[momwannabe]

Hi there everyone

I've just joined and am hoping to get some motivation for what seems like an overwhelming journey. I think you're all amazing for the weight you've lost and I really hope to do some of that in the next few months.

[Lovely]

Welcome to 3FC!

Tell us about your plans! Do you have a food plan or an exercise plan?

We'd love to help encourage you and nudge you in the right direction

[momwannabe]

Wow, thank you! That's so nice. At this stage I feel like I'm not even sure where to begin. I manage gym about once a week because my work commitments are so hectic, but my short term goal is to up that to 3 times a week. Sugar is a big thing for me, so my thinking is that that has to go (daaah, no brainer!) and then I'm probably going to try cutting carbs. But any advice is soooo welcome!

[Lovely]

Congratulations on getting to the gym on a regular basis! Even consistently going once a week is a heckuva lot better than nothing!

If you're interested in looking into a low carb way of eating, there's a Low Carb section under Diet Central where you can read up on what it entails for many people.

You don't have to overhaul everything all at once. Keep making changes that you know you can stick to!

[Sinoia]

I think we tend to be hard on ourselves. I know I am. A while back, when I was in the wallowing stage, a friend said to me "Look, you are exercising the moment you get up and it all kicks off with your morning shower!" (she was really frustrated with my moaning.

True though, my morning shower is like my best stretching exercises ever! I cannot think what it all must sound like from outside but I go nuts with the bending and the arms up and around thing and as the shower stall is not that big and I am there is a whole ton of banging and thumping going on. It does not feel like work anyway and I figure I am on a win win because if I do get sweaty I am so in the right place to wash it off instantly.

Another great exercise opportunity is the laundry. I make a whole three ring circus now about taking the laundry out of the tumble dryer and folding it. There are many toe touches and arms out and up stretchings. My partner says it looks demented. Still, it does not feel like exercising, just doing those chores, you know?

Same for waiting for the kettle to boil, a couple of minutes of head rolls, shoulder rolls and if I am really feeling adventurous, knee highs.

I know this is all anaerobic stuff but I am figuring any little helps. Before I got my treadmill and dancemat all I had was a stepper and lateral thigh trainer. The latter two are so compact and good for ten to twenty minutes hard work while watching telly.

All of this sounds like I am into exercise but truly I am not and oftentimes I so totally don't want to even think about doing it. I am working on the principle that if I force myself to keep going there will come a time when it is so easy to hop up and do this stuff, plus so easy to just keep moving that it wont actually be exercise at all.

This coming week I am extending the effort to include my Wii. My experience with it previously was an utter disaster and if it turns out to be my worst enemy again I am dumping it rather than hitting the bad place and feeling beaten!

My friend was right ... as long as we are moving we are exercising. After that we can get fancy.

[momwannabe]

Lovely: Thanks again for the support. I think you're right that I have to keep things in perspective and making small changes one at a time!

Sinoia: Wow, that is a good plan! I've decided to pack away files one at a time rather than all together so that I have to get up from my desk more. And the exercise while kettle is on thing sounds like a good plan too!