New here -would love any advice please!

Kath15
Kath15 Posts: 165 Member
edited September 20 in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I just joined this website today after taking a long, hard look in the mirror. Since becoming a stay-at-home mother, I haven't really taken care of myself as I should be. I didn't have any weight issues while growing up -I ate whatever I wanted to, didn't exercise regularly, but managed to stay trim. Once I hit my mid twenties, though, I started to slowly put on the pounds. After I got married and had two kids well,....here I am. Overweight and not very happy about it. So, it's time to start taking care of myself and putting in the hard work to do so. I want to be healthy and happy for myself as well as my family. I need to take control and I would greatly appreciate any advice, suggestions, tools, etc. to help me in achieving my goal. Thanks!

Replies

  • aml0484
    aml0484 Posts: 425
    Take small steps. Don't try and change everything at once. Maybe start with calories then when that is manageable work on water intake. Find exercise that is fun.
  • aymetcalf
    aymetcalf Posts: 597 Member
    Welcome! This is a wonderful website if you use it regularly and are VERY honest with what you log in. Good Luck with your weight loss! I'm right there with ya'! :flowerforyou:
  • YogaRunner
    YogaRunner Posts: 652 Member
    Welcome! Connect on here with friends and watch what they do! Learn from them so you don't have to reinvent the wheel!
  • NancyMoedt
    NancyMoedt Posts: 207
    Welcome, I just joined a week ago and love it. It's all about accountability and making time for yourself. :smile:

    Glad that you joined. We can cheer you on. Feel free to add me if you like.

    Hugs.
  • Bernadette69
    Bernadette69 Posts: 28
    I know that you have heard it before, but this is a lifestyle change not a diet. Don't deprive yourself of the things you love, just eat smaller portions less frequently. Mix it up; don't eat the same things all the time. I watched Biggest Loser last night and one trainer tip was to eat strictly for 2 days, moderately for 3 and splurge a little for two. Keeps your body out of the "survival storing fat" mode.
    Some things I have found to that are healthy and taste great are Kashi Go Lean Krunch, unsalted rice cakes with reduced fat peanut butter (really yummy), edamame in a salad or steamed, butter lettuce, morning star buffalo wings (meatless) in a salad, and while I know that some people have a hard time limiting themselves to one package of a 100 calorie snack I have found that easier than buying large bags of whatever and counting or weighing them out myself. I have a tendency to nibble while bagging or putting just one extra in each bag.
    I have also found it helpful to weigh each day - again, contrary to popular belief. I am better able to take off one extra pound that I might gain in a day than seven that I may gain in a week. I am also better able to analize what I ate the day before that contributed to the weight gain.
    Keep blogging; it helps to put your thoughts into words.
    Bottom line, don't get discouraged. If you stick with it, you will lose the weight! Good luck.
  • reflexmoon
    reflexmoon Posts: 1
    First off, HI! Welcome! I am fairly new here myself, but I am happy to help in any way I can.
    I know where you are right now, based on your post- I have been there, having had two babies in my early 20's - just one year apart! I gained 70lbs with each of them!
    Well, suffice to say I have yo-yo'd thru the years, here I am now 50, with two wonderful grown man-children, and still 80 lbs over weight.
    BUT...it can be done, as I am currently proving to myself- finally at this point in my life.

    I don't want to fill you with non-expert advice, since obviously it has taken me this long to get my own act together physically- but I will share with you some things I KNOW about the 'young Mother/overweight/stressed/no time to care for yourself/need to make changes thing.
    I get it, and so does every other Mother out there who struggles with the wonderful, challenging, exciting, fun and sometimes mundane self-sacrificing period of life called child-rearing!

    In no particular order, cuz its late and my brain wants to stop functioning...

    Take time for YOU- 30 minutes a day minimum- even if it means you lock yourself in the bathroom with a candle and a bubble bath, or get out of the house while Dad watches the kidlets. At least try, it makes all the difference to your mental/emotional state.

    Visualize yourself as you want to look, change it up as you see fit- there are no rules, its YOUR visualization.

    Drink LOTS of water every day.

    If you don't exercise yet, start with 3 days a week- you don't have to belong to a gym-(if you can join one- great- or the YWCA is good and cheap or free)-
    get out and WALK 30 minutes a day minimum- it doesn't even have to be all at once- three ten minute sessions are fine- however you can fit it in and make it work-(can this be your ME time?)- MUSIC you like really helps if you have access to earphones.

    Increase PROTEIN!
    Lower your carbs
    Try to cut out or at least greatly reduce refined Sugars- they rob your body of the energy you need to chase those young ones around.

    Get enough sleep!! 7-8 hours nightly. Might seem impossible right now, but it is proven that one of the reasons we gain so much weight is du e to being overtired all the time- check the research- I have proven to myself that its true!

    When I began working out again- my body needed serious recovery time- especially since I started with free weights- building muscle - lean muscle mass- increases your body's ability to BURN calories more efficiently!
    I have included lots more cardio- on the treadmill and taking three Zumba classes a week- WOW- what a workout! FUN tho!
    I really need more rest too after that sort of calorie burn!

    Protein, Water, Sleep, Exercise, (all these will increase your energy!) and reduce or eliminate sugar as much as you can.
    That's about it to start- joining a site like this helps alot too- talking to others who are in the same boat.
    Just by doing these things seriously for the last 6 weeks, I have dropped 15 lbs. Doesn't SOUND like a lot, but I feel it, and it's nice when people notice even that small amount of difference!

    Best of luck, hope I wasn't too 'MOM' like- I guess that part never really changes does it? =)
  • Kath15
    Kath15 Posts: 165 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the support, great advice, and encouragement! I know that I have to take it slow -I'm working on controlling my food intake first and then I'll ease myself into exercising more. If I try too much at once then I'm setting myself up for failure. I feel better just knowing that I'm starting this journey...
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