Please help. Weight loss advice for a busy mummy

thegrovemouse54
thegrovemouse54 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I am 28 and a mummy to a 1 year old boy. I have always struggled with my weight but it has be creeping up over the last few years. I now weight 15 stone and I am very upset with myself. I need practical tips I can follow. I love my carbs and not a big fan of vegetables. I want to make this change for good but feel lost. I have a long way to go to get to my target but if I can be the size I want to be by the time I'm 30 I will be very happy.

I work in an office 3 long days a week and am 95% of the time sat down. When I'm not at work I'm looking after my son and doing house work. My hubby is not overly supportive so I am kinda doing it alone.

I can't afford to go to exercise classes or gyms and I can't afford to do slimming classes.

My daily calorie target is 1200. This is somewhat scary and could do with some suggestions for meals.


Please help.

Replies

  • TabithaRose87
    TabithaRose87 Posts: 44 Member
    I can relate to your eating habits. Growing up my diet has mostly been carbs and fruits and sweets. Like you, I want to make a healthier change. It really is true what they say, small steps. For instance, I will alow my self to have bread once a day, and I kept making my husband cook brocolli. I actually now get in the mood for brocolli which is shocking considering I once called brocolli the devil :-). So maybe choose one veggie to get yourself used to and eventually may end up liking. I am a HUGE fan of rice, I could literally have three bowls..smh. So after some self convincing. I fill up a small bowl, add some black beans and chicken breast (was never a big fan, now I LOVE IT, it is sooooo filling, try it baked or grilled, it's become a staple in my house, I season it with adobo, sazon and garlic powder (not sure if thats the healthiest but it's delicious) Also, on days I don't have time to eat before work, Oatmeal with brown sugar and a banana, yummy and filling and not too bad on the nutrition scale. I find just cutting down portions of what you already like to eat are helpful and drinking water before and during your meals make u feel fuller faster.
    I too, work in office enironment 5 days a week 8-5, While exercise is something I am still working on incorporating, I do find that just running around chasing the kids, playing ball, taking walks does work up a sweat. Good luck!!!
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    First, if my google calculations are right, 15 stone would make you 210 pounds, correct? If so, 1200 calories is proooooobably too low of a target for you. Find out your TDEE and then cut 20% from that, OR set your MFP goal to lose ONE pound a week, not TWO and eat back all of your exercise calories, or at least half of them. This isn't a race, and losing slowly is going to be your best protection against muscle loss and lots of excess skin.

    Second, just because you can't go to a gym doesn't mean you can't work-out. Get a work-out DVD or YouTube some body weight exercises. Go for a walk. Start doing running intervals. Schedule it into your day - either in the mornings before you go to work, on your lunch break at work, before you get home, after your baby goes to sleep, etc. Just do something. Your body will thank you.

    Third, get a food scale. They're cheap. Weigh and measure everything.

    Buy veggies, fruits, lean meats, etc. Ya know, the usual stuff. Get some Ziploc Perfect Portion baggies so that you can freeze your meats individually. That way, when you want to take out dinner to thaw, you only take out what YOU will eat if your husband isn't planning on eating with you OR make a dinner in bulk and take the leftovers to lunch with you the next day OR invite over a friend to enjoy a delicious homemade dinner with you.

    Buy a rotisserie chicken, divide it up (weigh it), and pack it for lunch a few days a week. Pack some almonds and string cheese and fruit for snacks.

    Stir fryes are quick and easy and delicious. Check out skinnytaste.com for other ideas. I can't cook a lot of different things. I can cook like...less than 10 things. Haha. But they're all delicious, and I got most of my ideas from this website.

    Get seasonings and marinades. Use Pam cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil to cook with instead of butter (in most scenarios).

    Learn to love egg-whites and mix a few egg whites with 1 or 2 yolks. I am not anti-yolk, but if you want to save some calories and still get lots of nutrients and protein, egg whites + egg yolks is a great way to do that.

    Uhhhh.....tilapia! You can buy it fresh or buy frozen bags of it. Lemon butter and garlic tilapia with parsley is DELICIOUS (that's what I'm having tonight).

    Spinach with strawberries, pecans, feta cheese, and a raspberry vinaigrette is also delicious and makes a great side.

    Start with a few little changes, one or two new recipes, and keep adding on as you get more and more comfortable! Good luck!
  • justkeepswimming620
    justkeepswimming620 Posts: 4 Member
    I purchased a fairly inexpensive jogging stroller so I take my 13 month old with me on walks/runs. Luckily, he LOVES to be in the stroller so my husband doesn't have to watch him while I exercise. I'm not sure what I'll do once winter hits but for now it works really well in our busy schedule - and with our tight budget!

    I have had a lot of luck with recipes from the Taste of Home Everyday Light Meals cookbook. A lot of variety and good ideas and most recipes have been pretty easy.

    Good luck!
  • lucybarnes9822
    lucybarnes9822 Posts: 10
    Hi, I know how you feel and I think gradual changes that you can keep up forever are more important than sudden massive changes that are not sustainable. I would also say 1200calories is too low for you. I am 28 and currently 12st 4lbs and I have 1450calories a day and I started on 1520 calories when I was 13st 8lbs.

    I think starting some exercise is the most important first step, I can't afford exercise classes/gym either and also have children and my husband is away or working nights a a lot so I understand how hard it is to get in to the habit but I have now vowed to myself that I will do some kind of exercise everyday. So if my husband is home once the kids are in bed I walk 3 miles as fast as I can and have now started jogging only the last 0.6 of a mile but gradually building it up. If my husband is not there once the kids are in bed I do an exercise dvd.

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