The New Teacher

teacheratkins24

I just joined today. I'm 5 foot 3 inches and weigh 229 pounds. I carry my weight pretty well, amazingly, but we want to start a family in the near future and I want to get the weight off. Plus, my father was killed in a car accident in August and I usually eat to deal with things, and I figure if I don't start eating better, I'll gain even more weight due to my heartache.
Everyone says that I'll just put it back on if I get prego but I don't plan on eating anything that isn't healthy once I'm expecting. I gained weight after I got married in 2006 when I weighed 150, I would be happy with that weight. I tried weight watchers and lost only 2 pounds in 6 months. Teaching makes it hard to plan when and what I eat; time is my biggest factor. I hope that with keeping track of my calories will help me drop the weight. Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated.

teacheratkins24

I just joined today. I'm 5 foot 3 inches and weigh 229 pounds. I carry my weight pretty well, amazingly, but we want to start a family in the near future and I want to get the weight off. Plus, my father was killed in a car accident in August and I usually eat to deal with things, and I figure if I don't start eating better, I'll gain even more weight due to my heartache.
Everyone says that I'll just put it back on if I get prego but I don't plan on eating anything that isn't healthy once I'm expecting. I gained weight after I got married in 2006 when I weighed 150, I would be happy with that weight. I tried weight watchers and lost only 2 pounds in 6 months. Teaching makes it hard to plan when and what I eat; time is my biggest factor. I hope that with keeping track of my calories will help me drop the weight. Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated.

3babybeans

My biggest advice is to get the weight off BEFORE having the baby! You're making a really smart move here. If you go into a pregnancy over weight, the pregnancy will be harder on you & the baby. Some studies show that being overweight actually makes it harder to get pregnant, too. Your risk of gestational diabetes will go up & that is a risk for you & the baby. And if that happens, the dr. will more than likely want to take that baby sooner than its due date. Get that weight off & don't listen to the people that say it doesn't matter! You can do it! You are very smart for wanting to do it now!

Thats my little piece. :happy:

This site is great & you will do wonderfully! Just keep your mind set to it & you'll achieve great things!

aelizabeth

Hey! I'm a student teacher now, I graduate in December. I've lost about 12 lbs since I've been on here since August! It's an amazing site and everyone is so supportive! I'm also 5'3 I started out at 208 and a size 16W, now I'm 196 and I'm snuggling comfortable into a 14, I haven't been a 14 since high school! I'm getting married 4/2010 and I want to be a size 12, haven't been that since middle school, but I'm getting there! Good luck to you! What grade do you teach?

allaboutme

Eat often and always carry healthy snacks,, ones you know will satisfy you so you don't pull into the drivethru when you are hungry. On average I am eating something every two hours. The healthier foods you choose the more you get to eat. for example, my dh today had oatmeal, an oatmeal bar, a banana, three clementines and some whole wheat spaghetti with sauce by lunch time, or he could have had one whopper. All those healthy things and no hunger (I am trying to get him eating healthy too). If you have time, do lots of research on healthy foods and how much your body really needs. It helped me. Don't worry about gaining weight when you are pregnant, if you are eating healthy and getting some exercise, you won't have a problem because by then you will know so much about healthy living people around you will get tired of hearing it (oh yeah, sorry that is the people around me ) I know you will do well. Slow and steady, words to live by.

briblue72

Hi! Fellow teacher here - 2nd graders.
Here's a little tip about dealing with the "when" and "what" to eat while on the job:

Portion-up all of your school lunches for the week on Sunday. I buy a box of crackers, and portion it into 100-calorie (or other serving-size) baggies. I do the same thing with cereal. and lunch meat. I will whip up enough tuna salad, hard boiled eggs, etc. to get me through the week. I've also found it cheaper to buy the big cartons of yogurt and portion it out into serving cups (a couple $$ and can be used and reused).

I even peel oranges and cut up other fruit so that it will be handy. And, on the rare occasion that I do cook, I always make sure to cook extra for future lunches.

Good Luck!

3babybeans

Okay, so I feel heartless now. I forgot to say how sorry I am for the loss of your father! I hope that you can over come the emotional eating that you're attaching to that. Such a hard thing to deal with. Once again, best of luck!

AJCM

It was heartbreaking reading this post! I'm so sorry for the loss of your father - my goodness. I would have also eaten to ease the pain. You are a strong woman to start on this journey!
:flowerforyou:

I was also a teacher (in what feels like a former life) and I found I kept my weight stable with a really good day of eating that gave me lots of energy, and then I could eat what I wanted for dinner.

My day pretty typically looked like this:
Breakfast: protein shake with berries - on the go (that way I could sleep in!) (250 calories)
1st Snack: apple with cheese, or crackers with cheese (200)
Lunch: Soup, or left overs from dinner (small portion) (400)
2nd Snack: small low fat blueberry bran muffin and skin milk (250)
After school: veggies sticks & hummus (150)
Gym
Dinner: my choice! (600+ depending on the night)

Good luck, and I also agree to get in the best shape you can before you get pregnant! I was in good shape BEFORE then gained 50 lbs.... :blushing:

A friend of mine who was overweight before getting pregnant, gained only 17 lbs in pregnancy (under doctors orders - she followed a healthy eating plan) and a few weeks after giving birth, she was slimmer than BEFORE she got pregnant! She's continued her eating plan, and is almost at her goal weight. Just thought I would share....

Mishy

I am sorry for your loss. Last year we lost 4 people in our famliy, and I really understand where you're coming from. I gained all of the weight I had lost previously and then some just because I ate my emotions and did not exercise whatsoever, what was worse is I really felt like I couldn't stop eating and had no motivation to move more than I had to. It got easier for me, and I pray it will for you too.

My advice is to visit MFP as often as you can because it's a great source of information and friendship. I'm happy you're here.

Nichole1017

Welcome! Algebra teacher right here!:flowerforyou:

teacheratkins24

Thanks for all the great replies!

Fitness_Chick

:flowerforyou: welcome

EvilPIB

Welcom to MFP