Starting out& I have no clue how to start help!!

rachelvrolyks
rachelvrolyks Posts: 1
in Getting Started
I used to be a dancer before kids which was about four years ago. But after having kids and dealing with Post Partum disorder, I lost all drive to lose weight & exercise. It wasn't until I hit 165 before I realized I wasn't healthy. I've lost some weight and I'm now weighing in at 146 lbs but I'm still overweight for my height. I want to look good& feel good. My husband is in the Army so seeing him get into shape has really got me thinking. I need to get healthy. I am not big on exercising so I have no clue how to start. Plus having two kids under five is so stressful that by the time I do find me time I just want to sleep. If anybody knows of a way that I can start exercising& getting into shape please let me know.
Rachel Vrolyks

Replies

  • emd2570
    emd2570 Posts: 126 Member
    I started by logging in my calories to see how much I was over eating - and was I shocked - my dinner was over 1000 calories mfp started me at 1500 calories - I was much heavier than u - I was 214- my heaviest weight being 243- I lost some weight on my own but needed help- i needef to incorporate exercise - u can go to YouTube for free -find some aerobic videos- I did atleast 20-30 min of cardio to start - I have a treadmill as well-I hated exercise - now I feel guilty if I don't do something atleast 3xs a week- - good luck
  • PhreePanda
    PhreePanda Posts: 22 Member
    I think your biggest thing to start with is healthy foods to fuel energy, perhaps a supplement. Ask your doctor what is best for you or look into options. Personally myself, I found kelp boosted my energy and has set me on a good track.
    Next, get put and walk.. Just move fast! Even if your tired. It sounds counter productive, but exercise boost energy like no other. Long term you will have more energy then you started with.

    Google inspiration. I have slogans and pictures on my iPod. When I want to give up or stop I flip to those pictures and cry if I have to.. Main point.. It gets done.

    Make it a priority. Your body is your priority. Make an appointment with yourself and treat it like an appointment.

    I don't have children, but I see people at my gym who do. Some include their children, others bring toys. Some gyms have day care also. Another option with your children is finding a workout partner that also has children. Or even one who does not. Switch off and on with keeping the kids occupied.

    YouTube has so many videos too.

    Read motivational stories. Save the pages. Anything to keep you going! Your limitless in your capabilities.
  • ataylorgardner
    ataylorgardner Posts: 203 Member
    losing weight is more about eating right than it is about the exercise. Exercise is to help you get fit. Ultimately to be healthy you do need to combine both. Start with a good healthy eating plan, track your calories for a while to make sure you aren't eating too much but are still getting enough.

    You said you used to be a dancer. Have you ever tried any of the dance type workouts to see if you like them? Zumba, rocking body,etc. Walking is a good place to start though. Good luck
  • teabeeten
    teabeeten Posts: 15 Member
    It's sounds like you've done really well with just eating better, congratulations on the work you've done so far! I've had good luck with workouts that I can do at home either before or after the kids are in bed. I use several different DVDs and websites for home workouts for both strength and cardio. DDP Yoga is fun and my kids like to do it with me. Fitsugar.com has a nice selection of 10 minute workouts that are easy to fit into your limited downtime. Fitnessblender.com has some good beginner kettlebell workouts that give a good workout in 30 minutes or less. I also try to get out and walk at least 4 times a week (more when it's not freezing and pitch black out in the mornings.) It might take some experimenting, but it's fun to try out some forms of exercise while you look for one you enjoy and can stick with.
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    Sounds like you are off to a good start already. Weight loss is 80% what you eat so focus on your intake - what and how much you are eating. You can lose a lot of weight just doing that without exercising. Exercise itself helps you burn off a few of those calories you've eaten, but the bigger effect is how it changes the way your body looks and what you can do. Cardio improves your cardiovascular system and promotes bone growth. Weight training makes you stronger and gives you nice muscle tone while also helping increase the amount of calories your body burns just living.

    You can also incorporate exercise into play with your kids. I used to do yoga with my mom when I was little and my friends run around with their kids in the park, have mini races in their yard, use them as weights to do lifts and their kids just feel like, "Mommy's playing with me!"
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    As others suggested start by logging your food and keep up the smart changes you have already made. Good job so far!

    As workouts go, my sister did workout dvds at home while the kids were awake, they would usually jump around with her and see the whole thing as a game :D look for videos on YouTube to suit your abilities and preferences. (my sister did the 30ds and used bottles of water for weights, my niece got her own empty plastic bottle to use as well)
  • awhit67
    awhit67 Posts: 12
    Agree with everyone else - you are off to a great start! Now just define your goals and set some small goals. You'll find those goals will grow and your kids won't be able to stay up with you! 30mins at a time sounds like a good start to me, and besides there are some great tools and motivators here should you need that little push on those 'off' days or 'off' moods!

    Start small and finish big!

    ~Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
  • heatherb2977
    heatherb2977 Posts: 1
    I completely understand how you feel. I have 4 kids. I kept my figure after the first two. I gained a little weight after the third and almost 40 pounds after the fourth. I am so busy with the kids, exercise is the last thing on my mind. All I want to do is rest. I'm too tired to think about exercise, let alone do it. I thought I ate a pretty healty diet and was surprised to see how many calories i was eating every day when I started logging them. I still don't have time for much exercise but I get something in every day. Even if it's just a walk around the block, anything is better than nothing. I am not making my goal as quickly as I wanted but I am getting there. Just don't give up and you will make it.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    Read an implement the information from these...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1069278-acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    http://evidencemag.com/why-calories-count/

    Join this group and be sure to read the stickies...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

    Follow this Facebook page...

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eat-Train-Progress/1451299741759830

    Start lifting to maintain LBM...

    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:The_Lifts

    Look out for books like Starting Strength, The New Rules of Lifting for Women. etc

    Good luck OP!
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Just chasing after those two is more exercise than you think. I think you are just eating that badly, and don't realize it. Try logging your food for a couple of days to see where you fall. Start moving to foods that you like, and you know are healthier. That should get you started in the right direction. JMO
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    Wanting to change is the first step! Start by logging your calories. It was really shocking to me when I first joined here, seeing exactly how much I was eating before starting my healthy journey. Some days were like 3,000+ calories! MFP will tell you how many calories you should eat based on your settings for height, weight, your goals, etc. Follow that. It's worked for me!

    Also, adding any sort of work out, exercise etc makes a big difference too! Movement is key. Start slow, make reasonable goals and go from there!
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    In my experience, there are (3) things you have to work on in small steps of course:

    1) Nutrition - Figure out what your TDEE number is, decide what amount of weight you would like to lose each week, and eat -500 calories less than what your TDEE number is per pound of weight (MFP figures it out for you) Eating healthy will come naturally as you learn about the foods you eat and how they impact your TDEE and so will reading labels, weighing food, etc.

    2) Exercise - As you start eating right, you will start to experience a lot more energy and will want to move more, cook, clean, go for short walks, etc. Start off with a very slow pace of 10 minutes every other day, and slowly add minutes to your walks on your work out days until you build yourself up to say 30-60 minutes. Then incorporate weight training to leverage your fat burning efforts by adding more muscle (tone, not bulk), which makes you a more efficient fat burning machine. Don't forget about water, drink 1/2 your current weight in ounces daily and cut out all other drinks like coffee, tea, and soda.

    3) Sleep - A lot of people miss this one. In this day and age, everyone seems to think they can get by on 2-4 hours of sleep. The truth is, your body needs more rest. If possible, start with 8 hours or more, and feel the difference throughout your day.

    Although all the info above was learned from varies sources, these methods have personally worked for me.

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