# where do I start?



## Frantastic (Sep 14, 2010)

Hi guys
i'll try and keep this short and sweet because i just need a bit of advice really. 
I was diagnosed type one about 4 years ago and at the time i was at my skinniest, about 10st and dress size 10. i was always a chubby child so had tried really hard when i went to uni to lose the weight and happy with how sucessful i was. everything was fine until about 2 years ago when the weight starting creeping back on again, and particularly in the last year and i'm now a szie 14 again and weighing 12st.

i know i'm not exercising as much as i used to mainly because i don't have time but i still manage an hour bike ride about 3 times a week and i do get other forms of light exercise elsewhere. so i know i can step up the exercise again to help.

my main problem is my relationship with food though.  I know i eat portions that are too large but i try and watch my carbs, but i seem to not know when to stop anymore particularly with the sweet things. I'm pretty sure i'm not depressed but i do use food as a comfort.....

i'm not really sure where i'm going with all this but basically i need to go on a diet and lose some weight and i don't know where to start!!
do i need to start keeping a diary, weighing my food, weighing myself??
and how do i get my head around it all and stay positive?
any help is much appreciated 
i feel a bit lost.


----------



## Dizzydi (Sep 14, 2010)

Frantastic said:


> Hi guys
> i'll try and keep this short and sweet because i just need a bit of advice really.
> I was diagnosed type one about 4 years ago and at the time i was at my skinniest, about 10st and dress size 10. i was always a chubby child so had tried really hard when i went to uni to lose the weight and happy with how sucessful i was. everything was fine until about 2 years ago when the weight starting creeping back on again, and particularly in the last year and i'm now a szie 14 again and weighing 12st.
> 
> ...




hi frantastic, the best thing to do to start with is do a food diary. Record everything you eat. Also start weighing out your food and cut down on your portion sizes.

When I was first diagnosed, I went on the diabetesuk website. They have a few docs on there you can down load which will help. One is an illustration of a plate which is a guide of what foods to eat and how much. Another is a guide which indicates how much of certain food you should eat in a day.

 Cut down gradually so your body gets used to it and your not starving all the time. 

If you need in-between snacks est fruit. I currently eat at least 4 pieces of different fruit a day. I lost 3 stone within 6 months of diagnosis. I went from 13 stone 2 to 10 stone 2.

Keep up the exercise and pm me of you want anymore help or just a sounding board.

Di x


----------



## Caroline (Sep 15, 2010)

When you keep your diary also record what kind of mood you're in and how you are feeling. It will show if you go for certain types of food when you are in a particular sort of mood.

If you tend to nibble while you are doing computer work or watching the telly or reading, try and have things like fruit and vege to hand. When it is cold and I feel peckish and it's a while to lunch or dinner I find soup helps, especially if you can get low calorie/low carb varieties.


----------



## MargB (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi Frantastic, different ways work for different people.  I did not really start losing weight until I started paying weekly to a slimming club - I am in Slimming World - and went along at the same time each week to be weighed.  I was competing with myself to lose some weight before the next weigh-in.  It works for me.


----------



## Frantastic (Sep 15, 2010)

hellooo
thanks for the advice, there are some great tips there.
i'm going to start keeping a diary and making meal plans so that i stick to a routine better. also going to get a photo of myself now and stick it next to my mirror or something, and have my own kind of weekly weigh-in.
I would like to join slimming world or an equivalent but i'm unemployed at the minute so can't afford it and it would probably be hard to get a new job to fit around an event like that cos they are usually in the day! but its definately something i'm going to keep in mind. 

i've set my target too of losing 2 stone in total and within 6-8 months. its going to be tough but i'm going to stay as determined as possible without developing an eating disorder! 

today i weighed in at 76kg.... so watch this space


----------



## Caroline (Sep 15, 2010)

Good luck with it. 

Have a look at the various groups websites. There are some groups in the evening, the slimming world group near me meets in the evening. I think some groups even have concessions for people who are not working or on certain benefits, so ask.

Some employers wil allow you to leave work a little earlier to attend slimming groups if it is for health reasons, so when you get a job there is no harm in asking, or if there is a group near you firm they may even llow you time off to attend or at least get weighed.

I'm sure you will do well.


----------



## MargB (Sep 15, 2010)

I go in the evening and when looking at the list of venues I just automatically ignored all those during the day as I work.

This forum could work for you - if this is going to be your weigh in day each week and you don't cheat, because we can't see your scales, then recording your weight here will be your spur.  What I like about Slimming World is that you don't get attacked when you do put on some weight but come up with ideas of perhaps why.  Me, I knew exactly why I had put on weight but some people are genuinely puzzled.  That is when you find out they thought Starbucks were OK and they could drink as many as they liked.  Basically, you can eat anything you like but be aware of how it will affect your weight and compensate elsewhere.  I am lucky in that I like fruit and am now in the routine of buying it each week and actually eating it!


----------



## lucy123 (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi

Welcome aboard!
It might be worth having a word with your GP if you would like to do SW - as my SIL has jsut received vouchers as part of a referral scheme and gets 12 weeks free and then has to go back to GP for further review.


----------

