Realistic fitness and meal plan please help

mnmoon

Hi there. If any of you are good at setting a realistic workout routine and meal plans, please give me some advice. I work about 50 hours a week in finance, so I sit at my desk all day. Starting today, on my hour long lunch breaks I will be going back to the gym, but I would like to make the most of my time there. I also have a 2 year old son and a husband. I cook dinner every night, not usually healthy just something quick and easy bc i am exhausted by this time. So, any ideas on what I can make that is healthy and the kiddo and husband would eat? Also, not super expensive! I am at the largest weight ive ever been and need to make a lifestyle change and get back to normal, so any advice and support would be appreciated!! Thanks all!!

yoovie

find yourself a good 30 minute lifting program for the gym visits - that would most definitely be getting the most bang for your buck. Save cardio for the weekends!!!

anifani4

I also have a 2 year old son and a husband. I cook dinner every night, not usually healthy just something quick and easy bc i am exhausted by this time. So, any ideas on what I can make that is healthy and the kiddo and husband would eat? Also, not super expensive!

Stick to whole foods as much as possible. thinly sliced meat, a bag of frozen veggies, cooked rice or pasta, some herbs or spices, olive oil, broth... stir fry for a quick healthy dinner. Maybe get a crock pot. prepare veggies and meat the night before, toss everything in there in the morning and it will be ready to eat when you get home from work. Think about making something big on the weekend that you can have a time or 2 during the week. A big pot of soup, baked pasta dish or other casserole, Roast a chicken or other meat to have for a source of protein for later dinners...nothing wrong with a salad and sandwich for supper.

Good luck.

WickedPixie1

Is your husband home before you? If so, why can't he cook...if not...why not split the cooking duties or batch cook on weekends so you can just take something out, defrost and reheat it?
Batch cooking on weekends means you can at least bank on having healthier meals during the week.

salp02

anifani4 is right! Whole foods are best. I also stick a whole chicken in a crockpot one morning to have it later for dinner with a bag of frozen veggies.
Then, you have the chicken for chicken salad sandwiches, chicken tacos, or even broth and chicken for home made chicken noodle soup.
For my lunch, i usually do chicken roll ups (tortilla, shredded cheese, tomato and lettuce) or a big bowl of bagged salad with some chicken on top with tomatoes and some parmesian. {yum0!}
If whole chickens arent your thing, then just take the chicken breasts you can buy quantities of, throw in a crockpot and enjoy the rest of the week. Simple, and delish!

My1985Freckles

I'm a tax accountant so I understand the long hours and sitting on your butt all day. You need to make it a priority. I do a mile before work on the treadmill in the morning (Well, I go 20 minutes so its more than a mile). It isn't strenuous, but gets my day started. Then strength training 3 times a week.

Meals? I do bulk cooking on the weekends because hubby is a trucker. We skype dinner together. :-) Crockpots are wonderful and SOUP! It is filling and delicious and low cal for the most part.

schaskes

One suggestion I have is spaghetti squash - can be cooked ahead of time and is VERY FILLING without a lot of calories. If you search these posts, there are lots of sauce suggestions. I like to take leftovers for lunch as well. I get up early to exercise (working-teacher-mom) most days and try to fit a few in during afternoons. It's not easy, but I feel much better since I started MFP and exercising. Feel free to add me if you want support!

Blakelynn3

I'm starting small so I don't get burned out. For someone as busy as you are, making small, gradual changes might be the way to go too. For starters, I'm eating out less. Drinking less soda. Eventually cutting those things out altogether or only indulging once a month or so. I'm exercising 3 days a week for 30 minutes, then I'll eventually work up to an hour and then add in more days of exercise.

I'm swapping out things when I cook. Switching to brown rice from white, whole wheat from half wheat, lean meats, ground turkey instead of ground beef, adding veggies to every meal... Eventually, making enough small changes over time will break bad habits, become a lifestyle change and will add up to big results. At least, that's my plan of attack. Good luck!

jacksonpt

Step 1 - do whatever exercise you like. If you have specific goals, then you may have to tailor your exercise a bit... but generally speaking, do what you enjoy.

Step 2 - eat slightly fewer cals than you burn.

Step 3 - be consistent.

Step 4 - be patient.


it really is that simple.

danifo0811

During the week, I am most successful when we eat leftovers. Most of my crock pot recipes freeze and microwave decently so I use those a lot too so I don't need to cook supper as soon as we get home. I usually make extra food on the weekend.

I find I get home at 6 and my kids want supper then! When I cook something I find I start snacking and the kids are cranky. Best case I snack on cheese and nuts, worst case I eat junk but regardless it takes me way off track.

My husband gets home later than me so I know that isn't always an option.

For exercise, I get up at 5:00 am (6:30 on weekends) and do a 30 minute DVD. I try to go for walks at lunch but weather and time prevents that most days.

mandermcbutterpants

What do you think of something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-InStride-Adjustable-Height-Cycle/dp/B005IQS7X8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357155214&sr=8-1&keywords=desk+cycle

I don't have one, but I know that some people use them and they don't use them in such a way that they're constantly sweating at work, but they are constantly moving at a mild pace while they're sitting. Now that I look at it, I might put one in my own office!

I work, on average, about 10-16 hours per day in my busy season. Most of my work is done at the computer. This would be an ideal alternative to running out to the gym when there is zero time!

kacarter1017

All the suggestions thus far are really good ones! As far as your work outs go, I've found trying all sorts of different cardio/strength individual exercises as well as classes keeps it fun. I have favorite classes and pieces of equipment I like better than others, but when I mix it up, it keeps me from being bored.

My work schedule isn't a whole lot different than yours. I rely on my crockpot and weekend cooking like others have mentioned. I also many times am chopping veggies/prepping foods for the next night's supper after supper. Then it's just to throw it together when I get home- or pop it in the oven. Works really well! as far as making sure it's things your hubby and child will eat, don't sell your child short! My kids have eaten every veggie since they were tiny (they are now older teens), brown rice, tofu, sweet potatoes, etc. If you simply present it as the meal, without fanfare and scared looks, they will many times eat it. And even if they don't the first time, they eventually will. Good luck!

dporter1183

I'm in finance too and know exactly what you're talking about.

idk if you are in your own office or not but a coworker and i recently replaced our desk chairs for balance balls. This keeps you working your core all day (or just for a short time and you can go back to your chair if it causes too much pain in the back)
I try to keep moving all day, when I have a few seconds that I dont just HAVE to be doing something, I try to do crunches on the ball. Have 5 minutes? Walk around the building or office. something small like that periodically through the day can add up.

Drink lots and lots of water

Find easy to prepare recipes for the crock pot so when you get home, dinner is done and ready to go.

My goal now is to work out 15-20 minutes every day. I find my biggest down fall is once I take a day off, I take another day, and another, and another.....and before I know it, I'm totally off the wagon and have the hardest time starting back again.

Look on Pinterest for work out inspirations. There are literally thousands of at home work outs that require absolutely no additional equipment. It's a good start. Once you're in the routine of working out, you can build on what you're doing.

TeaBea

During the week, I am most successful when we eat leftovers. Most of my crock pot recipes freeze and microwave decently so I use those a lot too so I don't need to cook supper as soon as we get home. I usually make extra food on the weekend.

I find I get home at 6 and my kids want supper then! When I cook something I find I start snacking and the kids are cranky. Best case I snack on cheese and nuts, worst case I eat junk but regardless it takes me way off track.

My husband gets home later than me so I know that isn't always an option.

For exercise, I get up at 5:00 am (6:30 on weekends) and do a 30 minute DVD. I try to go for walks at lunch but weather and time prevents that most days.

Re: walks at lunchtime ...... this is a "weather proof" idea .....can you pop in a "walking" DVD and do a 1 mile walk at your desk?

If this is at all possible take a look at this youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjduJjO1pLg&feature=related

I work in Wisconsin .... and yeah I'm not walking in the snow.......

cwolfman13

I'm a CFO, so I definitely understand the time constraints. One piece of advice that I wish I would have gotten earlier in my journey is, don't cardio yourself to death. Cardio is important to heart health and overall fitness, but you'll get the most bang for you buck lifting heavy. Too much cardio also puts a lot of strain on the body, depending on your overall level of fitness. In my estimation, people push themselves way too hard, way too fast.

Of course, that would greatly depend on your goals...i.e. if you want to run a marathon, that's quite a bit of running and cardio training. But on average, I see way too many people (including myself) droaning away endless hours on treadmills and elipticals but still unhappy with body composition. Lift heavy 3x weekly (compound full body routines) and do enough cardio on your non-lift days to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes or so.

In RE to the meals, a good healthy meal doesn't have to take long to prepare. Most of my weeknight meals are prepared in 20-30 minutes. They're usually pretty basic...some sort of meat, poultry, or fish...a veg side and a starch. I grill, steam, bake, roast...whatever. It doesn't have to be complex, I save those for the weekends. I also do a lot of big stews and the like on weekends and usually have substantial left-overs that we freeze for those times when we don't feel like cooking and/or they also make nice lunches.