38yr old, Iowa working mother of 3

dmschm2

HI, I am 38 year old mom of 3. I also work full time. I live in Des Moines, Iowa. I would love to add some friends with similar situations.

I was overweight my whole life, as were my parents and siblings. When I was about 28 and extremely overweight, my brother started doing weightwatchers, and when he got to a 30 lb loss, his wife, my sister and I all started doing it too. I lost 120lbs in 2years, reaching my goal. Soon learned maintenance is harder than I thought. That and life changes, like meeting my husband, dating, marrying, and having a couple babies, I found myself right up at my top weight again. I wanted to be healthier for my kids, so lost 90lbs before baby 3. I had my healthiest, lowest weight, lowest gain pregnancy, gaining only 25 lbs. But now she is 2, and I have gained another 50 lbs since she was born.

If you are any of these things: mom, from Iowa, have around 100lbs to lose, woman in your 30s and looking to add more friends for accountability, let me know.

I am currently walking every morning for 20-30 minutes, and working out at my lunch at work with friends in a conference room for 25 minutes 4 days a week, and of course, using my fitness pal to meet my calorie goals. down 5 lbs this year.

poedunk65

I HIGHLY recommend watching the movie Forks Over Knives and Hungry for a Change.

changed the way i eat.

Add me if you like.

I must warn, I am bluntly honest in my opinions and comments, but I wll try to help in any way i can. Good luck on your journey!

Tiernan1212

36 year old, Ohio, single working mother of 2!

My goal is 100lb, and I'm a little over halfway there. Feel free to add me :flowerforyou:

DeliriumCanBeFun

Welcome! It's sounds like you are on the right track. I'm 38 and a working mom/stepmom of 4. I would be delighted to be added to you FL

Toenges1

Here are some breakfast options, grocery list and tips from my blog. Will add lunch option tomorrow. It is NOT expensive. This is what I feed my kids, but also eat for myself. The blog was directed at what to feed kids for breakfast other than cereal:

Egg McMuffen: 1/4 cup Egg Beater, 2 slices of turkey bacon, 1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Cheddar Cheese. seved on Thomas Multi Grain, light English Muffen. Served with a medium apple or 1/2 cup of grapes. Glass of water.

Scrambled Eggs Deluxe: 1/2 cup of Egg Beater, 1/8 cup of Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles, 2 slices of green pepper. Thomas Multi Grain, light English Muffen topped with 1 tbsp Smart Balance Peanut Butter. Glass of water.

PB Toast, Yogurt and Fruit: 1 slice whole wheat toast topped with 1 tbsp Smart Balance creamy peanut butter. Greek yogurt (we love the Yoplait 100 - my favorite is the Strawberry Cheesecake Bliss). 1 medium apple or grapes.

Here is my weekly grocery list for breakfast items:
Large container Egg Beaters, Sargento Ultra Thin Cheddar Cheese slices, Low Fat Yogurt, Turkey Backon, Thomas Multi Grain light English Muffens, Jimmy Dean precooked sausage crumbles, Smart Balance Creamy Peanut Butter, green pepper, apples and grapes.

Tips to keep it simple:
1. Each week cut up green pepper into strips and keep in a tupperware so it is ready for breakfast..just chop one or two strips for your egg beater when desired.
2. Precook a full package of turkey bacon and keep in a tupperware. Heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. It gets a little chewy, but if you rip it up on your egg mcmuffen, it's easy to eat and delicious.
3. Buy the Jimmy Dean Sausage crumbles. my kids do not like the flavor of the turkey version, but if your kids like it, get that. When put in eggs you only need an 1/8 of a cup. I usually cook the egg on the stove, and at the same time microwave the sausage crumbles and some diced green pepper for 30 seconds. When the egges are almost done, I toss in the warmed sausage and green pepper. Easy.
4. Water - be sure they drink a good 16 oz of water to start their day. And if they can get 8 oz in while you are preparing their breakfast, even better. They say that dehydration is responsible for most hunger paigns - as they have similar sensation in your body. So if they drink some water it will make them less hunger and more satisfied after they eat.
5. Egg Beaters are the best thing ever!! They are healthier than eggs (90% egg whites) but my kids can't tell the difference. They are also easy to clean up. 1/4 Egg Beater = 1 egg. Perfect size for an egg sandwich and 30 calories per 1/4 cup, no carbs and 5 grams of protein. That is crazy!

maieranne77

Hi there! I live east of Ankeny, IA work in Johnston full time and am 36. Mother of 2. Would love to help each other out so feel free to add me.
With my work schedule (due to having to be home by 4:00 for the bus) my only time to work out (where it won't get bumped and pushed out by cooking dinner or practice times) is a 4:45 am. It stinks and really having a hard time going to bed early enough where the 4:30 alarm isn't a "yea right!".....snooozzzzz. BUT that being said I know that this is the time I need to get control and get to where I want to be. The only one that can do it is me...no one else can do it for me. So I'm going to have to get up when my alarm goes off and suck it up. Happy thoughts right?!
Anyway congrats on accepting the new challenge for 2014 and those 5 lbs of loss!

mrsjasonpalermo

Hi. My situation is similar to yours, a working mom with multiple children (from Pennsylvania). I was thin throughout highschool and college and started gaining weight at the end of college and with my first marriage. Then my weight went up and down around kids (four total) a divorce and remarriage. The maintaining of the weight was my largest chellenge as well. Now I am back up to my heaviest (heavier than I was when pregnant with twins) and want to loose about 70 pounds. Feel free to add me as a friend. I don't have any on here yet and think we could help each other.