Support from moms of little ones

Betheroo

I've been keeping track (off and on) of my food diary for about a month, but I'm finally ready to connect with more people. Every time I read the success stories, I hear about how much of a difference the support from other MFPers makes, so I'm ready to get out there and make some friends. I especially would like help from other moms of little kids (I have four, aged 6 and under) about what has worked for you. It's such a challenge not to eat all day because the little punks are eating all day and leaving a dab of this and a bit more of that on the plate. Hard for mom to avoid vacuuming it all up. Plus, the food they are most likely to eat generally does NOT include a lot of veggies and I'm a firm believer in the need to increase my veggie intake (plus I used to be a vegetarian and am a big fan of vegetables anyhow).

Ready to make some changes and stick with it for the long haul!

ejmcam

I'm with ya 100%! I have a 4 year old and a 17 month old. I'm desperatly trying to break the snacking on their leftover habit....so far its working! When I log all my food on here, it hurts to have to log the bad stuff.....so now I just avoid it so i dont have to see it staring me in the face from the computer screen later on!

Peep_chic

Hi bethero

I'm a mom of a 3 year old and 4 year old. I'm currently
at the weight I want to be. This site is good for help
and support in your journey. You can add me.

Fancy_Nancy2

I am a mom of 1 child she is 21 m old. It will be such a sad day when she turns 2 for me I think. But our rule is once it been touch by Caia we don't eat it. I just think kids have to many germs to share why help them to share them.

marielw

Hi, I'm a mum of a 13 month old, just over halfway through my weight loss journey, add me as a friend if you like :happy:

Mountain_woman

My daughter is 3 and the best way for me to help myself control snacking on her food is by decreasing how much I give her. If she wants more, she asks. Kids are amazing at stopping when they are full. Really inspiring. It also cuts down on her waste as well. Not every day is perfect, but it helps so very much on both our parts. Good luck and feel free to add me if you wish!

PrincessLynn2010

I'm a mom of 9. My body's been through the ringer. And all the treats the kids love? Well I, ummm, love them too. :ohwell:

The ONLY thing that has worked for me (and I'm divorced, so the 6 youngest kids are with their dad also) is to not have ANY of that "bad" food in the house. I just don't buy it. It's interesting, though. The younger kids don't mind some of the healthier replacements I've found to what we used to have.


What I used to get/cook:

Sugary boxed cereals, pop tarts, doughnuts, etc... for breakfast.
Processed meals (frozen dinners, prepared mixes, "helper" meals, etc...)
Fruit snacks
Chewy granola bars
Cookies
Bars
Ice cream


What I get/prepare now:

Oatmeal (regular rolled oats), yogurt, unsweetened cereal, scrambled eggs with lots of sauteed veggies for brkfst.
Home cooked/slow cooked/from scratch meals for lunch and supper.
Popcorn
Pretzels
Low fat string cheese
Fresh fruit
Raw veggies


Also, it helps to remind yourself of the backwash and slime kids are notorious for. That always helps keep me from "finishing off" the last of my kids' plates of food. LOL

glendeb

I'm a mum to 4 too. Aged from 7 to almost 2 years.

I've only just started too, and have a long while to go, but I'll get there!

Feel free to add me :happy:

Painten

I am a mom of 1 child she is 21 m old. It will be such a sad day when she turns 2 for me I think. But our rule is once it been touch by Caia we don't eat it. I just think kids have to many germs to share why help them to share them.

I'm with Fancynancy2..i never finished of my kids meals mostly becuase the thought turned my stomach, fingers in it, odd bits spat back onto the plate blech. My ex bil actually used to lick his childs face instead of cleaning it aswell as finishing her food. It used to make me feel ill.

You can still put veggies on your kids plates even if they don't eat them. For the main meal of the day i have always fed my kids and myself at the same time. We eat pretty much the same meal at the table together. I have a couple of alterations. I save a few boiled potatoes for me while mashing the kids and the oh's. I put a few extra boiled veg on my plate and less roasted. Just simple changes.

If you don't eat a proper meal at the same time as your kids maybe it might be an idea to have your snack times at the kids meal times so your not clearing there plates up on an empty stomach so will be less likely to pick at theirs.

zeeeb

Hey, i'm a mum of a 2 year old and a 4 year old (both girls).

I'm half way back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and yeah, i have to ditch the kids left overs out to the dog before i am tempted to touch it... i am getting into the habit of making just enough, and if they want more, they can have a piece of fruit or bread or something, rather than making too much incase they want more.

It's a long road, and in hindsight i should have just eaten a bit more sensibly and exercised a bit when i was pregnant (both times) instead of using it as 9 months to eat like crazy and sloth around not doing any exercise.

That'll learn me, now i have to learn the hard way, but that I will, and i will get back to my pre pregnancy weight this year, that I am sure of...

ResilientWoman

'Hi' to all the moms of little ones. I have a 5 yr old daughter who wants to be a triathlete. She ran her first 5K at age 4.9. I planned a home birth and had a traumatic, emergency C-section which came close to killing me. I left the hospital 28 lbs heavier than I entered it (even though this was *after* giving birth), depressed and unable to walk. For 3 years, I could only walk a few steps at a time then rest. Despite seeking the best doctors/specialists, I did not improve. When I was on the verge of giving up and actually seeking a lawyer to help me find adoptive parents for my daughter, I found the miracle I needed just in time.

Fast forward almost 2 years: I've shed 88 lbs, restored my mobility, healed neurological and neuromotor issues, and long since quit worrying about finding anyone else to raise my daughter. I can not only walk but now I can run up hill in a heavy backpack for a long time.

The tools that helped me to accomplish this:

My coach/trainer, Jen Waak, of www.movefitfun.com
Z-Health, a system of training that corrects imbalances in the way one moves to help the body do more with less effort while restoring mobility
Russian Kettlebell training
VFFs - Vibram Five Fingers, interesting shoes that fit each toe like a glove
Paleo Nutrition
Vitamin D3 - 100,000 IU as often as needed to keep my levels up between 60-80

Please feel free to friend me.

My goals for 2011:

*obtain ideal body composition
*get certified in Z-Health so that I can help others the way Jen has helped me
*return to college (to take the 2 courses I need to enter med school)

Betheroo

Thanks ladies! You inspire me and encourage me. Thanks for the good ideas. I think that reminding myself of the germs on the kids' food is a good idea (though it won't stop me from enjoying their slobbery kisses!). I cook nearly everything from scratch (partly just out of necessity because convenience food is either very expensive or not readily available where we live), so I feel I'm in a good place as far as healthy food. What I think will be most helpful to me in the long run is logging foods. I'm already blown away by how many calories (even of healthy things like the chickpea, raisin, tomato, zucchini cous cous I ate last night) I can pack away. Working my way up the learning curve!

KristynStephens15

I'm with ya 100%! I have a 4 year old and a 17 month old. I'm desperatly trying to break the snacking on their leftover habit....so far its working! When I log all my food on here, it hurts to have to log the bad stuff.....so now I just avoid it so i dont have to see it staring me in the face from the computer screen later on!

totally agree with ya!

hkappers

Hi All!! I am a mom of 4 y/o twin boys and have found that it's time to take care of myself!! I've just begun and am looking for the motivation and support from other moms out there!!!

Feel free to add me!! I WILL make my goal weight

I look forward to ALL our successes!!!!

Heather

curleesam

Come join our thread "Postnatal- April 2011" I am sure there is room for a few of you! lol

I have a 6m old daughter and I am in the UK

natie73

Hi! I'm a mom to an 8 yr. old and 2 yr. old twins. I'm just starting out here as well. I'm doing another weight loss program but I'm getting frustrated with it. I need more support. I hope I have better luck here. Please add me as a friend.

Tiggermummy

I am a mum of two girls ( 4 & 2)

I have a few "issues" with my two - the oldest one is easily distracted from her food, and she can be hard to get focused on eating her food. She had tonsil & adenoids that were way way to big, she had to hold her breath to swallow food.
She had them removed at 2.5 even though she was too small for surgery and too young - they classed her as "failure to thrive"
were were booked in within 3 weeks of seeing the consultant. I think she still remembers some of the problems she had.
If you put too much on her plate to start with then she will hardly eat anything, I have learnt to put much less on her plate to start with, if she finishes it and she wants more she can have it.
other daughter will basically sit there and plough her way through what ever is in front of her, and then stop, the only thing she cannot have is fresh tomatoes as she is allergic to them.

We went to a cafe last sunday - change of plans at late notice is a way of life for us at the moment as my mum has cancer ( her third type!) so we have to adapt to her needs at times.
Eldest daughter when asked what she would like requested liver & bacon! - so two plates of liver, bacon, mixed veg and I relented to a few chips.
They were arguing a few months ago over brussel sprouts - dd2 had stolen them off dd1's plate whilst she wasn't looking, dd1 got very upset and daddy had to step in and donate his to her!!!

I have always made sure they eat well and they really like all their veg and fruit, even the ones they aren't keen on they always have a "No thank you" desert spoon of,
But we also have a rule, if you don't eat it, there isn't anything else until the next meal.

kids can be challenging but they are a great motivator