Need Motivation

sambw12

Hi! I am 20 years old and just recently had a baby, I gained about 50 pounds that I am having trouble losing. I started dieting in December but became frustrated and stopped. I want to get back into it but I need motivation

paxbfl

I think the most important motivation has to come from yourself. If you want to be the best mom you can be, you have to take care of yourself. This is hard for moms - they always put everyone else ahead of themselves. But this is your life, and you deserve to be happy! When you look great you'll feel good about yourself, and when you're in shape you'll just feel good period - and have the energy to keep up with your kids. Don't wait - the older you get the more difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off.

A few practical thoughts...

* Learn your BMR and TDEE and understand what they mean. Try this calculator:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

If you understand how many calories you burn in a day, you'll know what number you need to stay under in order to lose weight. It's simple math but you have to know the numbers!

* Similarly, log EVERY calorie you eat. Measure your food initially so you understand what serving sizes look like (I had no clue). If you don't know how many calories you're eating in a day, you're just guessing - and you're probably guessing wrong.

* Workout 5-6 days a week - even if it's just an exercise video while your baby naps. When the weather is nice, take the baby for a walk around the neighborhood. Do SOMETHING to burn some calories.

* Try eating 5-6 "mini-meals" throughout the day (every 2-3 hours). So if you're calorie goal is 1500 calories, eat 5 meals of 300 calories each instead of 3 big meals. For me, this really helps me manage my hunger. Supposedly it helps keep your blood sugar stable so you're less hungry between meals. Plus it's nice because you're always close to a meal - you're not waiting hours and hitting the junk food because you can't make it until dinner.

* Understand the importance of protein. It helps you build muscle and it helps satisfy your food cravings. Most people don't get enough.

* Stay away from sugar and simple carbs like white bread and pasta. These wreak havoc on your blood sugar also - causing you to have cravings. I went cold turkey and felt like crap for 2 days but then I felt so much better. Complex carbs (whole wheat bread, whole grains) are ok because they get digested much more slowly - giving you long-lasting energy but not causing that blood sugar spike.

* Don't drink any calories. (And if you do, log them!)

* Surround yourself with supportive, motivated people. Get lots of MFP friends. Feel free to send me an invite!

Trust me when I tell you that you can absolutely do this. I just lost 40 pounds in 4 months. I worked very hard but it was not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. In fact, once I got in my rhythm, it was pretty easy! I feel AWESOME!

Good luck!

NotBonJovi

paxbfl - Good response. I know I have been helped by your suggestion.

sambw12 - You can do it. Just follow his advice. And may I add, don't measure your success by scale only. Once you start exercising and eating right, you feel more confident and upbeat and the inches and fat will eventually melt away.