Any ideas welcome???? Have tried the starvation technique- but once I've had a couple of drinks all bets are off!!
Have put on approx 1/2 stone, I reckon, so am currently at 9 stone - with a bmi of about 21 - but not used to being this big and it's sincerely undermining any self-confidence I once possessed. Interfering with my work also - big problem :-(

Hi Ev

Don't starve yourself - you need to eat to fuel your body so you can funtion properly! And starvation diets don't work - while you may lose weight initially, your body would react by hanging onto some fat in case there's lean times again. So, you'd eventually put the weight back on.

I'm afraid the best way to lose weight is to eat sensibly, and exercise (not fun, but there you have it!). You need to expend more energy than that you're taking in from food. And it will take a while. Also remember that alcohol is fattening. Says me, who's also trying to lose a Christmas belly, but it's Friday nite and a beer awaits!

hi Ev
I have this tip from my friend who had a big potbelly. His mum put him on a salad diet for days and he did lose weight.
Very uncomfortable but the weight did go down.

Don't starve yourself, perhaps also exercise or do some running, if you can find a friend to go with you, would be nice.
:-)

I swear by weightwatchers...means you can still eat what you want but you just have to limit it to the amount of points you're allowed...always works for me! When I was dieting I also exercised 3 times a week, and I lost 2 stone!

You don't even need to got to weightwatchers meetings, I never, just buy all the books and stuff on ebay!

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hmm, try porridge for breakfast - keeps you full. I always have trouble with lunch, usually don't have anything in so end up eating lots of snacks like crisps/choc so make sure you plan ahead about what you want to eat for lunch and make dinners earlier e.g. 6pm. Generally slightly smaller portions of the same thing I think makes it feel like you are not on a horrible regime. Hot choc at night also stops those late night sugar cravings - get the 40 cal ones e.g. options.

Also try and do 20 mins or 30 mins of exercise per morning.

Now I will go and follow my own advice

*sneaks picks up the packet of chicken walkers crisps*

Ffs Ev, a BMI of 21 and a half-stone gain is not a lot - probably no-one else has noticed.

That said, if it is undermining your self-confidence and interfering with your work this is not good.

In my experience (and I am a similar size to you):

Self-starvation just has the same result for me as it does for you (especially after a few drinks :$)
Any post-Christmas flabbly feeling goes away after a few weeks of my usual routine.
Excercise helps. A lot. Do you do any? (Also helps with dealing with stressful PhD feeling.)

21 is quite low. I can't remember mine but it is JUST in the ok category verging dangerously close into the overweight category :$

21 is quite low. I can't remember mine but it is JUST in the ok category verging dangerously close into the overweight category :$

Bit of an effeminate conversation here, but I'd like to say I'm probably edging the overweight side of the BMI scale, BUT, I hide it really well. I'll do something about it when I get my PhD done though - something like a get fit campaign. IN the meantime I'll launch Operation Walminski Eat Less...:-(

I need to lose weight, I am a bit overweight, I like being a bit generous - I like being womanly, but not as much as I am. I have a thyroid problem and my medication is still being sorted out, so weight loss has been very, very difficult for a few years; however, iit should get easier soon. I tend to cut out all crap and exercise a bit extra - works well for me, n normal circumstances.

Luckily, I was careful over Christmas and didn't put any weight on.

Have you tried increasing your routine exercise? I live about 4 miles away from Uni and have a bus pass that gets me around, but in an effort to lead a more healthy lifestyle I've started walking half of it (the pretty, not quite-so-major-road-side part), then catching the bus. I have also occassionally walked the full way, but I kinda feel that's not balancing work with exercise/transport properly. Maybe it's not going to lose you a lot of weight straight off, but it should keep weight off in the long-run.....plus walking is good for the soul.

You could try breaking your foot?! I was convinced that I would pile the pounds on while my foot is in plaster because I'm normally in the gym 5-6 days per week doing loads of cardio work, but I've been in plaster for 6 weeks now and actually lost a few pounds because my appetite has gone now I'm not exercising! I also have a thyroid condition and am on medication for bipolar disorder which both make it very difficult to lose weight, but with a lot of exercise and a relatively healthy diet I stay reasonably slim. The best bet is to find exercise that you enjoy and isn't a chore- try a few different things with your mates until you find something fun that you can stick to. I used to just do the same thing in the gym every evening, but now I alternate it with aerobics and kickaerobics classes, and drag my mates along to the classes too, and it's a lot easier to stick to. I always like to exercise to music too, it's a nice way to end a busy day at work listening to your favourite tunes and unwinding your mind! Personally I don't like to play competitive sports in the evening because my concentration is shot at by then and I play badly and then get pissed off with myself, but we're all different! KB

Thanks everyone for the tips - you're all very sensible (and correct!)- healthy eating and a good exercise regime is the way to go - I guess I've been cutting down on my exercise in order to free up time to see family, friends etc. and hadn't realised it. I do eat well and am generally quite an active person but have been letting work (or thinking about trying to work) take over a bit. So, in conclusion, move more, eat less chocolate and the problem should sort itself out!

for me the problem is this work. when I'm sitting here working away I feel the need to get up and get...a coffee...a few crisps...a choccie...a bit of fruit... etc. I do try to get some exercise in, 30mins three times a week, but its hard sometimes fitting it in with everything else. Whilst its been snowy and the roads have been icy I've walked into the school where I work, 40mins or so, and when the spring comes I think I will do this more often, hopefully once all the Christmas goodies have been eaten that will make a difference. Being veggie I find most diet plans pretty useless, they only seem to include one non-meat meal, and I wouldn't want to eat the same thing for ever! :$. The only advice I can give is don't buy too many 'snackettes' so you can't go foraging for them!