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Losing weight without effecting rest of family?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I have been overweight for YEARS (about 17 I think!) and this year I am really taking control of my life and making ME time for a change. My problem is that I have a partner who is just on the borderline of underweight/just right and a 6 year-old daughter who is starting to say things like "I'm fat" :shocking: Yet both of them can eat me out of house and home in a matter of days!

I have time during the day to myself (by the time I've done housework, my "job" of ebaying our clutter, parent governor/website jobs) of about 3 hours TOPS, and thats on a good day! I try to exercise (I have a pedometer, but rarely hit 10,000 steps a day, more like 6-8000 depending on computer/paper work) but I have scoliosis so alot of "home workout" DVDs etc end up hurting my back or giving me back ache for a couple of days following the workout.

I know that eating healthier would be a great way to go but being on a very tight budget means I can't afford to use Slimfast / low fat options for EVERYTHING, plus it worries me that my daughter might not be getting a nutritous diet if all the meals I prepare are low-fat to benefit me. I've tried smaller portions but I just end up snacking later on as I'm hungry (yes I have already tried the "drinking some water" instead of eating trick..it doesn't always work). I'm just at a loss as to what I can do.

So to summize :
  • I need to loose weight (BMI of 35.51-36.21 ATM :shocking:) totalling about 5 stone (70lbs)
  • I have a scoliosis which restricts what exercise I can do without ending up in pain for days afterwards
  • I have a tight budget (most of which is already spent on fruit/veg) of just £35 a week to feed 3 of us including packed lunches for my partner and our daughter.
  • We have no money for me to join a gym & our local sports centre is currently a building site!
  • I need a way of giving my family a nutrious, balance diet where they won't loose weight but I will.
Does that make sense? I already cook from scratch 95-99% of the time (only the very occasional bought pizza, or take-away) so it's not as if we eat a load of processed junk!! What can I do?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok, first off, you don't need to buy shite like slim-fast or low fat products, this will explain why diets and diet products will only make your wallet lighter and that low fat, high carb diets have got the wrong end of the stick. It's ok to have fat in your diet as long as it's the right fat.

    I wouldn't mind getting a better idea of what you eat on a 'typical' day, would you be ok with posting what you normally eat in a day? What about the rest of your family in terms of what they eat? Considering you make most meals from scratch, that's a great start!

    In terms of exercise, because of the scoliosis, I'd recommend seeing a health professional to find out what sort of exercise would be good and what wouldn't. If you are going to exercise however, it's really important that you do some form of resistance training in the form of weights. Building muscle will raise your basic metabolic rate, make you stronger and help you to burn fat. You don't have to go to a gym to use weights (I think Argos sell a good selection of free weights) but I would recommend you have a couple of sessions with a fitness instructor to ensure you are doing the exercises correctly so you don't injure yourself. Might not be cheap, but it's a good investment in the long run.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the reply.

    I know that I don't need to use Slimfast and other "slimming" products, I said it as an example that I can't afford to buy branded goods but reading it back now I see that what I meant didn't come across in my post.

    Okay, the point about the "right fat" I agree with, the problem is that with being on a tight budget I find it hard to only afford things that are good for us. For example, this weekend just gone I decided to treat us to a roast dinner as it was payday. I bought a value chicken, value carrots, value parsnips, a small turnip, used frozen broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, sweetcorn, peas, (all the ends of packets that I had in the freezer and all Value range) and some potatoes that I bought a value bag of a few weeks back. I used bisto onion gravy as I'm still trying to get the hang of making my own gravy :lol: The chicken was roasted with its skin on to keep it moist, but served without the skin (except for my OH's as he loves the skin and needs the extra calories!), the gravy was made up thinly, the veg was steamed except for the turnip and some carrots which were boiled to make mash, the potatoes were par-boiled and then roasted in "Crisp & Dry" (normally I would use Olive oil but I can't afford to be using it in the quantities required for roast potatoes), I put some whole carrots & peeled parsnips in with the potatoes to roast. My portion was about a tablespoon of each veg, 3 small roast potatoes, 1 roast carrot, 1 roast parsnip piece, a chicken breast and some gravy. Last night we had leftover chicken, served with hot gravy, and the veg wash mashed up to make bubble & squeak. This is the most fattening dish we've had in ages.

    I usually steam or grill (we have a George Foreman Grill) most foods. I have just invested in a slowcooker so I can cook stews (and turn them into soups on day 3) most cost effectively. I rarely roast, or fry and I try to keep the amount of red meat we consume to a minimum. This is what I can't understand. We don't have chocolate/crisps/biscuits etc in to eat, and I rarely buy them as a treat (there will be some next week for my daughters birthday party but they'll be the first one to come into the house since New Year). If we buy cola (for my OH to put with whiskey, I rarely drink, and then I only have 1 single whiskey with cola or a glass of white wine) we buy diet (OH doesn't like "normal"). I buy low fat cheese, olive based margarine (Asda's own Olivio), No added sugar cordial, semi-skimmed milk (we don't like skimmed unless it's the long-life stuff), brown bread, brown rice. I use frozen veg, spend usually about £15 a week on fresh fruit & veg. I buy NO convienience food (save the very occasional frozen pizza, or take-away). I bulk out meals like bolognese with lentils.

    If I get complaints that OH or DD wants a cake, I'll bake it myself from scratch. At the weekend I made classic flapjacks from scratch for the first time as DD wanted me to buy cereal bars and I baked a spiced plum cake which has been presliced so it can be put in packed lunches etc.

    I can't see how I can make our diet any healthier without going "organic" (and I don't believe ALL the hype about how much better they are for you anyway!). All I can assume is that we consume too much fruit & veg.

    As for exercise, my doctor has told me "you can do anything you want, just take it easy and dont try anything along the lines of weight lifting on benches and the like". I went to the gym under the doctors referral a couple of years back and they wouldn't let me do ANYTHING except the exercise bike and the step machine. Which, would you believe it, gave me back ache from sitting/standing too long. My OH complains that I fidget and can't sit down and relax for any length of time, going to see a movie is ridiculous! The whole problem is I get back ache if I sit for more than 15 minutes at a time without moving, or if I stand for more than 10 minutes unless I am walking. Oh, and I've tried walking as a form of exercise. I tried doing 15,000 steps every other day by walking to, around and from my local park. I was in pain those evenings with back ache from walking! I just don't seem to be able to find anything that suits me.

    If anyone wants to put me down now they can. It would make things a whole lot easier! :impissed:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey

    Regarding exercise I have a similar problem to you, I've got Muscular Dystrophy which makes having a good workout REALLY difficult.

    Came on here to see if I could find an recommendations for exercises that I could do, but figured I'd share what I found so far on other websites in case there's something I found that you didn't already know. I'm guessing you probably do though! Plus I'll probably input my own ideas and what I'm hoping to achieve myself!

    Been looking on a few websites and most tend to recommend slow starts, so its possible that you may have been aiming too high too soon. Like you said your average steps per day was about 6 or 7 thousand, maybe try and ensure that becomes an everyday occurance then slowly build up?

    Stuff like this might be a good idea too. And this
    as they seem like the kinda things you could do while ebaying.

    I read on one website that about 35 minutes of dancing burns about 300 calories, however, it didn't really define dancing, so that could be anything from wiggling hips and waving arms to full out break dancing! Personally, I'm just gonna dance what I'm comfortable with doing while cleaning, cooking and stuff like that. Also something you could do for fun with your partner and/or daughter. Most little girls I know love to dance around to cheesy music!

    I hope that anything you didn't know already or hadn't heard was of some use. And if you have any advice for me, I'd appreciate it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The times of the day you eat and excersise will have abig impact on both your metabolism and your weight so it would help if possible to let us know the times you do these things?
    Also at the gym I've seen countless people come in, sit on the excersise bike for 10 minutes at a non-challenging pace then swtich to the treadmill - 10 minutes medium pace walking, then stepper etc etc without even breaking into a sweat. This is just a waste of time & money so if you're one of these people, dont be.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the links. I'll have a go at some of them in a couple of days. I can't do much exercise ATM as I've injured my back picking my daughter up:o I think it's just a pulled muscle as its more of an ache unless I use my left arm to lift stuff but my daughter fell over on the way to school this morning and automatic reaction was to pick her up off the floor and I forgot about my back so it's sore again now :rolleyes:

    As for the diet I think I've had a lightbulb moment - our diet ATM is pretty carb heavy. I didn't notice this until I looked back at what I ate yesterday :
    • 8am-ish - Toast for breakfast (can't stand cereals when I'm trying to get daughter ready for school, see my partner out to work, and trying to get my computer based work out the way) with olivespread & a coffee (no sugar and semi-skimmed milk)
    • 11-ish - Homemade Oat flapjack & coffee
    • 1.30-ish - Sandwich (crunchy peanut butter spread thinly) with coffee
    • 3.30-ish - Pear, apple
    • 5.30-ish - Homemade Bolognese (beef mince, red lentils, onions, passata, garlic, chopped tomatoes, baked beans, rice) with Mediteranian tomato flavoured Cous Cous, cola
    • 7.30-ish - Apple & tangerine
    • 9-ish - homemade spiced plum cake slice, cup of tea (no sugar & semi-skimmed milk)
    This is actually one of my worst days, but it was a convenience food day (as in quick to grab not bought in as you can see from the amount of homemade stuff). There is now no Flapjacks or cake left so they're not tempting me anymore :lol:

    You know what, I think I'll start a food diary/blog. Could prove interesting as it's going to be one of those funny 2 weeks coming, between my daughter birthday & Easter and a trip to my in-laws (which almost everytime results in a pub-meal or a BBQ). Oh well, I'll just have to make an effort to consume less carbs. Guess the meals are going to start getting more expensive! :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the links. I'll have a go at some of them in a couple of days. I can't do much exercise ATM as I've injured my back picking my daughter up:o I think it's just a pulled muscle as its more of an ache unless I use my left arm to lift stuff but my daughter fell over on the way to school this morning and automatic reaction was to pick her up off the floor and I forgot about my back so it's sore again now :rolleyes:

    As for the diet I think I've had a lightbulb moment - our diet ATM is pretty carb heavy. I didn't notice this until I looked back at what I ate yesterday :
    • 8am-ish - Toast for breakfast (can't stand cereals when I'm trying to get daughter ready for school, see my partner out to work, and trying to get my computer based work out the way) with olivespread & a coffee (no sugar and semi-skimmed milk)
    • 11-ish - Homemade Oat flapjack & coffee
    • 1.30-ish - Sandwich (crunchy peanut butter spread thinly) with coffee
    • 3.30-ish - Pear, apple
    • 5.30-ish - Homemade Bolognese (beef mince, red lentils, onions, passata, garlic, chopped tomatoes, baked beans, rice) with Mediteranian tomato flavoured Cous Cous, cola
    • 7.30-ish - Apple & tangerine
    • 9-ish - homemade spiced plum cake slice, cup of tea (no sugar & semi-skimmed milk)
    This is actually one of my worst days, but it was a convenience food day (as in quick to grab not bought in as you can see from the amount of homemade stuff). There is now no Flapjacks or cake left so they're not tempting me anymore :lol:

    You know what, I think I'll start a food diary/blog. Could prove interesting as it's going to be one of those funny 2 weeks coming, between my daughter birthday & Easter and a trip to my in-laws (which almost everytime results in a pub-meal or a BBQ). Oh well, I'll just have to make an effort to consume less carbs. Guess the meals are going to start getting more expensive! :(

    It doesn't sound like you're too far off the mark already.

    I'd suggest cutting out the cake (or anything for that matter) after dinner. Eating before bed means you just sleep on whatever it is you've eaten, and never burn of the calories.

    You need to be eating to reflect your life-style really. I work in an office and am sat down all; I try to restrict that amount of carbohydrates I eat, as I just don't need such energy rich foods.

    Smaller portions (which can be enforced by buying smaller plates!) is a classic way of losing weight. People tend to eat everything that's on their plate, regardless of how hungry they are towards the end of the meal.

    Eating more slowly helps at lot as well, iirc it takes up to ten minutes for your brain to receive the "you're full" message from your body.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Flapjack, Cake, Peanut Butter.
    Pear, Apple, Apple, Tangerine.


    For a start, cut out the top 3 and you're onto a winner. I don't think I need to tell you how unhealthy and fattening flapjack, cake and peanut butter are.

    Secondly, consider the amount of fruit you consume in a day, as they contain a lot of hidden sugars.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Flapjack, Cake, Peanut Butter.
    Pear, Apple, Apple, Tangerine.


    For a start, cut out the top 3 and you're onto a winner. I don't think I need to tell you how unhealthy and fattening flapjack, cake and peanut butter are.

    :yes: However, you do need a certain amount of fat in your diet.
  • smitherzsmitherz Posts: 968 Part of The Mix Family
    Its practically impossible to not have any fat in your diet so that isn't a worry.

    You can eat healthy very cheap, Your local supermarkets cheapest label. EASY! its just a matter of sticking to it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote: »
    :yes: However, you do need a certain amount of fat in your diet.
    Yes, good fats. None of those are good fats.
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