Stay At Home means Stay Around Food!

Shapeupwithalla

When I used to work full time, I never really had any issues with snacking too much or constantly reaching for sweets. I guess some work places have kitchens filled with doughnuts or other treats, but I was lucky to have sweets at work only around the holiday season. At work I had my breakfast, coffee and lunch. That was it!

Now that I've been a SAHM for the last 6 years, I realize that it takes extra effort and control for us to stay on track with our diet and nutrition.

We're constantly preparing meals, making snacks and finishing our kids leftovers. And when your kids are close in age and picky eaters, you end up spending the majority of time in front of your pantry and fridge figuring out what to make so at least two out of three of them will eat.

It is sooo tempting to grab a few (by few I mean a handful) of M&Ms from the kids, eat a chocolate chip cookie that they are thru with or finish their bagel just because you feel bad about wasting food.

So does anyone else walk by the pantry 50 times a day trying not to make eye contact with the snacks on the shelf?

AutumnElf80

The snack jar sits on the counter taunting me. I used to work full time up until 2010 and I can't believe the difference. Stopped working and got pregnant with second in the same year. And now that he's 3 I can't really explain it away as "baby weight".

Shapeupwithalla

My youngest one is also 3 and after she was born I went back to the gym and worked out like I used to but I had a horrible habit of binging late at night. And I hate that all of my weight goes straight to my mid-section. I wish it went to my booty instead! In January I really decided to take control of my nutrition and that actually made me start losing weight and curb my appetite. All I know is that I still need my chocolate but I try to be mindful of what, when and how much I eat.

The snack jar sits on the counter taunting me. I used to work full time up until 2010 and I can't believe the difference. Stopped working and got pregnant with second in the same year. And now that he's 3 I can't really explain it away as "baby weight".

tiera40

Hello.

I have a 7 yr old who's very picky and I was a human garbage disposal. Glad I changed that. Then to make matters worse my long-time bf brings junk in the house and smuggles them like we cant find them in the fridge. You know because we have a deep freezer.... in his imagination. I put him on this site... So i think we're finally starting to get things together.

My bf used to be my biggest saboteur. He is/was over-weight and I was skinny b4 he moved in 8 yrs ago... I knew him for 14 yrs and hes been big since i met him. ... Not to just blame the guy... but he would bring home cheese cakes and my favorite sweets... did u hear me say cheese cake and not slice? No one in the house likes cheese cakes but me. Sometimes to make up for all the stupid things he did ...which couldnt pan out anyway... Sometimes he did this as a way to sabotage my diet. I think he was happiest when I was big. Seriously. I'll get on my health kick and he'd bring a cake out of no where or my fav bubble tea. But bring 2 not one. U would think I would say no right... or have some restraint. But Im working on that. And now hes working on his diet. I like to think im finally gonna win this war w him after losing so many battles. His mother passed away from heart issues in her late 50's ....she was over-weight. My mother is over-weight and my fam has heart issues. My mother has a very high metabolism for someone who's depressed, eats whatever and rarely leaves her bed. She about 230lbs and 5'9. .

I want a better life for my kids. I want to teach them the right way. My youngest doesnt want to be fat so he skips meals sometimes... But dont worry he only says that to veggies and healthy dishes ... He never turns down pizza or fries. lol

Well now my bf is doing the walk thing since I got us matching fit bit pedometers and im teaching him to measure his foods like im doing now. I got him into walking cause my family are walkers... When I was in HS I was in walk a thons. To me its like the heavenly exercise... Me and my kids take weekend trips so its great to walk for miles and see so much in your neighborhood or even in other states. Walking kills cals but if u have a problem eating problems away... and then have temptations in your home.... U will still keep cals on right? So what I did was keep crazy relatives away.lol If i have a problem I let the person know asap and dont care what they or others say about it. Im happier now. No more problems to try to eat away.

Now my bf is beating me in our walking competitions... cause he walks to work. I love our twin pack fit bit pedometers. Im working out with my teen thats home from college at least twice a wk at the gym and twice at home. My teens trying to get the muscles. As a family we r trying more than ever before to be healthy. This time its not only me.

Thanks for reading my story. Bests of luck everyone here with their endeavor, trying to find a new or better way to a healthier lifestyle.

flourgirl123

Hi ladies,
I'm a mom of five kids and I find it extremely hard not to compulsively overeat. I'm short so it looks terrible on me! Before marriage and kids I was so thin and now I look like a hippo.
I love to exercise but can't do it with the kids. They trip me up if I work out and do cardio with a video, and I cant easily get out of the house with all of them to walk.
Anyway, I'm trying harder now that my youngest just turned two.

Brodybee

Hi all, this is my first time posting ever! I'm a stay at home mom of 2 (a 7 year old and 3 year old). My aha moment was looking at a picture taken of my husband and I. This fit army man standing next to what looks like a hippo (the hippo would be me lol). I talked to him about it and he gave me the typical (but great) husband answer of, "you always look beautiful to me." I asked him for help anyway. So we've been making healthier food and he even works out with me. However there is always a constant parade of junk in the house since he never seems to stop eating. Right now we're stationed in Hawaii so whenever we go out there's the temptation of kalua pork, and fruity tropical drinks, and the chocolate covered macadamia nuts that I can eat an entire box in one sitting. It's so hard to say no to a mai tai! I'm trying to lose all my extra weight hopefully by the next move which is in a little over a year (unless the army surprises us early). So i'm trying to lose 60 lbs and i'm 17lbs down so far. I might even be able to hit the beach in a bikini before we leave!

ilona1913

Being constantly around snacks is really hard.
And constantly finishing my kid's food. I never really thought about it until I started tracking in MFP, but that half a cup of yogurt, quarter of a banana, half a chicken breast, last few bites of pasta, etc really add up. I can't even imagine the number of extra calories I ate over the last couple of years because "I don't want to waste it."

Shapeupwithalla

Wow 5 kids!!! And I thought 3 was hard. I guess everything is relative, right?!
Does your 2 year old still nap? Maybe you can occupy older kids and do a 30 minute workout while the youngest is napping? I would really love to work out early in the morning but I just CANNOT make myself get up early to exercise!! It is something I'm working on.

I also try working out after the kids go to bed but in the summer they go to bed later and I don't have energy by that point.
So what I usually do is turn on a cartoon and threaten my kids NOT to bother me! I run to the basement for 30 minutes and exercise. I time my workouts perfectly to my kids' cartoons. I found workout programs that are short yet still super effective and don't require you to spend an hour. Yesterday I was short on time so I only did a program that was 18 minutes long.

And I'm with you on doing DVDs with kids around. I know some people find it cute, but I need to focus and be by myself!

Hi ladies,
I'm a mom of five kids and I find it extremely hard not to compulsively overeat. I'm short so it looks terrible on me! Before marriage and kids I was so thin and now I look like a hippo.
I love to exercise but can't do it with the kids. They trip me up if I work out and do cardio with a video, and I cant easily get out of the house with all of them to walk.
Anyway, I'm trying harder now that my youngest just turned two.

Shapeupwithalla

Congratulations on losing the 17lbs!!!
And congrats on having a guy in your life who doesn't judge you and knows the right thing to say!
Have you tried working out outside since you are in Hawaii? Maybe a light jog that you can turn into a run and eventually little sprints?

It's also great that your husband works out with and tries to eat Healthy. I try to get rid of as much junk as possible from the house. I finally got my husband to eat healthier and exercise, but my mother-in-law brings us Costco size boxes of cookies and other treats Every single weekend! And after many talks and fights, she still doesn't understand that she is only sabotages all of our progress.

You can still enjoy all the yummy food and drinks, just do it in moderation. Maybe you can try to eat healthier all week and save the tasty drinks and food for your Cheat Meal once a week. That way you have something to look forward to!!

Hi all, this is my first time posting ever! I'm a stay at home mom of 2 (a 7 year old and 3 year old). My aha moment was looking at a picture taken of my husband and I. This fit army man standing next to what looks like a hippo (the hippo would be me lol). I talked to him about it and he gave me the typical (but great) husband answer of, "you always look beautiful to me." I asked him for help anyway. So we've been making healthier food and he even works out with me. However there is always a constant parade of junk in the house since he never seems to stop eating. Right now we're stationed in Hawaii so whenever we go out there's the temptation of kalua pork, and fruity tropical drinks, and the chocolate covered macadamia nuts that I can eat an entire box in one sitting. It's so hard to say no to a mai tai! I'm trying to lose all my extra weight hopefully by the next move which is in a little over a year (unless the army surprises us early). So i'm trying to lose 60 lbs and i'm 17lbs down so far. I might even be able to hit the beach in a bikini before we leave!

Shapeupwithalla

I had to totally teach myself to throw out my kids' leftovers! But I have a horrible Sweet tooth, so I CANNOT throw away a cookie!!
I remember growing up, my mom used to tell me that she gained weight because she always had to finish my food. Now I know exactly what she meant!! :laugh:

Being constantly around snacks is really hard.
And constantly finishing my kid's food. I never really thought about it until I started tracking in MFP, but that half a cup of yogurt, quarter of a banana, half a chicken breast, last few bites of pasta, etc really add up. I can't even imagine the number of extra calories I ate over the last couple of years because "I don't want to waste it."

Shapeupwithalla

I think it's so important that you have your whole family involved in leading a healthier lifestyle!! This is the exact same reason I take my kids on walks and want them to be part of an active family! I think if we want our kids to grow up healthy and fit, we need to show them and get them into this habit from an early age. That way they will have a better chance of being healthy adults that don't have to change their lifestyle in their 20ies, 30ies or later in life.

My mother suffers with depression as well. However, because of the crazy medications her doctor put her on, she barely eats. I try to convince her to start exercising, or at least walking so the serotonin released thru physical activity improves her mood, but until she decides to do it on her own I can only do so much. Frustrating when you want your loved ones to have a better life but they just refuse.

Good Luck on your Fitness Journey!!

Hello.

I have a 7 yr old who's very picky and I was a human garbage disposal. Glad I changed that. Then to make matters worse my long-time bf brings junk in the house and smuggles them like we cant find them in the fridge. You know because we have a deep freezer.... in his imagination. I put him on this site... So i think we're finally starting to get things together.

My bf used to be my biggest saboteur. He is/was over-weight and I was skinny b4 he moved in 8 yrs ago... I knew him for 14 yrs and hes been big since i met him. ... Not to just blame the guy... but he would bring home cheese cakes and my favorite sweets... did u hear me say cheese cake and not slice? No one in the house likes cheese cakes but me. Sometimes to make up for all the stupid things he did ...which couldnt pan out anyway... Sometimes he did this as a way to sabotage my diet. I think he was happiest when I was big. Seriously. I'll get on my health kick and he'd bring a cake out of no where or my fav bubble tea. But bring 2 not one. U would think I would say no right... or have some restraint. But Im working on that. And now hes working on his diet. I like to think im finally gonna win this war w him after losing so many battles. His mother passed away from heart issues in her late 50's ....she was over-weight. My mother is over-weight and my fam has heart issues. My mother has a very high metabolism for someone who's depressed, eats whatever and rarely leaves her bed. She about 230lbs and 5'9. .

I want a better life for my kids. I want to teach them the right way. My youngest doesnt want to be fat so he skips meals sometimes... But dont worry he only says that to veggies and healthy dishes ... He never turns down pizza or fries. lol

Well now my bf is doing the walk thing since I got us matching fit bit pedometers and im teaching him to measure his foods like im doing now. I got him into walking cause my family are walkers... When I was in HS I was in walk a thons. To me its like the heavenly exercise... Me and my kids take weekend trips so its great to walk for miles and see so much in your neighborhood or even in other states. Walking kills cals but if u have a problem eating problems away... and then have temptations in your home.... U will still keep cals on right? So what I did was keep crazy relatives away.lol If i have a problem I let the person know asap and dont care what they or others say about it. Im happier now. No more problems to try to eat away.

Now my bf is beating me in our walking competitions... cause he walks to work. I love our twin pack fit bit pedometers. Im working out with my teen thats home from college at least twice a wk at the gym and twice at home. My teens trying to get the muscles. As a family we r trying more than ever before to be healthy. This time its not only me.

Thanks for reading my story. Bests of luck everyone here with their endeavor, trying to find a new or better way to a healthier lifestyle.