Surely being a Dad will work???

rachelanddan12
rachelanddan12 Posts: 8
edited November 9 in Introduce Yourself
Hi All,

I have been a fluctuater for the last 11 years ever since I moved out of my parents at the age of 19 and was able to cook for myself, sort of. Also that beautiful nectar sold so freely in local establishment known as pubs has been a significant weakness in my life. Not to say that I'm an alcoholic, but I do binge when I do drink.

Anyway, all of this has resulted in my being the 19 stone monster I have become. But there is hope, I have a baby coming in the next 4 weeks and my vow is to be a fit and healthy Dad so I can play over the park with my child, without having a coronary and having to teach my kid a high level of first aid and CPR techniques by the time he's 3 years old.

So, my journey begins, I have had many similar journeys in my life, some more successful than others, but there's always been a weight that I have not been able to get below, it's almost as if life just refuses to allow it, when I reach that weight there will always be a party, occasion or anything else to throw me off my wagon and plunge back into fat Dan's dream. This magical weight is 210lbs, I can't help feel if I can get below this I can achieve my goal.

BRING IT!!!!

Replies

  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    How are you going to achieve this goal? What are your thoughts?
  • chante03
    chante03 Posts: 4
    Hoping that being a dad and being able to keep up with your kids can be the motivation that works for you! Good luck...and success.
  • TriciaB04
    TriciaB04 Posts: 9 Member
    Oh that sweet nectar. I know what you mean. :) And while I do think that it is good for children to have responsibilities as early as possible, 3 years old might be a bit early for CPR. I am glad you came up with plan B. :) Be Strong. Have Courage. Believe in yourself, because I believe you've got this thing.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    Habits have to be changed and one just has to be consistent. What I can say is that when your first child is born, something "magical" clicks and whatever desires you had seem to be on the backburner because now the child's success seems like your life's goal.
    I deal with this with mom clients all the time. So just having a kid may motivate you a little, but to be honest, unless you have a specific plan in place and are diligent with it, most new parents tend to pile on the pounds.

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  • allierat84
    allierat84 Posts: 73 Member
    Congratulations on the baby! Hopefully you can learn to enjoy beer without binging as it'd be awful to cut out something you love, good luck on your journey.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Since you've yo-yo'd in the past, you're really going to have to figure out why you always give up, or it will probably happen again, fatherhood be darned. Parents often gain weight in the first year of having a child (and every year after that) due to all of the extra work, stress, lack of free time, and responsibility. I hate to say it, but if fatherhood was not enough to motivate you for the last 5-8 months that you knew you were going to be a dad, it's not going to be enough to motivate you and keep you on track when the baby comes.

    To be successful, you're going to have to come up with a sustainable plan. You're going to have to figure out all of your temptations and pitfalls and a mitigation plan for all of them, especially the drinking, since you mention it. You're not an alcoholic, but you only binge when you drink? You can't have just one? Not all alcoholics drink every day.

    I don't know how tall you are, but 19 stone is 266 lbs. You're trying to drop to 210 lbs. Why is this the magic number? Why do you feel like you "can't" get below it? And why do you feel "it's almost as if life just refuses to allow it." Neither is true. You are the only one who controls how much you weigh.

    Good luck on losing the first 56 lbs. Know that it will probably take you between 5 to 10 months to get down to 210 lbs, which is good. You can absolutely lose that weight, so long as you make plans, strategies, and start believing that you are entirely in control of your weight.

  • rachelanddan12
    rachelanddan12 Posts: 8
    Thank you all very much for your comments and advice, I am making the changes I need to. I agree that these changes should of been made sooner and especially when I found out I was to be a Dad. However, every journey and all that, better start now than never start at all.

    The number 210lbs is the dreaded number more than anything and would love to get below this, I don't actually believe life is stopping me getting below this and know it is up to me.

    My problem when doing well has always been the allowance of a "treat" after months of doing well, because I have done so well, tis a vicious circle. So in this attempt, I will be using moderation rather than a cold turkey technique I have used in the past. I will have a few treats so instead of accusing life of getting in the way, I can walk hand in hand and succeed that way.

    I can only eat or drink things I bring into the house, so if I don't buy it, I can't have it.

    I am not naïve enough to think that this will be easy, but I am determined enough to make it work.
  • JoseCastaneda
    JoseCastaneda Posts: 245 Member
    Your kids will always be a great (if not the greater) motivation. But do it also for you. YOU will become a new person, a new man. Do it also for your significant other. She will be really happy to have a better you. Trust me, I've been there too, and I know it's possible! Feel free to add me so we can share dad/kids experiences in this path to be healthier :)
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    I think your moderation rather than cold turkey plan sounds much more manageable and something that you can stick with. If you fall off the wagon and over eat or have 8 pints then don't freak out and let it turn in to a weekend off or a week off as that can easily become to much of a habit. Just draw a line under the day / meal and carry on with things in moderation right from the next meal.

    The only downside I see in your future is you can be extremely busy and tired with a newborn! Take time once a week to plan your meals in advance, and when cooking, if possible, make things in batch that you can freeze so you can just zap it in the microwave when you are too tired to cook from scratch.

    Good luck and congratulations on becoming a daddy :)
  • melissabarlow612
    melissabarlow612 Posts: 33 Member
    Britishbroccoli is a *kitten*! Good luck Dan!
  • melissabarlow612
    melissabarlow612 Posts: 33 Member
    If I knew it would star out the b word I would have called her a *kitten* (the c word)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    but to be honest, unless you have a specific plan in place and are diligent with it, most new parents tend to pile on the pounds.

    So much of this right here. I found that after having my daughter 6 years ago, good intentions go completely out the window. You're tired, stressed out, and just trying to survive. Unless you have a specific plan established/in place, you're going to fall into what I call the "whatever is easiest" route. When you've been awake for 18 hours and have a crying baby with reflux and you're starving, you're not going to go to the kitchen and make a sandwich. You're going to call a restaurant/pizza place/chinese take out/whatever to make you food and deliver it into your tired hands. You'll wolf down the entire thing because you just can't help it. At least, that's what my experience as a new mom was.

    I'm due with #2 in a week or so, and thankfully I've established new habits and learned moderation, logging, and such that carried me not only to a 58 lbs weight loss before pregnancy, but also a healthy weight gain for my entire pregnancy. I have learned enough to know what to do when my body is physically ready to begin weight loss again, so I'm not as worried about that rebound affect that I had with my first child. I know what to do and how to do it, so it's all good :)
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