Starting a new thread because I need everyone's help!! Need to lose weight!

screamer

Firstly, hi folks and thanks for looking in.This is a long one but I would appreciate any help and advice you all have to offer, as long as it isn't cruel or demeaning!! I really don't know where to start!! A bit of background info may help you all :-)

I'm 32 in less than 4 weeks. I'm 5ft tall and weigh in at over 10 stone. I live with my boyfriend and dog and until I moved in with him a year ago I used to be very active. I took the dog out daily in the village I lived and got lost once or twice but always managed to find my way back. I lived there most of my life so could always recognise landmarks, roads etc, but after moving here I'm lost. Nothing is familiar, so because of my illness I don't go out alone (Epilepsy and asthma amongst other things). Because of the lousy winter also my weight has ballooned and it's getting me down so much my eating habits are getting worse rather than better. Too much junk food!!

Right, recently I've been calorie counting and I've found it virtually impossible to find 500-600 calorie meals I can enjoy. I'm not a big fan of vegetables so eating "5 a day" is hard work. The local tesco express is a bit limited for options too but because I'm clueless about the area, I can't really go anywhere else for food. OH loves curries, all home made, but because they're home made we have no idea how many calories are in them.

I'm bored stiff in this house all day but now I want to do some exercising in the house. I have thought about buying an aerobics step but of course need advice on what exercises to do. A tummy cruncher is on my list but I'm sure just one of those alone won't do me much good. Is an exercise bike a good idea? I've no idea how they work. My arms get enough exercise by washing, ironing, hoovering etc (in other words my arms are quite muscular) I like gardening but OH moans about the cost of equipment. Bit silly really considering I'm spending £200 a year on college courses in horticulture. But I know where he's coming from, we've only just bought this house and things need doing before spending money needlessly.

I need advice on what I can do when housebound to keep my weight down. I know cutting out the junk food is a must but when I'm hungry, there's nothing much I can do apart from go to local Tesco express. A small pie has 400 calories so am now on slim fast to cut my calorie intake down.

I've vowed to stop drinking too, something which I didn't do until going on an all exclusive holiday last year (oops)

Do you people recommend any or all of the things I've suggested? When the nice weather is back we'll be doing long walks and playing badminton but only when OH isn't at work. The rest of the week I'm stuck in this house basically looking at the PC all day long. I'm at my wits end and my catalogue will never be paid off if I have to keep buying clothes in the next size up. That in itself is annoying.

We are planning on getting engaged soon and Lindaatno9 has offered to help me create my dream gown. I want to be slim before even attempting to do this but really clueless as to how I can do it.

I shall end here as I think I've said enough. I just need help on exercises, exercise equipment, diet etc or else my weight will continue to go up and I will go into an even deeper depression. No family or friends to help so I'm stuck, quite literally!!

HELP, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

Thanking you in anticipation!

donquine

screamer wrote: »

I live with my boyfriend and dog and until I moved in with him a year ago I used to be very active. I took the dog out daily in the village I lived and got lost once or twice but always managed to find my way back. I lived there most of my life so could always recognise landmarks, roads etc, but after moving here I'm lost. Nothing is familiar, so because of my illness I don't go out alone (Epilepsy and asthma amongst other things).

Would it be possible for your boyfriend to go out walking with you for a while until you become familiar with your new surroundings and feel able to go out yourself? Do you have any friends/family nearby or is it just the two of you? Are there any local associations you could join to get you out there meeting people and staying away from the house?

screamer wrote: »

Right, recently I've been calorie counting and I've found it virtually impossible to find 500-600 calorie meals I can enjoy. I'm not a big fan of vegetables so eating "5 a day" is hard work.

I recommend looking at www.bbcgoodfood.com and www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk. You can find some great meals within that calorie range. Have a look at the soups - they're a really good way of getting extra veggies into your diet if you're not a big fan.

screamer wrote: »

The local tesco express is a bit limited for options too but because I'm clueless about the area, I can't really go anywhere else for food.

Have you tried putting in your postcode on the websites for Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Ocado? If you can get your groceries delivered, this would really help you.

There are some other options to the big supermarkets, but they're pricier and you suggest you're trying to cut back on spending at the moment.

screamer wrote: »

OH loves curries, all home made, but because they're home made we have no idea how many calories are in them.

Go to: www.bhf.org.uk/publications.

You need to search for Heathy Meals, Healthy Heart. It's a great ebook from the British Heart Foundation (free!) with low calorie low fat recipes for curries. If you both love home made curries, this will be a fab recipe book to get reading.

screamer wrote: »

I have thought about buying an aerobics step but of course need advice on what exercises to do. A tummy cruncher is on my list but I'm sure just one of those alone won't do me much good. Is an exercise bike a good idea? I've no idea how they work.

As you're considering buying an exercise bike, you have some sort of budget in mind. Would getting a wii fit plus and balance board (and wii, if you don't already have one) be an option? If you're the sort of person who hates the idea of going to a gym with other people and who struggles to stay motivated, it's a really good investment.

An exercise bike will help lose weight, but you'll probably find it's your legs than end up getting the most toned and you seem more bothered about your tummy.

screamer wrote: »

I need advice on what I can do when housebound to keep my weight down. I know cutting out the junk food is a must but when I'm hungry, there's nothing much I can do apart from go to local Tesco express. A small pie has 400 calories so am now on slim fast to cut my calorie intake down.

So you eat when you're bored, rather than when you're hungry? You need to find something to do to stave off the boredom that doesn't involve snacking.

screamer wrote: »

When the nice weather is back we'll be doing long walks and playing badminton but only when OH isn't at work.

You sound really reliant on your OH. Are you new to the area and haven't made any friends yet, or does he help care for you? I couldn't really tell from your post to what extent your various illnesses affect your life? I understand if you don't want to go into it, but some more details would help us give you some better advice.

screamer wrote: »

The rest of the week I'm stuck in this house basically looking at the PC all day long. I'm at my wits end and my catalogue will never be paid off if I have to keep buying clothes in the next size up. That in itself is annoying.

Again, it's boredom that's making you put on weight. You need to address that.

screamer wrote: »

We are planning on getting engaged soon and Lindaatno9 has offered to help me create my dream gown. I want to be slim before even attempting to do this but really clueless as to how I can do it.

Could you get hold off a picture on the internet with your dream dress and stick your face on it? Photoshop if you're good with computers, a print off and scissors and glue if you're not. That kind of image stuck to your fridge should help keep you motivated. Each time you go to get a snack, you'll see the picture, remember why you're dieting and reconsider if you really want that snack or not.

Well done for deciding you want to do something about your weight - when it comes to slimming down, it's a bit like the debt free wanabees and their lightbulb moment. Until you decide you need to do something for yourself, it's really hard to shift those pounds.

I hope we can help you get started and you'll keep us updated on your progress.

screamer

Hi Donquine, and thanks for your reply. I'm rubbish at making sense :-) I'll try to answer your questions as clearly as possible. Wording isn't my strong point!

Ok, start with my boyfriend. He comes out walking with me whenever he can. He's my partner but also my carer. He keeps an eye out for me. I don't have any friends here and my family are all miles away with kids and jobs so I only get to see people when OH takes me down there. I'm very shy and withdrawn so making friends is difficult, and equally hard when I don't have kids. Nothing in common with most people :-(

As for local associations, I'm really not sure. I will look into it. You have my word :-)

Exercise bike? Not really any budget but not looking for anything expensive anyway. This was just an idea as I know cycling is good for you. I can't ride a bike on a main road, especially not alone so a nor mal bike would be a waste of money. The only paths round here are canal tow paths which are another no-no. I know swimming is also good exercise but OH hates swimming and I cannot do that alone.

We can get groceries delivered but OH pays for them so we tend to go shopping together at the weekend. I will manoevre my money around though so I can take charge. Thanks for that piece of advice! I'd like to have more control at home :-)

Good idea about the dress too. OH is good at photo shop and got a few pictures of me when I was slimmer so will do as you suggest. Will probably help Linda too as I've not even told her what I'm after. The money I save on junk food can be spent on my dress. Yay!

I'm glad someone answered. It's not hard to get motivated really, just it's difficult to find a way to get fit whiloe staying in the house. A wii fit is a great idea as a birthday present. Will put that idea to OH when he gets out of the bath.

As for food, I do eat when I'm bored, but usually only when I'm hungry too. I'm often stuck for ideas with the local shop selling ready meals and things. I've just gone down there, bought my favourite vegetables and some lean mince and they're on the hob cooking as we speak. Your message helped me think about vegetables I really like. I'm going to buy some beansprouts to grow myself as the local shop doesn't sell them, and my next module at college is "vegetable growing" so going to have loads of cabbage and green beans growing.

I'll be back out in the garden when the rest of my plants arrive so that's one thing to get rid of the boredom.

More ideas welcome, but this is the first day of the rest of my life!! Thank you so much for your help, and keep the ideas coming :-)

Just weighed myself, 10 stone 7 with clothes on. Not good! But this is my public record for my weight loss :-) OH is proud of me for taking the steps to change.

xxvickixx

Your weight isn't that bad, yes it is overweight but it should be easily do able within 6 months, probably less.
When making meals I set up a spreadsheet so I can put the individual ingredients in, their weight and the calories. I add it all up to get a total cals per whole pot. I then weight all of it. Divide the total cals by the total weight and you get the cals per gram. Weigh your portion and then you multiply this by the cal per gram. If you use a recipe book it's easy as you can write the cal/gram in it. If you're like me and cook it all depending on how you feel/what you have then you need to recalculate. I have a spreadsheet with all foods on a lookup table so it's just a quick quantity adjustment.

I don't know how clued up you are on nutrition/dieting but if you are a bit confused by it all, i'd probably suggest joining a Slimming World or something to get some basics in, you'd make friends too hopefully.

Good Luck with it all. The way I see it is if you don't buy the wrong food you won't be able to eat it when bored or fed up.

Vicki xx

screamer

Thanks vicki. Maybe a spreadsheet is a bit too intense for me but I can do maths in my head so a spreadsheet I wouldn't need.

I'll tell you what I had for tea, and how far the whole thing went.

500g pack of lean steak mince. 605 calories per pack
Tin of garden peas 94 calories
Small tin of sweetcorn 61 calories
3 carrots- 35 calories
4 small potatoes -250 calories
1 small onion -35 calories
3 tablespoons of gravy granules -about 20 calories TOTAL 1100 calories


This has made 6 identical size meals with a bit left over for pooch!! (they're all being frozen, apart from the one I just had. All in identical sized tubs. Lock and Lock are great :-)

OMG! WOW!!! That's about 200 calories per meal, and I really enjoyed it. OH is currently looking for an exercise bike. The York C102 is looking good right now :-)

fluffykins13

What about an excercise DVD?
I would recommend Boots Diets (they have a 1 day free trial) - it works out a calorie and fat allowane for you depending on your height and weight and then you record everything you eat so that gives you an idea of exactly how many calories and fat is in everything

jessilu1

You could also try Rosemary Conley dvd's, she has all different levels of workout on each DVD and you can choose the style that suits you , from low impact (which is what I do because of a lower back problem) to intense (nothing worse than starting a new aerobic exercise and you are expected to darn well have a heart attack in the first 20 minutes)

Also go to your local library and borrow a Rosemary Conley diet book.

She explains everything very clearly , and has some super low calorie, low low fat recipes!

If you can exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes (any exercise) so that you're heart is beating rapidly, (as if you've just hurried for a bus) and stick to the low fat diet...(and btw you are allowed the odd treat you know )...then you will most definitely lose weight.

Incidentally if you have any kind of back problem, do not use a bike, it's one of the worst exercises for people with back problems, and equally only ever swim on your back and not your front.:D

donquine

screamer wrote: »

As for local associations, I'm really not sure. I will look into it. You have my word :-)

Try googling your council website - they sometimes have links to all sorts of clubs. Try looking for group based classes as well, e.g. tai chi, art, languages. If that draws a blank, is there some sort of resident's association? I got the impression you lived out in the country and from experience, you do tend to have residents' committees etc in villages. You might not meet your new best friend there, but it would get you talking to people and help get your confidence back.

screamer wrote: »

Exercise bike? Not really any budget but not looking for anything expensive anyway. This was just an idea as I know cycling is good for you.

Cycling on an exercise bike can get quite dull, but if you set up the bike in front of the tv, you can get a lot done without really noticing it.

screamer wrote: »

We can get groceries delivered but OH pays for them so we tend to go shopping together at the weekend. I will manoevre my money around though so I can take charge. Thanks for that piece of advice! I'd like to have more control at home :-)

If you're the one wanting to bring healthy eating into your household, it makes sense for you to have more control. When you shop online, it's much easier to stick to a list of what you actually need, you can bring up the calorific values and compare the saturated fat in different brands, you can see all the special offers and someone will carry all of that heavy stuff into your own home. If you do need a bit of extra help, the delivery people will usually carry your shopping right into your kitchen.

screamer wrote: »

Good idea about the dress too. OH is good at photo shop and got a few pictures of me when I was slimmer so will do as you suggest. Will probably help Linda too as I've not even told her what I'm after. The money I save on junk food can be spent on my dress. Yay!

I think this will help. You're obviously looking forward to your wedding and thinking about it should help keep you on the right track most of the time.

screamer wrote: »

It's not hard to get motivated really, just it's difficult to find a way to get fit whiloe staying in the house. A wii fit is a great idea as a birthday present. Will put that idea to OH when he gets out of the bath.

I've lost about a stone and a half thanks to our wii fit - I wouldn't have lost the weight otherwise. If you do find it difficult to get out, having something like that at home can help. Failing that, a cheap option would be getting a workout dvd.

Apart from swimming, are there any exercises you won't be able to do? If we're suggesting anything unsuitable, given your various illnesses, just shout and stop us. I'm not sure how bad your asthma is and whether it's worth having a word with your doctor before starting a new exercise regime?

screamer wrote: »

As for food, I do eat when I'm bored, but usually only when I'm hungry too.

Do you eat breakfast and are you drinking enough water?

screamer wrote: »

I'm often stuck for ideas with the local shop selling ready meals and things. I've just gone down there, bought my favourite vegetables and some lean mince and they're on the hob cooking as we speak. Your message helped me think about vegetables I really like. I'm going to buy some beansprouts to grow myself as the local shop doesn't sell them, and my next module at college is "vegetable growing" so going to have loads of cabbage and green beans growing.

Great stuff.:) If you've never been a big veg eater, don't get too hung up over the 5 a day target - start by making sure you get some greens each day and gradually try and work more into your diet. You don't have to make big changes overnight. Little steps are fine.

screamer wrote: »

I'll be back out in the garden when the rest of my plants arrive so that's one thing to get rid of the boredom.

Excellent.

screamer wrote: »

Just weighed myself, 10 stone 7 with clothes on. Not good! But this is my public record for my weight loss :-) OH is proud of me for taking the steps to change.

It's very brave of you to write that. Imagine how good it will feel being able to post again and make that number a little smaller.

There_Goes_Trouble

Just a thought, I keep an eye on freecycle and often see exercise equipment offered on there. I am planning to get a cross trainer once I've made space for it.

Kay_Peel

I think that with your health problems you have to be very careful about what kind of exercise you take, how long for - and you mustn't have unrealistic expectations to start off with.

You've got to start slowly.

Go to Youtube and find some Couch Fitness Exercises and stretches like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ssmCKb-ljA&feature=PlayList&p=6010FE3E02840AFA&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19

You can also take a break from the PC and run up and down the stairs a few times.
or
Turn on the radio, close the curtains and DANCE.

The very best exercise is to walk out of your front door as though you were late for a bus. After 5 minutes, turn around and walk back home as though you've left a saucepan on the hob. Try doing this every day for a week. Next week, walk for 7 minutes there and 7 minutes back. I'm not talking about a stroll - I'm talking about rushing out and rushing back at a fast pace.

I must admit that I'm a slim person. I make all my meals from scratch and I eat well. I've always put it down to a genetic thing and good fortune but I've recently returned from a holiday with 11 girl-friends and I was able to see at close hand how different their eating habits were from the slim ones in our party. I noticed that

* they grazed all day long on biscuits, energy bars, bananas etc as well as having three huge meals.
* they drank more wine and spirits than we did
* their portions were far bigger than ours
* I had two courses - main meal and pudding - but they had three, sometimes four
* they cleared their plates whereas we left food because we were full.

The answer to their weight problems were blindingly obvious to me - they were eating enough to feed a family of four every day!

All the best to you - but remember to take it slowly and build up your stamina and, instead of sitting in front of your PC all day and getting things from Tesco Express - learn how to cook good, nourishing, healthy meals. (See the Old Style Board for advice)

welshguy83

Have you tried Herbalife? I've been taking it for 4 weeks now and lost a stone I get my products from make-me-healthy .co.uk

Hope you find your solution!