Diet and Weight Loss General Support #9

Mildez - abdominals will always be weaker after pregnancy - but in the case of a severe separation (sign being that the gap inbetween the ab's is greater than 2.5 fingers) then yep, you should avoid doing things like the traditional ab crunch - that'll just cause them to separate more. Push ups are fine as you're facing the ground and need to hold your ab's firm to protect your back from injury, I'd recommend keeping your knees on the ground when you do the push ups though - just until your ab's get a bit stronger.
If you type fatchicslim (no spaces, just as I've typed) into you tube (hopefully its working for you now) there is a video about planks - which is the best way to flatten ab's and help bring those ab's back together. As a general rule I always keep my belly braced throughout the day, sitting, walking, lifting - pretty much with everything I do (ok, maybe not when I sleep lol).
As for bread alternatives, sometimes I have open faced sandwiches (depends what the content of the sandwich is) or another way I like to change it up is with vita wheat type crackers or wholemeal wraps. For some reason any sandwich is 'tarted' up when its in a wrap haha!

mountain bread is a good one for bread replacment for me, just make a wrap. :)

Beckoes - I find the jumping jacks easy to start with and then go ,....feel the burn Tan feel the burn :rofl: I did level 1 today - I plan on doing it at least 3-4 times a week over 10 days then going onto 2 and 3 - they are much harder!

Not really sure how I have gone today - tracking in fitness pal and it says I have had over 600 cals but I feel like i have had more becuase I have 4 bits of bread over the course of the day. Am really hungry right now and so tempted to just eat some bikkies but am going to hold out for dinner. I have chicken thighs and no idea what to cook - maybe soup!

ETA: I had a 6 cm muscle sep with J - 10 lbs will do that :o and it's still at around 1-2 cms but I found it did get better doing some crunches recently. Having said that, J is nearly 3 so it's taken quite a while. Physios can recommend the best exercises to do to repair them and it's usually pilates and core strength based.

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. I have chicken thighs and no idea what to cook - maybe soup!

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Are they boneless? There is a weight watchers recipe with skinless, boneless thighs. You basically panfry with a bit of spray oil. Once sealed, squeeze lemon juice over them and allow it to evaporate. Take them out of the pan. Put on a tray. Sprinkle with lemon zest and a bit of garlic. Bake until cooked. Serve with greens and one small potato each. It is really quite yummy! :)

Hello All!!!

I am so shirty that DD wiped my post this morning!! It was full of personals and all my plans lol!!! So sorry, this one i sgoing to be a bit all about me coz i have less time!!

I went food shopping, it was good. Took longer than usual while I looked at all the packets of stuff and tried a few new things. I ended up going with Great Start for breakie.. it has museli and nuts and grains and bran and bits of fruit. Just need to make sure I get the portion right. I used one of our little bowls, not the massive soup ones I usually use for cereal, so that should help!!

I got lite cheese and lite ham for lunches. Some philli lite cream cheese and rice crackers and some oven baked fruit bars for snacks. I also got more fresh vege and fruit and some lite yogurt!!! And to wean myself of the mac and cheese I found a lite alfredo side dish pasta that I will give a try and see how I go!! DH nearly died when I said no mac and cheese!!! It is such a stable in our shopping and I usually go slightly balistic if he forgets it. I think now he knows just how serious I am!! He was great too helping me look at the stuff on the packets and helping me decide what was better for me!! I feel good and all set!! One of the advantages of being stuck at home with no car and not walking distance from shops is that I cant go to the shop for anything naughty if I dont buy it with the groceries!!

BUT... I still have some left over BAD FOOD... which I am eating slowly, but trying to get rid of it out of the house as quickly as possible!!!! Does that make sense!! LOL I am not gorging it all in one go lol, but I had a macaroni last night with chicken, and there is a pizza in the freezer that I am going to have tonight, and there is still one packet of macaroni left (I checked the CK, NO WAY will be eating both pizza and macaroni in the same sitting, as I have done in the past!!!!) and then after that, there is just the giant tin of milo- which I have actually not been too tempted with, but maybe once I am not eating all the other junk, I might be tempted to have some!! So I have been going hard on the excercising to make up for it all!!!

So..... as for excercise today... well I have been going going going!!!!! I started with some house work, then logged on the computer and saw pushups were the challange, gave it a go and failed miserably... lol I did three!! But that was ok!! I have to start somewhere!! Then I thought I would give livvy's little thing a go- googled what the heck a plie in second was and went, um no.. squats it is. So I did 12 minutes of 1 min squat, 1 minute marching, then I did some situps and tried some more pushups.. did 4!!! I was feeling really good and figured I had done nearly 15 minutes all up, so I hopped on the bike for 15 minutes to make it an even 30 minutes!! And all before DD swent to sleep- which is usually when my excercise starts!!!

By now I was sore and man did I stink lol!!! Did some more house work and had some lunch and then did another 20 minutes on the bike!! I googled some video's of this Body Attack, and I am thinking I might give that a go one day, it looks fun!! And something DS could run around with me and try and do. Leesa, I am guessing you dont have to use a video or anything when you do it at home, but can you get them? All the clips I saw only went for about 3 or 4 minutes, and I am sure I should do longer than that lol!!

So I proud o fmy effort today!!! I feel good. And I still want to do more, but I have been a bit of a bad mummy. Between excercising and jumping on the computer to check CK everytime I eat something and do some excercise I have been a bit neglectful of the kiddies. So I will need to find some balance and some more stuff we can do together (thinking the body attack)

The CK has been a big eye opener for me to just see some of what I was eating and what it was doing!!! And um no wonder my crap effort at excercising wasnt helping me loose weight!!!! Yesterday I went under my recomended intake, but that was with "eating back" and not deducting any off their recomendation. Total Calories 2189.. total excercise 671.. balance of 1518. Today I have put in what I am planning on eating for the day and Total Calories is 1839 total excercise (so far, I am going to add more) 387 so balance 1452. I was a bit hungry last night after dinner, but not starving by any means. I am saving the yogurt for dessert :-)

Well time to hop on the bike abit more, as i said on fbook, as my kids sleep and grow, I shall excercise and shrink!!!!!! :-)

Again sorry no personals!!! :cheer: to everyone!!! Keep up the good work!!!!!!

Starbright - **TOUGH LOVE WARNING** I have a quick way you can get rid of that food....Donate it to the homeless or ditch it ;). Hun, don't eat it - you have done really well thus far with your exercise, eating that food is plain unhealthy and don't try to justify it with me any other way ;). I know you probably don't want to waste the food - I get that. But I don't want you to waste your healthy efforts either. Do you have an iPhone hun?

As for Body Attack, it consists of 12 songs and two interval peaks. So it depends on the song you watched on You Tube, with any good fitness class it starts of 'easy' then works its way up in degrees of intensity, but it can all be done 'low impact' (always keeping one foot on the floor - so march instead of run). I buy the instructor DVD's / music but once I learn the moves I generally just run off of the iPod - or if I need some instructing tips or 'freshening up' I will do it with the DVD.

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Starbright - **TOUGH LOVE WARNING** I have a quick way you can get rid of that food....Donate it to the homeless or ditch it ;). Hun, don't eat it - you have done really well thus far with your exercise, eating that food is plain unhealthy and don't try to justify it with me any other way ;). I know you probably don't want to waste the food - I get that. But I don't want you to waste your healthy efforts either. .

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thats what i was going to say,i have got much better at throwing food away, normally id clean up dd1s plate. and even if i was full id clean my plate and make sure there was no left overs. but in the bin it goes....rather than on my butt!!!

SB...i make my own cereal. oats. sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, linseeds, sultanas. all mixed up in a container. i either make porridge out of that mix, or soak it over night with cinamon and milk. then add chopped apple/pear/banana and a blob of greek yoghurt and some honey. best breakfast ever! and im full for ages!

Tan...i recon il do level one for a good few weeks. till im so sick of it i cant wait to do something different and have some sort of fitness level.

Hi everyone - complete newbie to this thread!

I am going to be joining in here very soon. I have about 40kg to lose :redface:. I wish I could say it was pregnancy weight, but no. I am exclusively breastfeeding DD (who is 2.5 months), so I don't want to go too over the top with cutting calories and exercise - I just need to start making some real lifestyle changes. It's about long term health for me too - I want to be around long enough to see my kids grow up and see my grandkids.

I really need to work out my plan of attack first, and really make sure DH is on board. We're both as bad as each other when it comes to junk food! I think if we're both on board, then when one of us is ready to cave hopefully the other can steer us in the right direction.

I'll be back :).

Hey Sterla :) Welcome to the group. Don't be embarrased about the number you need to lose. I can lose 30kg, but am looking at things in lots of 10. I'm a weightwatchers girl. A lifetime member, so am aware of what i should and shouldn't be doing, so am doing it all at home by myself. I know on the old weight watchers system, bfing mummies would get an extra 7 points a day. To give you an idea on what that is, 7 points could be(roughly), a chicken/ham and salad sandwitch, a 99% fat free maggi 2 min noodle with chopped up chicken breast and shallots, a piece of lean steak and a serve of oven chips, something along those lines... So *basically*, a bfing mummy can have one extra *healthy* meal a day. Or more snacks throughout the day. Hope that gives you some type of idea??? Just remember to keep up your water intake. Use this time to your advantage! When I was bfing my DS I found it quite easy to lose weight once I put my mind to it (unfortuneatley have put it all back on! doh!). And when it comes down to it, if you *really* want this, try not to worry about what your hubby is eating, just focus on yourself. I know its hard, as my hubby also loves his junk food! And will quite happily eat it infront of me all day. lol. It's all about willpower. No, i'm not good 100% of the time, i still have my splurges, but am recognising them, and rather than stopping healthy eating completely, I get back on the horse the following meal.

Starbright, you are doing so well! You must be proud of yourself for beginning this healhty new you! I also agree with the others, don't eat the crap food! However I wouldn't throw it out, I just can't bear the thought of doing that *hide*. I still have lollies, nutella, scotch finger biccies etc in my pantry. I just chose not to eat them :) It gets easier over time. x

Beckoes your cereal sounds really yum! What milk is everyone using???

I've had such a fab day! Feeling much better after my naughty weekend :) Can't believe i've had the willpower to start fresh! I normally just crumble and go back to my old habits. :D

Meant to add Beckoes, yes kids meals are hard! One of my terrible habits too, finishing their food. I still don't throw it out. But I don't eat it. My chooks are happy campers! lol

Well i was naughty, i ate th epizza, well really only half a pizza. We only did enough shopping for that to be a dinner. But now its gone- and i wont be buying anymore!!!! And i think i will leave th emac and cheese in the cuboard to remind me that its there, but i dont need it!!!!!!

I did do an extra 30 mins on the bike tonight, i know, i know, i could have done that 30 mins and NOT eaten the pizza and seen better results, but i didnt. In a way i kind of needed to say goodbye, goodbye to the pizza. I said goodbye to mac and cheese last night. Its going to be hard. I think this is what i will struggle with the most. Now i am excercising and enjoying it, and that strange thing i always heard about excercising giving you more energy is so strangely true... i think i will be ok to keep that up- which i thought i would struggle with. Having a new weekly challange and lots of ideas from you guys will help keep it interesting. But its the whole lifestyle change of food that i know is going to be hard!!! I know that i need to do both together to succeed. Once i start seeing some results i think that will help. Even today seeing the difference of my calorie intake with just a few small changes has been a huge eye opener.

So i am not going to dwell (but feel to cyber slap me!!!!!) i did it. Its done, its gone.... and i have resisted the urge to have a milo!!!!!

One question though.. I am still a bit hungry in the night, like now, im not starving by any means, but i have that little hungry niggle. I have been drinking heaps of water, but im just wondering if maybe i just have to adjust my stomach size and over time it will be ok, or if i maybe do need to eat more snacks or something during the day.

Hi Sterla!! Welcome!! I am also going for small goals, but ultimately i want to loose about 25kgs. It is so important to have your DH on board. I know mine has heard me say a few times how i want to loose wieght, and then has seen me fall slack, so this time i had to drum into him that i am really serious, so fingers crossed he stops bringing me home chocolate!!!!!

Beckoes.. That cereal sounds yummo!!!!! I am ok with throwing away cooked food, or giving it to the dogs anyway... but i wouldnt cook them up a whole pizza to eat lol!!! I am a glutton for finishing DS's ice cream though!!!!

TT... How are you going??? I hope your feeling a little better emotionally :hug: it can take awhile to feel any kind of normal again - and i am sure the temptation of eating would be hard!!! Keep going strong!!!! You are doing well to have all that stuff in your cuboard and not eating it!!!! I am terrible, hence why i felt i had to make it go away (that sounds better than saying i ate it :p)

leesa... Hi *runs for cover*... i appriciate the tough love, i do, please keep it coming. I am sorry for disregarding it on this occassion (i am trying to justify it - am i doing any good???) I know its not a joke, its serious, and i really really really appriciate all your advice and guidance. I cant say i wont make a bad choice again in the future.. but i know i wont lie to you about it, so please, hit me with your worst!!!!! I deserve it!!!!
I had a feeling the three or four minutes wasnt all there was to the body attack!! lol 12 songs seems like alooooong time!! I might work up to that one!! First on my list is a basic aerobics dvd!!!

Well i am off to bed!! On a stinky note, lol , how often do you guys shower??? With all this excercising all day, i could have had three lol!! I just had one now and i feel so nice and clean lol!! I usually have one with the kids at about 6:30, but then i dont feel like doing any excercise once they are in bed, so i think i will be changing that so i can do a half hour or so on the bike once they are asleep.

Nite All!!! xoxoxo

Sterla...Welcome...i agree with others that small goals are the way to go. im not really goin on weight, i just measured my waist and made that my goal, the rest will follow. i think others recomend doing too as weight can give you false reading, with water retention/muscle gain with exercise etc etc. One thing ive noticed from this thread is that everyone has thier own little tricks etc that work for them and help them get the best results. good luck in finding your groove ;)

DH was given very strict instructions...do NOT buy me chocolate/naughties on his way home from work like he used to. and if hes eating something that i cant do NOT offer me any, hes actually enjoying having no junk in the house to pig out on, and enjoying my new 'veggyfull' dinners!! :)

I too am BF my four month old, 1800 cals for a BF mummy. i posted a link in the old thread with an example menu for a BF lady, i see if i can find it again for you :)

TT...well done on getting back on the wagon so quickly. i think i need chickens!! they would be huge though, they would get SO many scraps!!....as for milk i just use normal skim milk. i have 1 cup max with cereal (depends if i have porridge) and in tea. although im begining to wonder if 5 cups of tea a day might be a bit much :redface:

SB well done for doing so much time on your bike!! i didnt do my dvd yesterday, found excuses all day...today il just do it! you inspired me ;)

ment to do a weigh in but i had a big bowl of porridge already....might do it anyway.

STERLA...heres that link....http://www.health.gov.au/internet/he...-feeding-women

sooooo...i weighed in...no loss, no gain either..but NO LOSS. so im going for a week of OTT cliches...''go hard or go home''...''no pain, no gain''...''give it 110%''...(and the dreaded) ''Feel the burn''!!...come on!

Just a quick one...
Welcome Sterla

Beck, porridge could add at lease 100-200grams... When I weigh in, I do it *TMI alert* after pooing!!!
Re the tea, I would have morn than 5 cups a day... Way more - I blame it on being English!!! I don't function without tea


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I was having about four cups of coffee a day!! I felt bad and yesterday tried to keep it at three!! Now I dont feel so bad!!!

Omigod I am sooooo sore!!!! My legs feel so heavy!!! lol I dont know if it was from the squats or the bike!! And across my chest and under my arms hurt from the push ups!! lol No Pain no gain right Beckoes!!!!! Well I am in pain, and I had no gain!!! :clap: But no loss either. :( Maybe my scales are broken.. lol surely like at least the .1 would have changed or something??!!! But no still 85.1!!! Not to worry, it will take time and effort!!!!!!
DD woke me up nice and early this morning, she is happy to sit there and watch telly while I sit here on the computer, but as soon as I try to get on the bike she cries and tries to get under the wheels!!! lol!!! So I will start my day with squats again!! And then put her in the high chair with some breakie while I ride!!!! By then no doubt DS will be up!! So I better get cracking!!!!

Beckoes I hop eyour DH is good and doesnt buy you any bad stuff!! I am waiting for the day when DH think she is being nice and sweet and caring by buying me chocolate and then not being able to eat it!!!!!!! We just have to keep up the good work and show them how serious we are!!!!! :)

SJ.. re weighing in.. after a poo would be ideal I reckon!! DH always jokes after doing a poo he has "lost a few kilo's" lol I would say it may make the smallest of difference, but even the smallest of difference is worth it!! And I think its good to weigh in before you eat or drink anything for the day too. So I guess if you manage to poo before you get too hungry go for it, lol, but if you waiting all day to poo before you eat, I would just weigh in! :-)

I too am a massive tea drinker. I only use about a teaspoon of skim milk in my tea and no sugar so I see it could be much worse. I have skim on cereal but I am now in the habit of not using up all the milk in the bowl. Yesterday I think most of the milk was still in there when the cereal was gone.

wELCOME sTERLA.

sb THATS a good idea about showering later. I think if I wasn't fresh and clean by evening I'd be more inclined to do some last minute exercise and then shower. Going to try that now.

Arrggghhh after doing so well last night I had some blue cheese and Savoys:redface: I am about to put it in my tracker and see how far I blew it :( I forgot how hard the first week is when you cut the cr@p and how hungry you can feel.

It's hard here to because DH still has stuff in the house, so I can't get rid of it completely but he is generally pretty good and I think he is about to do his diet thing he has done a few times which is no carbs.

Anyway, I have been up since 4 with one sick spewy girl, and one boy who thought 5am was morning, so am off to IV my coffee and plan my food for the day - do you all plan what you will eat for each meal and snack in the morning? I have to say it's never occured to me to do that before - I usually just wait until I am hungry and then work it out!

I wanted to add personals here but I hit enter too soon but I agree with weighing post poo :lol: or else I weigh in the morning before I have eaten or drunk anything.

What do you guys eat for breakfast? I am such a toast eater Im not sure what I could eat - I hate porridge, so maybe cereal? NOt even sure what I would have to look for on the box as far as cal's go. Would Just Right be ok?

ETA: I just added my food from last night - have been trying to be as accurate as I can or going a bit over and I was only -1 calorie!! :rofl: Not as bad as I thought thank goodness. I get 1380 cals a day - does that sound right?! I am 65kgs and 5'1.

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What do you guys eat for breakfast? I am such a toast eater Im not sure what I could eat - I hate porridge, so maybe cereal? NOt even sure what I would have to look for on the box as far as cal's go. Would Just Right be ok?

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I Always ate toast for breakfast. I switched to muesli and i have noticed that i am fuller for longer and it tastes pretty good. i get the non toasted and no added sugar ones... the ones from Aldi are pretty good :)

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re weighing in.. after a poo would be ideal I reckon!! DH always jokes after doing a poo he has "lost a few kilo's" lol I would say it may make the smallest of difference, but even the smallest of difference is worth it!! And I think its good to weigh in before you eat or drink anything for the day too. So I guess if you manage to poo before you get too hungry go for it, lol, but if you waiting all day to poo before you eat, I would just weigh in! :-)

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I have a cup of tea in the morning (to get things moving) then weigh after i have gone. if you think about, it a 300ml wee (an average size adult wee - can you tell i am a nurse!!!) weighs 300 grams... I dont think that this is cheating either as its all 'waste' products...

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sb THATS a good idea about showering later. I think if I wasn't fresh and clean by evening I'd be more inclined to do some last minute exercise and then shower. Going to try that now.

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I shower after my workout in the evening, so last night i hoped in the shower at 1030.

I am hoping my 30 day shred DVD gets here today...

Just thought that i would add, for those that are new to exercise, go easy when you are starting out, if you do too much and strain your muscles, it is harder or impossible to do them the following day, so you can continue your good work itms...

Also with portions, i use a cup measure so i know what i am eating - i started with a full cup for breakfast of muesli and then reaslied that i could cut it down as i was full after eating, so have graually cut it back - same with the milk...

Baby crying
BBL

Tanstar I'm not familiar with calorie counting. I've never had much luck doing that. I have no idea how much foods have in it etc. I tried calorie king but didn't have much luck with it. Glad the blue cheese and Savoys didn't sabotage your efforts. I too find the first few days the hardest. I've been making better chocices for over a month now but have only just substaincially reduced my sugars/fat intake. I used to be a big toast eater for breakfast. Now I avoid it almost all of the time and have cereal or tinned fruit with yogurt (until I cut yogurt out to reduce my dairy intake for my bubs intolerance) Cereals of choice for me were the weight watchers fruit and nut or just right but I recently as of yesterday have started special K as I heard it keeps you full longer.

SJ I got the 30 day shred DVD also from ebay. It wont arrive until Friday at the earliest. I don't generally do exercise videos but it wasn't expensive and it couldn't hurt to try. I'm also looking for a 2nd hand treadmill. Just finding with the kids it can be almost impossible to get out of the house so I need to do stuff at home.

I used 1/2 cup of skim on my cereal this morning and when I finished I had 1/4 cup left so only used 1/4 cup of skim. Not bad I don't think.