Single mom

shaunab22

I have no motivation to work out I'm so tired the majority of the time I can limit my calories but not losing weight becuase I'm not making the time to work out. Ugh wish I could break this cycle

Expatmommy79

May I be honest?

I've only been at this a short while, but I saw changes as soon as I started limiting my calories. After the first 7 pounds then I started exercising - but without exercise its still possible to loose weight.

First hats off to being a single mom. Huge respect. I have 3 kids and a very kind Dh and I still have days when I think "how do single moms do it". You have so much strength you just need to harness that energy for your health.

Log everything you eat. Weigh it. Try to be OCD for a few weeks to see what is really going in your mouth and how many calories it is. Small changes can make big differences.

If you are on a budget, try and stay on top of the sales for meats (which tend to be more expensive) and look up recipes to use the cuts on promotion. Look at how you prepare food, bake instead of fry for example.

Good luck and I'm sure you can do this.

middlehaitch

There is no need to work out. As a single mom you are probably getting plenty of exercise.

Make sure you are eating enough. If you are constantly tired you may not be.

Use a food scale to weigh your food, you will be much more accurate that way.

Think of changing your weekly goal to .5lb a week. You can always increase the loss later.

Make small manageable changes, be easy on yourself, you have a child to take care of.

Cheers, h.

morgancs21

shaunab22 wrote: »

I have no motivation to work out I'm so tired the majority of the time I can limit my calories but not losing weight becuase I'm not making the time to work out. Ugh wish I could break this cycle

I am a single mom to 3 boys (5,3,&2). My 3 year old is bipolar and epileptic, my 2 year old has brain damage, is deaf, and also has a metabolism so high it can kill him. He just had his feeding tube out in August. IT IS FREAKING EXHAUSTING!!! I get no help from their dads (my oldest sons dad passed from cancer and my youngest 2s dad moved to California) and my parents live in North Carolina and my kids and I are in Georgia. Because of my youngest sons issues we live on the road traveling or in hospitals.

I totally understand how exhausting it is and it is a level of drain that I have never had in my life because no matter how tired you are, you can't stop. Here are a few things that help.

Cardio at least 30 mins every morning before you eat. This kicks your metabolism up first thing and gives you energy (lots of energy!!) I personally can barley drag myself out of bed most mornings to get them to school but once I drop my older off at school the baby and income home and I cook him breakfast and while he eats I get on the treadmill and then when I am done I make my breakfast. There are 30 min cardio DVDs, do for a walk around the block, jumping jacks and running in place. On days I work I take my lunch (eggs on a high fiber/ low cal tortilla. I walk in place or walk all around the inside of my work and then eat.

Meal prep: I don't meal just meal planning but meal prep! Cook everything for a week on Saturday or Sunday. Breakfast and lunches. I put my meals in portion containers in the fridge so I just grab, heat, and eat. They are measured out so it's fast and easy. I still cook stuff for my kids like normal and then I heat my meal. It also helps cut down on the fast food trips when you are just to tired to cook. Corn dogs in the freezer for the kids for those emergencies.

Snacks. As a mom I know how easy it is to grab a little Debbie meant for the lunch box. I keep stock of sugar free puddings, jello, and light yogurt to help with my sweet cravings. Instead of chips I use carrots to get the crunch and keep my mouth busy.

Strength training is the best thing. Buy a couple 5/8lb weights and you can Pinterest those 30 day abs/ legs/ back/ chest routines. What I do is rotate. Day 1 of abs on the first day, day 1 of legs on second day and then move on to day 2. It is not the best way but they are fast workouts you can do WITH kids and they really make a difference.

Today we hit up McDonald's because I had a friends daughter with us and she hadn't ate. So instead of a regular meal I got a happy meal with water. Smaller portion, less calories, and you can take off the top bun to help even more. I make this my emergency thing and try to avoid with all cost but with my life it just is not possible.

It seems like a lot but change 1 thing at a time. You already have a schedule that you and your kids are on so making 1 small change and getting into that routine and then moving to another will help keep you from failing.

GOOD LUCK!!!

takingcareofus

Hi,

Fellow single mom here. Hats off for trying to take care of yourself!!!

I am in awe of morgancs21, and at the same time I didn't let myself finish reading her phenomenal post, feeling down on myself for being so different than her. We each have to work with our respective natures ****combined with current other factors****. I aspire to tweak my nature to be more - like morgancs21 -
active, disciplined, energetic, and organized to be more along those lines.
Meanwhile...

If you think you may be struggling with clinical depression, that can really take a lot of energy and distort the mindset and processes.

I find it really tough to find (& pay for) sitters for early mornings or evenings outside of the day devoted to work, errands, and appointments on top nurturing the family. Some people work out at home. I want to but I'm not there yet for reasons I won't go into here.
** The best is finding a friend, neighbour, or colleague who has kids that can get along with your kids and who are old enough to play in the other room while you jump around, dance, or stretch **. Easier said than done, but it's worth revisiting ocasionally.

My indirect weight loss goals:
-trying to eat more vegetables and
-trying to sleep more. (My doctor voted I turn off anything with a screen an hour before my goal bedtime, and prescribed meletonin, etc., to help.)

All the best to you and your family, shaunab22. We may need to take others' help now in order to give down the road.

MandiSaysHey

I'm a single mom too. Between school for my son and working full time I don't always have time or motivation to go to the gym but one thing I love to do that is bonding time for my son and I AND great exercise is dancing. We just pull up our favorite songs on YouTube and dance for 20 minutes. It's not much, but its something and is fun and its exercise I can do without taking more time away from my son.

busyPK

I'm a single mom to 3 here - ages 5, 4 (with special needs) and 3. Their dad is very involved, but we are not together anymore. I find working out first thing in the morning before my kids get up or right after I put them to bed is best for me. Planning head food and cooking a good meal at least twice a week with left overs for the next day. You just have to find the routine that works for you, but know you deserve to be in your priority list. Exercise can be your reflection/quiet time and can actually add energy to your day.