how do you get going long-term? busy, working mom needs help

tmargolis

hi i'm a working mom of an 18 month old boy... i normally do well tracking for about 5 days, then for whatever reason, i stop. i have the hardest time getting back on track. i do work out with a trainer 3 times a week. i have lost with MFP in the past...so i know it works if i would just let it... what are your tricks for balancing your weight loss with work and kids? how do i make this a permanent lifestyle change, not and on-again-off-again kind of thing????? thanks in advance!

larryiraorange

I try to log food as quick as I can after eating...the phone app is a huge tool if you have a phone that supports it. It definately helps keep me on track. Good luck

esorcel

This is true. Today I tracked my calories for the day and knew that as Iong as I stuck with the foods I packed, I was meeting my caloric goal. Any extra food, I can log them later.

I am a mother of a two year old. What has helped me is that I don't really cook anymore. It's easier to track foods that I am not preparing, or that I am making with very few ingredients. It helps to keep your calorie intake low.

Another change I have done is that I find lower fat/lower calorie version of foods to help me keep my caloric intake low so that I can eat more variety of foods. For example, instead of eating chips for a snack, I have Tostitos baked corn chips with salsa (the healthier alternative).

clothes_of_sand

I don't have kids, but I have the same problem with the on again off again thing; when I'm super busy or stressed I tend to slack off MFP. I think it all boils down to time management. I find it helps me when I sit down at the beginning of the week sometime and make a plan of how I'm going to fit everything into the week. You could also take a little time to make at least a vague plan of what food you're going to eat that week.

Julesaf

I log my food a week in advance. That way I know exactly how many extra calories I may have in case I want to have an extra snack or two.

NoAdditives

I'm a stay at home mom to a two year old girl and a 6 month old boy. I go to the gym 5 days a week and since I started here 3-4 weeks ago the only time I didn't log in (or go to the gym) was when my mom visited for my daughter's birthday. I just make it a priority to log my foods and exercise, no matter what. When I'm eating at home I log my food as soon as I'm done eating, if I haven't already done it before I made my food. With some things, like dinner, I already know what I'm going to eat at the beginning of the day so I log it in when I do breakfast. But ultimately, I just add it to the list of things I have to do every day. Losing weight is a top priority for me and since I know this is helping me, I make sure I do it every day.

larryiraorange

If logging your food in advance works for you...that is great. I just find that when I try to plan my meals or "pre-package" my food I struggle more. I think that it makes me feel like I am dieting. Plus, I am married with two kids (13 and 5) living a hectic life (as we all are) and any time I try to plan anything, something always happens to send me off course. Needless to say, we eat out a lot and there are not many places that I refuse to enter. I just use the phone app once we sit down to research the menu a bit to find the happiest medium between what I want and what is best for me (this drives my wife crazy, however she cannot argue with the results). Anyway, different strokes for different folks...just wanted to share what is working for me.

**NoAdditives** Love the picture

HappilySingle

Spend an hour or so after food shopping to pre-package your snacks and breakfast and lunches. I tend to eat breakfast and lunch alone, while i have dinner with hte family. In the morning on your way out the door its a lot easier to just grab a baggie of carrots, a container of yogurt, frozen entire (or whatever is for lunch) and run out the door.