Where do you start?

PumpkinpieTurtle

Hi Everyone!

I'm a new mom of a beautiful 8 month old girl. I have a 6 year old son and have had an extra 24lbs for that long. My pregnancy with my daughter has just added an addtional 9lbs. I have no clue where to start. Today was an example of never feeling full and seeking anything that was in sight. My friends and family encourage me, however my husband tempts me with things I like, not to be mean, but because he knows I things junk food.

I just want to know where did you start in your changes. My husband recently bought me a treadmill and I have used it and will use it. My eating habits are terrible!

Please send any suggestions my way!

AnAbsoluteDiva

Count calories.

themommie

the best thing to do is to start swapping the things you like with low cal things that are similiar that you like or can tolerate. ex I love ice cream but I have learned to swap it with skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, klondike slim bars or frozen yogurt. I love to munch so I have learned to munch on popcorn, kettle corn, mini rice cakes, pretzles and 100 snack packs. Also munch on baby carrots. Learn to make your favorite dishes lowcal, start eating more fruits, vegetables, yogurt and soups. Also try taking the kids for a walk to the park , the treadmill is also perfect, try walking in place or doing jumpjacks, situps or anything to get moving during commercials. I hope this helps. Feel free to add me as a friend. Just dont give up, you can do this

AsaThorsWoman

Start going for walks... than eventually get a pass at your local YMCA. Childcare while you burn is included in the price of your membership.

kappyblu

With me, the changes started small. I switched to low fat milk. 1%. I also started buying whole grain wheat bread. Only the brands without high fructose corn syrup in them. Check those labels! Then along came the switch to whole grain brown rice instead of white rice. I have found that Uncle Ben's brown rice and the Minute Rice brown rice are the only ones that don't make the rice all gummy. Those are really good. I started using healthier butters. Read labels and avoid trans fats and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible. (if a label says partially hydrogenated oil, it has trans fat, even if it's a tiny amount) Spend some time in the grocery store just wandering the aisles and checking stuff out. You'll be surprised what you see. I'm a mom too and I know it can be difficult to bring your kids to the store, so I sympathize with you there. If you can go alone sometimes, I highly recommend it.

As far as drinks go, make the switch to mostly water. I keep a gallon jug of deliciously cold water in my refrigerator at all times. Crystal light is good for a dose of flavor from time to time. Get a water bottle and carry it around with you so you'll always have it close by.

Also, it's a good idea to get a couple of sets of durable measuring cups and spoons. A food scale is also a great tool. I bought two sets of black plastic measuring cups and spoons for .97 per set at Wal-Mart. They are durable, and handy. It's good to have two of each, so I am not washing them constantly. You can get a great digital food scale at W/M too. For about $20, and it weighs in ounces, pounds, kilograms, and grams. You can also put a container on the scale, weigh it, and then push a button, and add your food so you are only weighing the food. No math required. lol

Well, I hope I helped. These were just a few I could think of. Good luck to you and congratulations on your family and the decision to live healthier. Your children will thank you someday.

kthom

What I have found is that once you start counting calories you don't want the high cal stuff because it takes away from what you can have. You look for more exercise so you can have more calories! Start one thing at a time and it will all come. I have found that this site doesn't limit or deprive me but I find I don't want it when I learn how much calories it is. Good luck!

watkinsc

Sounds like you have the exercise ready to go. Rock that treadmill ! The best advice I can give you as far as diet goes, is the only thing that works for me. Keep the temptation out of sight. Don't bring it into the house. I seem to have absolutely no will power if there is a donut, or a piece of pie with in range (the cause of several of my diet failures in the past, no doubt). But if I manage to keep it out of my sight, I'm golden! And if I do indulge, I must skimp somewhere else that day. I made a deal with myself. I am going to stick with program I designed. Total caloric content for the day is fixed, period. No excuses. Interestingly, as time goes on, I'm finding my craving for certain things has diminished. I guess the less you have it, the less you want it. Well wishes on your way to the new healthy you!

allthatnme

Get to know your calories. How many you have to use. Then how you are going to use them. Best thing is to plan. Don't quit eating what you like but cut back. Like I wanna have a ham and cheese sandwich with sour cream n onion pringles. I can eat natures way 35 calorie bread then my ham and use fat free kraft cheese i use fat free olive mayo just a tspn then i can eat half a reg serving of reg pringles or a full serving of fat free ones. The one I planned is about 280. The one I would throw together is about 440. See the difference... I know 160 is not a huge difference but at thr end of the day it is my skinny cow strawberry shortcake ice cream with a few calories to spare. It sounds like work but you are totally worth it and once you start it just gets easier. If you wanna go to mcdonalds with the kids then get a big kids meal 6 piece nuggets no sauce and apple dippers instead of fries with a water or diet coke. Don't think I cant eat that - think how can I eat that lol. Smaller portions more veggies and less rich sauces. Good luck girl and welcome to the club!

anissa7

As I was reading your post, I thought I was reading about myself! I'm a new mom again too and was carrying weight before I got pregnant. I also have a husband that loves to see a smile on my face and will bring home "treats" for me which I thoroughly enjoy and then feel guilty about later....I joined MFP last Thursday and it is going very well. Just the fact that you are entering your meals and seeing how much you're eating makes you so aware of everything you put in your mouth! I take time out during the day when the baby naps to log my food and read some encouraging posts/recipes. This week my goal is to get moving everyday. Even if its a short walk. I also want to be better prepared by having healthy food on hand. I know all these good choices I'm making daily will add up and the end result will be worth it. You can friend me if you'd like. We can help each other!

RaeN81

I have an eight month old son and a four year old. I kept twenty with my first and then added another 10ish with my second, so I know how you are feeling. For me, a combination of breastfeeding, calorie counting and exercise helped me lose the weight. I am now learning how to maintain.

You need to find what works for you, friend me if you like.

fiftyandfit

Journal...Journal...Journal!

Write down EVERYTHING you put in!
You're going to be surprised at the empties that you ingest.

Shop the outer aisles at the market........stock up on fruit and veggies,
and lean meats.

If you have a sweet tooth, like I do, frozen bananas with some fat free
chocolate syrup are the bomb! This weekend I made low cal pumpkin
banana muffins and added flax seed and raisins. I also baked some
apples.....apple pie without the crust.

Good luck on your journey
Remember...diet is a 4 letter word with the first 3 letters being D I E!
Lifestyle change is what you're looking at!
A healthy you makes a fun and healthy mom! :flowerforyou:

jackal75

1. You gotta get more exercise than you normally get. That can vary from just going on a walk to full blown cardio sweat-sessions depending on your goals, health, and energy levels.

2. Use this site to log your food intake. If you have an iPhone or Android, get the application so you can add on the go.

3. Read the labels! You want to not only watch calories, but also make sure to cut down on saturated fats while increasing whole grains. Less red meats, and more white meats (without skin helps.) Veggies are wonderful, but pay attention to serving sizes.

While I have been losing weight, I have also been trying to lower my cholesterol. It turns out that the two are not mutually exclusive. Multigrain Cheerios and oatmeal have been big staples for me as I try to avoid eating eggs. Also, you cannot possibly go wrong with salads, provided you watch the toppings. Lettuce is so low calorie, that you can darn near eat a whole head with little impact. I find that adding bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, peas, and cherry tomatoes help make it less plain without adding too many calories. Where salad can hurt you is if you start adding the other "goodies" like hard-boiled egg, meats, cheeses, croutons, and dressings. A 200 calorie salad can got to a 700 calorie salad very fast. (Too many people like a little salad with their dressing..) Read the labels and find a low calorie alternative for the dressing. The best one I have found so far is Hellmann's Fat Free Italian which is only 15 calories per 2 Tablespoons.

Use this site, and it's community, to it's full extent. The pounds will come off.

calthine

First, if you're nursing check with your pediatrician on any dietary requirements you should be getting while nursing. Folic Acid is especially important.

When I started MFP it promptly cut me down to 1300 calories and I panicked. Here's a couple things that saved me:

Weigh and measure EVERYTHING. I'm convinced that half the battle is training your self on portion control and serving sizes. You can get graduated measuring cups cheap that show cups and table spoons. Find a cheapo kitchen scale.

Learn your eating style: I've found I do really well with several small snacks a day, each around 140 calories or so. I'm not as hungry at meals and I do not feel deprived during the day.

Bagel Thins and Sandwich Thins: 110/100 calories per sandwich instead of per slice of bread.

Salads: 2 cups of lettuce is like 25 calories. Vegetables have so few calories you can load them on. Paul Newman's Light dressings are a godsend. Be sure to add some protein so it sticks with you - a couple ounces of rotisserie chicken is awesome. I eat one REALLY BIG salad per day for under 200 calories.

Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges: TONS of flavor in a 35 calorie wedge! Put one on top of two Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers and you have a 95 calorie snack.

Better snacking: In the "natural foods" section of our grocery stores I found snacks that actually give you a decent serving for about 140 calories. Measure it into a bowl, never take the bag. (example: GenSoy Soy Crisps give you 17 little rice cakes per serving; Quaker gives you 10 or so)

Smarter Fast Food Carl's Junior has GREAT Salads. McDonald's Salads are pretty good too.

Treat yourself: A Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kiss is only 20 calories! Have one when you are below your calorie goal for the day!

I'm down 18 pounds and just got into a size 12 for the first time in... I don't even know how long, has to be at least 10 years. You can do it!

piquilter

You've got a great start getting the exercise revved up. I read one of Bob Greene's (Oprah's trainer) books and he stressed it was important to get the exercise going before cutting back on calories. It had something to do with revving up the metabolism so the body doesn't go into starvation mode. I find that exercise is a key ingredient along with water, water and more water still. Journaling is necessary for me, I always think I'm going to keep track in my head, but my head gets distracted :laugh: I'm also trying to lower cholesterol so I watch fats closely & try to keep the carbs down. There are things, cheese for one, that I just can't have in the house. I make cookies for my husband, but those I can leave alone, the dough is actually harder :happy: You can't deny yourself all of the things you love, but it can't be every day & portion size is critical. Portion control is one of my downfalls so I measure & plan to get a food scale. Above all I ask myself if the food is going to make me as happy as seeing the numbers drop on the scale. The weight wasn't gained over night so no one is going to lose it over night either. I stayed the same this week, but I am beginning to notice changes in my body. Slow & steady wins the race & everyone of us will be in this with you. Good luck!