reading between the lines.
On a healthy eating plan you can have alcohol you just need to count the calories in your daily allowance. Nothing is off limits.
It is difficult when partners work long hours I totally appreciate that.
Take a step back and take a deep breath and chill. You can do this. You have come to the right place. However you have got to want this for you. You deserve it.
Small bites at the cherry.
Look at the 12 week plan and I believe the key is in the word plan. Healthy meals can be adapted for all the family. Sometimes it looking at alternatives and methodology of cooking.
I still have alcohol chips and something naughty but in moderation and within my Daily allowance.
You don't have to go to a gym to excersice. Having a toddler means your probably exercising but just not recording it.There are motivational tools out there to monitor your steps etc.
Menus can be sourced on this site. With healthy options available.
This site gives you a lot of information and there are other people in the same situation as you. You will get a lot of support and suggestions to help you succeed. You have taken the first step.
Star Sparkle do it for you. "Shine like a Diamond" I have every faith in you.☺
Heya, well done for joining the forum! Have you started the 12 week plan yet? Once you do those two things I think you will start to feel better very soon.
Btw I'm in a loud cafe writing this so it may be a bit of a jumble!
Firstly, please don't feel ashamed for putting on weight as It's very easy to put on weight. Also remember it's YOUR body not anybody else's. Perhaps write a list of reasons you want to lose weight *for you*, as these ones will keep you going.
It's great you naturally cook wholesome meals- i think that's half the battle won right there. Now maybe you just need to tweak your portions, and swop most of your unhealthy snacks for healthy ones.
There's loads of healthy snack ideas on the Internet- you could try-
Sliced Apple spread with almond or peanut butter
Hummus or butterbean dip with carrot sticks
Tinned salmon or Tuna mashed with a little Mayo on celery sticks
maybe you could buy one or two new recipe books? Amazon will have loads of second hand healthy family recipe books. Or you could use the BBC website.
Maybe you could write a long list of foods your kids like/tolerate and Google recipes using them. Also they might like sweet veg like roast peppers and onions, and butternut squash soup.
These are some ideas anyway something is helpful.
You're doing well- you can totally do this!
👍 🙂
Ah thank you for your replies , I am feeling motivated now . Going to start the 12 week plan . All of your advice and tips are so useful, I bought a notepad in tescos earlier today so I'm going to write down useful tips and everything i eat . Your right I can do this! I will join the Monday weigh ins . Going to write a list of healthy snacks now 😊 thank you all for your positive words and encouragement xxx
Youre very welcome! 😊
Hello starsparkle, I know where you are coming from! I am a mother to one lively tweenager, and I too want to get to grips with my weight and wellbeing in part for her sake as well as my own. I sympathise with your health worries, I have them too. with a BMI of 40 (!) I know I need to take control. I have been on here a very short time, but find it so helpful, and I am sure you will too. As a single mum I don't get too much me time either, but do your children like swimming for example, that's something you could do together? Or cycling?
Although I am not strictly following the 12 week plan, I still refer to it and find it really useful. I am starting to weigh certain things. For example I love to put grated cheddar on my veggie pasta, but now I weigh it very carefully. If you don't have digital kitchen scales, it might be useful to get some. Like you I like to cook healthy meals as routine, but it's easy to be putting more calories in than you realise, and just weighing things like cheese, or pasta and rice might make a big difference. It's tricky when your kids don't like 'healthy' food, my daughter is fussy too, but given time and research I reckon you can find new recipes that are healthier that they will like.
I wish you good luck on your journey and hope to see you around on the forum.
Ruby8
hello Ruby8 its nice to know I'm not alone! And well done to you for joining too. How are you finding the plan? No i don't own any kitchen scales, I will look into that . I wish you lots of luck too xxx
I refer to the plan a lot, but I haven't been keeping notes yet, or a food diary. The things I have done first are as follows:
Cut out biscuits, bars of chocolate, and cakes as daily features of my diet!
Made a food/diet folder on my laptop to keep nhs plan and all healthy recipes I find online.
I have been starting to write food notes and ideas in a little notebook too. Must buy pretty notebook for this purpose.
Started eating more fruit, and more low fat foods such as cottage cheese, (which I like) and more yoghurt instead of creamy, fatty desserts. I find natural yoghurt mixed with one pot of fromage frais a completely dreamy dessert. The fruity fromage frais are often very sweet and sometimes natural yoghurt is a bit too sharp, but together they work well! IMO!
A typical dinner for me is pasta with veggies and cheese mixed in, I also have fish and chicken a lot. This is what I would normally eat anyway, but as I said I am more careful with the cheese now! Not a massive fan of salad, but like tomatoes with spinach, rocket or watercress.
I have been swimming and walking a lot more too, and intend to keep that up!
So, that's where I'm at so far! x
Fat, Fed Up & Want to Change 
Fat & fed up! 
Fed Up Of Being Fat
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