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michelle1980

Hello, I am 29 with 3 kids. I am hoping to lose about 45 lbs. I just joined this site 2 days ago. I am the heaviest I have ever been but the thing that bothers me the most is not having any energy and just generally feeling "bad" most of the time. Since my twins were born (7 months ago) I have constantly been tired, trying to balance my time and worrying about getting everything done and spending enough time with my kids. I have tried several times in the last few months to start diets, but never could follow through. I exercised the whole nine months of my twin pregnancy and ate healthy foods, after the babies were born I lost almost 40 pounds in the first week. Unfortunately, since then, I have consistently GAINED more and more weight. I think part of it is because I am so tired and stressed out, I just sit around and eat. Anyway, I am very optimistic about joining this site, and have finally decided that the best way for me to lose weight is to change my whole lifestyle and go about it slowly and steadily, instead of trying to starve myself and then turning around binging and gaining more. Good luck to everyone!! :happy:
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smb0701

Hello, I am 29 with 3 kids. I am hoping to lose about 45 lbs. I just joined this site 2 days ago. I am the heaviest I have ever been but the thing that bothers me the most is not having any energy and just generally feeling "bad" most of the time. Since my twins were born (7 months ago) I have constantly been tired, trying to balance my time and worrying about getting everything done and spending enough time with my kids. I have tried several times in the last few months to start diets, but never could follow through. I exercised the whole nine months of my twin pregnancy and ate healthy foods, after the babies were born I lost almost 40 pounds in the first week. Unfortunately, since then, I have consistently GAINED more and more weight. I think part of it is because I am so tired and stressed out, I just sit around and eat. Anyway, I am very optimistic about joining this site, and have finally decided that the best way for me to lose weight is to change my whole lifestyle and go about it slowly and steadily, instead of trying to starve myself and then turning around binging and gaining more. Good luck to everyone!! :happy:
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

welcome michelle1980. i think this site will help you as long as you are honest with yourself as far logging in you foods. after i had my son who is 18mths now i also began to gain weight and i got up to 185lbs. that is the biggest i have ever been. i was always around 155-60. so i was upset about that weight gain. when i joined this site i did gradually begin to loose the weight. i am actually addicted to logging in my foods now. so good luck keep it up. it may take awhile.

michelle1980

That's funny that you said that because that is what I got up to as well, (185 lbs).....and I am pretty happy at the weight of 145 to 155. I have always been fairly muscular so I usually weighed a bit more than people thought, I was a size 8 at 150....though I don't know what size I would be now if I got to that weight, I'm sure it would be different after two pregnancies......thanks for the welcome and good luck, you are making good progress according to your ticker!!

njjswim

I feel your pain I gained 85 lbs with each pregnancy X4 and lost it all after each child over the span of 18 months or more. I did it through mentally realizing I have to take care of my kids and what good am I if I am grouchy and tired while caring for them. So I worked out really early before they would wake up. Set your alarm to force you to get up early or wait til they go to bed then get on a treadmill at home or a trampoline (the rebounder) is 99 bucks on HSN with free shipping. You burn 500 calories with only 30 min on the rebounder. Then get a mat to do your situps and push ups and some small dumbells. As a mom you need your own little work out stuff because getting to the gym is tough.

ALso for me to loose I would follow the diebetic diet on the ada.org website which counts about 45-65 gm of carbs each meal. You can get a carb counter paper back for about 5 bucks at Walmart. Basically cut out the breads and cereals and eat low fat lean meats baked broiled. Each fruits and veggies and count your carbs about 210 gm per day. Carb servings are about 15 gm unless it is a sugar item then double that number. A serving fits in the palm of your hand.

My backslide is not following my own advice lately and I gained since retiring and now back to work with a 5 y/o, 10 y/o and 13 y/o still at home I feel your pain...LOL:happy:

MOMOFTWO29

Hello and welcome to MFP, the best website ever!!! You will love this site if you don't already. I love this site. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, easy to use, and everyone is so nice and friendly. I just wanted to wish you a lot of success on your weight loss journey. You can do this!!!!!!!!!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

LittleEva44

Hello, I am 29 with 3 kids. I am hoping to lose about 45 lbs. I just joined this site 2 days ago. I am the heaviest I have ever been but the thing that bothers me the most is not having any energy and just generally feeling "bad" most of the time. Since my twins were born (7 months ago) I have constantly been tired, trying to balance my time and worrying about getting everything done and spending enough time with my kids. I have tried several times in the last few months to start diets, but never could follow through. I exercised the whole nine months of my twin pregnancy and ate healthy foods, after the babies were born I lost almost 40 pounds in the first week. Unfortunately, since then, I have consistently GAINED more and more weight. I think part of it is because I am so tired and stressed out, I just sit around and eat. Anyway, I am very optimistic about joining this site, and have finally decided that the best way for me to lose weight is to change my whole lifestyle and go about it slowly and steadily, instead of trying to starve myself and then turning around binging and gaining more. Good luck to everyone!! :happy:
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Hi Michelle! Your first step was admitting you want to lose weight :flowerforyou: I went from 189 pounds to 172.8 (I weigh myself every 15th of the month). I have lost 16.2 pounds, and I have NEVER been healthier in my life!). Here are MY tips for you:

Drink 64 oz of water daily; work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes. I suggest you eat 1,250 calories at the beginning, take your vitamins/supplements, talk to your doctor before exercising/dieting, use extra virgin olive oil, eat wheat products: bread, spaghetti, cereal, etc., eat fruits and veggies, snack on "any" type of nut (walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds are best), drink skim/soy milk, eat yogurt, eat fish/chicken/turkey/lean meats, have salads WITHOUT dressing (use extra virgin olive oil), stay away from POPS/SODAS (drink diet sodas/pops once a day if not, once a week), don't eat "fried foods" (french fries, potato chips, etc), eat Baked Lays, air popped popcorn, go to www.pilsbury.com and buy a pizza stone ($29.99) you can create your own delicious home made pizzas with Boboli wheat pizza crust (already made); veggies to your hearts content, one can of refried beans (protein), one can of whole kernel corn (drained), and lite mozzarella cheese...yum! You can eat the Oreda crinkle cut fries that you bake in the oven, stay away from the salt shaker, stay AWAY from processed foods, foods made with hydrogenated oils (cookies, cakes, pies, etc). For dessert you can eat a skinny cow chocolate w/peanut butter ice cream sandwich....yummy!

Stop eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep. I learned from Oprah's Boot Camp you have to STOP eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep because your metabolism shuts down (as everything does when you're in a REM (Rapid Eye Movement).

Go to www.prevention.com. They have yummy recipes and is another souce of website for motivation. Did you know that if you pay for your subscription to Prevention they give you a free pedometer? One should walk/step 10,000 steps daily. Check them out! They have a free website w/the magazine there in front of you in case you can't suscribe just yet.

Don't drink COFFEE. Drink Chai black/green tea instead. Chew gum all day. It keeps your mouth "busy". I've also heard/learned that before you eat a meal eat your soup first since it helps fill you up before the main course.

Weigh yourself "monthly". Why? Because we women have PMS, we cramp, we retain water, we have mood swings, etc., two weeks BEFORE we mensturate. I swear (Eva crossing her finger and doing a "cross" by her ) you WILL lose 3-4 pounds every month. If you do the "math" that's THE average of 1 pound a week. This helps you from NOT getting discouraged IF, if, you weigh yourself daily/weekly as alot of women in this site tend to do (weigh themselves daily/weekly and then get discouraged and give up on dieting/exercising). I have also exercised before/during/and after I mensturate. "They" say working out during this time helps w/cramps, burns more fat, and shouldn't deter you from working out.

Thirty minutes before you work out eat one of the following: one apple, OR one small box of raisins with a handful of walnuts, OR soup, OR yogurt. Why? "They are packed with high-quality carbohydrates, which provide a quick source of fuel for your muscles, but they have just enough protein and fat to help you maintain a steady, elevated energy level" (source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

AFTER your work out, drink a protein shake (Slimfast, Special K, EAS Myoplex, etc). Why? "After a workout, your muscles need protein to repair microscopic muslce tears, plus another shot of carbs to help restock energy stores. Cyclists who drank it after a tough racing session had improved endurance and recovered fast than those who drank an ordinary sports drink (which supplies carbs and electrolytes, but no protein)" (Source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

Stay away from alcoholic drinks (includes wine).

Set small goals for right now. Start with the FIRST 10 pounds. If you work out and eat right (the first month WITHOUT cheating), you'll lose 5-6 pounds (mainly water retention weight) because you are flushing your body (detoxing). THEN the weight will be HARDER to lose. Remember, it's soooo easy to gain the weight, but hard to lose it. "No pain, no gain!" No worries if the weight is harder to lose since it means that it is time to "up" your exercise regimen (1 hour 3-4 days a week). When you've lost the weight, then you can go "up" to 1,500 calories (maybe for the last stubborn 10 pounds). If you closely watch "THE BIGGEST LOSER" they have to lose more than 50 pounds; their calorie intake is 1,000-1,100. Wow! Bless their for doing that!!! If you've watched the Diet Detective, he gets rid of all the "fat" foods in your fridge and pantry (cakes, cookies, pies, etc). He fills those places with veggies, fruits, wheat products, dairy products, low fat cheeses, olive oil, etc. I LOVED that show, but you can still check out his website: www.dietdetective.com/lose-weight.aspx

If you want more "tips" let me know as you know how to reach me. Blessings and good luck!

Eva