A little confused.com!

klt123
klt123 Posts: 6
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I joined this site last year but after faffing around for a couple of weeks didn't touch it again. Now I'm back and serious!

Ok, I need a little help and advice I think.

I'm 41 years old, female and have had 3 caesareans which have left an apron of fat over the scar (nice).

I am generally a little overweight, however most of this is concentrated around my tummy. I'm a real apple shape.

My aim is to lose just over a stone in weight (14-16 lbs, I'm English, sorry!) and tone up my whole body, especially my tummy, lower and uppper and to get fitter. I am 5ft 8 inches (erm I think 174cm)

I am currently cycling to school and back (around 10 mins away) once a day, although I do try and cycle more on some days.

I have recently joined the gym and do 15 mins jog, 5 mins (can't last longer) on the step machine and then do some of the weight machines, including one for the abs. I also try to do a Zumba class each week and I do Ceroc dancing once a week too.

I have tried running on the street/park, but absolutely hated it. I'm going to join a pilates group next week at the gym.

My problem is, I have such a sweet tooth and consistently go into the red numbers on fat (chocolate). I'm trying to tame it, but really struggling with this. I know I need a boost of willpower, if anyone's sellng any....

So, I would like to know:

Gym - any suggestions as to how I could meet my targets any more effectively?
Food - any suggestions as to how I can improve my diet to allow me to get a sweet fix without the fat?
Tummy - any suggestions on how to target this problem area given that my muscles have been sliced through so many times?!

Thank you in advance and well done if you're still awake at the end of this waffle!

Replies

  • Janice6331
    Janice6331 Posts: 8
    Hi there

    I too have a very sweet tooth. I enjoy my chocolate. So what i did was planned my treats out for the week. I would have an evening where i maybe was watching a programme on tv or relaxing at the weekend. So my plan was that on a wednesday i would get a small piece of chocolate with a drink while i watched my programme. then on a saturday i enjoyed the same. Before i planned it out as a reward and something to look forward too i was able to stick to it and stopped snacking. Its all about the planning ahead. Not eating treats on the spur of the moment but still knowing that you will get one.

    The exercise you are doing is excellent. Keep doing it and if you can avoid too many sweet things the weight will come off.

    I have a problem with my tummy too. Like you i have 3 children all natural birth but i have a back injury so it is difficult. I find sit ups are the best and if you could get running it works for me. But there is no point doing something you hate cos it will put you off exercise.

    How are you getting on anyway? I note you wrote this in April.
  • driaxx
    driaxx Posts: 314 Member
    Hey! Welcome back!

    In regards to your sweet tooth, check out this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/354364-chocolate-addiction

    Some people helped me out heaps with their recommendations and now I can stay within my daily limits while still loving my chocolate.
  • Gail3260
    Gail3260 Posts: 354 Member
    I know what you mean about the after effects of the c-section as I only had one and I don't look too tidy around there!! I'm not sure there is too much that can be done in that area because of the nature of it but I'd love to know if anyone has any ideas.

    As for the gym I'd suggest trying a few other different machines to see what suits you. I can't run or jog so I use the rower and the bike. Where I go they have some of the recumbent types and I find them less stressful.

    Sorry I can't help with the sweet tooth, I'm more of a cheese junkie myself!

    Good luck!
  • rachypompa
    rachypompa Posts: 653 Member
    Hi Kit

    And welcome ...

    I would suggest talking to one of the Personal trainers at the gym .... get yourself a session that you enjoy set up.
    I wouldn't worry about the fat in your sweet fix too much, worry more about the sugar! Try to plan out your sweets for the week ... my Mum swears by freezing her fav choc bars so they take ages to eat. I've never tried that. I just have a bar of dark choc in the fridge, and I have a chunk or two a day.

    I also have the lovely fat apron that folds nicely over my c section scar! And have about 16lbs to get to my goal weight. I'm hoping that as I get closer to goal it will go away ... fingers crossed on that one!
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    I know how you feel - I've had 4 c-sections and have the pooch! I find that doing some core strengthening exercises has helped to smooth out and tighten up the tummy area. Not just crunches...plank work and just being aware of your core area and tightening it up when doing your workouts has made quite a difference! Good luck!
  • julie204
    julie204 Posts: 130
    hi glad you have made a choice to come back on here i think were you have a sweet tooth try buying the weight watchers caramel bars as low cals or i use kallo organic milk chocolate rice cake thins 57 cals one slice fat 3.2 g i find one of these with a coffee does the trick and is filling you can get them in sainsbury tesco and health shops they also do them in dark chocolate as to the gym i think you are doing well just do what you can you will soon be going for longer and achieving more do what your comfortable with as for jogging i am hopless at it i do lots of walking they say its better and you can burn more cals walking i do 30 to 40 min walk about 3 times a week and try to get on my bike when i can i think your weight will soon come off if you stick to your calories and dont forget if you have a bad day just get straight back on it next day if you want to add me as a friend your more than welcome by the way i have had 2 ceaser as well and have some over hang dont know if its best to loose first then tone up not sure on that one hope this is a bit helpful to you :smile:
  • Rutagabalis
    Rutagabalis Posts: 7
    Hi,

    I am like you had a caesarean (fortunately only once) and have a problem with a tummy area, also the same as you I joined the myfitnesspal some time ago but left without perusing my goal weight to the end and now I am back.

    My advice to you - find the sport you like. I have tried the gym and classes so many times and dropped out because I wasn't enjoying them which made me feel like a failure (i like to finish everything I start). Now I found 2 sports I enjoy and even can share with my daughter and my husband. I go horse riding/jumping with my 8 year old daughter and started rock climbing (my daughter and my husband also climb). The upside of the sport is that you meet very nice people who are interested in what they are doing so it will become not only exercise you must do but the socialising as well. When I used to go to the gym, most of the people were grumpy/sad who were trying very hard to achieve their goal through the will power and very little enjoyment. I went yesterday to the rock climbing club for 2 hours and burned over 450 calories doing not very much, 2/3 of the time I was standing around, belaying, chatting and laughing, and I already look forward for next Monday club. Does anyone genuinely look forward to their hour in the gym after work?

    Another advice I could give is to use an ab belt (I got Bodi-Tek Ab-Tek Belt) to tone your belly. At first I was very sceptical about it but after trying it for about 3 times only I felt the difference so I decided to stick with it.

    Sweet tooth is a big problem, the only replacements I found to chocolate was Nakd Cheeky Berry Bar (100 cal) or Easy Body Protein Shake (140 cal if buying ready made or 76 cal if making yourself without milk). I found both very filling for different reasons, I fancied something sweet sweet (carbohydrates) I would go for Nakd as it has got a high percentage of Dates in it and I couldn't eat dates on their own because they are too sweet and I feel hungry before the time I go for the protein shake which kills my hunger for a long time and satisfies my sweet tooth.

    I realise we are all different but this works for me and might work for someone else........... :smile:
  • klt123
    klt123 Posts: 6
    Thanks guys, you've all helped loads. Plan of action includes planning in my chocolate treat each day - I'm currently holding out for 4 blocks of dark choc each night, but I need to know I can have the occasional crappy chocolate too (I'm so bad on Sunday I ate THREE full size Mars bars in a row, the shame).

    I think the pilates should take care of the core strengthening work and I actually really enjoy the gym, I haven't been for years so it's a novelty for me at the moment, plus there are loads of fit blokes to ogle while I'm sweating in a corner :).

    Loved the thread for the chocolate fix, loads of excellent ideas there and I'll be scouting some of the suggestions here in the UK too.

    I would worry about the sugar, but because it's not on the fitness plan stats I can't see it! It does as you know talk about fat content, so this is what I have noticed. I wouldn't even like to hazard a guess as to how much sugar I take on board, which in turn leads to fat. I wonder why this programme doesn't detail sugar content along with carbs/fat etc?

    For the cheese junkie, have you tried very mature cheese? It's a bit like dark chocolate in that you're not supposed to need as much to quell your craving.

    Also, I didn't reply in April, it's an American site so the date is the other way round from the way we Brits write it!

    Thank you again everyone, can't wait to see some loss going on! :)
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