I think I need a pep-talk. I'm a little frustrated.

MFP sets protein too low, usually. Don't worry about going over. Don't be scared to include the healthy fats in with your meals - fat and protein help keep you satiated.

I agree that you will have to do a balancing act with your husband to make sure you get YOUR time, otherwise you will burn out from constantly making everyone else the priority.

It takes time... look up allrecipes.com, skinnytaste.com or browse the 'Recipes' threads here to find low-calorie, nutrient rich options. Try to make extra so you don't have to constantly be cooking. Having extra chicken breast or tuna mix around helps out a lot. Pre-slicing your veggies for snacks and salads will save time. Boiled eggs keep in the fridge 5-7 days, use for snacks or salads.

If your health is a priority, you will fight for it!

Best of luck.

Why do you think those 2 lbs are coming back?
First, you haven't been on the program long enough to worry about minor weight gain. In the short time you've been on MFP, you're on track.
Secondly, body weight can fluctuate as much as 5 lbs for no apparent reason. Personally my weight can swing between 1/2 and 2 lbs from day-to-day but in the long term trend stays on track.

Why are you seeking out protein?
Are you looking to build muscle? The body can only absorb 30 mg per hour so don't consume too much. If you're eating protein because you're hungry, try fruits and vegetables which contain large amounts of fiber. Fiber also keeps you full longer. Finally, after you've been on the program a few weeks, you're body will get accustomed to eating less and hunger problems should go away.

Why would you worry about protein? I have 5 go to snacks, greek yogurt, a protein bar, a protein shake, cheese, and popcorn; and yeah I know that last one doesn't fit but I like it and it's about the only salty snack I eat.

As for finding time to exercise, you have to make it, but if you are eating at a calorie deficit the weight will come off even if you don't exercise. You just have to find out what that magic number is for you because no calculator can truely figure it out, there are too many variables.

Ways I made time even though my week days look every bit as hecktic as yours. Hubby took over dinner and clean up so I could run in the neighborhood. TV time with the kids became Dance time, I made a youtube playlist and we jump and dance around like loons for 20 minutes singing at the top of our lungs. As a family we started taking walks, runs, (keeping in mind my youngest is 2 and we have a jogging stroller) bike rides, hikes, family swim time at the Y, marathon trips to the zoo etc. I bought a kinect for our xbox, you might be surprised how much jumping and stretching you get. After the kids are down I might do an exercise DVD. The point is to be moving not to spend 20-60 minutes at a gym following a routine.

Truth is I only count total calories, I never eat my exercise calories, I don't care about any of the macros except for carbs becasue I'm a diabetic in remission. While you may need to find what works for you, you are absolutely correct that it has to be a life long change not just until you lose 30 pounds. Start small pick one thing that you can do different and once you have that under control make another change, or if that's not your style go big and cold turkey. That's what I did with sugar, I've been sugar free since May. You know you better than anyone else, so don't be frustrated, be determined, and kick some life style *kitten* so that you can be the best you, and the you that you want to be!

i echo the above sentiments, sometimes you have to have some give and take. When i started to get serious about this I told my husband, I AM going to the gym at least 2x per week. You ARE staying home with the kids while i do this. My idea of staying home with the kids means that he helps with homework, he does baths, gets backpacks ready, etc. That is not always his idea of staying with the kids. Does it frustrate me when he doesnt do those things? yes, i know I could say forget it, Im not going to the gym because xyz needs to be done...i have decided that is not an option for me. you have to make yourself a priority.
I have a first grader too...do they really have that much homework every night? Mine doesn't. 15 minutes 3 x a week is about the most. Just trying to hold you accountable and not let you wallow in excuses:) One other thing that seems to help me is I love making my kids lunches, my husband has offered to do that part since he is up hours before the rest of the family, i declined because I like that task, however, i usually make lunches at night before bed. My little kid does not eat sandwiches so I can easily make her lunch and not worry about bread getting gross or anything, it keeps all night no problem....when my big kid takes her lunch and wants a sandwich, i get everything else ready and packed, making a sandwich is seconds compared to making 2 whole lunches every morning...this could open up some time for you in the morning to fit in a quick dvd or wii workout. its all the little things..you can do this.

Where does hubby help in all of this?

I was going to ask this same question. If for whatever reason there is no way he can help with this (and even if he can) below are some things that have helped me so maybe they would help you. Some of them are just the smallest little changes, but combined, and over time, they make a big difference.

- Take a walk on your lunch break at work - even if it's only 10 minutes, it's something
- Rather than calling a coworker with a question, walk to their office - if you do that each time, it adds up to quite a bit of walking
- Invest in a pedometer. There are pretty inexpensive ones out there - for the first day or two, continue in your current routine, and take note of how many steps you take in a day - Then the next day, try to get 100 more steps in
- Park your car a little farther away from the building - each parking space is 2-4 extra steps each way
- Invest in a good water bottle - having a water bottle you like will encourage you to drink more - For a day, take note of how much water you're drinking currently, Then the next day, try to add 10 more ounces - You should be drinking AT LEAST a third as many ounces as you weigh in pounds (ex. If you weigh 180lbs, you're minimum water intake should be 60 ounces)
- Track all your food - at the end of the day, take 5 minutes to review your food journal and reflect on how it went (hunger levels, sweets, etc) - Come up with at least one thing you would do differently next time, and execute it the following day
- If the weather permits - take the family for a walk after dinner, even if it's only once around the block - it's not just for your benefit, the kids will get into this habit too, and it's great family time!
- Look online for short exercise moves you can do in your living room (crunches, jumping jacks, push ups, using dumbells, etc.) - do them during the commercials while you're watching tv with the kids - You could even make it a game with them too (maybe to see who can do the most of a specific exercise before the show comes back on) - Or even let them invent new exercise moves to try out
- Pay attention to how often you're eating processed carbs (bread, pasta, etc) try to limit it to once or twice a week, or less if possible
- Online you can buy plates that are divided into sections that reflect serving size for each part of your meal - This can help tremendously with portion control
-On the weekends or any free evening time you might have, prepare some meals for the week - Pancakes or egg casseroles can be made and saved for the week - Dinner meats can be cooked and then saved for a few days at a time - This would cut down on some of the cooking/prep time for meals which could allow you to fit in a short workout.
- Crock Pots are wonderful inventions - You can throw a bunch of veggies, and lean ground turkey if you want, into a pot and let it cook all day while you're at work, and poof, there's dinner!! - Crock pot liners are great for quick, easy clean up!




This is all I can think of for right now. Please feel free to add me!!! I'm always looking for new MFPals, and we could all use extra support. Good Luck!!

Erika

First, you haven't been on the program long enough to worry about minor weight gain. In the short time you've been on MFP, you're on track.
Secondly, body weight can fluctuate as much as 5 lbs for no apparent reason. Personally my weight can swing between 1/2 and 2 lbs from day-to-day but in the long term trend stays on track.

This is true

Fiber also keeps you full longer.

And this is true

The body can only absorb 30 mg per hour so don't consume too much.

But this is not true. Just patently false.

Protein is wonderful, and MFP's automatic settings are notoriously low on protein. I re-set mine because I've had success in lowering my body fat % and maintaining lean muscle mass by aiming for at least 80-100g of protein a day (more on heavy lifting days).

Regarding exercise: it is entirely possible to lose weight without exercising if it is just physically impossible to make time for it, especially since most people with kids are pretty active whether they're trying to be or not. However, you will have faster, better, and more sustainable results if you incorporate some kind of routine exercise into your life. The suggestions about taking walks, doing something during your lunch break, or having someone else watch the kids for even just an hour so that you can spend some time making yourself stronger are all good ones.

Good luck to you!

The most important thing you have done is to join My Fitness Pal and use the benefits that are provided. There are many days that I feel I should have lost more weight because of the effort I put into it. But in the last 18 months, I have managed to lose 30 lbs and keep it off. Just remember to keep at it and you will achieve your goals too!

I'd like to suggest that you take a look at the exercise database on My Fitness Pal. It has a lot of different activities, sports, etc. that you can use for your exercise goals in place of going to the gym. It even includes "(House) Cleaning"! I'd also like to suggest that you check out Curves if there is one local to your home or your workplace. It has a pretty nice circuit program that takes only 30 minutes to complete and according to the My Fitness Pal exercise database, you burn about 190 calories!

Take care and hang in there.

GOALS>CHANGE GOALS> CUSTOM>CONTINUE> change protein percent ( I do 40c/30p/30/f, but you pick what you like)> CHANGE GOALS.

MFP sets protein notoriously low..you can manually set your own.

Consider an evening stroll with the hubs. Mine swears he hates it but he goes anyways. I even got him to do about 10 minutes of Zumba once

1. Don't worry about your protein intake. Keep your fats down and keep to your cals and you will be fine.
2. Kids are important yes but there is always a way to make it work. Do you have to drive everywhere? Maybe you can walk/cycle your kids around instead of driving? Can you do a workout DVD like the 30 Day Shred and squeeze it in evenings while kids are doing homework? Make time at the weekends to do a big workout. Remember, you wont be any good to your kids if you die prematurely because you haven't been focused on your health. Surely you want to teach them good habits? If so why not get them involved with whatever exercise it is you decide to take up. Go hillwalking at the weekend or swimming?

For number 1... Don't worry about protein intake? Why is that? Protein is required for muscles, hair growth, etc and keeps you feeling full for longer. You NEED to have adequate protein in your diet. Lack of proein and weight lifting while losing weight is what causes people to lose muscle mass while eating at a deficit. Lack of protein will cause people to feel hungrier, faster. For me, lack of protein caused hair loss (and I know it has for others too).

Keep fats down? Dietary fat doesn't translate to body fat. Fats are needed in a healthy diet. Of course that isn't fried foods for example but healthy fats (oils, etc) are needed in the body. They help you feel full, longer.. they help keep disgestion moving along, healthy fats help the look of hair, nails and skin. I don't understand why you don't think protein and fats are important to include properly in your daily diet.

For number 2, I do agree with.. To the OP, you can sneak in exercise somewhere in there if you really want to. Take 30 minutes after dinner and go for a family walk. Exercise is important to children too. Or when you put the kids to bed put on a workout DVD... go for a walk and leave Hubby home to say clean up dinner. There are lots of ways to sneak in some exercise. Go for a walk at lunch while at work. If you get to work early don't go sit at your desk... go for a walk instead. Climb the stairs in the house/workplace.

Ultimately, a calorie deficit is required for weight loss. You can lose weight without exercise but your body won't change as much as it will with proper exercise.