Seriously don't know what to do anymore

micwrites

it is overwhelming to try to grasp it all at once. I hear you. I have been there, not even wanting to go to fun social events because I was worried about people I know would think about how I looked. the thing is, our weight didn't come on all at once, and it won't come off all at once. but I think it's the little victories that will get you back on track.

start small. grab your baby, put her in a stroller and walk around the block. getting air will do you good. notice how beautiful it is this spring! any movement you can do will help your mood. drink water!! lots of it. and remember that you have a whole community here who have been in the same boat and are here to help. you can do it!!

kimjmay

Buy yourself a really good jogging stroller and get out of the house!! The weather is getting nice out and you can keep your little one close. My girls loved it when I took them for a walk.
I had a hard time losing the baby weight (i'm still trying 8 years later) but what helped was getting out of the house....even for 15 min at a time. We were lucky enough to have a park 3 blocks away, so we would walk there and play for a few minutes and walk back. It feels good to move around and get fresh air.
At this time of year you could even have a seasonal disorder from lack of sunshine....I know i get the blues every winter.
Good luck and take it one day at a time!!!
You can do it!

cgmilleson

I came on today looking for motivation, but I saw your post and wanted to reach out.

My best advice is to speak with a dietitian. After learning what I should have learned in high school, I can begin applying it to how I eat. It's saved me tons of wondering if I was following the right 'plan'. And truthfully, I don't have the cash to spend on a 'plan'.

Don't beat yourself up. Be patient. As a working mother of three, you'll find your rhythm. Smile a bit. And join in!

wannabpiper

I felt the same way you did. Everyone is different, but for me it was a mild case of depression. You have to find a way to take care of you - and it's so hard to do with little ones around. I love this site because I can check in as many times a day as I want to in order to stay motivated.

I see there are some awesome ideas presented in this thread and I hope something works for you. Best of luck!

amyx593

Be okay with slow change. Take your daughter for more walks. Use her as motivation. YOU CAN DO THIS. Imagine how proud you were the first time around.... you need to want that more than anything! I know you do, now PROVE IT! You've got this.

aNewYear123

It can be really hard to get started, I am glad you are getting help.

Maybe find a class or a friend so that you are accountable to someone. Classes are what force me to exercise - I paid money and am expected to show up at a certain time on a certain day. That way I can't choose to stay in my chair in front of the TV after work. Once you get started it might get easier to continue.

NavyKnightAh13

First off, don't talk negatively about yourself (it's a lesson I'm still learning to this very day :grumble: ).

I have a 16 month old, and with going back to college in August, its going to be more difficult, and also once my job at the newspaper starts back up again, it just adds to it. But I suffer from mild post partum depression, along with situational depression with anxiety. I went to therapy, and they said "just give it time."

I started running when I was 6 weeks post partum, and ran my 7th 5k this past Saturday and placed 3rd in my age division (20-24 year old female) and honestly never thought that would happen. When I became a mom, I thought I would never be able to balance this, but somehow, once I started running, it became a lot more clear. I see that little boy of mine and let him be the motivation I need. I want for him to have a mommy when he is 20 (my mom died when I was 20, my mother in law passed when he was 21). Now I dance (I'm actually minoring in Dance, which is surprising that I can still do it at 24, majoring in Journalism), I run, and added Insanity into my work out regiment (before anyone says anything, I was weight lifting but was starting to lose interest and felt that it would be overkill to do weight lifting and Insanity at the same time).

It starts with simple changes and small steps. You can't conquer it all in a day, and reassess from time to time and go from there. You can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also if anyone tells you that you can't do this (and trust me that little demon in your head will tell you that), tell them to stick it :bigsmile:

st0dad

I'll be 100% honest, I wasn't able to do ANYTHING until I got a friend to start helping me. I didn't have motivation to eat right (I love the act of eating and tasting more than I like the act of being full, so sometimes I would eat past full just because I wanted more of that taste I was craving) nor did I really want to go to the gym by myself (Planet Fitness claims to be judgement free, but it's still intimidating seeing the thin people there even when they're not judging you). Eventually I found a friend who also wanted to get fit and eat right. Now together we go to the gym 3 times a week, we exchange healthy recipes and I've already lost more weight in 2 weeks than I had in several months!

My reccommendation to you would be maybe go a site that promotes friend finding (like OKcupid, it's not just about dating there from what I've seen) and find someone to go with you to the gym. It's like having a sponsor! When you have someone there motivating you and making this whole experience fun and rewarding in the short term as well as the long term.

Until then, I'm gonna request you and hopefull we can help each other. ^^

kerrieward77

It's great that you are seeing a therapist. I hope that you start feeling better soon. I am currently fighting the same urge to lay on the couch instead of getting up and moving. I do find that getting my kids involved helps to motivate me. I push the baby around the park in the stroller, or bribe my teenagers to walk with me. You can do this. Just set small achievable goals. Feel free to add me. I can use all the support I can get, and would be happy to share my support with you. Good luck.

4word

I'm glad you're seeing a counselor! Surely they have spoken with you about Post-PartumDepression. Do not take it lightly... it can become very serious if not treated properly. (Speaking from experience).

Take baby steps... just like your daughter. I recommend making healthy changes at home but focusing more on getting the post-partum depression in line before you tackle a great deal of weight loss. I'm not saying forget about... just prioritize the mental health!
Wishing you the best of luck!!!

CharliesInCharge

Quit looking at the big picture and start small.

Start just tracking your food.
Then start trying to keep it under 2000 calories.
When you can do that lower it to 1800.
Then start going on walks...

Doesn't sound like much, but it works in the long run.

+1000

perfect advise

scrapbooklady

You got some great advice here. I am so glad you are seeing a therapist. Just getting the feelings out and talking through it all will help. I don't know about you but I eat for emotional reasons. If you are seeing a counselor, that right there will help with that. Also, just being on MFP is a huge support system. I would be happy to add you as a friend and offer you support and encouragement along the way. It is not easy to lose weight and I have felt what you are feeling. I have lost weight and put it back on and am now losing again. Keep your chin up, take it one day, one meal at a time. Just try to work on one behavior at a time. Track calories. Then you can move on to another, drink water. Little by little you will add things and start to see small changes. It is not an overnight change. If you lot too fast you will put it right back on. Slow and steady.