Hi, I'm Sharon and I've been doing this dieting malarkey for years.
Apparently now we can't say diet (that's a banned word!!), but lifestyle change.
I started my 'diet or lifestyle change,' whatever you want to call it just over 5yrs ago as I didn't want to be a fat, frumpy mum who couldn't keep up with my son and did really well. I followed an app religiously (I still log in every day) and in just over 2yrs I lost 5st 2lb, which to me was a really big achievement. But sadly I took my eye off the ball and have gained over 2st.
Everything I do now just doesn't seem to work (calorie counting, cutting out or cutting down on certain foods, drink more water etc...) and I turn the BIG 40 in July so I want to look my best when my hubby takes me to New York.
Ideally with help, tips and advice from this group I would love to get down to 10 1/2st
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Take a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as a lot of people have been successful with it, making sure to enter your details into the BMI calculator, to get a calorie allowance tailored to your personal requirements. Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate.
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It's only left for me to wish you well on your journey
Hi there frumpymumtofitmum,
That's a bit of a mouthful! Welcome to our forum. You will find that most of us have done all the "diets" too. Hopefully if you get started on the 12 week NHS plan, as moreless suggested, and stick with it, you will start to see a difference. Which app do you log onto everyday? Is it MyFitnessPal? I use that daily to log my meals and weekly to log my weight (as well as weighing in with the Tuesday Trimmers on here) and it helps keep me on track. I've had a blip over Easter, so I've got to get back on the wagon - yet again! - but I know it's working and I'll get there in the end.
There are no quick fixes, frumps, as you know because you have done it before, and once you achieve your goal, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is going to be a lifelong journey, but you know it's worth it, not not for your son, but for you to feel good about yourself.
Best of luck! We are with you all the way. 👍
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Hi Trimmerteacher,
Yes I use myfitnesspal. I use it to keep track of my weight and used to log my daily intake. I need to start again as I found it helpful to keep track of what I was eating.
Once I've got my head round using this site I will join the Tuesday Trimmers.
If you want another 'weight loss journey friend' on mfp then you can find me as under sharonAhaynes1977
Keeping a food diary is a great first step 😊 being accountable for our food is the most important part of weight loss, and next is deciding how to use your allocated calories, and making sensible choices 😊
I don't call it a diet since I have a view of diets as restricted eating in some form of the other! I count my calories so I am eating enough to loose weight and one I reach my target weight I will have a look at what I should be eating and keep to that level. I know its a mental view but it allows me to accept the fact that I need to loose weight and since my eating habits have not really changed just balancing what I eat it does not feel like a diet. However diets such as the 5:2, Atkins modified diet etc I still see them as diet since though I don't know much about them I have the view that it involves a dratsic change in eating habits!
The calorie counting have you looked at the NHS 12 week weight loss programme- I eat 1400 calories per day irrespective of exercise and have consistantly lost weight, with the occassional blip but that is because I fell off the wagon (so to speak). I have lost 12lb since I started (been doing it approx 14-15 weeks) The best thing is that it has made me focus on exercise and I am definately more active that I was before I started this. It needs a mix of both and though I have not planned to my alcohol intake has reduced mainly because I wanted to use all of my allowance on food rather than use up calories with alcohol- so if I am short will have a tyoasted teacake, normal yoghurt or extra hotdog & bun at teatime!
Good luck I hope you find something that works for you
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Hi! Help for a newbie! 
Need motivation 
The start of my weight loss journey....
Starting again for the new year 
Need to start somewhere
