Overweight! But Doing Something About It!

[EllieJP]

I'm an obese woman of 24 who's trying to do something about it.. I work full time in the office job, and pick my 16 month old up straight up from work! I've no time for gyms, and limited for space at home. I could probably fit one piece of fitness equipment in my home. So what's best? Not looking to gain muscle. Just lose the flab and eventually tone up. Any advice greatly appreciated. :)

[MallyJ]

Actually you don't need specialised equipment ... get walking, use stairs not lifts or escalators, use tinned food as weights, do some gardening (no garden get an allotment), push pushchair/ buggy round the park a few times, speed up when walking. Cut down on milky drinks, take a salad to work (homemade soup in winter), ignore sweets of all description. Use yogurt instead of cream on puddings, don't eat ready meals or take aways..... loads of ways to lose weight just by making a few changes to lifestyle.

[vakayu]

Good advice Ellie,no need to buy gym gear just a change in lifestyle and I am sure having a 16month old keeps you on the go anyway.Good luck.

[Baldric]

Ellie, I'm a 62 yr old Male, I attribute most of my fitness to walking the 2 rogues in my Avatar, 1 to1½ hrs twice a day, it really does work especially if you can do it on a regular basis, Good Luck.

[Old_Geezer]

Exercise is good (do as I say not as I do ;-) ) but IMO it is a mistake to be overly concentrated on energy use if trying to lose weight. One has to do a heck of a lot of exercise to burn of the calories in even a small snack. Heightened metabolisms aside. Concentrate on not taking more energy in, in the first place. Plan meals. Choose to fill up on low cal stuff.

That said I have occasionally thought of getting a cycle as it was something I didn't mind using when I used to belong to a gym. Treadmills and steppers are ok. Rowing is hard going. But I don't really think it matters much; whatever appeals to you really. Good luck finding the space for it though :-)

[Sqad]

\\\\I could probably fit one piece of fitness equipment in my home. So what's best? Not looking to gain muscle. Just lose the flab and eventually tone up. Any advice greatly appreciated. :)\\

Don't bother....exercise by itself is not a good way of loosing weight.

You say that you are obese and 24 years of age with one child and do a sedentary job.

I would guess that you are clinically obese and have tried all the diets that are going and have not succeeded in losing weight.

What you have suggested in your OP is not going to happen and we both know that and i would guess that your main pleasure in life is.....food. Nothing abnormal about that.

My advice......forget exercise, come to terms with your obesity (if that is possible) or see your GP re. gastric band surgery.

[Baldric]

OG, has a point, should have said I am kind of disciplined with my diet, not obsessive, just careful, moderation is the word

[pixie373]

Really sqad? Is that what you'd advise? I have a friend who wants a gastric band, but she's been told to lose 3 stone before they'll even consider operating.
I would have thought walking/exercise bike would be a good start (it's working for her). You can take littl'un with you - in pushchair if that helps, so you can walk faster. The good thing is, the more weight you have to lose, the quicker it will go to start with.
Join Weightwatchers/Slimming World and halve your meal portions- fill up with water or fruit instead. Good luck x

[jennyjoan]

Ellie - the walking has done the trick for my sister's next door neighbour - he walks his dog about 3 times a day and the weight has literally fallen off him.

[jennyjoan]

Pixie - another brother (deceased) his girlfriend met a friend who had the gastric band fitted and she said it was the worst thing she ever did.

[pixie373]

I can believe that, jj con. It's lifestyle, emotional, psychological. It isn't as straightforward as that, imo.

[Old_Geezer]

In fairness 3 long walks each day is going to add up. It will still likely be minimal but every little helps. Getting a more active lifestyle is, I believe, better than the occasional period of scheduled exercise. Especially if seen as a chore to be done.

[crisgal]

I am currently seeing a hypnotherapist for a 'hypnoband'
A virtual gastric band. I am paying for it myself, but I have since discovered that the nhs does fund this.
I have been seriously overweight all my adult life and yo-yo'd using every kind of diet there is.
Since being on this amazing programme, I have lost 38 pounds in 6 weeks - but the weird thing is - i haven't had the band yet!

[Butterbun]

If you can't attend meetings at Weight Watchers or Slimming World, look online for some dieting tips. Count the calories, work out a plan and stick to it. 2-lbs per week is normal, low lots of fish and vegetables are low in calories. Good luck.

[Butterbun]

~~few typos here~~ 2lbs a week is the normal amount to lose.

[anneasquith]

see your gp re gastric band surgery ? really is it that simple .

[crisgal]

Too long a story and personal to go into here, but I have learnt why I ate like I did. It hasn't been easy but it's the best thing i ever did.
The slimming clubs were like putting a plaster on a sore, but not sorting out why the sore was there in the first place. Which is why they would never ever have worked for me.
I still have a long way to go, and it's early days, but I know I'll do it. I have changed my habits for life. I have totally reinvented myself.
I can wholeheartedly recommend it!

[belrec]

For help with motivation there is a great thread here:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Weight-Loss-and-Dieting/Question1347734.html

it has some lovely people on there who will share helpful tips and will really help with keeping you on the straight and narrow :-)

good luck x

[AliceTickband]

recently lost nearly 9 stone..............took me about 18 months and I did it by eating a little more healthily, using a smaller plate, and moving more. It was hard at first but once you break the bad habits and learn new ones you just get used to it......but you still should give yourself the occasional treat!

It was hard but now I am glad I have done it. You are 24, so if you make the effort now you wont regret it and, like me unfortunately cos I have been overweight for so long, you wont be left with lots of floppy skin to live with.

good luck!